they do to his Name they would Therefore the people of God may strongly and comfortably urge that it 's not their good their peace is the quarrell but because of something of God in them as the Basilisk hateth the picture of a man because it hateth a man himself 2. God hath put such a naturall storge into all Creatures that what is their own they will defend The Hen will save its own little ones and venture for them The Mother will save her own childe Now shall God put such a property in all Creatures to save their own to protect their own and shall not God much more Yea God maketh his affections to be more tender then a mothers such may forget even her sucking Infant Isa 49.15 but God will not yea doth not God shew his care in providing for all Creatures because they are his Creatures who feeds the young Ravens who preserveth the Sparrows Life Is not all by Gods Providence Oh then what specal care will he shew to his spiritual Creature which cost farre more then even the natural Creature did It would be a dishonour to God if he should not take care of such We see amongst men it 's counted matter of honour to remember them that have suffered for their sakes What said David to the Priest that escaped Sauls sword when so many were bloudily devoured by his Sword I have been the Cause of their death stay with me and thou shalt fare as I fare Thus will Christ say I have been the cause of all thy reproaches and miseries in the world Stay with me and I will protect you To forsake a man that hath been undone to maintain thy cause or thy credit would be great dishonour And doth it not more belong to Gods honour that such as have denied all their worldly comforts for him that he should regard them What will not God suffer any to seek him in vain and shall they suffer for him in vain Besides it would discourage all to stand for his Word Should he forsake them who would set out upon this spiritual Warre with the world upon his own charges It 's true we are to say after all is done We are unprofitable Servants and when we have suffered here we might suffer in hell hereafter but Gods Grace and goodnesse will not regard our merits but his fidelity and promise Vse of Direction to the people of God to order their Conversation so wisely and holily that if possible the hatred of the world may be for their godlinesse Let them slander reproach and pretend what they will yet do thou enjoy this comfort within O Lord it 's for my obedience to thee It 's because I own thy Commands I dare not comply with the evil waies of the world To be able to say as Christ For which of my good works dost thou stone me For what is it that thou reproachest me This is to shine as stars in a dark night Dogs may bark at the Moon but that stayeth not its course Go on in the midst of all the reproaches of the world Let thy holy life torment them let them be in a rage that they have nothing justly to charge thee with and then say with Jerome I thank God that I am worthy to be one whom the world hateth We know the worlds opposition engageth Gods protection and the Lord will account all that is done against thee as done against his own Majesty The last Doctrine In that Christ saith He had declared or given Gods Word to his Disciples Obs That the Ministers duty is to deliver only Gods Truth to his hearers Christ twice saith this I have delivered thy words and in another place My Doctrine is not mine but my Fathers which sent me Thus Paul 1 Cor. 11. That which I have received of the Lord deliver I unto you We should preach only Traditions in this sence not Popish unwritten Traditions but that doctrine which we have received Hence Paul so pathetically exhorts Timothy 1 Tim. 6.20 Keep that which is committed to thy Trust not that which he had invented not that which came out of his own heart but what was deposited in his hands Aurum accepisti aurum redde Religion is not res ingonii but doctrinae Now in this the Ministers of God are to deliver 1. His word his Truth in opposition to what is the word of man what is a lye and a falshood The false Prophets are often reproved for venting the Imaginations of their own hearts and in the New Testament some are severely taxed for bringing in damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2. Look we then that what we build be gold and silver not hay and stubble That what we preach be Wheat and not Chaff meat and not poison 2. We are to deliver it purely Some though they preach the Truth yet they defile it by their additions the Apostle Paul testifieth that he was not in the number of those 1 Cor. 2.17 who corrupt the word of God that use sophisticate and counterfeit waies to adulterate it as men do their wine and wares but as of God and in the sight of God Oh what holy trembling and fear should be upon us lest our preaching should be like Nâ—buchadnezzars Image some part of gold and silver but the rest of Iron and Clay 3. They are to deliver it universally as Paul said he had not withheld from them the whole counsell of God Act. 20. 27. To speak all that God commands not to hide or withdraw any thing either for fear or flattery The threatning part as well as the promising to vent the Prophesie though it be the burden of the Lord. 4. They are to deliver it upon an holy end or motive That the truth might be beleeved the people edified To preach Gods Word as it is our Opinion our Interest our advantage is sinfull yet how apt are we to regard a Truth as it is ours more then Gods Vse of Exhortation to people to receive the Word of God with adoration and reverence how prone are people to entertain errors or corrupt Doctrines To be more affected with the wit and words of men more then the authority and divine nature of the Word SERMON LXXXII Of Wicked mens hating the Godly the Causes Effects and Properties of it JOH 17.14 And the world hath hated them because they are not of the world THe next thing to be considered is the Argument it self used by our Saviour in this Petition Keep them by thy speciall protection why because the world hateth them And I shall take in the second Cause into the Argument Because they are not of this world For I have spoken already about these things from vers 11. I shall adde what was not then mentioned In the Argument you may take notice of the Subject or persons that do hate and they are said to be the world that is wicked men called the world because they are the greater part of it and because they
