intimate Eph. 4.30 31. Secondly This Brotherly Vnity as it is a thing which is well-pleasing to God and delightfull to him so it is also pleasant to our selves who accordingly shall have so much the greater pleasure in it and from it Quarrelsom and Contentious Persons that like Salamanders live in the fire they are oftentimes a very burden to themsevles And those that are not careful to maintain peace with others they want it now and then even in their own hearts and breasts And though strife be pleasing to them so far forth as it best sutes with their sinfull and corrupt nature yet so far forth as it best sutes with their sinful and corrupt nature yet so far forth as they have likewise any principles of humanity in them it must needs be very harsh and unpleasing and troublesome to them and so it is And on the other side Concord and mutual agreement is a great deal more delightfull A man has a great deal of more freedom and contentment in his own spirit when as upon good terms he is in Peace and Love with other men He injoyes himself a great deal more fully and has so much the more inward peace and tranquillity in his own Conscience occasionally from it it is pleasant that is it is pleasing to our selves Thirdly It is also pleasing to others to all men else besides that are standers by and spectators of it Behold how pleasant it is c. It is pleasant to all Beholders He that in these things serveth Christ he is acceptable to God and approved of men sayes the Apostle Rom. 14.18 Persons that are given to contention they are offensive to all that come near them and that are round about them who are troubled and displeased with them But quiet and peaceable persons they draw the Love and respect of all to them it is a most lovely and amiable spectacle Therefore that which is here by our own Translators rendred pleasant is by some others expounded Comely as the Hebrew word Nagnim which is used will very well bear it It is pleasant to the Eye which is refresht with such a sight as this is and thus it is pleasant in reference to all sorts of Persons To God to our selves and to other men And so ye have each Qualification whence it is Commendable to us both from the goodness of it and the Pleasantness Now to set home this point so much the more effectually upon us it may not be amiss for us but very pertinent and seasonable to take notice of it in the Inlargement and Illustration which is here used in this Psalm for the further commending of it to us And that as taken from a twofold similitude The one in the second verse of the oyntment upon the Head of Aaron And the other in the third verse of the dew of Hermon and of that which discended upon the Mountains of Sion First To take notice briefly of the former Illustration in the second verse which is very Emphatical and that in sundry particulars wherein this Fraternal Concord is compared to the Holy Oyle of Anointing which is exprest and described unto us in Exod. 30. First For the Nature and Quality of it It is precious Oyntment Shemen-ha-tou It is not to common and ordinary use Oyl of any Consideration whatsoever but the best and choycest that could be lighted-on Like that wherewith Mary Magdalene anointed Christ before his Passion when she brought forth an Alablaster box of oyntment of Spikenard very precious and poured it upon his head Mark 14.3 Such was this whereunto the Concord of Brethren is compared here in this Scripture To set forth unto us the preciousness and excellency of of it It is a vertue of very rare account and so to be esteemed of by us It is such which carries a good name and Report with it and accordingly like that is also better then precious Oyntment Secondly For the ordering and disposing of it It is compared not to oyl inclosed and shut up in a vessel but to oyl effused and poured forth abroad which is more significant As that which does cast forth a special fragrancy and odoriferousness with it Look how a Box of precious Oyntment when it is broken it does cast forth such a smell as does refresh the nostrils and brains of all such persons as are made partakers of it So in like manner the Unity of Brethren it is very sweet to all that observe it Because of the savour of thy good Oyntment thy Name is an Oyntment poured forth therefore the Virgins love thee as the Spouse of Christ speaks of her beloved Cant. 1.3 Thirdly For the Person whom it refers to It is not the anointing onely of some Levit or Common Priest but the anointing of Aaron himself who was the high Priest of all and therein a special Type of Christ as prefigured and shadowed out in him Lastly As to the Importment and Communication of it It was not oyle which rested onely upon Aarons Head but run down upon his Beard and from thence further to the skirts of his Garments which is a lively description to us of the property of this Grace of Love and Brotherly Agreement It is such as does not rest it self onely in those who are the next and immediate subjects of it but it conveyes it self to many other Love it is of a very diffusive and communicative Disposition It does not ingross all comfort to it self but it imparts it also to its brethren and all that are near unto it they are the better for it yea sometimes which are at a distance from it as in Superiours towards those that are below them in the skirts of the garments as from Christ to all his Members And that 's the first similitude The second Similitude is in the third verse As the dew of Hermon and as the Dew that descends upon the Mountains of Sion Look as Gardens and Fields and Meadows where they want dew and seasonable rain they become dry and barren and unfruitful and on the other side where these are any thing in abundance they are thriving and flourishing So Churches and States and Companies and Societies and the like where they are destitute of Brotherly Concord they are decaying and languishing But where this is any thing upheld and preserved in them they are likely to hold out and continue For there the Lord hath commanded his blessing even life for evermore And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which is the sight it self or spectacle propounded in these words how good and pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in Vnity The Second with which I will conclude all and that as it were in a way of Application is the Invitation to the Observing of it In the word Behold which is set in the Front of the Text and it is Introductive to all the rest but comes last of all to be handled by
presumptuous Question Page 97 Sermons XV. Psal 22.9 10. Davids Acknowledgment of Gods goodness Page 104 Sermons XVI Psal 10.13 Davids Expostulation with Contemners of God Page 114 Sermons XVII Psal 68.21 Gods Threatnings against incorrigible sinners Page 122 Sermons XVIII Psal 75.8 Another Sermon of Gods Threats Page 129 Sermons XIX Psal 27.8 Gods Invitation to Prayer and the Souls Acceptance Page 136 Sermons XX. Psal 36.7 The Excellency of Gods loving-kindness Page 143 Sermons XXI Psal 84.11 God a Sun and shield gives Grace and Glory Page 151 Sermons XXII Psal 94.19 David's Malady and Remedy Page 159 Sermons XXIII Psal 104.34 David's Contemplation and Exultation Page 170 Sermons XXIV Psal 77.10 Holy Remembrance a means to recover out of distrust Page 178 Sermons XXV Psal 118.18 Sore Chastisement yet not a giving to death Page 185 Sermons XXVI Psal 133.1 A good and pleasant Prospect before the Mercers Page 193 Sermons XXVII Psal 139.18 A Christians awaking with God Page 201 Sermons XXVIII Psal 148.11 God takes pleasure in them that hope in him Page 208 Sermons XXIX Prov. 3.17 Godliness is pleasant and delightful Page 216 Sermons XXX Prov. 9.12 Good counsel to be wise for a mans self Page 223 Sermons XXXI Prov. 16.3 Committing our works to God the way to be established Page 233 Sermons XXXII Prov. 17.3 Gods Fining-pot and Furnace Page 243 Sermons XXXIII Prov. 17.3 Mans devices vain Gods counsel shall stand Page 249 Sermons XXXIV Prov. 22.3 The prudent hid the simple punished Page 259 Sermons XXXV Isa 9.14 Gods Threatning to cut off head tayl branch rush Page 267 Sermons XXXVI Isa 57.21 No peace to the wicked Page 275 Sermons XXXVII Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into Hell Page 282 Sermons XXXVIII Isa 55.7 Gods Counsel and Promise to amendment of Life Page 290 Sermons XXXIX Isa 30.21 The hearing-ear God will vouchsafe to his people Page 298 Sermons XL. Isa 40.31 They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength Page 305 Sermons XLI Jer. 7.9 10. Gods Expostulation with the Jews Page 345 Sermons XLII Jer. 2.23 God no barren Wilderness to Israel Page 352 Sermons XLIII Jer. 4.19 The Prophets lamentation at the alarms of War Page 359 Sermons XLIV Hos 7.8 9. Ephraims sin and judgment Page 367 Sermons XLV Hos 7.9 Second Sermon Page 375 Sermons XLVI Jer. 18.12 Desperation dangerous Page 383 Sermons XLVII Jer. 13.23 Custom in sin exceeding dangerous Page 390 Sermons XLVIII Ezek. 21.1 2. Jerusalem threatned Page 400 Sermons XLIX Ezek. 9.4 Gods mark of safety upon mourners Page 406 Sermons L. Amos 5.18 The day of the Lord unsupportable to sinners Page 412 The Contents of the New Testament-Sermons Sermons I. MAth 5.20 Pharisaical Righteousness to be exceeded Page 1 Sermons II. Mark 12.34 Christs favourable censure of the Scribe his being not far from the Kingdom of God Page 8 Sermons III. Luk. 12.20 Wicked men fools in Gods account Page 17 Sermons IV. Luk. 13.8 9. Gods forbearance of the Fig-tree Page 27 Sermons V. Luk. 10.38 Mary 's Entertainment of Christ Page 35 Sermons VI. Luk. 10.41 Christs Reprehension of Martha Page 41 Sermons VII Luk. 10.42 The one thing needful Page 47 Sermons VIII Luk. 10.42 Mary 's Choice the better part Page 53 Sermons IX Luk. 22.31 32. Christs Warning of Peter Page 60 Sermons X. Luk. 22.32 Christs Praying for Peter Page 68 Sermons XI Luk. 22.32 Christ command to Peter Page 77 Sermons XII Joh. 3.8 The similitude of the Winds blowing where it list opened Page 85 Sermons XIII Joh. 8.30 31. The success of Christs Doctrine Page 93 Sermons VIV Joh. 8.31 Of perseverance in the Faith as 't is a duty priviledg Page 99 Sermons XV. Joh. 6.37 An account of the persons that come to Christ Page 105 Sermons XVI Joh. 13.7 Peter 's ignorance of Christs actions Page 111 Sermons XVII Joh. 14.27 Christs counsel against fear and trouble of heart Page 12â— Sermons XVIII Joh. 14 2â— Many Mansions in Heaven Page 12â— Sermons XIX Joh. 14.3 A Narrative of the consequences of Christs Ascention Page 125 Sermons XX. Joh. 1.18 Christs Revelation of the Father Page 132 Sermons XXI Joh. 14.6 Christ the Way Truth and Life Page 141 Sermons XXII Joh. 14.18 Christs promise of coming with comfort to his Disciples Page 147 Sermons XXIII Joh. 15.5 Humane inability without Christ Page 154 Sermons XXIV Joh. 15.5 Second Sermon Page 162 Sermons XXV Acts 1.7 Times and seasons not to be known by the best of men Page 169 Sermons XXVI 1 Cor. 1.21 The Wisdom of God by Preaching Page 251 Sermons XXVII 1 Cor. 1.21 Second Sermon Page 258 Sermons XXVIII 1 Cor. 1.22 Jews require a sign Page 264 Sermons XXIX 1 Cor. 1.23 Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling-block to the Greeks foolishness Page 271 Sermons XXX 1 Cor. 1.23 The Doctrine of offence and success Page 278 Sermons XXXI 1 Cor 1.24 Second Sermon on the Doctrine of offence c. Page 284 Sermons XXXII 1 Cor. 12.3 Covet earnestly the best Gifts Page 29â— Sermons XXXIII 2 Cor. 5.11 The terror of the Lord a fit means to perswade men Page 299 Sermons XXXIV 2 Cor. 1.10 A Commemoration of a Deliverance past signification of a Deliverance present and prognostication of Deliverance to come Page 313 Sermons XXXV 2 Cor. 13.8 Christians can do nothing against the Truth but for the Truth Page 423 Sermons XXXVI Gal. 1.8 9. Saint Paul 's Protestation against Seducers Page 334 Sermons XXXVII Rom. 2.4 Mans abuse of Gods Goodness Page 346 Sermons XXXVIII Rom. 6.21 The unprofitableness dishonour and perniciousness of sin Page 355 Sermons XXXIX Gal. 4.19 Ministerial Travel for the forming of Christ Page 364 Sermons XL. Gal. 5.16 Of walking in the Spirit Page 371 Sermons XLI Gal. 6.4 Mans duty to prove his own Work Page 383 Sermons XLII Gal. 6.16 Of walking according to Rule Page 397 Sermons XLIII 1 Thes 5.3 The peace of the wicked turn'd to sudden destruction Page 413 Sermons XLIV 2 Epist Joh. 8. The danger of losing what we have wrought Page 418 Sermons XLV 2 Epist. Joh 9. Transgression of Doctrine condemned Page 425 Sermons XLVI Revel 1.5 Jesus Christ the faithful Witness Page 434 Sermons XLVII Revel 1.5 6. Christs love to us in washing us from our Sins Page 439 Sermons XLVIII Revel 22.17 The longing desire of the Church for the Coming of Christ Page 445 Sermons XLIX Revel 22.17 Grace freely offered to thirsty Souls Page 453 Sermons L. Hebr. 2.1 An Admonition ta an earnest heeding of the things we have heard Page 460 Books lately Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel INtercourses of Divine Love between Christ and his Church being Sermons on the second Chapter of Canticles Several Discourses concerning the Actual Providence of God both by John Collings D. D. General Martyrologia of the Church In which is also an exact Account of the Protestants Sufferings in Queen Marys days with the Lives of 32 English
Son and Sheild unto it Bestowing Grace and Glory upon it and witholding no good thing from it as the Psalmist signifies to us in Psal 84.12 And so the Apostle Peter expresses it According as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness 2 Pet. 1.3 Gods Care for his Church is seen in providing all things necessary and convenient for it and in Sanctifying all Passages and Events whatsoever unto it And this is the Inclusive Emphasis Now for the Exclusive That 's considerable also and that according to a twofold Explication First In caring for it when none else cares for it besides Secondly in caring for it when he cares for none else besides as to any special or tender Care of them First I say God cares for his Church and Land Exclusively when as none else almost cares for it This is that which sometimes happens and falls out in the World That the Church of God it has but very few friends that care for it or regard it It is the Land that many Persons care not for Those that are Concern'd to care for it from their Places from their Callings from their Ingagements from their Opportunities yet many times are at a point in this matter they care not what becomes of it whether it sink or swim so they may but injoy their Lusts and their Pleasures and their Vanities and their Worldly Accommodations it s all one to them what may happen or fall out in this particular Scilicet is superis labor est ea Cura peculi Whose will may take care of the Church for all them like Gallio they care for none of these things Yea but is there no care taken of it in such Circumstances as these yes There is one that mindes and regards it for all that The Church is the Land which the Lord thy God careth for And that 's sure to be very well cared for which is cared for by him The Church and every part and member of it as David speaks in the name of the rest Psal 142.3.4.5 When my Spirit was overwhelmed within me then thou knewest my path In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge sailed me No man cared for my soul I cried unto thee O Lord I said thou art my refuge and my Portion in the Land of the living Thus God cares for his Church Exclusively even when others do not care for it Secondly He cares for his Church Exclusively when he does not so much care for others This is also here intended in the Text The Land which the Lord thy God cares for Signanter with a special mark of Distinction upon it as the special Priviledge of it There is a common Care as I said which God has for other Places and People yea but this is that which he cares for more Especially and upon the point for none else It is the unhappinest of wicked Places and Nations that God cares not at all for them They are such as he does not minde what befals them but his Church is Deare unto him and accordingly he Expresses himself about it That he sets it as a Seal upon his Heart as a Signet upon his Arm. That he graves it upon the palmes of his hands and the walls of it are continually before him That he keeps it as the apple of his Eye and hides it under the shadow of his Wings All expressions of his great love and Providence of it He hath not delt so with every Nation It is the Land that he cares for Exclusively What does this in the next place come to but to teach us therefore to labour that our selves may come within this compass of being the Land which the Lord our God cares for we of this Land and Nation for our own particular It is that which the time has been tht we have had as great a share in it as any Land whatsoever besides under Heaven Even to the Observation and Admiration and Emulation of all other Lands besides in the World Ther 's no Land under Heaven which might be so properly said to be the Land which the Lord our God hath car'd for then we have been in regard of the Variety of Blessings in all sorts which God hath been pleased to heap upon us Blessings of Heaven from above and Blessings of the Earth from beneath Peace and Health and Plenty and Wealth and Honour and Prosperity in all respects as to Worldly and Temporal matters to say nothing of Spiritual and Divine and Heavenly which are chief of all Now how far does it concern us to indeavour that it may still fall out to be thus with us And that the Lord may not any way remit of his Ancient care of us and for us The onely way hereto is to be sure to Care for him for if we do not he will not care for us If we do not care for his Honour he will not care for our welfare and if it be an indifferent thing with us what becomes of his Worship and Services and Glory and Power and Ordinances it will be as indifferent a thing with him what becomes of our Peace and Happiness and Wealth and Plenty and Prosperity And he that has before Cared for us he will not now care for us at all nay he will now care for us so much the less as he has formerly and hitherto car'd for us and we have been no more sensible of it or thankful for it as we have Neglected his Care and abused his love and turn'd his Grace into Wantonness We hear what the Prophet Azariah said to Asa and the men of Judah 2 Chro. 15.2 And it is applyable to our selves The Lord is with you while ye are with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you Therefore let us look to it and Consider how it is with us in this particular And further know for this purpose that it will be a great deale worse for us for God to take off his care then to have denyed it Forasmuch as all Declensions have commonly their Aggravations with them And when God remit of his Care he does commonly bring in his anger and wrath in the place of it so that instead of caring for a land he does commonly contrive against it Instead of watching over it for Good he watches over it for Evil. He frames Evil against them and devises a Device against them as he threatens the People in Jer. 18 11. And as he has formerly brought all good things upon them so he will hereafter bring all Evil things upon them till he hath destroyed them from their good Land as Joshua tells the Israelites Josh 23.15 This is that which we should Especially look after to ingage God's constant care for us by walking faithfully and carefully
