walk in Strife Envy Debates Emulation Contention they will not hereby be only hindred in their Communion with one another but with God also 7. And Lastly Let the People of God walk in Fellowship with one another Let them be all united to some particular visible Church where they may enjoy all those Ordinances of Divine Worship which God hath instituted for Communion with himself Besides the Catholick Church whereof Christ is the Supream Head and Pastor there are particular Churches under the praesidency and care of particular Pastours to some of which all professed Christians ought to belong in order to their Communion with God and one another But upon this third General I shall speak somewhat further in the Application IV. I shall now come to the Fourth and last General I proposed to General IV speak to and that is the Consequences or Consectaries that arise from this whole Discourse 1. It follows hence that Communion with God is a very comprehensive Consect 1 duty It comprehends much in it It consists not in one single Grace or one single Act of the Soul or one single Duty of Religion but it comprehends the Exercise of many Graces reacheth to manifold Duties of Religion and consisteth of manifold Acts and Operations of the Soul 2. It is also a constant Duty which we are to maintain in a constant Consect 2 course and not only now and then at some solemn times or at some solemn Ordinance Not as if we ought to do nothing else but worship God which is the Communion reserved for Heaven but it is to be our dayly practise and to set some time apart for it every day and as much as we can to carry this Communion with God through the several Affairs Conditions and Actions of our Life Acquaint thy self with God said Elihu to Job chap. 22. v. 21. The Heb. is Accustome thy self with God which importeth some frequent course of approaching to God and converse with him And when it is said of Noah and Enoch that they walked with God It implies a constant course of Religion and Communion with God And when the Apostle saith Phil. 3.20 our Conversation is in Heaven it implies more than the performance now and then some Religious Worship but some constant converse with God and the things of Heaven as Citizens of the same civil Body or Society have among themselves in their civil Commerce and Conversation with one another as the Greek word there used doth import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. No Creatures are capable of Communion with God but Angels Consect 3 and Men. The Beasts were not made for it nor are capable of it not being rational and intelligent Beings This Communion with God requires the exercise of Reason and Understanding and that in the highest improvements of them If we consider it either in the Active or Passive part of it the Beasts are not capable of it Though God hath Communicated something of himself to all his Creatures and as the Poet expresseth it Jovis omnia plena all things are full of God and his Infinite Being is in all Finite Beings yet no Creatures have Communion with him but Angels and Men Other Creatures have a Natural instinct or sagacity to preserve and propagate their respective Natures or Beings but have no sense of their Creator no impression of a Deity upon their Nature nor no rational faculties whereby they might be capable of Communion with God The Angels have Communion with God in Heaven they alwaies behold the face of God as our Saviour speaks So the Spirits of just men departed are with Christ and in nearer Communion with God than when they dwelt in their Tabernacles of Flesh And the Saints upon Earth also are not without it though in a lower degree whereby the Church Militant hath Communion with the Church Triumphant in this Communion that both have with God Heb. 12. whieh shews the excellency of rational Creatures above all others that they alone are capable of this high Employment and Priviledge Consect 4 4. The Supreme felicity of Angels and Men lies in Communion with God As they alone are capable of it so their felicity consisteth in it God hath provided a good suitable to the Natures of all his Creatures in the enjoying of which is their chief happiness but the happiness of rational and intelligent Creatures lies in himself And therefore in their first Creation they were made happy in their Communion with him And herein consisteth the chief misery of fall'n Angels and fall'n Man that they both fell from their Communion with God The Angels so fell as never to be restored to it again And man so fell also as not to be able of himself to return to it But God hath provided a way for man by Christ to be brought back again to him which if he neglects or refuseth he will then be cast into the same hopeless Condition with the Devil and his Angels Consect 5 5. The highest improvement of the faculties of the Soul are to Employ them in Communion with God They are then in their highest Operation upon the highest Object Though they are Employed about things of this lower World and ought so to be in their proper bounds yet these are not their highest Operations which they are capable of As the highest use that could be made of Beasts under the Law was to make them Sacrifices to God and when the Israelites brought Gold Silver Purple Scarlet and precious Stones for the use and service of the Sanctuary they devoted them to the highest service they were capable of So when the faculties of the Soul are made a Sanctuary to God and employed in Communion with him they receive their highest improvement Lastly Communion with God is the Life of Religion It is but a dead thing without it All Religion hath respect to a Deity either to confer Honour upon it or to have Communion with it especially the true Religion without the former it finds no acceptance with God without the latter it is unprofitable to our selves yea we may grow worse under all our profession What the Body is without the Soul and what the matter without the form that is Religion where men find no Influence from Heaven upon their Hearts and have no Communion with God I next proceed to the Application I. Take notice with an holy admiration of the condescending goodness Vse I of God to admit any of the Sons of Men into fellowship with himself That there should be fellowship where there is such infinite inequality such infinite distance yea with such as had provok't him and disobliged him by their wilful departure from him To assume our Nature into Union and Communion with God was great condescent and so it is to receive any of our persons Will God indeed dwell on Earth said Solomon when he had built God an House for him to dwell in amongst his people For God to approach in wayes of such
