Works were evil and his Brother 's righteous 1 Joh. 3.12 Carnal Professors that creep into the Church unawares are full of Envy Strife and Wrath. How can we edify one another in the holy Faith unless we be first holy A Man would think they should be purified to the Love of God nay but they must be purified to the Love of the Brethren 3. With respect to the World A distinct Body should have a distinct Excellency They are a People distinct from the World they are set apart for God Psal. 4.3 Know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself They are a chosen Generation Many other Societies excel the Church for Strength Policy and worldly Pomp but Holiness and Purity is the Church's Badg Psal. 93.5 Holiness becometh thy House O Lord for ever God's peculiar People must have a peculiar Excellency upon a double ground 1. Because of Likeness to God Exod. 15.11 Who is like unto thee O Lord among the Gods who is like thee glorious in Holiness It is God's Glory and therefore the Churches God is rich in Mercy but glorious in Holiness his Treasure is his Goodness but his Honour is his Holiness and immaculate Purity as among Men their Wealth is distinguished from their Honour 2. Because all the Ordinances hold it forth especially the Ordinance of Initiation So that it is the greatest Hypocrisy in the World to pretend to be God's People and not to be holy because they wear the Badges of Holiness they all come in by the washing of Water Men forget their Baptism 2 Pet. 1.9 He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old Sins Men that are only whited over with the Name of Christians and Sin is still new and fresh as an old thing they forget the Effect of their Baptism That a washed Man should be so foul and noisom still sure they forget or do not know what it is to be baptized into Christ. Secondly The Manner how he purifieth them There is on Christ's part the Spirit and Ordinances and his Merit reacheth to both and on our part Faith 1. On Christ's part 1. The Spirit is necessary Titus 3.5 He saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost applieth all the Grace which the Father intendeth and Christ hath purchased We are usually said to be saved by the Blood of Christ that was the Merit and Price There was a Grant on God the Father's part Rev. 19.8 To her it was granted to be arrayed in fine Linen clean and white An Authentick Act passeth in the Court of Heaven that we shall have fine Linen as Esther had Garments out of the King's Wardrobe But this is founded on Christ's Merits the Stream in which we are washed flowed out of Christ's Heart 1 Iohn 1.7 The Blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin But then the Holy Ghost as the Executor of Christ's Will and Testament worketh and applieth all The Merit of the Creature is excluded by Christ's Merit and the Father's Grant the Power of the Creature is excluded by the Work of the Spirit he worketh with a respect to Christ's Blood As in the cleansing of the Leper the Bird was to be killed over running Water Levit. 14.5 So in the cleansing of the Sinner there is the Merit of Christ and the Work of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God If we come to the Father the Father sends us to the Son otherwise he could not look upon us the Son sends us to the Spirit the Spirit sends us to Moses and the Prophets 2. The Ordinances Ephes. 5.26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word These are the Ordinances that are specially consecrated and to which Christ's Merit reacheth he hath not only procured the Gift of the Spirit but a Blessing on the Means that we may use them with Confidence The Word helpeth us by way of Declaration and Offer and Baptism concurreth sacramentally by way of signing and sealing and so it is a Means to confirm and provoke the Faith of a Receiver to lay hold on this Grace The Ordinances are an help to call to mind Baptism It is not good to balk the known and ordinary Means of Grace Christ hath purchased a Treasure that cannot be wasted Iohn 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctify my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth When you come to hear you come to receive the Fruits of Christ's Purchase 2. On our part there is required Faith which also purifieth Acts 15.9 Purifying their Hearts by Faith Christ's Blood cleanseth the Gospel cleanseth Baptism cleanseth the Spirit cleanseth Faith cleanseth all these are not contrary but subordinate neither Christ nor the Word nor the Spirit worketh without an Act on our parts As under the Law the Priest was not only to wash and cleanse the Leper who herein represented God but also after the sprinkling of the Priest he was to wash himself Lev. 14.8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his Clothes and shave off all his Hair and wash himself in Water that he may be clean to shew that some Work is required on our part The Work of Faith is to apply to wait to work by Reflection and to stir up Love 1. To apply the Promises of God the Offers of Grace in the Word and the Blood of Christ and all these to purge out Corruption It applieth the Blood of Christ urgeth the Soul with it he died to purchase that Grace which thou wantest The Water and Soap cleanseth but the Hand of the Landress must apply it and rub the Clothes that are washed This is called sprinkling the Conscience with the Blood of Christ Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a true Heart in full assurance of Faith having our Heart sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our Bodies washed with pure Water We should thus argue with our selves Surely Christ died to sanctify Sinners his Death cannot be in vain Grace is bought at a dear rate in the offers of the Word God maketh a tender why should I not accept of it Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the Word preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it But we do not say What shall we say to these things By Faith the Plaister is laid on the Sore 2. In the Use of Means it waiteth for the sanctifying Virtue of the Blood of Christ and looketh upon them as Ordinances under a Blessing Isa. 45.24 Surely shall one say In the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength It casts out the Net at Christ's Commandment Micah 7.19 He will turn again he will have Compassion on us he will subdue our Iniquities and thou wilt cast all their Sins
Here is God to satisfy us There is an infinite Latitude in the Object of Faith Father Son and Holy Ghost with all their Powers and Capacities to do us Good No Pain so great but he can mitigate or remove it no Danger so dreadful or so likely but he can prevent it no Misery so deep but he can deliver us from it no Enemies so strong but he can vanquish them no Want that he cannot supply Gen. 17.1 The Lord appeared to Abraham and said unto him I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect When we have a Want that God cannot supply or a Sickness that God cannot cure or a Danger that he cannot prevent or a Misery that he cannot remove or can produce any Enemies or Creatures that are too hard for God then we have leave to yield to Trouble and Despondency of Heart Chuse God as your Portion and chief Happiness and you shall want nothing Psal. 23.6 Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the Days of my Life Surely could we more believe in God our Hearts would be more ballanced and kept steady not tost up and down with various Occurrences Whatever falleth out we have a God still to rejoice in and depend upon Habak 3.18 Yet will I rejoice in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation He supposeth himself not only in some necessity but in extremity not only kept bare but reduced to nothing 2 Cor. 6.10 As sorrowful yet alway rejoicing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things You have all things in him 2. Here is Christ as Mediator We have great Advantage by that Consideration 1. Hereby we see God in our Nature and so nearer at hand and ready to help us and more accessible for us to come at than as God considered in the mere Deity John 1.14 The VVord was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us God is come down and become our Neighbour yea like one of us Bone of our Bone and Flesh of our Flesh. Though he has removed his Dwelling again into Heaven yet it is for our sakes our Nature is there though our Persons be not He is sat down as our Agent Heb. 8.1 VVe have such an High-Priest who is sat on the right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens Heb. 4.15 For we have not an High-Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all Points tempted like as we are yet without Sin God in our Flesh will not be strange to us We are bidden Isa. 58.7 not to hide our selves from our own Flesh. Gen. 29.14 And Laban said unto him Surely thou art my Bone and my Flesh and he abode with him 2. In the Mystery of Redemption all the Divine Persons put themselves in an Order for our Faith to take hold of Faith may close with any one of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity provided we divide not the Divine Essence in our Thoughts But in the Mystery of Redemption all is made obvious and handy to our Faith The Father considered as the Fountain of the Deity to whom we come for Grace and Mercy The second Person clothed with our Flesh through whom we come Being assisted and enabled to come by the Holy Spirit who is the third Person Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father This is that full and satisfying Object with which Faith closeth when it acteth most distinctly In the Father there we see original Love or original Authority and infinite free Grace Iohn 3.16 For God so loved the VVorld that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life In the Son everlasting Righteousness and Redemption Heb. 9.12 Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the holy Place having obtained eternal Redemption for us In the Spirit infinite Virtue and Power for the applying of Christ's Purchase for he createth a new Spirit in us he createth the Fruit of the Lips Peace Peace It is God that must be satisfied and by God must this Satisfaction be made and by him that is God must this Satisfaction be applied before we can have the Comfort of it You have all in one Verse 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the fore-knowledg of God the Father through the Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience and the sprinkling of the Blood of Iesus Christ. So ver 21 22. VVho by him do believe in God that raised him up from the Dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope might be in God seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit In the Father we see Elective Love in the Son there is full Redemption and by the Spirit effectual Application The Father appoints Blessedness to us the Son purchaseth it for us and the Holy Ghost carrieth it on powerfully and invincibly The Salvation of poor Sinners is a Work wherein all the Persons of the blessed Trinity are engaged and do concur therein by a several distinct personal Operation Surely that is a noble Work wherein such Agents are imployed and our Hearts must be raised to give equal Glory to all the Persons knowingly and distinctly and explicitely The Father out of his good Pleasure electing Sinners to Grace and Glory The Son by his Obedience and Suffering purchasing the same for them The Holy Ghost by his Power working Grace in them and preparing them for that Blessedness which the Father hath appointed and Christ hath purchased for them 3. In believing of Christ as Mediator our Troubles are stopped at the Fountain-head It is not the Wrath and Fury of the Creature but the Wrath of God which maketh us miserable and nothing can fully comfort us if God be apprehended as an Enemy or not fully reconciled to us Now God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 There was Enmity stopped God in our Nature suffering for us dying for us and paying a full Ransom for our Sins so that now all true Believers may draw nigh to him as a reconciled God for Christ hath merited Favour for all those who come to God by him 4. By believing in Christ as Mediator we may be assured of his purchase of Glory for us which is the great Cordial against all Trouble whatsoever 1 Thess. 5.9 10. For God hath not appointed us to Wrath but to obtain Salvation by Iesus Christ who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him He biddeth them comfort one another with these Words ver 18. When a great Judgment is a coming upon Men because of their Sins a Believer is Affliction-proof because he hath secured his eternal Interests by Christ. Here our Lord Jesus telleth them he was going to Heaven to prepare a Place for them Whilst we flatter our selves with temporal
a Famous Physitian he desires to see him it is some Contentment to a sick Man to see him but when his Cure is wrought he much more rejoiceth So when we feel the Benefit in our own Souls it causes Joy Rom. 5.11 And 〈◊〉 only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now 〈◊〉 the Atonement A SERMON ON ROM IV. v. 18 19 20 21. Who against hope believed in hope that be might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy Seed be And being not weak in Faith he considered not his own Body now dead when he was above an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's Womb He staggered not at the Promise of God through Vnbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform WE are now come to handle the other Branch of Abraham's Faith A Believer hath but two Works to do to open the Eye of Faith and to shut that of Sense I shall speak of this latter now This Instance deserveth to be considered by us 1. Because he is called once and again The Father of the Faithful Ver. 11. and 16. meaning thereby that his Faith is the Pattern according to which our Faith is to be cut out or the Copy to be transcribed by us or as the Apostle's Expression is Verse 12. That we should walk in the steps of the Faith of our Father Abraham 2. Because this was great and grown Faith It is negatively expressed Ver. 19. He was not weak in Faith and affirmatively Ver. 20. That he was strong in Faith giving glory to God Now in Abraham's Faith we shall consider three things First The Ground of it Secondly The Excellency and Strength of it set forth by four Expressions 1. That he believed in Hope against Hope Ver. 18. 2. That he Considered not the Difficulties Ver. 19. He considered not his own Body now dead neither yet the deadness of Sarah's Womb. 3. That he staggered not at the Promise through unbelief Ver. 20. 4. That he had a full Perswasion of God's Power Being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able to perform Verse 21. Thirdly The Fruit and Effect of it an exact ready and self-denying Obedience to God not spoken of in the Text but to be supplyed from other Scriptures especially in those two eminent Acts of Self-denyal his leaving his Countrey and offering his Son Thus was Abraham's Faith tryed by Promises of things strange and incredible and by Commands of the hardest Duties First The Ground of his Faith was the Promise of God as is often implyed in the Text for it is said Verse 18. That he might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy Seed be And Verse 20. He staggered not at the Promise of God And Verse 21. Being fully perswaded that what he had promised c. There were many Promises made to Abraham but those to which the Apostle alludeth are contained in Gen. 15. as appeareth by his Dispute all along and the comparing the two Chapters Now the Promise was either general or particular 1. The general Promise Gen. 15.1 I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward That God would take him into his Protection and abundantly reward his Obedience The like Promise is made to all the Faithful Psal. 84.11 The Lord God is a sun and a shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly The only one and true God Father Son and Holy Ghost will exercise all his Wisdom Power and Goodness to protect us and deliver us from all evil and to give us all those Blessings which are necessarily required to make us fully and eternally Happy He will be a shield to save us and protect us either by way of prevention or removal of all evil both Temporal and Spiritual and he will be a reward to give us all good things yea a great reward yea again an exceeding great reward which cannot come short of Heaven's glory and eternal Happiness which is the Aggregation of all Blessings It is implyed also in the Metaphor of being a Sun to us Here he is as a Sun at its first rising shining upon us with his Morning beams of Favour and Compassion which are very cherishing and comfortable but then our Sun shall be in its Meridian when he shall directly fully and for ever shine upon the Saints 2. The other Promise was particular and thus occasioned When God had told Abraham that he would be his shield and exceeding great reward he replyed Lord what wilt thou give me seeing I go Childless and the Steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus And again Behold thou hast given to me no seed and lo one born in my house is mine heir Gen. 15.2 3. These words of Abraham imply some Diffidence or Conflict with Unbelief or a Weakness of Faith at least though they also may be conceived to represent his Condition to God and revive the remembrance of an old Promise made to him sometime before Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed And they in effect speak to this sense Lord how can I take Comfort in the promised Reward since I do not see the fulfilling of thy Promise touching my Seed But now mark the Lord's reply Ver. 4. This shall not be thine heir but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir that is thou shalt have Posterity the Promised Seed shall at length come of thy Loins And then God led him forth Verse 5. And he brought him forth abroad and said Look now toward Heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them Ocular demonstration leaveth a stronger impression upon the mind And he said unto him So shall thy seed be upon this Abraham believed in the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness Ver. 6. That is upon this he began to grow stronger in the Faith more and more overcoming the Doubts of the Flesh and embracing the great Promises which God had made him He was a Believer before but now he commenceth a strong Believer this is that which is said Verse 18. He believed in hope against hope that he might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken So shall thy Seed be Secondly The Excellency of his Faith in four Expressions I. He believed in hope against hope Abraham was still Childless and so remained for some Years after this Assurance from God and in the Course of Nature he had little reason to expect a Child but he hoped in the Word of God when according to the Order of Nature all hope of Issue was cut off We learn then that Spiritual Hope can take place when Natural Hope faileth as
the meanest and most abject form of Mankind not in any glorious Estate and Majesty Survey the whole course of his Life He was born of a Poor Virgin and instead of a better place laid in an Inn which probably being taken up by Persons of great Quality he was laid in the basest place of the Inn in a Manger His Birth was revealed to Poor Shepherds not to Emperours and Kings not to Caesar at Rome Presently after his Birth he was banished together with his Mother into Egypt and exposed to the Troubles and Toils of a long Journey into a strange Countrey for refuge Afterward till he appeared in his Ministry we read little of him His supposed Father a Carpenter and he himself called so Mark 6.3 Is not this the Carpenter He made Yoaks and Ploughs saith Iustin Martyr Certainly it is probable that as he submitted to other paâ—ts of the Curse so this In the Sweat of thy Brows shalt thou eat thy Bread In the course of his Ministry he suffered many affronts and reproaches Surely his Life was a Life of Sorrows we find him begging Water when thirsty Iohn 4.9 That a Fish payed Tribute for him Mat. 17.27 He had little Money and had no certain Residence and Place of abode but lived by Contribution Mat. 8.20 The Foxes have holes and the Birds of the Air have Nests but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head At his Death never was Child of God under so much Misery as Christ himself His own Heavens his own Father his own Godhead did hide their Face and Consolation from him Gods wrath pressed the weight of Punishment with the full Power of Justice both upon his Soul and Body Those for whom he died despised him He himself being emptied of all things which make men respected in the World was depressed lower than any Man and was as a Worm to be trod upon He was made a matter of common talk and reproach in all Mens Mouths condemned by the ruling part of the World and set at nought by the basest of the People derided and scorned in his most holy behaviour his bitter sufferings made matter of Sport and Laughter malice feeding it self with pleasure upon his pain and misery and expressing it self with the basest signs of mocking which disdain could devise flouring at his saving doctrine and insulting over him as if he had neither been the Son of God nor an honest Man And all this was counted little enough for satisfaction of Justice exacting of him the due punishment of our sins II. That this was his own voluntary Act. He made himself of no Reputation You may read that Men set him at nought Act. 4.11 This is the Stoâ—â— which was set at nought of you Builders nay we read Heb. 2.7 Thou madest him a little lower than the Angels It was an act of God himself Yet on Christs part it was voluntary undertaken for the Glory of God and the Good of Men. It was not imposed upon him by constraint without his consent or against his Will An act of love and an act of Obedience are truely consistent A punishment is imposed upon us against our Will but here was a voluntary susception of our burden none of this was due to him upon his own account but ours It was no punishment for his self-exalting but an act of gracious condescention This appeareth in Scripâ—ure two ways 1. In that what he was to do and undergo was proposed to him and he willingly accepted of the terms and conditions When no kind of Sacrifices and Offerings were sufficient to take away sin and save sinners then he said Lo I come to do thy will Heb. 10.6 7. It was told him what it would cost him if he would deliver and save Man kind all was written down in God's Book that he must be made under the Law take upon him the form of a Servant make his Soul an offering for sin How did he like these conditions I was not saith he rebellious neither turned away back Isa. 50 5. No he refused not the terms but cheerfully submitted to them I delight to do thy Will O God He delighted in the thoughts of it long ere it came about Prov. 8.31 Rejoicing in the Habitable part of the Earth and my delights were with the Sons of Men. And when it was to be actually done he repented not 2. The Scripture assigneth this work unto the love and condescention of Christ himself as the next and immediate cause of his ingaging in it and performance of it Gal. 2.20 I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Eph. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word Rev. 1.5 6. Vnto hiâ— that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood The Apostle telleth us 2 Cor. 8.9 Ye know the Grace of our Lord Iesus that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich He condescended to a poor and low condition and suffered therein for our good that we might be partakers of the riches of the Grace of God III. That this was for our sakes Christ hath a double Relation 1. As our Mediator Redeemer and Saviour 2. As the pattern and example of holiness in our Nature Both ways it was for our sakes 1. As our Mediator So he emptied himself that we might be filled with all Grace He was born of a Woman that we might be born of God Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him He was made a Curse that we might have the blessing Gal. 3.13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for Us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through Faith He was forsaken for a while thâ—t we might be received for ever And to speak to the very case 2 Cor. 8.9 He was made poor for us that we through his poverty might be rich There are some things in the mediation of Christ which belong to Ministry others to Authority Those which belong to Ministry as to be in the form of a Servant and die He must be a Man for that Some things belong to Authority as to bring us back to God to make our peace with God to convey the Spirit to vanquish Satan to raise the dead to deliver us from Hell to make us everlastingly blessed he must be a God for
knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome 2 Pet. 2.20 Vse 2. Is Exhortation to press you 1. To seek after Honour Glory and Immortality O this is the best Pursuit you can engage in What is better for you Can the World or the Devil propound any thing so good or better than this glorious Estate Are the dreggy Contentments of the Flesh the Vain-glory and Honour of the World the uncertain Riches we enjoy here worthy to come in competition with Eternal Life Surely in matter of Motive a Christian hath the Advantage however a carnal Man hath the Advantage in matter of Principle because in him it is wholly intire and unbroken 2. To Well-doing Surely you should not need many Arguments to press you to do well rather to press you to do ill should be the more difficult Task it is so contrary to our Reason and the right Constitution of our Natures but that we are strangely depraved O Christians what do we invite you to but to love God above all and seek his Favour in Christ and love your Neighbour as your self and by Temperance Purity and Chastity to preserve your own Vessels both Bodies and Souls in Sanctification and Honour Surely these Duties are not Gifts but Ornaments and such Subjection to God should be preferred before Liberty in Sinning 3. To continue with Patience I will press you to this by two Arguments 1. There will be always the same reason for going on that there was for beginning at first Did the Sense of your Duty invite you The same Bond of Duty lieth upon you still Did the Hopes of the World to come engage you Heaven is not yet obtained And will you lose all the Coâ—t you have been at already Gal. 3.4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain 2. There can be no Temptation great enough to recompense you for the loss of your Reward of Eternal Life Is it Reproach When Men despise God will honour thee and it is a blessed thing to be reviled for Righteousness sake Is it worldly Loss Better lose the World than lose our Souls Mat. 16.26 What will it profit a Man if he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Is Life in danger Losing Life for Christ is the way to save it And Iohn 11.25 Though he were dead yet shall he live Is it the continual reviving of Troubles In the other World there is nothing to assault thy Perseverance there thou art out of the Gun-shot of Temptations and shalt serve God without defect or difficulty there our Service is not troublesom to us A SERMON UPON 2 CORINTHIANS XIII 14 The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen MY Purpose is to open the Apostolical Benediction or Prayer for the Corinthians for our way of Blessing is only to pray for those whom we bless To love others is to desire their Good They that love best and most desire the best Good for their Friends and better Good there cannot be desired than that those we love may have God for their God Now they that have God for their God have all that is in God and all that is God God the Father Son and Holy Ghost will imploy all his Wisdom Power and Goodness to save them from all Evil and bring them to eternal Blessedness This is that which is prayed for in this place The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen In the Words we have The Thing prayed for together with the Persons from whom Or rather 1. The Matter of the Blessedness wished The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the Love of God the Communion of the Holy Ghost 2. The effectual Application to the Corinthians Be with you 3. The Confirmation of these Hopes and Desires in the word Amen 1. The Matter of the Blessing It consists of three Branches suted to the Persons of the Godhead 1st The Grace of Christ. 2dly The Love of God 3dly The Communion of the Holy Ghost 2. The effectual Application Be with you These things are with us or in us two ways 1. In the Effects 2. In the Sense 1. In the Effects when we have the Fruits of the Father's Love and Christ's Grace and the Spirit 's Operation That the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them John 17.26 2. In the Sense and Feeling when we comfortably know it is thus with us Ioh. 14.21 He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him Rom. 5.5 Because the Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us 3. The Confirmation of these Desires and Hopes in the word Amen which is Signaculum Fidei an Expression of Faith and Votum Desiderii an Eruption of our Desire and Love Doct. That all the Persons of the Blessed Trinity do concur to the Happiness and Salvation of Believers Here let me shew you I. How they do concur II. Why they do concur I. How they do concur Let us explain the Text. 1. Here are all the Persons of the Godhead mentioned God is taken personally for the Father and then Jesus Christ and the Spirit are distinctly mentioned So in other Scriptures 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the fore-knowledg of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Iesus Christ. The fundamental Cause of Salvation is the Election of God who when he had all fallen Mankind in his Prospect and View was pleased to choose out some to Grace and Glory passing by others Then there is Reconciliation ascribed to Jesus Christ and Sanctification to the Spirit as the Means by which this Purpose is brought about The Beginning is from God the Father the Dispensation is by Jesus Christ and the Application is through the Holy Ghost So also Titus 3.4 5 6. But after that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Iesus Christ our Saviour God the Father out of Love sent a Saviour by whose Grace we are saved and God the Son from God the Father sent God the Holy Ghost who applieth the Love of God and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ by renewing and healing our Natures So 2 Thess. 2.13 14. But we are bound to give Thanks always to God for you Brethren beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the Glory of the Lord
