so sad and so uncomfortable to you by reason of your dayly troubles but especially and chiefly by reason of your sins against him you shall look upon it as a mercy this is not to be condemned When Joseph was in prison though he wanted nothing there yet see how earnest and importunate he was with Pharaohs Butler to help him to his liberty Gen. 40.14 Think on me when it shall be well with thee and shew me kindness and help me out of this house Brethren our heaven-born souls are but imprisoned in these earthly Tabernacles we have the manacles and fetters of our lusts about us We cannot walk abroad with liberty and freedom and enlargement c. Oh let us cry to Jesus Christ to shew us kindness and help us out of this house JOHN 17.11 Holy Father keep through thine own Name c. AND thus of the transition to our Saviours supplication in the behalf of his Apostles and Disciples consisting of a heap of grand considerations that induced him to become a suitor for them to his Father Proceed we now to enter on the prayer which he makes for them And here I shall take notice only of these two things The object of it and the parts of it The object of it or the person whom he presents it to is mentioned by his title and his attribute His title here you see is Father and his attribute is holy Holy Father The sweetest title and the choicest attribute As for the first of these the title that begins the object of his supplication here is Father So he stiles him in the entrance of his Prayer and the same phrase he uses all along as you shall see if you survey it from the beginning to the end Indeed he gives him once the attribute of holy as you have it in my Text and once the attribute of righteous Father at the 25. verse But this is still the appellation that he uses and from whence he never varies If he call him any thing he calls him Father And in this notion he Considers him while he is putting up his prayer to him And therefore this you see my Brethren is the first word that he uses when he sets himself to pray Thus he begins his prayer for himself in the first verse of the Chapter Father glorifie thy Son And thus also he begins his prayer in behalf of his Apostles and Disciples in my Text Father keep them through thy own Name So that you see our Saviour looks upon him as a Father still when he is pouring out his prayer to him either for himself or others And this would yeild us matter of very good consideration but that it hath been very largely handled heretofore And therefore I shall pass on from the title Father unto the attribute our Saviour gives him here and that is holy But wherefore doth our Saviour mention this rather then any other attribute of God on this occasion why might he not have said aswell Almighty or Eternal or Merciful or Gratious Father the special reason why he chooses this Expression as far as I conceive cannot be clearly and undoubtedly resolved Indeed he prays for holiness for his Apostles and Disciples afterwards and therefore it was congruous he should seek it of his Father under the notion of a holy God who is holy in himself and who is also the hallower and sanctifier of his people But seeing there are divers other things in his Petitions this doth not seem of weight enough to bind him up to this Expression Once this is clear and manifest that he picks out this attribute of God among the rest and whereas many other lay before him he fixes upon this only He comes to God in Prayer by the name of Holy Father The thing is evident though the particular consideration that induced him to it be unknown So that this observation we may safely pitch upon DOCTRINE As God it holy in himself so Jesus Christ came to him as a holy God and looked upon him as a holy God when he was making his Petitions to him The point you see hath two branches First God is holy in himself Then Jesus Christ came to him as a holy God and looked upon him as a holy God when he was making his Petitions to him I shall pursue them in their order God is holy in himself so he is stiled in my Text you see and that by Jesus Christ himself who of all others in the world is best acquainted with his nature for he came forth out of the bosom of the Father Indeed it is the attribute that he delighteth in and therefore he is called the Holy One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very often in the Scripture to shew that he excells in this regard so that however there be many others that are holy in a measure yet he is the Holy One there is not one so holy as he is And he is known in the Old Testament by the name of the Holy One of Israel which is ascribed to him more then thirty times The Seraphims which stood before the Throne Isa 6.3 cryed out three times a row Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts And so accordingly the Beasts that stand about the Throne Apoc. 4.8 rest not day and night saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty To shew that God transcends in holiness he is superlative in this regard for so thrice holy in some Languages is most holy To say the truth this is the attribute that makes him glorious He is great in power fearful in praises but he is glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 In this respect he is a None-such none to be compared with him none like him not among men only but among the Gods too Who is like to thee O Lord among the gods glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders And hence he glories in his holiness and swears by it Even as the great men of the world are wont to swear upon their honor because it is esteemed among them the most sacred and inviolable thing So God you see my Brethren swears by his holiness Psal 29.35 Once have I sworn by my holiness saith God Once for all and by my holiness having no better or more pretious thing to swear by Let me no longer be esteemed a holy God and that I would be very loth then I inviolably keep the Covenant that I have made to David in my truth So that you see the former member of the point is firm God is holy in himself Now for the second branch that Jesus Christ came to him as a holy God and looked upon him as a holy God when he was making his Petitions to him you see it evidently in the Text this is the appellation that he gives him Holy Father His thoughts are taken up it seems more with the holiness of God then any other of his attributes while he is pouring out his prayers to him I shall not undertake to shew why
long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Sometimes his attribute of Justice as that is also called his name in the very same place who will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third and fourth generation Sometimes his attribute of Power is intimated by his name as you may see that place for instance Psal 20.1 The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Jacob defend thee that is the power of God defend thee And this is that by which our Saviour prayes that his Apostles and Disciples might be kept keep them through thy own name that is through thy own power And so accordingly the point to be observed is this DOCTRINE They that belong to Jesus Christ as long at they remain in this world are kept by the Almighty power of God himself It is the prayer of our Saviour for them in my text you see Holy Father keep them through thy own name whom thou hast given me and therefore out of question they are kept by that name the almighty power of God For Jesus Christ is alwayes heard in every thing for which he is a Suitor to his Father So that his people are as safe as the power of God can make them They are committed by him to his Fathers Custody and he is able very well to keep that which is committed to him as the Apostle Paul speaks 2 Tim. 1.12 And this is clearly intimated in our Saviours speech John 10.29 with reference to his people My Father which gave them me is greater then all Greater in what regard greater in place and dignity No my beloved greater in power and in ability And therefore it is added presently and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand Many are willing but none is able because his power is infinitely greater then theirs is So in another place he shall be holden up Rom. 14.4 he that is weak shall be held up how so For God is able to make him stand And Jude to the same purpose he is able to keep us from falling verse 24. you see our preservation and support is still ascribed to the power and ability of God by which it is apparent what guards us that we are kept and kept safe by that power That of the Apostle Peter is express and full so that we need to add no more for confirmation we are kept by the power of God saith he through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 The point is plain They that belong c. Now to open