conscientious respect unto it Force and Fear rule all This is that Discipline in whose execution the blood of an innumerable company of Holy Martyrs hath been shed that wherein all the vital Spirits of the Papacy do act themselves and whereby it doth subsist and although it be the Image of Jealousie or the Image of the first Beast set up by the Dragon yet it cannot be denyed but that it is very wisely accommodated unto the present State of the Generality of them that are called Christians amongst them For being both blind and carnal and having thereby lost all Sense and Experience of the Spiritual Power of the Rule of Christ in their Consciences they are become an Herd not fit to be governed or ruled any other way Under the Bondage of it therefore they must abide till the vail of Blindness be taken away and they are turned unto God by his Word and Spirit for where the Spirit of the Lord is there and there alone is Liberty SECT VII Unto the foregoing particular Instances with respect unto the Church I shall yet add one more general which is indeed comprehensive of them all or the root from whence they spring a root-bearing Gall and Wormwood And this is concerning the Catholick Church What belongs unto this Catholick Church what is comprized in its Communion The Apostle declares Heb. 12.22 23 24. It is the Recapitulation of all things in Heaven and Earth in Christ Jesus Eph. 1.10 His Body his Spouse or Bride the Lambs Wife the glorious Temple wherein God doth dwell by his Spirit An holy mystical Society purchased and purified by the blood of Christ and united unto him by his spirit or the Inhabitation of the same spirit in him and those whereof it doth consist Hence they with him as the body with its head are mystically called Christ 1 Cor 12.12 And there are two parts of it the one whereof is already perfected in Heaven as unto their spirits and the other yet continued in the way of faith and obedience in this world Both these constitute one family in Heaven and Earth Ephes 3.15 In Conjunction with the holy Angels one Mystical-Body one Catholick Church And although there is a great difference in their present state and condition between these two branches of the same Family yet are they both equally purchased by Christ and united unto him as their Head having both of them effectually the same principle of the life of God in them Of a third part of this Church neither in Heaven nor in Earth in a temporary State participant somewhat of Heaven and somewhat of Hell called Purgatory the Scripture knoweth nothing at all neither is it consistent with the Analogy of Faith or the promises of God unto them that do believe as we shall see immediately This Church even as unto that part of it which is in this world as it is adorned with all the graces of the Holy Spirit is the most beautiful and glorious effect next unto the forming and production of its Head in the Incarnation of the Son of God which Divine Wisdom Power and Grace will extend themselves unto here below But these things the glory of this State is visible only unto the eye of Faith yea it is perfectly seen and known only to Christ himself We see it obscurely in the light of Faith and Revelation and are sensible of it according unto our participating of the graces and privileges wherein it doth consist But that spiritual light which is necessary to the discerning of this Glory was lost among those of whom we treat They could see no reality nor beauty in these things nor any thing that should be of advantage unto them For upon their principle of the utter uncertainty of mens spiritual estate and condition in this world it is evident that they could have no satisfactory perswasion of any concernment in it But they had possessed themselves of the notion of a Catholick Church which with mysterious Artifices they have turned unto their own incredible secular Advantage This is that whereof they boast appropriating it unto themselves and making it a pretence of destroying others what lies in them both temporally and eternally Unto this end they have formed the most deformed and detestable Image of it that ever the world beheld For the Catholick Church which they own and which they boast that they are instead of that of Christ is a company or society of men unto whom in order unto the constitution of that whole society there is no one real Christian grace required nor spiritual Vnion unto Christ the Head but only an outside profession of these things as they expresly contend A Society united unto the Pope of Rome as its head by a subjection unto him and his rule according to the Laws and Canons whereby he will grant them This is the formal reason and cause constituting that Catholick Church which they are which is compacted in it self by horrid Bonds and Ligaments for the ends of Ambition worldly Domination and Avarice A Catholick Church openly wicked in the generality of its rulers and them that are ruled and in its State cruel oppressive and died with the blood of Saints and Martyrs innumerable This I say is that Image of the Holy Catholick Church the spouse of Christ which they have set up And it hath been as the Image of Moloch that hath devoured and consumed the Children of the Church whose cryes when their cruel step-mother pittied them not and when their pretended Ghostly Fathers cast them into the flames came up unto the ears of the Lord of Hosts and their blood still cries for vengeance on this idolatrous generation Yet is this pretence of the Catholick Church pressed in the minds of many with so many Sophistical Artifices through the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive proposed with the allurements of so many secular advantages and imposed oftimes on Christians with so much force and cruelty that nothing can secure us from the Admission of it unto the utter overthrow of Religion but the means before insisted on A spiritual light is necessary hereunto to discern the internal spiritual beauty and glory of the true Catholick Church of Christ Where this is in its power all the paintings and dresses of their deformed Image will fall off from it and its abominable filth will be made to appear And this will be accompanied with an effectual experience of the glory and excellency of that grace in the souls of those that believe derived from Christ the sole head of this Church whereby they are changed from Glory to Glory as by the spirit of the Lord. The Power Life and sweetness hereof will give satisfaction unto their souls to the contempt of the pretended order of dependance on the Pope as an head By these means the true Catholick Church which is the body of Christ the fulness of him that filleth all in all growing
compleat in all the will of God Col. 4.12 The Believer in Christ notwithstanding all weaknesses and remainders of indwelling sin is much safer than innocent Adam in Paradise because Christ has engaged for believers that they shall endure to the end and that he will give them eternal Life and none shâ—â—â— pluck them out of his hand and the hand of his father In such hands they must need be safe indeed 7. Improve this Knowledg of Christ with reference to comfort T is He that sends the Comforter who abides with the Church for ever Joh. 16.7 The Church and the Churches comfort are built upon the same Rock Christ Your Consâ—lation then will be strong if you fly for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before you Heb. 6.18 You that are Saints well may you rejoyce in Christ Jesus since by him you have received the atonement Peace he has left you for a legacy a peace that will abide in the midst of the greatest outward troubles a comfort that most abounds when sufferings are most aboundant 2 Cor. 1.5 Consider the Lord Jesus and be filled with everlasting consolation and good hope through grace How strong is his hand how tender his heart how unchangeable his kindness Jesus is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 8. Improve the knowledge of Christ with reference to his Churches enemies He is above their match and he will make them know it they cannot hide their counsels from him