the poor Saints which are at Jerusalem What is in our Translation to make a Contribution for the Saints is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a Communion or Communication So 2 Cor. 8.4 Praying us with much Intreaty that we would receive the Gift and take upon us the Fellowship of the ministring to the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So 2 Cor. 9.13 And for your liberal Distribution unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So here the Communication of the Spirit If you will render it Communion this is the great Effect of the Love of God and the Grace of Christ that we are made Members of Christ's Mystical Body by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 For by one Spirit we are are all baptized into one Body And so are united to the Head and to one another by this Bond of Union The Church is a Mystical Body whereof Christ is the Head and the Holy Ghost is as it were the Heart of it the one guideth this great Body the other quickneth it Now in this Mystical Body we actually come to the Participation of what Christ hath purchased for us by the Holy Ghost 4. These make way one for another or work into each others hand for what the Father intended Christ purchased and the Spirit applieth God the Father is as the Fountain of Grace Jesus Christ as the Conduit or Pipe to convey it to us and the Holy Ghost the immediate Operator and Worker of it The Father of his good Pleasure electing Sinners to Grace and Glory the Son by his Obedience and Sufferings purchasing it that it may be brought about in a Way convenient for God's Honour the Spirit by his Virtue and Power working Grace in them There is not a different Effect from the Father which is not from the Son and from the Son which is not from the Spirit but they concur in an united Way that what cometh from the Father cometh from the Son and the Spirit the Father makes way for the Son's Work and the Son for the Spirit 's So back again the Spirit is said to honour the Son Iohn 16.14 He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you And the Son is said to glorify the Father Iohn 14.13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son The Spirit acts as sent by Christ and Christ as sent by the Father This is necessary to be regarded by us because as our Salvation in the general is from the Father through the Son by the Spirit so in all our Commerce with God God the Father as a Judg by the Spirit of Bondage sendeth us to Christ as Mediator and Christ as Mediator by the Spirit of Adoption sends us back again to God as a Father It is a great Help to Prayer Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father To whom are we praying To God as a Father Whence have we hopes of Audience By Christ. Who giveth us an Heart to come The Spirit II. The Reasons why they concur 1. That we may have the higher Esteem of the Work which hath such Agents concerned in it It is no slight thing to bring about the Salvation of lost Sinners all the Persons of the Godhead are at work about it and shall not we who are the Parties interested be employed about it also God is in good earnest for therefore before all Worlds he employed the Riches of his Wisdom and Grace to save us in this convenient Way 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore ordained before the Foundation of the World but was manifest in these last Times for you And who are we that the Thoughts of God should be taken up about us so long ago Jesus Christ hath spared no Pains to accomplish the Work of our Redemption but freely offered himself to this Work Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy Will O God He repented not his Undertaking but was fully contented if Souls may be saved Isa. 53.11 He shall see of the Travail of his Soul and shall be satisfied And the Holy Spirit continueth striving with us though often grieved by our Obstinacy and Disobedience Gen. 6.3 My Spirit shall not always strive with Man Isa. 63.10 They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit Many a Conviction do we smother and often check and resist his Motions yet he is importunate to prevail with us 2. That our Hearts may be raised to give equal Glory to all the Persons concerned We must honour the Son as we honour the Father as it is expresly said Ioh. 5.23 That all Men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him There is an Honour due to God only not to be given to any other Christ is equal with the Father in participating this Honour he is to have the same Glory of Believing Love Fear and Invocation So also for the Spirit he is an Object of Invocation for as the Apostle wisheth and desireth Love from the Father and Grace from Christ so a liberal Distribution and Communication of Gifts and Graces from the Spirit Now to excite us to give this due Respect to all the Persons every one concurreth in his way to promote our final Happiness and Salvation The Father deserveth this Esteem from us Many think of God the Father as all Wrath and Justice difficult to be reconciled to Man and of the second Person of the Trinity as more gracious and merciful No the Love of God is the Original of our Redemption God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all Rom. 8.32 And God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses to them 2 Cor. 5.19 And the Father himself loveth you John 16.27 Christ came to shew the amiable Nature of God Being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 Then for the Lord Jesus in Christ the Glory and Riches of the Grace of God doth more eminently and palpably appear This is the Contemplation of the Saints Iohn 1.14 And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only-begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Ephes. 3.18 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the Breadth and Length and Depth and Height and to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledg that ye might be filled with all the Fulness of God Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy Brethren Partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Iesus Christ. His Grace thus condescending to Men is more eminently seen Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us And Rev. 1.5 To him who loved us and washed us from
good without it All things are Mercy even those that fall out contrary to our Expectations Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God to them that are the Called according to his Purpose Well then they that know the want of Grace or the worth of Grace will earnestly seek it 3. Let me plead the possibility of obtaining it For the three Persons conspire and agree together not to your Ruine but Salvation Whatever may be expected from Infinite Love Eternal Merit and Almighty Power it is all offered to those that will seek after it There are none but are sensible that they need to address themselves to God for Pardon and a Blessing Now God is an holy God how shall Sinners deal with him As the Prophet said to Ahab If it were not that I regard the Presence of Jehoshaphat the King of Judah I would not look towards thee nor see thee 2 Kings 3.14 Whatever we seek and expect from God we must seek it from Jesus Christ who hath purchased all Isa. 53.5 He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his Stripes we are healed Ephes. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of Sins And he is appointed to bestow all that which he had purchased Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Remission of Sins And by his Intercession he doth apply all Heb. 7.25 VVherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Well then if we will go to Christ he sendeth us to the Spirit who worketh all and doth accomplish in us the Pleasure of his Goodness Go to the Spirit he must heal you and help you The Spirit sendeth us to the Means Acts 1.4 And being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father You shall find him present in the Ordinances O what Incouragement have we to be serious and in the use of the Means by which the Spirit worketh 4. We are obliged by our Baptismal Covenant Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Father Son and Holy Ghost take upon them to convey this Love Grace and Power and we take upon our selves to accept the Father for our Lord and Happiness Christ for our Redeemer and Saviour and the Holy Ghost for our Guide Sanctifier and Comforter to obey his Motions to use those Means whereby we may feel his Power to avoid those wilful Sins which may grieve the Spirit and cause him to suspend his Operations and Comforts There we are consecrated as Children to the true God consent to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and obey his Spirit Now make Conscience of this Vow Vse 2. Is to put us upon Self-reflection Is the Love of the Father and the Grace of Christ and the Communion of the Holy Ghost with us Do we seek our Happiness in Father Son and Holy Ghost Or do you consent that God shall be your God as reconciled to you in Jesus Christ 1. As to the Father Do you own him as your rightful Lord and are you willing to return to his Obedience by Jesus Christ Do you take him for your Portion and Felicity Do you expect to receive all your Happiness from him valuing and preferring his Favour and Love above all the Pleasures Profits and Honours of the World Psal. 4.6 There be many that say VVho will shew us any Good Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us Admiring it 1 Iohn 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! His Favour is Life Psal. 30.5 yea better than Life Psal. 63.3 Because thy Loving-kindness is better than Life my Lips shall praise thee Willing to forsake all rather than forsake him Behave your selves with that Thankfulness as those that owe your selves and all your Happiness to him 2 Cor. 5.14 15. The Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judg that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Carry it as those that are obliged by Love 2. Do you take Christ for your only Saviour and Redeemer giving up your selves to be saved by his Merits Righteousness and Intercession as he hath promised in the Word Do you trust your selves and Souls with him for Pardon Peace and endless Happiness depend upon his Covenant and Promises for Reconciliation with God and everlasting Fruition of him in Glory trampling upon all things rather than turn your Back upon your Redeemer's Grace 5. Do you yield your selves to the Holy Ghost Are you unfeignedly desirous to be rid of Sin as displeasing to the Holy God how dear soever it hath been to you And do you submit to the Spirit to be sanctified and perfected by degrees in the Means he hath appointed being ruled by his Motions rather than the Desires of the Flesh Do you observe his Accesses and Recesses and behave your selves accordingly FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Principal Matters Contained in this VOLUME A Page ABraham's Faith opened 1. In his clear sight of Christ to come 474 The Grounds of this Faith 475 The Strength of it 476 2. In overlooking the Difficulties that lay in the way of the Promise 482 The Grounds of this Faith 483 The Strength of it ibid. The Effects of it 488 Acceptance with God for the pardon of Sin the highest matter in the World 945 Account There are Books of Account kept between God and the Creature 261 At the Day of Iudgment these Books of Account shall be opened 262 All shall be called to an Account ibid. Iudgment shall pass upon all Men according to the Account then given 263 The Advantage of calling our selves often to Account ibid. Mens Account shall be answerable to their Mercies ibid. Adherence Resolute Adherence of Faith how seen 471 The Grounds of this resolute Adherence 472 Adoption How the Spirit witnesses of our Adoption 1135 Afflictions should not make us question our Adoption 1136 1139 Afflictions come from God 1133 Afflictions and Miseries may befal Gods ' People 1210 Bearing Afflictions becomes God's People 1137 We must not faint under Afflictions 765 Afflictions of the Righteous prove a Life to come 1215 Angels look into the Mystery of Redemption by Christ 918 What of this Mystery Angels look into ibid. The manner how Angels look into it 920 The Reasons why Angels look into it ibid. Angels fallen Why God would not save fallen Angels but fallen Men 658 Page
Barn and God feedeth them The Raven is a Bird of Providence Psal. 147.9 He giveth to the Beast his Food and to the young Ravens which cry The Raven assoon as it is hatched it is left to Prayer for the Crying of the Ravens is their Prayer Now ask the Beasts if there be not a Providence Job 12.7 But ask now the Beasts and they will teach thee and the Fowls of the Air and they shall tell thee These Creatures have no ordinary Means they neither sow nor reap nor gather into Barns the Lilies spin not and yet God feedeth and clotheth them And shall he not much more clothe you O ye of little Faith Mat. 6.30 3. Consider the fruitlesness of our Care unless God add a Blessing Ver. 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one Cubit to his Stature A Man never gets any thing of God by not trusting him He that will not take God's Word must look elsewhere The way to obtain earthly things is to be less careful and distracted about them 4. Consider it is for them to distrust who know no Providence or no particular Providence Ver. 32. For after all these things do the Gentiles seek Distrust and carking becometh none but those that will not grant a Providence Shall our Profession be Christian and our Practice Heathen 5. Set your Minds on a higher Interest Ver. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you You then promote both Cares at once Christianity is a compendious way the Body followeth the State of the Soul Man was made to contemplate and enjoy better things and when he doth so these things shall be given in over and above SERMON IX TITUS II. 12 Righteously c. I Now come to the second Branch wherein the Duty of Man is express'd and that is Iustice or Righteousness which implies the Duties of our Publick Capacity and Relation to others Tho the Discourse be moral yet it may conduce to spiritual Ends. Therefore let us see what may be spoken concerning Justice and Righteousness Justice is a Grace by which we are enclined to perform our Duty to our Neighbour There are many Distinctions usual in this Matter which I shall omit and only deliver you the Nature of this Grace in some general Rules and then shew you how much it concerns us to look after this Grace to be just and righteous in the Course of our Conversation First To give you the Nature of this Grace in some general Rules and they are such as these To give every Man his own to do Injury to no Man to make Restitution to bear the Injuries of others with Patience in many cases not to demand our own extreme Right to do as we would be done unto Publick Good to be preferred before Private and that according to our power we must be useful to others 1 st To give every Man his own This is laid down Rom. 13.7 Render therefore to all their Dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custom Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour This Due ariseth either by virtue of the Law of God or by virtue of a Bargain and Contract or by virtue of a voluntary Promise 1. There is a Due that ariseth by virtue of the Law of God such things cannot be dispensed with therefore the Obligation cannot be made void as for instance A Child is to honour his Parents by the Law of God and a Father cannot discharge his Child from Obedience as we may remit a Duty or thing that is due by Bargain and Contract because we have greater power over ... There is a Due to every one as Reverence to Parents Obedience and Tribute to Magistrates double Honour to Ministers and the Guides of the Church It 〈◊〉 Injustice to deny Parents a Respect it is Theft and Robbery to defraud Magistraâ—es of their Tribute or Ministers of their Maintenance it is not a Gift but a Deâ—◠〈◊〉 â—he Scripture saith they are worthy of double Honour 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elaâ—â—â—â—hat rule well be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Wâ—rd and Doctrine And it is not in a begging way as a Contribution but as an honorary Stipend Things that are due by natural Duty cannot be dispensed with as things due by Bargain and Contract because the Obligation cannot be made void 2. There is a Due that ariseth by way of Bargain and Contract Rom. 13.8 Owe no Man any thing but to love one another If Mony be borrowed but not restored it is Theft and Injustice If you bargain with another the full Bargain is due to him 1 Thess. 4.6 Let no Man go beyond or defraud his Brother in any Matter because that the Lord is the Avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified He is to enjoy his full Bargain The Apostle saw a need of enforcing this Doctrine in the Church to prevent the Iniquity of Traffick The Seller is not to work upon the Simplicity of the Buyer nor the Buyer upon the Necessity of the Seller but all things must be done equally else God will be offended But chiefly is this Iniquity committed and that it is in an high degree when the Reward you are to give is not bought with Money but earned with Labour Defrauding the Hireling and Servants of their Wages is a very crying Sin the greatest height of Iniquity it cries in the Ears of the Lord of Hosts Iames 5.4 Behold the Hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your Fields which is of you kept back by Fraud crieth and the Cries of them which have reaped are entred into the Ears of the Lord of Sabaoth God is their Patron This is a grievous Sin because it is their Life and their Support and Solace Deut. 24.14 15. Thou shalt not oppress an hired Servant that is poor and needy whether he be of thy Brethren or of the Strangers that are in thy Land within thy Gates At his Day thou shalt give him his Hire neither shall the Sun go down upon it for he is poor and setteth his Heart upon it lest he cry against thee unto the Lord and it be Sin unto thee It is often spoken of in Scripture There is a greater and more pressing Inconvenience to defraud the Labourer than to defraud others 3. Again there 's a Due ariseth by voluntary Promise We make our selves Debtors and it is part of Justice to make good our Promise though it be to our own hurt and loss Psal. 15.4 He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not All Promises must be kept but those that are evil and those are void in making Why because they are Bonds of Iniquity so they must be broken and not kept and again because they are contrary to the former Promise we have made to God to obey his Laws it is evil to make a sinful Promise and it is a
I shall I. Draw forth the Force of the Expression II. Give you the Reasons of it I. The Force of the Expression In this present World It implies three things timely Beginning zealous Discharge and final Perseverance Whatever we are to do upon the teaching of Grace we are to do it speedily earnestly constantly Speedily now or never take hold of the present Occasion Earnestly it is the Work of our Lives wherefore we are sent into the World and Constantly that is all the time of our living here 1. Speedily Now or never must it be done We must set upon this Work speedily upon two Grounds because time to come is uncertain and it is not fit to neglect it 1. Time to come is uncertain We have nothing to command but this Instant that which is to come is not in our Power One being invited to a Feast the next Day made Answer Ego à multis annis crastinum non habui For these many Years I never had a to Morrow The present Time is put into thy Hands thou hast no Security for the next Day but thy own Word and how is he the better assured that is Security to himself When you promise your selves many Years you are liberal upon another Man's Goods and it is the Fashion of Mad-men to reckon other Mens Estates to be theirs The Father hath reserved Times and Seasons in his own Power and taken them into his own Hands We are not Masters of a Day therefore now or never must we set upon this Work of living soberly righteously godly O how sad is it to be surprized and Death to find us unprovided 2 Pet. 3.14 Wherefore Beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of him in Peace This is the great Business of our Lives to be found in a Condition pleasing to God A Man should live every Day as he would be found of God for usually Death comes by way of Surprize it finds us before we look for it and steals upon us e're we are aware 2. Because it is not fit to neglect it till Death and to provide Work for that time when we need Cordials the Infirmities of Age and Sickness need Supports and not Work O how sad is this that many times we are going out of the World before we begin to think why we came into it Our great Business here is to save our Souls and when Time is gone then we begin to think of it He is a foolish Traveller that would set out at Night and begin his Journey when the Sun is setting and the Darkness of the Night is coming on so when Time appointed is gone then to think of saving our Souls It is too late to be sparing when we have spent all upon Prodigality The foolish Virgins came to buy Oil too late Who would expect to conquer then when his Enemy is strongest and himself weakest or purposely delay it till such a time If you do not presently set about the Work you do but provide Grief and Sorrow for your last Age when you are least able to bear it 2. Earnestly It is the Reason why we are sent into the present World It is the Work of our Lives We were not put into the World as Leviathan was put into the Sea to take our fill of Pleasure but we were sent into the World for our Trial and for our Exercise For this End was Life given us not to get Wealth and Honour and great Estates or only to eat drink and sleep and so live as if we were never to die and then die as if we were never to live more such lose the End of their Lives God hath appointed a Time for every thing under the Sun and the Time of Life is appointed to work out our Salvation and therefore it is but reason that our best Business should have the greatest Share of our Time and Strength and that this Work should go forward according to our Years still should you increase and be bettering your selves in the great Business of your Lives It is some Work of Grace to raise the Soul to desire Things within the Vail it is more to hope for them it is more to seize upon them as our Right and Portion and lay hold of eternal Life 1 Tim. 6.19 This is the great Work of our Lives first to raise up the Soul and carry it within the Vail to be always increasing our Assurance of Heaven and looking after a better Life Iohn 9.4 I must work the Works of him that sent me while it is Day the Night cometh when no Man can work Hereafter there is no Prophecy nor Labour nor Faith nor Repentance We have a little Time and a great deal of Work and a great many Temptations It 's a great Work to get out of a State of Nature into a State of Grace to fit our selves for a better World Now because we have no long Continuance here we should be doing it with all our Might Therefore let us not forget the main thing that which is the Business and Imployment of our Lives let not your Time pass unfruitfully for the Night cometh wherein no Man can work 3. Constantly It is in the present World as long as we are here without any Limitation and therefore it hints final Perseverance without which as good we had never begun It is notable that under the Law the Nazarite if he had made a Vow he should touch no Wine or any thing that was forbidden for so many Days or Months but if he had defiled himself before the Days of his Purification were accomplished he was to begin again Numb 6.12 The Days that were before shall be lost because his Separation was defiled So when we have renounced the Vanities and Delights of the World and given our selves to God all is lost when we turn Apostates and go off from a Course of Godliness Ezek. 18.24 But when the Righteous turneth away from his Righteousness and committeth Iniquity and doth according to all the Abominations that the wicked Man doth shall he live all his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his Trespass that he hath trespassed and in his Sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die As good never have begun if we fall off and tire before we come to the End nay in some respect it would have been better if we had never begun than not to have continued for it is said the latter End is worse with them than the beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 A Malefactor who hath made an Escape out of Prison if he be taken again he is loaded with Chains and Irons So when any have made some shew of Escape out of the Devil's Clutches by keeping a constant Course of Duty and Communion with God and then turns and breaks off again none in such Bondage and Slavery as they Nay and this Apostacy is a mighty Dishonour to Christ as well as a
of the Mouth of the Lion and this is called presenting his Spouse to God Ephes. 5.27 That he might present it to himself a glorious Church Christ hath shed his Blood and washed her clean and decked her with all the Jewels of the Covenant and then he shall present her to God and the Form of Surrender you have Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the Children God hath given me Behold here I am and all thou hast given me there is not one wanting O what a glorious Sight will this be to see the great Shepherd of the Sheep leading his Flock into their everlasting Folds and all the Elect following Christ with their Crowns of Glory upon their Heads singing to the Praise of the Lamb O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory c. To see them with Harps in their Hands triumphing thus in the Salvation of God all Enemies gone and the Church lodged in everlasting Habitations Besides consider the Acclamation and Applause of the Angels O how should we strive to be one of this Number 3. The next Consequent is the burning of the World that 's described at large 2 Pet. 3.10 11 12. how that Fire shall come out from God and burn and devour all things and melt the very Firmament Certainly that Fire is to be taken literally for it is opposed to Water the first Water by which the World was destroyed Now by this Fire I conceive the World shall not be consumed but renewed and purged because in the everlasting State God will have all things new he will not only have the Bodies and Souls of the Saints new but will have new Heavens and new Earth for it is a deliverance from the Bondage of Corruption Rom. 8.21 If the World shall be no more the Habitation of the Saints yet God will renew the World that it may be a continual Monument of his Power Now this burning of the World some place it in Preparation before the Day of Judgment but I conceive it is a Consequent for it seemeth to be an Instrument of Vengeance on the Wicked I will not say with the Schoolmen the feculent and drossy part of this Fire is reserved for the Torment of the Wicked in Hell but in general it shall be the Instrument of God's Vengeance upon them so much is asserted 2 Pet. 3.7 The Heavens and Earth that now are by the same Word are kept in store and reserved unto Fire against the Day of Iudgment and the Perdition of ungodly Men. There are some that say this Fire shall begin the Day of Judgment Et causam dicent in flammis the Wicked shall plead their Cause in Flames but this were to execute before the Sentence Sodom's Fire was dreadful but nothing to this Burning It was a dreadful Sight when God rained Hell out of Heaven and the poor tormented Creatures ran screeching and yelling to and fro because of those Flakes of Fire and Brimstone but this Fire shall come out of the Throne of the Lord Dan. 7.10 A fiery Stream issued and came out from before him to consume his Adversaries and to remain in Hell with them for evermore which will be much more dreadful God hath Diluvium Ignis as well as Aquae a Deluge of Fire as well as of Water As one saith very wittily As at the first he drowned the World propter ardorem libidinis because of the Heat of Lust so in the end he will kindle a Fire to burn the World propter teporem charitatis because of the Coldness of Love The Object of your Adulteries will be burnt God will have nothing impure in the everlasting State the World shall be purged with Fire Thus you have seen how the Appearance of Christ will be glorious II. Why the Appearance of Christ will be so glorious 1. To recompense his own Abasement His first Coming was in Humility he came riding upon the Fole of an Ass but now on the Clouds they are as it were his Royal Chariot Then he came with Fishermen a few Apostles to be his Messengers but now he comes with Angels Then he came in the form of a Servant to be judged now he comes as the Son of God to be the Judg of all the World When the Day of Judgment is spoken of Christ is called the Son of Man Mat. 25.31 When the Son of Man shall come in his Glory and all his holy Angels with him then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory Mat. 26.64 Hereafter ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right Hand of Power and coming in the Clouds of Heaven And Dan. 7.13 Behold one like the Son of Man came with the Clouds of Heaven and came to the Antient of Days and they brought him near before him Why so He that was the Son of Man that came in such a mean Condition at first shall then be glorious and so it taketh off the Scandal of his present Estate He that appeared in so low a Condition that was betrayed crucified spat upon pierced dead buried then shall be crowned with Glory and Honour When he came to teach us Righteousness he comes as the Son of Man but when he comes to reward Righteousness then he comes as the Son of God 2. That he might shew himself to be fully discharged of Sin The Glory bestowed upon his Humane Nature by God the Father noteth his plenary Absolution as our Surety We hear that he is taken up into Glory that God hath acquitted him that he was taken from Prison and from Iudgment Isa. 53.8 but then we shall see it with our Eyes when the Father sends him from Heaven with Power and great Glory At the first Christ came like a Man charged with Sin in the Garb of a Sinner therefore it is said Rom. 8.3 God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh. But then Heb. 9.28 He shall appear the second time without Sin The first time the World looked upon him as one that was forsaken stricken and smitten of God but then he comes as one that is honoured of God his second Coming shall make it evident that he is discharged of the Debt which he took upon himself The Apostle doth not say Those that look for him shall be without Sin but he shall be without Sin The discharge of our Surety is enough it is a sign the Debt is paid 3. He comes in great Glory that he may be as a Pledg and Pattern and Cause of our Glory Christ's Coming is still suted to his Work There is his first Coming and that is in Humility for we fell by Pride he came to redeem us therefore he comes humbly and lowly in the form of a Servant as one that came to suffer not to ruffle it in the World and tread upon the Necks of Kings Then there is his spiritual coming into the Heart to sanctify it this coming is invisible it is with great Power but hidden But when he comes to
Sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 Then it is of Use to make you constant in walking in the Fear of the Lord Eccles. 12.13 14. Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man For God shall bring every Work into Iudgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Especially it is an Engagement to Faithfulness in your Calling especially Ministers 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him Again it urgeth you to keep the Commandments Christ will bear you out Keep this Commandment without Spot unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Tim. 6.14 And then it presseth to Diligence He comes with Crowns in his Hands to reward all that are faithful to him 1 Pet. 5.4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away 2 Tim. 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall judg the quick and the dead at his Appearance and his Kingdom 1 Thess. 2. â—9 For what is our Hope or Ioy or Crown of rejoicing Are not even ye in the Presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his Coming The Day of Judgment respects our Callings especially as Ministers Christ's Officers must give an Account and in whatever Condition God hath set us in wherein he expects a Trial of our Faithfulness we are to consider what we must do SERMON XVIII TITUS II. 13 Of the Great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ. I Come to the Description of the Person who shall appear who is described by a Title of Power and a Title of Mercy and Love because in Christ's Person there is Greatness and Goodness mixt for he is called the great God there is his Attribute of Power and Majesty and then there is a comfortable Name and Title Our Saviour That both these Titles do belong to the same Person the Fathers have abundantly proved against the Arians In the Original there is but one Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that greaâ— God and our Saviour We have just such another Expression 1 Cor. 15.24 He shall deliver up the Kingdom to that God and Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to God even the Father So here the great God and Saviour that is the God that is the Saviour Besides there is another Argument that the Words must be referred to the same Person because it is never said any where the Father doth appear but only Jesus Christ and therefore the Appearance of the great God must needs be applied to Jesus Christ. I shall handle these Titles conjunctly and severally I. Look upon them conjunctly and together and there you may observe the mingling of Words of Power and Words of Goodness and Mercy in Christ's Stile and Title I observe it the rather because it is often found in Scripture But for what Reasons are these Titles of Mercy and Power thus mingled and coupled together 1. For the Comfort of the Saints to shew that Christ in all his Glory will not forget himself to be a Saviour At the Day of Judgment when he comes forth like the great God with all his Heavenly Train then he will own us and will be as tender of us as he was upon the Cross. The Butler in his Advancement when he was at Court and well at Ease forgot Ioseph in Prison but Christ in his Advancement doth not grow shy and stately We may have Boldness in the great Day for he will not only come as the great God but also as our Saviour We have the like Expression Heb. 8.1 2. We have such an high Priest who is set on the right Hand of the Throne of Majesty in the Heavens And what follows a Minister of the Sanctuary Jesus Christ certainly had a gracious Welcome into Heaven and was exalted by the Father but even now he is our faithful Agent in Heaven This is made to be the Excellency and Height of his Condescention that he came in the Form of a Servant in the Fashion of an ordinary Man poor and despicable then he came to do the Church Service and now he is gone to Heaven in all his Glory still he is there as a Servant as one that is to negotiate with God for holy things to tender our Prayers to the Lord and to pass out Blessings to us this is Christ's Imployment in Heaven 2. To shew the Mystery of Christ's Person in whom the two Natures meet there is not only the Majesty of the God-head but also the humane Nature by which he claims Kin of us I observe it because the Scripture takes notice of it Isa. 9.6 To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his Shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace What a Mixture of Titles is here He is called a Child yet the everlasting Father Wonderful yet the Counsellor one that is intimate with his People he gives sweet Counsel to them He is called the mighty God and then presently the Prince of Peace Christ's Person is the greatest Mystery and Riddle in the World he is God and yet Man He is as the Apostle saith Heb. 7.3 Without Father and without Mother as Melchisedec yet he had both Father and Mother a Father in Heaven and a Mother upon Earth He was without Mother as to his Divinity and without Father as to his Manhood Another Place where the same Method is observed Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the Man that is my Fellow He is called the Man but yet God calls him his Fellow our Brother and God's Son There are so many Mysteries that meet in Christ's Person that under the Law he could not be figured and represented by one Sacrifice Levit. 16.15 21. There were two Sacrifices chosen to represent Christ there was the Goat to be slain for the Sin-Offering and then the Scape-Goat one was not enough because there are in Christ two Natures a God that could not die and a Man that could not overcome Death The Goat that was slain shewed he was crucified in the Flesh and the Goat that was let go shewed that he did yet live by the Power of God 2 Cor. 13.4 For though he was crucified through Weakness yet he liveth by the Power of God Or as another Apostle hath it 1 Pet. 3.18 Being put to Death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit There was his humane Nature as he was Man that he might die to answer the Goat that was slain then his Divine Nature that he might live and overcome Death 3. To compare his two Comings and to show that Christ doth not forget his old Work His first Coming was in Humility to save not to judg Iohn 12.47 I
whenever we have to do with him Our Affections should be mix'd as Christ's Titles are It is said of the Church Acts 9.31 They walked in the Fear of the Lord and in the Comfort of the Holy Ghost This doth well together fear God and rejoice in God Do not dally with a Saviour and please your selves in cherishing a loose Comfort when you neglect Duty and are touched with no Awe of God and then do not indulge a legal Dejection the great God whom you dread and reverence is your Saviour Therefore are the Titles of Christ mix'd to beget a sweet Temperature of Fear and Love So much for the conjunct Consideration of the Words II. Let us come to handle them apart particularly but briefly First of the Stile of his Power The Great God Here is a pregnant Testimony of the Deity of Christ. Doct. That Iesus Christ together with the Father and the Holy Ghost is the Great God He is called the great God partly in opposition to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are only called Gods the Vanities of the Gentiles there are many that are called Gods 1 Cor. 8.5 6. For though there be that are called Gods whether in Heaven or in Earth as there be Gods many and Lords many but to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him And partly in opposition to the Gods of Man's making so the Devil is gotten to be a God The God of this World hath blinded the Eyes of them which believe not 2 Cor. 4.4 So we read of those whose God is their Belly Phil. 3.19 As the Strength of Mens Desires run out so they set up many Gods either Mammon or Bacchus And partly in Opposition to those representative Gods Magistrates who are called Gods Psal. 82.6 I said ye are Gods They resemble God in their Power and Soveraignty and Administration of Justice and large Opportunity of doing Good But the chief Reason why Christ is called the great God is to shew that he is not inferiour to the Father to remove the Scandal of his Abasement He is not a God by Courtesy or Grant but by Nature equal in Power and Majesty and Glory to God the Father To confirm this I shall prove First That considering his Work he ought to be God no inferiour Mediator could serve the turn Secondly That he is God and able to perform this Work First Consider his Work and so he ought to be God The Work of the Mediator could be dispatched by no inferiour Agent Consider the Mediator in all his Offices as Prophet Priest and King 1. For his Prophetical Office As a Prophet he was to be greater than all Prophets and Apostles It is above Man's Capacity to be the greaâ— Doctor of the Church In regard of his outward Work the Discovery of the Gospel and of the Riches of God's Grace it could be made by none but he that was in the Bosom of the Father Iohn 1.18 No Man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him None could tell us what Bowels what Affections what Purposes of Grace the Father had concerning Sinners but Christ that was in his Bosom Mat. 11.27 No Man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him As an external Law-giver in the Gospel Christ the great Doctor of the Church ought to be Authentick a Law-giver from whose Sentence there is no Appeal a Lord in his own House Heb. 3.4 5 6. For every House is builded by some Man but he that built all things is God And Moses verily was faithful in all his House as a Servant for a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken after but Christ as a Son over his own House Moses was but a Servant who received the external Law from Christ upon Mount Sinai it was Christ whose Voice shook the Mount Heb. 12.26 But chiefly in regard of his inward Work as he is to be a Fountain of Wisdom to all the Elect 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom Men may teach the Ear but Christ must teach the Heart Blind Men cannot see the Sun though it shine never so clearly Light is come into the World but Darkness comprehends it not we must have Eyes as well as Light now it is only Divine Power can open the Eye of our Understanding and give us spiritual Illumination 2. As for his Kingly Office a finite Power would never suffice for that Christ is to break the Force of Enemies to raise the Dead to pour out the Spirit to bestow Grace and Glory all these are Christ's Donatives as King of the Church As a King he is to be an Original Fountain of Life to all the Elect As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me John 6.57 All these things are the Glory of God which he will not give to another and they cannot be performed by any but God The Creatures are limited they have not such a Vastness in them that out of their Fulness we might receive Grace for Grace as we do from Christ Iohn 1.16 Of his Fulness have we all received and Grace for Grace 3. For his Priestly Office this shews he ought to be God Of this there be two Acts his Oblation and Intercession 1. For his Oblation and Sacrifice he must offer up himself one for all and that but once and that to expiate Sin and procure the Favour of God for ever now who could do this but God And he must offer up himself he must be Priest as well as Sacrifice therefore must have a Power over his own Life to lay it down and take it up and that no Creature hath for whether we live or die we are the Lord 's And thus had Jesus Christ an absolute Power of Life and Death over that Nature he assumed therefore it is said Heb. 9.14 Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God Then one must be offered for all 2 Cor. 5.14 If one died for all then were all dead Therefore that Person which suffered was to be virtually all those for whom he suffered that is infinitely as good and better than all Look as they said to David Thou art better than ten thousand of us so Jesus Christ that was given one for all must be such a Person as is better than all Men. A General given in Ransom will redeem thousands of private Souldiers so the Worth of Christ's Person made him equivalent in Dignity to the Worâ—h of all those whose Persons he sustained In all Ages his Death is a standing Remedy God had more Satisfaction than if Angels and Men had been made a Sacrifice And mark it was done but
for her Purification given her at the King 's Cost Nay it is danger to neglect him Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven It is God wooeth you he will take you with nothing you bring him nothing but Necessity but he will pay all your Debts Nay nothing can hurt you as long as he is on your side Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who can be against us Do not leave then till you can say as Thomas Joh. 20.28 My Lord and my God Take him but give him the Honour of a God Adoration Invocation Faith and Love Vse 3. Direction 1. If we would see God let us look on Christ as we look on the Sun in a Basâ—n of Water Christ is the Character of his Father's Person Heb. 1.3 Who is the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person 2. If we would see Sin without Horror and Despair let us look on Christ all the heavenly Powers could not bring us into favour with God again Secondly For the Title of Mercy and Love Christ is a Saviour as well as the great God How is Christ the Saviour Take it thus Positively as well as Privatively he doth not only free us from Misery but gives us all spiritual Blessings Ephes. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ. As he frees us from Misery so he gives us everlasting Life John 3.16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Then he is a Saviour not only by way of Deliverance but by way of Prevention he doth not only break the Snare but keeps our Feet from falling he not only cures our Diseases as a Physician when we are sick but he leads guides and keeps us as a Shepherd We do not take notice of preventive Mercy How many times might we fall if we had not a Saviour Prevention is better than Escape better never meet with Danger than be delivered out of Danger There is an invisible Guard we are not sensible of it but the Devil knows and is sensible of it Iob 1.10 Thou hast made an Hedg about him and about his House and about all that he hath on every side Again he is a Saviour by way of Merit and by way of Power not only to rescue us from Satan but to redeem us to God If a Man would deliver a condemned Person it is not enough to take him by force out of the Executioner's hands but he must satisfy the Judg. Thus hath Christ done not only delivered us from the Power of Darkness but God in Christ is well-pleased he hath satisfied his Father's Wrath. Again before his Exaltation he redeemed us then he deserved our Salvation and afterwards he works our Salvation When he was upon Earth he was a Saviour by Merit therefore it is said we have Salvation by his Death 1 Thess. 5.9 God hath not appointed us unto Wrath but to obtain Salvation by our Lord Iesus Christ who died for us And after his Exaltation he works out our Salvation and so we are saved by his Life Rom. 5.10 Much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life Living and dying he is ours that so living and dying we might be his Again he saves not only for a while so as we might be lost afterwards but for ever therefore it is called eternal Salvation Heb. 5.9 And being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him He saves us not only from Temporal Misery but from Hell and Damnation he saves not only the Body but the Soul Nay he saves not only from Hell but the very fear of it Heb. 2.15 And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their Life-time subject to Bondage He not only delivers us from the hurt of Death but the fear of it He doth not only give us Heaven but Hope and frees us from Bondage and Despair He not only saves us from the Evils after Sin but from the Evil of Sin So Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his Name Iesus for he shall save his People from their Sins and there is the chief Point of his Salvation In short he not only saves us in part but to the utmost Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save to the uttermost all that come unto God through him He not only gives us Grace at first but all things that are necessary to Life and Godliness Vse 1. Bless God for Christ that he hath taken the care of our Salvation into his own Hands he would not trust an Angel with it none was fit for it but him Isa. 59.16 He saw and there was no Man and wondred that there was no Intercessor therefore his Arm brought Salvation unto him and his Righteousness it sustained him Christ did as it were look down from Heaven and say Alas there are poor Creatuâ—es like to perish for want of a Saviour I will go down and help them my self Look as when Ionah saw the Storm he said Take me up and cast me into the Sea and then shall the Sea be calm to you Jonah 1.12 So when the Lord Christ saw the Tempest raised he said Cast me into the Sea Lo I come to do thy Will O God Heb. 10.9 The Storm was raised for Ionah's sake but we raised the Storm and yet Christ would be cast in to appease it Therefore bless God for Christ. Vse 2. Get an Interest in him O be not quiet till you are able to say Our Saviour You can take no Comfort in the great God until the next Title follows and you can call Christ your Saviour but that is matter of Joy and Comfort Luke 1.46 47. My Soul doth magnify the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour But what shall we do that we may apply this 1. Reject all other Saviours Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 Mark when God threatned a Deluge to sweep away the old World there was no Safety but in the Ark if the World had devised other Ships yet they would not hold out against the Flood So whatever you do unless you close with Christ and are grafted and implanted into Christ as Members of his Body for he is only the Saviour of his Body you are not safe But especially take heed of making a Saviour of Self that we are wont to set up instead of Christ of setting up the Merit of thy Works and the Power of thy Nature the one renounceth the Humiliation of Christ the other his Exaltation Be at a loss till you close with Christ for Christ came to seek and to save that which
Fathers were Idols and not Gods But how can it stand with the Providence of the true God to permit it and forsake Mankind so long Those Times of Ignorance God over-looked sent them no Means nor Messengers then but now he doth And so he teacheth them and us that it is not sufficient to follow the Religion of our Fore-fathers unless they had followed the Will of God If God over-looked them and vouchsafeth you more Grace you must not be prejudiced by the Tradition but improve the present Advantage 2. He as much as in him lieth taketh off the Prejudice of the Practice of former Times by a prudent and self-censure As also elsewhere 1 Cor. 2.8 Which none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory 3. He insinuateth that Ignorance doth not wholly excuse those that err but rather commendeth the Lord's Patience Secondly The Duty of the present Time 1. The Duty pressed is Repentance The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repentance is a returning to our Wits again We were sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish Tit. 3.3 When the Conversion of the Nations is spoken of it is said Psal. 22.27 All the ends of World shall remember and turn unto the Lord as if they were asleep distracted or out of their Wits before the Light of Christ's Gospel shined into their Hearts not making use of common Reason We never act wisely nor with a Condecency to our reasonable Nature till we return to the Love and Obedience of God 2. This is here represented not as an indifferent and arbitrary thing but as expresly and absolutely commanded God's Authority is absolute if he hath commanded any thing Contradiction must be silent Hesitation satisfied all Cavils laid aside and we must address our selves to the Work speedily and seriously without delaying or disputing or murmuring God doth not advise or intreat only but commandeth or interposeth his Authority Now to break a known Command especially of such weight and moment is very dangerous Luke 12.47 That Servant which knew his Lord's Will and prepared not himself neither did according to his Will shall be beaten with many Stripes James 4.17 To him that knoweth to do Good and doth it not to him it is Sin A Man in the dark may easily err and go astray but while we know better and what is the express Will of God concerning us we must set our selves to do it 3. As universally required all Men every where not only Iews but Gentiles and not some sort of Gentiles but all you Athenians and all the World this universally bindeth Some must turn from their Idols but all from their sinful Ways Whosoever will not repent when God calleth for Repentance they smart the more for it Impenitency under the Means is the worst sort of Impenitency I may say as Christ Luke 13.5 Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish II. The Argument or Motive Which we considered 1. As propounded 2. As confirmed First As propounded Where note 1 st The Time He hath appointed a Day wherein he will judg the World 2 dly The manner in Righteousness 3 dly The Person By that Man whom he hath ordained These Circumstances must be opened and then we must consider how they make an Argument For opening the Circumstances 1 st The Time appointed but not revealed He hath appointed a Day The word Day is not taken strictly for such a space of Time as is usually signified by that Notion but it is put for a certain fixed space of Time The Work cannot well be dispatched in twenty four hours There is Iudicium discussionis Iudicium retributionis a Judgment of Search or Trial and a Judgment of Retribution Tho by the absolute Power of God they may be commanded into their everlasting Estate in an instant yet the Causes of the whole World cannot be discussed in an instant especially when God designeth the full Revelation of his Justice in all his Proceedings with Men. Therefore the Apostle calleth that Day the Day of the Revelation of the righteous Iudgment of God Rom. 2.5 When this time will be we cannot tell for God hath not revealed it Mat. 24.36 But of that day and hour knoweth no Man no not the Angels in Heaven but my Father only And therefore it is Curiosity to enquire and Rashness to determine Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the Times or the Seasons which the Father hath put in his own Power It is enough for us to believe the thing which is not strange to Reason that God should call his Creatures to an account Natural Conscience is terrified with the hearing of it Acts 24.25 As Paul reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Iudgment to come Felix trembled And the same guilty Fears are incident to all Mankind Rom. 1.32 Knowing the Iudgment of God they know also that they who have done such things as they have done are worthy of Death That we are God's Subjects is evident to Reason because we depend upon him for Life Being and all things that we have failed in our Subjection to God in denying the Obedience due to him is evident by the universal daily and sad Experience of the whole World that Error and Sin will not take place to all Eternity but that there must be some time when the Disorders of the World shall be rectified is a Truth that easily maketh its own way into the Consciences of Men but is fully determined by the Gospel 2 dly For the manner He will judg the World in Righteousness that is then the whole World shall receive the fruit of their Doings whether they be good or evil But doth God ever judg the World otherwise than in Righteousness I cannot say that for far be it from the Iudg of all the Earth not to do right Gen. 18.25 He never doth any thing unjustly or unrighteously now but then he will fully manifest his Righteousness He now judgeth the World in Patience but then in Righteousness There is a difference between a defect of Justice and a Transgression of the Rules of Justice There is no Injustice in God's Dispensations of present Providence but yet there is a Defect or not a full measure or manifest Demonstration of his Justice shewed now on the godly or the wicked Therefore it is said Eccles. 8.14 There be just Men to whom it happeneth according to the Work of the Wicked and again there be wicked Men to whom it happeneth according to the Work of the Righteous He doth not pass this Censure upon the wise and righteous Providence of God but either speaketh according to the Judgment of Flesh and Blood which is apt to judg hardly of so strange a Distribution or according to the visible Appearance of things when evil things happen to good Men or good things to evil Men. For outward things being not absolutely good and evil are dispensed promiscuously and in the day
of great Authority and Influence over the Carnal World of great cunning and dexterity in setting our Sins a work certainly unless we be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might there is no standing Eph. 6.10.12 compared But why hath God left it impossible to Man when he hath offered hopes by the New Covenant 1. That all the Glory of the Good that is in us may redound unto his Grace Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved That is God's End in the New Covenant that we might ever admire and highly esteem his Glorious Grace And therefore it is not only Grace that opens the Door that removes the flaming Sword that is against us that takes away the Curse of God but in the whole business of Salvation all is to be ascribed to Grace It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9.16 the words willeth and runneth are considerable The Lord that brings us into this State keeps us in this State 2. To keep the Creature in a constant Dependance upon him and that he might often hear from us As long as a Man is sufficient to himself he never comes to God Ier. 2.31 We are Lords and will no more come unto thee If a Man had the Dominion over his own Spirit and were sufficient to himself God would never hear from him The Prodigal went away from his Father when he had his Portion in his own hands and he never thought of returning till he had spent all and began to be in want Luk. 15.14 Thus should we do with God Prayer and all trading with Heaven would cease if we were sufficient of our selves as to do any thing and therefore with Man it is impossible VSE First Take heed that you do not make a wrong Use of this Impossibility namely so as to be discouraged and throw off all as if there were no hope God hath left it so as that we may despair of our own Strength but not of his Help We should not be discouraged since he worketh in us what he requireth of us 1. God can overcome all this Difficulty He that made the Heart is above it and can frame it to himself Evangelical Difficulty lyes in three things the Corruption of our Nature outward Impediments and Satans Opposition Now the Scripture represents God as able to do all for us he can change our Hearts sanctifie our Condition and help us to vanquish our Temptations 1. He can change our Hearts by Regeneration Alas we cannot change our Natures or turn our selves to God and therefore we are apt to be cast down when we look upon God's holy Ways and the strength of our own Lusts but God is able to change those Hearts of ours and take away their Reluctancy not by making a violent Impression as we force a Stone upward but by imprinting in our Hearts the Habits of Grace whereby we are carried out willingly in the Ways of God and so our Business becomes easie Titus 3.4 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost No man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6.44 And draw me and we will run after thee Cant. 1.4 He puts forth his mighty Power upon the Heart and changeth the bent of our Souls and so we come in 2. God can sanctifie our Condition that it shall not be a Snare Christians whatever you think of it it is not easie to keep your selves unspotted from the World to live in the midst of so many Temptations and to carry on an Equal holy heavenly Frame of Heart such as the Apostle mentions 1 Cor. 8 30 31. It remains that they that have Wives be as tho' they had none and they that weep as tho' they wept not and they that rejoyce as tho' they rejoyced not and they that buy as tho' they possessed not and they that use this World as not abusing it This is our Duty But how shall we do to get such a weaned Heart With Man it is impossible but not with God He can give a Rich Man such Grace as to contemn the World to lay up Treasures in Heaven and upon Religious Reasons to leave all for Christ's sake God taught Paul this Holy Weanedness Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need And he can teach it you if you will wait upon him Our own Natural Spirits indeed carrieth us quite another way Iames 4.5 6. The Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy but he giveth more Grace Our Natural Spirit is all for Temporal things it envies the greatness of others it designs for our selves but when Lusts rage he can bridle them the Lord is able to give us a holy Weanedness and Moderation of our Desires in the midst of all those Baits and Snares that we are compassed about withal 3. To Conquer Temptations It is God that rescues the Prey and plucked us at first by a strong hand out of Satan's Power Luke 11.21 22. When the strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his Armour wherein he trusted and divideth his spoils God can bind Satan and dispossess him and recover you out of the snares of the Devil wherein you are taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 And when we are once in a State of Grace he can preserve you in despite of Men and Devils The World assaults the Children of God with great Force and Power and the Devil is in the Design But saith the Apostle Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World John 4.4 God is greater in Counsel greater in Strength greater in his Providence and watchfulness for the good of his People Till this Divine Power interpose it can never be 2. We have no Reason to doubt of his Will for he hath promised to take away the Heart of Stone Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your Flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh There is nothing within the Compass of our Christiaâ— Calling of which we have not a Promise in the Covenant The Precept and the Promise go hand in hand therefore the Promise will be made good and so we have no Reason to despair but humbly wait upon God in the use of means till these Promises be accomplished Secondly What Use shall we make of it then Go to God for this Power and give all the Glory of any Saving Grace wrought in us by this