this a little because you do not see it in the full extent of it you must conceive that such as appertain to Jesus Christ are kept by the almighty power of God Especially two wayes Either by the power of God in them or by the power of God for them Either by the power of God assisting or by the power of God protecting Either by the power of God within them strengthening or by the power of God without them guarding and defending I shall speak to these in order They that belong to Jesus Christ are kept by the Almighty power of God in them assisting them and strengthning them and fortifying them to stand and to hold out both in temptations and afflictions Man is by nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a feeble and infirm thing So weakned and enfeebled with his fail that of himself he is able to do nothing And therefore God communicates his own transcendent power to such as he intends to keep and to preserve so far as they are capable of it And thus however they be weak in themselves yet they are strong in the Lord and in the power of his might as the Apostle speaks Eph. 6.10 He stands by and strengthens them 2 Tim. 4.17 And of this inward strengthning it is that the Apostle speaks Col. 1.11 Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power that is the power of God himself which he gives in to his people and so corroborates them makes them strong as Oaks to bear the burthen that is laid upon them For if you mark it the Apostle saith not the power of God bears our afflictions resists and overcomes our temptations for us but we are strengthened by his glorious power to both these And God is able saith the same Apostle to do abundantly according to his power that worketh in us Eph. 3.20 Observe it well not his power that worketh for us but his power that worketh in us and that makes us able So that you see my brethren it is an infused thing there goes forth power and vertue from the Lord to us and becomes inherent in us Not as one friend may help another that is weak with an external succour and support bearing his heavy burthen for him but giving him ability himself to bear it Even as a man that hath been much enfeebled with along sickness and being now recovered in a measure and his malignant humours purged away encreaseth every day in strength So we my Brethren having been enfeebled by the fall God makes us sound and strong again enables us to do and suffer what he cals us to So that it is an inward and habitual power that we partake infused into the soul by God And God in this respect is strong in us His power is perfected declared to be perfect in our weakness Now my beloved to follow this a little further this glorious power of his the Lord conveyeth into a Christians soul through Jesus Christ The Father hath annointed him with the Holy Ghost and with power as the Apostle Peter speaks Acts 10.38 And upon him the spirit of power doth rest as you have it in the Prophet Isa 11.2 That so from him it might be given out to all his people He is the Conduit-pipe through which the spirit and the graces of it run obtaining them by vertue of his meritorious intercession from his Father and so conveying them to every member as he by reason of his near communion with the manhood being more deeply touched with the feeling of their wants observeth their necessities to be And so to every one of us is given grace and what is grace but power to do and power to suffer power to stand out and not to faint or yield in temptations or afflictions Habitual grace is nothing but the inward strengthening of the soul To every one of us I say is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4.2 that is as he is pleased to distribute And as this power proceeds originally from the Father by and through Jesus Christ so it is wrought immediatly by the Holy Ghost And hence the strength infused into a Christians soul is called the spirit of power as you may see 2 Tim. 1.7 Because indeed it is wrought in us by the
St. Pauls-Church-yard Books in Fol. THe Works of Joseph Hall Bishop of Norwich Dubartas's Divine Weeks and Works Lexicon Anglo-Graeco-Latinum Nov Test or a compleat Alphabetical Concordance of all the words contained in the New Testament both English Greek and Latine in three distinct Tables viz. The 1 English 2 Greek 3 Latine whereby any word may be rendred into Greek and Latine English and Latine Greek and English Together with the several significations etymons derivations force and emphasis and divers acceptations in Scripture of each word as also the divers readings in English Greek and Latine each annexed to their proper tables By Andrew Sympson 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Divine Characters in two parts acutely distinguishing the more secret and undiscerned differences between 1. The Hypocrite in his best dress of seeming Vertues and formal Duties and the true Christian in his real grace and sincere Obedience as also between 2. The blackest weeds of daily infirmities of the truly godly eclipsing saving grace and the reigning sins of the unregenerate that pretend to that godliness they never had By Samuel Crook B. D. late Pastor of Wrington in Somersetshire the Author of The Guide to true Blessedness Remains of the Reverend Mr. William Fenner Minister of Rochford in Essex being 1 A continuation of his Alarm to drowsie Saints 2 A Treatise of effectual calling 3 The killing power of the Law 4 The Spiritual Watch. 5 The New Birth 6 A Christians ingrafting into Christ 7 A Treatise of the Sabbath In Quarto Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici or the Divine Right of the Gospel Ministry by the Provincial Assembly of London Bethshemeth clouded or Animadversions on the Rabbinical Talmud of Rabbi John Rogers wherein you have his Spirit Anatomized Principles examined and reasons in some measure refuted By Zachariah Crofton Minister of the Word at Buttolphs Algate London Refreshing streams flowing from the fulness of Jesus Christ in several Sermons By William Colvil Minister of Gods Word in Edenburgh The Husbands Authority unveiled wherein is moderately discussed whether or no it be lawful for a good man to beat his bad Wife The Crucifying of the World by the Cross of Christ By Richard Baxter A Treatise of Self-denial By Tho. Wilson The Crown of Righteousness a Sermon at the Funeral of Tho. Hodges Esq By Tho. Watson Minister of Gods Word at Stephens Walbrook London A late great Shipwrack of faith a Sermon Preached by Daniel Cawdry of Great Billing in Northamptonshire Self-denial A Sermon Preached to the Assembly of Divines By Edward Reynolds D.D. Peace of Church a Visitation Sermon By Edward Reynolds D.D. Animalis Homo five concio-lat habita ad Academicos Oxonienses Edwardo Reynolds The Quakers Jesus or the unswadling of that Babe James Naylor which a wicked Toleration hath Midwiv'd into the world discovering the Principles of the Quakers in general a Narrative of the substance of his Examinations and his Disciples as it was taken from his own mouth in their answer before the Magistrates of Bristol also the management of it in Parliament By William Grigge Citizen of Bristol An Exposition with practical Observations on the eighteenth nineteenth twentieth and one and twentieth Chapters of the Book of Job being forty two Lectures delivered in Magnus Church near the Bridge By Jos Caryl preacher of the Word and Pastor of the Congregation there A Dispute between Walter Roswel and Richard Coppin The Agreement of the Associated Ministers of Norfolk and Norwich concerning the publick and their resolutions to revive it in their several Congregations together with some Explanatory discourses declaring the particular grounds moving to the Agreement expressed in the several Articles An Exhortation to the members of their respective Congregations exciting them to a submission to and mutual Assistance of their Ministers in this Method of Instruction quarto The first General Epistle of St. John the Apostle Unfolded and Applyed in 37 Sermons preached at St. Dyonis Back church by Nath. Hardy The Second Part. A sad Prógnostick of Approaching Judgement A Sermon preached at St. Gregories By Nath. Hardy The Pilgrims Wish or the Saints Longing A Sermon preached at the Funeral of Mris Anne Dudson Jan. 11. 1658. By Nath. Hardy Mans last Journey to his Long home Preached at the Funeral of the Right Honorable Robert Earl of Warwick who dyed May 30. 