first discovered to James the Apostle afterward to the aforementioned Bishop of Granada who sought for them and found them saith Pineda per altos Granatensis montis cuniculos latebras in which leaden Plates there should be ingraven in Arabick so much concerning Solomon as in English sounds thus And he bewailed his sin with a great lamentation and it was forgiven him and he died faithful and in peace I say there will be no need of these Apocryphal helps we have a more sure word of Prophecy and stronger Scripture arguments engaging us to conclude Solomon's repentance and Salvation against some of the Ancients speaking doubtfully and the more modern Papists speaking both peremptorily and impudently in the case and must conclude that Emanuel Thesaurus speaks like a profane Poet when he tells us concerning Solomon Primu è Christi Proavis Stygem coluit Et Primus intravit Indubio Argumento nam Idola posuit non sustulit Et Flenda leguntur non fletus Having thus far given you a Character of this great Person who wrote this sacred Book and by this digression served my design a little in shewing you that there is no ground from his miscarriages to conclude against his being the Penman either of this or the other pieces of Sacred Writ to which the Hebrew Text entituleth him and which the Ecclesiastical Juries in all ages have found his The next thing we have to enquire is the time and occasion of his writing it concerning which the Scriptures silence hath given Writers the greater liberty to abound in their several senses I see no great prejudice either to Solomon himself or to the Divine Authority of this Sacred Book from the opinion of those who think that Solomon wrote this Song in the beginning of his Reign when he first Married Pharaohs Daughter first proselyted to the Jewish Religion at which time it is said 1 Kings 3. 3. Solomon loved the Lord walking in the Statutes of David his Father and that his Marriage with Pharaohs Daughter gave him the occasion of this Heavenly Meditation for which the greatest ground they have is that passage ch 1. v. 9. I have compared thee to a company of Horses in Pharaohs Chariots Nor yet from the opinion of those who think that he wrote it in the close of his life after his return to fellowship and communion with God If therefore any shall contend that he wrote the Book of Proverbs first this Book next and Ecclesiastes last of all grounding their conjecture upon 1 Kings 4. 32. where i◠is said that he wrote 3000 Proverbs and his Songs were 1005. Or if others think that he first wrote this Book of Canticles which being Poetry they think best suited his younger years then the Book of Proverbs and last of all that of Ecclesiastes the matter contained in the Book of Proverbs seeming to be the mature issue of years and the matter of Ecclesiastes speaking a contempt of worldly Vanities like that which is found with gray hairs that have learned righteousness I shall not contend with either There are some who make an observation upon Solomon's calling himself in Ecclesiastes King of Hierusalem In the Book of Proverbs King of Israel In this Book only Solomon whence they conclude that he wrote this Book in the first of his years before he was come to the Kingdom The Book of Proverbs next before he came to dwell in Hierusalem and that of Ecclesiastes last in his more perfect state but possibly their conjecture is better who think that Solomons spiritual contemplation of Christ with which his heart seemeth in this Book to be ravished was the cause why forgetting his Titles of Honour he calls himself by no other name than that of Solomon and as through all the Book he speaks to and of Christ under no other notion than that of a Beloved and a friend so he mentions not himself under any higher notion than Solomon and a Love a Spouse c. glorying more in being the Spouse and Friend of Christ than a great King in Hierusalem Or finally if any will assert that he wrote this Book last of all which seems to be the opinion of Bernard Delrio Hierome Bachiarius Cyrill c. I am indifferent to close with either party only abhorring the opinion which was anciently condemned in Theodorus Mopsuesta by the Council of Constantinople saith Delrio and which Philastrius mentions amongst the Heresies whose Author he knew not viz. That it is but a Love-Song made by Solomon having relation to Pharaohs Daughter or the Shulamite to which opinion also Castalio and Grotius seem to encline and the Anabaptists in Germany are charged with it by Sixtus Senensis which opinion indeed is deservedly rejected and justly to be abhorred of all sober Christians and there needs no other witness in the case against it than the great reverence of this Book which the Church of the Jews had to whom saith the Apostle were committed the Oracles of God and who were sufficiently cautelous what they stamped with that sacred stamp of Scripture Canon who did not only constantly own this Book as much as any other making it a Dialogue between God and their Church or betwixt their Church and some of their Patriarchs but also barred any from reading of it until they arrived at their sacerdotal year whether for fear of a vain interpretation of it or in regard of the difficulty they justly conceived as to the expounding the metaphors with which as with so many Stars it is adorned or fathoming the mysteries which they conceived lay couched in it I shall not in this place determine Sure I am as the Authors of the aforementioned gross and unhandsome conceptions have nothing to give countenance to their wanton fancies besides the comparison of the Love here mentioned to a company of Horses in Pharaohs Chariots and the mention of the Shulamite Caat 6. 13. with another or two expressions of that Nature upon which expressions the Vanity of their hearts only hath hindred them from putting a spiritual interpretation so even some of these expressions with divers others in this Sacred Song make their impure conceptions highly improbable for if the Dialect of times be not strangely altered it was certainly a strange commendation for so learned and wise a man as Solomon to give of a Woman whom he loved to compare her to a company of Horses her Head to Mount Carmel and her Eyes to Fish Pools her Nose to a Tower her Teeth to a flock of Sheep c. all which with divers such seemingly uncouth expressions we have in this Song After all this we shall find it no difficult thing to determine the Divine Authority of this Book The Apostle saith that Holy Men wrote the Scriptures as inspired by God we have evinced that the Penman of this Book was an Holy Man both in the former and latter part of his life That he wrote this Book is
Children of men Psal 89. I will visit his transgression with a rod and his iniquity with stripes 4. My mercy shall not depart from him as from Saul Psal 89. Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him Nor suffer my faithfulness to fail 1. God covenants that although Solomon should sin yet he would not take his mercy from him The very term of Mercy signifies more than the continuance of the Crown to him for as Tychonius observes David would have understood little mercy for his Son to have enjoyed a temporal Kingdom and lost an eternal inheritance 2. The punishment which God threatens to him in case of sinning was but a Rod. The Rod of Men for if we should allow nothing to Pineda's Criticisme upon the term used Enosh to signify men here which properly signifies a weak old man who cannot lay on strokes hard but chastiseth his Child gently so as the Rod of Men here mentioned should be opposed to the grounded staff mentioned Isaiah 30. 32. which God makes to rest upon others yet certainly the termof a Rod with the adjunct of Men speaks a very gentle chastning with which eternal punishment is no way consistent 3. Add to this That the Holy Ghost the most certain Interpreter of Scripture 1 Cor. 6. 18. Applies the very promise here made to the Children of God I will be a Father unto you and you shall be my Sons and Daughters I say who so considereth these things must certainly conclude that Gods obligation by this Covenant extended further than the continuance of the temporal dominion in his line which is also advantaged by the consideration that Solomon in his life time was chastened with the Rods of Men 1 Kings 11. God stirred up against him Hadad Rezin and Jeroboam He was doubtless chastened of the Lord that he might not be condemned with the world Nor can any reasonably think to avoid the dint of the Argument drawn from these Texts by telling us That a greater than Solomon is understood in them even he of whom Solomon was but a Type For although it be true that divers of the Ancients favoured that notion amongst whom was Augustine Ambrose Tertullian and Theodoret and that some passages in the aforementioned Texts seem to be by the Holy Ghost himself applied to Christ amongst which that eminent part of this Covenant I will be to him a Father c. besides that others seem applicable to no other as where he promiseth to establish his Kingdom for ever yet it is as true that the promise I will be to him a Father as I shewed before is also by the Holy Ghost applied to believers 1 Cor. 6. 18. and those who understand the Hebrew Idiome know that the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth often signify less than Eternity strictly so called and it is as certain that Hierome and divers others of the Ancients apply these Texts literally to Solomon Possibly they compound the business better who considering Solomon as a Type of Christ divide the Covenant made with David betwixt Solomon and Christ thinking that part concerneth Solomon and part concerneth Christ Sure it is that Solomon built the material Temple not Christ and Solomon alone not Christ was in a capacity to forsake the Commandments of God and for the promissory part if we say it concerned Solomon in the letter and Christ in the Mystery and Antitype I think we shall not much err nor will this interpretation at all weaken the strength of our argument I find a 4th Argument for this eminent Person brought from 2 Sam. 12. 