others but for a season onely The summe then of this speech amounts to this Christ therefore prayeth that believers may be united amongst themselves because hereby a wide door is opened for the progresse of the Gospel Hereby the world may be perswaded that Christ was the true Messias because he had brought such true peace amongst his Disciples From whence observe That Vnity amongst believers is a special means to enlarge the Kingdome of Christ There is no such obstruction to the Gospel and scandal to the world keeping it off from faith in Christ as to see those who professe Christ divided and subdivided into many Sects and opinions Is it not imbred in all to think that truth cannot be contrary to it self That Christ cannot be divided That the Spirit of God is the same Spirit and therefore men do very speciously conclude certainly these men are not of Christ have not his Spirit they are so contrary to one another No wonder therefore if Christ thus earnestly pray for believers unity as being the most effectual means to propagate and preserve the Gospel which made the Apostle Rom. 16.17 when he had spent the Chapter chiefly in saluting of the Saints an expression of dear love he doth in a most fervent manner break out thus I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences and avoid them We are in a special manner to take heed of such turbulent and dividing persons The Apostle gives this general character of all such They serve not Jesus Christ but their own lusts and ends But to open this Consider First That though our Saviour presse Vnity of believers as a sign of his Disciples and a means to winne others to the Faith yet Vnity simply as so is not an inseparable note of the true Church The Papists indeed they professedly maintain this That where we see a Church in it's members all united together and that under one visible Head and Pastour there we are to conclude is the true Church and on the contrary when we see divisions and multiplicities of Sects and Opinions as they say there are almost an hundred amongst the Protestants there cannot be any true Church And indeed they have no fairer way to intangle men and to fill the hearts of people with prejudices against the truth then because of the many opinions that are amongst us But to this we answer these things First Vnity as Vnity without true Doctrine cannot be any distinctive Note of a true Church A whole Church as that of Israel may be universally corrupted so that neither the Worship or Truths of God were in any visible way received and yet in this universall corruption they were all as one man Thus the Jewes and Turks they have wonderfull unity amongst themselves yet who will conclude the Truth is amongst them Although the Heathens had multiplicity of Gods and religious wayes yet the Jewes are at great consent in the main things amongst themselves It is necessary therefore that to Unity there must be joyned true and sound Doctrine In the second place We say There is no such cause for Papists to boast of Vnity amongst themselves For our Divines doe abundantly shew That these Philistims doe not onely fight against the Israelites but even one with another Their Swords are often set one against another witnesse the Jesuites and Dominicans and that in great controversal points so also between Thomists and Scotists Now to this Bellarmine hath these answers First That their differences are not in substantial things they are only in secondary points But First So we say The Protestants truly so called for we cannot tell how to call the Socinians Christians do agree in Fundamentals so that although there be great disputes in their circa fundamentalia yet the foundation it self they fall not upon Secondly We say They have dissented in Fundamentals for is not that a principle of Religion with them Whether the Pope be above the Councell And yet there have been hot differences amongst them in this point And therefore some have asserted The Pope may be deposed by the Councel and deputed for an Heretique Now certainly with them either the Pope or a Councell is the generall Head of the Church and it 's of the necessity of salvation to be in obedience to such an Head yet they cannot agree who that is In the next place Bellarmine hath this evasion If saith he our Church have any divisions they arise from the meer malice of the Devil not for want of a remedy to keep the unity for we have a visible Judge to determine all controversies whereas saith he among Protestants their differences do arise from the very Genius of their Doctrine because they hold no visible efficacious remedy to such contentions But to this also it s answered easily That all the differences amongst the people of God come from the Devil without and corruptions within The Devil is not wholly conquered nor are our corruptions altogether vanquished and therefore it cannot be but that breaches and wounds will sometimes be made Yet in the second place We have a more sure and efficacious remedy to compose all differences then they have for they indeed alledge the Pope or a Councell as a visible Judge to end all controversies but these being men are subject to ignorance and passions and so cannot perform the Office of an infallible visible Church because not sufficiently qualified thereunto Again They have not de facto silenced all those debates that are amongst them Some of the fore-mentioned Disputes are as fervent as ever Neither hath the Pope yet interposed to decide Whether those Doctrines about scientia media and absolute predefinitions with the dependent controversies thereon be true on the Dominicans side or their adversaries Therefore thirdly We hold The Scriptures to be the infallible and unerring Rule and therefore have a proper and sufficient means to end all controversies And although it be said That many differences arise about the sense of the Scripture therefore that cannot be a Judge but the Church We reply That many controversies also may arise about the Church the Authority of it and it's infallibility and therefore they who acknowledge the Scripture the only adequate Rule of faith do thereby confesse a powerfull remedy to remove all differences Further That Vnity is not de facto alwayes a note of the Church appeareth from the opposition of Satan against the peace and quietnesse of it And therefore as it is in matter of practice peace and quietnesse is not alwayes a signe of a good conscience for our Saviour saith The Devil keepeth all things quiet while he ruleth Luke 11.21 Thus it is also in respect of Churches many times a false superstitious Church hath more plenty and ease then a true one because the Devil will not disturb his own but where the Kingdome of Christ is there the Devil doth also desire to erect his Throne Thus when the good
condemnation to him yea for all this apprehension of sinne in himself in the next Chapter what a glorious Chariot of confidence is Pauls soul lifted up to heaven in Doth he not challenge any adversary in the world to separate him from this love of God Do not therefore make the sense of sinne and the sense of Gods favour immediately opposite These Cautions being laid down let us take notice of the Helps and means to get and keep this favour of God in the sense of it upon our souls And 1. Be much in cherishing and nourishing the holy Spirit of God which useth to breathe and work in thy soul For seeing it 's plain that by Gods Spirit we are comforted and that it only doth seal and witness unto us Gods love that it's Gods Spirit which raiseth up the soul to call God Father That man can never have assurance that grieveth this Spirit that by any sinne chaseth it away As Spira rebelling against the light of Gods Spirit of whom yet judicious Divines give a charitable censure used this expression If I could but feel one drop of divine clemency and could but in the least manner perceive God to be propitious to me for even the very least would be enough I would not refuse to endure a thousand years or more in hell torments Oh therefore fix that Exhortation upon thy heart Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed c. So that the most compendious way to walk in this light of Gods favour is to be much in prayer for the Spirit of God for as that only can subdue corruptions which are too strong for us Those primitive Christians which did rejoyce in tribulations and were endowed with joy unspeakable and full of glory it was because they were also at the same time full of the holy Ghost If thou be lead by the Spirit and walk in the Spirit thou shalt have the comforts of the Spirit Hence those great learned men who oppose this assurance they go no higher then Aristotles school and seem to know no further then the efficacy of moral vertues Thus they make not the Sun but the Moon to rule the day 2. Wouldst thou enjoy this sense of Gods favour Then take heed of all sinne especially such as waste the conscience and make a great gulf between thee and Gods favour It 's the constant Doctrine of the Scripture that Gods anger is because of sin that sin only withholds all good from us So that it 's impossible to keep the sense of Gods love and wallow in sin at the same time Mat. 5. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God The eye diseased with corrupt humours cannot behold any comfortable object so neither is a man polluted with sin in a fit capacity for Gods love for those who thus taste of Gods goodness they are his favourites they are admitted into his secret presence Now as a great Monarch would not endure that a man in noisome and loathsom apparel and with the plague-sores upon him should be admitted into near familiarity with him so neither will God bid a prophane person draw nigh unto him Gods favour and a presumption in sinne cannot consist together When David had plunged himself into those foul sins you see what darkness did cover him immediately he complaineth for want of joy that God had hid his face that his bones were broken and what was it but sin that did throw his soul into this hot fiery furnace 3. Meditate much on Evangelical Truths and the Gospel-Doctrine that is delivered in Scripture For as it is the Law of God as revealed in the Scripture that makes a mans sin to appear out of measure sinful by that pure glass he seeth himself more monstrous and deformed a thousand times then ever he apprehended himself so by diligent inspection into and consideration of the glorious things of the Gospel we see a more easie and more probable way for assurance of Gods love then otherwise we would It 's not therefore the duty of Gods people to be only poring upon their sins to be alwayes applying the Law to themselves but they are also to behold the glorious riches of Gods grace in the Gospel Though Paul was often cast down with the sense of his sin judging himself the chiefest of all sinners and less then the least of all Saints yet this doth not drive him from Christ but rather the more to him hence none speaks so vigorously and cordially about Christ as Paul doth According to those objects we often meditate upon we are apt to be affected and even transformed into them If therefore we desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ crucified if we daily possesse our selves with the unspeakable love of Christ in dying for us if we often are caught up into this Paradise as it were this love like fire will cause sweet meltings and liquefactions of the soul and if the cold hard iron can by the fire be even assimulated unto it so that its natural coldness and untractableness is removed it doth not so much appear iron as fire no wonder if the gracious love of God plentifully poured out upon the soul doth make the soul full of unspeakable joy and consolations in the sense of it As therefore Abraham would not consider the dead womb of Sarah but the power and promise of God so neither do thou only consider the guilt and evil of thy soul but also the glorious promises and unsearchable riches of grace manifested in the Gospel The Apostle speaketh notably to this 2 Cor. 3.17 18. We all beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord viz. revealed in Christ by the Gospel are changed from glory to glory from grace to grace by the Spirit of God that as in heaven the beatifical vision of God doth fill the soul with all purity and joy Thus the beholding of him by faith as manifested in the Gospel doth produce lively and cordial refreshments of soul by the sense of his love 4. Consider that the apprehension and discovery of Gods love to thee is far more noble and comfortable then the discovery of thy love to God Thou mayest take far more joy in the sense of Gods love to thee then of thy love to God for Gods love to thee is the fountain and womb of all the mercies thou enjoyest were it not for Gods love to thee thy love to him would not advantage thee at all Again when thou discoverest thy love to God thou findest it clogged with many imperfections it may sad and grieve thee because of the defects adhering thereunto as well as encourage and comfort thee But the love of God apprehended is infinite and perfect there are no imperfections at all Gods love cannot be bettered and made a more noble and full love to thee Again thou needest Gods love but he doth not need thine he commands thee to love him not that he wants thy love
implied in our being Sanctified by Christ 515 Wherein the truth of Sanctification consisteth 516 Sanctifying What Christ Sanctifying himself implieth 502 The benefits of Christs Sanctifying himself 505 Saved All that are to be Saved are committed to Christs care 338 Schism How to prevent Schism 580 Vide Unity Scripture The Scripture is Gods voice 387 So many contrary things to a believers expectation may fall out in matters of Religion that did not the Scriptures fore-tell them we should be greatly offended 388 Some particulars that are hardly concocted 388 That whatsoever the Scripture saith is sure to be made good 389 The Spirit and Scripture are to be reconciled 390 The Scripture we now have is a full and perfect Canon for our Salvation 390 The parts of Scripture ibid. The Ground why Scripture must be fulfilled 393 In how many senses the Scripture may be said to be fulfilled 394 The truth of Scripture-Prophesies 395 The Scripture is oppositely true to all the Opinions Doctrine and Religions that men set up by their own fancy Sence It is not enough for the people of God to be beloved by him but they are to endeavour after the Sence and apprehension of it in their own hearts 694 Considerations to open this Point 695 The advantage they have thereby 696 Propositions to inform in this Point 698 Helps to get and keep the favour of God 698 Sending There is a two fold Sending mediate and immediate 493 Sent. Christ was Sent of the Father c. 487 How Christ was commissionated and Sent for us 487 The Necessity of Christs being Sent. 490 Sermon Prayer sanctifieth every Sermon 5 Vide Prayer Sins What Sins do chiefly provoke God to give men up to strong delusions 152 What Sins do chiefly provoke God to leave his people not totally yet gradually 351 Socinians Socinians confuted 73 Socinians no Christians 591 Socinians answered 666 Sonship Sonship is purchased by Christ 14 Soul The Soul of man hath an infinite appetite 57 God is the center of the Soul ib. Spirit of God How many wayes the Spirit is a comforter to believers 404 Suffer Suffering When the people of God Suffer not for any fault of their own but because they own God and professe his truth this is a great obliging of God to take care of them 421 This Doctrine is opened in several considerations ibid. Supports Though God may afford his people many comfortable Supports yet they must not look to enjoy them alwayes 330 What are those visible Supports God may for a while vouchsafe to his people 330 Reasons why God sometimes changes his