1659. By Nath. Hardy Several Sermons preached before the Parliament By Alexander Henderson George Gillespy Miles Corbet A Paraphrase on the Canticles By George Sands The Kings Cabinet opened Large Octavo Enchiridion Medicum containing thr causes signs and cures of all those Diseases which do daily afflict the body of man together with a Treatise De facultatibus medicamentorum dofibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the sum of Practical Divinity preached in the Wilderness and delivered by our Saviour in his Sermon on the Mount being observations on the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Chpaters of St. Matthew to which is prefixed Prolegomena or a Preface by way of Dialogue wherein the perfection and perspicuity of the Scriptures is vindicated from the calumnies of Anabaptists and Papists By Tho. White Preacher of Gods Word Piscator in omnes Pauli Epistolas Gods Fearers are Gods Favourites several Sermons By Antho. Tucker A practical Discourse of Prayer By Tho. Cobbet Records Arithmetick Small Octavo A Treatise of the power of godliness consisting of three parts 1. Wherin it consists 2. Cautions against and discovery of several mistakes and hinderances most common to the people of God 3. Several means and helps for the attaining of it By Tho. White Directions and perswasions to a sound Conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation of Souls and of those Scandals Heresies and desperate Apostacies which are the consequents of a counterfeit and superficial change being the first of those Books mentioned in the Call to the unconverted By Richard Baxter Confirmation and Restauration the necessary means of Reformation and Reconciliation for healing of the corruptions and divisions of the Churches submissively but earnestly tendred to the consideration of the Soveraign Powers Magistrates Ministers and People that they may awake and be up and doing in the execution of so much as appears to be necessary as they are true to Christ his Church and Gospel and to their own and others Souls and to the peace and welfare of these and as they will answer the neglect to c. at their peril By Richard Baxter A Prospâ—ct of Eternity or mans everlasting condition opened and applyed By Iohn Wells Minister of Olaves Iewry London Ovids Festivals The Arcadian Princess By Rich. Brathwait Esq Truths manifest The Golden mean or some serious considerations for a more full and frequent administration of though not free admission unto the Sacrament of the Lords Supper By Stephen Geree Minister of Abinger in Surrey In large twelves Boccace's Tales or the Quintessence of Wit Mirth Eloquence and conversation framed in ten days out of an hundred curious Pieces
6.2 Bear you one anothers burthen and so fulfill the Law of Christ that is the Law of love for that my Brethren is the Law of Christ A new Commandment give I unto you Novum quia renovatum A new Commandment give I unto you that you love one another And what is love but the fulfilling of the Moral Law as the Apostle speaks And yet this same Apostle speaking of this Law of love calls it not the Law of nature but the Law of Christ Bear ye one anothers burthen which is a special act of love and so fulfill the Law of Christ So that the Moral Law you see my Brethren is the Law of Christ and therefore he is pleased to own it and to call it his Commandment John 15.12 to fortifie it with his own authority as in the Sermon on the Mount and to impose the precept of it on the people And that this Moral Law is universal and extends to all flesh appears by this that it is not imposed alone upon the members of the Church but on the very heathen too upon the Kings and Princes of the earth as you may see Psal 2.2 The Kings and Princes of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take Counsel together against the Lord and his Christ saying Let us break their bondâ— asunder and cast away their cords from us that is the Precepts and Commandments not of the Gospel only but also of the Moral Law Which is the Law of nature and obliged not the Jews alone but all the Nations of the world So that no marvel though they both conspire together to rid themselves of these bonds The Heathen rage the people of the Jews imagine the Kings and Rulers not of Jews only but of all the earth stand up and say Let us break these bonds asunder and cast away these cords from us These bonds and cords which are imposed and laid upon us all with which we all of us do finde our selves restrained and bound that is the Precepts and Commandments of the Moral Law So that you see Christ by his Legislative power gives Law to all flesh as to the outward man and to the Members He gives Law to all flesh as to the inward man and to the conscience The Law of Jesus Christ is Spiritual as the Apostle Paul tels us Rom. 7.14 not only in the nature of it but also in the subjects of it It takes hold upon the souls the spirits and consciences of men It captivates their very thoughts 2 Cor. 10.5 And herein Jesus Christ is singular and manifesteth such authority as no one exerciseth but himself It s true that men do oftentimes give Laws unto the outward man and to the members in politick and civil things and then they do it too as Christs Vicegerents and his Deputies they do it under him and by authority from him But it is Christ and he alone that gives Laws unto the Conscience in holy and religious things He delegates the former power to Magistrates who in the same respect are stiled the Ministers of Christ But this authority he makes not over to any of the sons of men And yet he exercises this authority over all the sons of men so that there is not one of them exempted from his Power As Jesus Christ hath a Legislative power so a Judiciary power As he hath a Legislative power to give Laws so a Judiciary power to execute the Laws that he hath given And this is universal too my Brethren as the other is As he gives his Laws to all so he executes his Laws on all flesh And therefore he is called a Judge very often in the Scripture I need not give you instances for they are known yea he is stiled the Judge of all and not alone of all that are alive but even of those that are departed and deceased as you may see that place for instance Acts 10.42 where he is stiled the Judge of the quick and dead It s true that other Judges in the world can judge the quick they can deal well enough with those that are alive but if they die they are gone out of their hands for ever But Jesus Christ is Judge of all flesh quick flesh and dead flesh Judge of quick and dead too Death cannot rescue men out of his hands no my Beloved he can pursue them to eternity and follow them into another world and there can execute the rigour of his wrath upon them to the very utmost And as he is the Judge of all persons so he is Judge of all cases All judgement is committed to him not some but all judgement Job 5.22 whether the case be manifest and open or whether it be hid and secret all is one Christ is Judge of both these and this is singular to Jesus Christ Men can do nothing in a case that is absolutely secret If a murther be committed and nothing be discovered any way no not so much as by a circumstance or by some grounds of strong suspition what can an earthly Judge do He knows the Law is broken but yet he cannot execute the sentence of the Law because he is not able to discover the Offender Now Jesus Christ is not to seek in such Cases To him all things are naked and uncovered And therefore he brings every work to judgement and every secret thing Eccl. 12.14 And the Apostle tels us of a day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to his Gospel Rom. 2.16 So that you see no flesh can escape his judgement let the man be what he will and let the cause be what it will Now this Judiciary power of Christs consists of two things in passing sentence upon all flesh in executing the sentence after it is past A word or two of these in order Christ hath the power of passing sentence upon all flesh All mankinde is under his authority in this respect and they must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ as the Apostle Paul speaks 2 Cor. 5.10 there to receive their last doom either of absolution or condemnation Sometimes he passeth sentence on them in the Court of Conscience here he sealeth up mens condemnation to them and makes it to become a certain thing They are condemned already in themselves and there remaineth nothing to them but a certain looking for of judgment as the expression is Heb. 10.27 And on the other side he sealeth up mens absolution he sealeth Pardons to the conscience This he hath power to do and this he doth sometimes on earth Mat. 9 6. The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins At utmost in the last and dreadfull day all the dead both great and small appear before him and receive a sentence from him either the one way or the other as you may see Apoc. 20.12 And as he hath the power of Passing so the power of Executing Sentence upon all Flesh All mankinde is under his authority in
