in their natural condition they are such as being out of Christ are therefore without Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is separated from Christ as we find this expression used of the Ephesians before their conversion Ephes 2.12 that they were at that time without Christ c Now for such as these we have accordingly also shewn how they are able to do nothing As the branch cannot bring forth any fruit in the course of Nature where it is separated from the Vine so the Soul cannot bring forth any fruit neither in the course of Grace where it is separated from Christ The second sense or notion of the words is that which is to be handled by us by God's assistance at this present time which is to shew that without Christ that is without influence from him and dependance upon him we are able to do no good neither in a spiritual and supernatural way as may conduce to salvation All our strength and ability as to the doing of any thing of this nature is to be fetch'd and drawn from Christ For the better and more distinct opening of which Point of Doctrine unto us we may take notice of three things especially which are requisite to any Christian performance each of which we do and must receive from Christ as tending to the accomplishment of it First a Spiritual life as the general grand work and foundation Secondly a Spiritual power slowing from this Spiritual life and answering to that particular Duty for the kind of it which God does require of us And thirdly a Spiritual activity or operation for the reducing of this Spiritual power into particular action of life As it is to explain it to you by a resemblance in Natural Motion There are three things which do make up this to us There 's the principle of Natural life there 's the Locom-motive faculty founded in this life and there 's the Walk it self which is produced and effected by this Faculty And as each of these are from God as the Author of Nature so each of the other are from Christ as the Fountain of Grace First There is a Principle of Spiritual life as the general Ground-work and Foundation of every Spiritual good work that comes from us Look as a man that is naturally dead cannot do any thing which belongs to Nature so a man which is spiritually dead also he can do nothing which belongs to Grace because Actus non excedit vires suae potentiae the Act cannot go beyond the Principle as we use to speak Now this Principle of Spiritual life we do derive wholly from Christ as the Branches derive life from the Root and the Members from the Head In which respect we are said not so much to live our selves as Christ is said to live in us in Gal. 2.20 Look as the First Adam was the Spring and Root of Natural life to all his Posterity so is the Second Adam the Spring and Root of Spiritual life to all his Members Therefore unless Christ by his Spirit do first change our hearts from that state of Spiritual death and corruption which we are in by Nature and put a contrary and better Principle of Spiritual life and holiness into us we can never be able to do any thing considerable to the purpose This I have in part declared already in our former Exercise and therefore shall not insist upon it now But secondly besides this Spiritual life whereby a Christian is qualified in general for the bringing forth of the works of new obedience namely the work of Grace and Conversion wrought in him by the Spirit of Christ there is moreover a Spiritual power slowing from this Spiritual life whereby a Christian being renewed by Grace hath some ability communicated unto him for the doing of such and such Duties as in particular in such and such cases are required of him And this is another thing which we do receive also from Christ without whom we are able to do nothing Of his fulness we all receive and grace for grace Joh. 1.16 that is answerable to grace in Christ grace in us We know that besides the common principle of Regeneration in general there are several habits of grace in particular according to the several kinds and distributions of them which have each of them their several abilities and qualifications belonging unto them as Faith enabling us to believe Love enabling us to embrace Patience enabling us to endure and so of the rest Now these particular Graces in specie as well as the work of Grace in general are communicated unto us from Christ and upon his account who is the Treasury and Storehouse of all Grace whatsoever for us It is true indeed that it is God in Scripture who is proclaimed to be the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5.10 but we must understand it still of God in Christ and in the mediation of the New Covenant out of which and out of whom God hath no intercourse at all with us nor we with him This is our state and condition now in the Covenant of Grace and a blessed state and condition it is that all our Grace and Comfort and Ability it is originated and founded in Christ who having taken our Nature upon himself and therein satisfied the Justice of God and being by Faith apprehended by us and united and made one with us is from hence a fit person for the conveying of all Grace unto us which we have need of and occasion for in the whole course of our lives Therefore it is profitable for us to understand and to take notice of the right method which is here in this particular used with us and wherein we come to be made partakers of this grace whereof we now speak and that 's this That the Spirit of God first of all sanctifies the Humane Nature of Christ and from thence sanctifies us who are Members of him The same Spirit that sanctified that blessed mass of his Body in the Womb of the Virgin and the same Spirit that sanctified his whole Nature both of Body and Soul which is now in Heaven the same Spirit does now also sanctifie his Mystical Body which abides still on earth and which is made partaker of Grace by communication and derivation from him As the Oyl which was upon the head of Aaron it ran down to the skirts of his garments which were upon him so the Spirit which is upon the Head of Christ and which he is said to have received without measure it runs down upon all Believers and they have it no otherwise than as he conveys it and transmits it unto them We see then here in what sense we are said to do all things by Christ and without him to have power to do nothing namely so far forth as he gives us grace for the doing of them The Faculties of the Soul are three the Vnderstanding and Will and Affections and such as these but the sanctifying of all
one to labour what he can to know it and understand it and to be acquainted with it that so he may the better avoid it as David exprest it to be his Care in another place Psal 18.23 I kept my self from mine Iniquity Where there is the greatest Inclination there had need to be the greatest Causion Thirdly From the Coherence of these words with the foregoing verses and the Demonstration Thus we see here what to judge of Staggering at Gods Promises and Providences which is the main point here intended and that is no other then an Infirmity This is mine Infirmity what does he mean by this Why this Desparing Distemper which was now upon him occasionally from his present Condition that he should have such thoughts in his mind and utter such words with his mouth as now he had and did against the ways and dealings of God This was a very great weakness and Infirmity in him and so it is likewise in any other Christian or Person besides so to do And it has these several Branches in it wherein it Consists First There is Ignorance and want of Vnderstanding Ignorance it is a peice of Weakness Especially in those matters which it is required of them that they should know now this is that which is considerable here whosoever quarrels with the Providence of God he is so far forth ignorant of the ways of God yea indeed of God Himself he does not sufficiently know or understand what an one he is for if he did he would think better of him and be better satisfied with that which is done by Him Secondly Infidelity there is that also pertinent hereunto a unbelieving person is a weak Person Faith it does strengthen and Corroberate now such Persons as these they are short and deficient in Faith to ask whether Gods Mercy be gone for ever and whether his promise fails for evermore and such questions as these they do beray much Infidelity and consequently much Infirmity Thirdly Impatience that 's also an Argument of Weakness If thou faint in the day of Adversity says Solomon thy strength is small Prov. 24.10 Not onely thy Natural strength but thy Spiritual so much Patience so much strength but so much Impatience so much Infirmity Now this does eminently discover it self in our Exceptions against God his Providence It is the Sign of an Impatient Spirit more or less and so has the just Censure of Weakness and Infirmity upon it thus in all these respects is this Expostulating with God an Infirmity as the Psalmist here expresses it to be and gives this black Character of it in this present Scripture The Consideration of this point should work us so much the more to the Hatred and Detestation of it and opposing it as much as may be we should not Cherish that in our selves which is rather Weakness then any thing else but expell it and drive it away from us and labour to recover out of it as soon as we can as men would do in the case of the Body When we Censure the Dispensation of God and and find fault with his Providence we do not prove any weakness in Him but rather discover weakness in our selves It is our Infirmity And so much of the point as it is Considerable in the simple Proposition and thing it self Now further Secondly We may look upon it in it's Reflexion as it comes here from the mouth of the Psalmist Himself I said this is mine Infirmity As it was so in it self considered in it's own Nature so it was moreover so according to his Expression about it In which again there are divers particulars Observable of us as pertinent hereunto First The Quickness of his Apprehension in that he spies and discerns this Weakness and Infirmity in himself while he says it it is Evident he spies it he discovers it and finds it out This is one thing which is observable and Commendable in Him it is a part of Spiritual strength to be sensible and apprehensive of Weakness and take notice of Spiritual Infirmities And thus did David here As for Wicked and Carnal men there is a great deal of Blindness and Ignorance upon them from whence they go on in Sin without any Reflexions but Gracious Persons who are inlightned by Gods Spirit they are made apprehensive of these matters they can distinguish betwixt Good and Evil in themselves Sees when they do that which they should do and again see when they do that which is amiss They have the Spirit of Discerning which is conferred and bestowed upon them whereby they are inabled to judg of things as they are and to be rightly opinionated of them they do not call Good Evil nor yet Evil Good as it is said of some in the Prophet Esay 5.20 Secondly Here was the tenderness of his Conscience not onely in that he discerned this Distemper and Infirmity in Himself but likewise that he check'd Himself for it for so we must here take it I said this is mine Infirmity that is I blamed and taxed my self for it that such thoughts should arise in me and he did it likewise which is here further to be added in a Justifying and acquitting of God there is no fault in him in regard of his Providence but rather the fault is in my self that do not sufficiently understand and consider him this is the meaning of it this is the manner and Disposition of the Saints and Servants of God that though they fall into Sin through Infirmity yet they do not rest and abide in it but recover and get up again They smite upon the Breast and they smite upon the Thigh when they have been guilty of any Miscarriage they do not allow or defend themselves in it but are sorrowful and Greived for it as David here was he speaks of it with a kind of remorse and trouble of Spirit And the reason of it is this because they have a principle of Grace and Spiritual Life n themselves which is ever and anon working Corruption out of them and suppressing it in them Dead men they feel nothing though they have never so many slashes or wounds made in their Bodies yet they are all nothing to them because they are Dead and devoid of life and so it is with those which are in a State of Nature and Vnregeneracy they are in the like manner Affected though they have never so many Sins upon them yet they are not at all affected with them nor lay them to heart no more then if there were never any such thing that they could be charged withall being alienated from the life of God they are past feeling as the Apostle speaks And so have given themselves over to Laciviousness to Commit all uncleaness with Greediness Eph. 4.19 But the Children of God they are alive through the work of Grace which is in their Hearts And this makes them to be so much troubled and perplexed and Afflicted in themselves for that guilt which is
the second Adam namely Christ Grace is derived unto all those that partake of him by spiritual regeneration There are three manner of ways by which Christ may be said to derive Grace to those which are his First By the benefit of his Passion Secondly By the benefit of his Intercession and thirdly by the efficacy of his Operation And this he does only to those which are Believers First By the merit of his Death and suffering Christ having offered himself a sacrifice well-pleasing to God did meritoriously purchase to his Church the favour and grace of God and all such gracious qualifications as were suitable to such persons as should be saved Now those which deny Christ and his Doctrine they have no benefit at all from this purchase Christ has merited Grace for none which do finally stand out against him and refuse to be governed by him The blood of Christ Jesus cleanseth us from all sin 1 Joh. 1.7 Vs â who were they namely such as appears by the Context Who walk in the light as he is in the light and maintain fellowship with him c. Secondly By the benefit of his Intercession Christ does continually pray for those which are his that they may have competent Grace bestowed upon them I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not says Christ to Simon Peter Luk. 22.32 Now those who do not by faith receive him they have not benefit neither by these prayers Christ distinguishes his Elect from others expresly in this particular Joh. 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them c. Thirdly By the efficacy of his Operation Christ conveys Grace to his servants as an Head imparts life and motion to his Members and this he does by his Spirit not only working Grace in them at first but also strengthening and increasing it where it 's wrought Ephes 4.15 16. That ye may grow up unto him in all things which is the head even Christ from whom the whole body fitly join'd and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according tothe effectual working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the body to the edifying of it self in love There are daily and continually influences of Grace from Christ to Believers whereby he enables them both to the subduing of sin and doing of duty Hence we are said of his fulness to receive all of us grace for grace answerable to grace in him for kinds grace in us And hence is God said to have blest us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Ephes 1.3 4. And this is done by the power of his Spirit working in us It 's called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.19 Grace it is a fruit of the Spirit and the Spirit it is the Spirit of Christ and so sanctifying those alone which have this Spirit of Christ in them by vertue of their Vnion to him For if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 We must rightly understand this method and order and connexion which God has set for the conveying of saving Grace unto us We have not Grace from the Spirit immediately but from the Spirit in reference to Christ The Spirit first sanctifies his Humane nature and then sanctifies us so that what we have of the Spirit in the graces of it we have it still derivatively from him As the Ointment which was upon the head of Aaron it ran down to the skirts of his garment so the Grace which is upon the head of Christ it runs down to all his Members and to them alone There are common gifts from God as a Creator and Governour of the World which common persons partake of and such as are out of Christ upon the understanding of natural abilities wit and sagacity c. and upon the will of moral qualifications temperance and sobriety and the like but no sanctifying grace but from Christ no spirit of mortification as to lusts no quickning spirit as to spiritual duties Without me i.e. separated from me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 He that hath not Christ he hath not these as not having the spirit of Christ from whence these should come into him Look as there is no beam without a Sun from whence it should irradiate not River or stream without a spring from whence it should flow and take its original so neither is there any Grace without Christ who is the only beginner and finisher of Grace in us He that has not Christ he has not God in the influences of Grace and Sanctification he has not God in him by way of residence and habitation and as taking up abode in his soul Nor he has not God with him by way of assistance and co-operation as enabling him to walk in such ways as are pleasing to God and as are suitable to a Christian conversation And so as to the Point which we now speak of to wit of gracious and sanctifying qualification He has not indeed God at all Secondly As not to the influences of Grace so neither to the influences of comfort no true comfort or peace of Conscience but from God in Christ He is our peace both in the thing it self as also in the discovery an manifestation of it The spirit of comfort it is of his sending and comes from him Comfort divided from Christ it is not comfort but security it is not assurance but fancy it is not Consolation but presumption None can perswade the heart of Gods love and favour to it but he alone that has purchased and obtained Gos love and favour for it and this is Christ alone God hath sent the spirit of his son into eur hearts crying Abba Father And it is his spirit that beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God He that hath not Christ and his Spirit he hath not God to comfort him Thirdly As to matter of Salvation not God to save him There 's no salvation out of Christ Act. 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other For there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved He that hath not the Son he hath not life i.e. eternal life 1 Joh. 5.12 But the wrath of God abides on him Joh. 3.36 Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life as who should say without me 't is not to be had in Joh. 5.40 This which we are now upon it follows from all which went before Forasmuch as out of Christ there 's no knowledg of God no access unto him no interest in him no grace from him It will necessarily ensue that he that has not Christ he has not God in point of salvation Because whosoever are saved they have all these several priviledges as antecendent belonging unto them they know God have acquaintance with him are reconciled unto him justified and sanctified by him And thus we
a state of Subjection and Obedience to Him And for Heaven He is likewise the head of all Principalities and Powers Col. 2 10. And Angels and Authorities and Powers are made subject unto him 2 Pet. 3 22. This for his Kingly Office Secondly Take it for his Priestly Office And here he is likewise like Jacobs Ladder in the work of Atonement and Reconciliation as bringing Heaven and Earth together Thus Col. 1 20. It pleased the Father by him to reconcile all things to himself whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven And so likewise in Eph. 1 20. That in the Dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are in Earth Even in Him Take us what we are in our selves and there is a Disproportion betwixt God and us we are not onely Strangers but Enemies to him And he to us But now in Christ this Enmity is removed and taken away and there is perfect peace wrought according to that againe of the Apostle Col. 1 21. You that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your minde by wicked works Yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his Flesh through Death c. And again Rom. 5 10. When we were Enemies we were reconciled unto God by the Death of his Son And not onely so but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom we have now received the Atonement Christ hath made God and us Friends And then again as for Reconciliation so also for Access which is the Fruit and Effect of it It is by Christ that we come unto God and have Admission unto the Throne of Grace As we have the Benefit of his Satisfaction so likewise of his Intercession and both of them consider'd as our high Priest Thus the Apostle seats it Eph. 2 18. Speaking of Jew and Gentile Through him we both have an Access by one Spirit unto the Father And so Chap. 3 12. In whome we have boldness and Access with confidence through the Faith of Him What ever intercourse there passes at any time betwixt God and us it is in all the Covenant of Grace and as it is obtained and procured by Christ And it is he alone that does effect it for us and that brings it to pass And therefore upon this Ground are we still incouraged to have recourse unto God and to perfect our Communion with him as Heb. 4 14. Seeing then that we have a great High Preist that'is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need And so again Heb. 10.19 c. Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holyest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vayl that is to say his Flesh And having an high Preist over the House of God let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith And Rom. 5 1 2. Therefore being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By whom also we have Access ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Hence has he in Scripture such Names and Titles put upon him as doe import thus much when he is called the Door whereby we Enter and the Key whereby we Open and the Rock whereby we Climbe and the Ladder whereby we Ascend as it is here in the Text. A twofold Ladder as I may so express it which he hath set up for us The Ladder of his Flesh and the Ladder of his Cross both together make that New and living way for us which was mentioned in the foregoing Scripture Christ is our Conveyance to God and He alone as the Scripture again inform's us Joh. 14 6. I am the way the Truth and the Life No man Cometh unto the Father but by me As no Man come's to Christ except the Father draws him so no Man com's to the Father except Christ brings him Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is no other Name under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 4 12. God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor 5 19. Therefore this by the way shews the Vanity of all such Persons which dream of any other way or Conveyance besides whether of Angels or Saints or their own Free-will and the like that neglect and lay aside Christ as in a manner Needless and Superfluous in this great Work of Salvation surely such as those they are exceedingly deceived and mistaken These that throw down the Ladder they will never be able to get up to Heaven by all the Ropes they can hoyse up to themselves He that hath the Son hath Life but he that hath not the Son hath not Life 1 Joh. 5 12. And so as for final Salvation So for Intermediate Communion likewise It is that which we partake off through Christ and him alone we cannot come into the presence of God nor offer up a Prayer before him which may be acceptable to him but through his Mediation By the Mediation of his Spirit as inabling us and by the Mediation of his Blood as purchasing acceptance for us He is the Angel namely the Angel of the Covenant who offers up the Prayers of all the Saints upon the Golden Altar is before the Throne as it is in Revel 8 v. 3. And what ever are presented otherwise they are of no Force or Validitie at all Thus is Christ our Ladder that reaches from Earth to Heaven in the Consideration of his Preistly Office in both the parts of it whether of Satisfaction or Intercession Thirdly For his Prophetical Office if we take it there also we shall finde that Christ has the notion of a Ladder And as he conveys out Prayers and Desires to God so he does likewise carrye God's words and will to us Joh. 1 18. No man hath seen God at any time The onely begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him And again Joh. 3 13. No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven Even the Son of man which is in Heaven He speaks concerning the knowledge of heavenly Mysteries and the Communication of them which did belong onely to Christ who though then upon Earth as Man Yet as to his Godhead was still residing in Heaven having the same Essence and Glory with the Father Matth. 11 27. All things are delivered unto me from my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son And he to whom the Son will reveale him It is Christ that brings Heaven down to Earth in regard of discoveries And thus a Ladder in his prophetical Office also To draw up this Point to an head Take Christ in his full extent whether of Nature or Offices
undertaken by them This he will do because he sets them on work and it is his work which they take in hand if it be good and such as is proper to them as I have lately shewn out of another Text of Scripture Let this therefore again strengthen and incourage us in the works themselves we go about We see here where we may have help and Assistance in them Namely by going to the strength of Israel and we are not likely to fail or be disappointed while we come in Faith and Obedience to him Thirdly As to the Protection of his Person God granted him that which he requested That is he kept him from Evil that it might not grieve him This is another thing which we may take notice off in Gods Goodness and return of Prayers and his Readiness to this The Lord takes no pleasure or delight in the afflicting and grieving of his servants He does not afflict willingly nor grieve the Children of men as it is in Lament 3. vers 33. When his Servants came to him and intreated him and desired him to have mercy upon them he is easily wrought upon and perswaded by them As Elisha towards the third Captain of Fifty that fell down to him and begged life When Jabez Prayes that God would keep him from Evil God does it without any more adoe First out of Tenderness and Compassion as one that as I sad delights not in the Miseries of his Servants but their Prosperity rather as the Scripture hints unto us Secondly Out of his Wisdom and Prudence hereby to incourage his Servants and to hearten them in their approaches to him and to keep their Spirits from Sinking and Depression and Casting-down Thirdly Out of his free Grace to shew a difference betwixt Person and Person that which he suffers some to fall into Evil yet he refuses others and keeps them from it c. What a Comfort is this now to us in all the Evils and Dangers and Pleasures which at any time we are subject unto when we shall consider what an Expedite way we have for Riddance and Deliverance from them even by repairing to God Himself and praying to him for the exempting of us from them Onely we must remember this further by way of Caution and further Explication First That this holds not always and absolutely but onely in such Cases and Circumstances As for Spiritual Evils the Evil of Sin and Damnation those God has undertaken to keep us from indefinitely and without any limitation The Lord will deliver me from every Evil work and preserve me to his Heavenly Kingdom says the Apostle Paul but as for other Evils 't is not always so Secondly This holds not neither but upon our care to approve our selves to him and to do that which is right in his sight we can no farther expect from God that he should keep us from the Evil of Punishment then we are careful for our own particular to keep our selves from the Evil of Sin while we shall rush upon all Temptations of Sin and give our selves room and Scope in them without restraint we do thereby provoke God to Expose us and to give us up to all manner of Judgements And our Prayers to be freed and delivered from them in such a case as are not likely to prevayl for us If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my Prayers Psal 66.18 And when you make many Prayers I will not hear you your hands are full of Blood in Esay 1.15 Jabez prayed and kept himself from Sin as it is probable and so obtained in Prayer To draw to an End and Conclusion seeing all these things are so that God is so ready to grant our requests as now we have heard both in the General and likewise in these particulars What does this from hence teach us but so much the more faithfully to depend upon him and to trust for time to come seeing he is so good at granting Requests we should hence learn to put him to it and to follow him with them all we can as any occasion is offered unto us We see how it is with Beggars here in this world they love to go to those doors which are open to them without difficulty or denyal and to ply them most and often And so should we do with the door of Mercy and the throne of Grace Here 's a door of Hope open to us which we may not wel Neglect without much hindrance and prejudice to ourselves and our own advantage And therefore let us be sure not to leave it or depart from it in any case whatsoever And further to close up all let us not onely as Jabez here in this Text pray to God in our own particulars that God would be pleased to bless us ourselves but also that he would bless his Church and this whole Nation and Land in which we are That he would keep his blessings upon this in all kinds and Expressions whatsoever By inlarging our Coasts and his hand being with us and keeping us from Evil that it may not grieve us And no doubt but in his own good time and when we our selves are ready for it we still find that Success unto us which Jabez here met with in this place That God would grant us the things which we have requested And so as for the Land in General so also for the Vniversity in particular It is the best refuge which we can have in all our Fears and Jealousies and suspicions and sad Apprehensions of any Evils near unto us of any hands stretched out against us of any Straightning or Contracting of us to betake ourselves to calling upon God and a faithful dependence upon him to this purpose That he would in large our Coast and that his hand might be with us and that he would keep us from Evil that it might not hurt us And so now I have done also with the second General part of the Text and so with this whole present Verse which is here before us Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed that thou wouldest c. SERMON VII Deut. 4.20 But the Lord hath taken you and brought you forth out of the Iron Furnace even out of Egypt to be unto him a people of Inheritance as ye are this day Of all the manifold favours and Mercies which God vouchsafes to His people which deserve all in their kinde to be regarded and taken notice of by them there are none which do challenge so deep ashare in their Acknowledgements as those which are most Fundamental and have influence upon all the rest such was the mercy here exhorted to us in this present Text and such were the mercies which we have now exhibited this present day and is the occasion of our coming together at this present time For which reason I have made choice of the one to illustrate the other and the former the latter That was Israels Deliverance out of the Thraldom and
and given up to besides that natural Darkness which is in all unregenerat Persons yea and regenerate likewise by Natural There is a Super natural and Judicial which some especially in the just Judgement of God have inflicted upon them Thus Rom. 1.28 It is said of the wicked Gentiles That as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledg God gave them up to a reprobate Sense or mind void of Judgment to do those things which are not Convenient Thus in all these respects are wicked men in Darkness Darkness it is the privation of light And so it is in such kind of Persons now we must know what Light this is Namely the Light of the Spirit As for the common Light of Nature the Light dime Light of Reason that even Natural men may have and in some Competent measure as the Heathen Philosophers had many of them in great Abundance But this Light of Grace and of the Spirit it is such as they are not acquainted with nor know not what it is This accordingly gives us an account of so many Stumblings and Miscarriages as there are in the World Here 's an account of the Diversity of Errours and false Opinions in matters of Judgment And here 's an account also of the Diversity of Outrages and Wickedness in matters of Practise whence there are so many Abomintions as do continually raigne amongst us it is from hence that men are in Darkness There is a mist of Spiritual Blindness which hath Surprised them and Over-spread them and therefore it is that they fall into such Miscarriages as these are And this for the Darkness of the way that Darkness which wicked men are incompast with here in this present life The Second is the Darkness of the End That Darkness which they are subject unto in another World This is of two sorts either the Darkness of Death or Judgment First Of Death that is common to all both good and bad And it is represented in Scripture to us under the notion of Darkness Thus in Job 10.21.22 Before I go whence I shall not return Even to the Land of Darkness and the shadow of Death A Land of Darkness as Darkness it self and of the shadow of Death without any order and Where the Light is as Darkness Thus it is spoken of the Grave and the condition of Bodies lying there So Job 17.13 If I wait the Grave is mine House I have made my Bed in the Darkness And so likewise in Eccles 11.8 The days of Darkness they shall be many It is spoken still of abode in the Grave this is common to all viz. The Darkness of Death The Second Is the Darkness of Judgment and Hell it self which is call'd in Scripture Vtter Darkness This is that which is especially proper to the Wicked Bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter Darkness sayes Christ Matth. 22.13 And Psal 9.17 The Wicked shall be turned into Hell and all the Nations that forget God This is that which is made to be their Portion And so much for the First particular viz. The state of Darkness which the Wicked and Vngodly of the World are Exposed unto The Second is the state of Silence in order to this Darkness They shall be silent in Darkness Thus it may admit of a various Emphasis which is involv'd in it we may reduce it to these following Particulars First That Grief and Horrour and perplexity of mind which shall seize upon them in this Condition Silence it is an attendant upon Grief and Astonishment in the Extremities of it Curae leves loquunter ingentes stupent so that where Grief is any thing moderate there it expresses it self in speech where 't is Excessive there 't is stupifying and Obstructive Vox faessi hucibus A mans words there stick in his Teeth and therefore great Grief is exprest to us in Scripture by Silence in sundry places thus Esay 15.1 The burden of Moab Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste and brought to silence because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste and brought to silence Brought to silence that is Cut off and destroyed as the word Nidhmah also signifies Destruction it is signified by Silence So Jer. 8.14 Why do ye sit still Assemble your selves and let us enter into the defenced Cities and be silent there for the Lord our God hath put us to silence and given us waters of Gall to drink because we have sinned against the Lord. Hath put us to silence that is hath brought us into a distracted Condition so that we know not what to do or say So Jer. 47.5 Baldness is come upon Gaza Ashkelon is silent and Cut off Where Baldness and Silence are put for Sadness and Grief in the Philistians Again Lament 2.10 The elders of the Daughters of Sion set upon the Ground and kept silence Namely so far overcome with Grief as unable by speech to abate it And Job's Friends in simpathy with him in his great Grief thus sat down and spake not a word unto him in seaven days c. This shall be the Condition of Wicked men former or later they shall be full of Horrour and Grief unexpressible They that now are full of Jocunness and Joviality and Clamour and make a noise in the World there is a time a coming when they shall be filled with Anguish and perplexity of Spirit which they shall not know how to help in themselves Secondly Silence it is a note of Conviction They shall be silent that is they shall have nothing to say for themselves Wicked men as they shall be full of Grief so likewise of Confusion When God shall charge them with such and such Sins and Abominations whereof they are guilty they shall have nothing here to answer him Either by way of Apology for themselves or Censure of his proceedings against them That every mouth may be stopped and all the World become guilty before God as it is in Rom. 3.19 Thus it was with him in the Gospel Which came to the Marriage-Supper not having on him his Wedding-Garment when the King aâkt him how he came thither it is said he was speechless Matth. 22.12 That is he knew not what to say for himself God will one day non-plus and Convince and Confound all impenitent Sinners They shall be in Darkness that is in Extremity of Misery and silent in it that is Convinced and perswaded of Gods design in his proceedings Thirdly It is a note of Abode and of Continuance in this miserable Condition They shall be kept and bound up in it As the Egyptian Darkness it was such as wherewith they were fastened and contained in their places as not knowing how to stir out of them They saw not one another neither rose any from his place for three Days And Wisd 17. vers 17. There is an Expression sutable where t is said They were all bound with one Chain of Darkness Sutable whereunto is that of Jude 1.6