what they say nor whereof they affirm only ignorantly and inconsiderately swallow down the Current Opinions without knowing the certainty of those things wherein they have been instructed Luke 1.4 And so though they never doubted of the Truth of their Religion it is because they were never assaulted with Temptations to the contrary and all the strength of their Faith lyeth in their Inconsideration or Non-attention If they have any ground and bottom it is only Men's saying so and therefore their Belief if they have any should rather be called Humane Credulity than Christian Faith In short they that believe every thing believe nothing which soon appeareth when a Temptation cometh 2 dly It distinguisheth it from Conjecture which is a lighter Inclination of Mind to a thing as possibly or probably true whereby Men get no higher than it may be so and yet there are shrewd suspicions to the contrary A guess is not an Assent much less a firm and strong Assent as Faith is 3 dly It distinguisheth it from Opinion which is a trembling fearful uncertain Assent Opinion is beyond Conjecture but short of Faith Conjecture only supposes it may be so but Opinion asserts that it is so though not without some fear of the contrary but above all this Faith is an undoubted perswasion of the Truth of things revealed by God By Opinion one may be so convinced of the Truth of Divine things as not to be able reasonably to contradict them but by Faith a Man is so convinced of the Truth of the Gospel that he seeth all the reason in the World to embrace and follow it Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ And 1 Thess. 1.5 For our Gospel came not unto you in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake And Heb 10.22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water 2. The next Qualification of this Assent is that it is a Cordial or Hearty Assent I mean such as doth engage the Will and Affections to pursue the Happiness which God hath revealed in the way and by the means which God hath prescribed We read in Scripture of believing with the heart Rom. 10.9 10. and with all the heart Acts 8.37 The Object of Faith is not only true but Good and therefore produceth a Cordial Adherence to the Truths of which it is perswaded There is not only a Conviction of the Mind but a bent and Inclination of the Will which followeth the perswasion of Faith if it be firm and strong for it considereth not only the evidence of the things propounded but the worth weight and greatness of them 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation otherwise it will not serve the end and purpose of the Gospel which requireth us to Crucifie our Lusts and Sacrifice our Interests and perform Duties displeasing to Corrupt Nature and all this upon the Hope 's only which it offereth to us and to wait upon God for his Salvation in the midst of all Pressures and Afflictions Therefore certainly Believing is an Heart business not a simple naked and speculative Assent This latter Qualification doth exclude two things from true Lively and Saving Faith First That which Divines call Historical 2 dly That which they call Temporary Faith 1. Historical Faith which is a simple and naked Assent to such things as are propounded in the Word of God and maketh Men more knowing but not better not more Holy and Heavenly they are not excited thereby to pursue that Happiness which the Gospel offereth in the way of Holy Living or patient continuance in well-doing So Simon Magus believed the preaching of Philip Acts 8.13 yet his Heart was not right with God but he still remained in the Gall of bitterness and bond of Iniquity And so many believed in the Name of Christ to whom Christ committed not himself because he knew all men Joh. 2.23 24. And this Faith even the Devils may have Iam. 2.19 Thou believest that there is a God thou dost well the Devils also believe and tremble and that not only in Truths evivident by Natural Light such as that is there mentioned that there is a God but in Gospel Truths as that Jesus is the Son of God Mark 1.24 The Devil cryed out saying Let us alone what have we to do with thee thou Iesus of Nazareth I know thee who thou art the Holy One of God Now this kind of Faith is called Historical Faith not from the Object of it as if it did only believe the Histories of Scripture No they that have it may believe the Promises the Doctrines the Precepts as well as the Histories but from the Manner in which it is conversant about its Object namely thus As we read Histories in which we are no way concern'd we nakedly read them for Knowledge sake not to make a party in their Broils and Interests but only to know what was done so they that have only this kind of Faith read the Scriptures as Persons unconcerned and rest in idle Speculation without referring those notable Truths to choice and practice I cannot say that this cannot be called Faith because they that have it do believe those things which are true and do truly believe them but yet lively Saving Faith it is not for he who hath that findeth his Heart engaged to Christ and doth so believe the Promises of the Gospel concerning pardon of Sins and Life Eternal that he seeketh after them as his Happiness and doth so believe the Mysteries of our Redemption by Christ as that all his Hope and Peace and Confidence is drawn from thence and doth so believe the Commandments of God and Christ as that he determineth to frame his Heart and Life to the observance of them and doth so believe the Threatnings whether of Temporal Plagues or Eternal Damnation as that in comparison of them all the frightful things of the World are as nothing Luke 12.24 Be not afraid of them that can kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do Destruction from God is a Terrour to them beyond all the Evil that Man can threaten As he said to the Emperour Thou threatenest a Prison but Christ threateneth Hell 2. It is distinguished from Temporary Faith which is an Assent to Scriptural or Gospel Truth accompanyed with a slight and insufficient touch upon the Heart called a taste of the heavenly gift and of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come Heb. 6.4 5 6. By this kind of Faith the Mind is not only enlightened but the Heart affected
with some Joy and the Life in some measure reformed at least from grosser Sins called escaping the pollutions of the World 2 Pet. 2.20 But the Impression is not deep enough nor is the Joy and Delight rooted enough to encounter all Temptations to the contrary Therefore this sense of Religion may be choaked or worn off either by the Cares of this World or voluptuous Living or great and bitter Persecutions and Troubles for Righteousness sake It is a common Deceit many are perswaded that Jesus is the Christ the only Son of God and so are moved to embrace his Person and in some measure to obey his Precepts and to depend upon his Promises and fear his Threatnings and so by consequence to have their Hearts loosned from the World in part and seem to preferr Christ and their Duty to him above worldly things as long as no Temptations do assault their Resolutions or sensual Objects stand not up in any considerable Strength to entice them But at length when they find his Laws so strict and Spiritual and contrary either to the bent of their Affections or worldly Interests They fall off and lose all their Taste and relish of the Hopes of the Gospel and so declare plainly that they were not rooted and grounded in the Faith and Hope thereof This is true Faith generally considered which Foundation being laid it will be easie to shew the Nature of Special Faith which now followeth to be discussed Secondly The Special Objects of Faith are God's Transactions about Man's Salvation by Christ therefore besides the General Faith there is a Special Faith whereby we receive Christ and rest upon him Saving Faith is called a receiving of Christ Ioh. 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name And Col. 2.6 As ye have received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him We take him as God offereth him and to the ends for which God offereth him to do that for us and to be that to us which God hath appointed him to do for and to be unto poor Sinners The General Work of Christ as Mediatour is to bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God And the great use that we make of him is to come to God by him There is implyed in Faith an Intention of God as our Chiefest Good for otherwise Christ is of no use to us and a Consent to Christ's undertaking that he may bring us to God or a thankful acceptance of him for those ends All they are rejected that will have none of him Psal. 81.11 12. But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me so I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own Counsels That will not come to him that they may have life John 6.40 That will not have him to reign over them Luke 19.27 But they who consent to receive him as their Lord and Saviour are accepted with him only let us see how this Consent is qualified 1. It is not a Rash Consent but such as is deliberate and serious and well-advised When God in the Gospel biddeth us to take Christ Men are ready to say With all their Hearts but they do not consider what it is to receive Christ and therefore retract their Consent as soon as 't is made No you must sit down and count the Charges Luke 14. When you have considered his strict Laws and made a full allowance for incident Difficulties and Temptations and can resolve forsaking all others to cleave to him alone for Salvation it is an advised Consent 2. It must not be a forced and involuntary Consent such as a Person maketh when he is frighted into a little Righteousness for the present such as a Person would not yield to if he were in a State of Liberty It may be in a distress or pang of Conscience by all means they must have Christ when Sick when afraid to dye when under some great Judgment No the Will must be effectually enclined to him and to God the Father by him as our utmost Fecility and End Christ's People are a willing People Psal. 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power 3. It must be a resolved Consent a fixed not an Ambulatory Will which we take up for a purpose or at some certain times for a solemn Duty or so No you must cleave to him Acts 11.23 He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. You must trample upon every thing that will seperate you from him Phil. 3.8 9. Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dâ—ng that I may win Christ c. And Rom. 8. from the 36 th to the end I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor heighth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. 4. It must be not a partial Consent but Total not only to take Christ as offered with his Benefits but a Consent of Subjection to him as our Lord. We are to take him and his Yoke Mat. 11.29 Take my Yoke upon you and learn of me We are to take him and his Cross Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me It is accompanyed with a Resolution to obey his Laws and keep his Commandments that we may abide in his Love Thirdly Besides this Consent there must be a Recumbency Dependance Resting or a fiduciary Relyance upon him for all things we stand in need of from him Recumbency is a Special Act of Faith Isa. 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Now what do we rest upon him for For somewhat Here and somewhat Hereafter 1. Here For the Inward Man for all kind of Grace Justification Sanctification Priviledges Duties for the Beginning and Continuance Phil. 1.6 Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it untill the day of Iesus Christ And Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins He is the Author and Fountain of Grace as well as a Lord and Law-giver and the ground of our Hope and Confidence as giving us that Righteousness whereby we may stand before God and have comfortable access to him And then for the Outward Man God hath not only undertaken to give us Heaven and Happiness in the
destroyed him that had the Power of Death This was a necessary means of Conquest and Christ must overcome Satan by suffering himself to be overcome visibly by him The Devil doth not conquer Christ by Death but Christ doth conquer him And still all the Temptations of the Devil are but the wounding of the Heel the Loss is not great to Christ or his Members As Dan is compared to a Serpent by the Way or an Adder in the Path that biteth the Horse-heels so that his Rider shall fall backward Gen. 49.17 Such is the Craft of Satan he doth not usually bring Temptations before our Reason but they enter in at the Back-door of Sensual Appetite but tho he bite the Heel the Life of Grace is secured Satan prevailed so far against Christ that his wicked Instruments brought him to the Cross pursued him to the Death there But 2 Cor. 13.4 Though he was crucified through VVeakness yet he liveth by the Power of God Or as it is in 1 Pet. 3.18 Being put to Death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit So for Christians he may divers ways wound and afflict us in our outward Interests but the inner Man is safe 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day Nay we may be bruised in the Heel by divers Temptations and Slips into Sin yet the Vitals of Grace are not hurt there is no total Extinction of our Love to God I should come now to the fourth Branch That tho Christ was bruised in the Conflict yet it endeth in Satan's total Overthrow His Heel was bruised but Satan's Head was crushed But of that anon In the mean time by way of Use let me press you chearfully to remember and celebrate this Victory of Christ. The Duty we are engaging in is an Eucharist and we come to rejoice in God our Saviour Let me bespeak you in the Psalmist's Words Psal. 98.1 O sing unto the Lord a new Song for he hath done marvellous things his right Hand and his holy Arm have gotten him the Victory Or Psal. 118.15 16. The Voice of Rejoicing and Salvation is in the Tabernacle of the Righteous The Right Hand of the Lord doth valiantly The Right Hand of the Lord is exalted the Right Hand of the Lord doth valiantly Psal. 106.2 Who can utter the mighty Acts of the Lord who can shew forth all his Praise 1. The Conqueror is the Seed of the Woman or the Son of God incarnate O let us bless God for so great a Mercy Luke 1. from 68 to 76. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People and hath raised up an Horn of Salvation for us in the House of his Servant David as he spake by the Mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the World began That we should be saved from our Enemies and from the Hand of all that hate us to perform the Mercy promised to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant The Oath which he sware to our Father Abraham that he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the Hands of our Enemies might serve him without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the Days of our Life What shall the Son of God come from Heaven to subdue the Kingdom of Satan and to deliver Men from this Bondage and we be no more affected with it 2. The Manner of Overcoming it is by suffering a shameful painful and accursed Death Rev. 1.5 6. Vnto him that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and made us Kings and Priests to God and his Father to him be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen Again Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and VVisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Rev. 5.12 And ver 9. For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation That by a Death which he deserved not he should destroy the Death which we deserved 3. Who is overcome The Devil Rev. 12.10 Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the Accuser of our Brethren is cast down who accused them before our God day and night Ver. 11. And they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and the VVord of their Testimony and they loved not their Lives unto the Death Ver. 12. Therefore rejoice ye Heavens and ye that dwell in them VVo to the Inhabitants of the Earth and of the Sea for the Devil is come down unto you having great VVrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short Time O Christians what will raise your Hearts in Thanksgiving to God if not these three Arguments which I have plainly mentioned to you for the Matter needeth no Descants The Incarnation of the Son of God who came as the Seed of the Woman that he might free Mankind from the Power the Devil had over them by Sin Then the Merit and Satisfaction of our Saviour for he was bruised in his Heel And then the dissolution of Satan's Power and the freeing of Mankind out of his Hands either as a Tempter or a Tormentor 4. The Effects of the Victory when 't is applied to us I shall mention three 1. Our Conversion to God and the destruction of Sin in our Hearts or our actual deliverance from Satan Luke 11.21 22. VVhen a strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in peace but when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his Armour wherein he trusted and divideth his Spoils This was our Case All was in a sinful Quiet and Peace When Wind and Tide go together no wonder if there be a Calm Satan's Suggestions and our Corruptions suted the one with the other But blessed be God that this carnal Security is disturbed that the Kingdom of God is come upon us that Christ by a sacred Rescue hath dispossessed Satan and destroyed Sin O let us give Thanks unto the Father who hath made us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light who hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.12 13. 2. Remission of Sins Acts 26.18 To open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith that is in me Col. 1.13 14. VVho hath delivered us from the Power of Darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son in whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the forgiveness of Sins Christ's Subjects have the Privileges of his Kingdom Now bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O
it especially the Sick and the Dying He that formerly tempted then beginneth to trouble and he that formerly shewed you the pleasant Baits of Sin will then shew you the Hook he who now representeth Pardon easy will then represent it as impossible And when Death cometh he hath Power to hale away the Sinner to Torments For as the good Angels carry the Souls of the Faithful to Christ Luke 16.22 23. so probably the Devil hath a Power to carry them to Hell Now as the Devil hath this Power of Death he bringeth Men into Sin that he may bring them into Terror Yea Satan hath a great hand in the Troubles of Conscience which befal God's Children Well then how is this Power destroyed By satisfying the Law Christ destroyeth the Power of the Devil For first he blotted out the Hand-writing that was against us and then spoiled Principalities and Powers Col. 2.14 15. And when he doth actually justify we feel the Comfort and Benefit of it Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth Who shall condemn It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right Hand of God who also maketh Intercession for us Our Advocate is more gracious in Court than our Accuser having payed our Ransom and interceding for us and pleading it what Accusation from the Law can stand against those who have imbraced this Gospel 3. The Being of Sin For while it remaineth there is somewhat of Satan left which he worketh upon There is a Remnant of his Seed in the best the Godly are yet in the Way but not at the end of the Journey and therefore he hath leave to assault them while they are here but Christ will perfect the Conquest which he has begun and so the very Being of Sin shall at length be taken away Iude 24. To him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the Presence of his Glory And Eph. 5.27 That he might present it to himself a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish At Death Sin is totally disannulled the Physician of our Souls will then perfect the Cure As in the first Moment of our Birth we were Sinners so in the Moment of our Expiration all Sin dieth Christ taketh that time to finish his Work No Sinner can enter into the State of Bliss but the Vail of the Flesh being rent we are immediately admitted into the sight of God and so made exactly perfect 2 dly As to the general Case or his Interest in the corrupt World It is true the Kingdom of Satan yet remaineth But he doth and shall divide the Spoil with the Strong Isa. 53.12 Therefore will I divide him a Portion with the Great and he shall divide the Spoil with the Strong And though his Doctrine and Religion meeteth with Opposition in the World yet it doth prevail upon Opposition and against Opposition and by Opposition when in the Seasons of it he cometh to set his Kingdom on foot Rev. 6.2 I saw a white Horse and he that sat on him had a Bow and a Crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering and to conquer This is an Emblematical Representation of the Rise and Progress of Christ's Kingdom Where you may note his Furniture a Crown and a Bow The Crown noteth his Dignity the Bow his Armour and Strength Psal. 45.3 4 5. Gird on thy Sword upon thy Thigh O thou most Mighty with thy Glory and Majesty and in thy Majesty ride prosperously because of Truth and Meekness and Righteousness and thy Right Hand shall teach thee terrible things Thine Arrows are sharp in the Heart of the King's Enemies whereby the People fall under thee Christ having the Grant of a Kingdom over the Nations is every way furnished with Power to obtain it by Means proper to the Mediatory Dispensation by his Word Spirit and Providence 1. His Word which is called the Rod of his Strength Psal. 110.2 The Weapons of our Warfare are not carnal but mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 When Christ will work the World cannot resist its convincing Power those that feel it not fear it John 3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be reproved 2. His Spirit Now what can stand before the mighty Spirit of God convincing Men of the Truth of his Religion John 16.8 9 10 11. And when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Iudgment Of Sin because they believe not on me Of Righteousness because I go to the Father and ye see me no more Of Iudgment because the Prince of this World is judged Shewing hereby Christ was the Messiah and therefore they were guilty of great Sin who did not believe on him That he was a righteous and innocent Person and no Seducer because Christ rose from the Dead and went to the Father That he was an exalted Prince above Satan and whatever things were looked upon as Divine Powers Many that were not converted were convinced of this 3. His Providence All Judgment was put into Christ's Hands to be improved for the advancement of his Mediatory Kingdom John 5.22 For the Father judgeth no Man but hath committed all Iudgment to the Son He hath the Government of all things Angels and all Events that fall out in the World None of the Creatures are left to their own Arbitrement or uncertain Contingences but under the Government of a supreme Providence which is left in Christ's Hands Thus you see though the Devil's Interest be held up by the combined Interests of the World agreeing together to promote the Idolatries and Superstitions wherewith he hath inspired them yet Christ is able to break and dissolve all this Force and Power Secondly How far was Satan destroyed or his Head crushed 1. Negatively 1. Non ratione Essentiae not to take away his Life and Being No there is a Devil still and shall be even when the whole Work of Christ's Redemption is finished For then it is said Rev. 20.10 The Devil that deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone where the Beast and the false Prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever So Mat. 25.41 Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Then Eternal Judgment is executed on the Head of the wicked State Sentence was passed before and the Devil feareth it Matth. 8.29 Art thou come hither to torment us before the time He was condemned before but then it is executed upon him he is finally punished and shall for ever remain with the Damned 2. Non ratione Malitiae not in regard of Malice For the Enmity ever continueth between the two Seeds and Satan will be doing though it be always to Loss
