presents God terrible and taketh away all confidence from us so that we are obnoxious to his Wrath and righteous Vengeance Who is able to stand before this Holy God 1 Sam. 6.20 And who can dwell with everlasting Burnings Isa. 33.14 We cannot approach God in any friendly manner 2. I shall shew what Provision God hath â—ade for us The Lord Jesus took this Office at God's appointment of reconciling God to us and appeasing his Wrath and us to God by bringing us back again our alienated and estranged Affections to God How so what hath he done 1. The Distance is in truth taken away by his very Person he is God-Man God and Man meet together in the Person of Christ God doth condescend and come down to Man and Man is incouraged to ascend to God God in Christ is nearer to Man than he was before that we may have more familiar thoughts of him The pure Deity is at so vast a distance from us that we are amazed and confounded when we think of it and cannot conceive an hope that he should concern himself in our â—ffairs But the Son of God is come in our Nature John 1.14 The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us 1 Tim. 3.16 Grace is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh So that he is more acceptable to us and nearer at hand and more readily inclined to help us for he will not be strange to his own Flesh. 2. The Difference and Controversy is taken up by the Work of his Redemption for God hath set him forth to be a Propitiation or a means of appeasing his Wrath Rom. 3. 25. and to be the Foundation of that New Covenant wherein Pardon and Life is offered to us It is not enough to our Recovery that God be reconciled but Man must be renewed otherwise we remain for ever undeâ— the displeasure of God Now he hath purchased the Grace of the Spirit to be dispensed by the Covenant to bring us home to God Titus 3.5 6. Nor 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 And Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Vse Let us be sensible of this unspeakable Mercy that God hath provided a Mediator for us that we may come to God by him Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save unto the â—ttermost all that come unto God through him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for us That the legal Exclusion is removed and a way opened to the Father John 14.6 I am the Wâ—y the Truth and the Life no Man cometh to the Father but by me Otherwise we could not immediately converse with God nor trust in him 1. We see God in our Nature as near at hand and ready to help he came down amongst us and became one of us was bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh And though he hath removed his dwelling into Heaven again it is for our sakes he hath carried our Nature thither to take possession of that blessed Place in our Name if we have a mind to follow him Iohn 14.2 I go to prepare a Place for you 2. Here we see the means of appeasing God's Wrath 2 Cor. 5.19 God â—as in Christ reconciling the World unto himself There is a full Ransom paid all that enter into God's Peace shall have the benefit of it 3. By him we are encouraged to come to pray for every Blessing we stand in need of Ephes. 2.18 Through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father Liberty to approach unto God is a priviledg which we cannot enough value the Wall of Partition between God and us is broken down by Christ he hath compleatly satisfied God's Justice Heb. 10.19 He is now at the right Hand of God interceding for us 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Iesus and remaineth with God as the great Agent of the Saints Heb. 8.1 2. We have such an High Priest who is set on the right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary c. Perfuming their Prayers with the smoke of his Incense Rev. 8.3 4. And another Angel came and. stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and there was given unto him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar which was before the Throne And the smoke of the Incense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angel's hand V. Mark the distinct Titles given to God and the Mediator Christ is called our Lord and God our Father Let us see what these Titles import of Lord and Father 1. Christ is represented to us as the Lord so he was set forth by the Apostles at the first preaching of the Gospel Acts 10.36 We preach Peace by Christ Iesus he is Lord of all 2 Cor. 4.5 We preach Christ Iesus the Lord. Col. 2.6 If ye have received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk in him Christ is Lord two ways 1. By that right which belongeth to him as Creator and is common and equal to him with the Father and the Spirit Surely the Creator of the World is the Soveraign of it this Right continueth still and shall continue while Man receiveth his being from God by Creation and the continuance of his being by daily preservation and providence 2. There is novum jus Dominii Imperii a new Right of Empire and Government which belongeth to him as Redeemer and this accrueth to him 1. Partly by the Donation of God Acts 2.36 Let all the House of Israel know that this Iesus whom ye have crucified is made Lord and Christ. This Office of Lord is derivative and cannot be supream but subordinate it is derived from God All Power is given to me both in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28.18 and it is reffered to him Phil. 2.11 That every Tongue should confess that Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father The supreâ—m right of governing is still in God and sâ—bjection to him is not vacated but established and reserved 2. It is acquired by his own purchase Rom. 14 9. For this end Christ both died and rose again and revived that he might be Lord both of Dead and Living 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not you own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your Body and in your Spirit which are God's He had a full right in us before but this Lordship and Dominion which the Redeemer is possessed of is comfortable and beneficial to us and the end of it is to effect Man's Cure and Recovery We could not by our sin make void God's Right and