can do any good nor may expect any great matter from it those that doe so will be disappointed and so much the sooner because they doe so The strength of man and outward Power it is but weak of it's own nature but when it begins once to be trusted in it becomes weaker then it was before because that then it is God's Rival and comes as it were into competition with himself Now he is a jealous God and will not indure any thing to trespass and intrench on his Prerogative It is true that in outward strength somewhat there is which accordingly is to be looked upon as a means tending to such an end but the efficacy of it is from an Higher and it is no otherwise actually successeful then it pleases him to concur with it The bars of the Mighty are Broken and they that stumbled are girt with strength as it is in Ezekiel God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong and things despised to bring to nought things that are how little do they think of this which are puft up and swollen and as I may in a manner say intoxicated with the apprehensions of any thing in themselves to this purpose who glory in their great strength and the advantages whereof they partake in this particular Alas what a poor thing it is if they consider all and what little cause and ground have they for it even the strongest that are How often does the Lord in his providence confute them and convince them of the contrary and shew them that it is not in themselves We should here for our parts observe it and take notice of it that for the first Head here considerable By his own strength no man shall prevail that is by strength of Body or Arms or outward force in any kind whatsoever Secondly Not by strength of wit or parts and improv'd understanding There 's a strength which belongs to this also but it will not prevail neither considered in it self God confounds the wisdom of the wise and brings to nothing the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1.19 Men of strong heads and brains and parts and of a deep and subtile reach in matters of Policy yet they are not alwayes infallibly successful He disappointeth the devices of the crafty so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise He taketh the wise in their own craftiness and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong And the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain 1 Cor. 3.20 And Job 5.12 13. Even this strength it is many times no more but weakness neither In Eccles 9.11 the place before alleadged we have the insufficiency of such a strength as this is laid forth in three several expressions Bread is not to the wise nor Riches to men of understanding Nor favour to men of skill The meaning whereof is not this That they are to none of these at all but that they are to none of these infallibly and in such a sort as never to be otherwise Wise men may sometimes get bread that is such things as are of use to the supportment of this humane life but they do not get it purely by their wisdom And understanding men may sometimes get Riches and attain to a great estate in the world but they doe not get it by their understanding alone And skilful men they may purchase favour and credit and esteem and reputation but it is not their skill which does certainly interest them in it No but their is a line and thred of Providence which runs along in all these Dispensations These Abilities and Qualifications are no further successeful then as it pleases God himself to concurre and appear in them Thirdly To carry it still a little higher and it may be closer to the scope of the Text by his own strength shall no man prevail that is not by the strength of his own habitual Grace It is no question a very great advantage which a Saint and servant of God has over another man that he hath a principle of something and saving Grace in his heart which doth still combat and conflict and wrestle with corruption in him and also dispose and encline him to that which is good whereas a carnal and unregenerate person is swayed by nothing but his own lusts and ruled by that spirit which works in the children of Disobedience yea but this Grace now in a Christian when it comes to the Tryal and Improvement it will not hold without somewhat else A Beleever stands not so much by the Grace within Him the Grace of Inherence that Grace which is in Himself as by that which is his Support or rather by the Grace without him The Grace of Assistance The Grace that is the favourand good will and Mercy of God Himself who sustaines Him and keeps up It is he that keeps the feet of his Saints and none but He. Even in this sense also And it is not by their own but by this strength that they shall prevail Therefore let none trust to this whosoever they be Those who have never so much of it and the greatest share in it for it will not serve the turn We should still be begging of God to perfit his own work in us And when he has given us Grace for the Principal to draw it out also for the Exercise and Activity of it not to rest our selves in good Habits or in good Purposes or in good Motions ond Beginnings in us but to depend further upon the Spirit of God for his Accomplishment and Consummation of them And that also upon every new occasion which is Administred to us we need the Assisting and strengthning Grace of God in every Action and Moment of our lives and whatsoever we set our selves to and therefore let us still ever and anon have recourse unto it and make our Confidence in that alone Least with Peter while we trust in our selves and our own Grace which at present we partake off we miscarry and fall into Temptation It is one of the main Reasons in Providence why God has sometimes suffered men of Great and Eminent Graces to slip fouly and scandalously in their times that so they might learn themselves and others might learn by their Dismal Examples that they do not stand by any strength of their own but by the Grace of God whensoever they do stand By his own strength shall no man prevail That is not by any strength without God That 's the first Explication Secondly Not by strength against Him in reference especially to the Second Clause The Wicked shall be silent in Darkness Vngodly men shall not escape Punishment because they cannot be too strong for God who is a God of Power and might and is able to Crush them in pieces whensoever he pleases Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy Are we stronger then He says the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.22 Surely no we are not With him is
Conscience and more immediate Impressions upon the Heart God does oftentimes so apply Himself to the Soul and Spirit of a Beleiver by inlarging it and filling it with his Grace and raising up holy motions and desires in it as from whence he may be said to bespeak as it were Communion with Himself and to say seek thou my face He knocks at the door of our Hearts and says open unto me This by the Prophet David is called a preparing of the Heart in Psal 10.17 Lor thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine Ear to hear Thirdly In the Dispensations of Providence and the things which God does in the World and especially to our selves here he calls to us for our seeking of his face as to instance in two or three particulars more especially above the rest First In any special business or Imployment which he puts upon us this is a sure rule That where God calls a man to any more eminent Services especially which is of more publique Concernment he does then more especially call him to seek first of all his favour towards him and acceptance of him Forasmuch as all Assistance and success comes from Him and it is he that must give a Blessing to every thing that is undertaken by us It is a very dangerous and hazzardous matter for a man to go about any busines of great importance in a state of difference and estrangement from God for then he will be ready to blast and to cross that work unto him We are apt sometimes to beg Gods Assistance but we should first of all beg his Favour which is the ground and foundation of all Assistance and Success whatsoever and without which we can never expect it Thou saydst seek my face In case of any special undertakings Secondly In case of some special outward trouble and calamity God herein sayes seek ye my face Forasmuch as this is oftentimes his very end in the sending of it He does it to bring men to Himself Because in affliction men are then apt to run God when he slew them they sought Him as it is said of the Israelits And in their affliction they will seek me early Hos 5.25 Lord in trouble they have visited thee they have poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them Isa 26.16 And it becomes us so far forth to close and to comply with Gods ends to us in this particular Thirdly In Spiritual Desertions and the withdrawings of Gods Countenance from the soul when God hides his face from us He does then more especially call upon us to seek his face As when the mother hides her self she then puts the child upon looking for her and seeking after her even so is it here A constant and continued enjoyment of Gods countenance shining upon his servants is apt now and then through their corruption to make them a little more remiss but withdrawings of it quickens them to attendance and dependance upon them as it is in Isa 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the House of Jacob and will look for him Fourth In the Desertions of Friends when they shall at any time fail us or leave us and be taken away from us God then sayes to us more particularly seek ye my face when either they fail in their affections as not continuing still to be friends or when they fail in their Persons as not continuing still in the world but it may be removed and taken away out of it In either of these cases and conditions does God more especially call his servants to the perfeiting of their friendship with himself and the getting of a greater evidence of his Love and favours towards them First When they fail in their Affections as not continuing still to be friends for there 's an uncertainty in all these things There 's many a man loves to day and hates to morrow and of a Friend turns to be an enemy The Love of the world it is no Foundation for any to build on in regard of the inconstancy of it Now here 's a special call to closer intimacy and acquaintance with God Acquaint thy self now with Him and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee when a mans ways please the Lord he will make his enemies to be at peace with Him Prov. 16.7 Therefore now seek His face whose love is unchageable whose Purpose is immutable whose Affection is alwayes the same This is one thing which calls us hereunto And so secondly As in the failing of Affections so also in the failing of Persons when friends are removed and taken out of the world and ye see their face no more why then seek ye His face who never fails but abides for ever even from one Generation to another Lastly In the hour of death and at the Time of Dissolution when men are themselves going out of the world it concerns them then especially to seek the face of God and it should qualifie the thoughts of Death unto them being such as belongs to God to think that they shall now injoy it as David I will behold thy face in righeousness when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness Psal 17.15 And so Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fullness of Joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Thus have we seen in what respects and cases God does especially call unto us to seek His face And so I have done with the first General part of the Text which is Gods invitation Thou saidest seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek The second is David's Answer to this Invitation of Gods as to the Acceptance and entertainment of it Thy face Lord will I seek Where before we come to speak of the main point which is here considerable of us here is somewhat to be taken notice of by us by way of Preparation As first Observe this That the Heart of a Cristian it is the Reflexion of the law of God Look what the Lord in his word does injoyn and Command to be performed that the Soul and Spirit of a Believer and regenerate Person so far forth as he is regenerate does incline and tend unto Thou saydst seek my face there was the tenor of Gods Command And thy face Lord will I seek there was the temper of Davids Spirit So Psal 40.7.8 I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy law is within my Heart And this is the difference betwixt a child of God and another person take another man and his heart rises and rebels against the word and love of God and he wishes there were no such thing as that is But a good Christian he has an agreeableness to it and from thence a Complyance with it it is as the wax answering the Seal A second Observation is this That a good and a gracious heart is carryed on to the doing
of its Duty more especially upon Gods Command as imposing it upon him Davids heart inclined to seeking of God from that principle of Grace that was in it But now when moreover God Himself requires him to do so this makes him to be so much the more determined and resolved about it When thou saidest seek my face then I sought thy face indeed The Ground hereof may be thus laid forth unto us First That holy Reverence and awe which they have of Gods Majesty Fear it works obedience and where we stand in awe of the Person we do more readily submit to the Command now thus is it with the children of God Secondly Their Love to God There 's nothing so complying as Love it is the most yielding Affection of any and so here in our carriage to God If we love him we will keep his Commandments And thus do all who are his true servants and therefore run at his call Thirdly There is this also considerable in it that Gods Power goes along with his Command This it did here as to Davids heart when God said seek my face he did cause him to seek it whiles he said it And so he does likewise with the rest of His servants which he does not with other persons And it is the true account of so much difference as is betwixt them that whiles they both receive the same word yet they are not alike wrought upon by it because in the one there 's the command in the bare proposal but in the other there 's the Spirit going along with it to make it Effectual In the Covenant of Grace God performs that in us which he requires of us which is the Great Advantage of all true Believers Thirdly Observe in General thus much That a Good and Conscientious Hearer is careful to apply the word of God to his own particular God spake it here at large and in the General seek ye my face in the Plural but David brings it home to himself and fastens upon it This is the Duty of all others besides Thus we find it to have been sometime with St. Peters Auditors in Act. 2.37 The word was spoke to the whole company at large This Jesus whom ye have crucified is Lord and Christ But those that were converted they applyed it and appropriated it to themselves And therefore it is said that when they heard it they were pricked at the heart And there is this Considerable that makes for it First Because the Particular is still comprehended in the General as the part 's in the whole That which is said to all it does respect whosoever are contained and comprized in that number and that successively in all Ages of the world that which was said to Moses and Joshua and David is said also to us The precepts of Religion they do indifferently extend themselves to all sorts of Persons When God says seek ye my face he says it to me and to thee and to a Third and so to all the world over Indeed there are some Positive particular Commands which are now and then given to such and such persons distinctly and so do reach onely to them in such and such Circumstances But the common Duties and Practises of Godliness they are promiscuously imposed upon all Secondly This is the very Life and Power of all kind of Teaching whatsoever to bring it home to a mans own Particular As the benefit of Meat in the Stomach is the degesting of it and sending its Nourishment into every particular part Aures omnium pulso sed Conscientias quorundam Convenio c. Says St. Austin the Parson he delivers things in General but it is every mans Conscience that must make the particular Application And accordingly it concerns us to do so upon all occasions The Neglect and want hereof is the cause why there is oftentimes no more good got by the Ministry and the Preaching of it because men think what is said to all is said to none when as indeed it is said to every one if they had Grace to apply it to themselves and every one is particularly interested and concern'd in it according to the particular occasions in which they are and the Circumstances which may be upon them And that in points also of all sorts and natures and qualities whether of Information or Direction or Reprehension or Consolation or Command Indeed ye shall have some kind of people who it may be will be pritty forward in Application but it is to others not to themselves They are ready to say that such an one had his Lesson and Instruction given him but in the mean time they pass over their own Now it is the Duty of every good Christian here with David to apply the Doctrine to Himself And so he shall close with Gods Intentions in the Discovery and Proposal of it and so much may be spoken of the points observable in General and Preparatory We come now more particularly and closely to the words of the Text it self Thy face Lord will I seek And here again I shall with Gods Assistance take notice of two things more First The Substantials of the Text. And Secondly The Circumstantials First To look upon the Substantials and that is as it does exhibit to us the main Duty which is here required of us which is the seeking of the Face of God for that which was Davids Practise is our Duty and is accordingly required of us we have heard out of the words before that it is that which God himself does invite us to Here now we shall see likewise that it is that which we our selves are bound too in acceptance of this Invitation which we shall the better be able to do if we do but consider what it is which is here Commended to us and what we are to understand by this expression The seeking of the face of God it does imply divers things in it and all such as is required by us we may take it in these following Explications First To labour for the knowledge of God and more intimate acquaintance with him because we know a man usually by his Face and outward countenance therefore our knowing of God is set forth to us by this expression of seeking his face and it is that which lies upon all men especially to do those that are absolutely ignorant of him to know him at first those that know him in part already to indeavour to know him more and still to increase in the knowledg of him And that we may do it indeed the more effectually to look upon him in that Glass wherein he has presented himself unto us which is the Lord Jesus Christ Take God consider'd in Himself and his Face is very terrible and dreadful as I told them before there is no seeking for us of it but rather seeking how to avoid it and to run away from it but in Christ here it is Lovely and Amiable In John 14.8.9 When Philip said
upon these Gifts as they are here presented to us in the Text three manner of ways First In their Distinction Secondly In their Connexion And Thirdly in their Order In their Distinction Grace considered by it self and Glory by it self In their Connexion Grace and Glory united and put both together In their Order Grace going before and Glory following after For the First To look upon them distinctly here that which does first offer it self to us is Grace The Lord will give Grace and Glory Grace is a large word which does comprehend many things under it but we will here in this place confine it as the Holy Ghost Himself seems to do and understand it especially of the Grace of Sanctification This is that amongst the rest and more particularly which God promises here to give And we must know whom he means as the persons to whom he will give it namely to those which have it already To him that hath shall be given It is true that God will also give Grace to those that want it to all those that belong to the Election of Grace but are not as yet effectually called God will bestow Grace upon them and he has Grace in store for them and so he will give Grace i. e. the first beginning c. But that 's not that which is here intended so much in this present Scripture No but rather the Improvements of Grace to those in whom it is already For we must still remember that all these Expressions in this Text they do properly belong to the people of God and to none but them To them he is a Sun to them he is a Shield to them he will give Grace c. Now when it is said that he will thus give Grace to such as these for time to come we may take it according to the notion of a double Improvement First Perseverance in that Grace which already they do partake off And Secondly Inlargement and an Addition and further Augmentation of that which they have received First The Lord will give Grace to them that fear him that is the Grace of Establishment and Perseverance This is one kind of Grace which God will give and that in order also to Sanctification He will inable us to sustain and hold out and continue still to the end in the Grace which we have received Where he has once wrought Grace in the Heart hee 'l preserve it and keep it still alive there where he hath wrought it And it is that which he has promised and ingaged Himself to do for us I will put my Fear into their Hearts that they shall not depart from me It is a Branch of the Covenant of Grace which God makes with his people that he will not onely sanctify them and change their Natures with his saving Grace but that he will likewise keep this Grace in them This Seed it shall abide and remain in those which are his Children and be a constant principle in them Indeed it may admit of Variations for the Expressions of it which may prove sometimes to be more and sometimes to be less but for the thing it self it shall be always the same A Christian shall be like an Oak whose Substance is in him when his leaves fall Esay 6.13 When the Branch of Grace may decline yet the Substance and truth of it shall remain yet this so as to be the Gift of God in all this Here 's the Ground of all I mean of this Grace of Perseverance and Continuance in the Faith because God gives it it is from Grace that we hold out in Grace which otherwise we should not do it is not from our own Stability but from the Goodness and power of God towards us And that 's the first Explication The Lord will give Grace that is the Grace of Perseverance and Establishment where he hath begun it Secondly The Grace of Increase and Inlargement The Lord will give Grace that is he will give more grace He will give a greater measure of grace in addition to that which he has given Thus Phil. 1.6 He that has begun a good work in you will finish it until the day of Jesus Christ He giveth more grace as it is in Jam. 4.6 in the world men are never contented but are still desirous of more This is that which is promised here that is more grace This may be drawn out by us according to the several improvements and specifications of it As first of all The Lord will give grace that is he will give conquering Grace for the subduing of lusts and Corruptions and for the resisting of speritual Conflicts and Temptations This suites very well with that which we had before about a shield and Gods resemblance to that He does bear a proportion to it in nothing more then he does in this particular by inabling his servants to quench the fiery darts of the Devil This was the grace which He gave to Peter Luk. 22.31 Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you and to winnow you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not this was the Grace which he gave to Paul when the Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him 2 Cor. 12.9 My Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness And this is the Grace he will likewise give to the rest of his servants He will tread Satan under their feet He will subdue their iniquities for them He will every day more and more exterpate and work out those remainders of corruption which are yet in their hearts And it is that which those which are Gods children may expect and depend upon him for If there be any one which hath any strong lust which is too hard and difficult for him which he cannot overcome let him remember this truth here before us that God will give Grace and let him improve it and make use of it to this purpose There 's no sin or corruption whatsoever which is too hard for the grace of God which the Spirit of Christ cannot master and vanquish in us yea eject and thoroughly dispossess and cast out of the heart Therefore we should with courage set upon the resisting of Temptations If we indeavour God will give grace and glory Secondly Quickening and strengthening grace for the performance of our Duties The Lord will gives such grace as this Grace for our several Callings Relations places and services which do belong unto us This is another branch of this Bounty in God which is commended to us and which is very sweet and comfortable in the consideration of it It is a very great incouragement as to the undertaking of any special business or imployment which God does call us to that he will give grace for it He will give us the grace and assistance and special inablement It was that which he promised Moses when he call'd him forth to the work of the Ministery which he was very
averse unto from the consideration of his own insufficiency Now go sayes he and I will be with thy mouth and will teach thee what thou shalt say But that was but onely common grace as to the gift of Elocution God will give us also sanctifying grace as to the Duties and exercise of Religion which he does require of us also In any deadness of spirit which is upon us in any indispositions to good duties in any weakness as to the performance of them there is grace and power in Christ and his Spirit which he does communicate to his servants answerable hereunto And so for all relations likewise whether in Family or Church or Commonwealth this is the comfort of a Christian that the Lord will give grace especially as I said before where he hath given it already in the Principle Look where God hath given grace in the General that is the grace of Conversion and Regeneration there he will likewise give grace in the particular that is grace agreeable to the several occasions which we have at any time afforded unto us for the exercise of it and to the duties which he does require at our hands to be perform'd by us Thirdly Suffering grace for the Afflictions which he layes upon us the Lord will give grace likewise here It is that which does sometimes startle the best of the servants of God to think how they shall be inabled to graple and wrestle with the cross when they look about them in the world and see what a sea of evils does in a manner incompass them they are ready to faint in themselves and to think they shall never be able to undergo them and bustle thorough them well but see now here what God hath provided for their comfort and incouragement namely a supply of his grace There 's no Affliction which God layes upon his servants but he does in some measure inable them to bear it and not onely to bear it simply in a common and ordinary manner out of the strength of Nature and common principles as Heathen and such men as these but after a special and peculiar manner as Christians from a spirit of faith with patience and comfort yea and sometimes joy it self to the special honour and credit of Religion and of that grace which God hath given in reference thereunto Thus will God send grace in the increase and augmentation of it But yet for our better understanding and improvement of this point still in hand we must know that there are certain Qualifications which are required as special conditions in those persons whom God will bestow a greater Measure and Degree of grace upon then as yet He hath given unto them First That they be such as are humble This is that which the Scripture does especially point out to us as requisite in this business as Psal 25.9 The meek will he guide in judgement and the meek will he teach his way so Jam. 4.6 He giveth more Grace wherefore He saith God resisteth the proud and giveth grace unto the humble Those which are proud and conceited of their own strength and perfection God doth oftentimes suspend and withdraw his grace from them gives them up for a while at least to the power and prevalency of Satan and leaves them to themselves that so thereby he may humble them and debase them in their own thoughts and awaken them out of that presumption and security in which they are But for those that are sensible of their weaknesses and do mourn and groan under their wants such as these He inlarges himself unto them He fills the hungry with good things but the rich he sends empty away Therefore that is one qualification considerable as to the improvement of Grace in us viz. humility and lowliness of mind Secondly Those that are believing and do exercise faith in those promises which God hath made to this purpose whatever good God bestows upon us He conveyes it to us through the hands of Faith and so amongst the rest he does with this here of his grace The Lord will give it but we must still fetch it and draw it from Him we must come boldly to the throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Heb. 4.16 And so Heb. 12.28 Let us have Grace How shall we have it what is this in our own power no but let us labour for it and indeavour after it and beg it at the hands of God Ask and it shall be given you we have cause to be incouraged in doing so forasmuch as we are likely so well to speed in so doing He that believes shall be established Faith is such a grace as hooks in all other Graces to it self Thirdly There is here required an using of these Graces which we have received use Grace and have it the more we do improve that grace which we do already partake of the more shall we increase in the addition of more graces unto us To him that hath shall be given which does not hold in nature to grace but in a less degree of grace to a greater There are some that would have it so that the use of Nature and Free-will profitably does ingage God to give his sanctifying grace to those that do so but that we had no ground to assert neither do we affirm it but rather this That those which use those beginnings of saving grace so as they ought God will bestow a greater measure upon them And so now ye have the first gift which is here mentioned as a part of Gods bestowing The Lord will Grace The second is Glory The Lord will give Glory this is distinct from grace in the proper notion of it though in some places it is made equivalent to it and synonymous with it so as by Glory to understand Grace as 2 Cor. 3.18 From Glory to Glory that is from grace to grace The grace of Christ which is revealed in the Gospel being full of glory has the name of glory put upon it but here in the Text it is a distinct Head Understanding by glory that blessed and happy Estate and Condition of the Saints in Heaven yet in some sort even begun and initiated here below in this present life So then by glory we are to understand the fruit and reward of grace or the consequents attendant upon it This the Lord will give and he will give it two manner of wayes according to a twofold Explication First Here in this life present in the pledges and anticipations of Glory in the first fruits of the Spirit and those beginnings which a Christian does partake of here in this world not onely in grace but in comfort These are glory in kind though not in Degree they are of the same nature with it though not reaching to the perfections of it and so therfore have the name of glory very fitly put thereupon This we find mention made of in 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom
having not seen we love in whom though now we see him not yet believing we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory where glory is fasten'd upon faith and believing here in this world Secondly Glory does more especially refer to our happy Estate in Heaven hereafter which is the more ordinary acception of it Thus Rom. 8.18 I reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us So 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entered into the hearts of men to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him Again 2 Cor. 4.17 Worketh for us a far more Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory And Colos 3.4 When Christ who is our Life shall appear we also shall appear with him in Glory This is another kind of Glory which God will give and here promises to give it The Lord will give Glory It is that which we should keep our hearts up in the Expectation off as that which may satisfy us against all the Scandal and Reproach of the world When we think but once of Glory which is reserved in Heaven for us it should make us with Christ himself to despise the shame which the world puts upon Goodness And so ye have these two gifts in the distinct Consideration of them Grace by it self and Glory by it's self The Second is their Connexion Grace and Glory together The Lord will give Grace and Glory both These two they are not seperated from one another where ever there is Grace there is Glory Yea there is a Spirit of Glory as the Apostle Peter calls it which rests upon the Heads of those which are the Subjects of it Grace it is altogether Glorious and does gain respect and Estimation with those which are the beholders and witnesses of it and especially as it puts forth it self in a powerful and Glorious Consolation Thirdly Take them in their order and so here is Grace Antecedent to Glory Grace that comes first and Glory that comes after it Here is the Method and order which God has set which is likewise observable by us for our particulars There are some kind of people in the world which would skip to the one without the other come to Glory without beginning at Grace but this is a thing which cannot be in any hand it is very absurd and preposterous to Imagin it The Lord will give Grace and Glory And he will give Grace before he gives Glory we may take notice of that those that have not a share in the one they shall never have a share in the other Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord as the Apostle speaks in Heb. 12.14 So much also for that and so ye have the proposition of Gods goodness laid down in the Affirmative The Lord will give Grace and Glory The Second is in the Negative No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly It 's put in the Negative but it carries an Affirmative with it and that with so much the stronger Asseveration No good thing will he withhold i. e. Every good thing will he give and that in a most large and plentiful measure The Holy Ghost here prevents all the Objections of a mistrustful heart one would think he had said enough already when he had told us for his General nature that he would be a Sun and Shield unto us and that moreover for the particular Expressions of it he would give us Grace and Glory both What could we seem to ask or desire more at his hands then these Oh but there is yet somewhat still behind which we think we stand in need off we should have such kind of Blessings also as belongs to this our Natural life in the Flesh now therefore to give it it 's full force and Emphasis to us he adds this to the rest That no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly There are two particulars again briefly here First The Blessing or Bounty it self No good thing will he withhold c. Secondly The persons which are interested in the partaking of this Bounty and that is those that walk uprightly which we must take also for the further inlargement of it in its Universality no good thing whatsoever from such persons as these whosoever Wee 'l Begin first of all with the Blessing or Bounty it self which yet we will handle with reference had and likewise to the persons which are made to partake of it No good thing will he withhold Those that walk uprightly they shall be destitute of nothing which is good whether Temporal or Spiritual whether for this or for a better life thus we have it also in Psal 34.10 The young Lyons do lack and suffer Hungar but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing This is a point which at the first heating seems to be too good to be true and therefore will need a little Explication which we may take in these following particulars in which it will be verifyed unto us First In regard of that right and interest and propriety which a true Believer has in all good things There is no good thing whatsoever but a Child of God has right to as his own and as belonging unto him He that overcometh shall inherit all things Rev. 21.7 And 1 Cor. 3.21 All things are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Which is not to be understood of particulars as confounding proprieties amongst men as if those which were Believers might take away that which was anothers but it is to be understood of Goodness and in reference to God There 's no good thing whatsoever but a good Christian has a title unto them by vertue of his Relation so far forth as he is a member of Christ Who is said to be Heir of all things in Heb. 1.2 So is Christ and therefore those which are his members are so with him they have a share and interest in whatsoever may make for their good This is a very great Priviledg and Advantage if it be duly considered It 's somewhat to have a good Title to that which is worth the Having though as yet there were nothing else in it especially betwixt us and God who will do nothing but that which is right Amongst men oftentimes though it be somewhat yet it has not always it 's Efficacy with it men may have Title to those Lands and Inheritance which yet they are never the nearer to But betwixt God and us it is otherwise if we can but prove our Title and make that good we are pretty well and thus 't is here All the Saints and Servants of God they have right and Title to any thing which is good whatsoever it be that 's the first Explication Secondly All true believers as they have interest in all good things themselves from their Relation to the Lord Jesus