1 John 3.8 The Devil sinneth from the beginning Therefore he is not so destroyed as if he did no more desire the Ruine and Destruction of Men. He is as malicious as ever The Devil is always at the old Trade of destroying Souls and watcheth all Advantages and observeth our Motions and Inclinations to make use of them 2. Affirmatively it remaineth that it is ratione Potentiae in regard of his Power But the Question returneth How far is his Power destroyed For he still governeth the Wicked and possesseth a great part of the World Therefore the Devils are called Ephes. 6.12 the Rulers of the Darkness of this World He molesteth the Godly whether considered singly and apart or in their Communities and Societies Singly and apart he may sometimes trouble them and sorely shake them as Wheat is winnowed in a Sive Luke 22.31 Simon Simon Behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat And in their Communities and Societies Psal. 129.1 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth may Israel now say Many a time have they afflicted me from my Youth Answ. Though he may afflict and molest the People of God yet he cannot totally prevail over them 1. There is enough done by way of Merit to break the Power of Satan or that whole Kingdom of Darkness which is united under one Head called the Devil The Price and Ransom is fully paid for captive Souls The Lamb of God taketh away the Sin of the World John 1.29 There need no more to be done by way of Merit and Satisfaction to bruise the Serpent's Head and to dissolve that woful Work which he hath introduced into the World Now not only the Comfort of particular Believers is ascribed to the Death of Christ but the Success of the Gospel over false Religions as 1 Pet. 1.18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from your vain Conversation received by Tradition from your Fathers but with the precious Blood of Christ. He purchased the Power of recovering Souls out of their Apostacy at a dear rate Therefore though the Superstitions of the World were entailed on People by a long Descent yet when we go forth to preach the Gospel in the Virtue and Value of the Blood of Christ that will work mighty Wonders for the Destruction of the Kingdom of the Devil 2. Christ is upon the Throne and we are under his Protection therefore the Devil cannot totally prevail as to those who have Interest in him As to single Believers Iohn 10.28 None is able to pluck them out of my Hand Or as to their Communities and Societies Matth. 16.18 Vpon this Rock will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it The Gates of Hell signify the Power and Policy of Hell for there was their Armoury and their Counsel Christ expecteth their most subtile and furious Assaults but all should be but as the dashing of Waves against a Rock end in Foam and Shame to the Aggressors and Assailants So that besides his Merit on the Cross there is his Power in Heaven as now sitting upon the Throne 3. The Victory is carried on so as that our Duty and Trials may not be excluded 1 st Though Satan's Head be crushed yet still there is room for our Duty that we may use the Means for our Safety as good Souldiers of Christ and live as in a continual Fight These are set down 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Be sober and vigilant because your Adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the Faith 1. Sobriety or an holy Moderation as to the Comforts and Delights of the present Life The Devil the Flesh and the World are in Conspiracy By the Baits of the World he inticeth our Flesh to a neglect of God and heavenly things therefore we must use the World as if we used it not lest our Hearts be burdened and depressed and disabled from seeking after our great End and Happiness 2. Vigilancy and Watchfulness is necessary that we may stand upon our Guard avoiding Snares and forecasting Hazards lest we fall as a ready Prey into the Mouth of the Tempter 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit your selves like Men be strong The first Point of a Christian Souldier is to watch Conscience must stand Porter at the Door examining what cometh in and what goeth out The Devil watcheth all Advantages against us that he may spy where we are weakest and if the Enemy watch and we sleep we cannot be safe 3. Stedfast Resistance in the Faith When we are yielding Satan gets ground but when we believingly and stedfastly resist he is discouraged This stedfast Resistance in the Faith is first Adhering to the Privileges of the Gospel as our Happiness secondly Persevering in the Duties thereof as our Work resolving not to let go our hold but by patient Continuance in Well-doing to wait for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus unto eternal Life Now if Christ should so destroy the Devil as to exempt from this Duty the whole Gospel would be in vain and the Promises and Precepts of it to no purpose and all the Furniture of Grace which Christ hath purchased for us and promised to us be lost and useless Surely Christ hath not so crushed the Serpent's Head but that we need to be sober and watchful and stedfast in the Faith otherwise we were not his Souldiers but his Enemies 2 dly Not to exempt us from Trials of our Sincerity God will have all Obedience to be tried and honoured by Opposition and sometimes by sharp and grievous Opposition Rev. 2.10 The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that you may be tried Thus Iob was remitted to Satan for his Trial chap. 1.12 And the Lord said unto Satan Behold all that he hath is in thy Power And Paul had his Messenger of Satan for his Trial to see what shift he could make with sufficient internal Grace under outward and vexatious Evils 2 Cor. 12.7 8 9 10. Now better undergo the fiery Trial than the fiery Torment Tried we are then but not destroyed God may let loose the Wolf to drive us into the Fold and exercise us with Temptations but not suffer us to be overwhelmed 4. In the external Management of the Mediatorial Kingdom there are many Vicissitudes and Interchanges of the outward Condition of the Church Sometimes God doth notably defeat Satan and his Instruments and the Devil's Kingdom visibly goeth to wrack As at the first Promulgation of the Gospel though the World was captivated under Satan rooted in former Superstitions yet Christ prevailed and got ground by the Rod of his Strength and the Word of his Kingdom Tho Satan every-where had his Temples wherein he was worshipped and his Oracles were resorted to with great Reverence Till the Hebrew Child silenced him he are the Fat
before mine eyes I have walked in thy truth This constraineth and enforceth to Holyness and gives encouragement to it others only attempt this Work but do not consider the fruit of it 3. More orderly and prudent Others do good Duties by chance Phil. 4.8 Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue and if there be any praise think of these things III. That which I am now to do is to give you the Rules to guide you in this weighty Affair of the Christian Life There are Rules to be observed to fit the Soul but those I shall handle under the terme of helps I handle such now as must guide the Soul 1. Whatever you meditate upon must be drawn down to Application Iob 5.27 Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good In Meditation our aim and design is to promote the good of our Souls The Heathen Emperour Antoninus had Observations which he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things for my seâ—f that is the proper end of this Exercise things for our selves In Conference we aim at the good of others but the end of Meditation is to fall directly upon our own Souls All the while we stay in generals we do but bend the Bow when we come to Application we let fly the Arrow and we hit the Mark when we come to return upon our own Souls Now this Application must be partly by way of Tryal partly by way of Charge 1. The first Reflection upon our selves must be by way of Tryal This should alwaies be the close of all how is it with thee Oh my Soul Or is not this my State When the Apostle had taken a view of the Doctrine of Justification he shutteth up all with a Practical return upon his own Heart Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things How am I concerned in this Truth So Nazianzen in his Forty-First Oration saith his Custom was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to go aside to converse with God but alwaies in the course of the Duty he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 search himself 2. By way of Charge and Command You should charge your selves to serve God with greater care Meditation is as it were the heat of the Cause and after the Debate you should give Sentence and issue forth a Practical Decree as David now I see it is good for me to draw nigh to God Psalm 73.28 When he had been meditating of the Providence of God in punishing the wicked now oh my Soul thou seest what is best for thee even to keep close to God So in two Psalms when he had been meditating of the Mercy and Power of God he layeth a Charge upon his Soul to bless God of his Mercy Psalm 103.22 Bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion bless the Lord oh my soul of his Power Psalm 104.35 Let the Sinners be consumed out of the earth and let the wicked be no more Bless thou the Lord O my Soul praise ye the Lord. 2. Do not pry further than God hath revealed Your thoughts must be still bounded by the word There is no Duty that a Fanatick Brain is more apt to abuse then Meditation when Men are once able to raise their thoughts they soar too high and being puffed up with their fleshly mind intrude themselves into things that they have not seen Col. 2.18 They are dazeled with ungrounded subtilties and so like a Lark that have flown high of a sudden fall down again David saith Psalm 131.1 Lord my heart is not haughty nor mine eyes lofty neither do I exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me In Spiritual Exercises you must stint your thoughts with what is revealed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.3 Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every Man the measure of faith that is as God hath revealed and dispensed the measure of Faith to you To pry into the Mysteries of the Divine Decrees were to disturb Affection not to raise it Nice Disputes feed Curiosity not Religion Again regard must be had not only to the Word but to your own Abilities those that soar too high fall low enough e're they have done consider what is fit for your pitch and size Again do not leave Bread and Wine and gnaw upon a Stone or leave Practical Matters for intricacy of Dispute 3. When you meditate of God you must do it with great Care and Reverence his Perfections are matter rather of Admiration than inquiry Some dispute whether it be best to meditate of Gods Essence or no Certainly as it is discovered to us in his Attributes it is very comfortable and useful Psal. 104.34 My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. And though you should get as large thoughts as possibly you can of His Majesty and Power yet you must not pry too curiously into his Nature left you be oppressed by his Glory The Mysteries of the Trinity are matters of Belief rather than Debate we may well cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the Depth It is enough to know that it is so we cannot search how It is said 1 Tim. 6.16 Who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see And Psalm 18.11 He hath made darkness his secret place his pavillion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies God is said to dwell in Light to shew his Majesty and to dwell in darkness to shew his incomprehensibleness Do not intangle your selves while you go about to raise your Zeal the full knowledge of these things is our Portion in Heaven 4. In meditating on common things keep in mind a Spiritual purpose God hath endowed Man with a faculty to discourse and employ his mind on Earthly Objects to Spiritual purposes Eccles. 3.11 He hath set the world in their heart Mundum tradidit disputationi eorum the meaning is he hath endowed him with Natural Light to contemplate on his handy-work The Mind is soon apt to grow common and vain and therefore here you have need of more care and watchfulness Psalm 8.34 When I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him Basil calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a School to teach us not Knowledge but Religion Psalm 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-work Philosophers study the Creatures to find out their Natural Causes we to find out Arguments of Worship and Religion 5. Take heed of creating a Snare
God converted Firmius Omnipotency needeth no outward advantage So in Publick Deliverances Gods Instruments are usually despicable a Straw is as good as a Spear in the hands of Omnipotence Most of the Iudges that rescued Israel were taken from the Plough and Sheepfold So for Judgments God by weak means punishes Sinners Egypt was plagued with Flies and Lice they were strong to execute Gods Word 3. By working with contrary means Christ used Clay and Spittle that one would think should put out the Eyes to restore sight to the blind Man Ioseph was first made a Slave and then a Favourite his Brethren first sell him and then worship him he is cast into the Dungeon to be preferred to Court There are strange Contrivances and Contrarieties in Providence the way seemeth contrary to the Aim and the Means disproportionable to the End When we see great Confusions in the World we wonder how this should tend to oGds Glory and the Churches good and are apt to say as Ioshua chap. 7.9 What wilt thou do unto thy great name And as the Prophet Amos 7.2 By whom shall Iacob arise for he is small We wonder how God means to save when Babylon destroyeth and how Confusion and Mischief can end in Order and Beauty But Gods knows the sufficiency of his own Power and is able to bring about these things to bring Light out of Darkness and one contrary out of another 2. The Acts of Providence they are three Conservation Gubernation and Ordination 1. Conservation Conserving and keeping all Creatures in their Being Therefore the Apostle saith Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the word of his power Isa. 22.23 24. I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place and he shall be for a glorious throne to his Fathers house And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his Fathers house If God should take away the shoulder of his Providence all things would return to their first nothing and vanish and disappear as a Seal upon the Waters the Impression is defaced assoon as the Seal is gone Providence is a continual Creation every thing that is kept in Working and Being is as it were newly born newly brought forth newly produced nay Chrysostome saith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something greater than Creation as it is more to support a burden long in the Air than to raise it up from the Earth so it is more to keep all things from returning to nothing than to educe and bring them out of nothing That 's the Reason why the Holy Ghost speaks in the present Tense Psalm 104.2 Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain And Isa. 40.22 It is he that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in It is not in the future Tense because God is alwaies a stretching them out So our Saviour Iohn 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I work Though there be a cessation of work in regard of new kinds yet there is a continuation of work in regard of their Preservation and God's Providential Influence The Power which raised from nothing must still preserve from nothing Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things This Solomon intends when he saith Prov. 20.12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them He doth not mean Spiritually but Naturally he doth not only give the Faculty but the Exercise as he gives the Eye so the seeing and as he gives the Ear so the Hearing This could not be done without new Acts of Providence Assistance and Supportation from God Therefore we read Hagar did not see the Well of Water till the Lord opened her Eyes Gen. 21.19 And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water So the Disciples Luke 24.31 And their eyes were opened and they saw him When the Lord suspended his influence the Fire could not burn the three Children God did not destroy the property of the Fire but only suspended the Efficacy of it No Creature can put forth it self in a way of Operation without a new Providential assistance from God 2. Gubernation or governing all things according to his Will and Pleasure All things keep their course for God sitteth at the Helm and steereth all Dan. 4.35 He doth according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him What doest thou God doth all according to his pleasure he is not confined by any External Law nor straitned by the course of Nature but acts with a great deal of Soveraignty and Freedom and sometimes inverts the Order of Second Causes God's Will is sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Pleasure is all There are indeed some standing Ordinances of Nature as the Ordinances of Sun and Moon and the Covenant of Day and Night Ier. 31.35 Thus saith the Lord which giveth the sun for a light by day and the ordinances of moon and stars for a light by night And Gen. 8.22 While the earth remaineth seed-time and harvest and cold and heat and summer and winter and day and night shall not cease God can alter the course of these as in Ioshua's time and at Christs Death there was three dayes darkness in Egypt Matth. 5.45 He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust There is nothing so casual but it is governed by God and falls under the Ordination of his wise Counsel It is said 1 Kings 22.34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the King of Israel between the joynts of the harness It was a meer chance as to him but God directed it into the sides of the King So Exod 21.13 If a man lye not in wait but God deliver him into his hand compared with Deut. 19.5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to how wood and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree and the head slippeth from the helve and lighteth upon his neighbour that he dye God slew him There is nothing so casual but it is directed by the wise Ordination of God Prov. 16.33 The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposal thereof is of the Lord. There seems to be nothing so trivial and casual as the casting the Lot into the Lap yet it is over-ruled by him he doth not only permit but governe God governs all his Creatures in such a throng of Stars there is no interfering We wonder at strange Events when the great sway is discovered The Sea is higher than the Earth yet it doth not transgress its bounds and limits We live and breath as the Israelites did in the midst of the Red Sea this is a dayly Miracle 3. Ordination All things are over-ruled by Gods great sway it is
the Holy Ghost Peace of Conscience increase of Grace joy in the Holy Ghost They shall not want incouragement who seriously set themselves to love Righteousness and hate Iniquity 2 Pet. 1.11 For so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Hereafter Heaven is the Portion of the sanctified Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified He doth sanctifie all that believe on him and then give them Eternal Life 2. External in the course of his Providence Christ hath set up a Government wherein he will favour and protect those that walk uprightly Psalm 11.7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright But with the disobedient God is angry every day Psalm 7.11 Only it is the day of Gods patience God is preparing himself Well then we must neither rebel against his Government nor distrust his defence For Christ administreth Justice in his Kingdom defending the good and destroying the wicked and he will in time earnestly espouse the cause of all Holyness and Righteousness II. I come now to the Unction of Christ which is the consequent fruit of the former God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows There you may observe 1. The Author of this Unction God even thy God 2. The Priviledge it self to be anointed with the oyl of gladness 3. The Partakers of this Priviledge or the Persons to whom it is applyed One Principal and Singular who hath the Preheminence and that is the Mediator others Inferiour and in a lower degree of participation called here his fellows Let us a little explain these things 1. The Author of this Unction God even thy God Is this spoken to him as God or Man It may be true in both senses As to his Divine Nature he is God of God or as it is in Iohn 1.1 The word was with God and the word was God As to his Humane Nature he is a Creature made of a Woman and so God is his God as he is the God of all flesh But especially is this spoken of him as Mediator so Christ is one of Gods Confederates There is a Covenant between God and him Ioh. 20.17 I go to my father and your father to my God and your God The Sum of the Covenant was that after he had suffered here upon Earth and satisfied Gods Justice by being made a Curse for us he was at length to be raised out of the Grave and exalted to his Regal Power in Heaven All that belongeth to a Covenant is found in this Transaction between God and Christ. 1. God propoundeth the Terms or demandeth of his Son that he lay down his life and for his labour he promiseth that he shall see his Seed that God shall give him many Children Isa. 53.10 He shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands 2. The Son consenteth and saith A body hast thou prepared for me Loe I come to do thy will Psalm 40.6 7. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened burnt-offering and sin-offering thou hast not required Then said I loe I come in the volume of the book it is written of me Here the Eternal Son of God doth agree and contract with his Father to performe that perfect Obedience to his Laws and to offer up himself such a Divine and Spotless Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World as was necessary for the Expiation of Sin 3. Christ hath not only consented but doth with all Joy and Delight set about this whole Will and Counsel of God and go through with the Work and Office assigned unto him very chearfully and heartily till he had brought it to a good End and Issue Psalm 40.8 I delight to do thy will O my God! yea thy law is in my heart 4. After this ready and willing Obedience he is to plead the Covenant Psalm 89.26 He shall cry unto me thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my salvation Psalm 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Upon this there is 5. Gods Answer God even thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows And Psalm 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool Thus doth the Scripture lisp to us in our own Dialect or in such Language as we can best understand concerning that Bill of Contract or transacted bargain between God and Christ from all Eternity wherein Christ undertaking perfectly to fulfil the Will of God and to performe all Active and Passive Obedience even unto Death had the Promise from God that he should become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that obey him The Redemption of Sinners is not a work of yesterday nor a business of chance but well-advised and in Infinite Wisdom contrived There was a preparatory agreement to that great work before it was gone about and therefore it should not be slighted by us nor lightly passed over 2. The Priviledge it self to be anointed with the oyl of gladness It noteth his solemne Exaltation and Admission to the Exercise of his Office By Oyl all agree is meant the Spirit by which Christ was anointed Luke 4.18 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me 1. Christ was anointed at his Conception in his Mothers Womb when he was sanctified by the Holy Spirit For the work of the Spirit was not only to forme his Body out of the substance of the Virgin which Nature could not do of its self but chiefly to preserve it from Sin and endow it with the gift of Holyness From which time he grew in Wisdom and Grace as well as in Stature Luke 2.52 And Iesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with God and man 2. Again Christ may be said to be anointed at his Baptisme which was the visible consecration to his Office when the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove Matth. 3.16 17. and Iohn 1.33 once more 3. He may be said to be anointed at his Ascension when he received of the Father the Promise of the Spirit to pour him forth upon his Disciples Acts 2.33 Therefore being by the right hand of God eâ—alted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear This I take to be the Sense here his Glorious Exaltation at the right hand of God where being possessed of all Power he joyfully expecteth and accomplisheth the fruits of his Redemption I am the more confirmed in this 1. Because the
that he came in such mean Estate as if he were a Worme and no Man Psalm 22.6 I am a worme and no man a reproach of men and despised of the people So also Isa. 53.3 He was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not As a vile and abominable Creature both despised and rejected scarce deemed worthy the Name of a Man or to have any Converse or Communion with them It is the leavings off of Men as we would say the very list and fag-end of Mankind so low and mean that the Nature of Man can hardly descend lower Mark 9.12 The son of man must suffer many things and be set at nought it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made nought worth or nothing Once more the Serpent of all the Beasts of the Field was the Creature which was cursed by God Gen. 3.14 Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field upon thy belly shalt thou go and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life Yet by this form would he represent Christ to the Antient Church God chose this to be a Type of Christ which we would have thought a dishonour and disparagement to him Yea this Serpent that was now set up was made of Brass not of Gold to shew that Christ would not appear in Glorious Estate and Majesty but in the meanest and most abject form of any Creature All together will help us to meditate upon the great abasement of the Son of God Quanto vilior tanto clarior nobis esse debet The more he humbled himself the higher estimation should we have of our crucified Lord. Never was any Child of God before Christ under so much misery as Christ himself was his own Heaven his own Father his own God-head hid their Face and Consolation from him Gods Wrath pressed the weight of punishment with the full power of Justice both upon his Soul and Body those for whom he dyed despised him he himself being emptied of all things that make Men respected in the World and depressed lower than ever any Man was as a Worme to be trod upon He was made the matter of common talk and reproach in all Mens Mouths condemned by the ruling part of the World and set at nought by the basest of the People derided and scorned in his most Holy behaviour his bitter Sufferings made a matter of sport and laughter Malice feeding its self with Pleasure upon his Pain and Misery and expressing its self with the basest signs of mockage which disdain could devise flouting at his saving Doctrine and insulting over him as if he had been neither the Son of God nor an honest Man And all this was counted little enough for satisfaction of Justice exacting of him the due punishment of our Sins We tenderly resent contempt and cannot endure to be despised and thrust down when the Sun of Righteousness went back so many degrees in the Dyal of Honour 3. The Brasen Serpent had the Shape and Figure of the Serpent but not the Sting and the Poison Figuram habuit non naturam it had the Figure not the Nature of a Serpent Let us pause upon this a little God would cure the Bite of a Serpent by a Serpent a Serpent stung and a Serpent healed God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 That is by Jesus Christ in our Nature who was made a Sin-Offering and therefore called Sin there The Parties to be cured were Men therefore the son of man must be lifted up that Title is given him here in the Text Christ was debased by this Title by being called the son of man but yet the Sons of Men are dignified by it he came in the likeness of sinful flesh As the Brazen Serpent was in all things like the True Serpent but without any hurtful quality so Christ in all points was like us but without sin Heb. 4.15 He came in the likeness of sinful flesh yet was holy harmless and separate from Sinners 4. The precise place where the Brazen Serpent was lifted up Moses doth not tell us in the Story where this Matter is recorded but it may be collected from other places Moses telleth us that the Israelites going from thence pitched their Tents in Oboth Numb 21.10 from whence it follows that the place was Punon for from Punon they came to Oboth Numb 33.42 43. Now this Punon was a place belonging to Idumaea very famous for Mines of Brass or Copper as is commonly known in Ancient Writings the Brass being called from thence the metal of Punon Eusebius in the Eighth Book of his Ecclesiastical History tells us That Sylvanus and thirty nine more were beheaded for the Faiths sake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near the Mines of Brass in Punon and Eutychius speaketh of divers Christians condemned to work in these Mines So also doth Epiphanius and Theodores So that the Brass out of which the Serpent was made was taken out of the very place in which they were bitten it was the Brass of Punon not without a Mistery That Body which Christ assumed was not brought from elsewhere but born there and formed there where he was manifested in the Flesh for the Salvation of the World and where the Mischief was there was the Remedy at hand 5. The similitude chiefly holdeth in this that as the Brazen Serpent was lifted up upon the Perch or Pole so was Christ lifted up on the Cross 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body upon the tree The Serpent first stung us by the Fruit of a Tree and Christ saved us by suffering upon a Tree David had foretold that his hands and his feet should be pierced Psalm 22.16 They pierced my hands and my feet And the Curse of the Law was to be born Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal. 3.13 The Apostle obviates an Objection if the Law do curse all Men how are any freed from the Curse of the Law Even by Jesus Christ who took upon him the Curse due to us while he was obedient to Death even the Death of the Cross for that kind of Death was pronounced to be accursed Deut. 21.23 He that is hanged is accursed of God He came as a Surety in the Sinners Name and would take our burden upon himself and therefore chose a Death of all others most cruel and painful and contemptible ordained for the wickedest and vilest Wretches thereby to assure us of a full ransom and satisfaction to Divine Justice for our wrongs and to imprint upon our Minds the horrors of our Sins Well then here is the Spectacle offered to our Faith Jesus Christ