24 25. compared with Neb. 13. 26. and 1 Kings 3. 3. from whence De-La Champius observeth 3 things 1. That it is said God loved him 2 Sam. 12. 24. And the Lord loved him Neh. 13. 26. He was beloved of his God 2. In token of this love God gave him his name Jedidiah i. e. beloved of God 3. The Scripture saith he loved the Lord. The consideration of the latter makes the plea vain of those who to avoid the dint of this Argument would interpret Gods love of that general favour which he extends to every Creature distinguished from that by which he elevates the Creature to a participation of the Divine Nature for that love is not so efficacious as to produce a reciprocal love in the Creature to God again we therefore love him because he loved us first which being granted unless we grant God as mutable as man and deny what he hath said that whom he loves he loves to the End We must allow that Solomon notwithstanding his great miscarriages was yet beloved of God and died in a state of Grace Now to these Arguments might further be added as strong presumptions in the case yielding at least some auxiliary strength That no Text speaketh so desperȧtely concerning Solomon that the Scripture 1 Kings 11. 4. speaking of his falling seems to hint it a sin of infirmity in his old age and through the great temptation of his Wives That he did only tolerate Idolatry not make it the Religion of the Nation That he after this as is at least probably and generally concluded wrote in testimony of his repentance the book of Ecclesiastes That he was the Sacred Penman of Scripture These things may much confirm our charitable opinion in the case for although it be true that I know no reason to the contrary but that God who made use of the Son of Perdition to preach his everlasting Gospel might also with consistency enough to the wisdom of his Providence make use of a Child of Perdition to write and ingross what his holy Spirit first dictated nor saith Augustine hath God less consulted his own glory in it for now all the good and glory of the truth revealed in those books will be given to God Beside it is said that Balaams Song is also recorded in Scripture and a piece of holy writ yet considering that no one book of holy writ was wrote by such a withered hand as that of a reprobates and that the Scripture fixeth no such mark upon this great Person who was the Author of three Books there and that one of these Books at least appears let Bellarmine say what he will to be wrote after the days of his Vanity and hath in it evident marks of his nauseating his lusts and former vanities of pleasure love riches c. Nor have there been wanting some who have thought so of the other two Books also viz. the Proverbs and the Canticles And to these if we add that he was an eminent Type of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I say if we lay all these things together we shall I think neither stand in need of the Rabbinical figments who tell us formal stories of Solomons repentance Nor yet of that auxiliary help in which Pineda much triumpheth which Petrus de Castro affords from that Sculpture in leaden Plates wrote in ancient Arabick Characters and
Confession of our sins one to another called for Jam. 5. 16 17. is one of those holy things which must not be cast before Dogs one of those Pearls which must not be thrown before Swine Thus you shall observe in St. Paul that in that part of his Epistles where he writeth with reference to the Saints he openeth himself and layeth himself naked but where he speaketh of himself with relation to the false Apostles there he magnifieth his Office 4. A fourth case is where a Child of God can probably judge that by his confession of his sin and owning of his blackness before men he may be advantaged by their counsels or by their prayers There are two ways by which a Christian may be advantaged by the confession of his sins unto men 1. With respect to the obtaining of his pardon 2. With respect to his peace or the obtaining a sense of his pardon 1. I say with respect to his obtaining pardon Not that it is in the power of man to pardon sin he only can discharge a debt to whom it is owing Sin is a debt to the justice of God and who but God can remit this debt It is not in the power of Pope or Priest or Minister to pardon sins or grant absolution to any but declaratively he can indeed declare the will of God to pardon the sins of those that truly repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ but that is all the Minister can do in the remission of sin the Act is Gods the Ministers absolution is valid or invalid as the Person doth or doth not truly repent and truly believe But yet I say the confession of sins not only to Ministers but to private Christians may be of great use and effect in order to the obtaining of our pardon by vertue of that promise 1 Joh. 5. 16. If a man see his Brother sin a sin which is not unto death he shall ask and give him life who hath not sinned unto death Now unless we know that our Brother hath sinned how shall we ask for him and unless we have seen him how shall we know it without his own confession of it us 2. But secondly It must also be of great advantage to us with respect to our peace or sense of pardon and that is not only as the other by obtaining their prayers for us but also by obtaining their advice and counsel thus oft-times a Christians owning and confessing some particular sins either to a judicious and faithful Minister or to some judicious and well experienced Christians proveth a great ease and relief to his mind by their speaking of some word in season or by some seasonable advice and counsel Now in such a case as this a Christian may be under the same obligation to confess his sins unto men that every one is to do what is of most proper Spiritual advantage to his Soul 3. Lastly There are some cases wherein a Child of God will own his blackness even bâ—fore the world 1 When he cannot conceal it without denying the truth A Christian is not bound to proclaim his Sin to the men of the world when it may tend to the reproach and blaspheming of the name of God but if the case be so that he hath failed in their sight and they come to the knowledge of it and charge him with it they must not tell a lie to cover their own shame When Tamar Gen. 38. 25. sent to her Father in law the Signet and Bracelets and Staff with that message By the man whose these are I am with Child Discern I pray thee whose are thâ—se Judah acknowledged them and said she hath been more righteous than I. 2. When the sin is known and is an eminent injury to our Neighbour In case of all injuries to men which are capable of reparation and satisfaction satisfaction is necessary in order to Gods pardon if we be able to make it but not confession in all cases As now suppose a Servant hath stolen from his Master during his service with him and his Master be one that is an Enemy to Religion and Godliness afterwards God changeth this Servants heart he is certainly bound to his ability to make his Master reparation full satisfaction but I do not know that he is bound to come to confess it unto him who probably would make no other use of it then to reproach and blaspheme the name of God and that way and course of Religion in which he is ingaged But in case the thing be known then confession even to man may be our duty to take shame to our own Souls and give glory unto God 3. Lastly a Child of God will confess his sin even before Men of the World where he sees a probable opportunity to do other sinners good by it And this most commonly happeneth when men have been companions in sin one to and with another When men have been companions one to another in Drunkenness These Sabbath-breaking or any other course of sinning A good man may sometimes probably judge that his owniâ—g and confessing with tears to his old Companions his fellowship with them in sinning may probably invite them to a fellowship with him in a consideration of his or their ways in a sense of and godly sorrow for their sins and if he hath any such hopes any such prospect he will confess his blackness even to them Thus I find some Divines interpreting that Jam. 5. 15. Confess your sins one to another That those who have been colleagues and companions in sin one to another should confess and bewail their sins each to other tho I must confess I rather think that Text is to be understood of intimate serious Christians confessing their sins freely one to another in order to the obtaining of the benefit of each others prayers because of what follows And pray one for another These now are those cases and times in and under which the Spouse of Christ will confess and acknowledge that she is black black through the prevailings of sin and corruption Of this Confession of sins we have plentiful instances in Scripture both of such as were more publick and such as were more pâ—ivate it is brought as one argument to prove the Holy Scriptures to be no humane Writings but the Word of God and that holy men wrote as they were inspired by God that they have published their own failings and made their own sins to stand upon Record to Posterity which is not the way of ordinary Writers who commonly write for their own honour and praise Besides the Scripture instances we have it in the daily practice of Gods people not only in their dayly prayers they put up to Almighty God but in their more private converses with Ministers and with fellow Christians which are very full of these confessions and abasements of themselves This freedom of Gods People in owning and acknowledging their blackness proceedeth from several causes 1. The Souls