that we shall be welcome if we do so and because we cannot find any thing in our selves that he will admit us we are troubled But all this while we are but seeking the Sun with a Candle What greater evidence of God's willingness to receive you than the Death of Christ than the Institutions of the Gospel This is above all Evidences that he sent his Son to die for us This is like the Iews who when they had seen many Wonders wrought by Christ would still have a new Sign the greatest Sign is given already Christ dying for a sinful World Men and Angels cannot find out a Sign Pledg and Confirmation of the Love of God above that Yet if that be not enough we have another Sign the Promises and Invitations of the Gospel which show his willingness to welcome Sinners Salvation is offered but not to named but described Persons Therefore if we are willing to come under these hopes upon God's Terms this may satisfy our scrupulous Minds there is no Bar put to us but what we put to our selves by our refusing the Grace as God offereth it Certainly God's Love and Mercy to lost Mankind is our first motive and his willingness to impart good things to them upon his own Terms and surely he is well pleased with our acceptance of them 2. There is Special Love where this Grace is applied to us Ephes. 2.4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great Love wherewith he loved us hath quickned us when we were dead in Trespasses and Sins He did not begin to love us when we were converted that is of a more ancient and eternal Rise but when he did begin to apply his Love to us and this is no ordinary but great Love when God was angry with us and pronounced Wrath on us in the Sentence of the Law and appeared as an Enemy in the course of his Providence and the apprehensions of our guilty Fears then to be Reconciled and surely this is a great advantage to draw nigh to God as a Reconciled Father This is the Object of our everlasting Love and Joy Rom. 5.11 And not only so but we also joy in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we have now received the Atonement And this is a prop of confidence in Prayer Could we once believe that he dearly loves us and is reconciled to us and taketh us for his Children that he delighteth in our Prosperity Oh how chearfully could we come into his Presence John 16.27 The Father himself loveth you because you have loved me and believe that I came out from God They have not only his Intercession but the Father 's especial Love which is the ground and hope of Audience Now this particular Interest dependeth on something wrought in our Souls by the holy Spirit our Lord mentioneth two things their Faith in Christ and Love to God 1. Faith in Christ or a thankful acceptance of him as our Lord and Saviour therefore called receiving Christ and entitleth us to the Privileges of Christ's Children John 2.12 To as many as received him to them gave he liberty to become the Children of God even to as many as believe in his Name 2. Love to God John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and be that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him And Vers. 23. If any Man love me he will keep my Words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him We cannot perceive our Interest in the special Love of God but by our Sincerity Faith in Christ and Love to God When we see God's Love taken in our Hearts we may know that he loveth us especially the latter for by the latter the former is manifested also Gal. 5.6 Faith worketh by Love Now the evidences of sincere Love to God are seeking after God and delighting in him if you cannot find the latter the former will evidence it to you Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me The desiderium unionis the desiring seeking Love if it be serious and earnest it is sincere though you find not such delightful apprehensions of his Grace to you Clear that once and when you come to Prayer you may know God loveth you and the dearest Friend we have in the World hath not the thousandth part so much as he yea the highest Angel doth not love God so much as he loveth the lowest Saint God loveth like himself becoming the Greatness and Infiniteness of his own Beeing and with this persuasion pray to him Secondly The second ground of Audience is from the fruit of his Love as demonstrated in the New Covenant wherein we have the matter of everlasting Consolation Surely this Clause respects not the effect and sense in our own Hearts but respects the Matter and Object of our Comfort for he prayeth for the Application of it afterwards Comfort your Hearts c. And besides nothing is more fleeting and oftner interrupted than our Comfort in this Life It would contradict plain sense to call that Comfort which Christians feel and actually enjoy everlasting Comfort Therefore I understand it of the Matter and observe this Doctrine That God hath given all true Believers solid ground of perpetual and endless Comfort I will prove it by three Arguments 1. The Comforts propounded are of an everlasting Tendency and Benefit Pardon and Life to free us from everlasting Death and to bring us into the possession of everlasting Happiness when our Souls and Bodies shall be for ever glorified in Heaven Now the Consolation grounded on the promise of Eternal Life whatever it be in our feeling is in its causes and foundation Eternal The Scripture often insists upon this 1 John 2. 