still the enemy and avenger THE scope of this Psalm is to glorifie God for the singular Dignity he hath put upon Man above all his works The expressions literally and apparently refer to Gods works of Creation and Providence about him but in a Divine and more Spiritual sense the Misteries of Redemption are intended and secretly couched under them as appeareth by the frequent quotations of this Psalm in the New Testament There is a double Honour put upon Mankind 1. That God hath ordained Man that feeble and weak Creature to subdue and conquer his Enemies 2. That God hath made him Lord of all his other Creatures Both which concerne not only Man in general but especially Jesus Christ. God made Man and therefore both are applyed to him The first when the Children welcome him with the acclamations proper to the Messiah Matth 21.15 16. When the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying in the Temple Hâ—sanna to the son of David they were sore displeased and said unto him hearest thou what these say and Iesus saith unto them yea have ye never read out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise The other in many places especially Heb. 2.6 7 8. But one in a certain place testified saying what is man that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou visitest him Thou hast made him little lower than the angels thou crownedst him with glory and honour and didst set him over the works of thy hands Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet For in that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him So that Man is both his Champion and his Deputy He is his Deputy verse 6. Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things under his feet His Champion in the Text Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength c. In explaining these words I shall enquire 1. Who are these Babes and Sucklings 2. Who is the Enemy and Avenger 3. What is the Miracle and Wonder that raised the Prophets admiraration and moved him to praise God for this I. Who are these Babes and Sucklings 1. Man in general who springeth from so weak and poor a beginning as that of Babes and Sucklings yet is at length advanced to such power as to grapple with and overâ—ome the Enemy and the Avenger 2. David in particular who being but a ruddy youth God used him as an Instrument to discomfit Goliah of Gath. 3. More especially our Lord Jesus Christ who assuming our Nature and all the sinless infirmities of it and submitting to the weakness of an Infant and after dying is gone in the same Nature to reign in Heaven till he hath brought all his Enemies under his feet Psalm 110.1 And 1 Cor. 15.27 For he hath put all things under his feet but when he saith he hath put all things under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him Then was our Humane Nature exalted above all other Creatures when the Son of God was made of a Woman carried in the Womb as long a time as other Infants are Luke 2.6 Sucked as a Babe and afterwards dyed and was received unto Glory 4. The Apostles who to outward appearance were despicable in a manner Children and Sucklings in comparison of the great ones of the World poor despised Creatures yet principal Instruments of Gods Service and Glory Therefore 't is notbale that when Christ glorifieth his Father for the wise and free Dispensation of his Saving Grace Matth. 11.25 He saith I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid those things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes So called from the meanness of their Condition Compare the parallel places Luke 10.21 And you shall see it was spoken when the Disciples were sent abroad and had power given them over unclean Spirits In that hour Iesus rejoyced in spirit and said I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes This he acknowledged to be an Act of Infinite Condescension in God 5. Those Children that cryed Hosanna to Christ make up part of the sense Matth. 2â— 16 for Christ defendeth their practice by this Scripture when he was condemned by the wisest and greatest and proudest Men in the World such as were the Scribes and Pharisees at that time he was praised and welcomed as the Messiah or Son of David by the Children 6. Not only the Apostles but all those that fight under Christs Banner and are listed into his Confederacy may be called Babes and Sucklings First Because of their Condition Secondly Their Disposition 1. Because of their Condition God is pleased often to make choice of the meanest and lowest 1 Cor. 1.27 28. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty And the base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not to bring to nought things that are That is God in the Government of the World is pleased to subdue the Enemies of his Kingdom by weak and despised Instruments 2. Because of their disposition They are most humble spirited We are told Matth. 18.3 Except ye be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God As if he had said you strive for preheminence and worldly greatness in my Kingdom I tell you my Kingdom is a Kingdom of Babes and containeth none but the humble and such as are little in their own Eyes and are contented to be small and despised in the Eyes of others and so do not seek after great Matters in the World A young Child knoweth not what striving or state meaneth and therefore by an Emblem and visible Representation of a Child set in the midst of them Christ would take them off from the expectation of a Carnal Kingdom II. Who is the Enemy and the Avenger In the Letter Goliah in the Mistery the Devil and his Agents and Instruments He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Enemy of God and Man Matth. 13.39 The enemy that soweth them is the Devil and with him all the Seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 These are Wicked Men Iohn 8.44 For ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do 1 Iohn 4.4 Ye are of God little children and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world The War is carried on between two Heads and two Seeds III. What is the Miracle and Wonder that raised the Heart of the Psalmist to praise
proper to the Mediatory Dispensation His Kingdom is to be a Spiritual Kingdom therefore his Means are suited his Spirit his Word his Providence 1. His sweet but powerful Spirit convincing Men of the Truth of his Religion And what can stand before the All-conquering force of it Iohn 16.8 9 10 11. And when he is come he shall reprove the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment Of sin because they believe not on me Of righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged He shall demonstrate to the World that Christ was the Messiah and therefore they are guilty of great sins who will not believe on him that he was a Righteous and Innocent Person and no Seducer Because he rose from the dead and went to the Father That he was an exalted Prince above Sathan or whatever was looked upon as Divine Powers because he converted most parts of the Habitable World and brought home Sinners from their Idolatries to Repentance and change of Life 2. His Word which is called the Rod of his strength Psalm 110.2 and the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 These Weapons are not Carnal but Mighty through God The World cannot resist its convincing Power 2 Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down strong holds Those that feel it not fear it Iohn 3.20 Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light least his deeds should be reproved 3. His Providence All Judgment is put into his hands Iohn 5.22 All Events that fall out in the World they are not left to an uncertain contingency but under the Government of a Supream Providence which is in Christs hands 2. In the External Management of the Mediatorial Kingdom there are many vicissitudes and changes of the outward Condition of the Church The Harmony of Providence requireth it for the punishment of the Unthankful for the Tryal of the Sincere for the Reward of the Faithful and Destruction of the Ungodly Sometimes God doth notably defeat Sathan and his Instruments and the Devils Kingdom visibly goeth to wrack as at the first promulgation of the Gospel though the whole World lay in wickedness and Sathan every where had his Temples wherein he was worshipped his Oracles resorted to with great Reverence he ate the Fat of their Sacrifices drank the Wine of their Drink-Offerings yea often the Blood of their Sons and Daughters was offered to him yet all his strong holds were demolished the Idols whom their Fathers prayed to in their Adversity and Distresses and blest in their Prosperity are in a suddain set nought 3. Why this is great matter of praise and thankful acknowledgment 1. Because this is the great instance of the favour God hath put upon Man his dignifying of them above other Creatures that he would not wholly desert us in our faln Estate when the Devil had overthrown us by sin that the Son of God must come from Heaven to deliver us from the Bondage Sathan had led us into In our Redemption Titus 3.4 After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared Surely this is a great Mistery 1 Tim. 3.16 Christ made Man dyed for Men rose again carried our Nature into Heaven reigneth there over all his Enemies as God incarnate what will raise your hearts in thanksgiving if these things do not They are plain points they need no descants more than a Diamond doth painting 2. The many benefits that result to us thereby 1. A Capacity to serve and please God the most considerable part of the Creation had been else out of joynt God was robbed of the Use and Service of Mankind Luke 1.74 75. That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life We were in our Natural Estate governed and ruled by Sathan Eph. 2.3 4. easily taken Captive by him working upon the desires of our flesh 2 Tim. 2.26 we had no remorse for it nor desire to change our Condition Luke 11 21 22. All was in a sinful quiet and peace as when Wind and Tyde go together but now this carnal security is disturbed we are recovered and changed and made meet to serve and please God 2. A right to the Priviledges of the New Covenant which are Pardon and Life Acts 26.18 To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Sathan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified And Col. 1.12 13 14. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins 3. The Honour that redoundeth to God thereby By weak and despised Means God brings about the Ends of his Glory the Party delivered was faln Man who gave up at first Assault the Deliverer is Christ found in fashion as another Man 1 Cor. 1.25 The weakness of God is stronger than men That which in Mans Opinion hath least Wisdom Strength and Vertue in it that doth all By Man and Man crucified VSE If it be so great a Mercy see that you be partakers of it see that Sathans Power be destroyed as to your Souls Christ doth not only enter upon the World by Conquest but hath much to do with every individual Person before he can settle his Kingdom in their hearts There is a Combat between Christ and Sathan for the rescue of every Sinner and we are not easily brought to change Masters 'T is long e're we awaken 2 Tim. 2.26 That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil And after we are awakened e're we consent to part with our beloved Lusts. Now yield to him suffer him to save you You look to the outward Interest of Christ in the World and you do well but 't is easier to bring Men to own the True Religion than to bring them under the power of it The Victory we are concerned in is the taming our own flesh and overcoming the Corruptions and Carnal Inclinations or to set up Christs Government in the Heart where once Sathan ruled The Kingdom of Christ within us is most comfortable to us Luke 17.20 21. If once you are Christs you will most really be for his Interest in the World and there is an Enmity put into you Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between the two seeds 2. If it be so great a Mercy then do not loose it but use the Means appointed for your safety 1. By Baptisme you are ingaged for you are listed under Christs Banner we
that may be hence deduced For certainly it was a special act of Gods meer Love Deut. 23.4 5. They hired against thee Balaam the Son of Beor to curse thee nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken to Balaam but the Lord thy God turned the Curse into a Blessing unto thee because the Lord thy God loved thee So Josh. 24.9 10. And Balak the Son of Zippor King of Moab arose and Warred against Israel and sent and called Balaam the Son of Beor to curse you But I would not hearken to Balaam therefore he blessed you still So I delivered you out of his hand 1. That wicked men cannot hurt the Godly but when God permitteth Gen. 31.7 Your father hath deceived me and changed my Wages ten times but God suffered him not to hurt me So Laban saith vers 29. It is in the Power of my hand to do you hurt but the God of your Fathers spake unto me yester-night saying Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad God hath the power of Blessing and Cursing in his own hand however men are disposed The King sought by all means possible and deviseable to bring Gods Curse upon them but God changed it into a glorious Blessing Mens hearts are not in their own hands and if they find their hearts success is not at their command God disappointed the plots and practice of Balak and Balaam Balaam returned as he came and could not Curse Israel but denounced woes against their Enemies 2. That God can protect us against the fraud as well as the violence of Enemies The Devil assaults us with Wiles and Darts Eph. 6.11 16. so do his Instruments assault us they vex us with their Wiles and pursue us with their open Hostility and Persecution but we may trust God with our safety A remedy may possibly be prepared against violence when no Man by his own foresight can find out all the Snares laid for him But this is the comfort of God's people that nothing is hidden from God he is wise and he is watchful wise to foresee the draught of his own providence Psal. 37.12 13. The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his Teeth The Lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that the day is coming And as God is wise so he is watchful Psal. 121.4 He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep God is privy to their most secret designs 3. That God's providence is especially interested when the design is to corrupt Religion Balaam was right in pronouncing Blessings on the Children of Israel whilst they kept true to their Religion but his advice was to feast and entertain Israel kindly to induce them to forsake their God and then the Lord interposed and defeated this malicious purpose Many times God doth that for the sake of Religion which a people that profess Religion deserve not Isa. 4.5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Sion and upon her assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by day and the shining of a Flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence Particular persons fell by those Wars but Religion was secured and kept safe 4. That God can make our very Enemies befriend us Thus he over-ruled the Heart of Balaam to bless Israel and curse their Enemies Prov. 16.7 When a Mans ways please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him It is a Proverb not a Promise and must be interpreted that God can if he will and oftentimes doth it for the most part for proverbs are taken from what is usual and common Thus he made the keeper of the Prison kind to Ioseph Gen. 39.21 The Lord was with Joseph and shewed him Mercy and gave him favour in the sight of the Keeper of the Prison And Laban was smoothed by the way when he pursued after Iacob Gen. 31.29 The God of your Fathers appeared unto me yesternight saying Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad And Esau was kind to him when Iacob feared him Gen. 33.4 he ran to meet him and embraced him and fell upon his neck and kissed him But above all take the instance of the text Balaam came contrary to Gods warning having an eager desire after the reward his Hostile Mind continued still yet he blesseth instead of Cursing by the over-ruling power of God God hath several ways to accomplish this either by bridling their rage or putting convictions on their Consciences or changing their Hearts or determining their Interests It cannot be imagined but that the Creator is able to rule his Creature one way or other therefore we should cease from Man who is not sovereign Master of his own affections When all is thoroughly considered God will be found to be the most desireable friend and dreadful Adversary 5. That we cannot lye open to the plots and snares of those that hate us till we have provoked our shadow and defence to depart from us For till there was an Apostacy from the truth and the right ways of God Balaam withall his Wiles could have no advantage against Israel Balaams Counsel did more hurt than his Curse When we once contemn Gods Law and turn to the Wicked we forfeit our protection both against open violence and secret machinations Many things are contrived against us in the dark that we know not and see not but God watcheth for us Isa. 8.10 Take counsel together and it shall come to nought speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us Keep God with you and you are safe All the plots of the Enemies were to separate between Them and God do not gratify them herein 6. Observe God's just Judgments on violent and fraudulent Enemies Balak and Balaam designed a mischief against Israel but it fell upon their own pates Balak lost a considerable part of his Territories which was allotted as a portion to the Tribe of Reuben Balaam was slain by the Sword And thus it usually falls out in the course of Gods Providence Psal. 7.15 16. He made a Pit and digged it and is fallen into the Ditch which he made His mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate They are taken in the Pit they digged for others their treacherous designs and attempts return upon themselves to their own destruction as Iron when it is over-heated in the Fire burneth their Fingers which hold it or like an Arrow Shot up against Heaven it cometh down most piercingly upon their own heads they are taken in their own Pit poisoned in their own cup so that in the issue it appeareth they laid a snare for themselves all is converted to their own ruine 7. That God's Mercy is not wholly made void to his people notwithstanding their many sins and failings He spareth some though he punisheth others and remembreth his Covenant when our sins deserve it
blessings indeed by an holy Education Oh it will be a great happiness to be Parents to such as shall be Heirs of Glory As Children ought to be looked upon as a great mercy so also as a great trust which as it is managed may occasion much joy or much grief If Parents doat upon them they make them Idols not servants of the Lord If they neglect Education they will surely prove crosses and curses to them or if they taint them by their example Young ones are very apt to follow the example of those they see or converse with or are related to them Those Forty two Children 2 Kings 2.23 24. That were devoured of two She-Bears and cryed Bald pate to the Prophet of the Lord were Children of Bethel which was a nest of Idolatry Therefore Parents had need see what example they give or suffer to be given to their Children in contemning the Servants of the Lord or in any other kind of sin 3. Reproof to Children born of Godly Parents and notwithstanding dedication and education break out into unseemly and wicked courses For Children born in a godly Family to be naught is the greatest degeneration that can be Ungodly Children of godly Parents these wrest themselves out of the Arms of mercy and instead of a blessing become a burden and a curse They cast off their Fathers God Prov. 27.10 Thine own Friend and thy Fathers Friend forsake not But what shall be said of them that forsake their Fathers God They break off and interrupt the course of the Blessing Jer. 2.12 13. Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord For my People hath committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living water and hewed them out Cisterns broken Cisterns that will hold no water He would have the Sun to look pale the spheres to cast out their stars Wilt thou be a Traytor to thy Fathers God Solomon continued allyance with Hyram because he had been a Friend to David And wilt thou break off the Grace of the Covenant Cain excomunicated himself Gen 4.16 Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. Ishmael for scoffing malignity against the power of godliness was cast out of Abrahams Family Gen 21.9 Esau for sensual prophaneness Heb. 12.15 Despising Spiritual priviledges for sensual satisfactions The Jews were cast off 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for unbelief Rom. 11.20 or positive rejection of the Gospel Christ made them the first offer 2. Vse To exhort Parents to bring up their Children for God For if they be an heritage from the Lord they must be an heritage to the Lord give them up to Him again as you had them from Him at first For whatever is from Him must be improved for Him Dedicate them to God and Educate them for God and he will take possession of them in due time Hannah though her Son were a Levite born and her eldest Son yet she Solemnly Dedicateth him to God 2 Sam. 1.27 28. I Prayed for this Child and the Lord hath given me my Petition which I asked of him therefore I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. Give God his portion Now if the Dedication be sound it will ingage you to a serious Education God dealeth with us as Pharaoh's Daughter did with Moses his Mother Exod. 2.9 Take this Child away and Nurse it for me Motives 1. The express charge of God who hath made it your Duty Ephes. 6.4 Fathers bring up your Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Deut. 6.7 These words shalt thou teach diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Prov. 22.6 Train up a Child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Now we should make Conscience of these commands as we will answer it to God another day 2. The example of the Saints who have been carefull to discharge this trust God presumeth it of Abraham Gen 18.19 For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him Observe God reckoneth upon it and disappointment is the worst vexation And it is a means to obtain the Promise and the blessing 2 Tim. 3.15 And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures How by his Grandmother Lois and Mother Eunice as is expressed elsewhere Surely they are unworthy to have Children that do not take care that Christ may have an interest in them 3. The importance of this Duty Next to the preaching of the Word the Education of Children is one of the greatest Duties in the World For the service of Christ and of the Church and State dependeth upon it Families are the Seminaries of Church and Common-Wealth Religion dwelt first in Families and as they grew into numerous Societies they grew into Churches As Religion was first hatched there so there the Devil seeketh to Crush it The Families of the Patriarchs were all the Churches God had in the World And therefore when Cain went out of Adam's Family he is said to go out from the presence of the Lord Gen. 4 16. If the Devil can subvert Families other Societies and Communities will not long flourish Towns and Nations are made up of families A fault in the first Concoction is not easily mended in the second Here is the first making or marring And Solomon telleth us Prov. 20.11 That even a Child is known by his doings 4. To countermine Satan who hath ever envyed the succession of Churches and the growth and progress of Christs Kingdom and therefore seeketh to crush it in the Egg by seeking to pervert Persons while they are young and like wax capable of any form and impression As Pharaoh would destroy the Israelites by killing their Young ones So Satan who hath a great spight at the Kingdom of Christ knoweth there is no such compendious way to subvert and overcome it as by perverting Youth and supplanting Family Duties He knoweth that this is a blow at the root Therefore what care should Parents take to season Children with holy Principles that they may overcome the wicked one by the word of God abiding in them 1 John 2.14 I have written unto you Young men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one And cleanse their Hearts by a regard to Scripture direction Psal. 119.9 Wherewithal shall a Young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word They are defiled already not as Vessels taken out of the Potters shop but as Vessels tainted and polluted 5. To make good
to convince them of his being the Messiah In Carnal and Wicked Men there is not only a neglect of Christ but an hatred of Christ Partly because from neglect the passage is easie to contempt and hatred partly because their Hearts being beâ—â—owed elsewhere they have no affection to him that would reduce and reclaim them Ioh. 3.19 This is the condemnation that light is come into the World and Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil and partly because they count him as one that condemneth that course of Life which they affect Iob. 3.20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved 4. The manner of expressing their hatred They sent a Message after him This must be understood with respect to the Parable Therefore this Message they sent after him is nothing else but the Persecution of the Christian Faith and the Disciples that professed Christs name which is as it were an open bidding defiance to Christ in Heaven a sending a Message after him The Apostle Paul saith of the Jews 1 Thes. 2.15 Who both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all Men. 1. The Crime which is wilful refusal of subjection to Christ We will not have this Man to rule over us and here 1. The thing refused is his Reign Where Christ cometh he will be Lord and Soveraign His kingdom is that administration which requireth Spiritual obedience from us this the licentious World cannot endure 2. The manner of refusing 't is wilful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we will not They alledge no lawful reason but wilfully and contumaciously reject his Government And so it taxeth the obstinacy of the Jews standing out unreasonably against the Faith Doct. That 't is the Spiritual Kingdom of Christ which is most opposed by the Carnal World The Jews disclaimed him from being their King their whole carriage towards him and his Messengers speak this language We will not have this man to reign over us When he was present they contemned and slighted his person calling him this man by way of contempt yet in the Parable he is represented as a Nobleman and Heir of a Kingdom when absent and gone to receive a Kingdom they abused his Messengers the rebellious World maketh defection from Christ because he is out of sight they will not be controuled by an invisible King But it was not the sin of the Jews onely but of the Gentiles also for why did the Gentiles rage against the Lord and his anointed Psal. 2.3 Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us All the business of the rebellious World is to cast away Christs Yoke to dissolve the bonds of Loyalty and Obedience to him I will prove 1. That Christ hath a Kingdom 2. That in all reason this Kingdom should be submitted unto 3. What moveth and induceth Men so much to dislike his Kingly office I. That Christ hath a Spiritual Kingdom for all things concur here which belong to a Kingdom here is a Monarch which is Christ a Law which is the Gospel subjects which are penitent believers rewards and punishments Eternal Life and Eternal Torment 1. Here is a Monarch the Mediator whose Kingdom it is Originally it belongeth to God as God but derivatively to Christ as Mediatour Psal. 2.6 I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion Phil. 2.10 11. That at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things on Earth and things under the Earth And that every Tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father This Kingdom which is exercised by a Redeemer doth not vacate or make void our duty to God no this new dominion is not destructive of the former but accumulative that is it doth not abolish the power and right which God hath to govern that continueth still and will continue as long as Man receiveth his Being from God and the continuance of his being by daily providence and preservation but this is superadded to the former Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father the right of governing is still in God but the actual administration is by Christ. 2. There are subjects Before I tell you who they are I must premise that there is a double consideration of subjects some are subjects by the grant of God others are subjects not only by the grant of God but their own consent by divine donation all things are put into the hands of Christ and under the power of the Son of God and our Redeemer so no Creature is exempted from his dominion no not the Devils themselves though revolters and rebels against God Eph. 1.22 And hath put all things under his Feet and given him to be Head over all things to the Church Whether they will or no they are bound to his Absolute Dominion and Sovereign Authority and so all Men are subjects of Christs Kingdom partly by divine obligation bound to be so and partly by his over-ruling providence they are forced to submit to his disposing will there is a passive submission to his power though not a voluntary subjection to his Laws but of this we speak not now The other sort is of those who are subjects by consent who willingly give up themselves to the Redeemer to be saved upon his terms 2 Cor. 8.5 But first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the Will of God And so the subjects of this Kingdom are penitent Believers Devils and Wicked Men are his Subjects whether they will or no but all Christs people are his by a voluntary subjection and consent or yield up themselves to him by Covenant Now these I call penitent Believers because both Faith and Repentance is necessary to our entrance into his Subjection 1. Repentance that we may lay down our former Hostility and so enter into Confederation and Covenant with Him Therefore often preaching Repentance is called Preaching the Kingdom of God Mat. 4.17 From that time Iesus began to Preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Mark 1.14 15. Iesus came into Galilee Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God And saying The time is fulfilled the Kingdom of God is at hand Repent ye and believe the Gospel 2. Faith is required for receiving of Christ is made Equivalent with believing John 1 12. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to as many as believe in his Name Now what is receiving of Christ To entertain him to the end for which he was sent of God or in short to own him as Lord and King as is explained by the Apostle Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord. So walk in him 3. The Law of Commerce between this Sovereign and these