thoughts shall be Established The word in the Text is Role that is put of thy burthen from thine own shoulders upon his So 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your Care upon him for he careth for you This for the right and more expedite performance of it supposes first our Interest in God and Acquaintance with him this belongs to the Covenant of Grace in each respect both on Gods part and on ours when we are in Covenant with God he will then undertake our thoughts for us and when we are in Covenant with him we shall be inabled to commit them to him and may safely and with Confidence do so First I say he will then undertake them when God at any time enters into Covenant and Ingages himself to be our God and takes us to be his people he does not onely hereby take upon him to bring us at last to Heaven and to land us safe there but to provide for us in all our way and Journey thither to guide all our thoughts and purposes and Actions and undertakings whatsoever upon which Ground we may safely settle and Establish our thoughts in themselves and then we shall be able also upon this account to cast our selves upon him This committing of our thoughts to God in a way of reliance it supposes our submitting of them first of all to him in a way of Obedience that 's the first Interest in God as requisite here Secondly The use and exercise of this performance the more we do it the more we may do it and it is of use to our selves to do it in some things which makes us the better to do it in others from particulars arising to Generals That we may still be further incouraged thus to do let us consider but two things more First That 's a thing very easie for God to settle our thoughts for us And Secondly That it is very pleasing that we should commit our thoughts to him to this purpose It is very easie first of all for him to undertake them and settle them we put him to no great cost or trouble hereby let them be as great or as many as they can be and of as great concernment he can as easily take care of a Nation as he can of a person and of the whole Church as one particular Believer and member of it he can rule the Ocean as well as the smallest River or Breach that passes through the Earth Secondly It is very pleasing to him also while we thus delight our own Souls we refresh his while hereby we have him in his Goodness and Power and Truth and the rest of his Attributes wherein he delights to be admired and Glorified by us So much may serve that and likewise for this whole Text. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts delight my Soul ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã SERMON XXIII Psal 104.34 My Meditation of Him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. As it is the Excellency and Priviledge of a man above other Creatures here below that he is capable of Reflection and Meditation and has his Thoughts and the workings of his mind which are remarkable in in him so is the Excellency and Priviledge of a Christian above other men that he has the ordering of those thoughts aright with the best advantage and contentment to himself that so whiles some are imploy'd in one thing and others are imploy'd in another He has his Thoughts fasten'd upon God and concentred as his chiefest happiness and united in Him and that with a great deal of delight and Complacency and satisfaction of Spirit This is that which we have here exhibited to us in this present Scripture which follows as a very good close of others which have been hanaled by us very lately we have heard of the several Properties of God in a Variety of Perfection Of his Power and Goodness and Faithfulness and Pittifulness and the like And what now remains as the Sum and upshot and conclusion of all this unto us but that the Meditation of Him should be sweet and that we should be glad in him Which is that which we have here presented unto us in these words which I have mentioned unto you IN the Text itself there are two General Parts considerable First Davids Contemplation Secondly Davids Exultation His Contemplation that is in thess words My Meditation of him shall be sweet His Exultation that is in these words I will be glad in the Lord. We begin with the former viz. Davids Contemplation in these words My Meditation of Him shall be sweet wherein again two particulars more First The Performance implyed and that is Divine Meditation My Meditation of Him that is of God Secondly The Qualification it self and that is pleasantness or sweetness My Meditation of Him shall be sweet First Here is considerable of us the Performance implyed And that I say is Divine Meditation It is here supposed and taken for granted that David did indeed Meditate upon God whiles he makes mention of his Meditation and so there is this in it That Gods servants they are much imploy'd and taken up in the Thoughts God in Holy and Divine Meditation This is that which there Mindes and Thoughts are very frequently carryed unto The Prophet David Himself was very much in this Performance as we may see in divers passages of the Psalms and we read of the Patriark Isaac that he went out in the fields to Meditate Namely upon God himself Gen. 24.63 Now there 's a various account which may be given hereof unto us as whereupon it proceeds First The Gracious and Heavenly Frame and Temper of a Christian Soul being sanctified and renewed by Grace Mens Meditations are much as their hearts are Vain and Frothy Spirits they have commonly answerable Meditations and those that savour of the world they have their thoughts fasten'd upon it but Gods Children being born from above they have accordingly thoughts above in sutableness thereunto David he was a man after Gods own Heart as the Scripture declares him and therefore he was much in the Thoughts of God and so it is likewise with all others of the same frame and temper with him forasmuch as they are born of God and have his Image stampt upon them they doe bend their thoughts to him to Contemplate upon him They which are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit Rom. 8.5 Grace it is the Byass of the soul which does move it and incline it to the Mark and the scope which is propounded to it and set before it which is thus Active in those that are Regenerate Secondly The servants of God are much in thoughts and Meditations of Him because as their hearts are made like unto him so which also follows thereupon fasten'd upon him They have made God their Happiness and therefore they doe accordingly make him their Meditation For where the Treasure
in himself especially as revealed in his Son but we are then said to rejoyce in him when as by a Spirit of Faith we do improve him and make use of him for our Comfort and Consolation But Secondly By way of Reflexion we are then said to be glad in the Lord when we rejoyce in our Interest in Him and relation to Him when we resolve to make God our Happiness and greatest Contentment and to reckon of our selves accordingly as we have likely so to do This being glad in the Lord is opposed to being glad in the Creature as the Meditation of the Lord to a Meditation upon other things This is the Sum here of Davids Resolution and Expression of Himself in this particular that whereas Earthly and Worldly persons they had for the most part worldly Reflexions which were most pleasing and delightful to them his Meditation upon God should be the sweetest and whereas they also had many worldly Jollityes he would be glad and rejoyce in the Lord as most able to rejoyce in Him Which is that also which should be the studdy and indeavour of all other Christians and of our selves in particular amongst the rest So much for that to wit of Davids Exaltation joyned to his Contemplation and so of the whole Text before us My Meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. SERMON XXIV Psal 77.10 And I said this is mine Infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High The State and Condition of a Christian whilst he lives here below hath it's Vncertainties and Varieties with it not onely in reference to the world and the Concernments of this Natural Life but likewise in reference to Heaven and the hopes and Expectations of a better not onely as to his dealings with Men but to his Converse and Communion with God There are the Ebbings and Flowings of Grace and there are the Falling and Rising of Corruption which are by turns observable in Him as we may see here in this Instance and Example which we have here before us The Prophet David Himself who may serve as a Representation of all other Christians besides in this Particular how ever he was at other times a man fiull of Faith and Assurance yet he had now at this time a sit of Destrustfulness upon him and began to call in question the Love and Affection and Faithfulness of God Himself to him But yet through the Goodness of God he does at last work Himself out of it and he tells us here how he did it Then I said this is mine Infirmity but I will c. In the Text it self there are two General parts considerable First The Discovery of the Disease Secondly The Application of the Remedy The Discovery of the Disease that we have in these words Then I said this is mine Infirmity The Application or Resolution upon the Remedy that we have in these But I will remember the years c. We begin with the former viz. The Discovery of the Disease Then I said this is c. Wherein again we have two branches more First The simple Proposition This is mine Infirmity Secondly The Rersonal Keflexion I said this is c. It was in the thing it self and it was also in the Psalmist's own Observation First Take it simply in the Proposition and in the thing it self This is mine Infirmity wherein there are divers points included and Exhibited to us we will take them as they lie before us First We see here how the Saints and Servants of God themselves they have their Infirmities My Infirmity says David who was an Holy man a man after Gods own Heart as the Scripture sometimes describes him yet he had his weakness and Infirmities with him and so also have all others besides his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã his often Infirmities as it is recorded of him 1 Tim. 5.23 But also Spiritual and Mental The weaknesses and Infirmities of the Soul and inward man they are those which are here mentioned in this place these are such as the Children of God have even in the Holiest and Exactest of them as it is here implyed The Ground of it is this First The reliques and remainders of the Old man still abiding in them where the Root is remaining there will be Fruit answerable to it according to the Propositions of it Now thus it is here in this particular the Children of God they are Flesh as well as Spirit and so farforth as they are Flesh there will be somewhat proceeding from them which shall savor of it The Flesh lusts against the Spirit as well as the Spirit against the Flesh as the Apostle tells us Gal. 5.17 Secondly Grace is wrought Imperfectly in them while they are here in this world so much there is of the Flesh so much the more there is to cause Infirmities and so much the less as there is of the Spirit so much the less on the otherside to prevent them I can do all things says the Apostle Paul through Christ that strengthens me A Christian is so far free from Infirmity as it pleases Christ to strengthen him but this is not absolutely and perfectly while he remains here in thi world Neither as to habitual Grace nor Auxiliary Neither as to the working of the Principles which is but in a weak measure and degree nor as to the Concurrance with the Opperations which are various and different in them also and at the best but very imperfect Therefore this teaches us to esteem of men as men not to think of them above that which is written as the Apostle advises nor to accept more from them then is indeed in them not to look for a Perfection in this Life from the best that are for it is not to be found As no man should think of himself more highly then he ought to think so neither should he think so of other men but so to Honour their Graces as withall to make account of their Infirmities The one to be pursued and imitated while the other is to be shunn'd and avoyded even David he had his Infirmities That is the First Secondly As good men have their Infirmities so commonly they have some one more especially which they are addicted and inclined unto As they have Corruption in them at large so this Corruption more particularly and especially which they are incumbred withall This is mine Infirmity says the Psalmist by way of Appropriation Original Corruption it does not run out alike in all but has it's varieties and diversities of Improvement in some after one manner and in others after another As we see it is in the Body though all men are in regard of their Nature subject to all kind of Diseases yet all do not alike partake of them some are more inclinable to one and some to another Even so is it also in the Soul and inward man every Christian has his Infirmities This should teach every
this Mercy and that we are inabled so to do it is that which every one cannot do even there where there is Mercy fitted and prepared and provided for him go praise God for that Thirdly That God accepts of this Hope from us and is so well pleased with it in us we have cause to praise him likewise for this to say the Lord be magnified as who rejoyces in the Prosperity so takes pleasure in the Graces of his Servants and that even at such times as he neglects the great thins of the World and in a sort despises them That the Bones of the mighty are oftentimes broken while they that stumbled are girt with strength as Hannah in her Song expresses it 1 Samuel 2.4 And so I have done with these words as in their absolute Consideration so in their Comparative and so with the whole Text it self The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his Mercy SERMON XXIX Prov. 3.17 Her wayes are wayes of Pleasantness and all her paths are Peace It is the Nature and Disposition of Artists and those which are of any Mystery or Profession as much as they can to extoll and advance that Profession which they are off and to Commend it to the Consideration of others As Paul of the Ministry of the Gentiles I magnifie mine own Office Rom. 11.13 Every one is ready to magnifie that way which he takes up to Himself above all others whatsover and this as it is observable in other things so amongst the rest especially in Religion and the wayes of Godliness Those which are the Professors of this they desire as much as may be to Commend it and set it forth to the view of other men Wisdom is justified of her Children as our Saviour tells us Thus we may observe it to be here in this Scripture which we have now before us in the Example of the wise man Solomon who being a Son of Wisdome and of special Wisdom especially that is Grace and Holiness and Religion which he here speaks off does in divers Chapters together applaud it and praise it all he can that so thereby he may invite others unto it IN these words we have described unto us the Excellency of Godliness and Religion in two particulars which may serve to make up unto us the parts of the Text. First From it's Pleasure and delight Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness Secondly From it's Tranquility and Quiet And all her paths are peace We begin First of all with the former to wit the description of Godliness from the pleasure and delight which is in it The wayes of Godliness and Religion are exceeding pleasing and delightful wayes they carry a great deal of sweetness and Contentment and pleasantness in them This is the point which is here exhibited unto us and it dâââ appear out of other places of Scripture likewise as Psal 36.8 David speaking of the Church and members of it sayes That they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Gods House and that he would make them to drink of the Rivers of his pleasures And Psal 118.15 The voyce of joy and Salvaton is sayd to be in the Tabernacles of the Righteousness So Psal 97.11 Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the Vpright in Heart Esay 51.11 The redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion and everlasting joy shall be upon their Head they shall obtain gladness and joy and Sorrow and Mourning shall flee away Esay 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness where you see they are both joyned together And Galat. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is joy Now this Truth it may be further amplyfied and made good to us in sundry particulars which do prove and confirm it unto us There is a great deal of pleasure in Religion in sundry respects Wee 'l take them in that order as they do offer and present themselves to our thoughts As First of all In the work of Grace and Regeneration wrought in the heart All the several Graces of the Spirit and the habits of Sanctification which are in us they do reflect very sweetly upon us and there is a great deal of delight and Contentment to the Soul which does see them in it self Take a man which is full of Lusts and Corruptions which bear sway in him and he is a loathsome and abominable Creature sometimes even in his own Apprehensions A wicked and ungodly man he is in some manner odious to himself and is overcome as I may say now and then even with his own stench like a man which is in filthy Rags and torn and uncomely Garments he does not like himself in them But now on the otherside a good Christian which has the Grace of the Spirit of God in him and the work of the New Creature in his Soul he is so far forth pleasing to himself Grace is a very sweet and odoriferous Qualification as it casts a sweet savor into the Nostrils of all others that stand by it so especially as I may say into the Nostrils of all those that partake of it That Soul which is indued with it is like one that has roll'd himself in a Bed of Spices who is all over sweet and delightful I might set it forth to you in all the resemblances of Comfort and Contentment look whatever it be which in the discovery and discerning of it does usually afford delight to our selves the same may be applyed to the Graces of Gods Spirit and the sanctifying Qualities which are in us not onely as odoures and sweet spices to the smell it 's pleasing to be sensible of them But likewise further as Treasures of Gold and Silver there are many which much delight in them The Rich man when he looks in to his Coffers how much contentment does he take in them even there where others deride him and laughed at him Populus mei sibilat c. Yea but now a Godly man recounting the Graces which are in him has more true comfort and content by far And that 's the First particular wherein Godliness proves so delightful In the work of Regeneration and the habits of the Spirit of God in us Secondly As there 's a sweetness in reflecting upon Grace in the having of it so especially in the Exercise of it Every Grace the more it is improveed carries a delight and pleasurableness in it in what kind soever Therefore the Psalmist tells us that in keeping of Gods Commandments there is great Reward Mark not onely for the keeping but in the keeping be-shomran Psal 19.11 There 's Praemium ante Praemium A reward before the reward even in the thing it self Sutable to the nature of the Grace is the Exhibition of the comfort yea the very Heathen and Moralists themselves so far forth as they exercised vertue and practised that natural goodness which was in them they had some kind of comfort and contentment
arising from it to them much more then is it so to true Christians in the exercise of the Graces of the Spirit These must have needs a great deal of comfort and so indeed they have which makes their lives full of sweetness in the midst of many outward crosses and difficulties which they here meet withal To instance in some few particulars for the clearing of the Point unto you In Faith The Exercise of that Grace what a great deal of sweetness is there in this whereby a Christian has somewhat to stay and support and hold up himself in the greatest discouragements When all the world is disquieted and knows not which way to turn it self then does a Believer quiet himself in God and his interest in Him He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord like a man who is on the top of a Rock that the waves are not able to reach him even so is it with a Christian who is led to the Rock that is higher then himself In the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him Psal 32.6 Yea though he be in the midst of the waters yet he makes a shift to hold up his head As we see it was with David himself in that great affliction at Ziklag 1 Sam. 30.6 He comforted himself in the Lord. He had experience of this himself and accordingly he commends it to others to delight in that Psal 17.4 And so the Prophet Isaiah shews us a view of comfort from hence in the saddest conditions Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God This for the exercise of Faith And so again for the Exercise of Patience which is a principal sprig of faith How much sweetness is there also in this An impatient Person is a burden to himself and the more he struggles with any evil the more he intangles himself with it and findes a greater bitterness in it whereas by a quiet submission to it and patience under the hand of God it becomes so much themore easier Levius sit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas And so for meekness and love and peace how much sweetness in that A quarrelsom person is a burden as it were to himself he has no quietness in his own breast but is like the raging Sea which casts up mire and dirt but where there 's Love and Unity and Agreement there 's a sweet calmness and tranquillity of mind So for Repentance and Godly sorrow there is a joy which is mingled with it and which flowes from it The more we mourn for sin the more true comfort in our own heart The jolliness of sinners it has sometimes a bitterness with it but the quiet of penitent persons is not without some mixture of a great deal of comfort attending upon it Last of all To add no more in this kind The practise of Mortification in the subduing and restraining of lusts it has a great deal of delightfulness in it also The Delight of sin is nothing to the delight of holy restraint when a man has grappled with any strong Temptation resisted any violent lust denyed himself in a sinful allurement what a contentment does from hence now come in and flow into the heart which another is unsensible off This is the misery of any sin yielded to or any temptation closed withal that besides the guilt which it brings upon the conscience it leaves an unfavoriness upon the spirit it does not onely smart but foul which is very displeasing but now on the otherside the resistance of it is not onely peaceable but pleasant It is a great comfort to him that does it And that 's the second Explication There 's a sweetness in the exercise of Grace in all the several kinds of it Thirdly There 's a great pleasingness likewise in all the Duties and Exercises of Religion whatsoever they be As for instance First in Prayer and a daily and continued ejaculation and communion with God in this performance What a great deal of Solace does a gracious heart find to it self here when upon all occasions it can unbosom it self to God and draw near to him for any thing which it wants and stands in needs of lay open all its complaints and express its desires and send up all its groans It is impossible to express the contentment which the soul findes in such a performance The crying Abba Father and the sweet returns of Gods Spirit upon the heart back again how do they ravish it and lift it up to heaven We know what is recorded of Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 That when she had prayed she was no more sad but was satisfied and well-contented with her condition David had great peace and comfort in this performance when nothing else could quiet him besides And so Job My friends sayes he spake freely against me but my soul powred forth complaints unto God Prayer is a very comfortable Duty not onely in regard of the effects and consequents and benefits which come by it but also from the very thing it self Not onely in that it is a means to obtain great things from him but likewise that it is a work wherein we injoy communion with him wherein there 's intercourse betwixt God and us As it is betwixt friend and friend the very discourse which they have one with another is pleasing and delightful though the things which they discourse about may be but ordinary affairs Even so betwixt a Christian and God Though the things which sometimes he asks at Gods hands be but common matters as pertaining to the things of this life yet the fellowship and holy Society which the heart hath with God in the Duty is reward enough to him that is exercised and imployed in it Prayer it is a kind of Ascension of the mind to God as it uses commonly to be describ'd and in that regard very delightfull That 's the first Duty the Duty of Prayer Secondly The Reading of the Scriptures There 's a great deal of sweetness likewise in that David speaking of the word of God sayes 't is to him as his appointed food that he rejoyces in it more then in great Riches That Gods Testimonies are his delight and his Counfellors and that the word of God is sweeter to him then the honey or the honey-comb and such like expressions as these We shall read in the Chronicles of the Martyrs what contentment some of them took in Pauls Epistles and if they could get but a leaf or two of the Bible they made account of it as a very great Treasure The sweetness of Prayer is that therein we speak to God and the sweetness of Reading is that therein we have God speaking to us and revealing his mind unto us we have here a satisfaction of us in a double
as these seriously think and consider with themselves what we have hitherto treated of and be admonished and advised by it The simple pass on and are punished It is only the Prudent which foresees the evil and hides himself who does escape the Judgment And when we speak here of the Prudent and Simple we may if we please take it here a little narrower than hitherto we have taken it Not only hereby understanding Godly and Ungodly Men the Righteous and the Wicked who do differ toto genere but also as well Christians and Professors of Religion in a different frame and temper of Spirit which is considerable in them There are some Christians which are more watchful and vigilant and circumspect of themselves These are the Wise and Prudent Again There are others which though perhaps they may have some truth of Grace in them and good Principles at the bottom yet are a little more careless and remiss and negligent not so careful as they should be to stir up that good which is in them These may also be called Simple and Foolish And we see here what belongs unto them as the Doom which is past upon them They pass on and are punished That Christian that walks carelesly and securely and does not look to his Watch he does thereby ensnare himself It is not only the lot of those which are absolutely wicked and profane but even of the Servants of God themselves now and then which are not more careful of themselves for their simplicity and security to be punished So I have done with both parts of the Text and with the whole Verse it self SERMON XXXV Esaiah 9.14 Therefore the Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail branch and Rush in one day Though God considered in himself in his own Blessed Majesty be altogether absolute and unaccomptable and need to give no reason at all of any thing which is done by him his own Will being the best and highest Reason that can possibly be given Yet he is pleased out of his Grace and Goodness so far oftentimes to condescend to the Sons of men as to give them some account of those Actions which are done by him Especially which do any thing more than ordinarily concern themselves as to their suffering from him And this is that which we may observe him to do in this Scripture which we have now before us where intending a great desolution of this People which he had to deal withal the People of Israel and the sending of a sweeping Judgement amongst them He here gives them a reason of so much sharpness and severity to them as proceeding not so much from himself but rather from them not from himself so much as unmercifully disposed towards them or set against them But from themselves rather who had neglected his mercy and goodness to them IN the Text it self there are two General Parts considerable First The Ground or Occasion of the Judgment that 's in the Particle Therefore which relates to that which went before in the 13th Verse the Judgment it self that 's exprest in these words The Lord will cut off from Israel head and tail c. We begin with the First of these Parts viz. The Ground or Occasion of the Judgment in the particle Therefore Therefore Wherefore Why namely because this People did not turn unto him that had smitten them neither did seek the Lord of hosts as is exprest in the Verse immediately preceeding Therefore will the Lord do thus and thus with them where the Cause which is here exprest may be conceived to proceed in the way of a threefold Gradation First Of their simple Impiety Secondly Of their Additional Impenitency Thirdly Of their continued Obstinacy There was their Simple Impiety in provoking of God by their sin and miscarriage at first There was their additional Impenitency in that they did not turn from their sin to him that smote them There was their continued Obstinacy in that they would not in all this so much as seek to the Lord of hosts First Here was their Simple Impiety and sinning of theirs against God at first as a Ground and occasion of Gods Judgment to be inflicted upon them This was that which was in the bottom of it Israel had sinned and therefore now Israel was to be punished in reference to their sin This is that which is pertinently to be observed in all proceedings of this nature sin it is the meritorious cause of all punishment and that which lays a ground for it Where ever there is sin there will be Punishment sooner or later And where once there is Punishment there has been sin greater or smaller and so the Scripture still intimates and declares unto us as 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause many are weak c. There is always a cause and a particular cause of Judgment and his proceeding to Punishment Sin and Punishment they are relatives and have a mutual dependance upon each other And that especially in regard of the Justice which is in God He cannot indure to behold sin and iniquity and therefore must needs punish it and be avenged upon it The wages of sin is Death and God is a true Paymaster who will not withhold their wages from such Persons to whom it is due nor yet on the other side will he give such wages to such Persons to whom it is not due Therefore we should justifie God in all his dealings with us to this purpose when his hand does at any time lye more than ordinarily heavy upon us it is good for us to search our hearts and ways in this particular and to consider how it is with us Gods quarrel is not against our Persons but against our Sins and therefore let us reflect upon them and lay the cause where it is to be laid indeed Why doth a living man complain or man for the Punishment of his Sin Let us search and try our hearts and turn unto the Lord our God as the Prophet Jeremy advises Lam. 3.31 We should for the most part suspect our sins as the causes of any Judgment which is upon us And accordingly look to find out that particular sin which may have more especial influence hereupon But Secondly As here was their Simple Impiety so also their Additional Impenitency as a further Cause of this Judgment Those that sin perhaps at first and so throughly provoke God's anger against themselves yet by Repentance and turning from their sins may happily divert it and appease it But those People here in the Text they did not so they turned not to him that smote them And this made their Judgment to be so much the furer to them than otherwise it would have been Where men repent of sinning God repents of punishing and of that Evil which he thought to bring upon them as we may see in the Ninevites But where they do not he does not neither That Punishment which is slow of it self Impenitence hastens it
is not enough neither to purpose and resolve against Sin for time to come and to lay strong Engagements upon one's self no more to commit it This is another thing which some also will do and when they have done so satisfie themselves in it But it will not serve the turn Yea sometimes if there be nothing more done it does but so much the more entangle them because where there is the greater Restraint there is often times the greater Inclination and Desire after that which is evil And Sin from the Prohibition takes an occasion to be exceeding sinful Neither of these Particulars now mentioned come up to this Forsaking here required Not mere Confession of sin not mere Lamentation over it nor mere Purpose and Resolution against it What may some say then is that which reaches to it and wherein consists it We may reduce it to two Heads especially The one in regard of the Activity of Sin and the other in regard of the Affection The Forsaking of it it contains and comprehends each of these in it First The Practice or Activity of it To forsake Sin is no more to commit it or to be overtaken with it This is one thing which is pertinent hereunto and it is not compleatly performed without it Let men pretend to what they will otherwise yet if they return again to the Commission of their Sins they cannot be said properly to forsake them Forsaking is exclusive of the Acts of it But Secondly That is not all the abstaining from the outward Performances There is many an one who thus forsakes his sin because his sin forsakes him He wants it may be an occasion and opportunity as formerly he has had and therefore good cause he should leave it because he knows not how to commit it There are divers and sundry sins of this nature which men cannot always act though they would and have desire good enough towards them This seems now to be a forsaking but yet it comes short of it and is defective of that which is here required And therefore we must add hereunto a forsaking of it as to the Affection and Love of it Then a man truly forsakes his sin when his heart and spirit is set against it when he forbears it not only from the power of Restraining Grace but from the Principles of renewing Grace and the Work it self Denyal and Mortification wrought in his heart Then we forsake sin indeed when we loath it and hate it and detest it and are out of love with it As a man is said to forsake his Meat not when he cannot get it or come by it but when he has no Stomach to it So is a Man said also to forsake his Lust not when he has no opportunity but when he has an affection for it not when he does simply abstain from the Actual Commission of it but when he has an Habitual Enmity against it And which I must also add hereunto founded in the nature of sin it self and the iniquity of it For a man may sometimes dislike his sin so far forth as he has some dammage by it when as notwithstanding he has otherwise affection good enough for it He may be angry with his sin when he does not hate it But he forsakes it then when he hates it And when he hates it upon the Account of that intrinsecal evil which is in it That is the first Term which is here to be explained namely the word Forsaking The Second is the word Way which takes in Sin in the full Latitude and Extent of a Man's Life and Coversation It is not enough to Repentance or New Obedience for Men to reform in some Particulars either as to the abstaining from some few sins or to the performance of some few Duties but there must be a care of a man's whole Course In all a man's Stations and Relations and Capacities wherein he is considerable If in any of these he has been exorbitant he must forsake the Miscarriages of them Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments says David Psal 119.6 Ye shall have many People sometimes who are content it may be to forsake some sins but they desire to retain others or to reform in some part of their lives but in the rest to give themselves liberty This is not to forsake their Wicked Way which is of a more large and general Extent and Consideration and is diffusive through their whole life And so much may be spoken of the first Reference of this Act of Aversion namely as it respects and relates to a Man's Course Let the wicked forfake his ways The Second is as it reaches to a Man's Mind And the unrighteous man his thoughts That which is here translated Vnrighteous man is in the Hebrew Ishuven that is The Man of Iniquity a Title which belongs to Antichrist Who is accordingly so styled by the Apostle Paul The man of sin 2 Thes 2.3 Here in this present Text it seems to be little different from that which was mentioned before Rashang The Wicked Man unless we shall restrain the former to the Breach of the first Table and the later to the Breach of the Second But I rather incline to think them to be Synonymous and that they are both of the like Extent The Wicked Man and the Man of Iniquity Vnrighteous Man they are both one and the same for their signification That which is here required of them is as before to forsake their way so here now to forsake their Thoughts This is another thing pertinent to true Repentance yea indeed the very proper root and ground of it It is not enough for us to change our ways except also we change our hearts Nor to alter our Conversations unless withall we alter our Affections This is that which is here observable of us that Religion it reaches it self to the heart and inward man we are accountable to God even for our Thoughts which where they are evil are to be left by us And so the Scripture intimates to us in sundry places of it thus Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou maist be saved How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee So Peter to Simon Magus Thy heart is not right in this matter Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven unto thee Act. 8.20 21. And Jam. 2.4 Are ye not Partial in your selves and become Judges of Evil thoughts c. Now there 's a various account which may be given hereof unto us First Because the Law of God does reach and extend to our Thoughts for the ordering and regulating of them Our Obedience and Reformation must be sutable and agreeable to Gods Law Now this I say it reaches to these and is possible to be transgressed by them The very thought of Sin is Foolishness says Solomon Prov. 24.9 Not only the practise