25. And this is the Promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life Heb. 5.9 And being made Perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him We have by Christ deliverance from Sin and and all the Consequents of it not only for a time but for ever Eternal Peace and Felicity is our Portion So it is said Psal. 119.111 Thy Testimonies have I taken for an Heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my Heart It is not an Heritage to lean upon for a while as all our Worldly Comforts are but for ever So Psal. 73.26 God is my Portion for ever That is when all other things fail have spent their allowance can afford us no more relief then we begin to enjoy our true and proper Portion It were endless to heap up places Man for his Sin was cast out of Paradise but surely in the other World there is no change of Estate for Men are past their Trial and must be what they are for ever If you could imagin as some have had the large charity to conceit it
here for the Apostle conjureth them by all that is dear and sacred in their most holy Faith and upon this I will mainly spend the first part of this Discourse I shall prove it by these two choice pieces of Scripture which describe the Communion of the Church with Christ or the dispensations of Christ to the Church the one concerneth Gods internal the other his external Government the Canticles and Revelations The Book of Canticles is ended with this desire vote and wish Cant. 8.14 Make haste my beloved and be like a young Hart or Roe upon the Mountains of Spices the Brides last and great suit to the Bridegroom is make haste as to his coming in Glory to judge the World not that Christ is slack but the Churches affections are strong they that go a Whoring after the World neither desire his coming nor love his appearing but the Spouse would have all things hastened that he might return he cannot come soon enough to set the World to rights and compleat their Happiness it is that only that will perfect their Consolation and therefore would have the blessed and longed for meeting hastened In the other Book of the Revelations see how it is closed Rev. 22.20 Christ saith Surely I come quickly and the Church like a quick Echo saith Even so Come Lord Iesus come quickly it taketh the word out of Christs Mouth and presently improveth the Promise into a Prayer and so Christs Voice and the Churches Voice are Unisons the Acclamation of the Saints answereth to his Proclamation Christ saith I come as desiring to meet with us the Church answereth even so come as desiring his Fellowship and Company when once Faith apprehendeth the glorious coming of our Lord Jesus to Judgment Love presently desireth it as the most comfortable thing which we can ask of him that is the farewel suit of the Church to Christ if he will grant this all complaints and sorrow and sighing will be no more Now I shall give you Reasons why this is desired by all true Christians 1. In respect of him who is to come His Person that we may see him who is our great Lord and Saviour all that believed any thing of Christ desired to see him those that lived before his coming in the flesh Joâ—n 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad and the same affection possesseth us that live after his coming in the flesh we know him by hear-say we have heard much of him he wooeth us by a Proxy as Eliezer Abrahams Servant did Rebekah Now Christians would fain see him of whom they have heard and whom they loved and in whom they have believed 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen ye love and in whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy â—nspeakable and full of glory they do not see Christ but they have a taste of his goodness 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious They have felt his comforts and live by his Life all that is wanting is but ocular Vision that they may see him Face to Face therefore they long for his coming 2. The Excellency of Christ their head shall then be fully revealed therefore it is comfortable to his Saints to think of his second comeing it is called the Revelation of Christ 1 Pet. 1.13 Christ is now under a Vail retired within the Curtain of the Heavens the wicked often ask where is now your God and our own unbelieving hearts are apt to question the glory of his Person and the truth of his Promises when his most faithful Servants are under disgrace Christ is a glorious King but little of his Glory is seen in the World therefore they desire that he may appear in Glory and Royalty we pray that his Kingdom may come 2. The persons desiring there is somewhat in them to move them to it 1. The Spirit of Christ Rev. 22.17 The Spirit in the Bride saith come the Holy Ghost breadeth this desire in the Church nature saith it is good to be here but this is a disposition above nature