not in the things themselves driven further from salvation it self and the tendencies to it Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked Deut. 32.15 what are these now blessings No they are curses rather they are blessings turn'd into curses Mal. 2.2 And they make the condition of those which are in this case to be very sad and fearful The goodness of God should lead us to repentance and his mercy should provoke us to obedience and his love should constrain us to Duty and the better he is to us in his providence over us the better should we be to him in our observance of Him when we make another improvement of them so as to turn his grace into wantonness and to be so much the more confident in evil we go contrary to his gracious purpose and end in the blessing of them and doe not injoy them in love Lastly God blesses indeed when he blesses us with spiritual and eternal blessings in Grace and Glory The former Explications which I have given of this present phrase in the Text have refer'd to Temporal Blessings in regard of the manner of bestowing them These here now before us and which I speak of at this present time are of an higher strain and condition for the Nature and kinde of them This is true whether we take it in reference to whole Nations or else to particular Persons For whole Nations see Psal 144. ver ult where the Psalmist had reckon'd up many other blessings besides That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth that our Daughters may be as corner stones c. That our Garners may be full affording all manner of store c. and plenty upon all with this conclusion Happy is that people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord makes the last to referre to all the rest And so as for Nations so for Persons these are the Great Blessings of all as may appear by that acknowledgment of the Apostle in Eph. 1.3 Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places in Christ We are ready to think with our selves that God never blesses us indeed but then when he bestows upon us a great measure of these outward Comforts The Corn and the Wine and the Oyl and such things as these yea but what Grace has he wrought in our Hearts what assurance of his love and favour towards us what hopes and beginnings of Heaven has he bestowed upon us These are Blessings indeed and such as are cheifly to be looked after by us and to be put into the prime of our desires and wishes which we make for our selves And thus we have seen the Explications of this phrase and Expression in this Text. Oh that thou wouldest bless me c. Now the Improvement of all this to our selves in a way of Application is accordingly with Jabez to indeavour our selves hereunto we should desire not onely that God would bless us but likewise that he would bless us indeed that blessing he would be sure to bless us and not onely give us blessings in shew but also in Reality For which purpose to use all good means and to be sure to be in such a posture and Condition as do tend hereunto The Scripture does sometimes hint unto us some Qualifications as Advantagious herein and promoting of us As to instance in one or two Obedience and the practise of Self-denyal This we may observe more Especially in Abraham who because he was willing to offer up his Son Isaac upon Gods Command God took it so well at his hands that he blest him and had never done blessing him as he expresses it of him in Genes 22.16.17 By my self have I Sworn saith the Lord that in blessing I will bless thee and Multiplying I will Multiply thee c. Because Abraham obeyed God God would bless Abraham Secondly Sincerity and Uprightness when we serve God indeed hee 'l bless us indeed when we give him the truth of our Performance he will give us the truth of his Blessings And there is no better way for us to procure and obtain the end then by practising and pursuing of the other This is that we should be careful of in the Duties and Exercise of Religion which we undertake 1 Joh. 3.18 My little Children let us not love in word neither in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth And so Thirdly Zeal and Fervency and Intention in that which we go about It is said of Elias that he prayed Earnestly He pray'd in Praying and as he pray'd in Praying so God blest in Blessing As he pray'd indeed so God blest him indeed This is the ready way to it and the course which is to be observed by us in all the Ordinances of Religion in particular in this now in hand The Sacrament of the Lords Supper Christ deals really with us in it his Flesh is Meat indeed and his Blood is Drink indeed and accordingly should we be careful indeed to pertake of them that so we may be blest indeed in our application to them let us not content our selves with the mere shadow and shell and outside of Religion and Performances but take all the care we can for the Substance and Marrow of them and to receive that Benefit by them which is intended in them we should go from this Spiritual performance with more Spiritual strength then before with more Heart and Life and Comfort and Heavenly ingagement These are the Ends and proper Grounds of our Coming if we come as we should do not out of mere Custom and Fashion but out of Love and as sensible of the Benefits we should labour to perform these Holy Duties and all such as these are with more Eagerness and Intention of Spirit Pray in Praying and Hear in Hearing and Receive in Receiving that so God may Answer in Answering and Give in Giving and Bless in Blessing which is the sum and height of all One thing more before Heave this passage in the Consideration of it as a Prayer And that is the vehemency and intention which Jabez here Expresses in it It is not simply bless me but Oh that thou wouldest bless me for the greater Expression of his Affection and Earnestness in the thing desired And here observe two things more which are pertinent hereunto First The Person for whom Jabez was thus Earnest and importunate and that was for Himself That thou wouldest Bless me Secondly The matter in which Jabez was thus Earnest and importunate And that was the Blessing of him in his outward man as may appear by the particulars that follow which we shall come to in this place from which of these there is somewhat which we may observe to our selves First We see here how exceedingly Earnest and Sollicitous we are ready to be in our own particular Case and Condition when Jabez was here to pray for himself Oh
so much also of the second particular here observable viz. The Amplification of the evil multitude of thoughts The Third is the Subject of this Grief and Distemper and that is David Himself My thoughts David an Holy Person a Prophet of God a man after Gods own Heart Even he was exercised and afflicted and troubled with this variety of distracting thoughts from whence observe thus much that even the Children of God themselves they are sometimes troubled with anxious and sollicitous thoughts and that also in a very great multitude and plurality of them In the multitude of my thoughts says David It were an Infinite thing to run over the several particulars and therefore we must of necessity fasten upon some General heads which we may take for orders sake these following Explications First Multitude of thoughts concerning their own Salvation and State in Grace Secondly Multitude of thoughts concerning their own Preservation and Provision and State always in the world Thirdly Multitude of thoughts concerning the publique State and Condition of the Church of God and the Common-wealth All these several Heads do make up this multitude of thoughts in the Church of God First I say They have Multitude of thoughts as concerning their own Salvation and State and Grace The Children of God themselves they have now and then very great Doubtings and Distractions and perplexities in their own minds in reference to this They are sometimes at a loss with themselves as concerning the Apprehension of Gods love and favour towards them and their own Interest in Grace and future Glory thus it was with this very person before us David himself as we may gather from his own Complaints and Requests to this purpose in many places of the Psalmes more particularly Psal 13.1 c. How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for Ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me How long shall I take Counsell in my Soul having Sorrow in my Heart c. And so Psal 42.5 Why art thou cast down O my Soul And why art thou disquieted within me c. And Psal 51.8 c. Make me to hear Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Hide thy face from my Sins and blot out all mine Iniquities c. This shews us what Condition he was in and so as David Himself so likewise others together with him This was also the Condition of Job he was troubled with multitude of such thoughts too as he oftentimes complains in his Book that God hid his face from him held him as an Enemy writ bitter things against him put his feet into the Stocks and set a print upon his heeles scared him with Dreams and terrified him with Visions and many such like Expressions of disquietness as these are And so likewise that Goodly man Heman Psal 88.14.15 This was his case likewise Lord why castest thou off my Soul While I suffer thy Terrours I am Distracted Afunah Anius pendeo I am in agreat doubting and know not which way to turn me This is that which God sometimes in his providence suffers and orders so to be upon very good Ground As namely thereby to humble them and keep them low The Children of God themselves are too subject now and then to be exalted and lifted up in themselves when all goes well with them and therefore to subdue or prevent this Distemper in them does God exercise them with Spiritual Disertions and sad thoughts This we may see for an Instance in St. Paul who least he should be Exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations had therefore a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him and this as Irksome and troublesome to him as a thorn in the Flesh When the Child begins to grow wanton the Father hides his face from him that so by this means he may bring him into a better order and frame again And so does God deal with his Children in his Dispensations and Carriage towards them he has the like oeconomie likewise Some times he does it to shew his own Liberty and Prerogative as the case seems to have been with Job though more frequently this does proceed from the Miscarriages of Gods Children themselves who cause more troublesome thoughts to themselves then otherwise they need to do onely from their own Sin and default That which we may gather from this present Observation to our selves for our own Improvement is from hence to take heed of over charging and laying too hard censure and load upon those whom we see sometimes to be in such Conditions as these are giving them over as none of the Children and People of God It is that which the world is too ready and forward to do when they observe any persons to be followed with troublesome and disquieting thoughts and especially in reference to their Salvation and the assurance of Gods love unto them to conclude them in a bad Condition and not that which they ought to be but they do offend in so doing And they do offend also as David expresses it in another place Against the Generation of his Children Psal 73.15 We see here how David Himself though a man of those high Qualifications and peculiar Interest in God yet he was not freed from these troubles nor the variety and plurality of them In the multitude of my thoughts That is in this first Explication of thoughts concerning his own Salvation and State in Grace The Second is with thoughts in reference to his own Provision and Preservation and affair in the World There is a multitude of thoughts in this particular which both David and the rest of Gods people are oftentimes subject unto First For Provision What they shall Eate and what they shall Drink and what they shall put On Many thoughts of Distraction about this I say thoughts of Distraction For as for thoughts of Providence and Sober and careful contrivance they are such as are no other then sutable and agreeable to them and are very warrantable in them But I say Distracting and Perplexing thoughts these are such as are very Irregular and hurtful to them they may be very well brought within the compass of these bough-like thoughts and they are such as are in the Language of Scripture exprest and set forth unto us by the name of Thornes which Choak the word that it becometh unfruitful Matth. 13.22 These were such as our Saviour did so labour to pluck up out of the minds of his Disciples and in them of all of us Matth. 6.31 Therefore take no thought saying What shall we Eat or what shall we Drink or wherewithall shall we be Cloathed And he uses many arguments to that purpose in regard of that great proneness which is in us thereunto This proceeds from want of due considering of the providence of God himself for us and our Relation to him as may appear by the meanes whereby he labours to settle our thoughts in this particular verse 32.
inabled to see the work of Grace to be wrought in his own Heart and shall have his Adoption Evidenced unto him it must needs be a thing very pleasing to him and such as he takes a great deal of more Contentment and Satisfaction in then in all Injoyments of the world whatsoever which it is possible for him to reslect upon as his Thus we see in all these Particulars and Explications which we have now mentioned how the Meditation of God is sweet And we have had an account of it in regard of the Object or the Person Meditated upon which is God Himself Now further we may take account of it from the Subject or Person Himself that Meditates and that is here exprest to be David it is not onely the Meditation of God is sweet but my Meditation of him is sweet which is here moreover considerable and that to make it compleat For let the Object be never so delightfull in its own Nature and apt to give Contentment in it self yet if the person that fastens upon it be not qualified for it there will be yet no Contentment in it It is not every ones Meditation No not upon God which has sweetness with it but onely of such Persons as have dispositions sutable thereunto and can draw out this sweetness which is in Him Now the Qualifications which are required to this purpose are briefly these First For the General a Savouriness and Heavenliness of Spirit as it is this which must put men upon such Meditations so it is this onely which must make them to relish them and to take delight in them There 's not the best things that are but they seem flat to a carnal Heart which can find no Contentment at all in them A vain and frothy Spirit takes a great deal of more pleasure in some Toy and Trifle and Song and empty Fable then it does in the highest points of Religion and all because it is not sutable and agreeable to such things as these are Therefore this Savouriness which we now speak off is necessary to this Spiritual Delight and the sweetness of this Divine Meditation for the Sensibleness and the Apprehensiveness of it Secondly A special love to God that 's also necessary to this Delight those that men care not to see they for the most part care not to think off but Affection it advances Contemplation how pleasing are Lovers in their thoughts one to another their Meditation of each other is sweet and so it is also betwixt Christ and the Believing Soul that Heart which is inflamed with his Love can never think enough of his Person nor of his Graces nor of the Excellencies which are in Him but is much ravished with the thoughts of Him And then Thirdly A perswasion likewise of the Love of God to Him he that will think of God comfortably must be in some sense and apprehension of Gods favour and of his interest in Him and that he is in good terms with Him not onely that God is reconciled to his Nature which we spake of before but also that he is reconciled to his Person and that he is actually at peace with him Those that are Enemies to God or which think God to be an Enemy to them they cannot but think of him with a great deal of horror and Astonishment and Trembling and Consternation of Spirit Lastly There 's required hereunto also a special sense of a mans own wants It is Hunger that makes Eating delightfull and it is Thirst that puts a pleasantness into Drinking there 's not onely the Palate which does conduce hereunto but also the Appetite and so it is also here in these Spiritual things Therefore as there is required a Savouriness so likewise a brokenness of Heart also how sweet are the Meditation of Christ and the Truths of Christianity to an Heart affected with the sight of Sin and the sense of Wrath. Oh Christ is now Christ indeed and the Gospel the Gospel and the promises they have a special sweetness and pleasantness in them Men that are addicted wholly to the world and to the pleasures and delights thereof they do usually but Scoff at such things as these are and make a mock and derision of them talk to them of delight in God and of the sweetness of Divine Meditation and they count it but a mear fancy and idle Speculation But such persons as have their Consciences inlightned and any work of Conviction upon them they relish and savour these things and indeed to speak of it none but they The whole they have no need of the Physitian but they that are Sick as our Blessed Saviour has told us and so the thoughts of the Physitian are not so pleasing to to any persons as they are to them These rejoyce when they do but think of him from the Consideration of their own wants they Honour the Physitian for their necessities which is an account of this Delight in Divine Meditation from the Subject or Person Himself that does meditate my Meditation Now the Consideration of this point thus open'd and amply fied to us may be thus far improved by us Namely as a great incouragement to the Saints and servants of God in what ever condition falls them That they may comfort and solace themselves in Him in the worst of those conditions and be sweetly supported in them when there 's nothing else that they can think of with comfort they can then think comfortably of God and of the Interest which they have in him as a relief and a refreshment to them And they should accordingly put themselves upon such thoughts as these are and inure themselves to them oh there 's a great deal of good which might be got by such performances as these if we were but more acquainted with them and accustomed to them in the course of Christianity and we loose a great part of the true sweetness of our lives when we are deficient in them For the better and more effectual working and inforcing of these things upon us It may not be amiss for us to take notice of this passage of the Text according to the full latitude and extent of the expression which is here used which according to the Original Emphasis is of various signification The Hebrew word which is here used is Siach which signifies three things especially and each of them very considerable of us First Meditation And Secondly Prayer And Thirdly Discourse According to the former notion so it signifies the sweetness which is in Divine and spiritual Contemplation and the musing on heavenly matters according to the second notion so it signifies the sweetness which is in Divine and Spiritual Communion and converse with God in Prayer According to the Third Notion so it signifies the sweetness which is in Holy and Religious Conference and the speaking of God one to another All of them very usefull and profitable Duties and Performances and such as are to be practised
by us First Take it in the first sense according to our last English Translation and as we have handled it all this while for Divine Contemplation The Meditation on God is sweet And the sweetness of it should stir us up to the putting of it in Practise We have very great cause to be careful what we Meditate and pitch upon in our thoughts which are of great Importance and Concernment to us and that as they are a very great Discovery of the Frame and Temper of our hearts as I in part hinted before There 's nothing which does more shew what men like then their Meditations Flittering and Transitory Thoughts which do pass through the mind but do not stick they are not such an infallible discovery because they may not have that Tincture and impression of the soul upon them But Meditations they have much of the Will in them and are carried with more deliberation attending upon them And therefore it concerns us to look to them and to see what they be in us and of this nature that we now speak of we should cherish in our selves as much as may be these Holy and heavenly Meditations which are of God and things belonging to Him as we have hitherto declared as being such as He takes special notice and observation of in us He declares to man what 's his Thoughts Mah secho that is what 's his Meditation his fixed and settled thoughts as the Prophet tells us in Amos 4.13 And therefore we should take care that they may be such thoughts as be approvable to him How far are those from such as these as Meditate nothing but that which is evil and the accomplishment of their base lusts Their filthiness and their ambition and their covetousness and their revenge and the like which devise mischief upon their beds and set themselves in a way that is not good as the Psalmist speaks Psal 36.4 Oh there are abundance of such Meditations as these are in the world which are of the Devil and not of God nor can we say that these are sweet Oh no in any true notion of sweetness indeed they are for the present sweet to a naughty and corrupt heart which seems to take great delight in them But they will be bitterness in the latter end like the sweetness to a distemper'd palate As for our selves we should all labour to be wedded to good and holy Meditations and to have our souls fixed and fasten'd upon heavenly and Divine Objects we should not think our thoughts to be free but be careful where they are pitch'd even upon God and Christ and Heaven and the glory to be revealed The Benefit hereof will be this that it will keep us in a right course and regulate our whole Conversation For as mens thoughts are so are their lives and their Affections are for the most part answerable to their Contemplations I have set the Lord alwayes before me sayes the Psalmist and what then Therefore I shall not be moved Meditation upon God will keep us from swarving from him This is that which we should do at all times especially as we have the larger and greater opportunities for it In our Solitariness in our Retirements when we are withdrawn and alone by our selves Oh then to meditate upon God and his Free-Grace and love in Christ the Covenant of Grace and the like these are fitting thoughts for us when we are freed from our hard and worldly Distractions and which the Servants of God have still upon occasion taken up to themselves They have been careful still to improve such opportunities as these are Thus the Prophet David for an instance he gives us Counsel to this purpose Psal 4.4 Stand in awe and sin not Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still And as he Counsell'd it so also he Practised it Psal 63.6 When I remember thee upon my bed and Meditate on thee in the night-watches And again Psal 119.148 Mine eyes prevent the Night-watches that I Meditate upon thy Word And Psal 139.18 How precious are thy thoughts to me O God how great is the Sum of them If I should count them they are more in number then the sand when I awake I am still with thee Thy thoughts that is indeed the thoughts of thee by taking it not subjectively but rather Objectively The Thoughts which David did conceive in himself concerning God by Meditating and Contemplating upon him they were very precious to him and he found a great deal of sweetness and Contentment in them from whence he took all occasion that might be for the exercising of them and that even at Midnight it self and when deprived of his Natural rest With my soul have I desired thee in the night season Isa 26.9 To set home this still a little further let us consider this with our selves That this Duty of Meditation it will out-last all other Duties and performances of Christianity besides and will stick longest by us There are many other performances besides which a Christian by many accidents and occasions may be taken off from by sickness by Age by Exile by imprisonment and the like Oh but he cannot be taken from that He cannot it may be alwayes read hear or confer or frequent the Publick Assemblies Oh but he can Meditate alwayes and have his thoughts imploy'd about God when his tongue cannot express it self to Him His Meditation of Him shall yet be sweet That which is said of the heart it self in a way of Nature that it is primum vivens ultimum moriens The first part that lives and the last part that dyes the same may be said of Meditation in a way of Grace It is the first Duty and Performance that appears and the last duty that remains in us it survives and out-lives all the rest Now this that we may do the more successefully it will be our wisdom to attend upon such means as are Introductive and preparatory hereunto such as are reading and hearing of the word These are such as do dispose to Meditation and without which it oftentimes proves either unprofitable or erroneous This was that which Gods servants still observ'd in such performances as these are as David and Joshua and Timothy such as these the latter of them especially in 1 Tim. 4.13 14. First give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine and then Meditate upon these things And so much of the first Notion of this word which is here used in the Text as it denotes Divine Contemplation and Meditation on the things of God there 's a great deal of sweetness first in this The second is as it denotes Converse and Communion with God in Prayer for so the Hebrew word is sometimes taken and so some have interpreted it Gen. 24.63 which some read to pray and thus here My Converse and Communion with God is very sweet namely in Prayer and my addresses to Him Prayer is nothing else but a familiar Colloquy