behind us saying This is the way walk ye in it when we turn either to the right hand or to the left But now farther if we please we may take these words a little more at large as I in part hinted before When ye turn to the right hand or to the left not as touching it of two extreams but in reference to all the passages of our lives whatsoever they be When ye turn to the right hand or to the left that is whatsoever place ye are in whatever business ye are about whatever condition befalls you ye shall have the hints of the Word and Spirit of God assistant to you This is the promise which is made to the Saints and Servants of God And it is made not only here in this Text but also in divers other places besides as Psal 37.5 Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass So Prov. 3.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy pathes So again in Prov. 16.3 Commit thy Works unto the Lord and thy Thoughts shall be Established This Disposition in God towards his People is founded on his Affection to them He loves them and therefore he Counsels them and cannot abide to see them miscarry Love it is full of direction of the party which it is placed upon and will not suffer him to go out of his way And so it is with God to us This is a great Comfort and Incouragement to us and should quicken us especially in his service wherein especially we are sure to have him to guide us and go before us and be assistant unto us And that in the darkness of this World wherein we walk If a man have a bad way yet if he have a good guide it is some Comfort to him This is the Lord to his Servants He teaches them to go taking them by the hand as it in Hos 11.3 Oh how much should we be affected herewith Especially in this Age and Time wherin we live In which we have so many Labarynths and uncertainties that a great many do not know what to do nor what way to betake themselves to We have so many humours and conceits amongst us that we know not almost what to believe nor what to practise It is the case and condition of many people that they are at a nonplus and almost at their wits ends in this particular Well in all these uncertainties and distractions Here 's the Comfort and Incouragement of Gods servants which do not provoke him to do otherwise with them from some default or miscarriage in them in which case it may be suspended to them That they shall hear a word behind them saying this is the way walk in it when they turn c. But here it may partinently be demanded How this word shall be discerned and known because there 's a great deal of deceit and mistake in the particulars many taking that to be the word and spirit of God which is no more but their own foolish fancy and the suggestions and intimation of the Devil joyning with their own corrupt hearts It is the condition of many people now in these present days and never more than now it is For this There are divers Touchstones and discoveries of it which we will briefly instance in First Let this within thee be regulated by the word without thee And the motions and suggestions of the Spirit examined by the Rule of the Scripture and the written word of God to the Law and the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 God never speaks in the Conscience contrary to what he speaks in the Scripture for he is unchangeable and cannot deny himself If therefore we have any motions in us which are cross and opposite hereunto we have very greet cause to suspect them as coming to us from another hand yea to abandon them and to bid defiance to them For which as the Wind does not sit at the same time in two contrary corners North and South so neither does the Spirit breath in two contrary motions Good and Evil. The motions of the spirit are always suitable and agreeable to it self Secondly They are also orderly and regular They keep men within the compass of their Callings and the spheres and the place which God has set them in Motions either from mens own Spirits or the spirit of Satan acting in them they are many times out of course they carry them above their line and make them to stretch themselves beyond their measure as the Apostle speaks But those which come from God and the suggestions and inclinations of his spirit they confine them and keep them within bounds They order them and frame them and keep them within bounds suitable to their several stations and Relations and Conditions and Circumstances in the world which they have regard and heed unto So likewise which we may refer hereunto they are agreeable also to the law of Nature and Civility and ingenuity in us Therefore such motions as cross these they are not such as come from Gods spirit but from the spirit of the Devil when any are carried to such acts as are against Civility and common modesty it self Thirdly They are also mild and gentle and seasonable They are not ordinarily violent raptures but such as leave a man in a right apprehension of what he does and reflexion upon it A man knows where he is and what he does while he is followed with them which in the motions of Satan is otherwise Fourthly They are discernable also from their Effects and the ends which they tend unto all the hints and motions of Gods spirit they still tend to make us better and to carry us nearer to himself one way or other they serve to promote Piety and Holiness in us and to better us especially and above all in our Inward man whereas those which are contrary and do serve to weaken Grace in us they have another spring for them Lastly In all these Cases the Spirit commonly brings his own Conviction and Evidence with him And as he says This is the way walk ye in it so he does likewise manifest that it is he that says it from whence the Soul of a Christian may be assured that he is not mistaken or deluded in it Look as those which had the Spirit of Prophesy they did by the same light know both the truth of the things themselves which they prophesied about as also that it was from God that message which they delivered even so is it with those also still which have any motions of the Spirit of God in them they do at one and the same time know both the things themselves which they are moved unto as also the Authour and Original of them But so much for that In these hints and suggestions of the Spirit this voice behinde us may be discovered by
us Now to shut up all with a word of use and Application and so to Conclude We have heard out of the words of the Text three things that there is such a Monotor as this is A word behind us the Effect and matter of the Admonition This is the way c. and the occasion of it When we turn to c. Now what remains to ourselves to be done by us upon these considerations two things especially This observation is to be improved by us two manner of ways First In a way of Thankfulness And Secondly In a way of Obedience In a way of Thankfulness First we are to bless God that he is pleased thus Graciously to provide for us not only to instruct us by his word and his voice sounding in out Ears in the ministerial Dispensations but also to admonish us by his Spirit and the Holy Ghost moving in our Hearts in our Christian Conversation This is a matter of great Thankfulness and Acknowledgment to us A faithful Monitor is a very great advantage it is so betwixt man and man betwixt one friend and another to have one to tell them when they do amiss and to reform them in it or to direct them where they are at a loss and to instruct them about it This is that which God Himself does for his people as we have heard all this while out of the Text which is matter and occasion of great thankfulness and acknowledgment to them which their hearts should be very much taken and affected with all It is a mercy and favour that God will afford these helps unto us Secondly We are to improve it by Obedience and closing with it seeing we have this word speaking to us let us not stop our Ears against it take heed of that do not neglect the whispers of the Spirit and of the word of God set home upon thy heart How many are there in the world which have such things as these are daily and continually sounding in their Ears in case of Omission and neglect of Duty This is the way walk ye in it These things they are to be done and perform'd by you it is not safe for you to let them alone Again in case of committing of Evil and wayes of Extravagancy this is out of the way do not walk in it ye are out of your place of your Calling of your Duty which is to be done by you Nay ye walk opposite and contrary to it How many are there in the World which in their lewd and ungodly Courses of Drunkeness Filthiness Uncleanness evil Company Consuming and such practises as these have many a sad check upon their Consciences restraining of them and a voice behind them pulling them back now let all these consider how far they hearken and give ear unto it It is a dangerous thing to stifle the motions of Gods spirit or to stop their Ear against the voice of his word No but there should be a present closeing and compliance with it As young Samuel when God call'd him speak Lord thy servant heareth so should we do in these cases we should receive and entertain his motions and turn those motions into purposes and those purposes into practises in our selves we should never suffer such good hints as these are to die in us Especially considering this for our Incouragement that as Gods motions follows his Instructions so his Assistance always follows his motions in the tenders of it Look as he never shewes us the way but he does also move us to walk in it that our practises may be answerable to our knowledg so likewise he never moves us to walk in any way which he shews us but he does likewise offer us at the same time some kind of help to walk in it Therefore now not to close with him is not onely to refuse his Counsell but likewise consequently to reject his Assistance more or less which he does exhibit to us whereby we offer a double injury to the Spirit of Grace And here further let us consider the danger and hazard of such a course as this is which is manifold and various First Gods future silence where he is not regarded he will speak no more especially having spoken to us very often for some time already past and let us think with our selves what it is to be deprived of such a Blessed motion as this is But Secondly That 's not all thare's a suffering of another voice to speak in us and if we look not to it to prevail upon us they that hearken not to the voice of God in them they are many times given up to Satan and their own Corruptions to work upon them to rule and bear sway in them This is plain by that of the Prophet David speaking in the Name of God concerning Israel My people would not hearken to my Counsell and Israel would have none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own Imaginations Prov. 1.30.31 SERMON XL. Esay 40.31 Butthey that wait upon the Lordsh all renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint As God is a God of strength so there is nothing wherein he does appear more to be so than in the Dispensations of Himself to his people to whom he does in part Communicate of that strength which is in himself for their greater Supportment and Incouragement in the worst Conditions that may happen unto them He delights to manifest his power in their weakness and to shew his strength in their Infirmity as he sometimes elsewhere expresses it As he himself faints not neither is weary so he gives power to them that are faint and to them that have no might he increases strength as it is in 28. and 29. verses of this Chapter Yet still he does it so as may be with the greatest furtherance and advantage to themselves As it was in the Miracle of Canaan The wine which Christ produced it was the best wine of all and better then all other before it so is it indeed in every thing else which God does and amongst the rest in this particular the strength which he does vouchsafe to his Servants It is better and surer and firmer then any other strength besides That strength which comes from God directly and in the way of the new Covenant in Christ it is far surpassing and transcendant to any Natural or Corporal strength whatsoever which is that which the Holy Ghost does here signifie and Illustrate by an Elegant opposition in this Scripture which I have now read unto you Even the Youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall those which have either the advantage of Age or Exercise or Bodily temper and Constitution But they that waite upon thee c. IN the whole Verse before us we have two General Parts considerable First A Proposition
Christian to grow weak and so to continue to fall from his former strength and not to return to it again which is the condition of many in the world we for our parts should indeavour to be otherwise where we observe any decayes of spiritual strength in us there as soon as we can to renew it This it will neerly concern us to do upon these considerations First In point of Honour and that especially with God himself Spiritual weakness it is a disparagement especially if ye take it in the relapse and after some former degrees of strength It is no disgrace for a man to have a weak body That has no moral evil or inconvenience in it but to have a weak soul is very disgraceful For one that heretofore has been strong in spirit and in his inward man now to decline and grow weaker and continue so it is very dishonourable The excellency of dignity and the Excellency of strength they go both together and he that falls from the one he does with Reuben fall also from the other whiles he becomes as weak as water he shall not excell Gen. 49.2 Secondly As it concerns us in point of honour so likewise in point of Ease a weak Christian is so far forth a burden to himself as meeting with many difficulties which he cannot grapple withall but prove to hard for him There are many occurrences in a Christians life which do necessarily call for spiritual strength in him to the management of them which if he has not he will be sure to lye under them and to be overcome by them There are many Temptations to resist and many Afflictions to indure and many duties to perform All which are not done without strength nor without strength in some degree of it neither at least not done strongly and as they ought to be done by us weakness it will work like it self where the faculty is but indifferent the operations will be answerable thereunto it is so as in naturals so in spirituals Thirdly In point of safety there 's anothers consideration in that Those which are but spiritually weak they are exposed to sundry dangers to staggerings and fallings especially from the spiritual enemy who is still sure to apply himself to the weakest and to none more then to such as are so from any Apostasie or Declining where he can find an advantage against us here he will be sure to follow it and improve it to the utmost and that also to a further weakning of us still Besides that then we are under greater hazzards from God himself where we are weak with a weakness of imperfection weak in grace as children are weak there the Lord pitties and helps us He knows our frame and he considers what we are He relieves our infirmities for us But where we are weak with a weakness of Relapse through carelesness and neglect of our selves there the Lord doth oftentimes punish us and corrects us as being angry with us In regard therefore of the dangers which we stand in towards God it concerns us to renew our strength upon any seeming decay Lastly In point of comfort also it concerns us also for this A weak Christian will be an uncomfortable Christian he will not have so much liveliness and refreshment in his own spirit Because that Grace will not reflect with so much evidence upon him A man that hath but Grace in a weak measure though he has true Grace in him as well as he which has stronger yet he will not be able so easily to discerne it and consequently will not reap so much comfort and sweetness from it as otherwise he would Those that are but weak Christians and are content so to be it will be a very hard matter for them to discern and apprehend whether they be Christians or no and so they will be ready to go drooping and mourning all their lives long from this distemper All these things laid together should accordingly serve to work upon us and to perswade us to this duty in hand of recovering our strength there where 't is decayed in spiritual matters we see how it is with men in other matters in matters of the world If it be as to their outward man where they observe any decayes in themselves do all they can to repair them If it be in their Estates to make up their weakness there If it be in their bodies to heal their weaknesses there Men can no sooner find themselves weak and consuming in these particulars but they will use all the means possible that they can for their recovery in such conditions And why then should we not be as carefull and dilligent for our weak souls which do a great deal more nearly concern us and lye upon us then the other does Certainly it proceeds from that Atheism and Infidelity which is in our hearts and unsensibleness of these particulars But so much of the first explication Christians they are to renew their strength that is to repair it by way of recovery where it is impaired But Secondly That 's not all They are to do it also by way of increase and addition to it there where it is continued A Christian is not to content himself with any measure of strength which he has received but to labor still for more The more strength so much the better is it with us And therefore we should be carefull to improve it more and more yea we will do so if we be so as we should be as we shall now see in the point that follows So much for the Particular viz. A Christians Duty They shall renew their strength that is they ought to do it It is that which they are Commanded The Second is their Disposition They that wait upon the Lord they will renew their strength that is they will be ready and carefull so to do This is the temper of a good Christian to grow every day stronger and stronger Thus we have it in the words of Solomon Prov. 24.5 A wise man is strong yea a man of knowledge increaseth in strength There ye have it in the Proposition ye may take it likewise in the example for which we can have no better an instance than the Apostle Paul and such as he was 2 Cor. 4.16 For the which cause we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward is renewed day by day Mark It is renewed and he says it is dayly renewed he gathers every day some strength or other A good Christian has still so much good Husbandry with him as repar are deper ditum to supply that which is lost Now as every day if we be not carefull we are apt to loose some strength or other according to the variety of occasions which are offered unto us in the world so if we do indeed mind our selves we will be diligent also to repair it and make it up We may therefore from hence now take some kind of account of our selves
grow so much the more dry and withered and heartless and sapless to them And the Ground of it is this because they have now so much the less communion with God in them As all the grace which is in us it comes from God at first so it is increased and furthered in us according to our larger and fuller applications of our selves to him and converse and fellowship with him This now because it is intermitted in slight and superficial services wherein God and men are but as strangers one to another hence it is that the strength and power of goodness and Religion is much weakened in them so that of such we may say Strangers have devoured their strength Again as it holds in Matter of Worship so it holds likewise in Point of Doctrine also Here strangers do devour mens strength not only strange Affections but also strange Opinions these will ear out also the pith of Religion in those that look no better to them especially such as they may be for the nature of them namely as such as do entrench upon the very foundation of Religion it self which do strike at the Principles of Christianity and the experiences of Christians themselves as to the work of Grace in the heart A man cannot easily comply with any of these in the smallest degree but so far forth he will have much of his spiritual strength diminisht in him It is true I do not deny but that as God sometimes may suffer a Christian for reasons best known to himself to fall into a sin of practice and that also scandalous and notorious of very high and hainous aggravation so he may likewise for the same reason also suffer him to fall into an Errour of Judgment and that perhaps also fundamental yea and suffer him for some space of time to abide and continue in it But then there 's this observable with it that all this while his strength is much devoured Grace it is at a very low ebb and fall with him yea the next step to none at all as Sampson when his locks were cut A man cannot be a vigorous Christian and an Erroneous both at once For as the practice of Godliness will much keep out the spirit of giddiness so strangers of opinion will much devour the strength of Grace And so much for that first reference Strangers have devoured his strength that is strange Gods his strength of Religion Yea Secondly Strangers have devoured his strength i. e. strange women his strength of Nature And if ye will his strength of Grace too for we may take it of both Though to make it a distinct head I choose to insist rather upon the former which I will in the first place speak now unto These two they are very well joyn'd and put togther Idolatry and Adultery spiritual whoredom and corporal strange Gods and strange Flesh They are both of them strangers though they are not strangers one to another but do easily close and conspire in the persons which are guilty of either Now this is that which we here take notice of as that which this people of Israel as with the other were charged withal that they were separated with whores and sacrificed with their harlots as it is in Hos 4.14 That was their sin this before us now is their punishment and the ill consequent attendant upon it Their strength devoured And this is that which we may observe as the lot belonging to such persons as those are Though I shall not insist long upon it because I hope I have not need much to do it here in this place yet we may by the way touch upon it and it is that which is suitable to other Scriptures besides As in Prov. 5.10 11. Speaking there of avoiding of the company of strange women Solomon gives this caution about it Lest strangers be filled with thy strength and thy labour be in the house of a stranger And thou mourn at the lasâ when thy flesh and blood are consumed So Prov. 7.23 Speaking there of one that follows after harlots Till a dart strike through his liver as a bird that hasteneth to the snare not knowing that it is for his life Again Prov. 31.3 Give not thy strength to women nor thy ways to that which destroys Kings In all which places we see how strange women devour the strength And so as the strength of Nature so the strength of Grace and Piety too As we see in Solomon with his strange wives not only strange as such as were idolatrous but strange also as such as were adulterous It is said they turn'd away his heart from God and so they did And so likewise they will do with any other besides Such couuses as these are they are not consistent with a religious breast neither do they shew any work of Grace in them which are conversant about them Drunkenness and uncleanness they have a special mark set upon them to this purpose there in that place Hos 4.11 Whoredom and Wine and new Wine they take away the heart i.e. from God and that which savours of him But so much also for that reference Strangers have devoured his strength that is strange women the strength of Nature and of Grace c. Thirdly Strangers have devoured his strength that is strange enemies his temporal subsistence And this now not excluding the other seems to be that which is chiefly intended here in this place and so not so much the sin as rather the punishment of Ephraim though also occasioned from sin in him Where we shall now fall in more fully with the threefold Emphasis which I before named though but mentioned to you In the thing taken from them the persons by whom and the manner how there are all these three in it Their strength and their strength devoured and their strength devoured by strangers First Their strength We must here enquire what is meant by this which will easily appear unto us if we shall but consider what it is wherein the strength of any Nation does consist look whatever that is in the full latitude and compass of it the same is here meant by this expression in the strength of Ephraim And God does signify thus much to us that upon their rebellion they have been deprived of it When any Nation or People shall provoke God by their sins against him he will then take away their strength from them whatsoever it be First their strength of Persons That 's one strength of a Nation which does very much subsist by such and such men as are in it These are the Props and Pillars of it the foundation upon which it rests I bear up the pillars of it says David Psal 75.3 And that especially to explain it to you in a threefold qualification First of Fortitude Secondly of Counsel Thirdly of Piety The mighty man and the man of War Strong and valiant men wise and prudent men the Ancient and the Counsellor gracious and spiritual men
in this Scripture And there are divers grounds of this also as well as of the other First a piece of spiritual laziness and sluggishness which is in them There is a mollities and softness upon some spirits which makes them impatient of resistance and fighting against sin who rather than they will endure the conslicts and combats of it do rather yield the cause they find temptations so strong and violent and frequent upon them and their corruptions so fiercely to beset them that they think they had as good now give up and so they do Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving against sin says the Apostle in Heb. 12.4 Nay they give themselves over to lasciviousness to commit all uncleanness with greediness Ephes 4.19 Secondly Men come to despair of conquering their lusts and corruptions from Infidelity which prevails in them because they believe not those blessed and gracious promises which God has made to this purpose This is that which sometimes even the servants of God themselves are too much guilty of who are ready to conclude in this case that they shall one day perish by the hand of Saul not considering what God has promised for their encouragement that he will subdue their iniquities for them and that he will put his Spirit within them and that he will cause them to walk in his statutes c. This Infidelity it breeds Despair and the want of Faith it is the cause of the want of Hope with it therefore there is so little of the one because there is so little or none of the other there is a questioning of God in his Promises Thirdly Carnal confidence and reliance upon mens own strength By his own strength shall no man prevail 1 Sam. 2.9 those that think to do so may be disappointed and so they will be Now this is that which most men do and are thereby at last driven to despair Men go about the conquering of their lusts by their own strength and neglect Christ and so it is no wonder if they be at last out of hope Alas what hope is there in our selves I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me that was the conclusion of the Apostle and so it must be of every one of us we must use our own endeavours and do all we can for the resisting of sin in us but in them all depend still upon Christ and fetch strength from him which not doing we shall quickly be out of heart It is not the strength of Natural Reason it is not the peremptoriness of Vows and Resolutions it is not fear or poenal restraints which will be able to mortifie sin though there be also use of these but the grace and power of Christ My grace is sufficient for thee as the Lord said to Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 Fourthly Another thing which makes men to despair of being better and of getting victory over their temptations is because indeed they have false hearts and have no good mind to the thing it self Those who are resolved are courageous and where they have a mind any thing should be done they do not question the doing of it But it is otherwise here with men in this particular there is no hope they should be better because indeed they are well contented with their present naughtiness that they are so bad as they are as it was here with these people before us in this present Text. The use which we our selves are to make of this Observation is as much as may be to free our selves from this miscarriage and to prevent this distemper i us Let us take heed of giving so much advantage either to Satan or to our own evil hearts as to lie under the power of our corruptions and to yield our selves up unto them Oh by all means take heed of that take heed of base despair and infidelity and hardness of heart to say ye shall never be able to overcome such and such sins It is that sluggishness and softness and falsness which makes you to say so because ye are indeed willing to be overcome by them As there is no evil whatsoever which is above the Bloud of Christ as to matter of pardon and remission of it so there is no defilement whatsoever which is above the Spirit of Christ as to matter of power and Dominion over it There is enough in the grace of Christ to mollifie the stoutest heart and to purge away the greatest corruption and therefore make use of that upon all occasions First labour to be in Christ and to be at first incorporated into him by a Faith of Vnion And then be daily fetching strength from Christ for the subduing of corruptions in thee by a Faith of Communion But to despair and to cast off all hope it is to betray thy Soul into the hands of Satan himself and to shut thy self out of Heaven it self in the conclusion of all What was that which lost the Israelites their earthly Canaan a great many of them Why it was their Despair and Infidelity they were afraid of the Sons of Anak those mighty Gtants which were in the Land and whom they thought they should never be able to conquer Numb 13.33 and they doubted of the power of God for them It is said They could not enter in because of unbelief Heb. 3. And so it is that which will hazard the loss of the Heavenly Canaan too if we look not to it for which cause we should beware of it And that 's the first reference of this expression here in the Text namely to the People themselves There is no hope in regard of us that we for our parts should ever be better or get the victory over our present corruptions The second is in reference to the Prophet Jeremy There is no hope namely of Thee that thou shouldst ever be able to do any good upon us by all thy arguings and reasonings with us or preaching or discoursing to us thou dost but spend thy labour to no purpose for we are resolved and determined in this business what to do This is agreeable to some other Translations of the Text. The Septuagint reads it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã We 'll play the men the Arabick and Syriack Let us take heart and courage to our selves namely as these who will not be beaten off from our own devices This is another description of the temper of evil and sinful persons to labour to discourage even the endeavours of the Ministery amongst them if it will be discouraged by them that those who should heal and recover them may have no hope of them Of this we shall find an express instance in another place of this Prophecy in Jer. 44.16 Then all the men c. answered Jeremiah faying As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee There they tell him as much to his face The People that Ezekiel had to do withall they
are said to be briars and thorns and a rebellious house Ezek. 3.6 Briars and thorns there is no touching or handling of them And so were they in cap. 33.32 They come unto thee as the people cometh c. and they hear thy words but do them not There are divers Fortifications to this purpose which men raise to themselves to hold out against the workings of the Ministery that it shall have no force or efficacy upon them First Pride and Self-conceitedness that 's a great hinderance and impediment thereunto Jer. 44.2 Then spake Azariah c. and all the proud men saying to Jeremiah Thou speakest falsly Pride it is a great obstruction to effectual working upon the heart therefore St. James advises that wereceive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save our souls in Jam. 1.21 And the Promise of instruction is made to meek persons especially in Psal 25.9 The meek he will guide in judgment and the meek he will teach his way Secondly Another Fortification is Carnal confidence Men by cavillings and wranglings against the Word and the Ministery of it think thereby to make it void The preaching of the Gospel it is foolishness to men of the world and they think themselves too witty for it In Acts 13.45 They spake against the things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming The Ministry it is to deal with strong-holds and imaginations or reasonings as the word properly signifies in 2 Cor. 10.5 Thus in the learned Greeks Thirdly Prosperity and outward Welfare and security from thence that 's another encouragement Thus it was with them there in that place Jer. 44.17 18. What was that which encouraged them in their opposition against the word which was preached unto them and the going on in their sinful courses Why then say they we had plenty of victuals and were well and saw no evil But since we left off c. we have wanted c. When men shall thrive for the present in evil courses and ways it is a very great encouragement to them in them and does fortify them against all those which shall go about to take them off from them The consideration of this Point may serve to give us a very good account of the little good which is many times done in the Ministry as to the success of it It is because that people are so much hardened against it so that let the Prophets say what they please yet they are resolv'd to do what they list and do as good as tell them that they are not likely to prevail any thing with them as indeed they are not But yet this for all that ought not to take them off from their work though these would discourage them yet they are not to be discouraged by them but to do their best notwithstanding to win them and work them and bring them home to God because the work is not theirs but his who is able to conquer and subdue the stoutest heart and to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will hear or whether they will not hear Ezek. 3.7 In the mean time we may take notice of the desperateness of such a condition Those Patients that are resolved with themselves against all means and helps of recovery are most irrecoverable of any other And such kind of persons are these And so much also of the second reference of this expression There is no hope as it may be carried to the Prophet Jeremiah no hope in regard of thee The Third is in reference to God himself There is no hope i. e. there is no likelihood that if we should turn and amend our ways yet that God would be merciful to us and divert his wrath from us This is another sense of this expression And it does serve to discover to us another piece of sad distemper which is in wicked men even absolutely to despair of the mercy and goodness of God upon the conditions of repentance and so consequently to conclude that it is in vain to return unto him and to make their ways and their doings good as he had advised them and invited them to do in the verse before the Text. Thus it was with wicked Cain My iniquity is greater than that it may be forgiven Gen. 4.13 And so many others besides They despair of the Grace of God in Christ and call it into question This they come to do thus partly First from the suggestions and temptations of Satan who does intimate as much unto them The Devil knows that if he can work men once to this he shall sufficiently prevail with them for if all endeavours to the contrary be vain and to no purpose then they had as good still follow their lusts This is that which he makes them to believe and thereby does most effectually work upon them Secondly it proceeds also partly from the infidelity which is in their hearts A naughty and corrupt heart as it abounds with many other lusts and corruptions besides so amongst the rest with unbelief and a doubting of the truth of God revealed and made known in his word It hearkens herein to Satan rather than to God as it did at first in the first temptation Thirdly for a measuring of God by themselves Despair it is a fruit of carnal reason and proceeds from that And therefore God to cure it does call men to right reason and the actings of that Isa 1.18 Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Though they be red like crimson they shall be as wooll If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the Land And again Isa 55.7 8 c. Let the wicked forsake his way and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him c. For my thoughts are not your thoughts nor my ways c. That which we learn from hence our selves is to beware of such a frame of spirit as this is which is most dangerous and pernicious of all other as that which is both most against our selves and against God likewise and so must needs be very bad and to be avoided First against our selves in two things both in point of Grace and of Comfort In point of Grace as it is most obstructive to that and does lay open the way to the greatest wickedness that can be thought of For whereas hope of avoiding punishment by keeping from evil courses is a great restraint upon man's spirit where this hope shall be taken off by despairing of the goodness of God there is a gap open to all licentiousness and profaneness as following and consequent thereupon Then in point of Comfort it is much against our selves there for those that despair of mercy can be filled with nothing else but horrour and astonishment of soul They must needs live
cannot do they cannot do good Take a man that lives in a vile and sinful course and his heart is off from all good whatsoever he has no mind not list unto it cannot pray cannot read cannot hear cannot communicate cannot sanctifie a Sabbath cannot perform any duty of Piety or Religion which is required of him but is very backward and averse thereunto Or if it may be he may come off to the bare work and outward performance yet his heart is altogether flat and dead in it he has no life no spirit at all in him nor favour or spiritual rellish of that which he goes about but is as 't were out of his Element Nay further let it be one who has some beginnings of Grace in him and who is in some manner changed by the Spirit of God yet so far forth as he has any sin which is prevailing and domineering in him so far forth will his heart and Soul be much averse and indisposed to any goodness and he will find a great deal of difficulty in himself as to the managing of it Ye know how it was with David a man as I said before after Gods own heart whilst he lay still in those great sins whereof he was guilty how his heart was from hence out of frame and temper as to that which was good and therefore when he begins to recover and to come to himself he prays to God for a clean heart and a new spirit to be bestowed upon him and then he could teach transgressors the ways of God which before he could not do in that manner as he ought As Paul says of himself The good which he would do he could not do And as he tells the Galatians Ye cannot do the things that ye would that is indeed that ye ought This is the great thraldom and slavery which sin brings men into Men may do that which is good materially though evil but not good formally Secondly There is precipitancy to evil that 's another thing here considerable and is impli'd though it be not exprest as we may see if we make up the comparison in its full force for the strength of the sense runs thus As the Ethiopian cannot change his skin but as he is black so will he be black still and never but black And as the Leopard cannot alter his spots but as he is spotted so will he be spotted still and never be otherwise In like manner is the case with such a person as is accustomed to do evil so he does and so he will do continually and never give over A man that 's rooted and confirm'd in sin by daily and constant practise it is an hard matter ever to wean him or to pull him from it he has upon the point taken up his course which he will hold on and persist in to the end His heart is fully set in him to do evil as ye shall find that expression used by the Preacher Eccles 8.11 The ground of this prevalency of Custom is the fixedness and setledness of it it being as it were a second Nature which is sure and constant to its Principles Naturalia non mutantur Those things which are natural are unchangeable and this custom seems to be and therefore compared to those things which what they are they are by a Natural impression upon them as it is with the fore-mentioned resemblances which we spake of before Custom in sin it breeds an habit and that is such as it is not easily removed ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but is as radicated as Nature it self The use which we may make of all this to our selves is briefly this First take heed of any thing to do with sin at first What Solomon says of strife it holds good as to any other miscarriage The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water therefore leave off contention before it be medled with Prov. 17.14 The same we may say to this purpose concerning sin Principiâs obsta stop it in the very beginning and the first entrance upon it of all if we do not we know not where we shall make an end after we have begun but are in danger of proceeding from one degree of wickedness to another from lust to consent from consent to act from act to custom and from custom to hardness of heart which being brought to the perfection of it as the Great Transgression of all proves unpardonable It is a good and safe course for a Christian not to think slightly of any sin at all though never so little for lesser sins make way for greater and beginnings make way for proceedings in such persons as dare to venture upon them Take heed brethren says the Apostle lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin in Heb. 3.13 and it is good counsel for sin will harden where at any time our hearts are enclined and carried unto it yea and it will entice too and bring the sinner from snare to snare till it has quite undone him and overwhelm'd him in absolute destruction There are many people which are ready to think when they make bold with such and such evil practises as the occasions which tend unto them that they will certainly go no further Alas when they are once got into the briars they do not know how to get out or to expedite themselves but like those which run down the hill they are at the bottom before they are aware We see it again in the example of David who when he had once begun he had almost never done but was miserably perplexed Again secondly If any should perhaps by chance fall into sin at the first yet as near as they can let them not stay and abide in it still but hasten out of it as soon as may be Shall we continue in sin says the Apostle God forbid No but as those which are out of their way and perceive and know themselves to be so they get into it as soon as can be because every step which they take otherwise leads them so much the further from home than they were before Even so should it be here with us as to the ways of Godliness and Religion where we find our feet any thing to slip and turn away be careful presently to rectifie them and bring them into rights again Lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed Heb. 12.13 Again further thirdly Take heed of Relapses and falling back to sin again If sin be such a Tyrant as it is and especially a slave in sin let then those which are in any measure delivered and freed from the Tyranny of it take heed of coming within the compass and snares of it again For who being set at liberty from imprisonment or captivity or any great bondage would willingly return to it again and undergo the