and become the more vitious What bind and curb and limit them tell them that they must not swear and they must not be unclean They will not be restrained and hampered they no they will swear the more and drink the more and be unclean the more They are resolved with the rebellious Jews we will not hear we will not do but we will do as we have done I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Well my beloved if any of you be at this hand hear but a few particulars before we part Consider Christ is infinitely tender of his Authority and of his Law He will not easily endure it to be sleighted and infringed He came not to destroy the Law himself no he was far from any such intention in his coming nor will he suffer any other to destroy it neither Heaven and Earth shall pass away before one jot or tittle of his Law shall pass away Mat. 18.5 He had as lief that Heaven and Earth should come to nothing as that his Law should be dissolved And judge you then how great their provocation is who violate and break the precepts of it day by day as Sampson did his green cords as if they had no strength or force at all in them Could they set Heaven and Earth on fire and consume it into ashes they could not anger Christ so much nor vex him as they do by this their cursed violation of his blessed Law And there is extraordinary peril in the wrath of Christ If once he be incensed there is very great hazard and hence saith David Psalm 2. ult Kiss the son least he be angry and you perish Consider that the Law as it hath a commanding power that requireth us to do so it hath a threatning power that obligeth us to suffer in case of disobedience to the Law As it bindeth men to do the things that are commanded in it so in case they do them not and have no interest in Christ by faith it bindeth them to suffer all the things that are denounced in it For every one that doth not every thing that is contained in the Law is exposed to the curse as you may see Gal. 3.10 There 's not a curse contained in the book of God from the beginning of it to the end but such a man lies open to it and if he persevere without repentance he shall be sure to feel it to his pain Well then my brethren you may perhaps out-stand the precept but are you able to out-stand the threatning You may decline the duty but are you able also to avoid the curse Here Christ commands you replie We will not hear we will not do But when he shall pronounce the sentence of the Law upon you in the great and great dreadful day will you replie We will not bear we will not suffer Will you tell him to his face We will not go to hell we will not be condemned by the Law as you have told him here We will not be obedient to the Law Alas it is not all mens scorns and haughty looks it is not all their pride and sturdiness that will prevail at that time No no the haughtiness of men shall be brought low and Christ alone shall be exalted in that day Consider Christ hath ability to back and second his authority All power is given to him all kinds all degrees of power power of authority and power of ability Power of authority alone is but an empty and a despicable thing he that hath it may command and they whom he commandeth if they please may disobey he cannot force them to obedience nor punish them for disobedience The hazzard is not great of disobeying such power But where ability goes with authority there the despising of it must be full of danger Now so it doth in Jesus Christ and therefore he is peremptory Rom. 14.11 As I live saith the Lord that is the Lord Christ as you may see by the coherence every knee shall bow to me willingly or by compulsion If it bend not willingly I will make it bow or break Christ will be King though the earth be never so unsteady and the haters of the Lord shall be subject unto him How shall his haters be his Subjects yes they shall be subject to him either one way or another For though they be not subject to his grace they shall be subject to his power They that will not be ruled by him shall be broken by him We read of some that break his bonds asunder Psal 2 3. but presently he breaks their bonds asunder If they be good at breaking Christ will fall a breaking too He will break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel The authority of Christ as it hath some that stoop to it so it hath others that oppose it And such are they of whom we read Luke 19.19 His Citizens hated him sent a message after him to tell him to his teeth we will not have this man to rule over us They were in haste they could not tarry till he came about again but they must send this sawcy Message after him But see now what becomes of these men and whether it be all as they will ver 27. But these my Enemies that would not have me to rule over them bring them forth and slay them before me Oh think on this you that will not be ruled by Jesus Christ who when his will is manifested to you and when you are acquainted with the Laws and Statutes of his Kingdom regard it not at all but make light of all this Oh be advised to be wise and serve the Lord. Kiss the son he hath authority and therefore do him fealty least he be angry and you perish Is it so that all mankind is under the authority of Jesus Christ they are mistaken then who think that some men are exempt from his authority and from his Legislative power and that they are not bound to the obedience of the Laws he gives I am very apt to think that Infidels heathens who never had the Gospel preached to them who never heard of Jesus Christ are no way bound to the obedience of the Law of faith so that they sin in not believing in the Lord Christ and taking him to be their Saviour whom they have no means to know The Law of faith I mean of justifying faith the Commandment to believe is not a natural but a positive Law and consequently promulgation is absolutely necessary to the obligation of it But the Decalogue the Moral Law the Law of works is written in the heart of man by nature and therefore bindeth all men to obedience Yea but say some believers are exempted from the obligation of it the faithful are not bound to the obedience of the Moral Law It s true I must confess they are not
in any injury or provocation that is offered to us and to tell us strange things let us smother and suppress them let us consider that and think on that which may provoke to love and not to malice and revenge Is it so that all mankind is under the authority c. Then surely we Vse 6 have all great reason to comply with him and to endeavour what we can to please him to the utmost of our power You know it is the fashion of the world to do what they are able to keep in with those who are in place and under whose authority and power they are How will they bend and stoop and yield and bring themselves to any thing almost to please such men beloved we are all under the power of Jesus Christ under his Legislative power and under his judiciary power He gives us Law now he will pass sentence on us according to his Law hereafter if we be disobedient and rebellious and therefore we have reason to keep in with him to kiss the Son to do him homage lest he be angry and we perish We labour saith the Apostle that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him And why so For we must all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ as it is added in the next words 2 Corinth 5.10 The time is coming when he is to sit upon us and to judge us and to dispose of us for ever either in heaven or in hell and therefore it concerns us infinitely to please him in the mean time that he may be propitious to us when that time comes We pitty such a malefactor who being shortly to be tried before an earthly Judge upon a point of life or death doth rather take a course to anger and provoke him then appease him and yet so desperately foolish are a multitude of men who strive not to approve themselves to Christ nor to be accepted of him before whose judgment-seat they must appear to be acquitted or condemned And so according to his doom to live or die and that for ever Oh but think upon that last and dreadful day remember at whose mercy you must stand and so endeavour to demean your selves that whether you be present in the body or whether you be absent from the body that both in life and death and judgement you may be accepted of him Vse 7 Is it so that all mankind is under the Judiciary power of Christ that he hath power to pass the sentence and to execute the sentence on them this serveth then for matchless terrour to the wicked and for incomparable comfort to the godly a word or two to each of these c. How can the thought of this but strike amazement and astonishment to the hearts of wicked men What mercy can they look for at his hands whom have they peirced through whose grace they despised whose Law and Gospel they have disobeyed whose Spirit they have grieved and despighted