sence a comforting of us in Distresses a companion for us in solitariness and loneliness and what not If there be so much contentment in other Authors how much more is there in the book of God which is the chief Book of all It is the want of Experience and Tryal of such performanees as these are which makes any to be ignorant of the Delight and sweetness which is in them Those which have tasted of honey they know the sweetness of honey And so those which have tasted of Gods word they know the Excellency and Comfortableness which is in it and will desire it again and again Thirdly The Communion of Saints how pleasant likewise is this That holy Conference and Discourse which Christians have one with another in provoking one another to love and good works in quickning one anothers graces in Communicating one anothers Experiences in the inlarging of one anothers Comforts As Iron sharpens iron so does the heart of man here his friend It is the begining even of Heaven it self and a pledge of that perfect contentment which the Saints shall have hereafter in that place which should stir us up so much the more to the practise of it We see how it was with the Disciples in the first Plantations of the Christian Church Acts 2.46 They continued daily with one accord in Doctrine and Fellowship and breaking of bread from house in house and did their meat with gladness and singleness of heart They did eat their meat with gladness namely in regard of the delight which they had one with another Fourthly The Communion which Christ and the Saints both take at the Lords Table There is a great deal of Contentment here also How does the soul of a Christian feast it self with these Royal and heavenly Preparations Here Christ spreads His Table as it were for us sets before us His Milk and His Wine and His Honey and His Oyl and all that may be to give us refreshment A conscientious Christian who uses these things as he ought not Formally not Customarily but in obedience and dependance upon God He findes a great deal of Comfort in them which another does not find As Jonathan when he had tasted of the honey in 1 Sam. 14.27 It is said his eyes were enlightned by it and he was cheared and revived in his spirit and more strengthned for the pursuit of the Philistims even so is it with a Godly soul in its partaking of these Comfortable dainties this spiritual honey and Oyle he becomes more inlighten'd in his judgement more quicken'd and inlarged in his Affections and so much the more fitted to incounter with all his spiritual enemies whereas those which abstain from that grow weary and faint as the people did there in that place that abstained from the tasting of the honey There 's no Epicure has such pleasure in his Corporal dainties as a good Christian has in these Spiritual which he does by faith apply himself to and in an holy manner partake off Lastly In a word Take the whole Sabbath together The sanctifying of the Lords day in all the several performances of it and the mixture of the one with the another how much sweetness is there in it The Scripture tells us of some that make the Sabbath a delight as there are others which make it a burden Isa 58.13 14. Amos 8.5 This is the different Disposition of Persons in the world though some snuff at the Ordinances yet others take Contentment in them A Godly man he rejoyces when the Sabbath is come it is the best day to him in all the week in regard of that satiety of soul which he meets with in it He is hereby taken off from the world and the distracting imployments of it He is set upon thoughts of God and Heaven and Salvation and the life to come such thoughts as have some kind of a satisfactoriness and pleasingness in them And the very change and intercourse of Duty is not without its delight herein also sometimes Prayers and sometimes Hearing and sometimes Meditating and sometimes Conferring and sometimes Reading and sometimes Singing How graciously has God provided for our weakness in this particular while our Natures are so desirous of Varity that no one duty might be tedious to us we have many Duties to imploy our selves in and to exercise our selves with And that 's a Third Explication of the Pleasantness which is in Godlyness viz. from the Duties and Exercises of Religion Now the point thus Explain'd unto us may be fruitful in these following Applications Namely First As it serves to confute the fond conceit of men of the World which they have concerning Godliness and the ways of Piety There are many which are of this opinion that Religion is a Melancholly Condition that it makes men pensive and sad and has no pleasure nor delight in it at all and hence they come to be discouraged from the following and professing of it and are apt to discourage others likewise from following it to But this proceeds from a plain mistake and Ignorance and erroniousness of Judgment in them for indeed it is quite contrary as 't is here exprest to us in this Text. Her wayes are wayes of Pleasantness There 's a great deal of sweet delight and refreshment in the wayes of Godliness to those which walk in them and what ever is pleasant in any ways the same is to be found here in these First Godly Prospects they are one thing which make a way pleasant green Fields and flowing Rivers and the like to walk by such wayes as these it carries a great deal of pleasure and delight with it why thus now does the Spirit of God in Scripture set forth to us the wayes of Religion Psal 23.2.3 He makes me to lie down in green Pastures he leads me besides the still Waters he restoreth my Soul he leadeth me in the paths of Righteousness for his name sake Where the latter is an Explication of the former The green Pastures and still Waters are no others then the paths of Righteousness and the Ordinances which lead thereunto Secondly Another pleasantness of wayes consists in their Lightsomeness to walk in dark wayes in Holes and Woods and the like it carries no pleasure at all in it He that walkes in Darkness he knoweth not whether he goeth sayes the Apostle and from thence can have no pleasure in his walk such are the wayes of Sin and Wickedness no comfort at all in them Who leaves the paths of Vprightness to walk in the wayes of Darkness Pro. 2.13 But the wayes of Grace are otherwise Light is sown for the Righteous as it is in the place before used And joy for the Vpright in heart Thirdly Another Pleasantness of the way is much taken from the Company Comes facundus in via per rehiculo est Why this now is the advantage of Goodness there 's good Company in this way Prov. 2.20 That thou mayest walk in the way
is not enough neither to purpose and resolve against Sin for time to come and to lay strong Engagements upon one's self no more to commit it This is another thing which some also will do and when they have done so satisfie themselves in it But it will not serve the turn Yea sometimes if there be nothing more done it does but so much the more entangle them because where there is the greater Restraint there is often times the greater Inclination and Desire after that which is evil And Sin from the Prohibition takes an occasion to be exceeding sinful Neither of these Particulars now mentioned come up to this Forsaking here required Not mere Confession of sin not mere Lamentation over it nor mere Purpose and Resolution against it What may some say then is that which reaches to it and wherein consists it We may reduce it to two Heads especially The one in regard of the Activity of Sin and the other in regard of the Affection The Forsaking of it it contains and comprehends each of these in it First The Practice or Activity of it To forsake Sin is no more to commit it or to be overtaken with it This is one thing which is pertinent hereunto and it is not compleatly performed without it Let men pretend to what they will otherwise yet if they return again to the Commission of their Sins they cannot be said properly to forsake them Forsaking is exclusive of the Acts of it But Secondly That is not all the abstaining from the outward Performances There is many an one who thus forsakes his sin because his sin forsakes him He wants it may be an occasion and opportunity as formerly he has had and therefore good cause he should leave it because he knows not how to commit it There are divers and sundry sins of this nature which men cannot always act though they would and have desire good enough towards them This seems now to be a forsaking but yet it comes short of it and is defective of that which is here required And therefore we must add hereunto a forsaking of it as to the Affection and Love of it Then a man truly forsakes his sin when his heart and spirit is set against it when he forbears it not only from the power of Restraining Grace but from the Principles of renewing Grace and the Work it self Denyal and Mortification wrought in his heart Then we forsake sin indeed when we loath it and hate it and detest it and are out of love with it As a man is said to forsake his Meat not when he cannot get it or come by it but when he has no Stomach to it So is a Man said also to forsake his Lust not when he has no opportunity but when he has an affection for it not when he does simply abstain from the Actual Commission of it but when he has an Habitual Enmity against it And which I must also add hereunto founded in the nature of sin it self and the iniquity of it For a man may sometimes dislike his sin so far forth as he has some dammage by it when as notwithstanding he has otherwise affection good enough for it He may be angry with his sin when he does not hate it But he forsakes it then when he hates it And when he hates it upon the Account of that intrinsecal evil which is in it That is the first Term which is here to be explained namely the word Forsaking The Second is the word Way which takes in Sin in the full Latitude and Extent of a Man's Life and Coversation It is not enough to Repentance or New Obedience for Men to reform in some Particulars either as to the abstaining from some few sins or to the performance of some few Duties but there must be a care of a man's whole Course In all a man's Stations and Relations and Capacities wherein he is considerable If in any of these he has been exorbitant he must forsake the Miscarriages of them Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments says David Psal 119.6 Ye shall have many People sometimes who are content it may be to forsake some sins but they desire to retain others or to reform in some part of their lives but in the rest to give themselves liberty This is not to forsake their Wicked Way which is of a more large and general Extent and Consideration and is diffusive through their whole life And so much may be spoken of the first Reference of this Act of Aversion namely as it respects and relates to a Man's Course Let the wicked forfake his ways The Second is as it reaches to a Man's Mind And the unrighteous man his thoughts That which is here translated Vnrighteous man is in the Hebrew Ishuven that is The Man of Iniquity a Title which belongs to Antichrist Who is accordingly so styled by the Apostle Paul The man of sin 2 Thes 2.3 Here in this present Text it seems to be little different from that which was mentioned before Rashang The Wicked Man unless we shall restrain the former to the Breach of the first Table and the later to the Breach of the Second But I rather incline to think them to be Synonymous and that they are both of the like Extent The Wicked Man and the Man of Iniquity Vnrighteous Man they are both one and the same for their signification That which is here required of them is as before to forsake their way so here now to forsake their Thoughts This is another thing pertinent to true Repentance yea indeed the very proper root and ground of it It is not enough for us to change our ways except also we change our hearts Nor to alter our Conversations unless withall we alter our Affections This is that which is here observable of us that Religion it reaches it self to the heart and inward man we are accountable to God even for our Thoughts which where they are evil are to be left by us And so the Scripture intimates to us in sundry places of it thus Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee So Peter to Simon Magus Thy heart is not right in this matter Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven unto thee Act. 8.20 21. And Jam. 2.4 Are ye not Partial in your selves and become Judges of Evil thoughts c. Now there 's a various account which may be given hereof unto us First Because the Law of God does reach and extend to our Thoughts for the ordering and regulating of them Our Obedience and Reformation must be sutable and agreeable to Gods Law Now this I say it reaches to these and is possible to be transgressed by them The very thought of Sin is Foolishness says Solomon Prov. 24.9 Not only the practise
more easily leave them Secondly let him be careful to be well employed and to be conversant in good Company and the like Attend upon the Ordinances frequent the Communion of Saints be diligent in his lawful Employments These will take off his Rellish from sin and make him to dislike it Thirdly And especially to labour to get into Christ and to close with him in the Covenant of Grace whereby his Spirit may be communicated to him There is no Mortification of sin to any purpose but such as flows from our Union with Christ who is a powerful Head to this purpose and does enable more or less in all his Members to express it in themselves In Rom. 8.23 it is said If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Mark If by the spirit ye mortifie Mortification is a Work of the Spirit and this Spirit is the Spirit of Christ And this flows from our Union to Christ and Conjunction with him by Faith which does mystically knit us to him We must therefore first of all labour to find this Union to be in us and then make use of it and improve it to such a purpose as this is which we now speak of And this if we do we shall accordingly find mercy at the hands of God as is here expressed And so much of the Promise in the first Branch to wit The Simple or Absolute Preposition in these words And he shall have mercy upon him The Second is The Additional Amplification in these words For he will abundantly pardon Wherein again we have two Particulars more First The Word of Promise or Encouragement He will abundantly pardon Secondly The Word of Motive or Enforcement For he will abundantly pardon Because he will do this therefore Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon First Of the Word of Promise or Encouragement He will abundantly pardon Here is set forth unto us the Fulness and Largeness of God's Mercy according to those Expressions which are made of it in Scripture Full of Goodness Rich in Mercy Abundant in Compassion and the like The words here in the Original Text are very Emphatical Jarbeh Lisloach And we may reduce them to a threefold Intimation First To the Pardon of great sins Secondly To the Pardon of many sins Thirdly To the Pardon of sins reiterated and committed again First This Abundant Pardon in God it extends it self to great sins He is Magnus and remittendum The great God will forgive great Offences sins of an high nature of a deep die of an heinous aggravation Thus Isa 2.18 Come and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool See here scarlet sins and crimson sins and sins of such a stain as these are God tells his People that upon their Repentance he will pardon them and forgive them unto them And we have divers Instances to this purpose in Scripture take the Apostle Paul for all the rest who styles himself The Chief of Sinners 2 Tim. 1.15 says of himself that he was a Blasphemer and Persecutor and injurious and yet even he obtained Mercy and the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Was exceeding abundant upon which occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See here Abundant Grace The very Expression which is here used in the Text. Secondly It extends to many sins He is Multus and remittendum Here is the abundance of Pardon in this also that God does not only forgive sin in one kind but in more as he has occasion for it Thus Manasses who knew how many sins were layed to his charge that he was an Idolater a Sorcerer a Murderer one that made his own Sons to pass through the fire and filled Jerusalem with innocent blood It is said He wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord. And yet when in his Affliction he sought the Lord and humbled himself greatly and prayed unto him the Lord was entreated of him and forgave him Mary Magdalen she was one who had seven Devils cast out of her and it is said expresly concerncerning her that Her sins which were many were forgiven her for she loved much in Luk. 7.47 God forgives not only one or two or a few but even many Offences Thirdly To sins reiterated and committed again and again This Abundant Pardon reacheth to these and God has Mercy and Forgiveness for them For Relapses and Fallings back into sin and the Repetitions of them he is Frequens and remittendum He will multiply to pardon as the Marginal Translation carries it He that has commanded us to forgive others again and again he will certainly do it himself out of all question Hence is that Gracious and Evangelical Imitation of the Prophet Jeremy's in Jer. 3.1 They say if a man put away his wife and she go from him and become another man's shall he turn unto her again shall not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast stayed the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. So again in Hos 14.4 God says I will heal their back-slidings and will love them freely God heals Back-slidings and Apostatisings and Relapses and Recidivations sins committed again and again Thus we see how in all particulars it holds true that God will abundantly pardon The Ground and Foundation of this Truth is twofold First The Greatness and Infiniteness of God's own Nature considered in himself Secondly The Greatness and Infiniteness and Fulness of the satisfaction of Christ First The Greatness and Infiniteness of God's own Nature God is a great and infinite God of whose Perfection there is no end Therefore every Attribute in him is of Infinite Extent and his Mercy amongst the rest Thus it is said expresly of him His mercies are great or many in 2 Sam. 24.14 Mercy in us it is no more than a Drop but in God it is an Ocean In us no more than a little Stream but in God it is a Spring and full Fountain A Spring continually runs an Ocean is never drawn dry What is a little sparkle of Fire if it fall into the main Sea The same are the sins of a penitent person being propounded to the mercy of God Thus Micah 7.18 19. Who is a God like unto thee pardoning iniquity an passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will return again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and he will cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea But Secondly and Efpecially This is founded upon the Fulness and Infiniteness