reduplications of words and phrases are usual The Hebr. is very full of them they are of several uses I shall note such of them as may be properly applied to this Text. 1. Sometimes the doubling of a word or phrase denotes the certainty of the thing or action Gen. 15. 13. Know of a surety thy seed shall be a stranger c. In the Heb. it is knowing thou mayest know And thus frequently in the new Testament verily verily denotes the exceeding certainty of the Proposition spoken and thus it may do in this Text thou art fair my Love thou art fair That is thou art certainly very fair 2. Sometimes it is to note the exceeding earnestness and intention of him who speaketh Bis dictum magis dicitur Thus it is often used in Scripture Gen. 14. 10. The valley of Siddim was full of slimepits so we translate it in the Hebr. A valley of pits of pits So in many Texts other Writers amongst whom Julius Scaliger c. much Commend this form of speaking as having in it a great kind of force and vehemency according to this usage the sense is thou art exceeding sair my Love which comporteth with what he had said before v. 8. where he had called the Spouse thou sairest amongst Women Christ hath his delight amongst the Sons of men He takes no such delight in the Angels as in believers 3. Repetitions thirdly of the same word or phrase in Scripture sometimes note a distribution And so the sense may be this thou art fair my Love thou art fair Thou art justified by my grace and so thou art fair thou art Sanctified in my name so thou art fair thou art fair without and thou art fair within thou art fair in this part and fair in that part fair in every part 4. Lastly to mention no more Repetltions are often used by Orators not only to express a vehemency of intention in him that speaketh and the certainty of the thing that is spoken but to beget a vehemency and earnestness of attention in him that heareth and Interpreters of holy Writ do assign this as one reason of the use of them in several places of Scripture when the Holy-Ghost designeth earnestly to inculcate the thing spoken and to beget in us a belief of it hence now we may learn these things which I will but name and conclude what I have to say from the consideration of the Circumstances of the first Proposition of the Text. 1. The beauty of a believing Soul is unquestionable it is not in a complement that Christ saith the believing Soul is beautiful it is not a seeming beauty but a certain beauty 2. The beauty which grace gives the Soul is an eminent beauty not an ordinary but an eminent beauty The phrase is doubled to denote eminency 3. The Beauty of a believing Soul is a manifold beauty A beauty in every part 4. It is the will of the Lord Jesus Christ that a believing Soul should know and believe it self to be a beauteous Soul A Gracious Soul may debase it self too much and often err as much in having too mean thoughts of it self as the hypocrite doth in having too high thoughts of himself thinking of himself above what be ought to think But I intend not to enlarge a discourse upon these things having spoken to them or at least to some of them before thus much is sufficient to have noted concerning the Circumstances I proceed to the second part of the Text Thou hast Doves Eyes The Proposition of this Text is plain enough The true Spouse of Christ hath Doves Eyes I before observed to you that some read it thy Eyes are like the Eyes of a Dove others thy Eyes are as a pair of Doves but as the difference is not much so I see no reason to deviate from our English translation For the explication and confirmation of the Proposition for I will join both together we will enquire these three things 1. Qu. Why Our Saviour in commending his Spouse begins with her Eyes and only Commends her for them 2. Qu. What is here meant by the Spouses Eyes 3. Qu. Why the Spouse is said to have the Eyes of Doves rather then of any other creature 1. Qu. Why doth our Saviour here Commend the Spouse only for her Eyes 1. The general account which Interpreters give of it is this That it is a Synechdoche and by a figure according to which a considerable part is often put for the whole our Saviour doth here speak his whole Spouse to be like a Dove like a Doves Eye Indeed we are commanded to be harmless as Doves Matth. 10. 16. And the Church is called Gods Turtle Dove Psal 74. 19. And David wisheth that he had the wings of a Dove Psal 55. 6. The shape of a Dove was that shape which the Spirit of God chose when it descended upon Christ And the coming in of the Gentiles to Christ is set out by the flockings of Doves to the Windows Isa 60. 8. And the Eye of all the members is the most considerable as to beauty a good Eye much commendeth an ill complexion and a bad Eye much blemisheth any other Symmetry of parts And this may be allowed for one reason But 2. The Soul doth much discover it self at the Eye It is the casement at which it shews it self many of the Vertues and Vices of the mind are read in the Eye wantonness discovers it self at the Eye hence you read in Scripture of Eyes full of adultery 2. Pet. 2. 14. So doth rage pride malice envy and many other vices and as the evil so the good dispositions and vertues of the Soul are much discovered by the Eye too so that indeed when our Saviour commendeth his Spouse for her Eyes he commendeth her whole Soul and it is but a proof of what he had before said Thou art fair my beloved thou art fair Thou hast Doves Eyes proves that 2. Qu. What is here meant by the Spouses Eyes After such a resolution as I gave to the first question this might seem needless if Interpreters had not led me the way who are in doubt whether our Saviours design here be to commend those bodily parts of his Spouse or some inward parts called Eyes by a Metaphor the difference is not much for supposing him to resemble the Eyes of her body to Doves Eyes the reason is because of those gracious dispositions in her Soul which by her Eyes discover themselves and are like the natural inclinations of Doves if he speaks of the Eyes of her mind and his meaning be that his Spouses understanding which is the Eye of the Soul is like a Doves Eyes the thing is much the same Unquestionably that which our Saviour here designs to Commend believers for is the gracious dispositions of their Souls discovered in their outward conversation much resembling the natural dispositions and behaviours of Doves But the chief thing we have to enquire into for
say some interpreters desires his manifestation in the Flesh the publication of the Doctrine of the Gospel together with the comfortable application of those Doctrines to her conscience I am sure there is a truth in that Let me therefore a little make use of their notion Take this for the Proposition Prop. It is of the nature of a believing Soul to thirst after a communion with Christ in his Word his Gospel especially and the teachings of his Spirit in and by that I here join two of those propositions together which I distinguished upon the opening of the words She desires the kisses of his Mouth 2. That he should kiss her with the kisses of his Mouth This Proposition will offer me an opportunity to discourse to you the affection of the believing Soul to the words of Christ both in the more external and more spiritual and internal teachings and ministrations of it The words of the Gospel are the words of Christ the kisses of his mouth whether they be applied and set home to the particular conscience yea or no. The ministration of the Gospel is in itself exceeding glorious Therein saith the Apostle is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. Therein in Gods way of Salvation revealed to lost sinners and by it life and immortality are brought to light Now this word of God is to be considered As written for our Instruction For saith the Apostle Rom. 15. 4. whatsoever things were written before were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope As preached So it is the Ordinance of God for our faith and therefore called The word of Faith Sanctification Consolation and Eternal Salvation for indeed the supply of all the spiritual wants and necessities of our Souls Hence there are three ways by which our Souls have a communion with God in his Word Reading Hearing and Meditation Reading is one means by which we come to the knowledg of the will of God in his Word The King of Israel was commanded to read in the Book of Gods Law all the days of his life that he might learn to keep the Law of his God and there is a blessing pronounced to him that readeth Indeed he that readeth the word as it lyeth before us in our Bibles hath this advantage that he is sure what is there plain to his understanding is the undoubted pure Word of God and while a man readeth the Scriptures he is but repeating of Gods Word to his own soul or hearing God immediately speaking to him Hearing the word preached is another means of communion with God in his Word This is an Ordinance of God and such a one as he honoureth with being the great means of calling and saving such as he hath ordained to life So as in that ordinance a soul hath an opportunity to meet God to draw nigh unto him to hear him speak unto it We must take heed that we do not think that all which we hear out of pulpits is spoken by God God no further speaketh by the Minister than the Minister keepeth unto his Text speaketh according to the Scriptures either by way of interpretation or application And therefore every good Christian is to search the Scriptures whether what their Preachers deliver be consonant to them Those noble Bereans mentioned Acts. 17. did so when St. Paul was the Preacher and are commended for it The Scriptures are to be judged by no other rule but Sermons are to be measured by the holy Scriptures No man hath communion with God by hearing further than so far as that is consonant to the will of God which he heareth But admitting the Minister of Christ answereth his name and Office and faithfully revealeth and applieth the will of God while we hear we have communion with God God communicateth his holy will unto us and we communicate with him by an obedient Ear who hath comanded us to hear that our souls may live A third way is by Meditation This is an act of our inward man standing upon the things which we have read or heard as necessary to the souls spiritual nourishment as Digestion is to the nourishment of our bodies by what is their proper food a duty much practised by David Psal 119. 