peoples condition from better to worse 332 T Talents THe meanest persons have Talents to improve as well as the greatest 104 Tautology Repetition of the same matter in prayer is not alwayes sinfull Tautology 131 Vide Repetitions This is opened in three particulars 132 Teaching That believers do not onely at their first conversion but in the whole progresse of their life need constant Teaching from God 690 This appeareth in several particulars ibid. The Reasons why Christ must constantly Teach his people 692 Testament They that lived under the Old Testament dispensation not excluded from Salvation 100 Time A Time is set for the Reformation of the Church 21 Wicked men have their set Time ib. A set Time for Judgement 22 The Time of every mans death is set ibid A set Time of grace ib. A set Time of the Churches troubles 23 Trinity This Doctrine of the Trinity is an object of Faith and cannot be demonstrated by reason 583 Trouble Several wayes whereby a godly man fals into Trouble in this world 284 c. Reasons why they are subject to Trouble 287 Trusting Trusting to our own righteousnesse is a dangerous sinne 219 220 Truth It 's a special mercy to be kept in the Truth 316 Ten Grounds proving it to be such a special mercy 316 c. There is a three-fold Truth we cannot attain unto without the Scripture 476 The excellent properties of the Truth of Scripture 478 Truth and Godlinesse are requisite in Ministers of the Gospel 482 The grounds why it is requisite 483 Vide Ministers V. Union UNion among the godly is of great necessity 561 There must be a Vnition before there can be a Union 587 There is a natural Union with Christ and a supernatural 587 The excellency of this Union 589 Unity The Unity that Church-Officers ought to have 321 Grounds why it is such a mercy 322 The Unity between the Father and the Sonne is a spiritual Vnion 325 Vide Ministers Means to be used to get and keep Unity 327 There is a two-fold Unity between the godly 561 The excellency of Unity among Christians in several particulars 561 True Unity is from Christ 574 False wayes of Unity by Papists and Socinians 575 Rules to keep up Unity in Church-order and how to prevent Schism 580 Vide Schism Rules for Unity in respect of love to prevent wrath and quarrellings 581 Unity among believers is a special means to enlarge the kingdom of Christ 591 This is opened in several considerations 591 The Reasons why Unity brings others to the Faith 593 Unity among believers is part of the glory which Christ as Mediator hath obtained for them 616 In this Doctrine three Propositions are to be observed ibid. The Father and Christ being in believers is the cause of that perfect and consummate Unity which they ought to have of themselves 632 What is implied in their being made perfect in One ibid. The Causes of this Unity 634 United That all believers are United to Christ and in him to the Father 586 Scripture-expressions to represent this Unity ib. Uniting True Uniting principles as to true Doctrine 577 Universal How the maintainers of Universal Redemption differ among themselves 241 Universally Reasons why the Scripture speaketh thus Universally about Christs death 237 Vocation Vocation is of grace 252 Two Reasons of it 252 Vocation to the Office of the Ministry consisteth in these things 497 W Witches IT 's a great sin to seek to Witches 95 Witchcraft Witchcraft is pardonable upon true Repentance 95 Word of God Word of God How it doth not convert 4 How it doth convert ibid What is implied by keeping the Word 182 184 The Parts of the Word 183 The Word preached and received by people doth greatly enrage the wicked of the world 427 Considerations to open this ibid Why preaching and receiving of the Word doe enrage wicked men 429 The Word of God is truth 474 In how many particulars Gods Word is true ibid. Work Who have not finished the Work God gave them to do 107 c. None may look for glory untill they have finished their Work 125 It is true in reference to Câ—rist ibid. In reference unto our selves 126 The Necessity of continual Working in four respects 127 128 It's lawfull for the people of God in all their Work they doe for God to encourage themselves with this That there is an
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they take for propter for it answereth the Hebrew ב Beth which is sometimes used so Gen. 18.28 Luke 22.20 And indeed here is a truth in this because whatsoever God doth about his Church he doth it for his own glory There is no merit or worth in us to move him It 's his own glory only as Joshua urged What wilt thou do for thy great Name Josh 7.9 Yet this Exposition seemeth not to be so pertinent Others by Gods Name understand his power his strength his might and thus it 's often used Prov. 18 10 c. and then the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers per and so the Hebrew ב is often used called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beth auxilii This seemeth very pertinent and is part of the meaning but last of all that which late Interpreters pitch most upon is that Name is here taken for the Truth Doctrine and Knowledge of God both for the Object the Doctrine that is known and the Grace is that Faith whereby we are enabled to know it being usuall in Scripture to call the Object of any affection by the affection it self That Name is here taken for the Truth and Doctrine manifested by Christ appeareth from ver 6. where it's so used where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expounded by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those therefore that understand it of the true and pure Doctrine Christ hath delivered retain the proper sense of the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keep them in thy Name in thy true Doctrine So that they say Christ prayeth first for the purity of their Faith 2. their Unity of Love and Charity which are the two Pillars that bear up the Church of God Others take Name not for the Object but for our Knowledge and Faith of this Doctrine and so you have a notable use of the word Revel 2.13 and they make the Preposition instrumental Keep them through the knowledge and faith of thee as we have a like phrase 1 Pet. 1.5 They are said to be kept by the power of God through faith These three later Interpretations we take as one whole compleat sense for they are kept by the power of God in the true Doctrine and a true faith in Christ is the means whereby we are kept From the first Interpretation that God keeps us by his power Observe That it is not enough to be put into the state of Grace unless by Gods Power we are kept therein Or When a man is regenerated it 's not his own strength or ability but Gods power meerly that keeps him Let us take notice of that place again 1 Pet 1.5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is observed to be very emphatical for it 's properly used of those who keep a place by a Garison of Souldiers it 's a military word here it 's applied to the Power of God that doth keep us as safely as strongly and as securely as if we had an whole Army about us So that the word denoteth two things 1. The Defence and Custody in a strong manner the people of God have 2. The great Danger we are in from Satan sinne and the world for what needeth such a defence if there were no danger It 's then God that keeps us and that to salvation Though God did never so much for us at the first yet should he not keep to the very last to