are two Phrases and Expressions which are used both together in the Text A Wilderness and a Land of Darkness and the Lord does deny himself to be guilty of either of these to his people He has neither been one nor t'other to them Not a Wilderness which is an expression of unprofitableness Not a Land of Darkness which is an expression of uncomfortableness In a word he does here plainly profess that he hath been no way wanting in any supply which might be requisite or necessary for them neither have they served him for nought or to no purpose in all their attendances upon him This is the Point here before us That God's people they do not serve him in vain and for no profit neither are they any loosers at all by their servings of him He is not one that is defective in the rewarding or recompensing of them for whatsoever they do upon his account Thus we have it in Mal. 1.10 Who is there among you that would shut the doors for nought neither do ye kindle a fire upon mine Altar for nought He speaks it to his own people and it is that which is evident and manifest from daily experience and observation so to be And it is founded upon God's Nobleness and Royalty and Magnificence Generous and magnanimous persons they do not love to be in any mans debt that they should do them service and not to pay them for it no but will recompence and requite them to the full They think their own honour is much ingaged and concerned in it and therefore they will not here be defective or wanting to themselves And so it is here with God Therefore accordingly it concerns us to be right opinionated of God and to be well perswaded of him to this purpose It is that which a great many are not as even the Scripture it self informs us which say What is the Almighty that we should serve him And what profit should we have if we prayed unto him Job 21.15 And so again Ye have said It is in vain to serve God and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3.14 Such people as these they make as if God were a Wilderness and a Land of Darkness to his servants but indeed it is no such matter and they are convinced of the contrary from God's own Declaration and Protestation here in this Text which we have now before us That which makes them to be so perswaded is First Because God is pleased sometimes to suspend and delay the expressions of his goodness to them Because he does not reward them presently therefore they think he will not reward them at all Because they do not see the fruit of their labours out of hand therefore they imagine as if God would be altogether barren to them But this is a very great Errour and mistake in them For the Lord he does every thing in the best and fittest season and the longer that he stayes before he rewards them the more does he reward them at last so that they shall have no cause in conclusion to complain of him Secondly Because God does not alwaies reward them in that way and kind as they desire and expect from him It may be he may heap upon them Spiritual blessings but he does not so follow them with Temporals or it may be with Temporals in such a kind but not with Temporals in another And this through their perverseness they judge to be as good as nothing at all But those who are Experienced Christians they should learn to be of another mind as it is here propounded to them And from hence to take heed of being disheartened and discouraged in God's service which Satan their Spiritual Enemy does endeavour all he can to do with them being as the Accuser of the Brethren to God so the Accuser also of God to the Brethren we should not be in this case ignorant of his devices nor unwary of his suggestions but rather arm and strengthen ourselves against them all we can and beg of God himself to strengthen us There is no unprofitableness in the service of God but there is unprofitableness in the service of Satan and in the service of Sin This will be sure to be a Wilderness to us yielding us nothing but bryers and thorns And this will be a Land of Darkness to us Will the Son of Jesse give them Vineyards c carrying us even into utter Darkness if we take not heed of it What fruit had ye saies the Apostle in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death that 's the wages and reward of sin Rom. 6.21 23. But being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life c. And that 's the first Emphasis which is considerable of us in this expression namely as it hath the force of a self-acquittance or Justification wherein God does clear himself of all suspicion of unfruitfulness or unkindness towards his people Have I been a Wilderness or a Land of Darkness to Israel That is indeed I have not been I disclaim it The Second is as it hath the force of a Remembrance or seasonable Intimation Have I been a Wilderness c Nay rather indeed I have been the quite contrary I have in reality been a Paradise It is a kind of an Ironical Speech wherein the contrary is intended to whatâ—s exprest and that for the greater conviction of the persons to whom it is spoken It serves to declare unto us the great goodness and overflowing bounty of God towards his people who is so far from being wanting to them in any thing which is necessary as that he does oftentimes abound to them in all things which can be desired of them There are some of his servants more especially amongst the rest who have large experiences of his provision for them in all particulars in blessings of Heaven above and in blessings of the Earth beneath whom he does daily load with his Benefits as the Psalmist expresseth it Psal 68.29 And they are to him as a watred Garden This it proceeds in him from his own free love and grace Bounty and liberality it needs no other motive than it self for the expressing and manifesting of it He has mercy upon whom he will have mercy and he has bounty for whom he will have bounty and he takes delight in making some persons more than others to be the ubjects and objects of it And to make known the riches of his Bounty upon the vessels of mercy Rom. 9.23 As we see it is sometimes in the world with great and wealthy persons they now and then take some content in it to make others partakers of their Beneficence Even so does this great and mighty God in his
in Hell it self and be tormented before their time Thus is it against our selves Secondly it is also most against God of any thing else Despair it is the sin which does oppose him in his main design and project in the promulgation of the Gospel What 's God's design in the Gospel and the promulgation of it it is to advance the free riches of his Grace and mercy in his Son Jesus Christ to set forth the exceeding bowels of his love in him 1 Tim. 1.14 Now Despair and saying There is no hope it quashes this and makes this of none effect at all All this laid together should I say take us off from this desperate disposition and teach us to trust perfectly to the grace that is brought unto us by Jesus Christ as the Apostle Peter advises us 1 Pet. 1.13 We should believe the Promises of the Gospel which are made to poor sinners upon their Repentance and turning to God and draw out the comfort of them to our selves as we have occasion for them and never suffer our selves to be undone and to perish eternally with saying There is no hope as the desperate wretches in the Text are imply'd to do That 's the third sense of the Expression as it refers to God in calling to question his Goodness and Truth And so I have done with the first General part of the Text which I propounded to be considered viz. The Desperate Conclusion There is no hope The Second is the Peremptory Resolution or Determination taken up thereupon in these words But we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart Which passage is considerable of us two manner of waies First of all simply and absolutely in the thing it self Secondly Reflexively or Derivatively as coming from these particular persons First Take it simply and absolutely in the thing it self This is that which is here declared by these people That they will walk after their own devices c. In which expression there are divers things considerable First as implyed That the nature of man is very prone and subject to devices This is that which is here implyed and supposed your own Devices And it is agreeable to other places of Scripture as Eccles 7.20 God made man righteous but they have sought out many inventions So Prov. 19.21 Many devices are in the heart of a man nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand Devices and many Devices This is that which the nature of man is very subject unto Full of projects and devices and contrivances which they apply themselves to By Devices we are to understand evil Devices especially such Devices as tend to evil and to the promoting of it These are the Devices and Imaginations which are here meant Mans brain it is fruitful and copious And being by nature sinful and corrupt is from hence fruitful in evil and copious in devising and contriving of that which is naught every imagination or purpose and desire Col jesser the whole frame of the thoughts of his heart is only evil and that continually or every day Col ha-jom as the Lord himself declares concerning it speaking of it in Gen. 6.5 This is the difference betwixt the servants of God and other men When a man begins once to be good and to have his heart changed by grace and to become a new creature his thoughts and contrivances and devices are from hence tending to Goodness The liberal man deviseth liberal things and by liberal things he shall stand Isa 33.8 But till this good work be wrought in him he has other devices with him as it is here also exprest in ver 6 7. His heart will work iniquity And he deviseth wicked devices c. Thus it is said of the Gentiles among other sins which were raigning in them That they were inventers of evil things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.30 They were not content to take evil as they found it as it was offered and brought to their hands No but moreover they invented it and found it out and studied to do so This is that which we should all in a special manner be wary of If we will needs devise let us devise how to be good and how to be better how to be more useful and serviceable in the places wherein God has set us how now to promote his glory and to advance our own salvation and the salvation of others with whom we live These are things which are worth our thoughts and which deserve to be devised by us But as for evil and wicked devices it becomes us to be far from them whether considered as men or as Christians and who have the Image of God stampt upon us Our wits should be used to better purpose as being ordained to a better End in the first conferring and bestowing of them upon us But that 's that which we may here first observe from this expression in the Text That mans nature is prone to these devices as that which is implyed and supposed Now further there is here also exprest the Affection which is in many people in reference hereunto We will walk c. And here are divers things one after another First Their obstinacy and perverseness We will walk after our own devices c. This is that which is observable in the disposition of carnal men even a peremptoriness and wilfulness of Resolution Whatever can be said to them they are resolved and determined in themselves to do that which is evil This was the case of this people And so it is of many more of the same mind with them They are still roving in the world Thus in that place before cited Jer. 44.17 We will certainly do whatever goeth forth out of our own mouth And so the place cited before in this Book Jer. 2.25 Thou saidst There is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them I will go As who should say none shall restrain us This is a sure Rule in matter of evil That the more there is of the Will in it so much the greater sin And thus it was here in this place These people they do not plead ignorance nor they do not excuse themselves as they did in the Gospel for their not coming to the marriage-supper from such and such hinderances and avocations no but they understood themsleves well enough and yet would venture upon it There was malice and wilfulness in them They would do evil because they would do it This is that I say which is observable in many more and that from these Causes First From the Connaturalness which is betwixt them and their lusts Thus lusts are seemingly sweet and pleasing to them and therefore they are bent upon them and will not by any means be withdrawn or taken off from them but are carried after them with a great deal of violence and importunity of spirit Thus in Jer. 8.6 No man repented him of his
so many as it is hard to reckon up the number of them we shall find a good large Catalogue in Gal. 5.19 where the works of the slesh are made manifest and when all 's done the Apostle is fain to close it and to make it up with an c. at last as leaving many more behind which as yet he had not mentioned There are sinners belonging to every calling to every condition to every relation to every temper and constitution whatsoever and when one is any thing prostrated another rises up in its place and supplies the room of it This shews what cause Christians have to be jealous and suspicious of themselves and not at any time to be secure for as much as they are alwaies in some danger and hazard or other if not in this kind yet at least in that they are never absolutely free nor can promise themselves so to be in this respect and that in regard of the variousness and multiplicity of sin which has so many windings and turnings in it and does one way or other ensnare them There are not more spots in a Leopard than there are lusts in a corrupt heart And that 's the Third thing the Multiplication The Fourth is the Vniversality or Extent it is a deformity in all the parts not one excepted so is the spots of the Leopard and so also is the Blackness of the Ethiopian Nay then if ye go to that it is a little more for the Ethiopian though his skin be black yet his teeth in the mean time are white and though perhaps he may be ill-coloured yet he is sometimes well-featur'd for all that though he be black yet still he may be comely but a sinner he is not so his very shape and figure is ill-favour'd he is nothing else but ugliness and deformity And so does the Scripture represent him and set him forth unto us My heritage is unto me as a speckled Bird Jer. 12.9 Spots they are and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceiving whiles they feast with you 2 Pet. 2.13 So in Jude epist v. 12. These are spots in your feasts of Charity c. Evail men are still presented as spots and as spotted all over Again on the other side good men are freed from these spots Thou art all fair my Love and there is no spot in thee saies Christ to his Spouse the Church Cant. 4.7 Not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing in Ephes 5.27 Found without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3.14 Keeping himself unspotted from the world James 1. ult And hating even the garment spotted by the flesh Jude v. 23. Look as Grace it extends it self through the whole man I pray God sanctifie you wholly 1 Thes 5.23 So also does sin too it makes a man universally sinful and polluted in every part and member of him without any exception from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot Isa 1.5 The whole frame or all the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of man is evil and only evil continually Gen. 6.5 Now lay all these things together Sin for the rise of it it 's natural for the effects of it it is praeternatural for the improvement of it it is various for the extent of it it is universal And what a wretched and miserable creature is a sinner all this while how full of silthiness and ugliness and pollution and absolute defilement who can now fall in love with himself and be proud of any excellency which is in him otherwise whiles he lies under such disparagements as these are notorious debasements I beseech ye let us seriously consider of these matters and lay them to heart Let us not look upon these things as meer metaphors and expressions and resemblances and rhetorical enlargements but as carrying a manifest truth and reality in them let us believe them and be affected with them answerably to the seriousness of them And further let all this carry us so much the nearer and closer to Christ and cause us to admire so much the rather Gods free Grace and Goodness in him who is set forth as a Propitiation for sin and is that Lamb of God which takes away our sins from us The use of the vileness of sin and the filthiness which is in that is not only to make it self loathsom and odious to us but occasionally to make us in love with that which is so far opposite and contrary thereunto The end of aggravating of sickness is from hence to advance our Physician and to make us in love with that means which is appointed for the recovery of us which is the Gospel and the Grace of God in Christ All Declamations against sin they tend to this and so they should be entertained by us otherwise they are no other but meer sounds and words to no profit And therefore whensoever as now we do we hear of such things as these against it and against our selves for it it should have this work and efficacy upon us as to hate and detest sin it self so much the more and be humbled in our hearts so to bless and praise God for him who has freed us from it and to repair and to have recourse unto him for this purpose And so now I have done with the first General part of this Text which is the Condition of Sin in the Defilement exprest in the blackness of the Ethiopian and the spots of the Leopard The Second is of Sin in its Intanglements exprest in the Vnmoveableness and Vnchangeableness of either of these As the Ethiopian cannot change his skin or the Leopard his spots no more can those which are accustomed to evil do good In which present passage before us we have again two things more First the qualification of the Persons these which are accustomed to do evil Secondly The invincible necessity which is upon them that they cannot do good For the first the qualification of the Persons that we have exprest to us in these words Ye which are accustomed to do evil yet this is a little too narrow it being in the Original Text of somewhat larger signification than our own Translation seems to carry it for there it is taught to do evil as ye have it also in the margent of your Books In the Hebrew Limâ—Ì„dhe hareang Edocti ad malum Those which are taught to do evil it is hard for them to do that which is otherwise Now this men may be said to be especially three manner of ways First by Doctrine Secondly by Example And thirdly by Practise Where though the latter be onely here mention'd in our English Bible exprest by custom and it may be is chiefly intended in the scope of the Text which therefore we shall stand longer upon when we come unto it yet the two other are questionless included and may very well be taken in which it to make up the sense which therefore we shall lightly touch upon and speak a