done by a man 's own skill and power it is a work of Heaven Secondly Can he do it i. e. can he easily do it It is not done with a meer sleight or turn of the hand it is a work of difficulty Each of these limitations are implyed And First of the former He cannot do it that is he cannot do it of himself An unregenerate person or such an one as is accustomed to evil he cannot alter his own heart or course This is one thing here implyed as the same Prophet also else-where O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Jer. 10.23 We see here the impotency of nature and the inability of free-will to the doing of any thing which is good It is possible for the heart to be chang'd but this is not within its own power Therefore it is worth our observing that it is not said here Can the Ethiopian's skin be changed in a passive expression but can the Ethiopian change his skin in an active that is can he do it himself and by his own power No he cannot do it We are not able to think any thing of our selves our sufficiency is of God in 2 Cor. 3.5 And it is he which worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 We can no more alter our corrupted nature than we can our created no more make our selves of bad good than we can of men Angels We can no more convert our selves than we can create our selves give our selves a spiritual being than we can a natural nor raise our selves from the death of sin than we can from the death of the grave That 's the first limitation Secondly He cannot do it that is he cannot easily do it it is a business of some work and labour and which carries some difficulty in it the reclaiming of such an one which is used and accustomed to any sin yea and that even there where there is some work of Grace wrought in the heart and so some ability conferr'd and bestowed in order hereunto yet the thing is not so easily brought to pass Those that let themselves loose to any evil or vitious custom it costs them a great deal of pains with their hearts ere they recover and get up again Naturam expellas furca licet usque recurret Still there will somewhat arise and bubble up of the old corruption in them The ground of this difficulty if we would know it lies in this First because Satan will be very busy in the presenting of his temptations where he has a long time conquered and prevailed he will not easily there go over his hold but will keep his ground as long as he can and will not endure to be dispossest without a great deal of trouble Secondly Lust in the heart of man will also have its course and vent and being unhappily wrought into the soul will work forth and shew it self as there is any occasion for it so to do especially when the object is strong and enticing which is propounded unto it The flesh lusts against the spirit c. says the Apostle Gal. 5.17 Thirdly Grace is oftentimes asleep which should suppress and keep sin down and restrain it from breaking forth And when that is so sin and the flesh takes occasion to work in the room and place of it These are the reasons why sin where 't is rooted and habituated is not so easily removed And thus much of those Points and Doctrines which are mainly intended as the chief scope of the Text. Now besides these there are divers others which are collaterally observable from it and which do also implicitly lye in it As to instance in one or two of them First observe here thus much that it is not enough for us to abstain from evil but we must likewise do good This we may gather from the manner of the expression here before us According to the proper manner of speaking the words should have run thus How then can those which are accustomed to do evil cease to do evil but the Holy Ghost was not content with that to say no more but so and therefore he adds likewise further to do good why and upon what account namely that hence he might teach us what is required and expected from us This we shall find also in other Scriptures as Psal 34.14 Depart from evil and do good c. Isa 16.17 Cease to do evil learn to do well Rom. 12.9 Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good c. Still we are put upon this practice of vertue as well as upon the abstaining from vice and doing good as avoiding of evil Therefore this meets with your negative Christians which are always harping upon this that they are inoffensive and do no no hurt like the Pharisee there in the Gospel that he was not as other men no Extortioner no Thief no Adulterer nor even as the Publican Well but what are they in the mean time and what good do they do according to those abilities and opportunities which are afforded unto them This would be demanded of them as being that which God himself does look for That 's one thing which we may here observe by the way Again Secondly observe thus much That sins of commission they have sins of omission in them They that do that which they should not they neglect to do that which they should This is also in the Text for ye see here that they which are accustomed to do evil they are taken off from doing good the one it still follows upon the other and ye shall always observe it And that upon a threefold account which may be rendred as an occasion of it First they want the opportunity Secondly they lose the ability Thirdly they betray the assistance They want the opportunity First we may observe that Those which are much in sin they have little leisure to any thing else they are so addicted and given to their vile and vicious courses that they have no time for any thing besides they are so hot in the pursuit of their lusts that they cannot mind those things which are better and contrary to them Hence it is that evil men do so delay and put off their repentance or any other good work which is to be done by them Secondly They lose the ability If they had time and leisure for good yet they have little strength or power unto it which is eaten out by the strength and prevalency of lust and corruption in them as I in part intimated in a point before Every new sin as it encreases the habit of evil so it weakens the habit of good in us Thirdly They betray their assistance for God himself in such cases does withdraw his Grace from them which should be helpful to them in that which they undertake The Spirit of God being grieved by them
through their miscarriages it will likewise grieve them again by his own desertions Which made David so much to cry out as we find him to do there in the Psalm Cast me not away from thy presence and take not away thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51.11 The consideration of this should still make us so much the more wary and shy of sin and of doing any thing which is evil and unlawful forasmuch as it involves and contracts a double guilt with it not only that which is consequent and attendant upon the commission of sin but also upon the omission of duty As we must not only abstain from evil but we must also do good so as we desire to do good we must be careful to abstain from evil For these two they go together Sins of commission have sins of omission in them That 's a second observation Thirdly Observe also further this That no man can do any good till his nature be first changed and altered in him There must be a rectitude of principles before there can be a rectitude of actions we must be first of all good our selves before good can come from us This is also plainly in the Text for mark how the Prophet here sets it Can the Ethiopian change his skin c. then may ye also which are thus and thus do that which is good As who should say when those which are accustomed to the doing of evil are once changed and renewed in their natures then good may be done by them but because that is so difficult therefore this so contrary is impossible Accustomed and habituated sinners they cannot do good why because they abide still the same which they were before in their natural condition there 's no change or alteration at all which is wrougth in them And this is grounded upon that common rule and observation Orta attestantur principiis effectus non excedit virtutem suae causae No man gathers grapes of thorns or figs of thistles in the words of St. James or if ye will in the words of our Blessed Savious An evil tree bringeth not forth good fruit Whether ye take it for an evil man or an evil heart which is the condition of every one by nature Men are taught to do evil from their principles and the corruption of nature which is in them Look as created nature teaches the creatures such actions as are suitable to their particular kinds so corrupted nature teaches wicked men such actions as are suitable to their wicked condition We would wonder to see such wickedness as there is sometimes in the world and might ask who teaches it but that herein we have answer from corrupt nature it self this suggests such lewdness to them Whiles they sin against nature in the creation of it they sin from nature in the corruption of it Secondly By Doctrine Corrupt opinions cherish corrupt principles and improve them so much the more So the Apostle tells us that without Faith it is impossible to please God the work whereof does imply a change And therefore we should still look to this in all we do That our hearts be right in it and that whatever comes from us flow from a spirit and principle of Grace and regeneration in us which will make it to be of the true stamp and character indeed and also acceptable and well-pleasing to God who will still own his own work in us We should not satisfy our selves in the multitude of performances and the doing of such things which are only good in their own nature and for the matter and substance of the action but desire and endeavour that our own consciences may be upright and sincere that whatsoever we do we may do it in God's strength and likewise to his glory Otherwise they will find no acceptance or approbation with God at all but he will reject them and cast them away from him as things which he does abhor Thus we shall find him to do there in Isa 1.12 13. c. Bring no more oblations incense is an abomination unto me c. And so probably also here in this place It is likely these people in the Text that they did many good things for the matter of them and yet says the Lord here of them How can ye do any good These and the like observations may we gather from these words in general as they lye in themselves Now further We may likewise if we please look upon them reflexively and as coming from the Prophet himself And here there are these things in them which may be observed and taken notice of by us First The Prophet's confidence and assurance of that which he did deliver he speaks it with a great deal of boldness and freedom and certainty of mind in that which he speaks concerning the thraldom and captivity of accustomed sinners Therefore it seems to be a kind of challenging and triumphant expression Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard c Do ye think that to be possible did ye ever see that in all your lives can that enter into you to believe This is the force and emphasis of these expressions whereby he does as it were come upon his Hearers and surprize them before they are aware There 's somewhat more in these rhetorical interrogations than there is in bare and positive assertions to make the thing it self more effectual Secondly Here 's the Prophet's faithfulness in that he brings it home to their own particulars and expresses it as concerning themselves in the second person It is not how can they which are thus and thus but how can ye He lays it at their own doors and desires to make them sensible of it which were corrupted and polluted with it This is another thing which a Minister ought to do as he has ground and occasion for it that so his Doctrine and Reproof and Exhortation may have the more power and efficacy with it Thus does Jeremy here in this place Thirdly Here 's the Prophet's courage and undauntedness and impartiality that he speaks here absolutely and indefinitely to all which were sinners and guilty without exception As in the 18th verse before Say unto the King and the Queen humble your selves c. So also here Ye which are accustomed to do evil He spares not any whether great or small as he had no cause coming on God's errand In verse 15. Hear ye and give ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken c. And thus now also have ye the observations collaterally and reflexively arising from this Text which we have here undertaken and so likewise with the whole Text it self Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also which are c. SERMON XLVIII EZEK 21.2 3. Son of man set thy face toward Jerusalem and drop thy word toward the holy places and prophecy against the land of Israel And say to the land of Israel Thus saith the
in Martha was as a mis-apprehension of Christ so a misplacing of her own affections She look'd after that which was but trivial and nothing to speak of the providing of her fââst c. and neglected the main chance of all which was the word of Christ This is intimated in this expression Thou art careful and troubled about many things where that which expresses many things is in the Greek ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is ordinary and common and vulgar things ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã So if we please we may render it and very suitable to the scope of the place And here we learn thus much that it is a great fault in Christians and those who are professors of Religion to have their minds and thoughts taken up about slight and trivial matters Coloss 3. verse 2. Set your affection on things above and not on things on the earth And it is a character of evil persons that they are minding of earthly things Phil. 3.29 And Matth. 13.22 He is condemned in the thorny ground that the care of this World and the deceitfulness of riches choaked the word that it became unfruitful This minding of such things is very unfitting in these respects First In regard of the unsuitableness of these things to their minds they are things below a Christian's spirit It is true that so far forth as we are men and consist of slesh and blood as others do so far forth we have need of those things which do tend to the sustenance and preservation of this our natural life and so far forth they may also in good sort and in a degree be tended by us but take them simply in themselves and they are exceedingly inferior and below a Christian's spirit there 's no agreement or correspondency betwixt them Take an heart which is sanctified by Grace sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ has the Spirit of God dwelling in it and how far are these outward things inferior to it as much and a great deal more than the sports and pastimes of children are to the thoughts of grown and grave men Secondly Because they have better and other things to take their minds up If Christians had nothing else to think of they might be perhaps excused for being so busy and careful about these because the mind of man must have somewhat to exercise and employ it self in But now there are other matters of greater and higher consequence and of better concernment There 's God and Christ and Grace and Glory to be revealed There 's one thing which is necessary which makes these many things which are superfluous to be out of date This was the fault here of Martha in the Text that she was so taken up in these trifles when she had the word of Christ to be exercised in That 's another thing which makes them unfitting Thirdly Because they little conduce to that end to which themselves are appointed Every wise man has his eye still upon his end and that scope which he propounds to himself to have a care of that Now what are all these things to that any further than as so many encouragements to carry us chearfully through our way Our main end is a better life and to be fitted and prepared for that And therefore accordingly our thoughts and affections should be pitcht on such things as do most conduce hereunto other matters are little to the purpose and sometimes do very much lead another way Ye cannot serve two Masters God and Mammon both He that will love the one must forsake the other And we see here again in the Text that Martha whiles she looked after many things she was so much the more remiss about one and that which of all other could least and worst be neglected Thus we see upon what grounds it is blameable in Christians to be intent upon trivial things This therefore justly meets with the distemper of many Christians in this particular whose thoughts are too much taken up about the world and the things thereof It is true that God does both allow and command us a moderate regard of these things as we intimated before but that these should have our hearts and affections this is that which he takes very ill from us and it is justly taxable in us when-ever it is so that these poor and empty things should possess us and have the mastery of us that Martha a godly woman and one that profest Religion that she should now be thus taken up was very irregular And so is it also for any other Christians besides and a dishonour upon Christianity it self therefore it deserved a chiding and a very tart and sharp one too as here it found from Christ for there was more in these words than is exprest there 's an Emphasis in the very naming an recital of them which Christ contents himself here withal in his dealing with Martha He does not give her any harsh language and tell her she is thus and thus that she is a worldling or a muck-worm or so only names her sin to her which was enough to an ingenious spirit Thou art careful and troubled about many things And this indeed shewed the greatness and heinousness of the offence That 's a great miscarriage indeed which the naming of it is enough to reprove And so was this here in the Text. And that 's the Second the misplacing of her affections about many things c. The Third and last thing which Christ seems here to tax in Martha is her sollicitude and distraction of spirit and excess in this business Here were two faults involved in one and so we 'll take them together First here was her excess and superfluity in the word many things as it is a note of variety And Secondly here was her perplexity and distraction in the word troubled First Here was her excess and superfluity in the word many things as a note of variety Christ did not find fault with her hospitality but she was too curious and superfluous in it From whence we may note thus much That we may over-do there where it would be a fault not to do at all we may do more than we need to do and we may do more than we should do where we should sin except we did somewhat Yea further we are apt and prone hereunto take notice of that We are very ready and subject to over-shoot our selves in things lawful and necessary and to go beyond our bounds in them licitis perimus omnes we are all undone by lawful things as by apparel by meats and drinks by traffick and commerce those things which are indulged to us and which we cannot well be without yet we sin oftentimes in the enjoyment and use of them The ground hereof is First of all The general corruption of our nature which taints the best things in us To the pure all things are pure but to them which are defiled is nothing pure c. says the
ill-beseems a Christian more than any in what-ever business he undertakes and therefore should wrestle with it c. For this purpose it may be very pertinent to consider both the Causes and Remedies of this distemper and the one will very fitly and pertinently follow upon the other The Causes of it are partly these First sometimes a dependence too much upon outward means He which trusts to outward means will be distracted because these they oftentimes fail and give a man the slip There 's nothing does more perplex than frustration and disappointment and this he shall be sure to meet with who does rely upon the stay of the creature and outward things Secondly A limiting of God's providence to such a particular way This is another thing which causes distraction When we conclude that such and such things must be brought about after this manner and find it otherwise this will distract It is said of the Israelites that they limited the Holy One of Israel Psal 78.41 This is the fault of many others besides which in conclusion does much perplex them Thridly An over-prizing and over-valuing such a project and design Our distractions are often-times according to our estimations where we make too much of any thing it will be sure to trouble us when it falls contrary to us and we shall have so much the more trouble in disappointment as we promised our selves happiness in the enjoyment Lastly A special cause of distraction is a special sickness which is upon the soul in this regard weak things are apt to be unquiet and frowardness it causes trouble Now this is that which all men by nature have abiding in them a spirit of frowardness and discontent more or less except it be those whose Grace does qualify it and subdue it in them And thus much for the causes of distraction whereupon it is founded Now the remedies against distraction are likewise these First a commending of our selves and our ways to God by prayer Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God So 1 Pet. 5.7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you Cares which are divided are lessened as we see in friends one to another And so is it betwixt God and Believers they make themselves so much the less as they cast the more trouble upon him Secondly A consideration of our Call to such and such businesses and ways which we fall into It is a great quieting in business when we shall consider it is that which God himself calls unto for then we are most likely to meet with his assistance in it Thirdly A meditation on the promises which God has made in such and such conditions There 's no such cure of care as Faith and this it is founded upon the promise God has given us many comfortable intimations to encourage and hold up our spirits and to keep us from fainting And thus much of the Third thing here reprovable viz. Martha's distraction And so I have done with the First particular considerable in the Second General of the Text and that is Christ's Reprehension of Martha Martha Martha Thou are careful and troubled about many things The next is his instruction of her But one thing is needful But c. SERMON VII LUKE 10.42 But one thing is necessary or needful It is a very hard and difficult matter for us to do that which we should do And yet withal together with it not to do more than we should Such is the corruption cleaving to our natures as that the best performances that may be are very easily defiled in us And we have cause to be check'd and reprov'd at least for the circumstances of those actions for which we are ready to think that we deserve the greatest applause There could not be a more commendable business consider'd in its own nature than the courteous entertainment of Christ which Martha a gracious woman and one that was a friend of Christ did upon occasion with her Sister Mary vouchsafe unto him But yet she so handles the matter by her over-doing and sollicitude about it as that she receives a rebuke from him And he thinks it no incivility to be at once both a Guest and a Reprover Martha Martha Thou art careful and troubled about many things in the verse before the Text. But as those Reproofs are commonly best that have instruction going along with them The reproofs of instruction are the way of life Prov. 6.23 So it is that which we may here observe to be practised by our Blessed Saviour in his carriage to this holy woman He does so tell her of her infirmity as that withal he admonishes her of her duty and puts her in mind of that which was chiefly to be minded by her which he does here suggest unto her But one thing is needful c. THis Text which we have here before us in one distinct and entire Proposition which will need no division of it but is to be handled alone by it self It is in it self a compleat Doctrine and accordingly shall we now at this time with God's Assistance take notice of it Which that we may do it so much the better it is requisite that we should first of all explain it and discover the proper sense and meaning of it This depends upon one word and that is one thing What are we to understand by this Some would have it to be one dish as restraining Martha's excess in her entertainment of Christ at her Table and reducing her to some kind of moderation in that particular unum ferculum est necessarium But this though it hath some Philosophy and speciousness with it yet seems not to be altogether so probable nor that which is so much intended as may appear by that which follows afterwards in the same verse therefore I take it rather to be understood in a spiritual sense This one thing which our Saviour here means is Religion and the fear of God with all the appendices and appurtenances of it To glorify God in the working out of our own Salvation This is the one thing which is necessary And here there are two things further to be explain'd First how this is said to be one thing And Secondly how this alone is said to be necessary as if none were so but this First How it is said to be but one For if we speak of spiritual matters we know that there are divers and sundry things of this nature and they have their varieties in them There are the Graces of God and there are the Ordinances of God there 's the Spirit of God and there 's the Kingdom of God These they are not one but many in the kinds and in the operations of them To this we answer That these all they come to one and tend to one purpose in conclusion The Spirit of God in the use of the Ordinances working Grace in
even in the seed of the woman betwixt themselves And it is that which is to be bewailed when it is so as a fruit of the flesh The spirit that is in us lusts to envy but God giveth more Grace as the Apostle James tells us Jam. 4.5 6. Though it be common yet it is not to be allowed of but rather so much the more to be condemned and resisted and striven against It concerns Christians therefore to be more wary and watchful over themselves in this particular and jealous of their own hearts for it is a very great and sad evil and such as for which Martha was here justly though tacitly rebuked by Christ himself And that 's one thing here observable from the occasion Secondly We may observe somewhat here also from the carriage and practice of Christ who here takes the part of Mary who was censured and accused by her Sister Perhaps there might be somewhat that Mary was to blame in it is very likely she was not altogether excusable there might be a sault in her that we will not deny but suppose there were yet it was not so much as Martha made of it nor such as Christ would here take notice of being she was good and right for the main lest by this means he should have discouraged her in Religion and have check'd that good which was in her That which we learn from it is to take heed of disheartening and of discouraging Grace in any persons wheresoever we observe it but rather to use all means for the confirming of it all that we can This was the property still of our Blessed Saviour upon all occasions He would not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax as it is noted of him But where at any time he saw Grace in sincerity he was willing to pass by some weaknesses and infirmities in circumstantial matters and commend and encourage that good which he saw and observed He takes no notice of all that which her Sister Martha had aggravated against her but says that Mary hath chosen that good part c. Thus should we learn to do likewise in the like cases take notice of that which is good rather than of that which is evil where there is good mixt with the evil as Christ himself here did Thirdly Observe here further in general the different temper of these two Sisters in opposition one to the other Martha she chiefly minded and looked after her houshold affairs But Mary she sate at Christ's feet and heard his word Martha she was busy in the entertainment of the Person of Christ but Mary she was intent upon the entertainment of the Doctrine of Christ Martha she was diligent in her particular Calling but Mary she was zealous in her general So that whiles the one was the better Housewife yet the other was the better Christian at least did more express her Christianity at this time and upon this present occasion So that we see how hard and rare it is to excel in two things at once and to be eminent in a variety of Perfections Those that are noted for the one they are commonly more or less deficient and failing in the other Those that are much in the world they are for the most part more remiss in Religion And again those that are much in Religion they are not always so mindful of the world This is so far to be observ'd and taken notice of by us as to make us the more careful of our selves as there is occasion for it namely to give every work and business that portion of care which is due and proper unto it It 's easy for us to run into extremes and therefore we had need to be more watchful and industrious to keep the mean To give Religion what is due to that and again to give our particular Callings what is due to them likewise For there 's a miscarriage which may be on either hand and so often-times is Some they are so intent upon the outward exercises and performances of Religion as that occasionally from thence they neglect their particular employments They sit at the feet of Christ and hear his word but they neglect the care of their Families and their houshold-affairs This is a weakness in them and such as is to be avoided by them One duty does not cross another whiles we are commanded to hear the word we are commanded also to follow our Callings in the season of them And these two they may very well hold and consist together Again there are others which are so intent upon their Callings as that they have no leisure to look after their Souls nor Religion and the worship of God have no time to attend upon the Ordinances and the means of Grace which are afforded unto them This is a great miscarriage on the other side and the greatest of all and therefore chiefly to be shunned by us as of the saddest consequence with it And thus much of these Points which do arise out of the Text in general Now to come to the handling of the words more particularly and distinctly by themselves wherein there are two General Parts considerable of us First The Judgment of Christ which he past upon Mary's choice Mary hath chosen that good part Secondly The Illustration or Amplification of this choice in her which shall not be taken away from her First Here 's his Judgment it self which is in a way of praise and commendation Mary hath chosen that good part Christ commends Mary for her choice where there are divers things observable of us We 'll take them as they offer themselves to us to be handled by us First We learn from hence thus much That it is the commendation of a Christian to make choice of such ways as are best and most approvable to Christ If there be any way better than other in the course and tenour of his life to be sure to pitch and fasten upon that This was here the commendation of Mary she made a good choice for her self in that which was to be done by her which our Saviour commends in her So it was also the commendation of Joshua cap. 24. ver 15. Choose you this day whom ye will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. And so Moses to the Israelites See I have set before you this day life and good death and evil Deut. 30.15 And he wishes them to make choice of the best This is also commendable in every one else besides and that upon these following grounds First It is an argument of a good and sound judgment it is an argument of persons well grounded and principled in Religion and that know what belongs unto it Thus Psal 111.10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom A good understanding have all they that do his Commandments His praise endureth for ever Men would usually and for the most part be counted wise men and have
Shulamite return return there 's a doubling still of the word The Spirit of God he speaks quick and he speaks often again and again where he would prevent from danger Thus it teaches us accordingly to submit to such quick and close admonitions as these are as we have need of them There are many that do not love to be startled they would fain go to Hell quietly without any disturbance or interruption and therefore abhor all such persons as deal roundly and tartly with them and would awaken them out of their natural condition Oh but we see there is sometimes cause for such dealings and we should not think much of them whether from Ministers in the way of their publick Ministery or from private Christians in the way of Christian converse and private admonition not to be offended with their rouzings and excitements of us which the state in which we may be in and the danger which is neer upon us may call for to be used to us That 's one intimation in this doubled and repeated expression viz. The greatness of the danger The Second is the security of the person warned Peter was not more in danger than he was insensible of his danger He thought the case to be well enough with him as he expresses it afterwards in verse 33 of this chap. Lord I am ready to go with thee both into prison and unto death He thought himself a jolly man and that he could do very great matters till it came to the trial was well perswaded of his own strength and of his ability to resist temptations Now therefore does our Saviour here awaken him out of this secure temper and disposition by this manner of expressing himself unto him As danger calls for excitement so especially there where it hath security with it As the Angel to Lot and his company when they took them and pulled them out of Sodom because of their lingring in it Even so is there need to be done with some souls from that presumption and security that possesses them Thirdly The affection of the Monitor or Person that gives the warning that 's also in the doubling of the appellation It is a sign Christ's heart was much in it and that he bore a singular love and respect to Peter in that he does thus passionately admonish him Love is full of sollicitude and carefulness for the party beloved and can never express it self as it thinks sufficiently about it for the welfare of it And this is seen in nothing more than in spiritual things It is a singular token of affection to give warning of spiritual dangers and hazards to the soul and of temptations which it is exposed unto This is that which Christ does here in the Text to the Apostle Peter and which he does also to the rest of his Servants by his Spirit still in their hearts He does secretly forewarn them of those evils which are neer unto them if-so-be they will take warning by him and that also with much importunity and vehemency as that which concerns them So much for that and so also of the First General in the Text viz. The person warned the Apostle Peter in these words repeated and doubled Simon Simon The Second is the matter of the admonition or the warning it self Behold Satan To say nothing of the word of attention Behold which yet might be inlarged upon There are two particulars here further considerable First the persons aim'd at and that is you Secondly the design upon them Satan hath desired to have you and to sift or winnow you as wheat For the First The persons aim'd at they are here said to be you He spake before to Peter in the singular Simon Simon now it is you in the plural To signify thus much unto us that there 's the same condition of all Believers as of one That which befalls one Christian it is incident to all the rest They have all the same dngers which they are exposed unto and enemies which do endeavour against them though they may not always have the like opportunity for the expressing of their enmity against them one as another Peter and the rest all alike The reason of it is this Because they all consist of the same natures and are acted by the same principles they all have the reliques of the same original corruption as yet in part abiding in them and they have all the same Spirit and work of Grace acting in them And so as to temptations they are all one and the same for the danger which they are liable unto Therefore it should work all to an holy jealousie and suspition of themselves and tenderness to others when we see any poor soul at any time exercised with Satan's temptations and it may be sometimes foyl'd with them let us not think that his case is peculiar and that we for our parts shall do well enough No but rather be so much the more watchful over our own hearts Be not high-minded but fear for that which befalls others if thou look'st not to it may befall thee And so it should teach us also bowels and compassion towards others under temptations not to be harsh with them and rigorous towards them and censorious of them but to use all kind of gentleness and tenderness to them considering that the case might be our own if God should permit it Thus the Apostle Paul improves it in his exhortation given to the Galatians Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such an one with the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted Which rule if it were more observ'd there would be a great deal of more Christian affection in the world than commonly there is Men look upon the temptations of others as if themselves were altogether exempt and freed from them whereas if they were in the same circumstances they would bewray the same infirmities and weaknesses that others do afore them that so they may carry the greater bowels and pitty towards them As it is an argument to remembrance of others in bonds and adversty as being your selves in the body and so ready to be bound with them Heb. 13.3 So it is an argument for compassion towards others under temptations as being your selves liable and exposed to the same condition and apt and ready to be tempted with them And indeed this is the reason why God is pleased many times to exercise sundry persons in this kind and to expose them now and then to temptations that so from hence he may teach them to be less harsh and rigorous to others in such conditions which when themselves are free they are oftentimes subject unto that they may preserve in themselves a sweet and amiable ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and tenderness of spirit to the rest of their Brethren and that their moderation may be known to all men as the Apostle requires it should be Phil. 4.5 It is