terms Therefore he revealeth and perswadeth us to accept the conditions of the New Covenant and to cast away all our rebellion against God and enter into his Peace 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then we are Embassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God They plead in his Name and by vertue of his Power Secondly As a King and Lord so he maketh these terms part of the New Law for the remedying of lapsed Mankind Heb. 5.8 Though he were a Son yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered And not only so but he subdueth us to himself Luke 11.21 By strong hand rescueth us out of the power of the Devil and giveth us Grace to serve him acceptably Heb. 12.28 And taketh us into his care and ruleth us and protecteth us till we enter into everlasting life His Lordship is a great part of his Mediation III. The Comforts and Duties thence resulting namely from Christ's being constituted as Mediatour as they are laid forth in the Text. 1. I observe That the Father's Honour and Glory is still secured and preserved safe and intire notwithstanding the giving the Glory to Christ as the Lord of the New Creation The Glory of the Mediatour doth no way impair and infringe the Fathers Glory That is apparent partly because all the good we have is from the Father but onely by Christ. For when the Father is spoken of 't is said From him are all things but when the Mediatour then 't is said By him which notes a subordinate operation or administration as Lord Deputy under the Father and therefore in the subjection of the Creature unto Christ the Glory of the Father is expresly reserved Phil. 2.11 That every Tongue should confess that Iesus is Lord to the Glory of the Father Again it 's apparent because it 's said We are to him or for him The Mediatour does not lead us off from God but to him Therefore both our love to God and subjection to him must still be preserved 1. Our love You must not think of the Father that he is all Wrath severe and inexorable and his Favour not to be gain'd but upon hard terms no if he himself had not loved us we could never have had Christ for our Redeemer All things are of him not only in a way of Creation but Redemption and one great end of sending Christ was to shew the amiableness of the Divine Nature Christ himself was sent by the Father John 3.16 God so loved the World that he sent his onely begotten Son 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses to them Rom. 8.32 God spared not his own Son but delivered him for us all 2. Our Subjection and Obedience Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood His antient right in us is not disannull'd but promoted We are redeemed to his Service and Obedience See 1 Cor. 6.19 20 Which are God's viz. By a right beneficial as a farther obligation God is the Efficient and Final Cause of all things Therefore still our Subjection to God and Love to God must be preserved 2. I observe That the expressions here used imply Returns as well as Receipts Look to the Expressions in both Clauses either concerning the one God or the one Mediatour The one God From him are all things and we by him or for him As from his bounty and goodness so for his honour and service Prov. 16.4 God hath made all things for himself 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God Whether it be in a way of Nature or Grace all things come of God These words do especially concern Christians All matters of Grace come from the Father to us for his Glory All things that belong to the New Creation as appeareth by the last clause we by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or for him See Eph. 1.12 That we should be to the praise of his glory So for what is said of the Mediatour and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things That is which we receive from God and we by him that is all the services which we return to God again Not onely Blessings come from the Father to us but we also must return duty and service to God by the same Mediatour Receipts come from God by Christ and Returns go back by Christ to God Which is to be noted by them who are all for Receipts but think not of Returns And also by them who own God in their Mercies but make Returns in their own Name No all that duty which we perform to God 't is by the Mediatour All Christianity is a coming to God by Christ Heb. 7.25 If we believe in God 't is by him 1 Pet. 1.2 By whom we believe in God If we love God 't is in Christ. If we pray to God 't is in and through him Ephes. 2.18 For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father If we praise God 't is in and by Christ Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Iesus Christ to the Glory and Praise of God Otherwise our Duties are not acceptable and pleasing to him 3. I observe That in the Receipts we expect from God there is great encouragement to expect them For God is represented as a fountain of Grace as a Father as a God and Father that acts by a Mediatour whose Merit is exprest as large as the Father's Power 1. As a Fountain of Grace he is the supream Cause of all things from whom all creatures have their life and being A Fountain ever-flowing and over-flowing What can we ask of him which he is not able to do Psal 57.2 I will cry unto God most high unto God that pâ—rformeth all things for me If it be pardon of sin or the gift of the spirit If subduing Enemies or everlasting Salvation he is able to give it you If it be strength against Temptations or Grace to serve him acceptably you come to a God from whom are all things VVhen a Man seriously worshippeth God he turneth his back upon all other things and turneth his face to God as the supream Lord and Fountain of all Happiness You may with confidence present your Petitions to him that can perform all things 2. You come to God as a Father If you take it personally 't is comfortable to come to him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes. 3.14 or essentially as a Father of the whole family of the faithful He loveth us dearly VVe have the Supream God for our Father and shall not we trust in him 2 Cor. 6.18 And I will be a Father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters VVho would distrust a Father and an Omnipotent Father VVhen we remember not onely his sufficiency but his love to us and our
interest in him we make our Addresses to him with confidence VVho may be confident if not the children of such a Father 3 This Fatherly goodness and all sufficiency is engaged for our relief by the Mediatour As all things are from the Father so all things are by him that is purchased and bought by his Merit The extent and vertue of his Merit is expressed as largely as the Father's power If we believe in God as an All sufficient Fountain of Grace we believe in Christ as an All-sufficient Mediatour John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me 1 John 2.23 He that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also Besides this The Vâ—â—l of Christ's flesh doth break the beams of his terrour to those that behold his Excellencies and rejoice in them By that we are incouraged to come to God for the Mediatour's Blessing which is the pardon of our sins Mat. 1.21 He shall save his people from their sins And Acts 3.26 God hath sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your sins One great Petition which we have to put up to God is for the pardon of sin This is a principal suit which sinful Man hath daily to present to God Now when we are sensible of sin How comfortable is it to come to God in the Name of this Lord and Mediatour who came on purpose to take away sin and hath satisfied God's Justice and Merited God's favour and mercy for us and liveth in Heaven to plead the Merit of his Sacrifice 4. As we are incouraged greatly to expect the graces and favours needful so we are as deeply engaged to the returns of Love Service and Obedience and that not onely as oblig'd in point of gratitude but as inclin'd suited and fitted for as we are for God so we are by him I say we are obliged in gratitude for the many Blessings which are procured and conveyed to us by the Mediatour If we have all things from God and all things by him and we Christians more than ordinary Creatures surely we should in a singular manner fulfil his Will and seek his Glory 2 Cor. 5.14 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us because we thus Iudge that if one died for all then were all dead And that he died for all that they that live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again And not onely are we obliged but inabled and inclined We for him there is our duty in the first clause We by him there is our help Ephes. 2.10 We are his workmanship in Christ Iesus created unto good works Not onely by him so as to perform it acceptably but by him so as to perform it chearfully and with all readiness of Mind It relateth to our assistance as well as our acceptance There is the Spirit to help our infirmities which is shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord Titus 3.6 So we are by him that is are fitted for the Service of God and put into a capacity to please him IV. Who are the parties interested in these Comforts and most concerned in these Duties The Apostle saith here To us there is but one God and one Lord meaning to us Christians all those that own God and worship God by the Mediatour Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him VVho are they Some will not come to God others not by him They and they onely are the persons that enjoy the benefit of this Mediation who come to God by him and that Two ways 1. They come to God by him who take upon them the profession of being his servants and obedient subjects in Christ. The bare profession bringeth us somewhat nearer to God Thus the People of Israel are said to be a People nigh unto God Psal. 148.14 They were a step nearer to God than the Gentiles So the Profession of Christianity bringeth us near unto God Who were sometime afar off but now are made near by the blood of Christ Ephes. 2.13 Before they were afar off from God from his Church his Covenant and Communion with him in his Ordinances Surely 't is some advantage to come so near to God by Christ as to have Union and Communion with the visible Church of Christ they are in that Society and Community of Men who are under God's special care and government above the rest of the World and where they enjoy the means of Salvation and such ordinarily by which God useth to convey his choicest Blessings These have a benefit above those who are wholly without the Church as having an offer of the Gospel-benefits though not a right to them They are nearer at hand and in Grace's way and may sooner understand that Christ is a Means chosen and used by God to bring home sinners to himself and by the Christian Doctrine currant amongst them which they know and profess to believe have a Dogmatical Faith at least that God is the Supream Fountain of all Happiness and Christ the onely way to him and have the common conditional pardoning Covenant sounding in their ears continually wherein God offereth to be a God and Father to them in Christ and telleth them what he will be and do to and for all those that do come in and submit to this Covenant 2. These come to God by him who really enter into the Evangelick estate and are converted by an unfeigned Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Iesus Christ Acts 20 21. Repentance respects God as our Supream Lord and chief happiness and Faith our Lord Jesus Christ as the onely one Mediatour When you turn from Sin Self and Satan unto God then you come to him for certainly the farther we depart from Sin the nearer we come to God Now this coming is by Christ. The Sinner that is turned from the Creature to God and from Sin to Holiness is also turned from Self to Christ who is the onely Means of our Recovery by his Merit and efficacy reconciling us to God and changing our hearts by the one restoring us to his Favour by the other to his Image Therefore a turning our selves from our sins with a resolution to forsake them without a reflection upon Christ is but a Natural Religion not Evangelical The Evangelical Religion is a coming to God by Christ or as it is described by the Apostle Heb. 10.22 A drawing nigh with a true heart and in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Those that are justified by the Merit and Sanctified by the Spirit of Christ and fully resolving intirely and unfeignedly upon the duties of the Gospel depending upon the Promises thereof these indeed have one God for their Father and one Lord Jesus Christ for their Redeemer and Saviour Till a Man be renewed and reconciled sanctified
conveyeth Pardon and Life to us Now this may be considered Two ways Either as Offered or Applied either as Externally Preached according to the Approving or Commanding Will of God or as Acted and effectually applied to the Hearts of the Elect according to the Decree of God As Offered so the Proposition asserts the Immutability of the Gospel-Covenant contrary to the Doctrine and Offence occasioned by these false Teachers As Applied so it asserts the Perseverance of the Saints Both which are confirmed by the Seal annexed both are contrary to the Scandal offered by these false Teachers They denied the Resurrection or Hopes of the other World God will give the Blessings promised to his People if they suffer here or be miserable here they shall be happy hereafter The Covenant is applied against the Offence God would be Faithful if they would be vigilant and he would preserve them in a state of Grace though others did fall away Well then the Truth which we are to discuss is That God's Covenant will be sure firm and stable to all those that are sincerely entred into the Bond of it It must needs be so 1. It is every where sure on God's part And 2. He will make it sure on our part If he will not depart from us and we shall not depart from him surely then it is stedfast 1. On God's part there is no danger of failing There is his eternal Love back'd with an infinite Power and engaged by an infallible Truth God's Love and Mercy were the only Reasons which ingaged him to make this Covenant with us The pleasure of his Will gave it a Being and his Truth is ingaged to make it Good Micah 7.20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Iacob and the mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old The Promise was out of Mercy given to Abraham with whom the Covenant was first made but out of Truth and Fidelity it descended to Iacob and was established with his Seed In the managing of the same Covenant God shewed his Power Gen. 17.1 I am God all-sufficient that solved all Difficulties to Abraham We have the same Grounds to depend upon in the Covenant made with the Christian Church in the promise of Eternal Life Surely Christ would not feed us with Chimera's who was ever plain-hearted and open with his Disciples Iohn 14.2 If it were not so I would have told you He meaneth as he speaketh and persisteth in the same mind and is able to make his Word good His everlasting Love provided this Happiness for us before the World was Matth. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World So Luke 12.32 Fear not little flock it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom It is secured by the promise of the faithful God and he hath confirmed it by an Oath Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation Yea and it is possessed by our Surety and Head in our name Heb. 6.20 Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Iesus made an High-priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck And the Power of God is engaged to prevent the Dangers by the way 1 Pet. 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation Heaven is kept for us and we for it Which Power of God is engaged to solve all the Difficulties about the End and Happiness it self Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself So that on God's part it is sure They that have the Word of the Eternal God to build upon do build upon a sure Foundation Psal. 89.34 My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips It is compared with the stability of Hills and Mountains Isa. 54.10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my kindness shall never depart from thee neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee It is compared also with the Covenant of Night and Day which cannot be disannulled by any Created power Ier. 31.35 36. Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by Day and the ordinances of the Moon and of the Stars for a light by Night which divideth the Sea when the Waves thereof roar the Lord of Hosts is his name If those ordinances depart from before me saith the Lord then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a Nation before me for ever Jer. 33.20 21. Thus saith the Lord if you break my Covenant of the Day and my Covenant of the Night and that there should not be Day and Night in their season Then may also my Covenant be broken with David my Servant 2. It is secure also on our part where all the danger lyeth as God will not depart from us so he will take care we shall not depart from him So that if once we truly and really enter into Covenant with God we do not only keep the Covenant but the Covenant keepeth us Two things maketh it firm on our parts 1. Internal Grace vouchsafed and granted to us by promise Ier. 32.40 And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them Good but I will put my fear in their Hearts that they shall not depart from me So Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Iudgments and do them It doth not hang upon the mutable Motions of the Creatures will 2. External Providence or the Provision that is made for failings and slips where the Heart is sincere for the main There is a clause put into the Covenant that every failing in the performance of our Duty shall not make a Forfeiture See Psal. 89.30 31 32 33. If his Children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod and their Iniquities with Stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail It is the Duty of God's Children to watch over their Corrupt Nature and against Temptations that they may not fail otherwise they are not sincere but yet notwithstanding their greatest watchfulness they will in some things be found faulty both in point of Omission and Commission yet the Lord will not be severe upon every Trespass the Covenant goeth on still notwithstanding lesser Transgressions on our part 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting
Psal. 17.14 15. From men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world which have their portion in this life and whose Belly is fill'd with the hid treasure they are full of Children and leave the rest of their substance to their Babes But as for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Men are dazled with the splendour of Worldly Happiness and think it a fine thing to be well fed and well clad and well attended but this is all for them and theirs and shall we Envy them for this That they have more for Back and Belly than we have a little pomp of living especially when such great things be provided for us in Christ. Alass what is a more plentiful Table to the Everlasting fruition of God The Pomp of the World to the Honour Christ will put on us at the day of Judgment when he shall be admired in his Saints The favour of Princes to seeing God face to face Vain Glory to Everlasting Glory Their momentary Pleasures which pass away suddenly as a Dream to that Everlasting pleasure at God's Right hand A little Decking and Adorning of the Body to be satisfied with his likeness and to walk with God in White 2. Present Enjoyments Here I take in the notion of the Text his secret is with the righteous There is some difference what should be meant by the secret of the Lord. Sometimes it noteth 1 Spiritual Illumination or the knowledge of God's Will Psal. 25 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him he will teach them his Covenant They know more of God's mind than others do and they know it not only Literally but Spiritually That is by the lively light of the Spirit not Disciplinarily Now this is a great favour that God doth so love them that he doth admit them to his Arcana Iohn 15.15 I have called you Friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known to you 'T is a greater Evidence of God's Friendship to understand his Counsel in the Word and to be acquainted with the Mysteries of Godliness than all the Success Power and greatness of the World Christ gave his Spirit to the rest of the Apostles but his Purse to the Son of Perdition Some have Knowledge and Eminent Gifts others Wealth and Honour yea though they which increase Knowledge increase Sorrow yet the knowledge of a despised hated truth though it expose us to sufferings is better than to flourish in opposition against the ways of God through our ignorance obstinacy and blind prejudice And will you that are directed in the way of Salvation advanced to know God and the tenour of his Will far more than the Blind Carnal Careless World Envy them that are only acquainted with Christianity as a Report or Tradition calculated and formed to to a Worldly Interest 2. The secret of the Lord may intend not only direction in our Duty but Satisfaction about God's Dispensations for our Consolation in all Afflictions God helpeth them to interpret his Providence better than others called the secrets of Wisdom Iob. 11.6 And should the Saints whose Graces make them so sharp and Engaged that know more of God's mind than others in these very dealings which are so troublesome and offensive to them should they envy the Oppresâ—or and be so discontented to suffer a little that have more skill than others to look into God's ways and consider the course of his proceedings 3. Secret may imply the visible Blessings of God's Providence so 't is said Iob. 29.34 The secret of the Lord was upon my Tabernacle The singular Love God bore to him did preserve him and did guide him and his Family and made all his Affairs prosper Psal. 31.20 God shall hide them in the secret of his presence When they seem to be left open as a prey to the oppressions and injuries of their potent Adversaries yet there is a secret guard upon them and they are kept the World knoweth not how Now should such that are hedged round about with the guard of a secret Blessing leave their refuge for the defence of a little Interest in the World which God hateth and can soon blow upon Psal. 91.1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty 4. Secret may note the intimate familiarity that is between God and them and that inward Consolation which they have with God in a course of Holiness which is hidden from the World 1 Iohn 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him Many secret Refreshings visits of Love expressions of Grace are bestowed upon them Now have such any cause to envy others They that walk with God meet him at every turn are so often comforted and quickned by the manifestations of God and the influences of his Grace Psal. 17.15 As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness The Psalmist preferreth his present condition before the greatest happiness of carnal men because he had opportunities of beholding the Face of God or enjoying the Comforts of his Presence This is as if a Child fed with Manchet should envy a Slave for being fed with the Bread of Sorrows 3 The Nature and mischievous effects of this envy For 't is not so tame an evil as the world doth imagine 1. It disposeth to fretting or murmuring against God's Holy Providence Psal. 37.1 Fret not thy self because of evil doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity Prov. 24.19 Fret not thy self because of evil men neither be thou envious at the wicked It notes a certain taxing of God's Providence as if he did not rightly Govern the World 1. It tempteth to Apostacy from God's ways to the ways of the wicked That 's in the Text clearly Envy not the oppressor and chuse none of his ways implying that this emulation of their Happiness will draw you to cry up a Confederacy with them and to enter into their Lot and Net Prov. 24.1 Be not thou envious against evil men neither desire to be with them When we admire their Happiness it secretly inticeth our Hearts to take share and lott with them A Man is perverted by this Envy it weakneth our fear of God our value of Spiritual Blessings expectation of things to come and diligence in God's Service 3. It implieth and includeth many ill Principles which tend directly to the weakning of Faith Hope and Piety 1. It implyeth or includeth this Principle or Opinion That the felicity of a Man consisteth in these external good things which the wicked enjoy which is an error destructive to Godliness For change a Man's
Alnis Luke 6.38 Give and it shall be given unto you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom for with the same measure that ye meet withall it shall be measured to you again To Ordinances So here in the Text as you deal with God so will he deal with you Look what measure of Diligence and Conscionable Care is in you to hear the Word the like measure of Spiritual Fruit and Profit shall you reap by the Blessing of God 2. A Promise grounded upon a Proverb and unto you that hear shall more be given Those that make use of what is said to them that mark diligently and practice accordingly more Knowledge and Grace is increased This is built on a Proverb habenti dabitur for he that hath to him shall be given To have doth not only signifie the Possession of a thing but the use which is the end of Possession So he that hath is he that hath to purpose that occupieth the Gift and Grace received A Man that useth and employeth that which he hath and so maketh it to appear to the World that he hath such a Talent from God for in Scripture we are said to have that we make use of To him shall be given He shall increase his stock He shall be having and having and having till he come to a glorious Estate in all Spiritual Riches Knowledge Love Humility Zeal Temperance and Patience and all manner of Grace That the expression is Proverbial is out of Question with the Learned for it is an assertion verified in all Ages and Places That the Rich have many friends and he that hath much shall have more Every one will be giving to them and they have greater advantages of improving themselves than others Upon this occasion were the words first used which our Saviour is pleased to translate and apply to his own purpose of growth in Grace by a diligent use of the means Doct. That a serious attention to the Doctrine of the Gospel is the means appointed for the attaining of saving Grace and a plentiful increase therein In stating this point let me observe to you 1. That in the Communication of Grace as well as Nature God observeth the order of means Because he dealeth with us as reasonable Creatures and this becometh the Wisdom of his Government and so he meeteth with us in our way and we meet with him in his way So Christ is the principal means and called therefore the way to the Father Iohn 14.8 Other Subordinate means are instituted by him 2. That among the Subordinate means the principle is the Word called therefore the power of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 All the parts of it are fitted to their Sanctifying use His Doctrine to teach and fill us with due Conceptions and Apprehensions of God Threatnings to drive Promises to draw Examples to move and all these formed into a Covenant strongly to ingage us to God 3. This word that it may profit us must be diligently attended unto For this is Christ's Admonition in the Text Take heed what you hear The Gospel deserveth it our profiting requireth it 1 The Gospel deserveth it partly for the sublimity and excellency of the Mysteries therein contained which are enough to ravish the thoughts of Angels 1 Pet. 1.12 Therefore we cannot conceive of them without much consideration Great and Excellent things do even force their way into our Minds Now all other things are but Toys and Trifles to this What is a greater speculation than God made accessible to us in Christ as he was manifested in the Flesh than God reconciled by the propitiatory sacrifice of his Death What is all the Glory of the World to Everlasting Communion with God These things are a feast to the Minds of all wise and rational Men. And partly because of their profit they are things that nearly concern us Needless speculations we may well spare or other Mens matters but surely we should mind their own things What doth more nearly concern us than to have God for our God and Christ for our Saviour and Redeemer and the Spirit for our Sanctifier and Comforter This is life Eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Iohn 17.3 And partly their Necessity We are undone for ever if ignorant of these things Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we can be saved And Condemned by the Gospel if we make light of them Iohn 3.19 This is the Condemnation that light is come into the World and Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil Not to think that worthy of a serious thought which was brought about with so much ado Matth. 22.5 And they made light of it This is not only vile ingratitude but obstinate contempt of Grace which will cost us dear 2. Our profiting by the Gospel requireth it for otherwise How can we have a sufficient understanding of those Mysteries if we content our selves with a few cursory and â—areless Thoughts 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things Lay this to thy Heart and God give thee a right use of it or a judgment to do all things which belong to thee 2. That we may feel the force and power of it Acts 16.14 And a certain woman named Lidia a seller of purple of the City of Thyatira which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul without attendency the Truth is lost and doth us no good There must be Attention and Intention before there can be choice or pursuit For the Gospel doth not work like a charme as if we could find the efficacy of it whither sleeping or waking 3. To move the Soul to Obedience For Take heed what you hear is as much as See you practice what you have heard that you bring forth the fruit accordingly He that heareth my sayings and doth them I will liken him to a wise builder Matth. 7.24 Hearing tendeth to Practice Knowledge to Practice Faith to Practice Affection to Practice without which our Hearing is but a bodily Task our Knowledge but an empty Speculation Faith a dead Opinion Affection but a vanishing Impression These things do not attain their consummate and proper effect 4. This diligent attention consisteth in three things Sound Belief Serious Consideration and close Application Sound Belief 1 Thess. 2.13 For this cause we thank God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Serious Consideration Deut. 32.46 And he said unto them Set your hearts unto all the words which I testiste among you this day which