97 99. And a good man is described by it Psal 1. 3. He meditateth in the law of the Lord night and day By this the soul doth not only fasten the word of God upon it self but it also dives deeper into the depths of it I say this communion with God in his word is very desirable to the spouse of Christ I added his gospel especially The Word of God in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is made up of several parts There is in it sacred history no unuseful part of holy Writ it being that which more than any other acquainteth us with Gods way of of providence with his people of old You have in it many Moral Instructions and Precepts of Christianity and Godliness an admirable part of Scripture that which makes the holy Scriptures to be what no other book in the world is a light to our feet and lanthorn to our paths Shewing us what we are to do what to decline and avoid but yet these are not properly called Gospel doctrines You have in it many Prophesies or predictions of what God intended to do in the world most of which are fulfilled some we yet live in the expectations of You have also in it many terrible threats and curses and many woes denounced against the violaters of the law of God these are excellent portions of holy Writ to keep your souls in awe and make us afraid of sinning against God but these are not properly Gospel Doctrines but properly belong to the Law which declareth and worketh wrath You have also in those sacred books many declarations of the good will and love of God to poor lost Sinners declared in and through Jesus Christ You have an historical part of the Gospel declaring what Christ hath done and Suffered for us a declarative and promissory part proclaiming Salvation to poor lost creatures and promising life and Salvation and all grace to some poor undone sinners promises for the conferring and increase of grace These and such like I principally understand by Gospel Doctrines The Doctrine of Gods free grace in the pardoning of sin and the imputation of Christs Righteousness to the soul Doctrines that reveal Christ and tend to bring the soul to Christ or direct the soul in walking with him Now I say tho the believing soul values every line of holy Writ and hath a reverence for the whole Word of God and desires a communion with God in reading and hearing and meditating in every part of his revealed will yet it hath a special thirst after those portions of it which contain these Revelations Other parts are
of such things it desireth thirsteth after and delighteth in Hence the dirty filthy Soul where sense and passion and corrupt and debauched affections predominate covets filthy Books and filthy discourses which are but the issues of Souls of the same complexion with itself the Soul that is something cleaner and hath got its passions something more subjugated unto its reason delighteth in and desireth Books and discourses of its own complexion and which are the issues of Souls like unto itself The Spiritual Man being refined to a further degree and pirch minding the glory of God and Spiritual things hath a thirst after the Word and Sermons which are the true and faithful Interpretations applications of that word as being more pure and Spiritual and so more like to it in its renewed State wherein we are transformed into the likeness of the word Thy word is pure saith David therefore doth thy Servant love it Psal 119 140. It is as natural to the renewed Soul to thirst after the pure Word of God and Spiritual discourses from and upon it as it is to an impure unrenewed Soul to thirst after filthy Books obscene discourses or for the Philosopher or moral rational man to desire after or to delight in Books or discourses of its own complexion especially also if we consider that as sober moral discourses tend both to confirm and promove habits of morality so the Book of God and Spiritual discourses upon and according to it tend to confirm and to promove Spiritual habits in the Soul Lastly The Souls of believers must needs more especially desire and delight in those which are more strictly called Gospel-Doctrines and discourses relating to them because those are they which are suited to the greatest and most pressing wants of the Soul those are the Doctrines wherein the Lord speaks peace and pardon that contain the words of reconciliation I create the fruit of the lips peace peace saith God by his Prophet Isaiah In the historical part of Scripture God speaks instruction in wisdom to his People and tells them the course of his Providence in the world in the government of it both with reference to his People and to their Enemies In the law and preceptive part of Holy Writ and the threatnings of Holy Scripture he tells them their duty what is his will they should do and avoid and what he will do unto them in case they be disobedient to his Commandments and do not walk in his Statutes and keep his judgments In the prophetical part of it so far as it is but an History of what God hath said and done he confirms them in their apprehensions and faith of Gods knowledge of future contingencies and also concerning his faithfulness But it is in the Doctrines of the Gospel alone that he declareth his love to poor Souls in and through the Lord Jesus Christ what Christ hath done and suffered for the redemption and salvation of Man what he is yet ready to do for all such as truly repent and believe and accept of the Mediator It is in that alone that he offers healing to the Nations now every gracious Soul being one who must be supposed to have felt something of the burthen of Sin and the wrath of God due to Man for Sin it is no wonder if the special thirst of such a Soul be after the revelations of Christ in the Doctrines of the Gospel as being most suited to the state of a Soul that is weary and heavy laden and seeking for rest and being wearied in its own indeavours and finding none No wonder if such Sermons such Preaching be most sweet and acceptable unto it if such portions of Scripture such discourses from Scripture be most acceptable and grateful to it's thoughts and most sweet to its meditations as being such which must deliver it from the trouble and uneasiness which the Law which worketh wrath hath given to it finding itself a great transgressor of it Thus I have doctrinally discoursed the hunger of the Soul after the Word of God and a communion with God in it by reading hearing or meditation and the reasonableness of this appetite of the Soul to it There is yet a more excellent internal communion of the Souls communion with God in his Word which infinitely excelleth this and consequently is the more special object of the renewed Souls Spiritual hunger and thirst to which I shall speak But I shall first make application of this discourse Use 1. This Notion may help us to take some measures of our Spiritual State whether we be the Spouses of Christ yea or no the Souls desires or no desires after communion with God in his Word its delight or no delight in that piece of communion with God will go a great way to determine our Spiritual State and how it shall fare with us in the day of Judgment I am sure negatively it is a good note He that hath no desire after no delight in the Word of God hath nothing of God or Christ in him And this is evident from all Scripture experience and reason also Davids experience is instead of all though many more examples might be produced out of Holy Writ There was never any good King of Israel or Judah but call'd for the Law of the Lord and much desired and delighted in the Lords Prophets It is impossible that the Word should have done any Soul good and the savour of it not be left upon it engaging it to prize and value it so long as it lives I only except an extraordinary hour of temptation in which I have known good Souls afraid to read and hear but alas they are at that time not themselves and act not from a free use of their reason This reflects sadly Upon such as neglect reading the Word Some indeed cannot read I know not how to excuse these in times and places where they have such plenty of means to learn As I think those Parents will be inexcusable before God another day that take not care to have their Children when young learned to read So I think those grown Personswhom their Parents have neglected inexcusable who have not used such means as the Age affords in great plenty to learn to read and can hardly believe that Soul to have any fear of God or love to God in it that doth not apply itself to this piece of knowledge But alas how many can read that hardly take the Bible in their Hands from one end of the week to the other Surely we may conclude the Bible never did their Souls good They cannot but have heard that the Lord commanded the King of his People to read in the Book of the Law all the daies of his life And by Gods order was read in the Synagogues every Sabbath Day and can any think himself excused from reading the word we cannot be alwaies hearing nor doth so much knowledge come into our Souls by hearing as may by reading Am I