who searcheth the Reins and Hearts and they must needs at last be disappointed and worsted for Christ will Reign till all his foes be made his footstool Heb. 10.13 Julian the Emperour wanted neither Policy nor Valour nor an armed power and yet of a suddain he had a deadly wound given him and cries out Vicisti Galliaee O Galilean so he called Christ thou hast overcome me This will be the end of the stoutest and proudest of the Churches Adversaries Christians are as dear to Christ as the Apple of his Eye They are bold fellows that will venture to give Christ a blow on his very eye this affront will not be born long and what a deadly stroke will this judge of the world at last return Mirabili modo fit dum mors Christum devorat devoratur dum occidit occiditur dum vincit vincitur Luther Tom. 4. p. 679-b 9. Improve the knowledge of Christ with reference to Death He has grappled with Death and has been to hard for it he has taken away its Sting which was the worst thing in it and is ready to deliver from that Bondage which the fear of Death causes Heb. 2.15 The Apostle having eyed Christ and the Resurrection insults over this last enemy 1 Cor. 15.53 O Death where is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory Christ has sanctified the Grave into a bed of rest and to use Luthers expression Mors est 〈◊〉 vitae Death is the Gate to life and immortality The dying Christian when he lifts up his eyes to his Lord and Saviour he may say then with Laurentius Noâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 non habet the night of Death hath no darkness in it but is an entrance into the light that is everlasting 10. Improve the Knowledge of Christ with reference to Eternity So vast and endless a thing may well be of an amazing consideration and when â—â—ce in Eternity thâ—â—â— is no correcting of mistakes Look therefore unto Jesus 〈…〉 prove you and to keep you sincere and without offence unto the last And when Time is just come to an end behold your Lord entered into everlasting joy himself and ready to receive you into the same Christ is none already as your forerunner nay as your representative and has taken possession of the incorruptible and undefiled inheritance Heb. 6.20 do you gladly follow him as knowing that when this earthly house of your Tabernacle is dissolued you have a building of God an house not made with hands Eternal in the Heavens Quest How may our belief of Gods Governing the world support us in all wordly distractions SERMON XIII PSALM XCVII 1 2. The Lord reigneth let the Earth rejoyce let the multitude of Isles be glad thereof Clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his Throne THE State of affairs is oftentimes and so it is at this day so involved and confused that we need not wonder if we see men of wisdom greatly perplexed in their spirits and almost sunk into discouragement The best of Saints whose hearts are most furnished and fortified with grace would be of all others most subject to discomposure were it not that they feel peace and comfort flowing into them from the remembrance and sweet consideration of a God above What good man could possibly have any tolerable enjoyment of himself or possess his Soul in patience while he observes the scentrick and irregular motions of things below the restlesness tumblings and tossings of the world desireable comforts and delights blasted in a moment afflictions and troubles breaking in with a sudden surprize order quite subverted Laws violated and the edge of them turned against those that are faithful and peaceable in a Land and all things indeed turned upside down Wickedness rampant and Religion opprest The spurious brood of Babylon cloathed in Scarlet and prospering in the world when at the same time the precious Sons of Zion comparable to the finest Gold are esteemed as earthen pitchers yea broken potsherds and so thrown upon dunghils or cast into Prisons and filled full with the contempt of them that are at ease these things I say would soon break his heart did he not see him who is invisible and firmely believe a wheel within a wheel an unseen hand which steadily and prudently guides and directs all things keeping up a beautiful order where reason can discern nothing but at ataxie and confusion Those that are conversant in the sacred Scriptures do find that the flourishing state of ungodly men and the afflicted condition of gracious Presons hath proved to some of the Saints so hard a knot as they have gone to God for the untying of it and to others it hath been the occasion of so furious and violent temptations as had almost tript up their heels and broken the neck of their Religion Upon that very score holy Asaph was almost ready to conclude he had in vain cleansed his heart and washed his hands in innocence But if we will repaire unto the Sanctuarie and consult the divine Oracles and believe them when they tell us that the eternal God our God is the Rector and Governour of the world it will revive our Spirits reduce our Souls into their right frame and preserve them in a due composure when the scene of affairs is most ruffled To entertain you with a discourse upon this choice and seasonable subject is the work allotted me at this time and the Question now to be discust and answered
often yearne and his repentings are kindled together In the 11. Hosea 8.9 He seemed to stand with his hand stretched out as one resolved to give a consuming blow but he laid aside his Weapons of indignation and in the greatness of his compassion cryed out How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Judah how shall I make thee as Adâ—nah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within me I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not man Thus we see God is accomplished for the Government â—f the world In the second place let us enquire concerning the extent of Gods Governing Providence how far and unto what it reaches And take this in general The whole world and whatsoever is contained within the compass of Heaven and Earth are ordered by him as his Family the Church is regarded and cared for by him as his endeared Spouse and all thâ— Saints as his children All men even the worst and vilest with all their actions and all Creatures even the meanest are ordered by God and directed to their appointed ends But we will descend to particulars First The governing Providence of God extends it self to all Creatures whatsoever have being both animate and inanimate the greatest and the least He rules the Stars the Influences of Pleiades and the Bands of Orion are from him He causeth the Sun to shine sets him daily and anual Journeys and when he pleaseth stops him in his course and turns him back when he comes out of his Chamber as a Bridegroom or a Giant refreshed with Wine He makes small the drops of Rain and causeth them to fall upon one City and not upon another he feeds the Fouls and musters Caterpillars Locusts Flies as his Armies Angels are his Servants absolutely at his beck ready to execute his Will and by him they are sent forth to minister unto his Children and to punish his Enemies He hath enraged Devils in a Chain and both confines them and imploys them as he himself thinks good He suffered one to be a lying Spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets He permitted Satan to do much against Job yet kept him from touching his Life He cast Devils out of the possessed