the Flesh saith Depart but the Spirit saith Come the great work of the Spirit is to bring us and Christ together he cometh from the Father and the Son to bring us to the Father by the Son his business is to marry us to Christ the promise being past the Spouse longeth to see her beloved It is the Spirit kindleth a desire in us of his second coming when the Marriage that is now contracted shall be consummated when the Queen shall be brought unto the King in rayment of Needle-work and shall enter into the Palace with him there to abide for ever Well then though guilty Sinners would have Christ stay away still and if it might go by Voices the Carnal World would never give their Voice this way Even so come Lord Iesus come quickly no they are of the Devils mind Why art thou come to torment us before the time Mat. 8.29 Thieves and Malefactors if they might have the liberty to choose they would never look nor long for the day of Assizes but the Spirit in the Bride is another thing it giveth us other inclinations the sooner Christ cometh the better they can never be soon enough taken up to him nor he come to them 2. There are Graces planted in us Faith Hope and Love to move us earnestâ—y to desire his coming 1. Faith believeth Christ will be as good as his word I will come again if it were not so I would have told you John 14.2 And if Christ saith in a way of Promise I come the Church saith Amen in a way of Faith even so Comâ— If Christ had gone away in discontent and with a threat in his mouth Ye shall never see my face more we should altogether despair of seeing him again but he parted in Love and left a Promise with us which upholdeth the Hearts of Believers during his absence Would Christ deceive us and flatter us into a Fools Paradise What need that He can strike us dead in an instant if we do not please him and we have hitherto found him true in all things and will he fail us at last 2. Hope which is Faiths Handmaid it looketh for that which we do believe it is the immediate effect of the new Creature 1 Pet. 1.3 Begotten to a lively hope as soon as Grace is infused it discovereth it self by its tendency to its end and rest it came from Heaven and carrieth the Soul thither 3. Love is an affection of Union it desireth to be with the party loved Phil. 1.23 I desire to depart and to be with Christ therefore its Voice is Come Come he hath Communion with us in our Houses of Clay therefore we desire presence with him in his Palace of Glory his Voice now is very sweet when he saith Come unto me ye that are weary and heavy laden but much more will
which was confirmed by Miracles their Wonders are lying wonders and how plausible soever they seem are lying wonders and not to be believed Surely Miracles must needs be false and pretended which are brought to confirm a Doctrine contrary to that which is already confirmed by Miracles For God is faithful and cannot deny himself and therefore he cannot be the Author of Miracles whereby things contrary to â—â—ch other may be confirmed if the Faith onâ—e be established by other Miracles we are to believe the latter Miracles to be a meer Imposture for Christ is not yea and nay but yea and Amen 1 Cor. 1.19 20. The Appariâ—ion of an Angel is a great Miracle but if an Angel preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 It is a supposition of an impossible Case necessary to forewarn the people of God against the delusions of the Devil changing himself into an Angel of Light Sâ—rely God will never contradict himself 5. The Miracles wrought by Antichrist and his Adherents are mira but not miracula some wonderful things but no true and proper Miracles else as Austin faith figmenta mendacium hominum portenta fallacium spirituum either the fictions of lying men or the illusions of deceiving Spirits many times the matter of fact is not true at other times the thing done is but some illusion of the senses by the Devil or something taken for a Miracle which doth not exceed the power of nature either way it is an Imposture and indeed the Miracles of the Legends are so false so ridiculous so light and trivial that they expose Christianity to contempt or else if there â—e any thing in it it giveth suspicions of magical illusion and converse with the Devil which among their Votaries and Recluses is no unusual thing 6. There are seven points in Popery which they seek to confirm by Miracles and which being senseless in themselves do most scandalize Protestants 1. Pilgrimages they show the Shrine and also the Chamber of the House of the Blessed Virgin how the Virgin at Loretto was transported out of Galilee into Dalmatia and by Angels in the Air to the remote parts of Italy and setled there after some removes The Story is ridiculous and I am serious yet this draweth an infinite Company of Pilgrims there where new Miracles are pretended to be wrought continually 2. Prayers for the dead Bellarmine alledgeth out of Gregory the miraculous Apparition of Paschal his Ghost besâ—eching S t Germanus to pray for him 3. Purgatory all their Miracles are framed especially for the establishing of this point which is of such gain to them as that a dead mans skull spake to Mercarias praying When thou dost offer Prayer for the deaâ— then do we feel a little Consolation 4. The Invocation of Saintsâ— Alypius a Grammarian being forsaken of his Physicians S t Tiola appeared to him by night demanding what he ailed or what he would have He answered to shew a touch of his Art in