reasonings of one part of the world that have pretended to more Learning and Knowledge than others and the prophane scoffs and mockings of a more silly part of it at the greatest Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Some by Wisdom know not God being under the meer conduct of reason and tying up themselves to the meer informations of that natural Eye Some knowing less have blasphemed God and the holy things of God counting their own Ignorance a sufficient excuse for their Blasphemy None knoweth the things of God aright but he that is under the Teaching of the Spirit Take the first Principle of all Religion viz. That the holy Scriptures are the Word of God no Soul knoweth this as he ought to know it but he that is under a further Teaching than that of the Church or of Reason much less doth it know the momentous Propositions that are contained in those holy Writings To all knowledge there is required 1. A sufficient Revelation 2. A sufficiency in our faculty to receive and comprehend the Revelation The holy Scriptures are a sufficient Revelation of all Truth There are no Mysteries of the Kingdom of God to be admitted but what are there revealed But we want a visive faculty a sufficiency in our understandings to apprehend and to conceive them till the Lord by the finger of his Spirit toucheth our Ears and saith Ephatha be opened When Peter made his confession of Christ for which Christ blessed him Christ addeth Flesh and blood hath not revealed it to him Secondly The Spirit teacheth by a special Application of the Word to the Conscience The Word as written is no more directed to one man than to another it equally concerneth all men When we Preach we are like Benhadad's Archers we draw Bows at adventures and let the Lord's Arrows fly who is it that directs them betwixt the joints of one harness more than another that when we reprove sin and denounce the Judgments of God against it saith to this or that sinner Thou art the man or when we display the grace of the Gospel and open the Promises of God teacheth one Soul to apply them while another refuseth the comfort of them All special Application of the Word to the Soul which indeed is the true Teaching is from the holy Spirit of God It is the Spirit that was promised Joh. 16. 8. to convince the world of Sin Righteousness and Judgment It is the Spirit which convinceth the Soul of Truth of Wrath of Love indeed of any thing of Spiritual Revelation It is the Spirit that makes the Word stick to the Soul All the Ministers on Earth cannot make a threatning to stick to the heart of an hard and impenitent sinner nor a Promise stick to a broken and contrite heart until the Spirit comes and joyneth with the Ministration of the Word We sometimes meditate of the Lord's terrours and compose Discourses with the best Art we are able and in the vanity of our hearts are it may be sometimes saying within our selves Surely this Sermon will alarum some sinners open some blind Eyes Another time we study the Grace of the Gospel and with the best Art we can compose Discourses to affect Souls with the sense of the love of God in Jesus Christ and are ready to think surely this Discourse will affect some Souls and bring them to love and admire Jesus Christ to seek to him for pardon and forgiveness to receive him as the Saviour of man as their Saviour We go about our work and when we have done we see cause to return unto the Lord that sent us mourning and saying We have laboured in vain and spent our strength for nothing and in vain The Spirit of the Lord moves not upon the face of our waters there 's not one Soul washed from its filthiness The Angel comes not and troubles the waters though our people lye from year to year at the Pool yet possible not a Soul is cured of its infirmity The Word is but a dead letter it is the Spirit that quickeneth whom he pleaseth The Word the Minister teacheth us by communicating notions but the Spirit only teacheth by particular and effectual Application of notions to our Souls advantage Thirdly The Spirit teacheth by evident Demonstration There is a threefold Demonstration of things 1. The Demonstration of Sense Thus it is demonstrable that the Fire burneth that Snow is white all know that spiritual things come under no such Demonstration 2. The Demonstration of Reason thus a proper effect is a demonstration of the cause Some Propositions in Religion are indeed capable of this demonstration The Creation demonstrateth a Creator c. But alas there are very few things in Religion that fall under the demonstration of Reason most Propositions of that nature depend upon Revelation and theâ—truth of them is to be judged from thence That Christ is the eternal Son of God That he took upon him our Nature died for Sinners In short all the main Propositions of Religion all Propositions immediately concerning our Salvation all Articles of Faith are things which fall not under the demonstration of Reason 3. There is therefore Thirdly a Demonstration of the Spirit St. Paul tells us his Preaching was in the Demonstration of the Spirit that is attended with the Demonstration of the Spirit and let Scoffers say what they will if this Demonstration of the Spirit attendeth not all our Preaching we do but beat the Air and labour in vain Logicians rightly tell us of two sorts of Arguments The one they call Topicks the other Demonstrations The difference of them lies in the effects they have upon our minds The former make a thing only probable to us the other make it certain If a notion appears only probable to us we have some doubts and fears and suspicions about the truth of it Nothing is demonstrated to us but that of the truth of which we have no further doubts against which we can make no Objections Now nothing but the Spirit of God thus teacheth The Gifts of Ministers are various the discourses of some may be meer words oratorial discourses these of all others have least influence upon any but airy Souls others more mind their work and knowing that nothing but the Word of God layeth hold on the Conscience endeavour to prove what they say by holy Writ and some in this are more happy than others as they are more skilled in the Scriptures and the true sense of them others are more rational in their discourses men of great parts good reason though the second sort of these best discharge their Office yet the effect of the best is to make a thing but probable to the Soul The Soul will find out some distinctions excuses and evasions until it comes under this Teaching of the Spirit it is an easie thing to make it probable to the Soul that it is in a road and high-way to Hell and eternal destruction that sin is the
Christ told the Inhabitants of Hierâ—salem that he would have gathered them but they would not And hence appears that it is no wonder that Arminians who will allow none but common grace before conversion should contend that it may be finally resisted for there is no doubt but all common grace may be finally resisted 2. But secondly We say there is a working drawing grace which may be for a while opposed but cannot be finally resisted By this the Soul is regenerate and born again and that not after the will of the flesh or the will of Man but the will of God This we say cannot be finally resisted the reasons are 1. Because by this God gives a new heart and a new spirit and causeth the Soul to walk in his statutes as you will find Jer. 31. 18. ch 36. v 26. Now grace cannot be resisted but from an old heart and indeed it is a contradiction to say God may be resisted by a new heart 2. Again if this grace might finally be resisted the whole business of mans Salvation must depend upon his own goed nature and the power of his own will and the proximate cause of a mans repentance faith holiness must be in himself Thirdly We say there is a co-working Grace by which as Augustine saith being first drawn we move being acted we act this is that grace which God followeth converted Souls with that Grace which followeth the Child of God all the days of his life without which he can do nothing Job 1â— 3. through which strengthening and assisting him he can do all things through which he lives and moves in his spiritual sphere this is resistible in part through that law in our members which rebelleth against the law of our mind and brings us into captivity to the law of sin Hence is the spiritual combate the lustings of the flesh against the Spirit Yet this is but a partial resistance not from the whole of the regenerate Soul but from the flesh in it which lusteth against the Spirit from that part which is yet unregenerate Nor shall this resistance be victorious but the same Soul that crieth out O wretched man who shall deliver me from this body of Death shall in the next words say I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ Thus I have shewed you how God in the drawing of a Soul to Christ worketh powerfully But 2dly As he works powerfully so he works sweetly powerfully so that he will be obeyed sweetly so that he is freely obeyed the conversion of a sinner is an act of power but not of violence the mystery of this lieth here Because the effect of grace is upon the will of man Violence is then offered to us when we are compelled to actions contrary to our wills The will is not indeed capable of violence the will may be changed renewed otherwise inclined but not forced force can only be offered to the outward man and why those who contend for a power in man so renew change alter otherwise incline his own will should find a difficulty to allow God as much power as they claim for man who is but a creature I cannot understand Thus far I have shewed you that a Soul must be drawn before it come to Christ I have yet further to shew you that it must be drawn or it will not run after Christ In this drawing indeed there needeth not such a power as in the former the reason is because now to will is present with the Soul as St. Paul saith it only wanteth strength to perform But an influence a powerful influence there must be I believe said he in the Gospel Lord help my unbelief Lord increase our faith said the Apostles without me you can do nothing saith our Saviour Joh. 15. 