salvation it self we should suffer shipwrack in the very Havens mouth To open this Doctrine Consider First That the power of God is necessary both to the beginnings of grace and the progress Christ must be not only the Author but the finisher of our faith Heb. 12 2. When the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.3 had shewed that God through his abundant mercy had begotten us again he sheweth this is not enough but we are kept afterwards by his power only the power of God in working grace in us at first findes us in a different estate then when it preserveth or keepeth us At first the power of God findes us dead in sinne and in respect of any holiness like that Chaos at first without form and void Therefore Ephes 2. it 's a quickning power which infuseth supernatural life and so maketh us of spiritually dead to live It 's an Omnipotent insuperable Power like that of Creation which was out of nothing and therefore we are said to be created and his new-creatures But in the progress of Grace the power of God findes us not dead but with spiritual life only there cannot be any further motions or actings of this life without power from above Acti agimus and moti movemus it 's God that inableth us to believe to hunger and thirst after the enjoyment of him Even as Conservation doth not finde the creature in the Womb of nothing as Creation did only it continueth that being already existent which otherwise would fall into nothing Thus did not the Lord bear up daily by his power that heavenly building raised up by him at first in thy soul it would become a very ruine and not a stone left upon a stone It 's this later kinde of power the godly need all the day long if his right hand bear them not up they immediately fall to the ground Secondly Although we say It 's the power of God onely that keeps the godly and not their own strength yet it cannot be denied but that the Scripture as in some places it affirmeth Gods keeping of us So it also speaketh of a godly mans keeping himself Thus 1 Tim. 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keep thy self pure James 1.27 Pure Religion is to keep a mans self unspotted from the world 1 John 5.18 He that is begotten of God keepeth himself Sometimes they are put together Jude v. 21. Keep your self in the love of God and not long after he addeth To him that is able to keep you So 2 Tim. 1.14 Timothy is exhorted To keep the good thing committed to him by the holy Ghost By these places we see a godly man is said to keep himself and Gods power likewise Doth not this seem to attribute too much to man or at least divide the work of preservation between God and our selves I answer No. For first Our own keeping is wholly insufficient and unable without Gods keeping when man attends to the utmost with all watching and diligence yet if God come not in with his power all is in vain We like Gehezi may lay the staffe to the dead childe but it will not rise till the Prophet himself come Satan and his power is greater then ours if considered in our selves Therefore no wonder if we of our selves cannot combate with him he that is with us is stronger then the devil but not we our selves And 2. Though we keep our selves yet this is wholly from and by
the grace of God No Christ doth not call to men that sin yet laugh and make merry but that are weary and loaden to come unto him and then he will ease them Answ 2 But 2. This Doctrine of special and particular Faith doth not encourage to presumption because it cals not upon sinnâ—rs abiding and wickedly persevering so to rest on him but mourning over and abhorring their sins Therefore no man is commanded to believe this first that Christ died for him but to believe the word of God threatning and discovering the horrid pollution that is upon us as also the generall contagion in every part the insufficiency and inability to help himself the necessity of hungring thirsting and seeking out after a Saviour So that in this order and method he must by Faith lay hold on Christ Answ 3 3. This special Faith cannot be presumption or encourage thereunto because the object of it is whole Christ a Lord and Soveraign as well as a Saviour The presumer he divides Christ looketh upon him as a Saviour not as a Lord and Law-giver and therefore takes Christ but upon his own terms not in the Scripture-way and so indeed he takes not Christ but an Idol of his own making and by this it is discovered that he doth not truly believe but presume It 's true Christ as the Object of our justifying faith is to be considered as our Surety and Mediatour as a Gift of the Father to us yet he cannot truly be received as a Saviour but as a Lord and King also So that God having inseparably joyned these two together Faith dare not Faith will not divide So that this will prove Jealousie-water to the Hypocrite he professeth a belief on Christ but it is Christ divided or a part of Christ he looks upon the Atonement he made as a Saviour but not on the Obedience he owes to Christ as a King Christ doth not only promise but command he doth not only offer precious Gifts but enjoyneth strict and exact duties and faith taketh in all these Answ 4 4. Faith cannot be presumption because it doth not only receive Christ but this particular doth also cleanse and purifie the heart Act. 15. When Peters Faith was kept up then all his other graces were enlivened therefore Heb. 11. all those notable acts of high Righteousnesse and Obedience are attributed to faith so that the same Faith hath two hands one inward whereby it receiveth and embraceth Christ the other outward whereby it stirreth up and quickeneth to other Graces Justifying faith though it only justifyeth as it embraceth Christ yet at the same time also it worketh by love by patience by zeal by heavenly-mindednesse So that the exercise of all other graces is imperately from Faith though not elicitely It 's true there is a dead Faith and as Luther called it an incarnate faith a dead faith The Apostle James speaketh against c. 2. which is a bare assent and profession without any lively operation and such a kinde of believer is placed by Sebastian Franco in the Catalogue of Heretiques a luke-warm believer but that faith which doth justifie carrieth a man not only to Christ but is a general exciter and promoter to all holy duties and obedience 5. Faith special cannot comply with presumption because it doth not only believe in Christ as the special object but includeth an assent to the whole Word so that it 's as general as the Word is if therefore the Word of God doth not beget security and carnal encouragements to sin neither can Faith For presumption properly consisteth in this to divide the means from the end to think of obtaining one without the performance of the other can never be admitted by faith which in the special application of Christ is guided by the universal direction of the Scripture Vse of Instruction to humbled sinners Be well informed in this that you are not to stand in generals which are accompanied with great fears and dejections of spirit but in a particular manner to lay hold on Christ Oh let thy necessities drive thee that easelesse and restlesse condition thou art in be like a stone from the center like a bone out of joint till thou art fully united to the Lord Christ Know it is a duty That thou sinnest in an high manner while thou dost thus frowardly keep off from him Vse 2. There is the happiness