Achilles his Speech to his Mother Thetis in Homer c. Thou knowest why should I tell thee that knowest all whereupon she conveyed a round stone to him with the touch of which he was presently healed 5. The Adoration of Images but especially of the Cross Crucifix and Image of Christ Malvenda saith that at Meliapore in the East Indies where S t Thomas was killed by those barbarous people digging to lay a foundation they found a square stone in it a bloody Cross and an Inscription implying the Saint was slain in the very act of adoring and kissing the Cross hereupon on went the building and the Chappel being finished in the beginning of the Gospel in sight of the whole multitude the Cross did sweat abundantly the sweat wiped off drops of blood appeared in the Linnen with which they wiped it till at length it returned to its own colour 6. The Adoration of the Host is made good by such a number of Miracles as fill whole Volumes Bellarmine himself telleth us of an hungry Mare kept three days wihout meat yet when Provender was poured to her in the presence of the Host she forgetting her meat with bowed head and bended knees adored the Sacrament 7. The Primacy of the Pope hath been the beginning and is the end of all Popish Legends A Bishop being excommunicated by Pope Hildebrand and inveighing against his Pride was smitten with a Thunder Clap. Baronius That while Pope Eugenius the Third was Celebrating the Mass a beam of the sun shone upon his head in which were seen two Doves ascending and descending which an Eastern Legate seeing submitted instantly to the Primacy Vse Another note of Antichrist These Impostures are not only countenanced and encouraged in that Church but made a mark of it the Power of Miracles When Antichrist first appeared ridiculous Miracles of all sorts began to be cryed up and established Yea and to this day these are pleaded challenging us for the want of them what they cannot prove by the Oracles of God they endeavour to prove by Miracles of Sathan SERMON VIII 2 Thess. 2.10 With all deceivableness of unrighteousness in tâ—â—m that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved WE have described unto you the head of the Antichristian State we come now to the Subjects especially the zealous Abettors and Promoters of this Kingdom They are described 1. By the means how they are drawn into this Apostasie and defection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly By their doom or misery they are in a state of perdition in them that perish Thirdly By their sin which is the cause and reason of â—his doom because they received not theâ—love of the truth that they might be saved 1. The means with all deceivableness of unrighteousness That Antichrist shall be a deceiver and that he deceiveth by lying Miracles we have seen already and is foretold Rev. 13.14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast c. but the deceived are not altogether guiltless for the fraud would soon be discovered by an holy and pure Soul His great engine is either the baits of lust and sin which work on none but those that have pleasure in unrighteousness verse 12. the geneâ—ality of wicked and carnal Christians are easily drawn from Gods pure worship and true Godliness or by Wordly means either by the offers of preferment riches dignities or else terrors of the flesh Now none catch at these wordly baits but whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded 2 Cor. 4.4 Secondly Their misery they are said to be those that perish That beareth three senses 1. That they are worthy to perish because they do not use care and diligence to understand their duty being blinded by their wordly affections That is the mildest seâ—â—e we can put upon it they
Sometimes the way of internal Government by terrors of Conscience or punishing sin committed with sin permitted both these parts are seen in punishing both the godly and the wicked as for instance in the godly in the way of external Government 1 Cor. 11.32 But when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World In the way of internal Government the lesser penal withdrawings of the Spirit which Gods people find themselves after some sins and neglects of grace are grievous But the Judgments upon the Souls of the ungodly are most dreadful when the sinner is either terrified or stupiâ—ied terrified by horrors of Conscience 1 Cor. 15.56 The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law or stupified by being given up to their own hearts Counsels Psal. 81.12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own Counsels So that the Sinner is left dull and senseless and past feeling Eph. 4.18 Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart by the first by horrors of Conscience they are made to feel Gods displeasure at the courses they walk in but when that is long depised and men sin on still then the other and more terrible Judgment cometh For the giving up a Sinner to his own lusts and his losing all remorse is the last and sorest Judgment on this side Hell 3. As to Gods internal Judgments the Scripture chiefly insists upon two parts of this internal dispensation blindness of mind and hardness of heart they usually go together Blindness of mind is spoken of Iohn 12.39 40. Therefore they could not believe because that Esaias said again he hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their heart and be converted and I should heal them All passages are obstructed whereby the word might enter