3. and again saith he as the branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abide in the Vine so no more can you except you abide in me and 2 Cor. 3. 5. Our sufficiency is of God we are not able of our selves so much as to think any thing Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me we are kept by the power of God to Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. The Apostle speaking of the weak Brother saith God is able to make him to stand We stand in grace Rom. 5. 3. Christ prayeth that Peters faith might not fail while Satan winnowed him like wheat God giveth both to will and to do both of his own good pleasure but I shall not need heap up Scriptures in so plain a case I shall have advantage enough to prove it from Reason concluding from Scripture principles 1. In the first place the Scripturé speaketh of the Children of God in this life as in a state of imperfection Not saith the Apostle as though we were perfect or had already attained Phil. 3. 12. To have no further need of Grace speaketh a self-sufficiency and a state of perfection which is every where in holy writ denyed to man in this life nothing needs be added to that man who stands in no need of the power and assistance of Divine Grace but the holy Scripture every where speaketh of the state of man while on this side Heaven as a state in which something is lacking to him of Heaven only as that state wherein just Souls are made perfect wherein that which is perfect shall be come and that which is in part shall be done away Secondly As the Child of God before he comes to Christ is in Scripture represented in a state of death Eph. 2. 1. You hath he quickned Eph. 2. 1. Who were dead in trespasses and sins So when come to Christ it represents him in a state of weakness Ro. 5. 6. When we were yet without strength Christ died for us Not only life but strength was a piece of the purchase of Christ for us Christ saith as to his Sheep John 10. 10. I am come that they might have life and that they may have it more abundantly The Children of God are all as Mephibosheth the Sons of Jonathan and so beloved of David united to Christ and so beloved of God and must eat bread at his Table but they are all of them like him lame of their Feet Now those that are without strength cannot run running doth not only require life as the principle of motion but strength also to assist the motion what the Apostle saith of their knowledge and prophecying they know in part and prophecy in part is as true concerning all their other gracious habits and acts they are all but in part they are in this like Nebuchadnezzars Image part of Iron and part of Clay Adam indeed had both his legs a full strength and could of himself without any need of the assistance of a Mediator have done all that God required of him in that state as necessary to his Salvation but he fell and did not only for his posterity as well as for himself lose his innocency and
humiliation before it be brought home to Christ The Soul being enlightned by the Spirit of Grace seeth the vileness and filthiness of its own heart to that degree that it is ashamed and thinks that it cannot abase itself enough in the sight of God and from this disposition of the Soul to abhor loath and shame itself proceedeth this freedom willingness in the Soul upon all occasions with respect had to Christian prudence to vilify itself by the confession of its own blackness and infirmity 2. It proceedeth also from the habit of humility given to and wrought in the heart of every believer this is one of the perfections of the new Creature it differeth from the other little more then as the dâ—sposition from the habit This teacheth the Soul at all times a mean and low opinion of itself The Hypocrite is alwaies proud and looks upon all his gifts and good actions with a multiplying glass which makes them appear more then they are and greater then they are The humble Soul looks upon all as less In me saith Paul there dwelleth no good thing Hence he can hardly be heard to say any thing but in diminution and defamation of himself 3. It proceeds also from this Souls more perfect understanding the mark of perfection He knoweth better then another what God requires of him what degrees of faith love zeal holiness this makes him a better judge of his own imperfections and more ready to confess and bewail them The Hypocrite and natural man understandeth not the breadth of the Divine Law what faith what holiness God requireth of him he is proud knowing nothing as the Apostle speaks of some 1 Tim. 6. 4. not only his Pride prompting him to exalt himself but his ignorance knowing nothing as he ought to know it is the cause of his want of freedom to this duty It is with such a man as it is with a Sophister in the University A little knowledge that he hath puffeth him up he thinks he knows all things But when he comes to be Master of Arts to have lookt into Books a little more and to understand the compass of learning a little better then he complains of his ignorance and the small portion of knowledge which he hath So the man that hath but a mean and imperfect knowledge of the will of God he is proud and thinketh he knoweth all things but when God comes to open his Eyes and to let him see the mysteries of Divine knowledge he seeth more duty then he saw before and consequently more sin and more defects in his own Soul There is a vast difference betwixt that knowledge of duty sin which is in the heart of a Child of God under the illumination of the Spirit of Grace and that which is in a Soul not under that special illumination 4. Again a Christians often compuring himself with others and judging himself by their measures is often a great cause of this The natural man ordinarily chuseth companions like unto himself and judgeth of himself by their measures seeing himself as the Pharisee Luk. 18. to exceed the Drunkard in temperance and sobriety The Extortioner in justice and mercy the Adulterer in chastity The Atheist in a formality of dutiness a form of godliness he seeth no blackness in himself to confess he is Captain of his Form But now the converted Soul being come to be a companion of those that fear the Lord he sets before himself the examples of the Saints of God in Holy Writ and of those that are yet in the world that excel in virtue In the Scripture he reads of the faith of holy Abraham who believed in hope against hope not staggering at the promise through unbelies the patience of Job who when he had lost all his Estate all his Children yet did not speak inadvisedly with his lips nor charge God foolishly he reads of Davids exceeding love and delight for and in the law of the Lord. When he looks amongst his new Companions he sees in one Christian more tenderness of heart in another more faith in a third more zeal and activity for God then he can find in himself hence he cryeth out of his blackness and bewaileth his coming so short of others 5. Again he liveth in a daily sense of his wants and defects My sin saith David is ever before me and so his tongue doth but express the inward sense and apprehensions of his Soul 6. Lastly as all such Souls will be sensible of their defects and wants so they are continually desirous of an healing of their wounds and a Supply and relief Which they know confession is the way to obtain As for confession unto God the Wise man hath told us Prov. 28 13. That he that covereth his sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy David telleth us Psal 32. 3. That when he kept silence his bones waxed old through his roaring all the day For saith he Day and night thine hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer What remedy did he find v. 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee I said I will confess my trangressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my Sin Nor was this a particular favour to David but what others may expect upon the like application to God v. 6. For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him A Godly man knoweth that as the hiding of his disease from the Physician and his wounds from the Chirurgeon is not the way to be cured or healed so neither is the hiding of the nakedness of his Soul fâ—om God the way to have it covered for altho in this there be a difference that our spiritual Physician knoweth our diseases without our discovery of them to him which the earthly Physician doth not yet God notwithstanding his knowledge requiring our acknowledgment makes the case the same And the reason is much the same for the confessing of our sins especially in some cases to a faithful Minister or to private Christians God sent Abraham to Abimelech Gen. 20. 7. For faith he he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee thou shalt live Genesâ— 20. v. 7 and he sent Jobs friend to Job Job 42. v. 7. and saith he my servant Job shall pray for you for him I will accept This in the first place lets us see the difference between a Child of God and one who is but a formal hypocrite An hypocrite generally seeth nothing but whiteness in himself Jehu can see and call Jonadab to see his zeal for the Lord God but he can see nothing of his own self ends in all that he did The Church of Laodicea said I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing tho at the same time she was wretched