of believers They receive Christ and so in him all things He that hath the Sun hath all the Stars He that hath the Fountain hath the streams if he hath given us Christ with him he will give all things Now God looks on thee in Christ The devil that seeks to devour thee must devour Christ first And O what a poor weak thing is it to doubt about earthly provision when thou hast received Christ for all things SERMON CXI That a Gospel-Ministry is to continue to the end of the world And for what ends JOHN 17.20 That shall believe through their word I Shall now finish this fruitfull Text. The last thing considerable in it is the instrumental cause of faith and that is the Apostles Ministry This faith is wrought by their word To open this Consider 1. That the word which begets faith is called Gods word vers 6. and here the Apostles word in a different sense It 's Gods word originally and efficiently because revealed by him It 's the Apostles word ministerially because they are the Embassadours to publish it Thus Paul cals it his Gospel as in other places it 's the Gospel of God because the Ministers of God are Stewards to whom is concredited the dispensation of the Word therefore it is called their word 2. Whereas Christ prayeth for all that shall believe even to the end of the world and yet they are said to believe by the Apostles word when yet thousands and thousands have believed since the Apostles death and departure It s necessary that by the Apostles we do not understand only their persons but the succeeding Ministry unto them which is to be perpetual in the Church all that now or hereafter shall beleeve though by the present Ministers that lived many hundred years after the Apostles yet may be said to obtain faith by the Apostles word because they sit in the Apostles chair they deliver the Doctrin which they delivered and succeed the Apostles though not in personal and extraordinaries yet in ordinaries in which sense Christ promiseth to be with them to the end of the world The words thus explained we may observe That God hath appointed a perpetual Ministry even to continue as long as there shall be a Church in the world All that shall beleeve are brought thereunto by the Apostles word now they being long since dead it necessarily followeth either that none can now beleeve or else that there is a Ministry to be perpetually succeeding them for this spiritual effect That the Ministry and Word preached is the means of faith
justification and a vivifical influence from Christ into us He is not an head in vain he is not a vine in fancy and imagination Therefore he saith I am the true Vine Joh. 15.1 not corporally but spiritually yet the expression sheweth that a natural vine doth not so truly nourish its branches as Christ doth his people Hence Joh. 6. he saith My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed Not as the Capernaits understood it but in a spiritual reality and certainly the wonderful effects of Christs union with the godly do demonstrate the reality of it There is love of God an heavenly life support in all Exercises c. which are the blessed effects of this glorious union 6. Consider the necessity of this union with Christ without this we are in a necessity of perishing For without Christ there is no justification no Sanctification no Salvation The branch withers that is not in this Vine The stream drieth up that is not joyned to this spring That member must needs die that is not joyned to this head Oh then that natural men would tremble at that distance they are in from Christ The Scripture saith such are afar off and indeed there is a great gulf between them and heaven God is an Enemy to them and they to God till they be made one in Christ Alas they can no more approach to God in any duty then stubble can endure before the fire This made Paul Gal. 2. say he no longer lived but Christ in him And again Phil. 3. he would not be found in his own Righteousnesse but in Christ And Col. 2. Ye are compleat in him It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell 1 Cor. 1. God hath made Christ wisedom rigteousnesse and redemption So that Christ hath the preheminence in all things he is Alpha and Omega he is all in all Who art thou then poor wretched and miserble sinner that darest abide an hour a day in thy natural condition without Christ Why dost thou not fear the curses of the Law the devils of hell and all the vengeance of God may immediatly devour thee 7. The excellency of this union can never be enough meditated on for this is a Catholicon to all diseases evidence of this will answer all doubts Dost thou fear perishing if united to Christ thou canst not perish any more then he Dost thou fear God may leave thee and forsake thee This cannot be no more then that Christ should be forsaken for this union makes thee and Christ one mysticall person so that by this union there is a communion of all Christs good things to thee and of thy evil things to him thy sins were laid on him he became sinne for thee and thy evils are felt by him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me saith Christ from heaven Act. 9.4 yea the Church is called Christ because of this intimate union 1 Cor. 12 1◠So that no Son no wife can take such comfort and confidence from a Father or husband as the believer from Christ he may truly say Christ is better then all husbands and fathers and all relations whatever 8. There is the inseparableness of this union All natural unions will be dissolved the wife will one day be parted from her husband the childe from his Father They are not everlasting relations but this is eternall Even as Christ took his natural body never to be divided from it so also he doth his mystical and upon this union is the perseverance of Gods children immovably fixed Christs members can never be broken from him and thrown into hell 9. There is the efficaciousnesse of it where Christ is united to the soul there he puts forth his vigour and power as Christ while on earth wheresoever he went put forth his miraculous power healing the blinde the lame and raising the dead thus also Christ dwelling in us can be no more hid then the Sun when it ariseth on the Earth 10. It 's an immediate union all believers are immediatly united to Christ one is not more united then another In the body every member is not proximely joyned to the head but in Christ the meanest and weakest believer is immediatly joyned to him 11. It is an harmonious Vnion Every believer receiveth proper supplies for its own peculiar necessities as Eph. 4.16 Lastly This union is of so great concernment that the principal end of the Sacrament is to represent and seal this as if this were the great priviledge we were alwaies to live upon Vse Are the godly united to Christ then how holy and Christ-like should they be in all their operations Can there be a greater argument to holinesse What saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. Shall I take the members of Christ and make them members of an harlot SERMON CXIX Sheweth What a special means Vnity among Believers is to enlarge the Kingdome of Christ And yet notwithstanding that Vnity without true Doctrine is no infallible Mark of the true Church against the Papists JOHN 17.21 That the world may believe that thou hast sent me WE are now arrived at the last part of this Text as it stands divided which is the consequent and fruit of all Believers Vnity It will convert