and work Conversion unto God It was God laid this punishment of blindness upon them Hardness of heart in that famous instance Exod. 4.21 I will harden Pharaohs heart God doth not make them that see blind nor them that are soft hard but leaveth them to their own prejudice obstinacy and unperswadeableness and that when highly provoked The former is under our consideration 4. To understand Gods concurrence as a Judge we must not say too much of it nor too little We must not say too much of it lest we leave a stain â—nd blemish upon the divine Glory God infuseth no sin no blindness nor hardness into the hearts of men all influences from Heaven are good he conveyeth no deceit into the minds of men immediately nor doth he command or perswade men to oppose the truth Nor doth he impeâ— or excite their inward propensions so to do All this belongeth not to God but either to man or Sathan Nor must we say too little as for instance God is not said to blind or harden by bare prescience or foresight that they will be blinded or hardned because God foreseeth other things and yet they are not ascribed unto God as that men will kill or steal or do wrong and yet God is not said to kill or steal as he is said to blind and harden and therefore there is a difference between Gods concurrence to this effect and other sins Nor only by way of manifestation as if this were all the sense that in the course of his Providence God doth in the issue declare how blind and hard they are That some other thing is meant by it is seen in the Prayers by which we deprecate this heavy Judgment As when the Saints pray Isa. 63.17 Lord harden not our hearts from thy fear or David Psal. 119.19 Lord hide not thy Commandments from me They mean not thus Lord shew not to the World how hard and blind I am but cure my blindness and hardness of heart keep back this Judgment from me Again we must not say that all that God doth is a bare naked and idle permission as if it happened besides his will and intention and God had no more to do in it than a man that standeth on the shore and seeth a Ship ready to be drowned he might have heâ—ped it but permitted it No besides all this there is not a bare permission only but a permissive intention and a judicial sentence which is seconded by an active Providence Many things concur to the blinding of the mind and hardning of the heart all which God willeth but justly The wicked take occasions of their own accord to blind and harden themselves Sathan tempteth of his own maâ—ice but all this could not be done with effect and success without the will of God There is a supreme power over-ruling and ordering all that is done in the World 5. Gods concurrence may be stated by these things 1. His withdrawing or taking away the light and direction of his Holy Spirit Deut. 29.4 The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive nor eyes to see nor ears to hear unto this day Now when God lets them loose to their own hearts Counsels then they fall into damnable errors A Greyhound held in by a slip or Collar runneth violently after the Hare when it is in sight as soon as the slip and Collar is taken away the restraint is gone and his inbred disposition carryeth him So men that are greedy of Worldly things are powerfully drawn into errors countenanced by the World when God taketh off the restraint of his Grace and giveth them up to their own lusts Now herein God is not to be blamed for he is Debtor to none and the grace of his Spirit is forfeited by their not receiving the love of the truth He is so far from being bound to give grace that he seemeth to be bound in Justice to withdraw what is given already by mens wickedness and ingratitude Voluntary blindness bringeth penal blindness And because men will not see they shall not see And when they wink hard and shut their eyes against the light of the Gospel it is just with God in this manner to smite them with blindness And since they had no love to the truth they are given up to errors and deceits And because they despise the Holy Scriptures they doat on vain Fables And would not take up a course of sound Godliness and Holiness he suffereth them to weary themselves with sundry superstitions 2. Not only by desertion but by tradition delivering them up to the power of Sathan 2 Cor 4.4 The God of this world hath blinded their eyes Sathan as the Executioner of Gods Curse worketh upon the corrupt nature of man and deceiveth them It is said 1 Chron. 21.1 Sathan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel But it is said 2 Sam. 24.1 And the Anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he
have need of before you ask him He observed every weary step of David in the Wilderness and all his Tears and Sorrows Psal. 56.8 Thou tellest my Wandrings put thou my Tears in thy Bottle are they not in thy Book He particularly took notice of all the Troubles and Sorrows of his Exile and wandring Condition as if his Tears had been preserved in a Bottle and his Troubles registred or recordeâ— in a Book The Doctrine of the Gentiles was Dii magna curant parva negligunt The great and weighty Matters the Lord took into his Care but left other things to their own event and chance but the Doctrine of the Scriptures is otherwise God taketh notice of every particular Person For our Prayers Psal. 34.6 This poor Man cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his Troubles How obscure soever the Worshipper be in the account of the World if he depend on