are to be looked upon by us not distinctly only in themselves but conjunctively with reference to those which went before Peter's conversion of himself and Peter's strengthening of his Brethren which go hand in hand together and have a mutual respect to each other as they here lye in the Text and so have also all others besides So that there are two things which are here observable of us First here 's an enlargement of Personal Conversion to Fraternal Confirmation he that is converted himself he must withal strengthen his Brethren Secondly here 's a confinement of Fraternal Confirmation to Personal Conversion He that will strengthen his Brethren he must himself first be converted Each of these are signified to us in this connexion First I say Here 's an enlargement of Personal Conversion to Fraternal or Brotherly Confirmation He that is converted himself he must strengthen his Brethren He that has partaken of God's Grace in his own recovery from temptation and the consequents of it he ought to endeavour as much as may be to be useful and helpful to others whom he converses withal to this purpose It is one thing which we have here before us in this expression When thou art converted strengthen c. Our Blessed Saviour took care here for Peter that he should be converted and that he should endeavour to convert himself but he would not have him to stay here no but to labour moreover for the conversion and restauration of others Being converted himself that his Brethren should be converted with him There are two evils in temptation which it does commonly cause to those which are overtaken with it And so consequently there are two Benefits which are caused by strengthening after it First in matter of Grace and Secondly in matter of Comfort Temptation it makes a breach upon both it makes a breach upon our Grace as it does corrupt us and defile us with sin and it makes a breach upon our Comfort as it does afflict us and fill us with horrour and fear of punishment Now in either of these respects it is the duty of those who are themselves delivered from temptation and so in the sense of the Text converted to strengthen their Brethren This was the practice of the Prophet David and that which he aim'd at himself in this condition As we may see in Psal 51.12 13. Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit Then will I teach Transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee David being refresht himself would instruct others and being converted or restored himself would convert and restore others Sinners shall be converted unto thee that is in the study and endeavour after conversion David could not assure himself that all those whom he taught and instructed should be really and actually converted no more than any other Teacher besides can promise himself But he means in regard of the course and way which should be taken for it They shall be converted so far as I can help it and can any way further their conversion which I will be no way defective in Thus did David in his present condition and so should others do likewise As they see any stand in need of assistance more than others in such and such conditions so to be helpful to them And that in divers respects First in a way of Faithfulness as closing with that end for which they are converted themselves The reason why God does bestow such a measure of Grace or comfort upon this or that particular Christian it is not for himself only but for others that so they may be so much the better or comfortabler for his sake The Scripture speaking of Believers says that they are members one of another Now we know that in a natural body the parts and members of it they have a mutual respect to each other for the decency service and succour one of another and the abilities which are given to one they are for the good and advantage of all the rest The eye it does not see for it self but for the whole body and the ear it does not hear for it self but for the whole body Whatever excellency one does partake of it is for the improvement of the whole Even so is it likewise or at least so it should be in the mystical Body which is the Church Whatever good any one Christian partakes of it is for the good and advancement of his Brethren As the Apostle speaks of Comfort 2 Cor. 1.4 Who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God God comforts some of his children that so they may comfort the rest and so he reduces some of his children that they may reduce the rest Unless therefore we are careful to do so we do not comply with God in his ends for which he bestows such Blessings upon us as it becomes us to do As every one hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God says this Apostle Peter himself in 1 Pet. 4.10 Secondly In a way of Thankfulness When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren upon this account likewise we cannot better testify our acknowledgments of God's goodness in the bestowing of Grace or comfort upon our own souls than by imparting and communicating it to others True thankfulness it hath for the most part joy with it And joy it is a spreading affection it delights to diffuse it self abroad it is not easily kept or contain'd within its own bounds As we say of moyst things in nature that difficulter suis fermicus continentur even so is Grace and spiritual comfort in a spiritual heart it delights to disperse it self to its Brethren Ye know how it was with the Lepers of Samaria when they had light upon the Syrian spoyls they could not satisfy themselves in a secret enjoyment of the benefit of that providence to them but took care for the divulging of it and making others to be partakers with them of it Even so should we do likewise as any good news or tydings of Salvation is brought home to our selves Thirdly Out of zeal to the Glory of God we should endeavour others conversion that so God may have more Glory by it The more that Sinners are converted the more is God honoured And that should take with a gracious heart Herein is my Father glorified c. says our Saviour This is that which we should all be very much fired and inflamed withal to set us on work in this business as we see it was not only with David but also with Paul and divers others of the Saints Lastly Out of love to our selves and our own good Qui docet indoctos c. The more we strengthen others the more indeed do we confirm our selves whether in Grace or Comfort We
by it who can pity him or think charitably of him and how is he not indeed guilty of his own destruction To set home this Point yet a little more effectually upon us we may consider besides the willingness which is in Christ to receives us upon condition of our coming to him the great benefit and advantage which will accrue unto us upon our coming it self To come to one who is willing to entertain us and when we come hs nothing at all to entertain us with this is but small encouragement for our coming But now in Christ it is far otherwise whosoever comes to him they shall not repent of their coming to him they shall be no losers at all by it but be very great gainers from it in sundry respects There are three benefits especially which I will name and instance in First Pardon and Forgivness the life of Sentence and Justification Those that come to him they shall have this by him Thus in the place before cited Isa 55.7 He will abundantly pardon Is not a Pardon worth coming for to a man which is condemned to die and shall he not get well by it who upon his coming does procure and obtain it This is our case in our coming to Christ Do but submit to him acknowledge our miscarriages engage our selves for time to come against them and we are sure to receive pardon of them If we turn he 'll turn and forgive us and have compassion upon us Mic. 7.19 If we do not retain our sins he will not retain his anger That 's one benefit we have by it Secondly Power against sin the life of Holiness and Sanctification Those that come to Christ they shall have virtue from him as it was with the Woman that had the bloudy issue in the Gospel he sends none empty away from him but bestows some grace or other upon them He instamps and imprints his own likeness and image upon them He subdues their iniquities for them and heals their backslidings Thirdly Comfort and Peace of Conscience Come unto me and I will refresh you or give you rest Christ takes off the burden of their sins from those that are oppressed with them and are desirous to leave them As long as men hold any affinity or correspondence with their corruptions they can never have true peace in themselves There is no peace to the wicked saith my God The way to true peace and comfort is to abandon and to take our leave of sin and to take Christs yoke upon us which is easie and his burden light Now further we may enlarge this Point concerning our coming to Christ a little beyond what we have hitherto said of it and that is not onely to our coming in Conversion but likewise to our coming after it There is a coming to Christ at first in our beginning of living to him and of that we have spoken all this whil those that come to him thus he will in no wise reject but will receive them Again there 's a coming to Christ afterwards when we are already brought home and converted and it holds true likewise of this Those that come to him here in this sense he will net reject them nor cast them out neither but they shall have favour and acceptance with him Those that come to him for assurance of his love for greater measure of grace for strength against corruption they have good hope to speed and to prosper in their accessos to him upon this Promise which we have here before us It is a part of Gods gracious Covenant which he has made with his people that where he has bestowed grace upon them already he will bestow also upon them more upon their seeking and repairing to him for it Therefore let us not be wanting to our selves in this particular let us never spare to speed for sparing to speak but let us come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need as the Apostle speaks Heb. 4.16 Christ keeps open house for all true comers to him he refuses none though never so mean as to their outward and worldly condition and therefore when he does not exclude us let us take heed we do not exclude our selves or neglect so great salvation And especially now upon this occasion that we are to come to the Lords Table let us put this point in practice here more especially to come to Christ indeed for this is the main end and scope of this present Ordinance We are in the nature and institution of it invited to Christ that we would repair to his Dainties and Preparations Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price It is coming which is here call'd for But yet by the way we must not take it absolutely and indefinitely in any fashion whatsoever it is not such a coming which will serve the turn Those that come in their sins and their vanities and their ignorances and their non-attendances they cannot expect acceptance in their coming Those that come thus Christ will cast them out as we see he did in the Gospel with the man that had not on his Wedding-garment Friend how camest thou hither Matth. 22.12 so he will say to many more in such addresses as these are those that come unpreparedly and negligently and remisly without fear and reverence he will not onely deny them the benefits which he does hold forth in the Ordinance it self to worthy Receivers and Comers but he will likewise challenge them and call them to an account for their very coming it self as having nothing at all to do with such sacred things as these are being themselves wicked and prophane but do eat and drink to themselves their own judgment as St. Paul tells us 1 Cor. 11.29 And so much for the first thing impli'd in this expression viz. Admission or Reception Christ will receive all that come to him The second is Custody and Preservation I will not cast him out that is I will keep him and preserve him still by me I will not cast them out i. e. I will not drive them out Those which are once admitted into Christs service and ingrafted and incorporated into his Body they shall always so abide and continue he will never cast them out Those which are his children and Servants once they shall be his Children and his Servants always This is that which is here signified to us and it is the Doctrine likewise of other Scriptures besides Thus Hos 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever and Jer. 32.10 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good c. and Joh. 8.35 The Son abides in the house for ever This is a great incouragement to the Servants of God that they have to deal with
of Vtterance a third has a gift of Interpretation one is better in the Applicatory part another is better at the Expository This diversity and variety of gifts wherein all are excellent and it is very hard to say which is best it comes from the Spirit of Christ as the same Apostle also tells us in the same Chapter All these worketh one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he pleaseth 2 Cor. 12.11 Secondly As for the various Distribution so likewise for the Succession As these gifts in several persons so likewise in Ages and Periods of Time and Generation one after another It is very considerable this That Christ does so order it in his Providence that his Church shall still one way or other be furnished and provided for in the world the Prophets in their Age the Apostles in theirs succeeding Ministers in theirs and that in each of these in the withdrawing of one there hath still been the substitution of another for the preservation and upholding of the work Elijah translated but Elisha left behind him Jeremy imprisoned but Baruch inlarged Paul in bonds but Timothy at liberty John the Baptist removed but Christ continued Christ himself departed but his Spirit coming in his room I will not leave you comfortless but I will thus come unto you The Use of all this to our selves is with thankfulness to acknowledge the love and goodness of Christ in this particular and to improve it to our best advantage not to carp or cark or quarrel with the gifts of our Ministers or to compare them or set them one against another as we are apt to do but rather to bless God for them in the various ordering and distribution of them and to partake of that good from them which God affords us for the good of our Souls which is to walk answerably to Christs dealing with us in this particular And that 's the first conveyance of Christ's Spirit to wit In the distribution of the gifts of it The second is in the Distribution of Graces Christ comes by his Spirit in them not onely in his gifts of Edification but in his gifts of Sanctification Faith and Love and Patience and Humility and the like We find that after Christs Ascension there was a greater measure and abundance of these Religion was now more Spiritualiz'd and Christians themselves were now raised to a more heavenly and spiritual frame of Soul than before they had been As the Word of God grew and multipi'd so likewise the Improvements of it and the Graces of those who had the priviledge of being partakers of it It is said of the Romans that their faith was spoken of throughout the world Rom. 1.8 Of the Corinthians that they were enriched in all graces 1 Cor. 1.4 5 c. The Apostle commends the Colossians for their faith in Christ and love to all the Saints in Col. 1.4 c. Thirdly In the distribution of Comforts Thus did Christ come by his Spirit especially not onely as he was a qualifying Spirit furnishing them with all Gifts not onely as he was a sanctifying Spirit induing them with Graces but also as he was a comforting Spirit filling their hearts with joy And thus he did This is that which is principally stood upon here in this Scripture as we may see in the Connexions of it thus in verse 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth c. The sadness of Christs departure it was scattered by the presence of the Comforter which was interpretatively his own presence with them Thus in all these respects did Christ himself come to them by his Spirit in its Gifts and Graces and Comforts Now to improve this still so much the more and that it might be a full Argument to them for the pacifying of them I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you we may take this in further with it that it is considerable under a two-fold Emphasis the one Discretive and the other Consequential The Discretive Emphasis is this Ye have no cause to be very sad or uncomfortable for though I go from you yet I will come unto you The Consequential Emphasis is this Ye have no cause to be sad or uncomfortable for because I go from you therefore I will come unto you my coming to you is both the consequent of my departure and following upon it And again my coming to you is also the effect or result of my departure and flowing from it First Take it in the Discretive Emphasis Though I go away yet I will come There was good reason why they should be satisfied from that that he was not quite and utterly lost or gone irrecoverably but cum animo revertenti with a full purpose of coming again or if not of coming in his Person yet of coming in that which was better at least for them and that was of coming in his Spirit which he here intends and which we have spoken to all this while His going had no cause to disquiet them whiles it had his coming following upon it to them Secondly Take it in the Consequential Emphasis Because I go away therefore I will come This was that which was here also considerable as it follows afterwards Christs going in his Person was the cause at least sine qua non of his coming in his Spirit if he had not gone that way he had not come this Thus we have it in Joh. 16.6 7. Because I have said these things to you namely of my going from you therefore sorrow hath filled your hearts Nevertheless I tell you the iruth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you But if I depart I will send him unto you That is if I do not go I shall not come but if I do go I then shall And that 's the second Explication of his coming the coming of him in his Spirit To this last of all we may add a Third with which I conclude and that is his coming in Glory at the last day This is very frequently and emphatically call'd in Scripture the coming of Christ and it is that which may very much pacifie and satisfie Believers in his present absence and keep them from being sad and comfortless that he will come thus This is that which he makes mention of in the three first Verses of this Chapter and wherewith he does labour to comfort them Let not your heart be troubled c. I go to prepare a place for you And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also This is in other words call'd his Appearing and Revelation and such like phrases as these This in the meditation of it is very comfortable to all true Saints and Members
in their natural condition they are such as being out of Christ are therefore without Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is separated from Christ as we find this expression used of the Ephesians before their conversion Ephes 2.12 that they were at that time without Christ c Now for such as these we have accordingly also shewn how they are able to do nothing As the branch cannot bring forth any fruit in the course of Nature where it is separated from the Vine so the Soul cannot bring forth any fruit neither in the course of Grace where it is separated from Christ The second sense or notion of the words is that which is to be handled by us by God's assistance at this present time which is to shew that without Christ that is without influence from him and dependance upon him we are able to do no good neither in a spiritual and supernatural way as may conduce to salvation All our strength and ability as to the doing of any thing of this nature is to be fetch'd and drawn from Christ For the better and more distinct opening of which Point of Doctrine unto us we may take notice of three things especially which are requisite to any Christian performance each of which we do and must receive from Christ as tending to the accomplishment of it First a Spiritual life as the general grand work and foundation Secondly a Spiritual power slowing from this Spiritual life and answering to that particular Duty for the kind of it which God does require of us And thirdly a Spiritual activity or operation for the reducing of this Spiritual power into particular action of life As it is to explain it to you by a resemblance in Natural Motion There are three things which do make up this to us There 's the principle of Natural life there 's the Locom-motive faculty founded in this life and there 's the Walk it self which is produced and effected by this Faculty And as each of these are from God as the Author of Nature so each of the other are from Christ as the Fountain of Grace First There is a Principle of Spiritual life as the general Ground-work and Foundation of every Spiritual good work that comes from us Look as a man that is naturally dead cannot do any thing which belongs to Nature so a man which is spiritually dead also he can do nothing which belongs to Grace because Actus non excedit vires suae potentiae the Act cannot go beyond the Principle as we use to speak Now this Principle of Spiritual life we do derive wholly from Christ as the Branches derive life from the Root and the Members from the Head In which respect we are said not so much to live our selves as Christ is said to live in us in Gal. 2.20 Look as the First Adam was the Spring and Root of Natural life to all his Posterity so is the Second Adam the Spring and Root of Spiritual life to all his Members Therefore unless Christ by his Spirit do first change our hearts from that state of Spiritual death and corruption which we are in by Nature and put a contrary and better Principle of Spiritual life and holiness into us we can never be able to do any thing considerable to the purpose This I have in part declared already in our former Exercise and therefore shall not insist upon it now But secondly besides this Spiritual life whereby a Christian is qualified in general for the bringing forth of the works of new obedience namely the work of Grace and Conversion wrought in him by the Spirit of Christ there is moreover a Spiritual power slowing from this Spiritual life whereby a Christian being renewed by Grace hath some ability communicated unto him for the doing of such and such Duties as in particular in such and such cases are required of him And this is another thing which we do receive also from Christ without whom we are able to do nothing Of his fulness we all receive and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 that is answerable to grace in Christ grace in us We know that besides the common principle of Regeneration in general there are several habits of grace in particular according to the several kinds and distributions of them which have each of them their several abilities and qualifications belonging unto them as Faith enabling us to believe Love enabling us to embrace Patience enabling us to endure and so of the rest Now these particular Graces in specie as well as the work of Grace in general are communicated unto us from Christ and upon his account who is the Treasury and Storehouse of all Grace whatsoever for us It is true indeed that it is God in Scripture who is proclaimed to be the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 but we must understand it still of God in Christ and in the mediation of the New Covenant out of which and out of whom God hath no intercourse at all with us nor we with him This is our state and condition now in the Covenant of Grace and a blessed state and condition it is that all our Grace and Comfort and Ability it is originated and founded in Christ who having taken our Nature upon himself and therein satisfied the Justice of God and being by Faith apprehended by us and united and made one with us is from hence a fit person for the conveying of all Grace unto us which we have need of and occasion for in the whole course of our lives Therefore it is profitable for us to understand and to take notice of the right method which is here in this particular used with us and wherein we come to be made partakers of this grace whereof we now speak and that 's this That the Spirit of God first of all sanctifies the Humane Nature of Christ and from thence sanctifies us who are Members of him The same Spirit that sanctified that blessed mass of his Body in the Womb of the Virgin and the same Spirit that sanctified his whole Nature both of Body and Soul which is now in Heaven the same Spirit does now also sanctifie his Mystical Body which abides still on earth and which is made partaker of Grace by communication and derivation from him As the Oyl which was upon the head of Aaron it ran down to the skirts of his garments which were upon him so the Spirit which is upon the Head of Christ and which he is said to have received without measure it runs down upon all Believers and they have it no otherwise than as he conveys it and transmits it unto them We see then here in what sense we are said to do all things by Christ and without him to have power to do nothing namely so far forth as he gives us grace for the doing of them The Faculties of the Soul are three the Vnderstanding and Will and Affections and such as these but the sanctifying of all