compassionate to others in that condition Heb. 2.17 18. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people For in that himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Thirdly God suffers his servants to be tempted for the honour of his own Grace in supporting them and keeping them up and for the confusion likewise of the enemy in his attempts upon them Satan here desired to have Peter and the rest of the Disciples and he promised himself very great matters in the having of them thought he should surely conquer them and have them for his own now would Christ therefore suffer him to assault them that he might come off with the greater reproach that when he had done all he could against them he might see at last how little he could prevail upon them Thus ye see it was in the case of Job the Lord triumphs as it were over Satan in that attempt Hast thou consider'd my servant Job that there is none like him upon the earth a perfect and an upright man c. As if he had said thou hast endeavoured Satan to do all that thou could'st to undo him but yet for all that it will not do he has still the better of thee and for all that holds his integrity This reason which we now mention for this dealing is exprest in the case of Paul why the Lord did not take away his temptation but rather gave him Grace sufficient against it For my strength is made perfect in weakness And the Apostle himself also so improves it in the words that follow Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me 2 Cor. 12.9 Thus we see that there is cause why Christ should suffer his servants to be tempted as he did Peter c. The Use which we are to make of it is therefore to arm our selves against temptation as much as we can We should not promise our selves absolute freedom and immunity from it but be prepared for it We should as our Saviour elsewhere advises pray against it that we enter not into it but yet withal be provided against it and to this purpose get a stock of Grace that may then stand us in stead Let us not then have our Armour to get when our Enemy is coming upon us but be furnish'd afore-hand and remember that we trust not to any Grace which we have already received but be still labouring and striving for more We had need of more Grace for the saving of that Grace we have already and especially the Grace of watchfulness and circumspection and of an holy fear But so much of this Passage in the Negative what our Saviour here does not pray for It is not for the preventing of Temptation which he did suffer and permit to befall the Apostle Peter The Second is the Positive part of it in the words of the Text That thy Faith may not fail Which words may be again consider'd of us two manner of ways First Simply and absolutely as they lye in themselves and so they do signify to us the safety of Peter's condition Secondly Respectively and dependantly in their connexion with the words going before and so they do signify to us the cause of Peter's safety First To take them Absolutely as they lye in themselves and so they do signify to us the safety of Peter's condition and together with him of all other Believers Their Faith it shall not fail Those who are true Believers they shall never wholly depart from the Faith but shall abide and continue stedfast to the end For the better opening of this present Point unto us we must know that there is a double Faith and so consequently a double sort of Believers There is the Doctrine of Faith and there 's the Grace of Faith There 's Faith as it lyes in the understanding and is a belief of the Truths of the Gospel And there is Faith as it is rooted in the heart and is a receiving and embracing of Christ Now it is not the former but the latter which is here chiefly intended The Papists that they may from hence prove that their Church cannot err which they will never evince from this Text they carry this Faith altogether to a Faith of Doctrine and so would infer That Peter as the Head of the Church should be infallible But besides the silliness of the inference they are much mistaken in the ground and supposition For the Faith which our Saviour here speaks of it is a Faith of Principles a saving justifying renewing and regenerating Faith whereby we are united to Christ as Members of his Mystical Body This is that which our Saviour here prayed for Peter that it should not fail in him Indeed it has a truth likewise of the other so far forth as it is included those which are born again as they are acquainted with all necessary Truths which God's Spirit does lead them into so they are likewise by the same gracious Spirit preserved in it But that which is mainly here intended is that Faith which lays hold upon Christ which though not excluding the former is more especially the Faith of God's Elect Tit. 1.9 And so Faith may here be taken by a Synecdoche for the whole work of the new creature in us This it is such as shall not fail and so is intimated to us in this Scripture and so in other places besides As Psal 125.1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which cannot be moved but abideth for ever And Isa 6.13 He shall be like and Oak whose substance is in him whiles his leaves fall and the holy seed shall be the substance thereof c. This it may be made good unto us from sundry considerations First The nature of Grace it self which is an abiding Principle Faith is not a thing taken up as a man would take up some new fashion or custom but it is a thing rooted and incorporated in us and goes through the substance of us it spreads it self through the whole man and is as it were a new creature in us Therefore it is said of a regenerate person that he cannot commit sin namely the sin of Apostacy and that sin which is unto death because the seed of God remaineth in him 1 Joh. 3.9 Secondly The Covenant of Grace which is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will never turn from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me Therefore Faith shall not fail because God himself does not fail who hath put this Faith into the hearts of his servants Thirdly The Spirit of Grace which is not only a Worker but an
the state of a regenerate person which is here illustrated and set forth unto us by a lively comparison or similitude taken from the Winde And that in three Particulars which may serve to make up unto us the parts of this Text. First from the quality of its motion Secondly from the sensibleness of its effects And Thirdly from the intricacy and mysteriousness of its proceeding The quality of its motion that we have in these words The winde bloweth where it listeth The sensibleness of its effects that we have in these Thou hearest the sound thereof The intricacy or mysteriousness of its proceeding in these But knowest not c. We begin in order with the First of these Parts viz. The quality of the motion The winde bloweth where it listeth Some by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is here translated the winde understand the Spirit of God in the first sense and so render it But we are rather to take it in the analogy according to our own English Translation First the Winde and then the Spirit of God as compared and likened unto it Look as it happens in the blowings of the winde so it falls out in the breathings of the Spirit where whiles it is said that it bloweth where it listeth there are three things further implyed in it First the indefiniteness of it it is not limited Secondly the freeness of it it is not engaged Thirdly the efficacy or irresistibility of it it is not hindered First Whiles it is said of the winde that it bloweth where it listeth there is hereby signified to us the indefiniteness of it in its motions that it is not determined or limited in them no more it is not The Winde it blows where and when it pleases sometimes out of one corner of the world sometimes out of another Sometimes in the East and sometimes in the West and sometimes in the North and sometimes in the South There 's no certain place for the Winde which it is tied and restrained unto but it is indifferently inclinable unto any Sometimes it rises and sometimes again it lies still it is indefinite in all respects And as it is thus with the Winde so it is thus also with the Spirit of God which is thus far here compared unto it It is indefinite and undetermined in its Applications Thus it is in regard of Nations and thus it is in regard of Persons In regard of the means of Grace which it affords And in regard of its blessing of those means which are afforded Take it in regard of Nations And this winde of the Spirit it blows where it lists here as not limited to any particular either for place or time neither where nor how long it shall do so but all is still within the compass of his own will and good pleasure Thus in Acts 16.6 It is said of the Apostles that when they had gone through-out Phrygia and the region of Galatia they were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia And again in the seventh verse of the same Chapter After they were come to Mysia they assayed to go into Bythinia and the Spirit suffered them not to Preach in those places either by some express prohibition of them or by withholding of his assistance from them And that at such a time as when in other places they had more liberty and freedom The winde it serv'd them for one way when it did not serve them for another We may see this if we compare the Eastern Churches and Western together The time was when this Winde it blew more Easternly witness those famous Churches of Asia in the Apostle St. John's time which are made mention of in the Book of the Revelation they did for a time enjoy the Preaching of the Gospel in a plentiful and glorious manner whereas now they are altogether defaced and under the power of Mahometism and Turkish Tyranny Again on the other side the Winde is now come into the West and the Gospel is Preached in these parts which are more remote from the other Thus it is indifferent in regard of Nations sometimes vouchsafed to one people and sometimes vouchsafed to another though never so opposite And so as for Nations so for Persons it is unlimited here likewise God's Spirit is not always confined or determined to them He may deal with them at one time and at another time withdraw from them move in their hearts now and for hereafter be for ever silent to them and never more apply himself to them It is that which he often-times does and which many persons have the experience of in their own particulars who sometimes have gracious stirrings and excitements of them to good which at another time they may be deprived of and have no such thing in them The proper Use which we are to make of this Point is still to close with the present advantages and opportunities which are vouchsafed unto us and to take heed of the neglecting of them Be not high-minded but fear We should do in this case as it is with those who have some voyage by Sea who watch the winde when it makes for them and are careful to take hold on it so should we in this our passage to Heaven Let us not think to have the windes always at our command for we are mistaken if we think so The winde bloweth where it listeth as it is here exprest unto us And so does this winde of the Spirit and so there 's a variety and an uncertainty in it It is dangerous for any persons to neglect and especially to resist the secret and gracious motions of the Spirit whether as restraining and keeping from evils or provoking and exciting to good because it may so fall out as they may never meet with them again It is not as we list but as he lists remember that And therefore observe him and attend upon him and give heed and respect unto him all that may be It pleases God sometimes in his Providence to be more free in his dispensations than otherwise it may be occasionally from such a Sermon or such a Discourse or such a Conference more effectually to stir in the heart and to deal with such a particular person Now it is wisdom in such a case to follow it and to close with it and that upon this ground and consideration which we have now in hand as an argument and motive hereunto And that 's the first thing considerable in this motion of the winde and so consequently of the Spirit as to the quality of it Its indefiniteness that it is not limited The Second is its Freeness that it is not engaged The winde blows where it lists that is nothing moving it or enclining it thereunto but it s own proper nature and disposition And so is it also with the Spirit of God in the activity and operations thereof There 's a voluntariness and a spontaneity in it what he does in this respect he
does it freely and willingly and of his own accord without any thing in us either to move him or mind him of it or to perswade him and engage him to it There 's nothing so free as Grace in the Collations and Distributions of it It is bestowed without any worth or Dignity in us at all to Promerit it This may appear if we shall consider but the Persons upon whom it is bestowed who are often times such as have nothing in them tending hereunto whether we take it as to worldly qualifications or else to moral It is very free in either Consideration As to worldly Qualifications first of all the Aposte Paul has here informed us how that not many wise men after the Flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise c. And Secondly as for moral Qualifications God sometimes makes choice of such as are the greatest Sinners where he passes by some other Persons of greater Civility Matthew the Publican Mary Magdalen the Harlot Saul the Persecutor the Barbarian Jaylor That Gods Spirit should blow upon these whiles it blew over others which were better what does this speak unto us but that it bloweth there where it listeth Into what can we possibly resolve it but into the will and good pleasure of God! Look what St. Paul says sometimes of the common gifts the same may we say also of the sanctifying But all these worketh that one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 And again Vnto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gist of Christ Whatever Grace any man partakes of he has it purely from the Spirit of God who of his own accord bestows it upon them And therefore it is said in 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God All we have it is of free grace and it is freely given and conferred upon us The consideration of this point may be thus far useful to us First as it may teach us where to acknowledge all that we receive If any have more Grace than others let them see here how they came by it not by Merit but by Gift not by any thing as deserving it in themselves but from the goodness of the Spirit of Godas bestowing it upon them and therefore not to attribute it to themselves but to Him who is the Author and Giver of it as St. Paul himself gives us an example in 2 Cor. 15.10 By the Grace of God I am that I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me Secondly We have here an account of the difference and variety of Christians both from one another and from themselves we see why one Christian abounds in Grace more than another and we see also why the same Christian is better at one time than he is at another Both are from this ground in the Text because the Spirit bloweth there where it listeth And every one to this purpose should rest satisfied in this equal dispensation God may do with his own as he pleases and he pleases thus to do with it that so hereby he may shew his own liberty and freedom in this particular We are able to move no farther in good than the Spirit of God helps us so to do As ye know it was in the Vision in Ezekiel as the Spirit moved the living Creatures which were in the wheels so the wheels went when that went they went and when that stood still they stood still with it Ezek. 1.2 Even so is it here in these motions of the Soul we are so far forth more lively in regard either of Grace or Comfort as the Spirit of God is pleased to breathe and to infuse either of them into us And without Him we are able to do nothing as may be worth any thing to us Therefore thirdly Let us also make this use of it To be depending upon him for it If we cannot do any thing without his blowing and his blowing be onely there where he pleases we see what cause we have to keep in good terms with him and to do nothing which may be displeasing to him for if we lose his favour we lose his influence and his assistance which is the effect of it it is where he lists and onely there where he blows And therefore make much of him and wait upon him take heed of grieving so good and so gracious a Spirit as this is and besides who is so useful to us and necessary for us And further Fourthly let it teach us also tenderness and compassion towards others who it may be do not partake of so much grace or comfort as our selves For it is God and his Spirit who makes this difference betwixt us it is not we our selves Let us take heed of insulting too much over others weaknesses forasmuch as it is that Grace that distinguishes us and makes that difference that is betwixt us And that 's the second thing also in this motion its freeness that it is not engaged The third and last is its Efficacy or unresistableness that it is not nor cannot be hindred Whereever the Spirit of God will blow there is no standing out against it it blows where it lists that is it obtains whatsoever it endeavours Who hath resisted his will Surely none at all to any purpose Indeed corrupt Nature sometimes opposes the motions of Gods Spirit and that even Conversion in it self reluctates and strives against it but all in vain where he sets to the work Look as it is not in the power of a Child to hinder his own first birth even so it is not in the power of a sinner to hinder his own new birth where God undertakes and sets himself to it because his Spirit it does effect whatsoever he pleases Who hath gathered the wind in his fist as Agur makes the question in Prov. 30.4 Surely it is not Man but God Look as no man can hinder the wind or stop the blowings and motions thereof so neither can any man hinder the Spirit and stop the motions and influences thereof that they should not prove effectual This is a comfortable point in all contrary blasts whatsoever Satan who is the evil Spirit he has his blowings too and he oftentimes blows very hard ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as St. Chrysostom speaks but yet he does not blow where he lists nor can his blowings prevail against this blowing which we have here before us in this present Text which carries all before it and shall overturn and overthrow whatsoever stands in opposition to it It is said of Antichrist the man of sin and who is a great instrument of Satan that the Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth and destroy
we have also the Second part which is the sensibleness of this wind in its Effects Thou hearest the sound thereof The Third and last is the Intricacy or Mysteriousness of it in its proceedings in these words But canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth This the nature and condition of the Wind that there can but little account be given of it at least as to the manner and reason of its motions We can say It blows here or It blows there but the rise and original of it from whence it first comes and the term or end of it where it rests and stays that we are not able to discern forasmuch as at one and the same time the Winds are different on the Sea and in the Land And there is no fixedness or certainty in them We hear the noise and sound of them but we know not in the mean time what becomes of them as it is here exprest unto us by our Saviour in this present passage which we have now before us And as it is thus with the carriage of the Wind so more especially with the carriage of the Spirit and the proceeding of the Holy Ghost in us as to the work of Grace and Regeneration It is such as is not so easily perceived or discerned by us but is remote and hidden from us Therefore it is set forth to us in Scripture by such expressions as these Of the hidden Life of the hidden Manna of the mystery of Godliness and the like in regard of the great intricacy and imperceptibility which is upon it as that which is so difficultly apprehended It is such as the best that are and those who are the subjects of it do not discern or apprehend perfectly but it is such as natural and unregenerate persons do not discern at all The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned as the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 2.14 Indeed such persons as these may discourse at random about it and speak problematically of it as the Philosophers do of the windes and they may have some common notions and apprehensions of it as far as Parts and Books will carry them but to speak distinctly and understandingly of it that they cannot do as wanting the sense and experience of it upon their own hearts And those that have this experience of it yet are they to seek of it in sundry particulars We may take notice of it in either of these persons whether those who are not regenerate or which are so and so shew you how either of them are in their kinds ignorant of this Mystery First Take it as to those who are regenerate and themselves partakers of this new-birth and work of the Spirit even such as these cannot give an account of it in some particulars which are belonging unto it as to instance a little in some few amongst the rest For the manner of working of it for the moment in which it is wrought for the growth and encrease of it for the condition of the persons wrought upon why in these and not in others These are things which are not so easily discerned or if in persons that are grown and come to years there may be some clearer footsteps of these things than in others yet for infants and younger children how it pleases God to work upon them it is a Mystery which the most intelligent Christians are not able to determine And we may apply hereunto that which the Preacher has of the natural generations As thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child even so thou knowest not the works of God that maketh all Eccl. 11.5 And the Argument it holds here in this particular business a fortiori If we cannot discover the Mysteries of Nature much less the Mysteries of Grace and if not the things of Earth how much less the things of Heaven which are so far remote from humane understanding This is the very scope and drift of our Saviour here in the Text to conclude the one from the other That because the motions of the winde were imperceptible therefore were also the motions of the Spirit And so we may reason likewise as to other things of the same nature with it As for example the soul of man and the manner of the production of that whether by creation or generation whether as infused by God himself or as resulting out of the matter prepared we know there are great disputes about it and difficulties in it Now if it be thus as to the Soul in the natural state of it how much more may it be thus with it in the spiritual This God will have to be for this reason amongst the rest that so we may the more adore him and acknowledg him in such works as these are and say that it is he that hath made us and not we our selves Not only as to our first make but as to our second Here 's that which does plainly shew how little we do confer or contribute to the work of Grace and Regeneration in our selves when-as those themselves who are regenerate can give so little account of Regeneration as it appears indeed by experience that they can What likelihood is there that they should work it that cannot know it or that it should take its rise and original from them who cannot express the conveyances of it that cannot tell of this Spirit whence it cometh or whither it goeth This should teach us all with modesty and humility and admiration to lay our hands upon our mouths and at last to break forth and cry out in the words of the Apostle Paul Oh the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledg of God! how unsearchable are his works and his ways past finding out as it is in Rom. 11.33 And thus does it hold good of the Regenerate as that which is not discerned by them But Secondly And more especially does it hold good of those who are unregenerate and at present in the state of nature such as these to be sure do not discern it or apprehend it indeed And these seem especially to be intended here in this Scripture where our Saviour applies himself in this his discourse to Nicodemus who was as yet but such a person as this though a great Master and Doctor and Teacher in Israel even he did grosly betray his ignorance in such a Doctrine and Point as this was of the new-birth And so in him we may take notice of the condition of all carnal and unregenerate persons They are such as who are very much to seek in the mysteries of Grace and Conversion and in the state and condition of a Christian in order to this Regeneration This is considerable of us in all the Parts and Branches of it and secrets which are
a true Christian he is a true Disciple of Christ let him be of what rank or condition soever whether rich or poor learned or unlearned bond or free Jew or Gentile or wharever other different qualification may be named by us It is not only the twelve or the seventy which were Christ's Disciples such as converst with him and followed him whiles he lived here upon earth but as many as believe on him and have communion with him now in Heaven and have the work of Grace wrought by his Spirit in their hearts Therefore this Priviledg which we now speak of it is not a corporal priviledg only but a spiritual not an earthly only but an heavenly It is a relation not laid in Nature or Custome but founded in Grace Look what Christ says of his Brethren and Kindred the same may be said of his Disciples for the former he says they were his Brethren not only which were neer to him in blood but also neer to him in attendance which heard his Word and did the will of his Father Even so is it likewise here in this particular This relation of a Disciple of Christ it is not a temporal or terrestrial prerogative only but a Celestial This is makes very much for the encouragement of the meanest and weakest Christians All cannot be Disciples in the first sense Are all Apostles c. 1 Cor. 12.29 No but all may be Disciples in the second This is not confined to any number whatsever but is such as all sorts of persons indefinitely are capable of Every true believing Soul without exception he is the Friedn and Schoar of Christ he retains and belongs unto him and has dependence upon him which is matter of very great comfort and satisfaction to him And so much of the first particular to wit the Priviledg it self simply consider'd To be a Disciple of Christ c. The Second is the ground of his Priviledg in the connexion of this latter part of the Verse with that which went before If ye continue in my word then c. Where we see what it is which gives us title to this Discipleship of Christ in the eminency or the preheminence of it namely perseverance in the Faith In this condition and only in this taking the word then exclusively are we indeed the Disciples of Christ They and they only that persevere are Christ's true and perfect Disciples This is that which is here hinted unto us And there are two things at once which may be implyed in this expression Either First as it is a word of Qualification or Secondly as it is a word of Advantage Then only are ye my Disciples as having the qualities and properties and dispositions of true Christians in ye And then only are ye my Disciples as having the comfort and happiness and reward of my Disciples belonging unto you For to be a Disciple of Christ it does carry both these notions in it The property of a Disciple and the reward of a Disciple the latter following upon the former and both of them depending upon perseverance and continuing in Christ's word First The Property of a Disciple Then are ye my Disciples indeed that is then only are ye so qualified as it is fitting and as it becomes them to be which profess themselves to be my Disciples There 's none that are true Christians in good earnest and such as Christ does himself own for his members but they alone which hold out and continue Apostatizing and backsliding Christians are no true Christians at all This is that which is here signisied to us and not only here but also elsewhere in Scripture as 1 Joh. 2.19 They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us So Heb. 10.38 39. Now the just shall live by Faith But if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him But we are not of them who draw back to perdition but of them that believe c. Where we see Believers and Backsliders they are opposed one to the other And so indeed they are Nemo aestimet bonos de Ecclesia posse discedere says Cyprian Triticum non rapit ventus c. Let no man think that those that are truly and indeed good will ever depart and wholly fall away The winde does not drive away the wheat but only the chaff He that is not good constantly he was never good at first For true goodness it is an abiding principle in that person in whom it is We speak now of goodness in the highest sense and accetion of it which is the goodness of Regeneration and sanctifying Grace Indeed for the goodness of common morality and civility that it may be had and lost but this is not such as makes a man a Disciple of Christ Whosoever has such a goodness in him as from whence he may be truly denominated Christ's Disciple he shall have his goodness continuing in him And this is intimated in this present Text by taking the words reciprocally as they ought to be taken If ye continue in my words then are ye my Disciples indeed And if ye be my Disciples indeed then will ye also continue in my words Not but that there are sometimes decays and abatements and fallings in a degree but the substance and root still remains there 's a firmness and fixedness of principles whiles there 's an intercision and interruption of acts Christ so orders it for all those which are his that both his word shall abide in them and they also shall abide in his word and from doing so shall be his Disciples indeed By taking the word First of all in a way of Qualification His Disciples As having the property and disposition of true Disciples in them That 's one thing which is hereby signified The Second is in a way of Advantage Then are ye my Disciples indeed as then only having the reward of my Disciples belonging unto you All the promises of Salvation they are made only to continuance in well doing and to perseverance in the Faith As all the threatnings of damnation they do suppose final impenitency and persistency in sin where repentance comes between it prevents it And so the Scripture every-where represents in it Matth. 10.22 He that endures to the end he shall be saved So Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for honour and glory and immortality eternal life So Coloss 23. If ye continue in the Faith c. This continuance it is all in all not only as to make us true Christians and to qualify us for Christ's Disciples but also to confer the reward of true Christians upon us and to carry us thither up to that place where Christ himself already is It all depends upon this Drawing back it tends to perdition as we have
Christ there must not be onely an enlightning of their understandings but likewise a drawing of their hearts And this is the work of God alone also It is He onely who can so frame mens spirits as that they shall be willing to come off to Christs terms and to take upon him his own Conditions in which he is offered unto them Therefore let us learn from hence to give him the honour and glory of all and to acknowledge his free grace and goodness in this particular If any of us have been brought home to Christ and perswaded to close with him we see from whence it hath been so not from the power of Nature but from the free grace and goodness of God As all which the Father hath given Christ shall come to him so none shall come to him but those whom the Father hath given him There are some other points which by the by might be gathered from these words as First From the word Come we may take notice How all men by Nature are distant from Christ they are remote and separate from him Therefore when they are Regenerated and Converted they are said to come unto him and they never come to him to purpose till they come so till they come in a way of closing and compliance with him Secondly From the word Given I might observe also this That all men are in the hands of God to be disposed of by him as he pleases whether to Salvation or else to Destruction those whom he will to save and those again whom he will to pass by and leave in a state of death and damnation Because no man can give that which is not his own and proper to him to give But these I do but onely name unto you not intending to insist upon them as being not such as are chiefly propounded So much may serve for the first General viz. An account of the Comers to Christ All that the Father hath given me The second which I mainly drive at is Christs entertainment of those that come unto him Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out This is Christs gracious promise to all those that come unto him And there are two things implied in it as the parts and branches of it First Admission or Reception he will not cast them out that is he will not keep them out but he will receive them and take them into friendship and familiarity with himself Secondly Custody or Preservation he will not cast them out that is he will not drive them out but he will keep them and make much of them and preserve them that they shall no depart or fall away from him First I say in this expression we have intimated Christs Admission or Reception of those that come to him he will take them into friendship and familiarity with himself Whosoever they be that leave their sins to close with Christ they shall be sure to be welcome to Christ he will not shut the door upon them but will very readily and heartily entertain them This is one thing which we may here take notice of and it may be cleared and made good unto us from all the Gracious Evangelical Invitations wherein he does call upon poor sinners to come unto him and does promise to deal thus with them Mat. 11.28 29. Come unto me all ye that labour c. So Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts c. So Ezek. 33.11 Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die O house of Israel In all which places and the like there is a tender of peace and reconcilement upon condition of mens returning and coming in And this is that which is here offered to us in like manner in this present Text. Thus it is as we may take notice of it indefinitely and universally none excepted Let him that is athirst come c. Rev. 22.17 There 's no condition whatsoever of those that come which does exclude them from acceptance though never so improbable That which seems to make most against it is the greatness of mens sins themselves but this is no obstruction hereunto if it be rightly considered It is not the greatest sins that is being repented of which does debar men from Gods mercy in Christ that it should not be extended unto them This the Scripture does declare unto us Isa 1.18 Come now and let us reason together c. Paul says of himself 1 Tim. 1.15 that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners c. The chiefest sinners they are capable of salvation by Christ whosoever they be and the Apostle Paul himself was an instance and example of this dispensation as he also signifies there in that place in the Verse immediately following For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting Forasmuch as what he did for Paul he is ready likewise to do for all others which are in the same terms and circumstances with him The Use of this Point seves as an encouragement therefore to all men to embrace the Conditions of the Gospel and to close with Christ What can be said more to perswade them than this that they may be sure to be accepted Him that comes I will in no wise cast out Do but come and there 's no question to be made of it There 's no other condition but that which is required of them Indeed we must still know and remember what this coming is that we may not be mistaken where the meanning is not only this that we repair to Christ for salvation desiring him to pardon and to redeem us but that we do resign and give up our selves to him and forsake our former evil ways which we have at any time heretofore walked in and given our selves to If we do so we may expect mercy from him and there 's nothing which can possibly hinder us whatsoever it be First not the nature of the sins themselves committed by us It is not that which God stands upon Paul a Elasphemer and Persecuter Manasseh a Sorcerer and Murtherer Mary Magdalen an unclean person the Jaylor a barbarous enemy of the Apostles Matthew a Publican and Extortioner yet all of these upon their repentance and confession were accepted with God Therefore we must not make this to be a plea and excuse for our standing out against the Gospel in the offers and proposals of it if we do so we shall forsake our own mercy and be guilty of a far greater sin than any of those which have been now named as this sin of unbelief indeed is If we look into the Scripture throughout in all the bulk and volume of it we shall never be able to find out one place or shadow of it wherein the greatness of the sins themselves simply considered is made to be an