the world and bring them to the true Faith when they see such agreement It 's true Austin makes not this a consequent but a distinct prayer and therefore repeateth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if our Saviours sense was I pray that the world may believe in me And upon this foundation he makes this Question How Christ that said before he prayed not for the world doth here pray for the world And answers The world is here taken for the world not of reprobates but predestinated ones in which sense the world is taken he saith in these two places I came not to judge but to save the world John 3.17 And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 So that it 's plain Austin thought that the world might sometimes be taken for the elect only howsoever some cannot endure that Exposition but though there may be truth in this yet I think the Context is to the contrary for it 's plain that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth denote here some event or consequent from the believers unity Therefore others by faith do not understand saving but an historicall faith and by the world do understand reprobates for even such by the preaching of the Word and other demonstrations are many times so farre convinced as to believe the Christian Doctrine Therefore they say Christ doth not here pray for the world of reprobates only this is a consequent of believers amongst themselves But I rather with Calvin take the world here for mankinde in a negative and indefinite sense First Negative for such as do not believe yet and then Indefinitely of those who do believe Some do truly and savingly believe
JOH 17.21 That the world may believe thou hast sent me WE are treating on the Consequent of Unity amongst the Godly That the world may beleeve which belief hath been already considered relatively as a product of Unity We shall now take notice of it absolutely as it is in its own self It is believing that the Father hath sent Christ into the world We formerly spake of believing in its specificall nature as it justifieth by laying hold on Christ We shall here speak of it in its generall Nature because this believing is common both to the Hypocrite and the sound Christian For of that world which doth beleeve all do not believe in a saving manner So that although none who believe Christ sent into the world ought to stay in that generall but particularly to improve Christ that he may be sent for their good yet because the expression is here general I shall consider of it as a generall For whereas in the former Verse the Object of Faith was made Christ himself Ens incomplexum Here it is a Proposition though that onely is the Objectum quo and not quod upon which our Faith is ultimately terminated Obs That the Believing of Christ being sent unto the world is the foundation and first principle of our Conversion unto God Though men have never so much understanding in other Religious Points as that Scribe spoken of Mark 12. though not farre off yet they are not in the Kingdome of Heaven until they believe in Christ as sent by the Father to be our Mediatour That as the Apostle Hebr. 11. makes it a Fundamentall requisite in every one to believe that God is no lesse is required to believe that Christ is Therefore 1 Cor. 3. Jesus Christ is called the Foundation and by some made the adequate object of Divinity because every thing considered there doth either directly or reductively leade unto Christ So that I shall not speak of that peculiar Act of Faith applying Christ but that generall act whereby we know and assent firmly and immovably That there was a Christ God and man who was sent by the Father to redeem and save sinners For though all be thought to believe this yet the right and powerfull assenting to it is the foundation both of all holinesse and consolation but ere we speak of the Nature of it some distinctions are to be premised Distinct I As First That Faith is sometimes taken for the Object the Faith quae creditur The Doctrine beleeved and sometimes for the Grace of Faith quâ creditur whereby we do believe Colos 2.5 To be established in the Faith that is in the Doctrine So some are said to erre to deny or depart from the Faith that is the Doctrine But commonly it is used for the gracious actings of the Soul towards those Objects only it 's good to observe this distinction because some places are brought to prove Apostacy from inherent faith which speaks only of the doctrine 2. Faith is taken sometimes actively and sometimes passively Actively for fidelity and veracity in promises in which sence it 's attributed to God and to men Sometimes passively for the assenting unto Truths because of anothers Testimony And this again is twofold Either Humane Faith when we believe any thing meerly beeause of humane authority or divine when we believe because of divine authority and this is greatly to be observed for when I believe a divine Truth for humane Authority or witnesse my Faith all that while is but humane as those that beleeved Christ for the Samaritan Womans Testimony all the while they had no higher a ground then that it was but an humane Faith and then a Papist as a Papist and by Popish principles can have no more then an humane Faith for the utmost motive in which their Faith is resolved is the Authority of the Church which is but humane and so if the Church had propounded Titus Livius or Aesops Fables as some grant to be the Word of God people were bound to believe it but there is no divine Faith unlesse there be a divine Testimony and this doth sadly discover Millions of baptized persons yet to have no divine Faith for all the ground of their Christian Faith is Education and humane Authority it is not because God hath said it or he hath revealed it They cannot say with those Samaritans Now we believe no longer for Education sake or the Churches sake but because of the Authority and Divine Light which is coruscant in the Scriptures themselves Insomuch that the Jesuite Valentia doth confesse there are such inward discoveries of purity and Majesty in the Scripture that they breed such an inward reverence and perswasion that no other book can do 3. There is a distinction of great antiquity received in the Church between Credere Deum to beleeve there is a God Credere Deo to beleeve God speaking and Credere in Deum to beleeve in God by inward Union with him and loving of him Now although it be true that the Scripture makes no such difference adding the Hebrew Preposition Beth and the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even where there is but a bare historicall beleeving there is a God yet for explication sake it may be received and those only said to beleeve in God who are justified and sanctified Though the Scripture attribute it sometimes to others Lastly Consider that the Soul hath several tendencies and motions to divers Objects Sometimes it assents to a thing by help of the sence and that is a knowledge by sence Sometimes by demonstrative Reasons it knoweth a thing and then it 's called Science strictly Sometimes by Testimony or Authority and then it 's called Faith Now if the authority be divine that saith such a thing then the Soul cannot be deceived because God cannot lye and so there ought to be greater certainty and firmer adhesion to those truths then any thing of sence and Reason yea in some sence it hath more evidence For there is a twofold Evidence of the thing it self and of the credibility of it of the thing it self And so indeed the matters of sence and reason are more evident in their own Natures to us Of the credibility of it and so Faith hath great evidence as the Testimonies for such Truths are evident and clear though the truths themselves are supernatural and highly transcending our humane capacity Distinct II These things premised Let us come to examine the Nature of Faith as it is dogmatical or historicall And 1. It 's wrought in us by the Grace of God It 's the power of God that works even this common faith No man could know and give assent to such divine truths unlesse inabled by the Spirit of God and therefore it 's said to beleevers That to them it 's given to believe Phil. 1.29 which takes in the whole nature of faith So some are said to believe through the grace of God No man can say