and gave them leave to enter into an Herd of swine He governs men too keeping Abimelech from violating Sarahs Chastity and Laban from touching Jacob's Liberty or Goods and Esau from offering violence to his Life the meanest Creatures are the Objects of his Cure and the noblest are overruled by his Power Secondly the Governing Providence of God extends it self to all motions and actions without him we can do nothing as a special assistance is necessary to gratious Acts so is a general concurse to natural ones unless he support we cannot stir a step nor strike a stroke nor speak a word nor form a thought God suspends the Creatures Actions when he pleaseth thus he kept the Fire from burning the three Children that were thrown into it when put into its greatest rage He stopt the mouths of Lions and kept them from preying upon Daniel when hunger was feeding upon them And it was he that taught and commanded the rapacious Raven to forget it self that it might carry food to a Prophet God orders and directes actions to ends never designed by the doer yea he makes the most vile and wicked actions subservient to most excellent and most noble ends Adams sin issued in the glorifying of Gods name in a mixt way of Justice and Mercy Pharoahs Cruelty made Israel multiply so that the more they were deprest the more they flourished Romes persecutions have been Sions Enlargements and the bloud of the Martyrs the Seed of the Church Josephs Brethrens selling him was a step to his preferment in the Court of Pharoah and a sending him before to preserve the use of his Father and of his Family The crucifying of our dear Jesus was the saving of Believers and by his most pretious bloud which the Jews and Romans most wickedly spilt were all the Elect of God redeemed from Hell and everlasting destruction The King of Assyria thought of nothing else but to destroy and câ—â—t off Nations not a few but God sent him as an Executioner of his Justice to punish an hypocritical Nation and the people of his wrath Thus God doth not only uphold his Creatures in their Beings and assist and strengthen them in their Actions but he doth also direct order and overrule those actions so that their product and issue shall be admirable wicked men have base and sordid ends in the Commission of Sin but God hath holy ends in his permission thereof while they gratifie their Lusts he fulfills his pleasure and while they act like Devils He acts like God i. e. like himself Thirdly This Governing and overruling Providence of God extends it self to all issues and results of things both good and evil the lot is cast into the Lap but the Disposal thereof is of the Lord. He is the Fountain of all the good and comforts which we enjoy for which we are under everlasting Obligations to praise his Name and not to sacrifice to our own Net That the House is built we owe more to God than to the Workmen and in the preservation of the City God is more to be thanked and acknowledged than the Watchman It is unquestionably mens duty to follow their Callings and mind their business and study good Husbandry for the sluggard shall be cloathed with rags and the prodigal will be glad of husks but if after all endeavour and care an Estate comes in it is more of Gods sending than of Mans fetching The Blessing of God makes rich and not mans diligence without it when you are sick it is your wisdom and duty to send for the most able skilful and faithful Physitians and to follow the method and use the means which they prescribe but when your Distempers are removed and your Health is restored you are beholden more to God than to Men and means for notwithstanding them your Souls would dwell in silence if the Lord himself were not your help The Battle is not to the strong nor the race to the swift nor doth promotion come from the East or the West but the Lord pulleth down one and setteth up another So for evil things we are too prone to rest in second Causes and care not to look so high as God but whether we take notice of him or no there is no rod under which we smart but Gods hand lays it on Eliphaz tells us 5. Job 6. Affliction cometh not forth from the dust neither doth trouble spring out of the ground i. e. they do not come by chance though many things be contingences yet all things have a cause to us indeed they are casual but to God they are certain He himself foresaw and fore-appointed them There is nothing of Fortune
and comfortable day They are arrayed with the robe of righteousness and garment of Salvation which adorn them more than garments of wrought gold Christ leads them into his Banquetting-House and there spreads over them the banner of his love which affords the surest protection and the sweetest shade Who but themselves are able to tell or conceive what unspeakable and glorious joy they have what triumphs and exultings of Soul when their best beloved Jesus kisseth them with the kisses of his lips and by his own Spirit witnesseth with theirs that they are the Children of God and with his most ravishing consolations doth delight their Souls what are mines of gold and rocks of Diamonds what are Lordships and mannors what are Crowns and Scepters what Kingdoms and Empires to one drachme of grace one smile from Heaven one whisper of divine love one embrace of a Saviour Cursed said noble Galeacius be that man who counteth all the world worth one hours communion with Jesus Christ and if one hour of Communion be so precious what O what is a life of Communion But then stay till the winding up of the bottom till that last and great day shall dawn in which there will be a revelation of the righteous Judgment of God and of the marvellous goodness of God wherein the wicked shall be stript of all their honour and power of all their riches and pleasures and turned into Hell for the wrath of God and the worm of Conscience eternally to feed upon them And those who have believingly closed with Christ and bowed to his Scepter and walked closely with God and studied the power of godliness and strictness of Religion shall enter into peace and be cloathed with glory and sit upon Thrones possessed of a fulness of joy and sporting themselves in Rivers of pleasure under the brightest and warmest beams of divine love and in the most endearing embraces of the Lord Jesus and in the plenarie uninterrupted enjoyment of those things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor have entred into the heart of man without any disquieting apprehensions or fears of being ejected out of that possession or disturbed in it Then all the world the most stupid and unteachable part of it will be throughly convinced that there is a reward for the righteous a God that Judgeth in the Earth and that true godliness is profitable for all things both for the life that now is and for that which is to come and that however things go now yet it was not in vain to serve God And therefore in the mean time though Clouds and darkness are round about the Throne yet let us rejoyce in the firm belief of what the Prophet tells us Psalm 145 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works The last thing promised for the proof of the point that Gods governing the world may well support us in the midst of all distractions is to present to your consideration several things more particularly relating to the Church and People of this God And they are these 1. The nearness dearness and intimacy