whose blood they have trodd upon Oh what a fearful thing it is that they should be in the power of Jesus Christ that he and none but he should judge them Did John fall down at the presence of an angel did Faelix tremble before Paul when he did but discourse of Judgement Did the Officers and Souldiers of the Jews fall backwards at the voyce of Christ and that while he was in a state and condition of abasure What will ungodly wretches do when he shall come in Majesty and glory to pass sentence on them when he shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels c. what can they look for in that day but eternal condemnation And how can this but infinitely cheer the Saints to think that they are in the power of Jesus Christ who is their Brother their Mediator their Redeemer that he who shed his blood for them and none but he shall judge them too How will they lift up their heads to see him comming with the clouds to judge the world Oh how will they be ravished to behold their Saviour whom they have loved so dearly all their lives but never had the happiness to see till now for whose appearance they have longed thirsted prayed waited c. How will they melt upon him think you when they see him This is he that died for me that shed his blood for me they would look through him if they could and how can they expect but that he that died for them should absolve them and acquit them Assuredly my brethren he that hath power over all flesh will never hate and destroy his own flesh nor condemn his own members No it is well for them that this power is in Christs hands for now they may be confident that he will save them that he will give eternal life to them And thus far of the first particular considered in the words the thing it self with which our Saviour is invested and endued and this you see is power over all flesh The second follows now in order to be handled The means by which he comes to be invested with it viz by free donation from his Father He hath this power because his Father gave it him As thou hast given him power over all flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as thou hast given He saith not As thy Son hath taken power over all flesh as he hath entred on it and assumed it to himself But as thou hast invested and endued him with it By which he shews apparently that he comes to it by his fathers act and by his Fathers guift and not by his own intrusion as thou hast given him power over all flesh So that hence I might observe That Jesus Christ did not intrude himself on the authority with which he is invested over all flesh but was admitted to it freely by his Father He did not take this honour to himself as the expression is though in another case Heb. 5.4 but it was put upon him See Psal 2.6 Note 3. But this I do but point at in my passage by Proceed we to the third and last Particular considered in the words viz. the end for which he is invested with this vast authority That he may give eternal life to as many as God hath given him So that you see my Brethren here is giving upon all hands The Father gives the Son that the Son may give to others The Father gives to him power that he may give to others life First Let us look upon this end in general before we take it into parts And here let us consider whether this be the only end for which the Father gives the Son power whether he have no other aim in putting this authority upon him over all flesh but only that he may bestow eternal life upon his own people what need he have so large authority for this end Authority over all flesh that he may give eternal life to some flesh to the least part of flesh to as many as
in election though yet they are not given to him by real union and incorporation And if they appertain to Jesus Christ though they be never so untoward and indisposed and averse depend upon it he hath power to give Eternal life to them I say to every one of you my brethren that hath such a wife or such a husband or such a child or such a friend as Christ to Martha when he had told her that he was the resurrection and the life that he could raise up any man though he were dead and make him live Iohn 11.26 Believest thou this It may be you will say as she Alas my Brother or my Father or my Child hath been dead so many dayes so many years he hath laid buried in his grave of sin a long while so that by this time he stinketh Why yet believe that Jesus Christ can raise him up and make him live the life of grace and glory He hath received power to give eternal life to all that are bestowed upon him If they belong to that number be they as dead as it is possible for men to be and as averse from being quickned the power of Jesus Christ shall master them and overcome them and raise them up out of their graves of sin that you shall say with admiration See what Iesus Christ can do upon a poor dead Creature And therefore when you look upon such souls as those and seem to have the question put you that the Prophet had when he saw the dry bones Ezek. 37.3 Can these dead souls live do you give the same answer O Lord God thou knowst If they belong to Iesus Christ he hath power enough to raise them and he will surely do it in his own time Use 2 Is it so that Iesus Christ hath power to give eternal life to all that c. This then should teach us two things First Not to be lifted up upon the contemplation of our high condition and Secondly Not to be cast down upon the contemplation of our low condition in the world You see the men who are to have this life from Christ are not described to be of such a quality of such a station or condition but only to be given to him by the Father So that let them be what they will in all considerations and respects besides if God have given them to Christ they shall assuredly have life from him He hath received power for this End that he should give c. So that it matters not in this respect whether we be high or low rich or poor bond or free we are not any whit the nearer to the life of Christ my brethren for the one nor any whit the further from it for the other Be not lifted up upon the contemplation of your high Condition in the world Admit that you be wealthy admit that you be noble learned honourable and the like admit that you be any way advanced and raised above your brethren you have no cause at all to swell with these prerogatives or to be proud of these things Indeed they have their use and worth and therefore are not utterly to be contemned but yet we must withal consider that be their excellency what it will they are of no avail at all to bring us to the life of grace and glory In that which is the point of highest consequence matter of life and death yea of eternal life and death they will not steed us in the least degree and therefore certainly there is no cause at all why they should be so magnified and admired as they are If outward wealth and pomp or dignity did further us if outward baseness did hinder us in this business how is it that the base things of this world and things that are despised are chosen and that the poor in purse as well as spirit do receive the word of life when yet not many mighty not many noble in the world are called 1 Cor. 1.25 If outward wisdom learning policy did further or weakness or unlearnedness did hinder us in point of having life from Christ how is it that the weak and foolish things are chosen many times and that the Law of God gives understanding to the simple that the unlearned rise and take the kingdom as it were by force that is with earnestness and with affection when yet not many wise not many learned men are called Why are we so exalted upon these outward priviledges and preferments in the world What is it that you stand upon What that which will promote or further you to life Eternal Alas they are of no avail in this respect All these prerogatives with which men swell even till they burst again are such as they may carry with them into Hell Let us not be cast down upon the contemplation of our low condition in the world You that are simple poor and mean that have not any outward thing to glory in no wealth no parts no honour or preferment any way be not dejected and disheartened for as external priviledges and advancements are of no avail to further you so outward means and abasure is of no avail to hinder you from receiving life from Christ He gives it to as many as God hath given him let them be of what condition or estate they will There is no other thing required in this respect but that they be bestowed upon him by the Father And he bestows upon him poor and weak men many times yea most times And therefore be not out of heart for hadst thou all the wealth and honour in the world thou wert not any whit the nearer to this life of Christ nor art thou any whit the further from it by thy low condition That will be no impediment but that he may give thee life the life of grace in this world and the life of glory in the world to come Is it so that Jesus Christ hath no authority to give Eternal life to any but those who are bestowed upon him by his Father They are mistaken then who Use 3 hold that he came into the world to give life to all men He came as you have heard to do his Fathers will and this is his Fathers will that he should give Eternal life to as many as he hath given him and not to a man more This he hath given him authority and power to do further then this his Commission doth not reach So that it is not in the power of Jesus Christ to quicken all and save all it is apparent that he cannot do it Indeed as God he can do all things but those that are impossible Either absolutely being such as are not to be done or else impossible upon condition by reason of a contrary Decree by which he hath confined-himself But as man and Mediator he can do no more then God will have him he can save no more then God hath given him and put into his hands to save And therefore you shall