our thoughts upon God admiring him c. But that which the Scripture calleth Worship most ordinarily is some external acts testifying that inward homage and submission of the heart 3. These acts are either such as the Light of Nature directeth and the Law of Nature obligeth us unto or such as God hath prescribed us in his Word Worship being in the general nature of it nothing but an external homage done to God in testification of the inward and more secret homage and subjection of our Soul It is the most reasonable thing imaginable that God should prescribe it this he hath done as the God of Nature imprinting a Law in our hearts obliging us to call upon him for good things we want and to praise him for good things received partly in his holy Writ There is no natural Worship but is also instituted but there is much instituted Worship which the Light of Nature doth not shew nor the Law of Nature oblige us to such as Reading the Scriptures hearing the Word Preached communicating in the holy Sacraments 4. External acts of Worship that depend meerly upon Institution must be either instituted by Christ or by our own wills or the wills of others Col. 2. 23. there is a Will-worship mentioned 5. All true Divine Worship must have a Divine Institution Whatsoever is pretended as an immediate act of homage to the Divine Being and is not directed by Nature and directed also and confirmed and regulated by the Revelation of the Divine Will in the Word of God is what we call False Worship or Will-Worship As the first Commandment directeth our homage to God as the alone true Object so the second directeth the manner of it to be according to his revealed Will for certainly that Commandment must not be interpreted as meerly prohibiting the Worship of God by or before a graven Image or the similitude of a thing on purpose set before us either as representative of the Divine Being or as a Medium by which we worship God but as prohibiting all other Modes Acts and Methods which have no more of a Divine Institution than that hath only that one instance is given and under it the other included So that a graven Image is but species pro genere and those that worship God before a painted Image or any other way which God hath not prescribed are also transgressors of that second Commandment Hence it is observable that God directed the Jews not only every Act by which an homage was paid to him but also every Rite and Ceremony and it was guilt enough for the Jews in his Worship to do that which he commanded them not Uzziah must not offer Incense nor Saul Sacrifice nor Nadab and Abihu make use of ordinary fire nor Uzzah carry the Ark upon a Cart nor touch it The same we conceive to be the will of God in the New Testament God being a Spirit and to be worshipped by us in Spirit and in Truth as well as by the Jews and it seemeth the most reasonable thing imaginable 1. Considering that our Worship in its self is a pitiful thing infinitely disproportioned to the perfection and excellency of God so as it deriveth all its value from the Divine Institution 2. And being an homage done to God it is most reasonable that God himself should direct what he will accept 3. Nor is it to be imagined had God left man in the case to his own conduct and direction how vain and various man would have been 4. Besides it is not reasonable to think that the holy Scriptures should be a less perfect Rule in matters of Worship than it is in matters of Doctrine or that concern our ordinary course of conversation or that acts of Worship as to which it appeareth in all the Scripture that God had a special jealousie and in which we are said to draw nigh to God should be none of those good works as to which the holy Scriptures are sufficient to furnish every good man 6. Divine Worship being an humane act and that of the most noble nature as it must have such circumstances as are necessary to all humane acts such are Time and Place so it is reasonable that it should have such circumstances as suit such acts so as they may be performed in such manner as the Light of Nature and common guise and custom of Countries shall not determine sordid filthy or indecent and such as may render it useful and more profitable and advantageous and answering to their ends which circumstances being necessary to the acts as humane acts or at least plainly expedient to avoid the indecent and sordid performance of the acts or for the more profit and advantage of the acts and such as in regard of the variety of Countries the Customs and Usages of them c. could not be determined by the Word of God must be determined by the Governours of Churches Nations or Kingdoms but still with respect to the general ends of the action But for any things used in the Worship of God neither directed by Nature nor yet by holy Writ and appropriated to the Worship of God as a Religious act out of a respect to the excellency of the Divine Being and as an homage to it I cannot see how they can be lawful they must have something of the nature of Worship in them and having so they ought to have a Divine Institution without which I cannot see how they should avoid the guilt of Idolatry or Superstition which differ thus If the faileur respect the Object either terminatively where the creature is made the term and ultimate Object as in Ahab's Idolatry and the Papists Adoration of the Bread in the Eucharist or mediately as in Jeroboam's case and the Jews relating to the golden Calf or Micab's all which worshipped the true God though by an Image and using an Image as a mean of their Worship as the Papists now do in their Veneration of their Images This is Idolatry called in Scripture Whoredom spiritual Whoredom and as Adultery in marriage so this is the highest sin can be committed in Worship and which God hath more severely punished at all times than any other sins People have been guilty of If the faileur respect the Acts or the manner if it be only internal it is Hypocrisie if in the external Acts or Manner it is Superstition such are the Papists Salt Oil Cream Spittle superadded to the Institution for Baptism and an hundred other Rites and Ceremonies used in all parts of their Worship 7. It is very observable that from the beginning of the Church there hath been a strange Itch in men to be adding and mixing their own fancies inventions and Will-worship with the true Worship of God God gave unto Moses the particular Rule and Law of his Worship he communicated it to the People David added to it but no more than God by his Spirit directed as appeareth 1 Chron. 28. 19. All this said David
of God We believe that in all Ages of the World Christ hath had a Flock a number that have heard his voice and followed him to whom he hath given and will give Eternal Life but they have been under various dispensations sometimes more and sometimes less perspicuous to the World We believe that it hath been the design of Rome ever since the Mystery of Iniquity began to work in it to blot out the prints of the feet of the Flock of Christ in former times we therefore reasonably in pursuit of this Direction of Christ's overlook the Churches of this and former Ages The practice of those of Rome in this and late ages we know to be directly contrary to the Word of God The practice of the Primitive Church in former ages we are incertain of further then what is contained in holy writ we know that it hath been the policy of the Papists to blot out all the records of those times which might make against them any thing that might shew us that the Doctrine Worship Discipline of the Church in those ages was different from their present practices we know that the records of the Primitive Churches practice excepting that in the Apostles time recorded in Scripture have been mostly in their hands and they have blotted out and put in what they pleased to justify their Idolatry and Superstitions we therefore call to the Law and to the Testimony to the holy Scriptures we are sure they have not been kept in their hands onely we believe them the pure Word of God We say there is no other certain rule no other unquestionable record of the footsteps of the flock We know they are able to make the man of God wise to salvation thoroughly furnished to every good work All Protestants acknowledg them a perfect rule as to matter of Doctrine we say they also are so as to Worship and Discipline and as to all our conversation We know the practice of the Saints and Servants of God in holy Writ not reproved by it are the footsteps of Christs flock for others we know not we are sure if they were contrary to the footsteps of the Servants of God in holy Writ they are no footsteps of the flock of Christ which hears his voice and owneth that only and will not follow strangers 2. As to the Shepherds mentioned in the Text We know Christ is the true Shepherd the chief Shepherd He feedeth his Flock like a Shepherd He ascending up into Heaven hath betrusted his Flock to Pastors and Teachers to Under-Shepherds we know that if these be Christs Shepherds they must take and follow Christ's directions and they are no further Shepherds then they do so He hath indeed betrusted to some his Gospel the Ministration both of the Doctrine and the Ordinances of the Gospel As they are to publish no other Doctrine so they are to prescribe no other Rules of life either for the Worship of God or government of the Church they have no legislative power in the Church committed to them only an executive power to execute those Laws those Ordinances which Christ the Supreme Shepherd and his Apostles which were his first Commissioners have left This is the trust which Christ hath committed to them in the discharge of which alone they can be faithful they are not the Ministers of men but the Ministers of Christ By the Tents of those Shepherds