of that relation in which the Church and Saints stand to God What may not the wife and children of a loving and mighty King promise themselves from his government Certainly they may well be assured so long as he keeps his Throne and hath power in his hand they shall want neither defence nor comfort The Church is Gods Vineyard and will he not water it and keep it every moment lest any hurt it She is the Spouse of Christ and will he not be tender over her and kind to her He is a Father to his people and will he not look after them and afford them maintenance and necessary supplies He is more than a Mother to them and will he not draw out his breasts of consolation that they may suck and be satisfied milk out and be delighted Doubtless they may believingly expect all good from him all kindness all comforts from him who hath been graciously pleased to put himself into all relations unto them In the 23. Psal v. 1. holy David looked with an eye of Faith but to one Relation in which God stood to him the Lord is my Shepherd and from thence he saw sufficient encouragement to conclude that he should not want What mayest thou then O believer argue from all Gods relations He is my God my King my Master my Father my Husband therefore surely I shall not want He is a Sun and Shield a Sun for comfort and a Shield for security In his beams then his children shall rejoyce and in his shadow shall they sit safely and no good thing shall he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Jerusalem is the City of the great King and if she be Gods City God will be her security Never fear that O Saints for he is known famously known in her Palaces for a refuge 2. The special interest which God hath in his Church and People they are his Portion and Inheritance And no one will if he can help it lose his portion Naâ—oth would not part with his Inheritance upon any termes neither fell nor change it much less will Christ with his who is so greatly taken with it as to count the lines fallen to him in a pleasant place and that he hath a goodly heritage His people are his Jewels and will he suffer them to be lost They are his Treasure and what shall his enemies rob him of that no no where his treasure is there his heart is also and where his heart is there shall his eye be watching and his hand of power shall be stretched out and his wings of protection shall be spread abroad and Salvation it self shall be for Walls and Bulwarks The interest which God hath in all the world is not comparable to that interest which God hath in the Church The rest are but his Slaves these are his Children the rest are but the rude wilderness the Devils waste these are his Gardens inclosed In others he sees his power but in these his Image and his Son Others are the work of his hands but these are the Workmanship of his Spirit 3. That most endearing and entire affection which he beareth unto his Church and People As be stands in all relations to them so he hath all affections for them You that understand what love is do feel within your selves what a noble active liberal principle it is and what a mighty power and vigour there is in it Now there is no love in the world comparable to the love of God He hath a flame to our spark an Ocean to our drop The dearest of Gods love is placed upon Christ and in and for Christs sake the same love is placed upon the Church and people of Christ thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me And what will not such love do it will awaken care and call forth power and engage wisdom and open the
and storms Ordinances and afflictions every thing all things are employed all busie all at work and all at work for good Take a wicked man and all things are against him take a Child of God and all things are for him all are sent upon a gracious excellent design and shall prosper in it More particularly oppositions persecutions and fiery Tryals have issued in these three things which are choice advantages 1. By these things God makes a discrimination and separates between the good and the bad the precious and the vile In those Fields where there is care taken to sow the best and cleanest corn the envious one will come and scatter eares Churches do contract filth and corruption as well as other bodies and though they were very pure in their first erecting and constitution yet afterward they do degenerate and ill humours flow and abound in them Some among them leave their first love and their first works and are drawn aside from the simplicity of the Gospel and live not according to the rules of the Gospel Yea there are not only decaying Professors but also false hypocritical pretenders creep into Churches Afflictions now are the Physick God gives for the purging them out these are the Fan of Christ with which he cleares his Floor they are his Fire for the refining of his Gold and severing it from the dross When storms arise the rotten and unsound fruit falls off When persecution ariseth stony ground hearers are offended then away go formalists hypocrites and all such as were strangers to the power of godliness And it is a good riddance for God and his Church need them not What loss is it when greedy Wolves and filthy Swine in Sheeps cloathing forsake the fold they never did good in it and never will 2. By troubles and persecutions the good are bettered In such times and by such means their corruptions are mortified and their graces are brightned The trees of righteousness which are planted in Gods Courts do root the faster for being shaken with Tempests and flourish the more for their pruning Their fierce Tryals do refine their Souls and heat them into a greater zeal for God and holiness The very rage and malice of their enemies doth strengthen their care and raise their resolution so that they grow stronger and stronger Michal jeer'd and stouted at David for this zeal but he plainly and bravely told her if that was to be vile he would be yet more so Upon these two accounts when times are saddest and persecution hottest whatever may be said of the actings of men there is no cause to complain of male administration on Gods part so long as the Church is made purer and the Saints are made better But I will add this further 3. By these persecutions the Church is enlarged and the number of her Children is encreased The oppressing of the Israelites by hardned Pharaoh issued in their multiplying When the Church at Jerusalem was scattered the Kingdom of Christ was amplified the more by it Those afflictions and bands which happened to Paul tended to and ended in the furtherance of the Gospel The blood of the Martyrs hath all along been the Seed of the Church Persecutors are fools as well as mad men they lose what they do Christ and the Gospel gain So doth God outshoot his enemies in their own bow and makes their very wrath to praise him And let Tryals and Persecutions come to never so great an height I know no reason why the joy of Believers should not be increased when the Nation of Saints is multiplied Do you all you that profess Religion and godliness look to it that the number of Christians be not diminished and lessened through your wretched Apostacy and then it shall be augmented through your firmeness and holy constancy That is the fifth thing by which we may support and comfort our selves viz. The great things which God hath done for his People 6. There are very great and glorious things