present nor our future happiness 1. Our present happiness consisteth in the title that we have to Christ the interest we have in him and the Communion we have with him Can the hatred of the world put an end to this Communion No saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 3.35 Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerours through him that loves as For I am verily perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth not depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nay to say truth Christ loves us most and hath most communion with us when the world is most against us Then he is specially present with us as he was with Paul Acts 18.9 and with the Martyrs in the Dungeon in the Stocks in the flames And it is certain that Christ doth then reveal himself most sweetly to his people when the world discovers most malignity and rage against them So that it is not all their hatred can keep a Christian from the love and fellowship of Jesus Christ and so by Consequence it cannot keep him from his present happiness 2. And for our happiness to come it cannot hinder that neither It doth not lie so loose my brethren that all the world can take it from us No it is in Gods keeping he openeth and no man shutteth he shutteth and no man openeth He opened Heaven upon Stephen when the world was shewing the utmost of its rage against him And verily a Christian is as near the complement and the perfection of his happiness when he suffers all the wrong and ignominy and contempt that the world can pour upon him and sometimes nearer then he is at other times for that may be the way to it And hence saith Christ in the fore-alledged text Mat. 5.11 Blessed are ye when men revile you Rejoyce and be exceeding glad And why so For great is your reward in heaven JOHN 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world c. AND thus far of the second Argument with which our Saviour presseth and enforceth his Petition to his Father in behalf of his Apostles and Disciples that he would keep them through his own name viz. because our Saviour for his own part was even ready to depart from them and to abandon them in such a place where they were hated universally almost the world hath hated them saith Christ Why then a man would think the only way were to remove them out of such a place where they are so ill beloved and so maligned upon all hands If the world hate them because they are not of the world what should they do there any longer the best way were to take them thence and to translate them to a place where they are likely to have more quiet No saith our Saviour I disown that that is not the intent and drift of my Petition I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world c. So that these words my brethren are an Explication of that which is delivered in the former verse that it might not be mistaken Not that our Saviour was afraid his Father would mistake his meaning but he knew they might mistake him who heard him speaking to his Father And therefore as a learned Writer notes upon the text he speaks unto his Father as a man for mens sake because he speaks in their hearing He tells them plainly and expresly what he doth not pray for I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world And then he tels him clearly what he doth pray for but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil Begin we with the first part of the explication in which our Saviour tells his Father plainly and expresly what he doth not pray for I do not pray that thou should take them out of the world So that the point to be observed hence is this DOCTRINE Removal out of this world is not the proper subject matter of Petition You see our Saviour Christ disowns it clearly in my text he would by no means have it thought that he desires his Father to remove his Disciples hence by death to take them out of the world No saith our Saviour that is not the thing I pray for I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world And even as he disowns it in his prayer so should we for we must walk in every imitable thing as we have him for an example And out of doubt he speaks not this for the direction of his Father that he might not be mistaken as I noted even now but on the other side for the instruction of his Apostles and Disciples who were by and heard him pray That they might learn not to exceed their bounds in their petitions And when they seriously consider how they are hated and maligned and abused in the world they might not yet desire the Lord on this account that he would take them hence but rather that he would preserve and keep them here as you have it in my Text I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil And the ground is evident Reason Removal out of this world is not the proper subject matter of Petition because it is not simply in it self a blessing Indeed by accident I must acknowledge death and departure hence is turned exceed ngly to the advantage of the Saints For by it they are freed from evils penal and from evils sinful from suffering and from sinning they are admitted to most near communion with him whom their soul loves and whom their hearts do even gasp after from whose immediate presence they are unavoidably debarred as long as they remain in this world But properly life and continuance in the body is the blessing and therefore it is properly to be desired We find it usually to be propounded in the promise as the reward of holiness and of obedience And in this form we have it in the fifth Commandment which is the first Commandment with promise the only one that hath a promise of the second Table the only one of all the ten that hath a distinct and particular promise And now you will expect I know there should be some transcendent mercy comprehended in such a singular and extraordinary promise as this is And yet it is but long life in this world that thy days may be long in the land c. That promise is a pregnant one to this effect Psal 91. ult with long life will I satisfie him and shew him my salvation First I will satisfie him with long life he
Brethren they have not gone beyond their line they have not strayed beyond the bounds of their Commission Christ doth not send his Ministers as you have heard particularly or restrictively to any Countrey or to any Nation but their Commission leaves them free to all the world Even the Commission not of Apostles only but of the ordinary Ministers of Christ as I have shewed before in Explication of the point so that they are within their compass still though they be among the Indians even at the other end of all the Earth And it is to be very much observed that Christ hath given abundant testimony to this glorious work of theirs in the incredible success of their endeavours there so that poor naked souls come continually to Jesus Christ stoop to the Government and Scepter of his Kingdom desire to be acquainted with his will to be instructed in the way of his worship to have their children brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord And in a word they shame us who have so long enjoyed the Gospel that we are even weary of it and begin to put it from us and so to judge our selves unworthy of eternal life The Lord in mercy grant it go not from us to the Indians who prize it more are more eager after it and more fruitful under it according to their light then multitudes of us professed Christians are Now I beseech you my Beloved cast an eye upon them travail thither in your thoughts and meditations there you shall see some Ministers of Jesus Christ once our fellow-Labourers spending themselves undergoing difficulties without number or