who do this all Christians are bound to ab de and to feed themselves neither casting off Divine institutions nor submitting to humane institutions contrary to the Divine rule and if the Divine rule be a perfect rule whatsoever is besides it is contrary to it for it reproacheth it with imperfection or else is meerly idle and Superfluous That this is the duty of Christians will appear both from the the consideration of the end for which God hath left us the footsteps of the flock in holy Writ and also from comparing this with other courses 1. Let us first consider the end for which God hath lest us the footsteps of his flock in holy Writ and when he ascended up on high gave gifts unto men and amongst others Pastors and Teachers The footsteps of the flock of Christ are to be found in the Word of God you have in Scripture not onely the instructions of David the words of the man according to Gods own heart but the practice of David recorded under several circumstances Not onely the Doctrine and instructions of the Apostles in their Sermons and Epistles but the Acts of the Apostles teaching us their practice Now though it be true that their examples oblige us in nothing wherein they did not follow the Lord Jesus Christ nor in any thing which they did in conformity to the Ceremonial law wherein they used a liberty that law being dead with Christ but through a gracious indulgence allowed for a time till the believing Jews could be Satisfied concerning the abolition of it in order to the gaining the Jews and walking towards them without offence upon which account Paul both circumcised Timothy and purified himself Nor are their examples our rules in what they did as Apostles or as men indued with the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost working miracles or speaking with tongues for as we cannot do the latter so we want their mission and more extraordinary commission to do the former Hence Ministers are under no obligation to do as they did fixing no where but going up and down preaching the Gospel and settling Churches yet in other things wherein they acted as Ministers of the Gospel or private Christians we are bound to the imitation of them and God hath left us their actions upon sacred record for our instruction For whatsoever is written aforetime is written for our learning Rom. 15. 4. The Apostle telleth us That all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness This is the end for which God hath given us the Scripture and all the Scripture 2 Tim 3. 16. 2. It is the most safe and certain rule The two great things that commend a rule given with reference to any end is the security of it and the certainty of it To walk by the footsteps of Christs flock recorded in Scripture must be a safe rule no man needeth fear sinning against God by obeying his Word and living up to the rule direction and prescription of it sin must be something contrary to the Divine Rule In following other rules men may err in following of this rule they cannot err The certainty of a rule much commends it If the Trumpet give an incertain sound who shall prepare himself for the battel If there be no certainty in a rule who can follow the direction of it Let us now compare this rule as to this case what a Christian is to do especially in a time of affliction and distress to maintain and uphold his
forth by the footsteps of the flock who feed not their Souls by the Shepherds Tents under this condemnation fall 1. All such who having no regard to the Word as their rule walk according to the imaginations of their own hearts which you shall find to be the constant Character of wicked Men in Scripture 2. Such as follow the incertain examples and traditions of men 3. Lastly Such as cast off ordinances under a pretence of a more immediate fellowship and communion with God There is a middle way betwixt resting in and taking up with mere external performances and casting them off It is true a Soul may wait upon God in ordinances and have no communion with God in them Communion with God lies in more then meer lending an Ear to God and allowing him our bodily presence in more then a communication of the will of God to our external senses but this is to be had by the Shepherds Tents in places where God hath recorded his Name to dwell and the performance of such external acts as God hath required and made his promises of that nature unto To look for a presence of God with us in a neglect or contempt of these institutions is to look for what we have no reason to expect to find Let me only further persuade you that hear me this day to follow the counsel given you in the Text. To go your ways by the footsteps of Christs flock to feed your Souls by his Shepherds Tents 1. In all your actions go forth by the footsteps of the flock Do what you have found the Servants of God have done whose names and practices you have upon a sure record in Holy Writ As it was prophecied of old that there should come times when many should say Lo here is Christ or lo there is Christ to amuse Souls and make their way incertain to them So the times are come when many say Lo here is the Church others say lo it is there the Papists say it is with them and other parties say it is with them in this incertain cry we have a certain rule In the Holy Scripture we have a certain record of the flock of Christ we have certain prints of their feet peace shall be upon those who walk according to that rule you may be deceived as to other scocks as to that you cannot be deceived The practice of the Primitive Church not recorded in Holy Writ the pretended Traditions of the Primitive Church of which the Scripture maketh no mention are very incertain things the Word of God that is a sure rule let none leave that which is certain for those things that are incertain if you cannot find in the Holy Scriptures a sufficiency to make you wise to Salvation both as to what you are to do in the Worship of God and in the whole of your conversation then there may be some reason for you to hear what others say and to listen to your own reason but there is a sufficieney there Some will tell us That Scripture is obscure and who shall interpret it to us but the Church If there be any thing in Scripture necessary for us to know that is obscure I am sure the practice of the Church after the Apostles times is much more obscure who shall vouch the Authority of any one Book that pretendeth to give us any such account There is a great deal of fault found with that principle that we ought to do nothing but what we have a Warrant for from the Word of God If it be rightly understood I know no fault that is to be found with it not that we must have a particular Warrant from the Word of God for every action that we do none ever asserted any such thing But we ought to do nothing for which we have not a particular or general Warrant from the Word of God In fome actions those especially which relate to the Worship of God the Word of God is a particular rule in all things No act of Worship no mean of Worship is to be used but what we have a particular Warrant in Gods Word the reason is because there is all the reason in the World God should prescribe his own Homage and because it is a sufficient rule he that worshippeth God according to the rules of the Word neither adding thereto nor diminishing therefrom shall worship God acceptably As to particular natural and civil actions the word is not a particular sufficient rule but it is a general rule it is impossible that the Word of God should particularly direct all the civil actions of a mans life it hath left a thousand things of that nature to our own liberty and wisdom only hath given us some general rules which we are to observe in them in these things a Christian hath not such a liberty but that he ought to obey the Ordinances and laws of men so far as they respect the order and government of Nations and Kingdoms and that out of conscience to the Commandment of God requiring such obedience to men in their Spheres and the capacities which God hath set them in Secondly Feed your Kids by the Shepherds Tents Keep to the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ administred by those whom he hath set over his flock as Shepherds That is the sense of that part of the direction and by the way this sheweth us a necessity and usefulness of a Gospel Ministry It is the design of Jesuites and Romish Priests to take you off from your Ministers The Socinian complaineth that the world hath been a long time troubled with an idle sort of Persons called Ministers Quakers and other Enthusiasts all sing the same Song yet there is none of these but have their Heads their Guides and Teachers only possibly some of them would have none who should wholly set themselves apart and give up themselves to this work others would only bring you off the true Ministers of the Gospel to put you under Idol Shepherds Certain it is that the Shepherds mentioned in the Text are such as are sent by the great Shepherd and can truly derive from the Lord Jesus Christ Here is the question how shall we know which be the Shepherds tents our reason will direct us not to give credit to those who only bear witness of themselves Christ saith John 5. 31. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true That is if I alone bear witness of my self Such a Testimony is also more to be suspected when it is arrogant when men challenge to themselves to be alone the true Shepherds But for your direction I shall lay down a few conclusions 1. It is both impossible for any to know them by their lineal succession from the Apostles who were the first deputed by Christ to feed his flock and needless to make such an inquiry for them The former assertion proveth the latter for it is doubtless needless to look for what is