we find the truth of it in our own experience When we give God the honour of his Providence he will give us the comfort of it and make good all that to us in the event which we before by a Spirit of Faith did expect from him There 's nothing lost by self-resignation and submission to God in any thing whether inward or outward together with the appurtenances of them Nay we cannot engage God more than by seriousness in this particular And if we are not satisfied with that which God does for us here and this small pittance of time here in the world which indeed is but very narrow and short yet let us think of the advantages which he has for us in eternity and in the extent of our being He has there and then scope enough for the gratifying of us Hereafter if we take it in this sense ãâã I shewed before it might be taken it has enough in it to make us amends and to compensate all our expectations God will justify himself at the length that we may be sure of and it is enough for us that he will so though he should not do it so soon as we might desire or look for it from him and expect it at his hands This Text which we are now upon it serves so prevent a double distemper in us both our Curiosity and our Impatience Our Curiosity in the First Part What I do thou knowest not now no nor art not able to know it therefore do not too curiously and affectedly pry into it as being a thing above thy reach It is a wise and safe ignorance to know no more than God will have us to know Our Impatience in the Second Part But thou shalt know it hereafter Therefore be not too forward nor hasty nor eager for the present be content to stay God's leasure and time for the discovery of it which is always the best I will hut up all with the words of the wise man Solomon Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all shine heart and lean not to thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy paths SERMON XVII JOH 14.27 Let not your Heart be troubled neither let it be afraid There is nothing more necessary for a Christian than a Calmness and Tranquillity of Mind And there is nothing more conducing hereunto than the Principles of Christianity it self Especially drawn forth into Exercise and Improvement of Religion as it is good for many other things besides so amongst the rest to keep up the Heart and to preserve the Spirit from Dejection Not onely to bring us to Heaven and to lodge us safely there but likewise to sustain us upon Earth and to carry us with the greatest Grace and Comfort and Facility and Contentment in the mean time through the World Therefore in these times of cruelty and distraction which are now upon us in regard of what may happen to us from future Events we cannot better provide for our selves and our own Security and Contentation than by recourse to such helps and means as these are especially as exhibited and tender'd in the Word of God and the Ministery and Dispensation of it which will still be that which it is after all our thoughts about it And for which purpose I have made choice of this Text which I have now read unto you being the last Advice and Counsel of our Blessed Lord and Saviour and given by him to his Disciples upon the saddest occasion that ever befell them in this World which was his own Departure from them Though the occasion was very lamentable and remarkable and their Condition very sad yet he would not have them to be discouraged or put out of Heart for it but to hold up and to be contented notwithstanding Let not your Heart be troubled neither let it be afraid IN the Text it self there are three General Parts considerable First a Christians Disposition Secondly a Christians Duty Thirdly A Christians Security or Happiness or Priviledge The Disposition of Christians That is to be very much troubled and full of fears The Duty of Christians that is not to be troubled or to have fears prevail upon them The Priviledge or Security of Christians is to have Christ taking care for the prevention of fear and trouble in them First For a Christians Disposition it is this to be very much troubled and full of fears This is here implyed and supposed in this Caution of our Saviour which he gives to his Disciples whiles he wishes them that their Heart might not be troubled he does intimate that it was subject to be troubled as when Joseph admonishes his Brethren that they would not fall out by the way he does signifie his suspicion that they were likely to fall out by the way And indeed this is the Case of the best of Gods Servants that are Even the Disciples of Christ Himself they were not free from it but very apt and subject unto it Especially now upon his removal and departure from them to be very full of sollicitude and distraction And the like disposition upon occasion has also discover'd it self in divers others of God's People beside Now there 's a various Ground which may be given hereof unto us why God's Servants here in this life are subject to inordinate Troubles and Fear and Anxiety in them First from the Reliques of Corruption Secondly from the strength of Temptation Thirdly from the weakness of Grace First From the Reliques of Corruption It is sin which is the cause of Trouble not only in the Condition but in the Spirit And this is that which Gods Servants have in them as still cleaving and adhering to them They have corruption and so have distraction as attendant and consequent thereupon And especially such sins and corruptions as do more immediately tend hereunto as diffidence and distrust and worldymindedness and inordinate affection to these things here below These where-ever they are they will cause trouble and fear And they are in part even in the best of Gods Servants There 's a double kind of Trouble which the Servants of God are subject to here in this World There 's the trouble of State and the trouble of Mind The former is not that which we now speak of as being not matter of Sin but of Affliction But the latter is that which our Discourse tends unto and which our Saviour here intends in this place now before us This is that which God's Children are prone to from the Corruption which is remaining in them They are apt to be much troubled in their Spirit from any thing which falls cross unto them And that because they are Flesh and Blood and have sin still more or less cleaving unto them Secondly As from the remainders of corruption so also from the strength of Temptation and the violence of Spiritual Assaults which are made upon them Satan he is an Enemy to them and loves to make his
are true Believers How should this now raise our hearts and desires and affections after it and make us to long as it were for it We call some great house and habitation here in the world very usually by the name of the Place by way of Eminency and Emphatical Denomination But certainly there is no Place like this which is of Christs preparation this is a Place which must take place of all other Places besides and as in the thing it self so also in our estimation And further as Christ has thus graciously prepared it for us so we should also be careful to prepare our selves for it that so we may have the greater benefit and advantage by it and comfort and contentment in it This is very much founded upon our sutableness and agreeableness to it All forts of Persons are not fit for all forts of Places if we should put some kinds of people into some Places here upon Earth though never so glorious and magnificent they would not take such delight in them because not fitted nor suited to them even so may we say in a sense of Heaven it self if we could by an impossible supposition imagine a wicked man to be in Heaven he would not know what to do there nor how to carry or behave himself in it because not fitted or qualified for it Therefore says the Apostle to the Colossians Giving thanks to the Father who hath made us met to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 It is not onely giving thanks to the Father for the Inheritance but giving thanks to the Father for making us meet to be parakers of it An Inheritance without meetness is as good as no Inheritance at all This is that therefore we would labour in this case to be partakers of and that I say so much the rather as Christ takes care to fit the Inheritance for us as he is said here to do in this Text when he is said to prepare us a place This is done by geting our hearts to be changed and renewed in us and taken off from the ways of sin and by geting our hearts mortified in us and estranged and alienated from the world by getting heavenly minds and dispositions and affections in us answerable to that heavenly state and condition which is expected by us For nothing that is unclean or undefibed may enter into that holy place Coruption cannot inherit incoruption Those that look to rise with Christ and to be there where he now is they must seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God they must set their affections on things above and not on things on the earth Col. 3.1 2. And so now I have done with this whole Text in all the parts of it In my Fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you c. SERMON XIX JOH 14.3 And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also I had almost let go this sweet Scripture which I had formerly entred upon before I was aware having diverted from it to another which I fell upon and finish'd the last day But since I looked upon it again and reviewed it in the connexions of it I have better resolved my self and concluded it necessary to joyn this Verse which I have now read the third Verse of t is Chapter to that other namely the second which was handled by me the day before It being somewhat Injurious to tell you of Christ's remove and going away from his Disciples and not withal to inform you of his return and coming again to them As likewise somewhat imperfect to acquaint you with his providing and preparing of a place for them and not withal to assure you of their entrance and sensible possession of that place which he had so prepared Now this is that which is the scope and drift and substance of these words which I have here now at this time read unto you THis Verse which we have now before us is a Narrative or Declaration to us of the consequences of Christ's Ascension and departure from his Church to his Father Consisting of two promises for their comfort made by him to them which may serve to make up to us the Parts of the Text. The one is the Antecedent or Intermediate promise And that is that he will come unto them And the other is the Subsequent or Ultimate promise And that is that he will receive them to himself Which is further amplified and illustrated from the blessed and happy end or effect of this Assumption in these words that where I am there ye may be also These ae the Branchs considerable We begin first of all with the former viz. The Antecedent or Immediate promise I will come to you again This is that wherein Christ does engage himself here to his Disciples that although for the present he did depart and go away from them yet he would at length return unto them There is a various coming of Christ which the Scripture does intimate to us First his coming in his Spirit in the Gifts and Graces and Comforts of the Holy Ghost conferr'd upon the Church This is tha which we find mentioned in the 18th verse of this present Chapter I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you Come unto you How namely in the Comforter who is the Holy Ghost whom I will send unto you When Christ withdrew his corporal presence he then was pleased to vouchsafe his spiritual By which he does still come and present himself to the hearts of all Believers Thus still in verse 22 of this Chapter He that loveth me I will love him and will manifest my self unto him And again verse 23. My Father will love him and we will come unto him and will make our abode with him Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open unto me I will come in unto him and sup with him and he with me Thus Christ comes in his Ordinances in the assemblies of his People and in the dispensations of his Ministers Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Matth. 18.20 Secondly There was his coming in his resurrection He came again to his Disciples so when he rose from the dead he appeared unto them and converst with them for forty days together And so likewise when he came and appeared to divers others besides as St. Paul records it of him That he was afterwards seen of above five hundred Brethren at once and at last of all of himself also 1 Cor. 15.6 7 8. This was a kind of coming of his and a coming as we may say again as of one in a swoon But this is not that coming nor coming again which is here meant in the Text. But
there an obstruction on our part for our seeing and beholding of God after such a manner Now the use of this Point may be drawn forth into a varions improvement First as a confutation of that fond conceit of the Anthropomorphites certain Hereticks of old who would make God like unto man ascribing to him humane shape and bodily lineaments If he were so he might then be seen by the eyes of man which it is here said he cannot be That which they ground their errour upon which is such parts mention'd in Scripture as Eyes and Ears and Hands will not hold they being taken in a Metaphorical sense and not properly Seondly It is a confutation also of Papists in their Idolatrous Worship of God under the Image of a Man God himself presses this as an Argument against such kind of practises as we may see in Deut. 4.5 Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you And so which is pertinent hereunto it is likewise against all apprehensions in the mind of God in the likeness of any visible Object and teaches us how we should in our thoughts conceive of him namely as he is revealed in his Word as of an Eternal Essence most Holy most Wise c. who made all things and governs them by his Infinite and Almighty Power Thirdly seeing no man can see God perfectly whiles he is here below it should make us therefore so much the more to cherish that imperfect sight of Him which at present is vouchsafed unto us in our communion with him by his Spirit and in the exercise of the grace of Faith We should see him as much as we can till we can see him better Whiles we cannot look upon him directly let us at least look upon him in his reflections look upon him as he shines forth in the Gospel and in the face of Jesus Christ wherein we have a glorious view of him according to that state and condition in which we are It is the priviledge of us under the New Testament above them which were under the Old that we now all with open face may behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord and may be changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord as it is in 2 Cor. 3.18 We should look upon God in his Ordinances in his Creatures and in his Children wherein he has represented himself to us and whereby in a sort we may have communion with himself if we love not them whom we have seen how shall we love him whom we have not seen 1 Joh. 4.20 Lastly Seeing here in this present life God becomes thus invisible to us that we cannot see see him and yet notwithstanding our happiness does consist in the vision of him it should make us to breathe and long after that blessed place and state and condition wherein we shall see him face to face as the Apostle Paul gives us an instance and example in himself in Phil. 2.23 and in 2 Cor. 12.2 c. And further we should so order and frame our lives at present whiles we are here below in the flesh that we may be made meet at last for the beholding of such a sight as this is We should by all means labour and endeavour to be pure in heart because that such shall see God Matth. 5.8 And we should follow after peace and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 And as we desire when he appears to be like him and to see him as he is so having this hope in us we should be careful to purifie our selves even as he is pure as the Apostle John exhorts us 2 Joh. 3.2 3. And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which is the Defect premised in those words viz. No man hath seen God at any time The second is the supply of this Defect propounded in these The onely begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him where what is wanting on our parts we have very happily made up to us in Christ In this passage it self there are two branches further considerable First the Person mentioned Secondly the Action which is attributed or ascribed to this Person The Person mentioned that is Christ in these words The onely-begotten Son who is in the bosome of the Father The Action attributed to this Person is the discovery of the Father unto us in those words He hath declared him First to speak of the former viz. the Person mentioned who is Christ and this Person is here exhibited to us under a double description First from his Relation and secondly from his Residency From his Relation that is that he is the Onely-begotten Son of the Father From his Residency that is that he is in the bosom of the Father First here is considerable his Relation whereby Christ is here described unto us and that is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the onely-begotten Son Thus we find him called in other places by this Apostle There is two things at once in it First that he is begotten And secondly that he is the onely-begotten He is the begotten first of all Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee it is the speech of God to Christ Psal 2.7 and it is again recited by the Apostle in Heb. 2.5 The manner of this begetting is to us incomprehensible and so ineffable but we may take it according to these following conceptions of it as pertinent to it First that God the Father begat the Son of his very Substance very God of very God And hence hath the Son the Name of God fastned upon him The Word was God Joh. 1.1 and God blessed for evermore Rom. 9.5 Yea he has the name of Jehovah which is attributed to none but to him that is the true God Gen. 19.24 c. Secondly God the Father communicateth his whole Essence to the Son He begat another Self of Himself even that which Himself is In which respect the Son of God saith I and the Father are one The Father is in me and I in him Joh. 10.30.38 Thirdly God the Father's begetting of the Son it is truly and properly Eternal I was set up from everlasting says he Prov. 8.22 c. I was brought forth before the hills c. as I shewed the last day This Generation of the Son of God it is coeternal with God himself which is further considerable unto us Lastly This Divine Generation it denoteth an Equality of Nature and Essence in those Two Persons the Father and Son Hence in Phil. 2.6 it is said that being in the form of God he thought it no robbery to be equal with God No robbery because it was his due and of right belonging to him as of the same Essence That which lies upon us is to adore this great Mystery and to stand in
Mothers or Nurses do sometimes with their children who whiles they perceive them to be loth and unwilling to let them go from them they do usually still and quiet them by perswading them that they 'll come to them again that so the hope and expectation of their return may pacifie them and satisfie them in their departure Even so does Christ here with his Disciples when he was taking his leave of them he puts in this with it I will come unto you Nay to make it so much the more emphatical and that it might work the more effectually upon them in the Original Text it is not onely in the Future but in the Present not onely in the Future I will come but in the Present I do come unto you ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that 's the word in the Greek which is of a present condition before he was as yet gone from them he makes mention to them of his coming again that so he might the better perswade them and work upon them Now in that he uses this argument to them we may learn this from it That there is nothing which will satisfie a Christian in Christs absence but onely his return again to him Thus it was here with Christ to his Apostles He does not say I will not leave you comfortless for I will leave you rich or I will leave you great or I will leave you honourable and the like it was none of these outward accommodations which could satisfie in the absence of Christ no but this I will come again to you If Christ would give them any thing and not give them Himself it would not suffice or content them Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth which I desire besides thee Psal 72.26 None but Christ none but Christ as that holy Martyr at the Stake And another He is come he is come And the reason of it is this Because the Plaister must be as broad as the Sore and the Remedy must be as large as the Disease and the Comfort must be answerable to the Grief What was that which troubled these Disciples and made them at the present thus comfortless it was this that Chirst would go from them That therefore which must refresh them it must be this that Christ would come to them there 's none can supply the want of Christ but Christ himself And as there is nothing can do it indeed and in the thing it self so there is nothing neither can do it as to the sense and apprehension of a Christian he himself will not be satisfied with any thing else for his own particular As Luther spake once to God when he enjoyed some temporal refreshment from him Lord says he I will not be put off with these comforts if thou thinkest to give me these for my portion I will not be satisfied or contented with them Even so does a Believer say to Christ in such cases as these are Lord give me thy self or it will not suffice me Spiritual comforts may much uphold in temporal losses but Temporal comforts will not satissie in Spiritual deprivations So much for these words in the scope of them Now secondly to come to them more directly in themselves for the matter and substance of them I will come unto you this is that which Christ promises to his Disciples and with them also to all other Christians We may take it three manner of ways There is a three-fold coming of Christ whereby he does supply to Believers his temporary going away from them First The coming of his Resurrection I will not leave you comfortless but I will come unto you that is though for a time I shall leave the world yet within a while after I shall rise again from the dead This was such a coming as was proper onely to the Believers and to those that lived in those times to have the immediate comfort of it Though he rise to all others in the efficacy of his Resurrection yet he rose onely to the Apostles and to a certain number of other persons to converse with him after his Resurrection To whom he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them fourty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God Acts 1.8 And this he did he came to them when they were comfortless and full of grief that they were deprived of so gracious a Master he came to them and comforted them in his Resurrection The Resurrection of Christ it was such a coming as did much comfort the Disciples and did in a manner drie up those tears which they had shed for his former departure But secondly that was not all nor that chiefly which is here intended in this Text wherein he tells them that he will return again to them I will come unto you it is not meant onely of the coming of his Resurrection but more especially of the coming of his Spirit the coming of the Holy Ghost which was also the Spirit of Christ and by him sent from the Father It was the coming of Christ himself when the one came the other came in him and so is conceived to do and interpreted This is the chief and proper meaning of this expression Now Christ is said to come in his Spirit according to a three-fold empartment and dispensation of it especially First in the Gifts of it Secondly in the Graces of it And thirdly in the Comforts First in the Gifts of it I mean the common Gifts of it These which we call for distinctions sake Gratiae gratis datae The gifts and abilities of the Ministery These were such as our Blessed Saviour upon his departure did in a large and plentiful manner effuse and pour forth upon his Church Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men Ephes 4 8. This was that which was performed on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost came upon them in the shape of cloven and fiery tongues and they were all filled with it Acts 2.2 This was a piece of satisfaction to them for the withdrawing of his own Person they had not Himself now to instruct them but they had his Spirit to do it for them and thereby to enable them also for the teaching and instructing of others This is further considerable under a two-fold Amplification First in the variety of these gifts And secondly in the Succession In the variety and several kinds and in the succession of several persons First for the various distribution to consider it in that That Christ does sort and dispose of his gifts so as he does that one shall have an excellency in one kind and another shall have excellency in another that to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 12.8 One has a gift of Judgment another has a gift
of Vtterance a third has a gift of Interpretation one is better in the Applicatory part another is better at the Expository This diversity and variety of gifts wherein all are excellent and it is very hard to say which is best it comes from the Spirit of Christ as the same Apostle also tells us in the same Chapter All these worketh one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he pleaseth 2 Cor. 12.11 Secondly As for the various Distribution so likewise for the Succession As these gifts in several persons so likewise in Ages and Periods of Time and Generation one after another It is very considerable this That Christ does so order it in his Providence that his Church shall still one way or other be furnished and provided for in the world the Prophets in their Age the Apostles in theirs succeeding Ministers in theirs and that in each of these in the withdrawing of one there hath still been the substitution of another for the preservation and upholding of the work Elijah translated but Elisha left behind him Jeremy imprisoned but Baruch inlarged Paul in bonds but Timothy at liberty John the Baptist removed but Christ continued Christ himself departed but his Spirit coming in his room I will not leave you comfortless but I will thus come unto you The Use of all this to our selves is with thankfulness to acknowledge the love and goodness of Christ in this particular and to improve it to our best advantage not to carp or cark or quarrel with the gifts of our Ministers or to compare them or set them one against another as we are apt to do but rather to bless God for them in the various ordering and distribution of them and to partake of that good from them which God affords us for the good of our Souls which is to walk answerably to Christs dealing with us in this particular And that 's the first conveyance of Christ's Spirit to wit In the distribution of the gifts of it The second is in the Distribution of Graces Christ comes by his Spirit in them not onely in his gifts of Edification but in his gifts of Sanctification Faith and Love and Patience and Humility and the like We find that after Christs Ascension there was a greater measure and abundance of these Religion was now more Spiritualiz'd and Christians themselves were now raised to a more heavenly and spiritual frame of Soul than before they had been As the Word of God grew and multipi'd so likewise the Improvements of it and the Graces of those who had the priviledge of being partakers of it It is said of the Romans that their faith was spoken of throughout the world Rom. 1.8 Of the Corinthians that they were enriched in all graces 1 Cor. 1.4 5 c. The Apostle commends the Colossians for their faith in Christ and love to all the Saints in Col. 1.4 c. Thirdly In the distribution of Comforts Thus did Christ come by his Spirit especially not onely as he was a qualifying Spirit furnishing them with all Gifts not onely as he was a sanctifying Spirit induing them with Graces but also as he was a comforting Spirit filling their hearts with joy And thus he did This is that which is principally stood upon here in this Scripture as we may see in the Connexions of it thus in verse 16 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of truth c. The sadness of Christs departure it was scattered by the presence of the Comforter which was interpretatively his own presence with them Thus in all these respects did Christ himself come to them by his Spirit in its Gifts and Graces and Comforts Now to improve this still so much the more and that it might be a full Argument to them for the pacifying of them I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you we may take this in further with it that it is considerable under a two-fold Emphasis the one Discretive and the other Consequential The Discretive Emphasis is this Ye have no cause to be very sad or uncomfortable for though I go from you yet I will come unto you The Consequential Emphasis is this Ye have no cause to be sad or uncomfortable for because I go from you therefore I will come unto you my coming to you is both the consequent of my departure and following upon it And again my coming to you is also the effect or result of my departure and flowing from it First Take it in the Discretive Emphasis Though I go away yet I will come There was good reason why they should be satisfied from that that he was not quite and utterly lost or gone irrecoverably but cum animo revertenti with a full purpose of coming again or if not of coming in his Person yet of coming in that which was better at least for them and that was of coming in his Spirit which he here intends and which we have spoken to all this while His going had no cause to disquiet them whiles it had his coming following upon it to them Secondly Take it in the Consequential Emphasis Because I go away therefore I will come This was that which was here also considerable as it follows afterwards Christs going in his Person was the cause at least sine qua non of his coming in his Spirit if he had not gone that way he had not come this Thus we have it in Joh. 16.6 7. Because I have said these things to you namely of my going from you therefore sorrow hath filled your hearts Nevertheless I tell you the iruth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you But if I depart I will send him unto you That is if I do not go I shall not come but if I do go I then shall And that 's the second Explication of his coming the coming of him in his Spirit To this last of all we may add a Third with which I conclude and that is his coming in Glory at the last day This is very frequently and emphatically call'd in Scripture the coming of Christ and it is that which may very much pacifie and satisfie Believers in his present absence and keep them from being sad and comfortless that he will come thus This is that which he makes mention of in the three first Verses of this Chapter and wherewith he does labour to comfort them Let not your heart be troubled c. I go to prepare a place for you And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there ye may be also This is in other words call'd his Appearing and Revelation and such like phrases as these This in the meditation of it is very comfortable to all true Saints and Members
these and the disposing of them to do all things Spirtually it is not ours but Christ's As a Trumpet that gives a sound but it is from the breath of the Man that blows through it so it is with us in this particular we perform such and such Duties materially and as to the outward substance of the action but it is Christ that chiefly and principally works in us and by us as the Apostle Paul most fully expresses it to this purpose 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me The third thing considerable to this purpose is a Spiritual Activity or Operation which is likewise conveyed to us by Christ and by him alone he does not onely give us the life of Grace and a Power issuing from this life but he likewise gives us the very Act and Deed it self for such a particular performance There is not the best man that is and who has most of the sanctifying Grace of the Spirit of Christ in him but he needs the present and actual assistance of the same Spirit as immediately concurring to such particular good actions that is to be done by him he needs not onely preventing and operating grace but assisting and co-operating grace to be bestowed upon him and to be joyn'd with it And this is that which is here intended by our Blessed Saviour speaking to his Disciples and in them to all other Christians whiles he saâ ãâã without me ye can do nothing not onely without me as who must give the general activity but also without me as who must give the particular accomplishment If Christ does not give the actual performance as well as the general qualification there is nothing which will be done by us to any purpose This can be no wonder to us if we do but consider how it is with us even in other matters of inferiour consideration take ãâã but in common business and the transactions of our ordinary Callings and we shall find it to be so even here That we have need not onely of common and general inablement but also of special and particular assistance In the Ministery for example it is not enough to have some general qualifications and abilities for the work but there is need moreover of Gods particular assistance and immediate concurrence with us in every particular Sermon and Exercise that is undertaken by us In the Souldiery it is not enough to beat large qualified for the Wars but they need Gods assistance of them and standing by them in every Battel and Encounter And so in Physick it is not enough to have skill in general but an application of it to his particular Disease and Patient and Condition certain hints and suggestions from God himself answering to the present occasion As it is said of our Blessed Saviour himself when people came to him to be cured of their several infirmities that the power of the Lord was present with him to heal them Luke 5.17 Such a presence of Power as this is whereof we now speak is requisite for any other besides Now as it is thus in Temporals and Corporals so it holds in Spirituals and Supernaturals especially that there is required not onely Grace in the Habit and Principle but also in the very Act and Performance This is suitable and agreeable to divers other places of Scripture as Hos 14.8 it is the speech of God to Ephraim From me is thy fruit found and Isa 26 12. it is the speech of the Church to God Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works for us or in us And so Ezek. 36.27 I will cause you to walk in my statutes c. To open this Point a little further to us and speak more distinctly of it we must know that there are three things which God does work and which it is requisite for him that he should work in us in order to any Spiritual performance which is to be done by us even after the first work of Conversion and saving Grace wrought in our hearts First he strengthens and confirms the habit of them whereby he fits us and qualifies us for such a duty which he requires of us Secondly he excited and nourishes this Habit whereby he inclines us and makes us disposed to the performance of this duty Thirdly He assists and concurs with this Habit as to the act and performance it self Each of these does God do for us and it is requisite and necessary that he should do so or else otherwise there could be no good action expected from us He strengthens the Habit he inclines to the Duty and he assists the Act. First I say he strengthens the Habit whether of Faith or Love or Patience or any other Grace which might be named by us This is the spring and source of all good actions in us which therefore had need to be preserved and confirmed in us all that may be and the ' rather because it is subject to so much weakness and shaking as it is There are so many corruptions and temptations which the Servants of God are exercised withall as that they have need of daily confirmation of the Graces of the Spirit of God in them which would otherwise languish and decay and for this purpose does God do it for them This was that which the Apostle pray'd for in behalf of the Ephesians Ephes 3.16 17. That God would grant unto them according to the riches of his glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith c. And so likewise in behalf of the Colossians that they might be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness strengthned with all might And this accordingly is that which the Apostle Paul professes of himself that he can do all things through Christ that strengthens him Phil. 4.13 Which words that we may rightly understand them are to be taken by us in their latitude and emphasis both Positively and also Exclusively that through Christ strengthning him he can do all things and without Christ strengthning him he was able to do nothing That 's the first thing here considerable in this business of Christ's concurrence with us in the doing of good he strengthens the Habit. Secondly As he strengthens the Habit so he likewise inclines the mind to the particular duty to be performed For though we have such and such Principles and Habits of grace conferr'd and bestowed upon us as qualifying us for such and such Duties yet we have not always and continually in us a readiness and promptness of mind for the exercise and improvement of them but we have a great deal of sluggishness and awkness upon us in this