measure to convert souls and gather Churches among blind Heathens There you shall see the Gospel blossoming the Church enlarging her Tent and stretching forth the Curtains of her habitation the Doves flocking to the windows of the Ark the Church of Christ the fulness of the Gentiles now beginning to come in and in a word that great work going on which is incomparably the most remarkable that Christ hath yet to do in this world What shall we do now my Beloved and how shall we behave our selves under such a dispensation shall we as many have done heretofore and it may be yet do condemn the Instruments as if they went beyond themselves in this business Shall we mock at these beginnings of the building of the Temple shall we despise the day of small things shall we as Gallio care for none of these matters Truly the least that we can do is to comply with Jesus Christ in this design of his for which he sends his Ministers into the world and to promote this glorious work to the utmost of our power It is in the hands of those for whom as you have heard it is too heavy so that they cannot mannage it they are not able to go through with it They seem to call over to us as the man of Macedonia Come to America and help us Oh let not such a work miscarry and fail of being driven on for want of any help that we can yield to it a work that is so purely Christian as this is But which way can we help it on it may be you will say to me Truly my Brethren if no other way we may promote and help it on at least without purses and our prayers This we may do at this distance I shall speak a word to either 1. We may promote it with our prayers This was the course the Prophet took as you may see Isa 62.1 In the precedent chapter he is very large and eloquent on this business shewing the future glory of the Church by the addition of the fulness of the Gentiles in all Countries and in all Nations And having done with the description of it in two whole Chapters me thinks he is an end to hasten the fruition of it For Zions sake I will not hold my peace saith he and for Jerusalems I will not rest So we my Brethren having heard of the beginning of this great work in America let us do as Isaiah did let us be always crying to the Lord let him be hard beset on all hands let him not have a quiet hour The Lord hath set his Watchmen on the walls of his Jerusalem to this purpose Isa 62.6 that they may watch such opportunities as these are And least he should forget this great work when it is upon the wheel he hath appointed some remembrancers to mind him of it and therefore let us be continually minding God of this business beseeching him to go on with this work till he hath brought it to perfection till the whole fulness of the Gentiles be come in till Christ inherit all Nations Let us remember that we have a little sister in America and that now is the day of speaking for her for now her case and business is in agitation and therefore now let us be earnest with the Lord let us pray and pray hard let us not be cold or dead in such a suit as this is We may promote it with our purses and estates And this is that especially we have in hand at this time There are very many things in that great business now on foot that need pecuniary helps as hath been said The charge that lies on these that are the agents in it is exceeding great and indeed too heavy for them and therefore we me thinks that share not in the difficulties and the labours that other of our Brethren undergo among the Indians should be content to share a little in the costs for who would willingly sit wholly out in such a blessed work as this is Alas my Brethren how much idle mony do we spend a hundred ways that might be saved for such a purpose And truly I believe we never had occasion to lay mony out to a better end then this Now we may help in a qualified sense to purchase souls with money to further the accomplishment of the Gospel promises with money we may make temporal and earthly things serve spiritual and heavenly ends And therefore I beseech you my Beloved enlarge your bounty more then ordinary in such a choise and extraordinary work as this is Let love to Christ and to his Church compassion to those blind Americans draw out your very hearts to them that those poor Indian souls whose Conversion and Salvation you may further by this means may bless you Thus make you friends of the unrighteous Mammon that you may render up a good account when the day of reckoning comes Is it so That Jesus Christ sends forth his Ministers into the world and Vse 2 that as I have said to gather Churches and erect his Kingdom over all the world Then let this raise our hearts my Brethren in reference to this work which is indeed the greatest and the most eximious that Christ hath yet to do in this world Oh let our hearts be lifted up towards it and that especially three ways in
them hasten him and fetch him by their prayers that he may say unto them as the Angel did to Daniel Dan. 10.12 From the first day that thou didst set thy self to understand thy words were heard and I am come for thy words And here to quicken you a little I shall present you with a few Considerations 1. The Lord expects you should be very earnest and importunate with him this business He hearkens after supplications and looks that men should ply him hard Thus saith the Lord the holy one of Israel and his maker Isa 45.11 Ask of me things to come concerning my Sons command you me q. d. There are great things to come that I am doing for my Church what is the reason that ye are so stil and that I hear of no Petitions from you touching these things You are alwayes plying me for present things but I delight to hear you pleading with me for those glorious things to come which I will surely do for my people Come put in your Petitions and requests concerning them and I will stoop so low to be commanded by your prayers Ask of me things to come concerning my Sons and concerning the work of my hands command ye me 2. Consider in the second place to quicken you in prayer that this is such a business as is worth your earnestness assure your selves you cannot lay out too much heat and zeal upon it When once the Lord hath gathered in a people to him over all the world the Church shall have perfection of beauty It is a very high expression but you shall see it is applied to Sion Psal 50.2 And it is meant apparently my bretren of the Gospel Sion of the Gospel Church for in the following parcell of the Psalm the Lord rejecteth Jewish worship Indeed the Churches happiness shall be so great in those dayes that it is called heaven very often in the Scripture And so the Saints who are to be the Members of that Church are said to dwell in heaven Apoc. 13.6 Indeed my brethren it shall be heaven upon earth 3. Consider that the bringing in of people over all the world to Christ will be an extraordinary honour to him the enlargement of his Kingdom is the enlargement of his glory It adds exceedingly you know my brethren to the Luster of a Kingdom when it hath many people under it and when the territories of it are amplified and enlarged It s no such glory my beloved to be the King but of a little City or a little Island or of a small and inconsiderable company of men But to be the King of many Nations and of many Kingdoms to have a multitude of people in subjection this is a glorious thing indeed In this respect the Empire of Christ Jesus in the latter times shall be unparalleld when once the Jews come in and bring the fulness of the Gentiles with them And therefore out of love to Jesus Christ and regard to his glory we should be intent upon it 4. Consider that the bringing in of people over all the world to Jesus Christ will be very beneficial and advantagious to our selves Perhaps we do not apprehend it to be so this Countrey is come in already to the profession of the Gospel we are come in already and what need we care so much for other Nations and for other people We are well enough our selves and why should we look after others Yes my beloved we have reason to look after others for till all others that belong to Christ of all the Nations of the world be gathered in we are not in so good a case as we shall be afterwards We are in Christ perhaps and that is well for us indeed but others of his people by election of many other Countreyes are as yet without and we without them cannot be made perfect as the Apostle shews Heb. 11. ult We without them are members in a sence of an imperfect body We without them have but imperfect grace nay though we were in heaven already we could have but imperfect glory Till all that appertain to Christ be gathered in of all Nations so long as there is but a man without there can be no day of judgement and so no full reward no complement of our beatitude