imperfections let them quicken up praier upon this consideration The glory Christ had he will give to beleevers Why had he such fulnesse but for thy emptinesse Why had he such glory but to make thee glorious Shall our vile bodies be made glorious like his glorious body and shall not our vile and corrupted souls be also made glorious like his soul This is excellently illustrated 2 Co. 3.18 where we are said te be transformed from glory to glory that is from grace grace is glory so much godliness so much glory thou hast and because it is not perfect therefore we proceed from glory to glory and how is this done by the Gospel for we beholding the glory of God in Christ are thereby changed Thus 2 Cor. 4.6 the glory of God is said to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ the meaning is that whereas God is in his own nature invisible and we are not able to conceive of him aright in Jesus Christ We see the infinite wisedom and grace of God so that we become glorious in grace by faith looking on God in Christ this makes heavenly this changeth and altereth the heart That as Moses by communing with God did obtain external glory which was so dazeling that the Israelites could not behold it So the people of God by Faith beholding God in Christ are thereby enlivened and made more heavenly every day Thus we see what those effects of glory are which Christ gives of that treasury of glory to us In the third general place Consider that none are made partakers of that Glory of Christ but by Vnion with him Now this Union is twofold either meerly external in the outward Ordinances in which sence our Saviour Joh. 15. supposeth a branch may be in him and yet not bring forth fruit By vertue of this Union we may obtain many glorious gifts and common graces from the Spirit So that we may have much spiritual glory in the eyes of others or else there is an internal and invisible Union and by this only we are made partakers of Christs glory Therefore none may be contented in any outside of Religion let thy duties be never so ravishing and affectionate yet not these but faith in the Olive Tree is that which maketh us partakers of this fatâ—ess so that the Union of Christ with the believer is the foundation of all grace and glory for as a branch separated from the vine or a member from the body doth not partake of any vital act and nourishment So neither doth that soul which is disjoyned from Christ if the beams of the Sunne had not immediate dependance and emanation from the Sun they could not have such lustre and Glory So neither were not believers joyned to Christ and made one with him they could not put forth such glorious acts of grace as they do for if power to work Miracles and transcend nature be called a glory how much more to perform the acts of grace which do also surpass the course of nature It 's a glorious thing to beleeve to be patient to be heavenly-minded to be zealous for God In these actions the spirit of Christ which is also the spirit of glory doth reside upon us 4. As union with Christ makes us partakers of glory So the foundation and Original of this is because Christ is one with the Father and one with us He is the Mediator between God and man So that by this means he receiveth glory from the Father which otherwise would be incommunicable to sinners and doth convey it to such as are his members So that still our eyes are to he fastened on Christ as a Mediator for none can or may approach to God in his own ablolute nature but as those who cannot look upon the Sun behold it in a basin of water where the reflexion is Thus we who could not draw nigh to that infinite wise and pure God having a Mediatour that both partaketh of Gods Nature and mans thereby is afforded an admirable passage of conveyance of glory from the Father through Christ to us as the light is conveyed from the Sun through the glass into the house Vse To make us admire the dignity and excellent condition of a Christian united to Christ for all the glory of Christ redounds and diffuseth it self to them Whatsoever priviledge or glory Christ hath it is proportionably communicated to thee therefore lift up thy head by faith and live joyfully in the meditation of this Doth not the woman though contemptible when married to an honourable person forget her Fathers Cottage and rags and saith Now she shall have the riches the glory the honour the state that her Husband hath since thy Soul hath been united to Christ all thy old poor despicable things are laid aside Truly the ground of all a godly mans discouragements and perplexities ariseth for want of faith herein SERMON CXXIII Practicall Conclusions from the fore-going Doctrine JOHN 17.22 And the Glory which thou gavest me I have given them c. HAving cleared the sense of this Text and shewed what that glory is which Christ giveth us Let us proceed to make some Corollaries or practical Conclusions from this Doctrine And hence therefore in the first place this Conclusion is to be asserted That no man till he be united unto Christ hath any true and solid glory For if the glory of a Christian be in Christ the fountain as the Sunne-beams are in the Sunne then till partakers of Christ we do not receive any of his glory And this truth may quell the vain brags of the world and the boasts of carnal men Some account riches their glory their birth their glory outward honours their glory but these are not worthy the name of glory Christ came not into the world to give men riches honours greatness but a spiritual glory The Hebrew word for glory signifieth a weight and the Apostle alludes to this when 2 Cor. 4.17 he cals the happiness in Heaven an eternal weight of glory Let therefore a man be never so much exalted in this world yet if not given to Christ he doth not partake of Christs glory This earthly glory is no more true glory then a glow-worm is the Sunne The Scripture cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer fancy that presently passeth away All humane glory is but like Jonahs gourd that is presently consumed or like Herod Act. 12.21 who being arayed in royal apparel and blasphemous acclamations made to him he was immediately eaten up with worms Be not then any longer like children that account a toy a glorious thing thou art no wiser when riches greatness beauty c. are accounted matter of glory an obedient ear to Gods word is more glorious then an ear full of jewels interest in Christ is greater glory then all that of the world which our Saviour was tempted with yet is there any thing that is more apt to ensnare our hearts then this