God the Lord will regard him 2. For his Power he is able to do all Things Mark 14.36 Abba Father all things are possible to thee 3. For his Goodness he relieveth all his Creatures heareth the moans of the Beasts much more the Prayers of the Saints Psal. 145.15 16. The Eyes of all things wait upon the Lord and thou givest them their Meat in due season c. Now this he makes a ground of fulfilling the desires of them that feâ—r him and being near to all that call upon him Vers. 18 19. He that feedeth a Kite will he not provide for a Child Surely we have more reason to trust in God than they if you think this belongeth to his common Bounty But in Spiritual things it is otherwise he is most pleased when we ask Spiritual Blessings 1 Kings 3.10 It pleased the Lord that Solomon asked this thing Well then since none other is capable and God is to him must we come 2. The Scriptures which are the proper Rule of Worship direct us to no other When Christ taught his Disciples to pray he directeth them to God Luke 11.2 When ye pray say Our Father which art in Heaven Invovation is Divine Worship and so done to God alone 3. When the Spirit moveth us to pray he inclineth us to come to God Rom. 8.15 Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4.5 6. Because ye are Sons he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father He doth not move us to go to the Saints but to God The Vse Well then if any tâ—ouble befal us let us call on God unbosom our selves to him Psal. 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me If we want any Grace let us go to the God of all Grace in the Name of Christ Heb. 4.16 Seeing therefore we have a great High Priest that is entred into Heaven Iesus the Son of God let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace tâ—at we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help us in a time of need We can pray to none but to him in whom we trust Psalm 62.8 Trust in the Lord at all times pour out your Hearts before him Trust is the Foundation of Prayer they that look to God for all will frequently apply themselves to him Our Necessities and Wants are continual both as to the Temporal and Spiritual Things we need not only daily Bread but daily Pardon daily Strength against Temptations therefore let us often come to God III. Observation That Jesus Christ is invoked together with the Father as an Author of Grace and thereby his God-head is proved for he that is an Object both of Internal and External Worship is God Now such is Christ. Of Internal Worship Ioh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Though Christ died as Man yet he is God equal with the Father and an Object of Faith and Trust. For External Worship or Prayer the Text is clear Our Lord Iesus Christ and God even our Father That is much for the comfort of the Faithful that we have God to trust in and Christ to trust in that we that have sinned with both hands earnestly have a double ground of our Comfort and Hope the infinite Mercy and Power of God and the infinite Merit of a Mediator There is a great latitude in the Object of Faith and so of Invocation The Lord Iesus Christ himself and God our Father There is no pain so great that God in Christ cannot remove no Danger so dreadful but he can prevent no Misery so deep but he can deliver from it no Enemy so strong but he can vanquisâ— them no Want that he cannot supply When we have a Want that he cannot supply or a Sickness that he cannot cure or a Danger that he cannot prevent or a Misery that he cannot remove or Enemies that are too hard for him then we may sit down and despair and die I speak of both as one for God and Christ are here joined as to the same effect comforting their Hearts and stablishing them in every good Word anâ— Work IV. We can obtain nothing from God unless we seek it in Christ. Therefore the Apostle beginneth his Prayer Now our Lord Iesus Christ and God c. God Alone iâ— abundantly enough for our happiness for there is in him more than abundantly enough to satisfy all the Capacities of the Creature but without a Mediator how shall we come to receive of his fulness If Maâ— had kept innocent God had been enough to us for in Innocency there was no Mediaâ—or but to Man fallen a Mediator is necessary 1. I shall state the necessity of iâ— Because of Distance and Difference we are unworthy to approach his Holy Presence and God hath a Quarrel and Controversy with us which till it be taken up we can expect no good thing from him 1. Distance We are stranged from God by the Fall and having lost his Image lost his Favour and Fellowship and all communion with him so that God now is looked upon by us as out of the reach of our Commerce which hindreth our love and confidence in him for we can hardly depend upon one so far above us that he will take notice of us or take care for us so as to relieve us in our Necessities or help us in our Miseries and give us the Blessings we ask of him or that we shall be welcome to him when we come with our Prayers and Supplications God taught the Israelites their distance and the Apostle telleth us that all that dispensation the Holy Ghost did signify That the way into the Holiest was not yet made â—anifest wâ—ile the first Tâ—bernacle was standing Heb. 9.8 They could not come near God without danger of Death he would not have them so familiar wâ—th him 2. Difference or Controversy A Mediator is used only between disagreeing Parties When Man was guilty God was angry Conscience of Sin