which God hath further to do If all were accomplished which God hath in his heart and purpose to do for his Church none of us should be here the world would have an end and time would be no more The world doth upon some account owe its continuance to the Church The world is but the stage upon which God is acting for his Name and for his Church and when the Act is finished the stage shall be pull'd down When wicked and ungodly men are plotting against the Church and persecuting of her Children they act indeed like unreasonable men in digging up those very foundations on which themselves stand and pulling down the Pillars that uphold them And as God continues the world for the sake of the Church so he hath great of things yet in his purpose and promise which must by no means fail for their accomplishment Such as these the giving great peace to her Children the bringing down her proud and insulting enemies especially that grand and implacable one Babylon The bringing in both his ancient people the Jews and the fulness of the Gentiles The making the place of his feet glorious and setting up the Mountain of his House in the top of the Mountains and causing the Kings of the Earth to bring their glory and the honour of the Nations into it 7. God hath laid upon himself strong obligations to do these and such like things and therefore we are on the surer hand God hath bound himself by promise and that is as good security as heart can desire Gods Word is better than mans bond It is setled in Heaven It is yea and amen God can as soon cease to be as falsify his Word whatsoever thou hast a promise for O Believer thou mayst be as sure off as if thou hadst the thing in thine own possession And how dark soever and cross soever Providence may seem to be do not you fear them for there always is a sweet harmony and perfect agreement between Providences and promises yea the great work and business of Providence is to give accomplishment to the promises Divine Providence is the Midwife of promise and is to give Birth to those blessed and admirable mercies which it travails with And though sometimes Providence acts somewhat roughly yet it always proceeds very safely so that there never is a miscarriage 8. God is greatly concerned in the good and welfare of his Church and People He is more concerned than we are and all the men in the world It is very true we are nearly concerned in the prosperity of the Church and true Religion in the Churches peace it is that we shall have peace Our all is indeed imbarqued in this Ship if that should be cast away we are ruined you may reckon upon that Let Religion be lost and we are lost farewell prosperity and all that you can call good and therefore none of us should be careless or wanting to Prayer or duty But know God is more
you sober and in patience possess your souls Oh that when it may be said here is the cursed hellish rage and Bedlam frantick Fury of Atheists and Papists it may also be said here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints When there are those that make it their design and business to destroy and confound all things do you rejoyce in this That God Governs all wisely powerfully graciously so that those things which have the most frightful aspect the most amazing passages which we hear of or meet with are the Products of an Eternal Counsel and shall at last it may be ere long issue in an happy close however affairs go now God hath bid us say to the Righteous it shall be well with him Do you evidence the powerful and comfortable influence that Gods Government hath upon your Spirits by these three things 1. First by the k eping up your spirits yet have need of Patience ye may find a little will not serve your turn lay up therefore good store of it and then fetch out of that store and let patience have its perfect work but withal cast not away your confidence for it hath great recompence of reward We will not fear such the Church though the Earth be removed and the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea let the wicked fear where no fear is but let the Saints be fearless in the midst of fears Why are ye fearful said Christ to his Disciples when the Ship was almost covered with Waves He sets men above God in his thoughts whose fear of man prevails against his faith in God that man either is altogether forgetful of God or his thoughts of him are low and unbecoming for certain he doth not sanctifie the Lord of Host in his heart let your faith be preserved in vigour and exercise What though the Beast have seven Heads and ten Horns great subtilty and no less power yet the Lamb shall overcome 2. Evidence it by your perseverance in Godliness hold on your way make not use of any sinful means neglect not any part of your duty to secure your selves and avoid danger do not offend God be not beholden to the Devil for your liberty and peace what though there be Lions in the way go on and proceed boldly so long as it is the way of God you may live by faith while you walk by rule you may walk believingly and cheerfully while you walk regularly the wound that a man gets by sin will put him to far greater smart and pain that all his sufferings for God and godliness would have done He than purchases the favour of men with the frowns of Conscience will find he hath made a very hard bargain every step from God is a step to ruin if any man draw back Gods soul will have no pleasure in him whereas he that walks uprightly walketh safely 3. Make it to appear by the Raisedness of your expectations so the Church did in her low condition Micah c. 7. v. 8. Rejoyce not against me O mine Enemy though I fall I shall rise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me at midnight she looked for the dawning of a glorious day and so do you that is a very sweet place which you have in the 2d Joel of 20 21. where the Prophet speaking of the Northern Army saith his stink shall come up and ill savour shall come up because he hath done great things and then he adds fâ—â—â— not O Lord 〈…〉 rejoyce for the Lord will 〈◊〉 great things and so we may say â—t 〈◊〉 day God will do great things such as shall out do all that his â—n â—â—â—les have done Gods last works in the world will be his greatest works and by them he will get himself a glorious name and I hope he will speed it he that shall come will come and will not tarry therefore incourage your selves in the Lord your God do your duty and quietly wait for your expectation shall not be cut off Quest What are the hindrances and helps to a good Memory in Spiritual things SERMON XIV I. COR. XV. II By which also ye are saved if ye keep in Memory what I Preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain THere is no Complaint more common among Religious Persons than the weakness of their Memories thinking perhaps that defect doth imply least guilt or it may be mistaking their carelesness for forgetfulness or else there is really some special frailty in that faculty to heal which is the design of this Discourse For the Occasion and coherence of these words in the Text it is evident that the Apostle Paul in the Verse foregoing begins to recite and prove the Doctrine of the Resurrection from the Dead which he doth there declare to be a great point of that Gospel which he had preached unto them which also they had received and wherein they did stand And then he adds here By which Gospel