these and the disposing of them to do all things Spirtually it is not ours but Christ's As a Trumpet that gives a sound but it is from the breath of the Man that blows through it so it is with us in this particular we perform such and such Duties materially and as to the outward substance of the action but it is Christ that chiefly and principally works in us and by us as the Apostle Paul most fully expresses it to this purpose 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me The third thing considerable to this purpose is a Spiritual Activity or Operation which is likewise conveyed to us by Christ and by him alone he does not onely give us the life of Grace and a Power issuing from this life but he likewise gives us the very Act and Deed it self for such a particular performance There is not the best man that is and who has most of the sanctifying Grace of the Spirit of Christ in him but he needs the present and actual assistance of the same Spirit as immediately concurring to such particular good actions that is to be done by him he needs not onely preventing and operating grace but assisting and co-operating grace to be bestowed upon him and to be joyn'd with it And this is that which is here intended by our Blessed Saviour speaking to his Disciples and in them to all other Christians whiles he sa◠〈◊〉 without me ye can do nothing not onely without me as who must give the general activity but also without me as who must give the particular accomplishment If Christ does not give the actual performance as well as the general qualification there is nothing which will be done by us to any purpose This can be no wonder to us if we do but consider how it is with us even in other matters of inferiour consideration take 〈◊〉 but in common business and the transactions of our ordinary Callings and we shall find it to be so even here That we have need not onely of common and general inablement but also of special and particular assistance In the Ministery for example it is not enough to have some general qualifications and abilities for the work but there is need moreover of Gods particular assistance and immediate concurrence with us in every particular Sermon and Exercise that is undertaken by us In the Souldiery it is not enough to beat large qualified for the Wars but they need Gods assistance of them and standing by them in every Battel and Encounter And so in Physick it is not enough to have skill in general but an application of it to his particular Disease and Patient and Condition certain hints and suggestions from God himself answering to the present occasion As it is said of our Blessed Saviour himself when people came to him to be cured of their several infirmities that the power of the Lord was present with him to heal them Luke 5.17 Such a presence of Power as this is whereof we now speak is requisite for any other besides Now as it is thus in Temporals and Corporals so it holds in Spirituals and Supernaturals especially that there is required not onely Grace in the Habit and Principle but also in the very Act and Performance This is suitable and agreeable to divers other places of Scripture as Hos 14.8 it is the speech of God to Ephraim From me is thy fruit found and Isa 26 12. it is the speech of the Church to God Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works for us or in us And so Ezek. 36.27 I will cause you to walk in my statutes c. To open this Point a little further to us and speak more distinctly of it we must know that there are three things which God does work and which it is requisite for him that he should work in us in order to any Spiritual performance which is to be done by us even after the first work of Conversion and saving Grace wrought in our hearts First he strengthens and confirms the habit of them whereby he fits us and qualifies us for such a duty which he requires of us Secondly he excited and nourishes this Habit whereby he inclines us and makes us disposed to the performance of this duty Thirdly He assists and concurs with this Habit as to the act and performance it self Each of these does God do for us and it is requisite and necessary that he should do so or else otherwise there could be no good action expected from us He strengthens the Habit he inclines to the Duty and he assists the Act. First I say he strengthens the Habit whether of Faith or Love or Patience or any other Grace which might be named by us This is the spring and source of all good actions in us which therefore had need to be preserved and confirmed in us all that may be and the ' rather because it is subject to so much weakness and shaking as it is There are so many corruptions and temptations which the Servants of God are exercised withall as that they have need of daily confirmation of the Graces of the Spirit of God in them which would otherwise languish and decay and for this purpose does God do it for them This was that which the Apostle pray'd for in behalf of the Ephesians Ephes 3.16 17. That God would grant unto them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith c. And so likewise in behalf of the Colossians that they might be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness strengthned with all might And this accordingly is that which the Apostle Paul professes of himself that he can do all things through Christ that strengthens him Phil. 4.13 Which words that we may rightly understand them are to be taken by us in their latitude and emphasis both Positively and also Exclusively that through Christ strengthning him he can do all things and without Christ strengthning him he was able to do nothing That 's the first thing here considerable in this business of Christ's concurrence with us in the doing of good he strengthens the Habit. Secondly As he strengthens the Habit so he likewise inclines the mind to the particular duty to be performed For though we have such and such Principles and Habits of grace conferr'd and bestowed upon us as qualifying us for such and such Duties yet we have not always and continually in us a readiness and promptness of mind for the exercise and improvement of them but we have a great deal of sluggishness and awkness upon us in this
therefore we should do all we can which may be useful and successful hereunto this we may be according as we do more effectually set home this point which indeed has so much comfort in it as in the place before-cited the Apostle gloried in nothing more than he did in this as being that indeed which is the chiefest matter of glorying and which does contain the greatest sweetness and comfort in it and that may be laid open to us in sundry respects First As keeps Christs death us from the wrath of God and purchases peace to us with God the Father for that it does as we may see in Col. 1.19 20. It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell And making peace through the blood of his Cross to reconcile all things to himself c. So Isa 53.5 6. The chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed Again Rom. 5.10 we are said to bereconciled unto God by the death of his Son what greater happiness can befall us than for God and us to become friends who were once at variance one with another this is purchased by Christ crucified and we have now boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus as it is in Heb. 10.19 and Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth as a Propitiation through faith in his blood c. Secondly It obtains to us peace with Angels and all other Creatures besides whether in Heaven or Earth whiles we remain in a condition of sin as God himself is our enemy so every thing else besides is ready to take up his quarrel against us and all the Creatures have hence an enmity to us but now by the Blood of Christ there is peace made for us with these also as we may see in that place above alledged It pleased the Father by the blood of Christ to reconcile all things both in heaven and in earth This makes us to be at league with the stones of the earth and with the beasts of the field c. as it is in Job 5.23 c. Thy Tabernacle shall be in peace c. Thirdly It frees us from the power and dominion of sin The Blood of Christ purgeth us from all sin not only from the guilt but the stain 1 Joh. 1.7 Christ by his death hath weakened and debilitated sin in us that it should not now have that strength in us This the Apostle hath fully intimated unto us Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our old man is crucisied with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that we henceforth should not serve sin There is a power in Christ crucified to crucifie and kill sin in us Now therefore look what comfort there is in this as there 's a great deal to those who are sensible what sin is the same comfort is there in such a Doctrine as this which does mention and declare this unto us Fourthly It frees us from the power and tyranny of Satan He has hereby spoiled principalities and powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in his Cross Col. 2.15 The Papists put a great deal of efficacy in the Material Cross and the signing of their selves with the figure of it as if that had such a power in it for the driving away of unclean spirits nay but this rather invites them they laugh at such a foppery as this That which terrifies them indeed is the vertue and power of the Cross and that conquest which Christ by his death hath obtained over them so that now Satan himself is but a vanquished enemy Indeed he may for a while molest them for their exercise and trial in the world and therefore we are still said to fight against Principalities and Powers but as for excluding them from eternal salvation this he is not able to do God shall tread him under our feet Rom. 16.20 c. Fifthly From bondage and thraldom to the Ceremonial Law Christ crucified frees us from hence Blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances c. Col. 2.14 And again that no man may judg us for meats c. So Act. 15.28 We have nothing now but necessary things upon us and such burdens as these are are taken off from our shoulder Sixthly It frees us from the inordinate fears of death and final dissolution thus 1 Cor. 15.55 Oh death where is thy sting O Grave where is thy victory Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ c. And again Heb. 2.14 He hath destroyed him that had the power of death the Devil and delivered them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage c. Christ has taken out the sting of this Serpent and drunk the dregs of this cup. Now this Doctrine containing so much sweetness and comfortableness in it what does from hence follow but that accordingly it should be a principal part of our Ministry to dispense it The Apostles still aimed at the joy and comfort of Gods people 1 Joh. 1.4 These things I write unto you that your joy may be full And my joy is the joy of you all 2 Cor. 2.3 c. And that 's the second Consideration as it is a Doctrine of the greatest comfort Thirdly As it is a Doctrine of the richest and most abundant Grace for it contains in it the exceeding love of God towards mankind and the hight of his mercy towards us In Christ crucified there 's a combination of all the riches and mysteries of the Gospel it was his love to be incarnate to be tempted to be persecuted for us yea but his Passion it was the accomplishment and perfection of all the rest Greater love than this hath no man that he should lay down his life for his friends Joh. 15.13 There was never any thing wherein God more magnified his love and pity towards the sons of men than in giving of his Son to death for them Hence the Apostle to the Romans Chap. 5.8 God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us And 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us And Joh. 3.16 So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten son for the redemption of it Thus we see it carries in it the riches of Gods Grace Now therefore accordingly it is the main work of our Ministry which the Apostle Paul calls the Ministry of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.20 And this as a third Consideration For the Application of the Point reflects first upon us which are Ministers and Teachers as our duty in this particular for the ordering and disposing of our Doctrine Desire to know nothing amongst our people but Jesus Christ and him crucised But what 's the meaning of this must nothing else be Preached but one point what is it then to Preach Christ crucified For answer hereunto we must know thus much That the meaning hereof is not
which is required to such a work as that is If ye ask what is required else I answer a competent understanding in the whole Body of Divinity and Religion a Genius which I know not how to express to you a particular faculty for the understanding and interpreting of Scripture a Theological and Ministerial frame and disposition of mind a spirit of discerning in reference both to persons and truths together with a mind wholly imployed and taken up in such things as these are and given up altogether to them The whole frame and bent of a mans course is to be inclined and carried on this way and dedicated to it an ability rightly to divide the word of truth and to give every one his portion in due season as Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate on these things give thy self wholly to them that thy preaching may appear unto all or in all things as some interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in them wholly The work of the Ministry is such as it requires the whole man and all his time to be taken up in it or else in such things as do border and confine upon it and belong unto it at least not such as are alterius generis or do divert from it This in other and private Christians of other callings is not nor cannot be which yet is necessary to be And this we speak of the intrinsecal and immediate qualifications hereunto Besides all this to say nothing now at this time of the setting apart hereunto by the Church if there be any which have real gifts for it and approved of though of other callings I should not be sorry but close with you with all my heart but this is sooner presumed than to be hoped But so much for that And so now I have done with the first General part of the Text viz. the Counsel or Exhortation which is here given by the Apostle Covet earnestly the best gifts The second is the Additional Regulation of the said counsel and yet here the Apostle raises his note a little higher than in the former he had done He would not have the Corinthians rest in the common gifts of the Spirit of God and to content themselves only with them but to proceed somewhat further than so as he does here intimate and imply unto them that it was possible for them to do In this second Branch of the Text we have two parts more considerable First The thing propounded The more excellent may Secondly The Proposition of it I shew it unto you We have each of these observable of us First Here 's the thing it self propounded The more excellent way The more excellent way what way do ye call that why surely that will quickly appear if we do but read on to the following Chapter which there are some Interpreters of very good note that would make these words of the Text to be the beginning of And there we shall find charity to be especially commended unto us Charity it is a large word of large extent as large as the whole Decalogue no less than so It is as the Apostle calls it the fulfulling of the Law whatever we can imagine as required in Gods Commandments we have it epitomized and comprehended unto us in this one word of Charity or Love love to God and love to our neighbour and our selves in a due manner and in reference to God this is Charity And so indeed and in effect and conclusion the more excellent way it is nothing else but Piety and Religion Grace and Holiness and Goodness the sanctifying and saving gifts of Gods Spirit both for the habit and operation of them in us these are that excellent way which the Holy Ghost by this advice to the Corinthians does commend unto us There are three points especially which are here observable of us First That Religion it is a Way Secondly That it is an excellent way and more excellent than all other ways and abilities and accomplishments besides Thirdly That it is such a way as we are to pursue and follow after in the most principal manner First I say Religion it is a way and so it is here represented unto us This distinguishes it from a mere sitt or some transient act and no more which abides only for some particular time True Grace and Holiness it is not so it is not only the doing of one or two good Duties and away and for such a season as we may judg most expedient but it is a fixt and setled course through the whole time of our lives Therefore we may from hence judg and conclude of our selves what we are examine what our course is and what it is that we do for the most part apply and bend our selves to and how one part of our lives is suitable and agreeable to the other This is the best discovery of us Even Saul himself may be sometimes among the Prophets and there is not the worst man that is but he may be now and then found in a good action But this is not his way and course and so from thence he cannot be concluded to be good It is the question which Job puts about the Hypocrite Will he delight himself in the Almighty will be always call upon God no he will not in Job 27.10 Secondly As Godliness and Religion is a way so it is the most excellent way of all others it is via per eminentiam as it is here exprest unto us it 's via Regia although it be not via publica a way which has a transcendency in it above any other So the Arabick Interpreter another way which is more excellent One would have thought that when the Apostle had made mention of the best gists he could now have gone no higher for what can be the better than the best But yet he does for all that here 's a superlative beyond a superlative and that 's the most excellent way which belongs to Religion True Grace and Holiness it has an excellency and transcendency in it above all learning and common Gifts whatsoever This will be easily cleared unto us upon this account First Because it is that which does bringus into a nearer likeness and similitude to God himself that 's undoubtedly the most excellent way and carries he preheminence to all other which does make us most conformable to him who is the chiefest excellency Now this we are not so much by our gifts and parts and such accomplishments as those as we are by the work of Grace in our bearts The most exact Image of God it does consist in righteousness and true holiness as the Scripture expresses it to us Indeed it is true that we are made like unto God in some sort in the natural faculties and powers of our Soul our Reason and Understanding c. But this is not all nor the chiefest no but so far forth as we are new created and made over again by the sanctifying work