And therefore we have reason to help on this glorious work to the utmost of our power because till it be accomplished it cannot be so well with us as it will be afterwards we without them cannot be made perfect Is it so that Iesus Christ sends forth his Ministers to gather Churches and to erect his Kingdom over all the world Here then is matter of rejoycing and thanksgiving for us the once rejected and neglected people of the Gentiles There was a time my brethren when we were set without the verge the reach of mercy When the poor Gentiles liv'd and we too liv'd without God without Christ without a promise without Gospel when Christ did never send to them to invite them to come in and when he had no Scepter but in Jewry no subjects in a manner but among that people Alas my brethren Christ was a King in those dayes to break the Gentiles by his power but he was not a King to rule them by his grace But now my brethren in these Gospel dayes there is no such respect of persons with him as the Apostle shews Acts 10.34 In every Nation and in every people he hath or shall have some to serve him and to be accepted with him And therefore whereas formerly he sent his messengers to none but to V se 3 the people of the Jewish Nation and gave them an express Injunction Goe not into the way of the Gentiles In which respect it was that Peter was scrupulous to preach the Gospel to Cornelius Now he sends forth his Ministers to all the world to all Nations now he enlargeth their Commission Go preach the Gospel to every Creature So that we Gentiles are included in it All Countreys People Callings Nations are alike to Christ in this respect the publication of the Gospel and the tender of Salvation belongeth to them all alike and if they entertain it and embrace it whether they be Jews or Gentiles whether they be Males or Females whether they be bond or free they shall have salvation by him How great a cause have we my brethren that are Gentiles of rejoycing and thanksgiving that Jesus Christ should send to us that the word is come to us as it is to all the world that we should have the Gospel published and revealed to us That we who formerly were utterly shut out from the enjoyment of the means of our salvation should have as full and free a title to them now as the very Iews themselves Nay that we should have the preferment of the Jew in that by the abundant blessing of the Lord upon the means the Churches of the Gentiles which were wholly desolate and barren heretofore should be more
and people that condemned and scourged and crucified the Lord of glory And now my brethren Will you say to me as the Disciples to our Saviour when he told them that one of them should betray him Will you ask me man by man Is it I and is it I No I expect to hear you say It is not I. What I an enemy to Christ I defie it and they that are his greatest enemies will be as bold and resolute in the denyal as any other And therefore as our Saviour gave a sign to the Disciples by which the Traytor might be known so I will give you certain signs out of Scripture by which the enemies of Christ may be discovered First they that are willing to submit to sin and are unwilling to submit to Christ they are enemies to Christ I will a little stand on either branch of this mark They that are willing to submit to sin they are enemies to Christ 'T is true indeed men may be taken captive by it as Saint Paul was they may be forc't to obey it in some certain acts notwithstanding all their striving by the power of a temptation which they are no way able to resist and yet may be the friends of Christ they may unfaignedly and dearly love the Lord Jesus But if they render up themselves to any lust if they make a Covenant with it as being willing and resolved to obey it if not content that they are sold by Adam they sell themselves to sin as Ahab did they are enemies to Christ No man can serve two Masters that are contrary as God and Mammon Christ and sin for saith our Saviour He will love the one and hate the other Mat. 6.24 So then if you be servants voluntarily engaged to any sin as being willing to obey it in the lusts thereof Whether it be drunkenness or swearing or uncleanness or the like If you resolve it is a sweet it is a profitable sin I will not strive nor pray against it because I mean not to forsake it you do indeed hate Christ It may be you do think that you may serve a lust and love the Lord Christ too But you deceive your own souls for the Truth of God hath said it that he that loves the one will hate the other As they that serve Christ hate sin so they that serve sin hate Christ And for the second branch of this mark as they that willingly obey sin so they that are unwilling to obey Christ they are enemies to Christ You are my friends saith Christ to his Disciples if you do whatsoever I command you Joh. 15.14 otherwise you are not And hence he styleth those his enemies who will not have him rule over them Luk. 19.27 Observe it well he saith not simply Those that will not have me raign but those mine enemies that will not have me raign over them bring them forth and slay them before me If then you will not stoop to Christ and to the Scepter of his Kingdom if you will not have him rule you if you will not do the things that he commands you but are resolved to walk according to your own humors and though you are informed what is good and what the Lord requireth of you yet you hate to be reformed and pluck away the shoulder as the Prophet speaks and say with those rebellious wretches Psal 2.3 Let us break his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from us that we may walk at liberty and that there may be no restraint from any thing that seemeth good in our own eyes be not deceived for you are Adversaries of the Lord Christ 2. They are enemies to Christ that love that which Christ hates and hate that which Christ loves It is the property of near and bosome friends to will and nill to love and hate the same things and enemies are just upon the other hand and so it is in this case They that are in love with sin which is the thing the only thing which Christ hates are surely out of love with Christ They that love the Lord hate evil Psal 97.10 and I may say as well They that love evil hate the Lord. It 's true that such as love him may commit it but yet they have a strange antipathy against it they hate it with a perfect hatred and every false way they utterly abhor And hence it is that they endeavour to destroy it to crucifie it every day to put it to the cruellest and basest death and if they had it in their power they would shew it no mercy You would not use a Turk a Toad as such a man would use sin But when a man shall cocker it and stroke it and delight in it when he shall not endure to have it striken with the hammer or wounded with the Sword of Gods Word but shall be ready to do violence to any man that offers it a blow or gives it but an ill word the heart of such a person is not right towards Christ And even as they are enemies to Christ who love that which Christ hates so also they who hate that which Christ loves and that is holiness and grace which he cannot choose but love because it is a beam of his own light a gift of his own spirit a stamp of his own Image a part of his own fulness for of his fulness have we all received and grace for grace But you will say Who hates this I answer they that persecute and scorn and vex their brethren for their strictness and preciseness because they follow that which good is because they fear an oath because they run not out with them to the same excess of riot they are the men that hate grace For it is holiness and grace you see that is the proper object and indeed the formal reason of their hatred And they that hate their brethren for their holiness and grace which they have received from Christ by which they are conformable and like to Christ would hate him so much more then them if he should come and live among them by how much he is holier then they are And therefore let not such as say they could affect and like of such a person well enough but that he is so pure and so precise he will not do as they do pretend any love to Christ For certainly the same affections of spite and malice and reproach which they discover against such men they would with so much greater bitterness express against the Lord Christ if he were conversant upon the earth by how much he exceedeth and transcendeth them in holiness and grace 3. They that are friends to the enemies of Christ and enemies to the friends of Christ are enemies to Christ himself Be they who they will that close with those that live in enmity against Christ and help them in their opposition to his truth and to his cause and to his glory they can never love Christ No if they did