also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain In which words we have a Discovery 1. Of mens utmost happiness viz. Salvation ye are saved that is not only rescued out of your Pagan State nor only that ye stand fair for salvation but ye are saved already For Heaven doth really begin upon Earth and every true Saint is at present a Citizen of the Heavenly Jerusalem 2. Of the only means for the Attaining of it viz. the Gospel by which ye are saved For that reveals the Object That directs lost Man which way to arrive at it That assures us that a passage is open'd into Heaven That incourages and inclines us seriously to endeavour after it 3. Of the special Grace necessary in respect of this Gospel viz. believing unless ye believe c. for hereby we credit what is revealed we imbrace what is offered and we rely on what is promised without which acts of Faith the Gospel signifies nothing to us And Hearing by which Faith comes is included in it for so the Apostle joyns them vers 14. then is our Preaching vain and your Faith is also vain 4. Of the particular Faculty that is requisite for this end viz. the Memory if ye keep in memory what I have preached unto you For though the main thing hereby intended be to keep in the heart a constant and effectual belief of the Gospel and particularly of this Article of the Resurrection yet to keep in memory the Form of sound Words is also necessary in order thereunto and therefore it is said in the TEXT that ye retain with what WORDS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quibusdam verbis Tremel Quâ— sermone Bez. Arab. Qua ratione Syr. Vulg. or REASONS I preached unto you 5. The Relation or Influence which this last of keeping in memory hath upon all the rest And this exprest 1. By way of Condition in the beginning of the Verse ye are saved if ye keep in
Opinion or Practise especially if they are not imposed as necessary For this hath made such woful Divisions in the Church the making things unnecessary and doubtful the necessary terms of Church-Communion Was the Church of Rome it self the truly Ancient Catholick and Apostolick Church as she stiles her self I could have Communion with it They that leave the Apostles shake the Foundation of the Churches stability and forsake the center of its Unity The Lord help us all to understand the way of Peace and Union in this miserably divided Age. Vse VI Lastly And now from all that hath been said we may take a prospect of Heaven Heaven is not a Turkish Paradise it is Communion with God that is the very Heaven of Heaven as the loss of it is the very Hell of Hell And this makes Heaven not desirable to the Carnal Man who hath no desire after or delight in Communion with God but it doth commend it the more to the Spiritual Man that he shall then enjoy that in its highest perfection which he hath been pursuing and had the fore-tasts of in this World Quest What is the best way to prepare to meet God in the way of his Judgments or Mercies SERMON XXVIII 1 John XII 28. Beginning of the Verse Father Glorify thy Name IN this Chapter we find the Lord Jesus under two very different Exercises in the one attended with much Solemnity in the other under great Perplexity much Courted much cast Down highly Honoured and exceedingly Troubled and he beareth both with wonderful Equanimity He is Feasted at Bethany v. 1 2. Anointed with Oyle of Spiknard very costly v. 3. Rideth Tryumphantly into Jerusalem v. 12 13. c. His Disciples bless and entertain him upon the way with Hosannas v. 13. Matth. 21.8 9. Strangers desire to see him and give him their Acknowledgments v. 20. And the Multitude throng after him v. 12. And strow his way with Palm Branches v. 13. But immediately the Scene is changed As our blessed Lord was not much affected with these things so contrary to all Expectation he enters upon a discourse of another Nature v. 23. The hour is come that the Son of Man should be Glorified Why Had he not been Glorifying throughout this Chapter yea But not comparably to what he here intends q. d. my Feast my Tryumph my applause bear no Proportion to the glory I am hasting to These are but Dull low Glories to what is at Hand The hour is come i. e. is near That the Son of Man shall be Glorified upon the Cross by Expiating the Sins of his Elect Glorified thereupon in Heaven at the right hand of the Father Christ had his Eye upon an higher Glory which would redound to him upon the Performing and Finishing our Redemption And a true Christian frame overlook's present Comforts and Honours from Men and fixeth mainly upon the Honour to be received from God in the way of Obedience here and hereafter Nor will our Lord Jesus pass over this Meditation till he have improved it 1. Inferring thence the Fruitfulness of his Death Verrily Verrily I say unto you v. 24. Except a Corn of Wheat fall into the Ground and Dye it abideth alone but if it Dye it bringeth forth much Fruit. Alluding to the Propagation of his Church by his Death 2. The Proportionable advantage of the Death of his Saints for his Sake v. 25.26 and Testimony and the disadvantage of forbearing and refusing to suffer for his Name But passing thence to the consideration of his Dreadful Agony and Passion ensuing v. 27. beginning His Thoughts are at a Stand his Soul is Troubled yea the Extremity of his grief stopt his Mouth so Amazing so Astonishing was the Fore-sight of his Sufferings At last Prayer breaks out Father Save me from this Hour and is presently Corrected But for this cause came I to this Hour q. d. I would escape but must not resist thy Will I 'd save my self yet not without a Salvo to thy purpose and councel I am in a Strait between Nature and Faith between Fear and Subjection between Death and Duty First Meer Trouble is no Sin Christs Soul was Troubled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Water when it is Mudded Jo. 5.4 7. Not that thier was any mixture of Sin in his Trouble it was such as might consist with his pure unspotted Nature If grief be not groundless if not extravagant no Sainted with unbelief or effected of disobedience 't is but Natures Weakness Grace induceth no Stoical Stupidity 'T is no property of the Gospel to make Men Sensless Secondly Fear of Death and sense of the Wrath of God are of all things most Perplexing Now is my Soul Troubled Now I am to conflict with the Father's Anger Mens Malice and Death's Pains and Terrours and now not my Flesh only but my Soul is Troubled Thirdly Extream distress of Spirit is of an amazing Nature Christ had not the Freedom of Prayer What shall I say and then what he did say was corrected Matt. 26.39 42. Fourthly No Extremity can Ordinarily or should really put an Holy Soul by the Plea of or hope in his Relation to God Christ calls God Father My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matt. 27.46 Fifthly Prayer must be suited to the Occasion Save me from the Hour c. A great Argument against most forms is that an Holy Soul cannot relish them nor can I see how God accepts them because they are impertinent or not full to the case Sixthly In our Extremitys we may be importunate must not be Peremptory with God in Prayer Our Saviour here Prayed not more Heartily then submissively Matt. 26.39 Our Text is the Result of the Lords Wrastling both with his own Soul and with his Father Here is first Christs Prayer Father Glâ—rify thy Name And the Fathers Answer in the next words but I meddle not with that now In the Text we have Two things 1. The Compellation Father 2. The Petition Glorify c. 1. The Compellation Father Prayer ought to be Ushered in with some Suitable Title of God which is expressive of his Supremacy our Reverence of him and Relation to him All these are Couched in the Single word Father Read Matt. 6.10 Malach. 1.6 Rom. 8.15 1. This Title expresseth God's Authority and Chirst's Allegiance both owned by him in this little Word 2. Relation The Lords Petitioners must ask so as to assure themselves of Acceptation which the Recognition of our Interest in God Read Isa 63 16. as our Father in Christ is very proper to Effect Hence the Rule of Prayer enters with Our Father And it is most Suitable to the Spirit of the Gospel that believers call God Father in Prayer having the Spirit of the Son poured out upon them to this End Gal. 4.6 2. The Petition Father Glorify thy Name q. d. Be thou rather Glorified then I Spared If I dye thy Glory will make amends for my Torment and