the second Adam namely Christ Grace is derived unto all those that partake of him by spiritual regeneration There are three manner of ways by which Christ may be said to derive Grace to those which are his First By the benefit of his Passion Secondly By the benefit of his Intercession and thirdly by the efficacy of his Operation And this he does only to those which are Believers First By the merit of his Death and suffering Christ having offered himself a sacrifice well-pleasing to God did meritoriously purchase to his Church the favour and grace of God and all such gracious qualifications as were suitable to such persons as should be saved Now those which deny Christ and his Doctrine they have no benefit at all from this purchase Christ has merited Grace for none which do finally stand out against him and refuse to be governed by him The blood of Christ Jesus cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Vs ◠who were they namely such as appears by the Context Who walk in the light as he is in the light and maintain fellowship with him c. Secondly By the benefit of his Intercession Christ does continually pray for those which are his that they may have competent Grace bestowed upon them I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not says Christ to Simon Peter Luk. 22.32 Now those who do not by faith receive him they have not benefit neither by these prayers Christ distinguishes his Elect from others expresly in this particular Joh. 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them c. Thirdly By the efficacy of his Operation Christ conveys Grace to his servants as an Head imparts life and motion to his Members and this he does by his Spirit not only working Grace in them at first but also strengthening and increasing it where it 's wrought Ephes 4.15 16. That ye may grow up unto him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly join'd and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according tothe effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body to the edifying of it self in love There are daily and continually influences of Grace from Christ to Believers whereby he enables them both to the subduing of sin and doing of duty Hence we are said of his fulness to receive all of us grace for grace answerable to grace in him for kinds grace in us And hence is God said to have blest us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Ephes 1.3 4. And this is done by the power of his Spirit working in us It 's called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.19 Grace it is a fruit of the Spirit and the Spirit it is the Spirit of Christ and so sanctifying those alone which have this Spirit of Christ in them by vertue of their Vnion to him For if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 We must rightly understand this method and order and connexion which God has set for the conveying of saving Grace unto us We have not Grace from the Spirit immediately but from the Spirit in reference to Christ The Spirit first sanctifies his Humane nature and then sanctifies us so that what we have of the Spirit in the graces of it we have it still derivatively from him As the Ointment which was upon the head of Aaron it ran down to the skirts of his garment so the Grace which is upon the head of Christ it runs down to all his Members and to them alone There are common gifts from God as a Creator and Governour of the World which common persons partake of and such as are out of Christ upon the understanding of natural abilities wit and sagacity c. and upon the will of moral qualifications temperance and sobriety and the like but no sanctifying grace but from Christ no spirit of mortification as to lusts no quickning spirit as to spiritual duties Without me i.e. separated from me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 He that hath not Christ he hath not these as not having the spirit of Christ from whence these should come into him Look as there is no beam without a Sun from whence it should irradiate not River or stream without a spring from whence it should flow and take its original so neither is there any Grace without Christ who is the only beginner and finisher of Grace in us He that has not Christ he has not God in the influences of Grace and Sanctification he has not God in him by way of residence and habitation and as taking up abode in his soul Nor he has not God with him by way of assistance and co-operation as enabling him to walk in such ways as are pleasing to God and as are suitable to a Christian conversation And so as to the Point which we now speak of to wit of gracious and sanctifying qualification He has not indeed God at all Secondly As not to the influences of Grace so neither to the influences of comfort no true comfort or peace of Conscience but from God in Christ He is our peace both in the thing it self as also in the discovery an manifestation of it The spirit of comfort it is of his sending and comes from him Comfort divided from Christ it is not comfort but security it is not assurance but fancy it is not Consolation but presumption None can perswade the heart of Gods love and favour to it but he alone that has purchased and obtained Gos love and favour for it and this is Christ alone God hath sent the spirit of his son into eur hearts crying Abba Father And it is his spirit that beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God He that hath not Christ and his Spirit he hath not God to comfort him Thirdly As to matter of Salvation not God to save him There 's no salvation out of Christ Act. 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other For there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved He that hath not the Son he hath not life i.e. eternal life 1 Joh. 5.12 But the wrath of God abides on him Joh. 3.36 Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life as who should say without me 't is not to be had in Joh. 5.40 This which we are now upon it follows from all which went before Forasmuch as out of Christ there 's no knowledg of God no access unto him no interest in him no grace from him It will necessarily ensue that he that has not Christ he has not God in point of salvation Because whosoever are saved they have all these several priviledges as antecendent belonging unto them they know God have acquaintance with him are reconciled unto him justified and sanctified by him And thus we
neither interest in him nor influence from him they are strangers and enemies to him and so is he to them and will have nothing to do with them whiles they remain in such a condition as to any comfortable impartment of himself to them This is very sad and lamentable indeed and the height of all other evils The Apostle could not have past a more fearful doom upon them than this when he says They have not God This Poena Damni this punishment of loss it is above all other punishments besides which can either be named or thought of and such as is not recompenced or made amends for by any other enjoyments He that hath not God what else hath he besides even of that which he seems to have though never so much surely nothing at all It is that which may humble men in the midst of their greatest possessions and fruitions here in the world which they are apt sometimes to glory and pride themselves in that they have this thing and that thing wherein to comfort and solace themselves They have health and strength and wealth and friends and the like all that their heart can wish in regard of the world Oh but if they have not God in the mean time they have nothing at all they are but beggers in the midst of plenty and in the fulness of sufficiency are in straits as Job speaks Look as a true Christian that has God and interest in him he has virtually and eminently every thing else besides because he has the spring and fountain from whence every good thing comes So a carnal man that has not God he has in deed and in effect nothing because he has not him who should bestow all good things upon him and bless and sanctifie every condition to him Therefore in the second place let us make this use of the Point even to acknowledg Christ and his Doctrine and the Grace of God which is revealed in it Let us not own either such a Doctrine or state as does make void Christ unto us but rather close with the goodness of God in this gracious impartment and conveyance of himself unto us The reason why he which has not Christ has not God is not only from the simplicity of their essence God and Christ which are both one and the same but likewise from the nature of the dispensation because God will not communicate himself any other way than in and by Christ He is resolved that whomsoever he saves he will save by him and him alone or not at all If therefore we can save our selves of our selves let us do it and there 's an end but if ever we expect or hope to be saved by God and to be beholding to him for it we must be saved by him upon his own terms and conditions and in that way which he has set Salvation for the bestowing of it or else be content for ever to be damned and we deserve to be so Beloved it is a great piece of peevishness in the corrupt nature ofman which we have cause all of us to be very much humbled for that the way which Go himself desires more especially to save us by that of all other ways we should decline and refuse and keep our selves from which is by the Mediation of Jesus Christ. This is that which God has invented and devised and found out for us and herein exprest the riches of his wisdom counsel towards us The manifold wisdom of God And yet we would seem so much wiser than he as to think this way not so requisite for us Besides to add to this his importunity for the perswading of us God has not only found out Christ for us and offered him to us but he has wooed us and besought us and intreated us to accept of him He sends his Messengers and Embassadours to us who pray us in his stead that we would be reconciled to him in his Son And what a fondness and perverseness then is it for us to stop our ears against it and to refuse to come off unto it How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2.3 Especially if we shall add further the excellency of the Dispensation it self which is the best and happiest of all an that in two particulars First It 's the surest way of conveyance And secondly It is the sweetest it has the greatst security and the greatest contentment in it First This conveyance of all good to us in the Covenant of Grace and in the name of Christ it is the safest and surest Dispensation We are now upon very good terms which we may rest upon If salvation with the appurtenances of it had been in any other hand besides we had not been so sure of it if in our own hands we might have lost it as we did once before in our fall from Innocency or if in any creatures hands else yet being creatures we could not have been so secure but now being in the hands of Christ and dispenst by him it is in safe and sure hands indeed And that love which God bears to us in and for his Son it must needs be sure and firm love because as he loves him so he will love us also for him and upon his account That the love wherewith thou lovest me may be in them and I in them in Joh. 17.26 Look what the ground and foundation of any love is the same is the constancy and continuance of it if it have a weak and slight foundation it is weak and slight love Again if it have a strong and firm foundation the love is accordingly Nay this is the love of God to a Believer Forasmuch as it is founded in Christ who is his Beloved and the Son of his love as the Scripture calls him in whom he is well pleased it must needs be therefore firm love Those words of God concerning Christ which we find more than once spoken of him at his Baptism and at his Transfiguration both This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased they do not only denote the object of Gods love but likewise the conveyance Neither do they only terminate upon Christ himself but also rebound from Him upon all Believers in reference to Him God is well-pleased with Christ and in him he is well-pleased with all such as submit to Christ for Christs-sake That 's one Commendation of this conveyance and dispensation by Christ viz. The safety and security of it Secondly There is the sweetness of it also there is a great deal of delightfulness also in it if we were capable of it to apprehend it to see every thing coming to us strained through the love of God in Christ it 's wonderful pleasing and satisfying and the heart of a true Believer does exceedingly rejoyce in it All the priviledges of the Covenant of Grace they are from hence now doubled to us as having in them not only the sweetness of the things themselves
and Governour of all things by his Divine Power But secondly That 's not all He is further so in regard of his Office as he is Mediator God-man Thus he hath all Power in Heaven and Earth committed unto him Matth. 28.18 He is Lord of all in Act. 10.36 And God has given him a name above every name that to him every knee should bow as it is in Phil. 2.9 10. Now here he is said not only to be a Prince absolutely but relatively the Prince of the Kings of the Earth as shewing both his influence upon them and likewise their dependance upon him His influence upon them as giving Laws and Rules unto them and their dependance upon him who do receive their Power and Government and Protection and all from his hands By me says Christ do Kings reign and Princes decree justice Prov. 8.15 The Consideration of this Point is useful both to Princes and People First It is useful to Princes to teach them to look up to this great and mighty Prince of all whom they thus stand in subjection unto and who hath the Lordship over them And secondly It is useful to People in sundry regards likewise First To infer their Obedience And secondly To regulate it To infer it first of all Because Christ he has an influence upon Governours and Magistrates and they belong to him therefore to yield Obedience to them Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey magistrates c. And then further to regulate their Obedience and to put a qualification upon it that it be in and for Christ and still with respect had to his Government and Principality over them which must be the guide and measure of it We should make use of this Kingly Office of Christ also in reference to our lusts for the conquering and subduing of them And so I have done also with the third General Part of the Text which is the Description of Christ from his Regal Office And the Prince of the Kings of the Earth And so much of the whole Text it self SERMON XLVII Revel 1.5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father c. It is matter of great concernment in the Description and Commendation of Christ to consider him not only in the Excellency of his Person but in the Execution of his Office nor only what he is in himself but what he is to us Therefore the Apostle John having premised and laid down the former in the words which were handled by us the last day he proceeds to the latter in these words which I have now read unto you There he had set forth Christ to us in the Consideration of his offices themselves as King and Priest and Prophet the faithful witness the first-begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth And here he represents him in the performance of them in our behalf as one that was not content only to take such an imployment upon him unless he did also discharge it and fulfil it and wholly accomplish it IN the Text it self we have a further Description of Christ in relation to his Church and that from three Heads especially First From his affection in General He that loved us Secondly From the discovery of this affection in particular And hath washed us from our sins in his own blood Thirdly from the consequent effect or result of it And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father c. We begin with the first of these parts viz. Christ's affection propounded in General Vnto him that loved us Where there 's a double Emphasis considerable the one as fasten'd upon the action and the other as fasten'd upon the person if we lay it in the action so the point will be this That Christ bears a special love and affection to his People if we lay it upon the person so the point will be this That none do so truly and properly love the Church as Christ himself First Take it as laid upon the action and so I say there is this in it That Christ does bear a special love and affection to his Church and People He is one that loves them This the Scripture is full and pregnant of in sundry places we meet with it in every page This love of Christ it is considerable under a twofold notion the one as a love of pity and the other as a love of complacency there is a love of benevolence and a love of beneficence First A love of pity and benevolence This is Christ's love of us whiles we were in a state of perdition and misery He loved us when we were in our blood and said to us Live as it is in Ezek. 16.6 and Eph. 2.4 5. God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ by grace ye are saved So Rom. 5.8 God commendeth his love towards us in that whiles we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us And again in vers 10. of the same Chapter When we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son This love of Christ is so much the greater and does receive an amplification of it from a twofold Consideration First From the order of it in that it was preventing love And secondly From the freeness of it in that it was meerly resolved into himself as the spring and Original of it it was not founded in the object of it but in the subject First I say from the order of it In that it was preventing love for so indeed it was Herein is love says the Apostle not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 Joh. 4.10 not that we loved him that is not that we first loved him he began in his love of us and if we do any thing love him it is but only by way of grateful return and as the effect of his love towards us as it is also in the 19th verse of the same Chapter We love him because he first loved us The love of Believers to Christ it is but the product and result and reflexion of his love first to them And this is a great matter in it Preventing love it is the chiefest love of all others Thus our Saviour to his Disciples You have not chosen me but I have chosen you Joh. 15.16 Who hath given unto him first and it shall be recompenced unto him Rom. 11.35 That first for the order of it But secondly Take it in the freeness of it it is very considerable also in that There was nothing in us that might draw him or invite him to the loving of us and yet he loved us notwithstanding In the love of men one towards another there is somewhat
commonly in the object which is attractive of it in one kind or other In the love of Christ towards us there was nothing at all he loved us whiles we loved not him I knew says Christ that ye have not the love of God in you Joh. 5.42 Nay he loved us whiles we hated him Joh. 15.25 They hated me without a cause As we hated him without a cause so he without a cause loved us and thereby after a most happy exchange was avenged upon us You which were sometimes aliens and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled c. says the Apostle in Gol. 1.21 Here is the excellency of the love of Christ that it is bottom'd and founded in his own good-will and pleasure and nothing else besides as Moses tells the Israelites in Deut. 7.7 The Lord did not chuse you nor set his love upon you because you were thus and thus c. But because the Lord loved you c. He loved you because he loved you that 's the best account which can be given of the love of God That manner of reasoning which in other cases seems to carry an absurdity and incougruity with it here is the most rational of all other That 's the first kind of love the love of pity or benevolence The second is the love of Complacency or Beneficence as Christ loves us so far forth as to bestow his Grace upon us so he loves his own Graces in us Therefore where he has taken any persons into fellowship and communion with himself he does there bear a tender love and affection to them First Christ loves us so far forth as to make us his people and then he loves us upon this account because we are his people This we may see in the whole Book of the Canticles which is nothing else but an expression of the mutual love which is betwixt Christ and his Church and the contentment which they have in each other The consideration of this Point is thus far useful to us as it is an argument to us for our loving of Christ again Love it engages to love it has a special force and vertue with it in a mutual reciprocation And so it should likewise be with us in this particular we have cause to love Christ for himself and that variety of excellency which is in him considered abstractly but when we shall consider him in reference to our selves how he begins and prevents us with his love this does over and above challenge it from us If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. And further it teaches us also to love our Brethren This love of Christ is exemplary and is propounded for a pattern unto us and so we should make it thus Ephes 5.1 2. Be ye followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also loved us c. And 1 Joh. 4.11 Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another Such persons carry themselves unsuitably and unequally to the love of Christ who have not some proportionable affection for others who are the members of Christ And so much of the first Emphasis as it may be laid upon the action of love and so having this Point in it that Christ does bear a special love and affection to his people Now the second is as it may be laid upon the Person of Christ himself To him that loved us It is spoken in a manner exclusively as if none did so much love us as Christ as indeed there does not This expression in the Text it is made a kind Of Periphrasis and description of Christ unto us whereby he is known and distinguished from all other persons Thus also in some other places as Rom. 8.37 We are more than conquerours through him that loved us Through him that loved us â— who is that namely through Christ so in 2 Thes 2.16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ and God even our Father who hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace Still this love of us it is fastened upon Christ The Use of this Point is to believe it and to be perswaded of it and to teach us to labour more and more to assure our hearts of it We should endeavour to have the sense and feeling of this love of Christ more upon our souls and to be well setled and established in it Which was that which the Apostle Paul did so much pray for in reference to the Ephesians That they being rooted and grounded in love might be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and might know the love of Christ that passeth knowledg Ephes 3.16 17 c. To know the love of Christ that is sensibly and experimentally in themselves by the power and vertue of the Holy Ghost shedding it abroad in their hearts as it is in Rom. 5.5 This is known and discerned by such notes aâ— are most proper and peculiar to it we may know that Christ hath loved us according to that which he has done for us and especially done in us by changing of our natures and by infusing of his Graces into us There are many who think that Christ loves them because he casts outward blessings upon them in a way of common Providence but alas these will not serve the turn to assure us of his love he may do as much as this for such persons as to whom he will one day say I know you not No but we must make good his love from matters of an higher nature which is from that care which he has wrought in us to serve him and to keep his commandments this is the best discovery and trial of his love Then may we probably conclude that Christ does love us when he has perswaded us to love him which we cannot do in good earnest without his love first fastened upon our souls We love him because he first loved us not only as the motive of our love but also as the efficient Thus again in Joh. 14.23 If any man love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come in unto him and will make our abode with him And so I have done with the first General Part of the Text which is the description of Christ from his affection propounded in General in those words Vnto him that loved us The second is from the discovery or manifestation of this affection in particular in these words And hath washed us from our sins in his own blood This passage is considerable of us two manner of ways First Absolutely as it is an expression of our Priviledg and secondly Relatively as it is an expression of the love of Christ First Take it absolutely and in it self as it is an expression of the Priviledg of Believers and that is to be washed from their sins by Christs Blood The