to take Care and Thought for our selves It was our Fathers part to preserve us and provide for us to bestow good and keep off the evil But every Man since would have life and his comfort and his safety in his own hands and so much of temporal Happiness as he seeth good There is no way to rectiâ—ie it but to return to our Innocency to mind our Duty and cast our burden on the Lord commending success and events to him 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you And Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thansgiving let our requests be made known unto God upon confidence that his Hand and Providence will not neglect us or any of our concernments 4. Those that are contented with what their Father alloweth When God giveth sufficient to supply our necessities we seek to satisfie our Lusts when God hath done enough and more than enough to evidence his Power Justice Truth and Care of our welfare yet we will not rest on him unless he will subject his Providence to our Will and carnal Affections As the Israelites when miraculously fed miraculously cloathed God kept a Market for them gave them their Supplies not out of Earth but out of the Clouds yet tempted God in their hearts asking meat for their lusts Psal. 78.19 Yea it is said Psal. 106.13 14 They sâ—â—n forâ—at his works they waited not fâ—r his counsâ—l but lusted exceedingly in the wildâ—rness They made haste they forgat his worâ—â— so 't is in the Hâ—brew Carnaâ— desires greatly transport they must have Festival Diet in the Wilderness or they will no longer believe his Power and serve him Thus when Men take the ruling of themselves into their own hands they will not stay till God provide for them but must have their Carnal Desires presently satisfied Matth. 5.5 The meek shall inherit the earth But who are meek They that quietly submit to God's Providence and so they have Food and Raiment and have any time to glorifie God and seek his Kingdom and the Salvation of their Souls let others live in Pomp and Ease It is enough for them to be as God will have them be They are not over-desirous to have Worldly Things or too much dejected and cast down through the want of them But those that are greedy and earnest and covet more than God seeth meet to bestow upon them as they forfeit the Blessing of God's Presence so by enlarging their Desires they make way for their own Discontent when they are not satisfied and so fall into murmuring against God and so into all disquiet of Mind about Earthly Things 2. Improve this Point to moderate and allay your distrustful and distracting Cares And so cometh in the Apostles Exhortation Be content with such things as you have Content is a quiet temper of Mind relying on God's merciful Providence and gracious Promises for such Things as are necessary for us during our Pilgrimage and Passage to Heaven Sometimes it is opposed to Murmuring but I take it here as opposed to distrustful Cares because we have little in a time of Troubles and are like to have less and therefore are full of anxious Thoughts what we shall eat what we shall drink what we shall put on Consider God will not leave you nor forsake you What cannot his Wisdom and Mercy and Power do for you He hath deeply and strongly engaged himself to his People and therefore it should quiet our Minds in all Necessities and Streights See Christ's Arguments Mat. 6.25 26 and 32. Take no thought for your life what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink nor yet for your body what ye shall put on Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment 1. They had Life from God without any thought of theirs therefore he would provide the Conveniencies of Life God has given Life and framed the Body which was a far greater act of Power and Mercy than giving Food and providing Raiment 2. Other Creatures are provided for without any solicitude of theirs both as to Food and Raiment Vers. 26. Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly father feedeth them Are ye not much better than they God that provideth for Birds and Fowls will provide for his Children Men may look for it more than they having ordinary means of Reaping and Sowing and other Trades and ways of Living which the Fowls have not and so are meerly cast on the Care of Providence Man is a more considerable Creature so more liable to God's Care and Providence 3. It is a Pagan Practice to be thoughtful Vers. 32. After all these things do the Gentiles seek 3. Improve it to remove our Fears of Danger So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me They are David's words Psal. 118.6 If God be with us he will help us therefore as Faith prevaileth Fear ceaseth Psal. 16.7 I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel my reins also instruct me in the night season If our Hearts misgive us God is our Second he will afford Protection when necessary for his glory and our good The Fear of Man is an ordinary Temptation to divert the Godly from their Duty or discourage them in it You may be confident upon such a Promise Psal. 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Man can do much he can fine imprison banish reduce to a morsel of Bread yea torture put to death yet as long as God is with us and standeth for us we may boldly say I will not fear what man can do Why Because God will not see them utterly perish He can give us Joy in Sorrow Life in Death A Christian is not afraid because he can set God against Man Temporal Things against Eternal Covenant against Providence 1. God against Man Isa. 51.12 13. I even I am he that comforteth you c. God can change their Hearts Prov. 16.7 When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him He can weaken their Power Iob 12.21 He weakenth the strength of the Mighty Mar. 12.41 Be not afraid of them that kill the Body and can do no more 2. Eternal things against Temporal 2 Cor. 4.16 Our light Affliction for a moment worketh for us an eternal weight of Glory 3. The Covenant against Providence Psal. 73.17 Till I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end A Sermon on 1 THES V. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober putting on the Breast-plate of Faith and Love and for an Helmet the Hope of Salvation IN the Context the Apostle inferreth our Duty from our Profession of Christianity all Christians are taken into a new estate called out of Dâ—rkness into Light
your Redemption 2 Use Hath Christ taken upon him to carry away Sin Then here is Instruction 1. To the Careless Certainly he that seeketh after benefit by Christ must be one that is not a Stranger to himself one that knoweth and is acquainted with the case of his own Heart and Life one that is sensible of his Sins and corrupt Inclinations and the guilt and burden that lieth upon him one that mourneth under the fears of God's displeasure Will Christ ease a Man of a Burden that he feeleth not A sensless sleepy Soul hath not Work for Christ to do He inviteth those that see a need of Mercy Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest 2. To those who are afflicted in Conscience for Sin Remember you must be not only sensible of the guilt of Sin but the stain of it and look after not only Peace but Healing Isa. 53.5 With his stripes we are healed It is not a sound Cure that aimeth only at the asswaging of the Grief but the Distemper must be removed Mountebanks only stop the Pain but let alone the Cause such a Cure would they have who are more earnest for Ease and Comfort than for Grace Sin in some sense is worse than Damnation Remember then this is the Undertaking of our blessed Redeemer will he come in vain and miss of his End Consider the Merit of his Humiliation what a Price he hath paid for sanctifying Grace 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers But with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot This Price was not given only to heighten our Esteem of the Priviledge but to encrease our Confidence And consider the Power of his Exaltation Acts 3.26 God having raised up his son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities Having paid our Ransom he is gone into Heaven fully furnished and impowred to free from Sin all that consent to receive this Benefit But what shall we do that we may have the actual Benefit 1. Seek the Pardon of Sin in the way of Repentance confessing your Sins with brokeness of Heart 1 Iohn 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Sue out his Grace and turn to the Lord. Repentance lieth not in a feigned Wish only that Sin had not been done but in a change of Mind Heart and Life in a hatred to Sin repented of and a love to God and Holiness Man's Fall was specially in point of Love and his Recovery must be a Recovery of Love to God again Your Love to Sin must be turned into an Hatred of Sin the Soul must be not only turned from Sin but against it Repentance is most seen in our Love and Hatred 2. Seek the subduing of Sin in a diligent use of Means There is a Spirit purchased by Christ to begin the Life of Grace and to carry it on with success to heal and renew our Natures and to strengthen them being heal'd and renew'd Now we must not by our carelesness negligence or other Sin provoke the Lord to withdraw from us and suspend his Grace but humbly implore his Favour wait for his Approaches and attend and obey his sanctifying Motions God is willing to give the Spirit to them that ask him as a Father is to give an hungry Child bread Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the holy spirit to them that ask him We make our selves uncapable of this help by grieving the Spirit Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption When we are so easie to the Requests of Sin and so deaf to his Motions he ceaseth to give us warning There are certain Ordinances whereby this Grace is conveyed to us and Christ died to sanctifie them to us Eph. 5.25 26. Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word These Ordinances are the Word and Sacraments by the use of which Sin receiveth a new wound The Word is for cleansing the Soul Iohn 15.3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you Baptism must be improved for the washing away of Sin Acts 22.16 Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins A Man forgetteth his Baptism that is neglecteth it if he be not purged from Sin 2 Pet. 1.9 He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see far off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins That is he hath made no use and received no benefit by his Baptism In the Lord's Supper we remember the Death of Christ as the Price given for the Life of our Souls as a Spectacle that may affect us with the Odiousness of Sin as an occasion of renewing our Covenant with God and binding our selves afresh to his service and as a means to stir up our Love to God and so by consequence our hatred of Sin Psal. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil And to awaken our hopes and so of purifying the Soul 1 Iohn 3.3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure Here is delivered to the believing Soul a sealed Pardon of all Sin Matth. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins And we wait for the Application of his mortifying and renewing Grace 3. If the first Attempt succeed not yet afterwards Sin may be subdued and broken In natural Things we do not sit down with one Tryal and one Endeavour a Man that will be rich pierceth himself through with many Sorrows 1 Tim. 4.10 and after many miscarriages pursue their Designs till they compleat them and shall we give over our waiting and striving because we cannot presently find success That sheweth our Will is not fully bent and set upon the thing we seem to desire In the face of Discouragements we must venture again Luke 5.5 Master we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing nevertheless at thy command I will let down the neâ— God's Grace is free and his holy Leisure must be waited for it was long e're God got us to this pass to be sensible of our Burden or anxiously solicitous about our Soul Distempers We must lie at the Pool for cure the Spirit bloweth when and where it listeth Iohn 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the spirit He that begun the
the Original of that Altar which Paul saw with this Inscription To the unknown God Acts 17.23 I have brought this account to shew you that all Evil is sent by God and his Hand must be acknowledged in it or else Religion will fall to the ground When the Disciples were terrified in a great storm Christ cometh walking upon the Waters and telleth them Be of good chear it is I be not afraid Mark 6.50 They thought it was a Spectre but Christ saith It is I. In short the Author of all the Annoyances and Afflictions that befalleth us in this Life is God their End is Repentance their Cause is Sin and this well thought of will silence all our Murmurings II. That it is a great advantage to Patience when we can consider him not as an angry Judge but as a gracious Father The Cup which Christ drank off was very bitter and yet he saith The cup which my father hath given me Now every one cannot apply this Comfort for many are not so much as in a visible relation to God and others that visibly live in his Family yet are not owned and acknowledged by him as his dear Children rather counted Bastards than Sons as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 12.7 8. If ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not But if ye be without chastisements whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons Not legitimate but degenerate Children Others have a special relation to God such as is between Father and Children 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be unto you a father and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty These have an Interest in his dearest Love and a Right to his choicest Benefits and they shall know it by his Fatherly dealing with them Now to such this Comfort properly belongeth for though God may punish and afflict others yet he cannot be said to chastise them as a Father but as an angry Judge he doth punish them for their Offences and Rebellions Therefore if you would apply this Comfort you must clear up your Interest enter into Covenant with him and sincerely believe in Christ and devote your selves to him that he may be your God and Father But because Being and Seeing are two things and many that are the Children of God may not know themselves to be so therefore I shall 1. State this Matter 2. Shew what an advantage it is to Patience First I shall state this Matter in these Considerations 1. God is a Father by Creation or Adoption 1. In a more general Respect by Creation as Adam is called The son of God Luke 3.38 So Mal. 2.10 Have we not all one father Hath not one God created us God is more our Father than our natural Parents are they concur to our Beings but instrumentally but God originally It is God that formeth us in the Womb we are his Workmanship not our Parents both as to Body and Soul As to the Body Psal. 119.73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me They know not whether the Child be Male or Female Beautiful or Deformed they cannot tell the number of the Bones Muscles Veins and Arteries which God hath framed in such a curious and exact Order But for the Soul which is the better part of Man that is of his immediate Creation therefore God is called The father of spirits Heb. 12.9 They do not run in the Channel of Carnal Generation or Fleshly Descent In this general sense by virtue of Creation God is the Father of all Men good and bad which though it give Cod a Title to our Love Service and Honour yet it giveth us no Interest in his special Benefits or the Fruits of his Fatherly Love it moveth God not to stir up all his Wrath against them yet not to bestow Saving Grace his Favour and Image upon them 2. More especially and in a more comfortable sense there is a more peculiar sort of Men to whom God is a Father by Adoption and they are his dear Children This Title is not by Nature but by Grace the Foundation of it was laid in the Election of God Eph. 1.5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will But before this Decree could be executed and take place the redemption of Christ was necessary for we read Gal. 4.4 5. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons Sin needed to be expiated by the Son of God in our Nature before God would bestow this Honour upon any of Mankind Christ was to take a Mother upon Earth that we might have a Father in Heaven Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.14 15. And besides this Grace is applied to us by the Spirit who by his effectual Operation bringeth us into a state of Love and Sonship As a Father by Creation he giveth us our natural Endowments as a Father by Adoption he giveth us the supernatural Grace of the Spirit to sanctifie and change our Hearts for Regeneration and Adoption always go together Iohn 1.12 13. But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God And by the new Nature put into us we are brought into this new State and Relation Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying Abba Father The Soul that was shy of God then inclineth to him as our Lord that we may honour love and obey him and as our Happiness that we may seek after him and live in Communion with him And lastly the Act on our part that we may be received into the number of God's Children is an owning and acknowledging Christ to all the ends and purposes for which God hath appointed him if we really entertain him as sent by God to be our Lord and Saviour we are advanced to this Dignity Iohn 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name This of the Priviledge 2. You having received this Grace it is your duty to get it evidenced that you may maintain a comfortable sense of your Adoption It is evidenced by the dwelling and working of the holy Spirit in you Rom. 8.16 The spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are
want he thought of returning to his Father Luke 15.17 18 19. if our Ears be opened to Discipline we can own God in the humbling though not the comfortable way Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son Many that were never serious before are brought to bethink themselves in their Afflictions 1 King 8.47 48. Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives and repent and make supplications unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives saying We have sinned and have done perversly we have committed wickedness And so return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul. The Doors of God's Family are always open to believing Penitents and it is a Fatherly Providence at last Secondly What an advantage is it to Patience and submission to God 1. God's Fatherly Relation sheweth his Love to us and so we know that by all his Chastisements he doth but seek our spiritual and eternal Good Heb. 12.9 10. We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the father of spirits and live For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Children though they take it ill to be beaten by others yet they take it patiently when beaten for their faults by their Parents who under God are the cause of their Being and Maintenance and ever in correcting seek their good much more should we submit to our Heavenly Father Earthly Parents may err wanting Wisdom or being blinded with Passion and so their Chastisements are arbitrary and irregular But there is more of Compassion than Passion in God's Rod all cometh from purest Love and is regulated by perfect Wisdom and tendeth to the highest End even our Holiness and Happiness 2. It inferreth great Love from us to God again No owning of God is allowed but the Practical owning of him and therefore none own God as a Father but those that love him as a Father Now love God once and nothing that he doth will be grievous to us for as Love sweetneth Duties so it sweetneth Providences It cometh from my Father that doth not only bespeak Reverence or Submission Numb 12.14 If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days but welcom any thing should be well taken at his hand III. It well becometh his People to endure willingly whatever God calleth them unto 1. From God His Sovereignty and Power He is too great to be questioned Iob 9.12 Behold he taketh away who can hinder him Who will say unto him What dost thou His Justice He is too just to do us wrong Iob 34.23 For he will not lay upon man more than is right that he should enter into judgment with God There is Guilt enough in every one to silence us Psal. 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgments His Goodness He is too good to do us harm he knoweth how to recompense us Psal. 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted Nothing but Good can come from him who is Goodness and Love it self His Wisdom and Faithfulness he will afflict us no more than need requireth or will exceed our strength 1 Pet. 1.6 Wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 2. With respect to Christ whose Example should be of force to us both for Suffering and patience in Suffering For Suffering there is a certain measure of Affliction fitted and prepared for Christ and all his Followers the bitter Cup goeth round from hand to hand the whole Wave dashed upon Christ some Drops light upon us Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake which is the Church And for patience in Suffering Heb. 12.2 3. Looking unto Iesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despised the shame and is sate down at the right hand of the throne of God For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself least ye be wearied and faint in your minds 1 Pet. 2.21 Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps And Vers. 23. Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously He hath trod the way before us and his steps drop fatness Matth. 20.23 Ye shall drink indeed of my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my father There are two things if any would be nearer in Dignity to Christ than others it is not in reigning but in suffering with Christ in drinking Christ's Cup but for Preferment in another World and to have a larger measure of Honour that is given to those for whom it is appointed We are to prepare for the Cross. The other is the New Covenant engageth us hereunto for there is an Allusion to the Sacraments Therefore Christ useth these Notions 1 Use Sheweth what Provision the Christian Religion maketh for Patience Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope This Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures is a higher thing than what is learnt by the Institutions of Philosophy Tam in ipsis falsa erat patientia quà m falsa sapientia Cypr. Both their Patience and their Wisdom is false The Grounds of Patience from the Christian Religion are particular Providence Adoption the Example of Christ the Assistance of the Spirit the Desert of Sin the Fruit of Afflictions both as to the refining of Grace and preparing us for Glory Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the presâ—nt seemeth to be joyous but grievous nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby 2 Vse To exhort us to bear whatsoever God shall lay upon us 1. Seek this Grace of God both the Wisdom and the Power to calm the Spirit Col. 1.11 Strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Jam. 1.5 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask it of God Man's
1. Here is represented the State of the Body after Death 2. The State of the Soul 1. The State of the Body it shall be resolved into the Matter out of which it was made Dust it was in its Composition and Dust it shall be in its Dissolution Then shall the Dust return to the Earth as it was 2. The State of the Soul in the other World And the Spirit shall return to God that gave it Where 1 st The Nature of it or what kind of Substance the Soul is it is a Spirit or an immaterial Substance 2 dly The Author of it who is God he gave it he gave us the Body too but the Soul in a more especial manner 3 dly The Disposal of it or in what State it remaineth after Death it returneth to God It is not extinguished when the Body is dissolved into Dust nor doth it vanish into the Air but returneth to God All true Wisdom consisteth in the Knowledg of God and our selves We cannot know our selves unless we know the Parts of which we do consist This Text giveth you a right Notion of them both for it telleth you what they are and what shall become of them They are conjoined but distinct And therefore when the Union betwixt them is dissolved they go several ways We are concerned in them both but more in the Soul which hath the Preheminence above the Body The one is visible and therefore its Changes are known but the other is invisible and therefore more unknown but the State of both is equally certain for as certainly as the Body returneth to the Dust so doth the Soul return to God First For the first Branch Then shall the Body return to the Earth as it was I shall not stay upon it 1. It giveth you the right Notion of the Body it is but Dust moulded up into a comely Shape which is an Effect of God's Wisdom and Power to make such a curious Frame out of the Dust of the Ground We read in the History of the Plagues of Egypt that the Magicians were not able so much as bring forth Lice out of the Dust of the Ground Exod. 8.18 19. But God could raise such a beautiful Structure as Man's Body is But though it speaketh God's Power yet it sheweth our Frailty Our Body is here called Dust it is not Brass or Iron or Stone or stiff Clay but Dust and shall return to the Earth as it was Dust hath no Coherence or Consistence but is easily scattered with every Puff of Wind so is our earthly or dusty Tabernacle with every blast of God's Displeasure Gen. 18.27 Behold now I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord who am but Dust and Ashes Isa. 40.15 Behold the Nations are as a Drop of the Bucket and they are counted as the small Dust of the Ballance 2. What shall become of it It shall return to the Earth as it was Gen. 3.19 Dust thou art and unto Dust shalt thou return Psal. 104.29 Thou takest away their Breath they die and return to their Dust. Psal. 146.4 He returneth to his Earth Which should teach us to take Care for a better Estate 2 Cor. 5.1 For we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens The Soul dwelleth now in an earthly House it should look out for a more glorious Mansion Secondly Of the Soul three things are spoken which are so many Arguments to prove its Immortality which is the Subject I mainly intend 1. The kind of it it is a Spirit The Matter of which the Body is made is the Earth and so it is still maintained He bringeth forth Food for them out of the Earth Psal. 104.14 And so breedeth and casteth out Corruption every Day but the Soul is a simple Substance not compounded of corruptible Principles and therefore cannot be resolved into any The Body liveth by the Soul and from the Soul but the Soul dependeth upon nothing but God The Argument is good it is incorporeal and immaterial therefore immortal for Mortality hath Reference to some compounded Substance which hath in it self some Principle and Cause of Motion as well as a material and passive Part that may be moved by that Principle and signifieth no more but a Capacity of the material and passive Part to be deprived of the inward and active Principle of its Motion In short if the Soul die it must be from the Violence of some external Power or some Principles of Corruption within not by Violence without Matth. 10.28 And fear not them which kill the Body but are not able to kill the Soul And it hath no Principles of Corruption whereby it should destroy it self for it is a Spirit 2. The Author God gave it our Bodies are also his Workmanship but the Soul is immediately framed by God both in the first Creation and the continual Propagation of Mankind At the first Creation we read the Body was created out of the Earth or the Dust of the Ground but the Soul out of nothing but immediately breathed into Adam by God Gen. 2.7 And the Lord formed Man out of the Dust of the Ground and breathed into his Nostrils the Breath of Life and Man became a living Soul And still the Soul is immediately created by God Zech. 12.1 He stretcheth forth the Heavens and laid the Foundation of the Earth and formeth the Spirit of Man within him The creating of the Soul is reckoned among the Works of his Omnipotency Heb. 12.9 Furthermore we have had Fathers of our Flesh which corrected us and we gave them Reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits The Fathers of our Flesh are distinguished from the Father of Spirits Our natural Parents under God are the Instruments of our natural and earthly Being as they procured the Matter out of which our Bodies were derived they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fathers of our Flesh but God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of our Spirits The Spirit of Man runneth not in the material Channel of fleshly Descent it is not educed out of the Power of the Matter but immediately made by God 3. The Disposal of it When it flitteth out of the Body it returneth to God that is to God as a Judg to be disposed of by him into its everlasting Estate God challengeth Souls as his or belonging to his Government as universal King and Judg of the World Ezek. 18.4 All Souls are mine He will give to every one according to his Works adjudging and sentencing them either to Heaven the Mansion of the Blessed or Spirits of just Men made perfect Heb. 12.23 or to Hell the Place where damned Spirits are kept in Prison 1 Pet. 3.19 He went and preached unto the Spirits in Prison The Body is not said to return to God but to return to the Earth as it was but