with our hands to God in the Heavens When the heart is intensly elevated to God it carries the Hands and the Voice along with it it Acts all the Body from the Center as Tertullian Phraseth it bona conscientia eructat ad superficiem he lifts up his Soul Psal 143.8 and Body too to God as they lifted up the Mincah or Heav-Offering and waved it before the Lord the Soul will work the body into Simpathy when it is earnest indeed that which made the Veins of the Body to open their Mouths in drops of Blood as Christ his Prayer in his Agony did Luke 22.44 will certainly make us open our Lips Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaks Luke 6.46 4. This Vocal Amen is as it were the Epitome and summ of all our Petitions and Praises to God 't is the Center which all those Lines are drawn towards It is all the Duty vertually reduced to one word and point Yea it is the repeating and ecchoing or redoubling of all over again As the Mercury behind the Glass it reverterates the lively Image of all preceding Devotion It is a drawing the Arrow to the Pile by a strong ejaculation qua toto corde deum petimus in Bellarmines Phrase whereby the whole heart is darted up to God It is a stirring up our selves to take hold of God Isa 64.7 It is taking aim and directing our Prayer to him and looking up Psal 5.3 as if they would hand up Gods Praises to him and stand ready to receive his Mercies with open Hands and Mouths It winds up all together in one bundle many are willing to have God forgive their trespasses but cannot so readily forgive others we may be free for God to give us daily Bounty and Bread but cannot make it as Meat and Drink to do his Will Men will easily accept of Gods kindness not so roundly pay their tribute of Praises Such cannot roundly Pray nor say Amen Ah Lord and Amen are two long Prayers in few words managed by the whole Soul and thus it is an Amen with an Hallelujah when we seek God with all our hearts then we find him Jer. 29.13 5. Amen rightly pronounced is an intense Act of Faith or it involves a strong Faith The Hebrew Verb in Niphat signifies to be firm stable and strong and in Hiphil it signifies to beleive and trust and indeed we cannot beleive or trust to any thing but that which is stable invariable and immutable So that there are two Declarations made by this Amen 1. That God is firm and immutably true in himself and his word 2. That we will not only beleive his Truth but trust to his veracity and build upon it as the Prophet doth both Jer. 11.5 this is a laying hold on Gods Strength Isa 27.5 as we see Abraham Gen. 15.6 he beleived God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vehermen Gods Truth is beleived his veracity trusted to Israel twisted about both these as Abraham did he wrestled with God and prevailed The Jews say Amen habet tres nucleos hath Three Kernels the one is of an Oath the Second of Faith the Third of Confidence as Bunto says on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When we have confessed our Sins we do by our Amen say all is true and we have deserved Gods displeasure we beg pardon of them and so beleive God hath promised Pardon to the Penitent we trust our selves with God in Christ and beleive that he will Pardon our Sins as all others that cast themselves upon his promised Grace 6. The unanimous pronunciation of Amen is an assurance that God will accept our Praises and answer our Prayers So as the Soul comes off with Luther's Vicimus we have prevailed Mark 11.24 what things soever ye desire when you Pray beleive that ye receive them and ye shall have them nay 1 John 5.15 If we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions we desired of him We ought to beleive we shall have them either in kind or value and infinite Wisdom and Goodness must be Judge in that Case alone Matth. 18.19 if two of you agree on Earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven If any single Soul Pray in Faith it shall be heard much more if two have a Symphony as the word imports they shall be answered how much more when the whole Congregation is in Harmony and unanimously cries Amen when the whole Congregation meets as one Man Ezra 3.1 and the multitude of Beleivers are of one Heart and Soul Acts 4.32 God will say Amen to such Amens They are as it were a bath col the Eccho and Voice of God from the Mercy-Seat Sanctorum vota sunt oracula Gods Spirit stirs up such Prayers and they shall not be denied The Soul like Luther says fiat voluntas mea as Men make their Wills in the Name of God Amen it shall be thus for once let my Will Oh Lord be done Heavens Gate is open to this united Knock. 7. And lastly This unanimous Amen of Faith strikes terror on the Enemies of the Church whether Devils or Men. When the Romans had Conquered Philip and the Grecians and Flaminius caused Peace to be proclaimed to the Grecians there was such a Shout says Plutarch that the very Crows and other Birds fell down to the ground the Air was so rent and shaken And when the Church of God Terrible as an Army with Banners gives her unanimous Voices of Amens not only Satan falls like lightning from Heaven Luke 10.18 but Simon Magus by Peters Prayer is fetch'd down when he attempted to flie in the Air as if he had been the Holy Dove and Power of God as Ecclesiastical Story relates And Socrates tells us that upon Theodosius his Prayers and his Armies the Barbarians Captain was smitten with a Thunderbolt and his Soldiers by Fire As the Turks Mined the Eastern Empire of the Romans by Fire Smoke and Brimston i e. by Guns and Gun-powder Rev. 9.17 when the Church is united in hearty Amens it is like the Shout that the Israelites gave when God and his Ark came into the Camp which was such a great sound that the Earth rang 1 Sam. 4.5 for then God is gone up with a Shout Psal 47.5 to answer the Prayers made for the Salvation of his People This makes the hearts of their Enemies to melt and tremble as the Philistins did As Hierom expresseth it the hollow Idols and their Temples that were empty did Eccho and Rebound the Churches Amens so as their Fabricks shaked Thus when the Shophar lovely Trumpet sounded the Seventh time upon the Seventh day Josh 6.20 the Walls of Jerico fell and so shall the Gates and Walls of Babylon by the Preaching of the Gospel on the Lords Days and the Prayers of the Saints The united Breath of Gods People sends a blast upon their Enemies the Trumpet blew and the