Now that which Christ submitted to for us was the worst and most grievous of any other Now the greater was the suffering by so much greater also was the love Thirdly In the full and perfect Application of this his death unto us It is said That he washed us in his own blood He did not sprinkle us only but bath us He did not only bestow some few drops of it upon us but he did drench us and souse us and immerse us over head and ears in it he did give us a plentiful share and interest in it And lastly There 's an Emphasis also in the word of propriety in that it is said His own blood The Priests under the old Law in the discharge and execution of their office they sprinkled the people with blood and did in a sense and after a sort wash them from their sins in it But that blood it was not their own but the blood of beasts yea but Christ he hath of himself purged us from our sins in his own blood as it is here intimated to us And this is a further inlargement of his love towards us The Use of all to our selves is to inlarge our hearts in all thankfulness and acknowledgment to Christ for his goodness which we should be very much quickened unto Oh it is that which we can never sufficiently prize or be affected withal and therefore we should be often and frequent in the thoughts and meditation of it He hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Oh what an high favour was this and what could he have done more for us It was the highest expression of love that possibly might be And we should be exceedingly ravisnt with it It is a great piece of dulness and deadness in us when it is otherwise with us For it has the perfection of all love in it And we should make it a ground of Incouragement in the expectation of all things else from Christ which are requisite and necessary for us He that has not stuck at this great expression of love which is here mentioned in the Text will be sure not to stick at any thing which is inferiour to it and he that has given us the greater will not stick to give us the less And so the Apostle himself teaches us to reason Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Again we may also carry it higher as to the expectation of higher things from him and as reason from the greater to the less so likewise from the less to the greater and in particular as to the expectation of Heaven and Glory to come If he has received us he will also actually save us as the Apostle reasons Rom. 5.10 For he that has done the one he will do the other likewise upon it He that hath loved us and washed us in his blood will also love us and set us in his throne and will fully perfect and accomplish the work of Salvation for us And so I have done also with the second General part of the Text which is the Description of Christ from the particular discovery of his Affection Who hath washed us c. The third and last is from the effect and result of it in these words And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father Wherein there 's a twofold Dignity which Believers do partake of from and with Christ the one is the Dignity of Kings and the other is the Dignity of Priests All true Believers they have a share in each of these Offices First In his Kingly Office all true Believers are Kings This is to be taken not in a Temporal sense but in a Spiritual and so the Scripture still expresses it Thus Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you the kingdom and Luk. 22.29 I appoint unto you a kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me This it consists of two Parts which are belonging unto it the one is the state of Grace and the other the state of Glory First For the state of Grace All true Christians they are Kings in this particular namely so far forth as they have power over their spiritual Enemies and all those things which might hinder their salvation A true Believer he has power over his own lusts and the corruptions of his own heart in some kind of measure and degree and so in that respect is a King Take men that are slaves to their lusts and they are the greatest slaves and vassals that are But now a Christian he is free from this slavery through the Grace of Christ which is communicated to him And so as he has power over Sin so in some measure over Satan also the King of the bottomless pit as he is call'd the Prince of the world A good Christian by the help of Christ's Spirit hath some power over him also and at last shall be inabled to trample him under his feet in Rom. 16.20 And then for the World also A good Christian he has power over this also so far forth as all things are order'd and disposed to his good All things are yours c. There 's no Providence whatsoever but he is still getting good out of it if it be prosperity it makes him more cheerful in God's service and if it be adversity it draws him so much the nearer to God All things work together for good to them that love God whether in themselves they be good or evil Take even Death it self which is sometimes called the King of Terrours A true Believer through the Grace and help of Christ is in a sort a King over this as having the sting of it taken out of it to him and of an enemy made a friend unto him as being the passage to Glory Thus is he a King in reference to the state of Grace And then in reference to the state of Glory also so far forth as he is an heir of Heaven and shall reign with Christ for ever and ever Thus he is a King in regard of right and title even here in this life though he be not in actual possession Therefore we should learn so to carry and demean our selves as suitable to this condition we should abhor to conform to the world and the lusts and vanities thereof as considering to what we are appointed we should endeavour to have a frame of spirit suitable to such a noble estate as this is wherein we are And this for the first piece of Dignity which is here mentioned and that is of Kings The second Dignity is of Priests And hath made us Priests c. These were another sort of persons who in times past were anointed and Christians are spiritually thus also in sundry respects First In regard of the Prayers which are continually put up by them both for themselves and others
should be administred 344 Why called Christs Bride or spouse 447 Contentment Arguments to it 51 116 Coming to Christ what 105 109 144 145 Various comings of Christ 125 152 Touching Christs coming to Judgment See Judgment Comfort When others forget us in their prayers 69 From Christs Intercession See Intercession Choice comforts to believers 137 132 437 442 Comfortless what it denotes 149 Comfort when friends desert 150 Christ why stiled the first-begotten of the dead 438 Why stiled Prince of the Kings of the earth 439 Touching his eternal Generation See Generation Forming Christ in us what 368 369 Is true God 135 136 How the Way 140 141 How a faithful Witness 434 How the Truth 142 How the Life 143 How the Resurrection 144 How the Power of God 289 How the Wisdom of God 289 Distance From God threefold 9 Persons at a distance from God in one sense may be near in another 11 Discretion Lies in two things 15 Discretion Lies in two things 15 Duties Man by nature apt to think he pleases God by outside duties the ground thereof 421 We may over-do some duties 44 Take heed that duties interfere not 54 Why continued under weaknesses in them 165 What strength cannot carry us acceptably through them 165 Diligence Motives to it in Religion 47 59 Motives to diligent hearing the word preached 98 Doctrines General rules to judg of Doctriues 49 Disciple A disciple indeed displayed 101 103 Several sorts of disciples 102 Discord divisions contentions Amongst nearest relations whence they especially arise See Relations Touching Vnity See Unity Decays How to recover from under spiritual decays 80 Death Comforts against death 118 131 438 Comfort under the loss of near and dear relations 132 450 Several kinds of it 314 A great death what 314 Why God delivers his people from death threatning dangers 316 Despise How sinners despise the goodness of God 349 Whence a sinners despising Gods goodness arises 350 Take heed of despising Gods goodness why 351 Destruction What it implys 414 Dectrine Of Christ how taken 425 E Error General rule for discerning errors 49 Something tolerating it See Toleration Election Helps to right choosing 55 A Saints choice vindicated 59 All elected shall be converted 106 None converted but the Elect 110 Ear. The evil of an itching ear 277 Enthusiasts Condemned 340 See Prophesie Examination A Christians duty 385 Motives to it 385 Whence non-examination arises 385 By what we should examine our selves 386 F Fool. Sinners are fools in what respect See Sinners Feet Sitting at the feet what it signifies 38 Flesh Lusts of the flesh what 377 Feasts The faults attending them 38 Faith How it helps in temptation 75 Threefold 94 Its excellency 263 Saving faith what 263 264 Signs of true faith 264 Free-will and free-grace How to be able to judg aright touching both 91 92 Touching free-will 155 405 G God The several ways God speaks 17 How far God is seen and in what sense not seen 133 VVisdom of God how taken 251 Given Men given to Christ several ways 105 106 Godliness Vindicated against its being charged with folly 20 Rewards of it twofold 58 Grace No falling from it 58 74 87 How far we may how far we cannot resist it 87 Free-grace 259 Its excellency above gifts 294 Caution against decays in it 421 How Christ derives it to Christians 427 One difference between common and saving Grace 428 Glory Different degrees of it 120 How Christ prepares it 122 How Christ makes us meet for it 124 Generation Touching Christs Eternal Generation 135 Gospel It s Excellency above the Old Testament 138 327 Why God deprives a people of it 148 How men act against it 328 329 Dangerous to oppose it 328 How we further its progress 340 Its unvariableness 344 Greeks Who are meant by them in Scripture 268 Gifts Touching Gifts 292 Grace more excellent than Gifts 294 H Hearing Right hearing 38 97 262 263 345 460 Reproof to mandering hearers 38 96 We must labour to understand what we hear 461 Helps to the keeping of the word which it heard Ibid. Why we must give most diligent heed not to let what we hear slip 462 Hearing Preferred before reading 262 Why take heed of an itching ear in hearing 277 Whence it becomes unprofitable 263 279 280 Why we should stay the Ministerial Benediction 407 How people lose what they hear 420 Habitation Directions in chusing one 50 Humbling Considerations 257 291 430 House Of God how taken 117 Mansion-house What 119 Comfort to houseless Christians 131 Hell The punishment of loss most dreadful 430 I Interruptions Which God gives twofold 18 Infirmities Many Christian infirmities discovered 39 40 Justification How Christ makes way for it 122 Intercession Comfort from Christs 70 71 Ignorance Of a sinner in four particulars 90 All men ignorant respecting Providence in two things 111 Three sorts of ignorance 354 Judgment Why Christ will come to it 126 How Christ will come to it 126 How Christ knew how not the day of judgment 172 The suddenness of it 415 Image Images in worship condemned 134 Jealousie It s nature 326 Reproved Temporal 383 Reproved Spiritual 419 K Kingdom OF God how taken 8 Knowledg How wicked men know God how not 254 Its opposites 102 A twofold knowledg implied 435 L Life Threefold Christ communicates 143 A Christians life compared unto a walk See Walk Learning Commended 255 258 In what respects disparaged 256 270 283 Love Of God safe and sweet as conveighed thorow Christ 430 The love of Christ amplified 440 443 M Morality Not meritorious of special Grace 11 Let alone to it self would never be Grace 12 Morality accidentally may set a man further from Conversion than Prophaneness 12 Ministry Ministers their work 27 31 99 271 332 Several titles given them 28 Incouragement to them in their work 31 32 93 262 285 310 371 Pusillanimity a great evil in a Minister 41 VVhy the devil most tempts them 64 The chief subject of their preaching 97 274 Mind Take heed of worldly-mindedness why 43 Earthly-mindedness reproved 48 Helps to heavenly-mindedness 48 Marriage Directions in choosing a yoke-fellow 50 The difference between Christs and Ministers teaching Millenaries No personal reign 128 Ministers Two things Ministers should take heed of in preaching 260 272 Reproof to scandalous Ministers 279 298 Cautions respecting their studies 297 Touching their preaching See Preaching Motive to promote their diligence 302 Two parts of the Ministry 332 Must be assured of the truth of what they preach 341 Their travelling in birth what 365 Assiduity required in a Minister 366 The honour of it 371 See their titles 434 Reproof to the invaders of the Ministry 384 How faithful Ministers shall receive a though it may be not a full reward 424 Mercies Outward when sanctified 348 Meanness and sinfulness hinder not from partaking of mercies 459 Memory Helps to it 420 Magistrates A main ground of subjects obedience to Princes 429 N Necessity The one thing necessary 46
spoken of thee O thou City of God It is spoken of the Church The Land of Vprightness Secondly It is a word of Forecast or Providence He Cares for it that is he Looks after it and inquires into the State of it so indeed the word here used in the Text does properly signify The Hebrew word is Darash which signifies properly to seek or inquire But it is here Translated Care by a Metonymy of the Cause for the Effect as it is also Psal 142.4 Because those things which men do care for they are Commonly inquisitive about them and desirous to learn and to understand how it faires with them thus it is now with God towards his Church he cares for it so as he he is mindful of the State and condition of it and accordingly does order and dispose of things sutable and agreeable thereunto He Cast's about what may be best and most Convenient for it and answerably does bring it about Thirdly It is a word of Sollicitude and Perplexity He cares for it that is he is Anxious about it This is not properly incident to the Lord who is not capable of such Passions as those are from his Transcendency but yet he is pleased now and then to take them upon himself and accordingly they are attributed to him as spoken after the manner of men Thus he grieves and fears and cares for his People His Bowelsyearn his Heart is turned within him his Repentings are Kindled together as it is in Hose 11. vers 8. Ther 's no man can express more Assection in any thing whereof he is Sollicitous as to the welfare of it then God does express towards his Church as there is Occasion for it It is the Land which the Lord cares for in the full Extent and Latitude of Care Whether of Respect or of Forecast or of Sollicitue Now as ther 's a threefold Expression of the care of God for his Church so there is a threefold Account also which may be given to us of this Care as from whence it does proceed in him And we may take it briefly thus First From his Relation Secondly From his Covenant Thirdly From his Interest First From his Relation The Church it is the Land which the Lord God careth for because it is the Land which he does properly take for his own All Lands are God's upon the account of common Creation the whole Earth and the fulness of it Yea but the Church is his Land by special purchase and Redemption and so he takes care of it more particularly in that Respect It is the Property of Good husbands to care for their own Land what ever Land they care for besides And ther 's no such Good husbands as God in all particulars What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it Esa 5.4 It is his Vineyard and therefore he will take care of it to do all that may influence it He that cares not for his Own says the Apostle he is worse then an Insidel Now God will never be charged with this miscarriage He cares for his Church from his Relation Secondly From his Covenant It is the Land that he cares for upon this Consideration also Because he has bound and ingaged himself hereto Those that promise to take care of any whether Person or things they are concern'd to do so for their Ingagement though there be nothing else besides in it And so is God to do for his Church whether he has made a Covenant with all to this Purpose It was so with God Especially as to this People of Israel and in particular as to this Land of Canaan so it is also to the whole Church in General and to that Land which hath his Church in it He takes Care of it from his Covenant with it Thirdly From his Interest and more peculiar Concernment The Lord takes care of his Church as that which he receives the greatest Benefit and Advantage from any other besides not in a strict Sense but in a qualified and as he is pleased to account it God cannot be profited by Man nor by any thing which comes from him in a precise acception But yet so far forth as any places doe more advance his Worship and Name and Honour so far forthe he reckons himself to be advantaged by them And as they are careful of him so is he careful of them also by way of requital and compensation We see how it is amongst men they do not so much care for the Barren Wilderness and for that Land which is Fruitless and unprofitable but for that rather which makes good Returns unto them And so likewise does God himself The Land that the Lord God cares for is like the Land of Canaan it self which flowed with Milk and Hony This likewise the Church of God does as we may so express it therefore he careth for it The use of this Point to our selves comes to this purpose First as it serves to inform us and to satisfy us in the Truth of this point which we have now before us that we believe it and be perswaded of it It is that which we are ready sometimes to doubt of and to call in question whether God cares for his Church or no. Especially according to the Circumstances wherein it may be as Gideon sometimes reason'd with the Angel Judg. 6.13 If the Lord be with us why then is all this befaln us And so if the Lord take care of us why is it thus and thus with us This is that which we are now and then ready to reason and argue with our selves The Troubles of the Church cause the Church sometimes to question Gods care of it yea sometimes to Conclude against it and to determine the Contrary as Sion sometimes did The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Esay 49.14 Well but for all that this Truth holds good notwithstanding concerning the Church That it is the Land which the Lord cares for This Proposition which we are now upon it hath both an Inclusive Emphasis and an Exclusive It has an Inclusive Emphasis in it as it does signify that God does indeed take care of his Church and Land An Exclusive Emphasis as it does signify that he does take care of it both in the Denyal of others care for it and in his own Denyal of Care for others First I say It has an Inclusive Emphasis as it does signify how God does indeed take care of it He careth for it God has a common and ordinary care which he does exercise about all his Creatures as he is the maker and Governour of them to keep them and preserve them in that Being which he hath bestowed upon them but this is not all which he expresses towards his Church He has another manner of Care for that then this comes to And he does manifest another kind of Love and Affection and tenderness towards it in his caring for it In being a