particular Now therefore does Christ here by his Spirit awaken the Habit and provoke us and sets us on doing making us ready and prepared as the Scripture speaks to every good work Thirdly He assists the Act that is he helps and concurs with us in the very performance it self and this is that which we now especially speak of at this present time as considerable of us to this purpose For we though we have some general power and ability for such a duty and withall some kind of desire and propensity towards it yet we cannot particularly act it and bring it about without the immediate help and assistance of the Spirit of Christ carrying us bringing us through it For partly our own natural corruption which remains still in part in us does retard us and keep us back and partly Satan joyning with our corruptions does exceedingly hinder and interrupt us and therefore there must be a stronger than each come between which may scatter the power of either and may help our infirmities Hence it is that the Apostle Paul complains sometimes of himself that to will is present with him but how to perform that which is good he finds not Rom. 7.17 And speaking of acts of charity and bounty to the Corinthians he requires that as there was a readiness to will so there might be a performance also of that which they had 2 Cor. 8.11 Because these two they are such as may be possibly separated and divided the one from the other and oftentimes are But now Christ he joyns them both together wheresoever he pleases the Act with the Habit and the Performance together with the Will and it is necessary that he should do so or else they are never likely to concur or meet together Without him we can do nothing that is without him assisting of us in the very act and point of performance And God will have it thus to be upon very good ground as namely first of all That so hereby he may keep us in an humble frame and in a state of dependance and subordination He will have us to see how that all our strength lies in himself and that we are able to do nothing any further than as he is pleased to concur with us whereby we may be the more engaged unto him As the beginnings of Grace are from him so likewise the proceedings and the further actings and accomplishments of it according to that also of the Apostle speaking to the Philippians He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ yea and he must perform it too if ever it be perform'd at all or else it will never be so which the Apostle speaks with a great deal of boldness and freedom of spirit In regard of the great certainty and assurance which he had of it being confident of this very thing Phil. 1.6 Where by the way whiles it is said of God that he will perform such and such good works it is not so to be understood as the Subject of those works but onely as the Essicient not as if he himself did believe or repent or hope or any such as this but that he helps and enables us to do so which is observable in him He works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.13 And all for this purpose to make us pure in spirit and sensible of our own insufficiency For Humility it is the Beatifying Grace it is that which does adorn and set forth all other Graces in us and which God takes so much delight to see acting and flourishing in us and therefore takes such a course as this is with us Again secondly God will have it to be thus likewise that so we may relish the greater comfort and sweetness in that which we do For whilst we have strength communicated to us from Christ in every performance our hearts are so much the more cheered and enlarged in it whiles we apprehend his assistance of us to be a pledge of his special love and favour and good-will towards us This is that which makes us to be so much the more lively and comfortable in that which is undertaken by us Thirdly That hereby Christ may have the greater Honour and Glory from us as not onely the Author but Finisher of our faith as the Apostle styles him Heb. 12.2 that is not onely as of him that begins but that perfects Grace in us and the Author not onely of Salvation as the End but of Sanctification as the Way and Means that tends to it and of this sanctification of all the works and and operations of it For the better enlarging and illustrating of this Point yet still further unto us Whiles it is said that without Christ we can do nothing here is an exclusion of a three-sold strength as but weak and insufficient to this purpose First the strength of meer Natural Parts Secondly the strength of meer Habitual Graces Thirdly the strength of no more than former Assistance First I say the strength of meer Natural Parts it is not that which will do the deed We know that Natural Parts they do many times make a great shew and lustre in the world and that men may go sometimes very far with them in matter of Religion being applied unto them but yet they are able to do nothing to any purpose or so as it should be but are very defective Men may be able sometimes hereby as I shew'd you the last day to reach perhaps to the outward shell and hull of the action and carry it as it may be very gloriously and with a great deal of humane applause but to come up to the Spirituality of the Duty and to perform it so as whereby it may find acceptance with God himself this is that which such as these onely cannot reach or attain unto The Heathen Philosophers some of them though they pretended to a great degree of mortification which they could accomplish by the strength of Reason yet in truth they fell very short and wide of it Secondly the strength of meer habitual Grace it is not that which will serve the turn neither Though habitual Grace be very good and necessary also in order to Spiritual performances yet this alone and of it self is not sufficient it is requisite that we should have it but it is requisite also that we should have somewhat else with it besides that especially according as the ease and condition may be with us It is not any inherent Grace of our own which is our security in the day of trial but the assisting and strengthning and quickning Grace of Christ so far forth as he does actually excite and stir up those fruits of Grace in us which he hath already bestowed upon us It is not onely the goodness of our Principles but the Spirit of God concurring with them in us Of this we have an eminent example in the Apostle
to help us and that 's one encouragement so he hath likewise Will and that 's another For to be told that we are able to do nothing without such an ones assistance and withall to hear that it were such an one as had no good will or affection for us nor any mind at all to help us this would be little comfort to us But now this is here such encouragement that we do not more need his help than he is willing to send his help unto us and to concur with us that so we may be the more effectually perswaded to have recourse to him for it This is done in the exercise of two Graces more especially in us to wit of Humility and Faith First Humility whereby we are emptied of our selves and any conceits of our own sufficiency Those that think they can do well enough by any power of their own they will never once look after Christ for such is that desperate pride and stubbornness which is in our hearts by nature that we care not to be beholding to Christ more than needs if we can any thing shift without him we never care to come to him But when we see that without him we are lost and that there is no help for us this will make us to apply our selves to him as much as we can Lay this then for a ground which is here the Doctrine of this Text That without Christ we can do nothing Secondly The Grace of Faith let us also stir up that in us which is that whereby we suck and draw from Christ that which is in him and apply it and bring it home to our selves Without Christ we can do nothing and without Faith we can do nothing neither even there where Christ of himself is both able and willing also to do any thing for us This is that which like the Womans touch of the them of his garment draws forth strength and virtue out of him both for the stopping of the issue of sin and for the walking in the ways of Piety Therefore let us be sure to exercise and set this on work and that according to those two great Mysteries which are eminent in him his Death and his Resurrection Fetch by Faith power from Christ's Death for the mortifying and killing of sin in us which is very agreeable and appliable to this purpose And fetch by Faith also power from his Resurreââon in the raising up to newness of life and to the practise of all the works of new obedience which are to be performed by us Now further that we may still do it more successfully let us be advised on this which is much conducing and tending hereto and that is That we be careful to keep in good terms with Christ and to walk in all well pleasing to him forasmuch as without him we can do nothing It concerns us very much to take heed that we be no ways offensive to him or do any thing which may alienate his affections from us which is the ground of his assistance of us We see how it is ordinary in the affairs here of the world such persons as men do absolutely depend upon for all that is to be done by them such without whom they are able to do nothing which is of any concernment to them they will not offer to displease them of all other persons besides but labour and endeavour to give all the satisfaction to them that possibly they can give Even so should it now also be with us in reference to Christ we should take heed of grieving him because we do all things by him and are able to do nothing without him The more dependant we are upon him the more serviceable should we be to him And especially take heed of presumption and rebellion against him to take heed of quenching the motions of his Spirit of turning his grace into wantonness of rejecting or refusing that help which he does at any time offer unto us either for the shuning and avoiding of evil or for the doing and working of good for then we provoke him to withdraw his assistance from us and to give us up to the power of Satan and the vanity of our evil hearts When Christ shall offer to heal men and they will not be healed to help men and they will not be helped this does sadly provoke him even to deny his help unto them at such time as they shall most of all desire it and stand in need of it This is a very lamentable condition if it be duly thought of when Christ shall at any time deny men the benefit of his assistance either the benefit of his Intercession and speaking a good word for them without which they can obtain nothing in matter of request or the benefit of his co-operating grace and effectual winning of them without which they can do nothing neither in a way of Christian and Spiritual performance Either of these cases are very sad and such as are to be shunn'd by us by giving all content to Christ And so now I have done with these words in both the senses and acceptions of them whether as to matter of Interest or Influence Without me that is without union to me and Without me that is without assistance from me and dependance upon me can ye be able to do any thing which is good SERMON XXV ACTS 1.7 It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power We are now this very day by the good hand and providence of God according to the common style and computation of time amongst us entred upon another new year And that after all the fears and dangers and hazards and calamities which have been upon us both in the City and divers places of the Kingdom for the year now past we have arrived to that year which hath been so much spoken of before-hand a great while ere the coming of it 1666. Many Prognostications there have been in the World concerning it many Characters and Significancies put upon it and many strange surmises and expectations have been had of it and what may be in the bosome or bowels of it we cannot tell We hear of wars and rumors of wars we hear of plagues and pestilences we have heard also of earthquakes and tempests and strange commotions These are such as do shew the World to be in a fading and declining condition and do bespeak the consummation of it But yet they are such as do not amount or come up to a full determination nor give us any warrant to make any absolute judgment or conclusion upon it They serve to awaken and humble us but they do not serve to dishearten or discourage us nor especially to take us off from that work which is to be done by us but rather so much the more eagerly and earnestly to put us upon it And therefore I have made choice of this Text at this present time as
and Greeks to an hair in all which they desired When the Jews required a sign he was able if he had pleased to have wrought it And when the Greeks sought after wisdom he was able if he had pleased to have tendered it and to have complied with them in those ways which either of them were ambitious of And yet we see here how purposely he declines it and balks it and withdraws from it We preach Christ crucified What does this now teach us but thus much That plain and familiar kind of Teaching and laying down the Mysteries of Religion in easie and perspicuous manner is that which may well become the greatest and learnedest that are it is no shame nor disparagement for any Teacher let him be qualified how he will be or can be to apply himself to such kind of Doctrine as may suit with the lowest capacities and apprehensions that are and to preach so as to be understood by them Thus it was here with the Apostles and so likewise with Christ himself whose Apostles they were he gave them a good pattern hereof in the course of his Ministry who in this manner taught the people which sometime he had to deal withal And truly why not if indeed we consider all for first there 's a great deal more of art and skill sometimes in it than otherwise to preach Christ crucified and such fundamental Truths of Religion as these are and in that manner as they ought to be Preached requires a great deal more of wisdom and cunning as belonging unto it than many other points besides which it may be to some vain kind of minds seem far above them It is an easier matter to preach fancies and notions than it is to preach solid truths it is an easier matter to preach in the inticing words of mans wisdom than to preach in he powerful evidence and demonstration of the Spirit of God Therefore the Apostle Paul makes this to be the very master-piece of the whole work of the Ministry 1 Cor. 3.10 According to the Grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation He that can well lay the foundation can tell them he is a master-builder indeed and that in Religion as well as any thing else And in the building of the Church as well as in any other building besides This does he that does labour to frame himself to such kind of Doctrines as these are in the Text. Secondly As there 's more skill in it so there 's likewise more modesty and less temptation and danger of miscarriage the venting of strange Speculations and the Preaching plausibly to mens humours and affections in this respect is not without some hazard of pride and self-applause in those that shall do it And men had need to be very watchful over their hearts which are carried out hereunto now in the plainer points of Religion there temptations are more easily avoided and shunned by us Thirdly There 's also profit and advantage hereby to our Hearer as concerning the good of their souls It is the charge which the Apostle gives to Timothy that he should not give heed to fables and endless genealogies which minister questions rather than edifying Again 2 Tim. 2.14 Of these things put them in remembrance that they strive not about words to no prosit but to the subverting of the heart Now that best becomes any Preacher which is most to the prosit of the Hearer and the benefit of those which in Preaching he hath dealt withal The Consideration of this present point shews us how much they are mistaken who think otherwise in this particular there are many Preachers sometimes of this opinion that they think it stands not so well with their credit to condescend to the plain Truths of Religion and to stand upon them Alas these are ordinary businesses such as are fit for novices and those which are but beginners in the work but for them they think they must do somewhat which is singular and out of the way or else they shall suffer in their repute and estimation in point of learning they shall be counted no Scholars and the like and no more but common and ordinary fellows Well let such look here upon the Apostle and see how it was with him He 's not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ no more should they but think it their greatest honour the more they are able to impart and communicate such things as these are which are of such singular use and necessity He is learned indeed that can make another learned and learned in the highest pieces of learning and such is this which we are now speaking about The foundation of Religion Besides if we speak of humane learning and eloquence it self we must know that this does not cross nor contradict plain kind of Preaching There may be a great deal of learning sometimes in a plain Sermon and in the opening of a plain truth in that Sermon We use to say that Artis est ulare Artem it is a piece of Art to hide Art And so indeed it is when 't is more wrought into the substance of the performance than lyes in the meer top and surface of it And that 's the second thing in the Apostles carriage for his Ministry it 's humility and self-denial in laying aside of his own wit and parts and condescending to the plain points of Christianity We preach Christ crucified Thirdly Here 's his faithfulness and indifferency and impartiality to either part in the indefiniteness of the Subjects which this his Doctrine extends unto to Jew and Gentile both alike he preaches Christ crucified to either as a Doctrine which might well fit them both And in particular not only the Jews which were a people of more low capacities but likewise as well to the Greeks which were a people of more raised apprehensions Now that which we may note hence is this That the Doctrines and Principles of Religion they are such points as may very well become the learnedst Audience that is not the Jews only but the Greeks This is another thing which we here note from the Apostles carriage Some might have thought that though the Apostle Paul in his Preaching taught such things as these to the Jews yet for the Greeks he should have had somewhat else as they sometime expected it from him no but is all one with him for that whether Jew or Gentile Christ crucified and such Doctrines as these he thinks fit enough for them This we find to be his practise in another place Act. 17.19 They there brought him into Mars-hill at Athens or into the Court of the Areopagites and there made account to have heard some fine things from him but he for his part Preaches nothing but Jesus and the Resurrection these he thought were such Doctrines as might well sute the learnedst of them all And so indeed they are And a Minister does not wrong his Hearers with
regard of the world of no great descent so likewise for his conversation in the world it was after a poor and mean fashion Foxes had holes and the birds of the air had nests but the son of man knew not where to lay his head This was another thing which made them to forsake him and to withdraw from him Those which are worldly-minded themselves they look at nothing else in others but worldly accomplishments Thirdly His Company and Converse that was another thing which rendred him offensive that he had society with Publicans and Sinners whereas indeed he had it for no other end but only for their good not as delighting in their sinfulness but rather as taking occasion to take them off from it But lastly and especially which is that that is here mentioned in the Text he was offensive in regard of his Death Christ crucified was an offence unto them that he who was called the Saviour of the World should suffer death from the hands of men this they looked upon as a contemptible business and they now began to scorn that Doctrine which brought such tidings unto them This we see made good in the mockings which they cast upon him on the Cross it self If thou be the Son of God save thy self c. And thus we see how Christ was a stumbling-block or scandal in point of Cavil or Exception Secondly He was so likewise in point of Temptation he was a scandal or stumbling-block to the Jews as he was an occasion of sin unto them and this he was as Christ crucified also an occasion not as given by him but as made and taken by them First as being themselves instrumental in the very act of his Crucifying for so some of the Jews had been Their wicked hands as the Apostle Peter plainly and roundly tells them had crucified him and put him to death And was he not then truly a stumbling-block and a scandal unto them in this regard what greater sin could there be than the crucifying of the Lord of Glory and the putting of the Son of God to an open shame why this now some of them did and so fell into a grievous sin But then secondly that was not all that they were active themselves in crucifying him but further in that being crucified they took occasion from hence to abhor him and so much the more to withdraw from him so that now he is indeed a stone of stumbling to them and they stumble at this chief corner-stone as the Scripture speaks This is the great misery and wretchedness of wicked men that they are so far from being the better as that they are the worse for the Mysteries of Salvation and their hearts are now so much the more hardened as these things are tendered and exhibited unto them As the Apostle observes of the Law it was an occasion of sin unto him Rom. 7.10 Thus he was a scandal also in point of Temptation Thirdly A scandal also in point of Destruction Christ crucified and the preaching of him was to the Jews an occasion of ruin and plunged them so much the deeper as it fell out in condemnation And that because they rejected this means of Salvation which was now offered unto them this the Apostle himself signifies unto us in Rom. 9.31 32 33. Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone as it is written Behold I lay c. And so the Apostle Peter again 1 Pet. 2.7 8. A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to them which are disobedient This was Christ crucified to the Jews He was through their own sin and corruption instead of a Saviour a Destroyer and instead of a means of recovery an occasion of great mischief and ruin Now what 's the Moral of all this to us For I suppose the Spirit of God intends somewhat more than the bare history and narration and what is written before in this kind it is written for our learning There is somewhat which we may take notice of as profitable for our own instruction from this of the Jews and that 's this That the means of Grace and Salvation are to corrupt and perverse hearts the occasions of greater ruin and destruction Christ who by Gods appointment was a precious and chief corner-stone is to the Jews a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence They break their shinns at this stone and are bruised by it This is a truth in sundry Particulars wherein it is made good take it in what you will almost and so you shall find it This very Doctrine it self of Christ crucified It is such as by many persons is wrested to their own perdition and destruction For what do divers sorts of people conclude from hence why that therefore they may live as they list and give no account of their carriage Christ died and therefore they think that hereby themslves are discharged upon what terms and conditions they please This is the Cross of Christ a stumbling to them they are ruined and undone by it and occasionally more involved in condemnation And so as for the Death of Christ so also for the Remembrance of this death which is exhibited to us in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper which we are now to approach to Those which are yet in their sins even this is also a stumbling-block to them He that eats and drinks unworthily he eats and drinks damnation to himself not discerning the Lords-body as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 11.29 The word in the Text is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifies judgment and it respects either temporal or eternal it being in a sense true of both First Temporal judgment forasmuch as in the profaning of this Ordinance he provokes God to inflict many temporal evils upon him For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep as it is vers 30. Profanation of the Ordinances is an occasion of many corporal diseases But then se condly also spiritual and eternal there are such evils as these which are oftentimes consequent hereupon and I join them both together as relating one to the other First Spiritual and that even here in this present life in a judgment upon the soul and spirit Careless and unworthy Communicants they do much prejudice themselves here both in reference to Grace and Comfort for Grace instead of improving in this they improve more in sin and their corruptions encrease more upon them than they did before When a man comes conscionably to this Ordinance and receives it so as he should do it is a means through the Blessing of God for the weakening of corruption in him and for the strengthening of the Graces of Gods Spirit but when he comes carelesly and hand over head it proves the contrary to him Let a man have any Grace
from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it When men shall consider that that which they have they have by free gift here is that which may pull down their pride and prevent them from that haughtiness of spirit whereunto they are otherwise too much addicted and inclined So likewise further it holds well for the improvement and exercise of these gifts which God hath given us that we be no niggards or restrainers of them but good stewards of the manifold Grace of God as the Apostle Peter admonishes and as our Saviour exhorts his Disciples and in them all others Freely ye have received freely give And thus much briefly of the phrase or expression which is here used by the Apostle and that is Gifts Now in the next place for the thing it self this is that which is here commended to these Corinthians to look after these free endowments and to endeavour to partake of them themselves for their own particular and so are we from them desired to do the same also to covet earnestly these best gifts not only the saving and sanctifying Gifts of the Spirit which we shall have occasion to speak of more hereafter but also the common and ordinary common and ordinary in one sense though in another sense more peculiar and restrained Such Gifts as we mentioned before Knowledg and Language and Eloquence and such as these these are better gifts and have especial dignity and excellency in them The Dignity and excellency of them may be briefly laid forth unto us in three Particulars First From their original and conveyance when we shall consider how we come by them and how they are indeed derived and transmitted unto us there is somewhat in that and that is not only from God and his Spirit from whom all good things come to our hands but likewise as a special fruit and consequent of Christs Ascension These gifts they are as it were the legacy of Christ and the relict which he dropt and left behind him when he went up into heaven According to that of the Psalmist Psal 68.18 repeated again by the Apostle Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men See how these gifts did follow upon Christs Ascension and did take their first rise from that as the occasion of them Now if there were no more but this in it there were very good reason certainly why we should a little look after them The gifts of dying friends they are for the most part in very great account and valuation with us let them be but what they will for the substance of them yet we esteem them in regard of the circumstances and the relation which is upon them And so it should be with us here in regard of these several gifts we should prize them in reference hereunto Forasmuch as Christ when he took his leave of the world and was now gloriously ascended to his Father did pour forth these his gifts upon his Church as a special testimony of his love unto it He received them of his Father that he might bestow them upon us And therefore that which in one place of Scripture is accepit in another place of Scripture is dedit id est accepit ut daret So that we have cause to regard these gifts first of all in the notion of their original and conveyance But secondly That 's not all there 's a further ground for our embracing them besides and that is by considering them substantially what they are in their own nature and that impression which they leave upon the subject in which they are these gifts if we do but consider them in themslves they are very amiable and lovely and so make those persons further to be who are endowed with them They are special ornaments and beautifyings to them and do much raise them above other men not only those extraordinary perfections which were conferred upon the Apostles themselves in the Primitive times of the Church but even likewise those more ordinary and common gifts which men receive even now in these days They are such as do much adorn and advance and set a luster upon those which have them and are partakers of them Thirdly And especially for their use and improvement and those gracious ends which they lead unto And that is as the Apostle himself does express it to us in so many words for the work of the Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ These gifts they reach to these ends Ephes 4.11 12. Every thing is so far forth desirable as it serves to better purposes and designs Now this is the advantage of spiritual gifts especially there where they are drawn out into their full extent that they do at least for a very great part of them serve to build up the Church of Christ The manifestation of the spirit is given to every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 But of this we shall speak more anon So much therefore now for that viz. the first particular considerable in this first General and that is the object propounded Gifts The second is the qualification of this object by way of comparison or distinction and that is the best or better gifts ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Where we may observe two things more First that which is implied And secondly that which is exprest That which is implied is this That there are some Gifts better than others That which is exprest is this that if there be any Gifts better than others those are they which we for our particulars of all others are to apply our selves to First For that which is implied there are some gifts which are better than others this is here supposed and taken for granted whiles the Apostle propounds the better gifts to be coveted after he does thereby imply that there is a distinction of gifts and that there are some of them which are better than the rest and so there are though all in their kind very good as proceeding each of them from one and the self-same spirit yet there is a difference and a distinction amongst them according to that which we have in the fourth verse of this present Chapter Distinctiones sunt donorum sed idem spiritus There are diversities or distinctions of gifts so some render the words but the same spirit For the better opening of this present point it will not be amiss for us to consider wherein this distinction does consist namely in what respect some gifts are said to be better than others and do partake of this better denomination First Gifts sometimes are counted better as they are any thing more rare and unusual Those which can do somewhat which few else can do besides they do from hence for the most part esteem themselves to be better qualified and think that therefore
of expression there 's an inlargement of common natural affection these are the better gifts But then again there 's a spirit of Adoption there 's a crying of Abba Father there 's a childlike and a filial boldness and closing with God in the duty There 's a making known of our requests to God as the Scripture calls it Phil. 4.6 that 's the more excellent way So in like manner take it in Preaching There 's a good invention and a good composure and a good memory and a voluble tongue and a pleasing delivery c. These are the better gifts but then there 's a word in season there 's a speaking to the conscience there 's a savory spirit there 's an heart transform'd into he nature and power of those things which are utter'd and deliver'd by the mouth that 's the most excellent way And so I might likewise instance in divers others of the same nature with them There are gifts and there are graces both which are ingredients unto them as a Religious duty as a means to salvation and such Considerations of it as these c. and that which concerns us is not only to look after the former but also the latter and to the latter more than the former In all performances of this nature whatsoever we undertake we should make it our chiefest study and business to excell in the most excellent way and to abound in those gifts especially above all other which do savour most and come nearest to Religion and the truth of Grace wrought in the heart And we should not satisfie our selves in the one without the other Again yet further which is also pertinent and proper to the matter in hand we should be careful so to order and dispose of our gifts for the getting and improving of them as that withal we do not prejudice our Graces and hinder and obstruct them we should take heed of losing our selves in our Studies as concerning the frame and temper of our be arts For this is that by the way which we may take notice of and shall find to be most true by certain experience that though there be no kind of learning which considered simply in it self does carry an absolute repugnancy and opposition and contradiction to the work of Grace in the Soul but such as is very well consistent and agreeable with it in the thing and that also in some measure and degree yet there are some kind of studies especially above the rest which by too much intention upon them and not watching over the heart in them may much indispose the Soul to that gracious and heavenly disposition and present frame of heart which is desirable in it in regard of the subject This is too clear and evident by divers instances of it in sundry particulars some by too much ingagement in Controversies and Philosophical disputes others by too much ingagement in Criticisms and Rabbinical observations others by too much ingagement in Histories and Chronologies and the like are not only oftentimes lost to the World and to civil converse amongst men but are likewise much lost to Heaven and to spiritual communion with Christ This proceeds not from the things themselves which are all of them as I said before very good in their several kinds and agree well together but only from our corruption and the weakness of our nature which cannot so easily in an high degree attend two things at once in diverso genere At least it proceeds from our carelesness and non-attendancy and inconsiderateness in not carrying such a narrow watch and circumspection over our own souls as indeed it becomes us to do Like Martha we are troubled about many things and neglect that one thing which is needful and the choosing of that better part which shall not be taken away from us for there may be a kind of worldliness and covetousness to excess as I may so call it even in our professions and callings as well as in other mens although it be of a little finer nature than the others are Therefore we should here look to our selves Covet earnestly the best gifts and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way Labour to advance in Learning but still remember to keep up in Grace And here I might take occasion again to commend the work of Preaching unto you upon another ground and consideration than as yet I have mentioned and spoken of and that is as it is so much the freer of all other works from this danger nay as it is a good remedy and prevention against it which being performed so it should be as a great help and advantage to the heart to bring it and keep it in frame and to fit it for communion with God to sanctisie a Sabbath and to dispose us to all the duties of Religion according to that expression in Psal 23.23 He maketh me to lye down in green pastures He leadeth me beside the still waters He restoreth my soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his names sake Lastly This excellent way it does not only refer to the getting of Grace our selves but likewise to the promoting of it in others And this was that which the Apostle Paul in this place did seem especially to aim at in these Corinthians they were of that humour and disposition at least for a great many amongst them that they looked more after the credit and honour of their gifts and such gifts as were of greatest applause than they did after the good and benefit of their gifts and such Gifts as were of greatest profit Now this is that therefore which he does occasionally propound and commend unto them not only a simple qualification but likewise a concomitant edification not only to have better Gifts but also to do more good with them this is the most excellent way Humility and Thankfulness in the injoyment of Gifts and charity and faithfulness in the improvement of Gifts is the most excellent way in order to the Gifts themselves This is that which St. Paul as he does especially intend in this Text so he does also further urge and prosecute in the following Chapter and that particularly from his own example in the 14th chapter of this Epistle the 18 and 19 verses where he speaks to this purpose I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all Yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue Where ye may observe that he still principally drives at edification with those Gifts which he partaked to have spoken ten thousand words in an unknown tongue that had been more for his own credit and admiration and applause in the world yea but to speak but five words with his understanding that by his voyce he might teach others also That was more for the good of the Church And he made choice of this
now the Servants of God they do receive the Truth in the love of it and as they discern it with their understandings so they likewise imbrace it in their hearts and therefore cannot act against it Look as there is an impotency in evil men to that which is good so there is likewise in some sort an Impotency in good men to that which is evil And so the Scripture seems to set it in another place as Gal. 5.17 The flesh insteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things which ye would Cannot in either reference as the reluctancies of the flesh hinder ye that ye cannot do that good which ye would do from the principles of Grace so again the reluctancies of the spirit hinder ye that ye cannot do that evil which ye would do from the remainders of corruption And this latter is that which we are here to take notice of when the Apostle says of himself and other faithful servants of God that they can do nothing against the truth he means so far forth as regenerate and living by the principles of grace and regeneration in them so they can do nothing against the truth indeed though otherwise when as left to themselves and the natural corruption of their hearts they are sufficiently capable of it and prone and inclinable to it as in case of desertion and temptation is too abundantly declared unto us This is the sum of all that as the work of grace in Believers which is sometimes call'd the seed of God does preserve them from other sins and the presumptuous commission of them so amongst the rest from opposing the Truth and setting against that they cannot do it because they are born of God and have his Truth setled in them Thirdly From a spirit of faithfulness and ingenuity which is over and above in them The Children of God they are conscious to themselves of many engagements which are upon them to truth from the vows and promises which they have made and from the favours and mercies which they have received and therefore can do nothing against it Where men are under any Covenant they are tyed thoug they had never so good mind and inclination to the contrary And so it is here If we could suppose the Children of God to be such as whose affections would serve them for the hindring of the Truth yet their promises and voluntary Covenants are a restraint upon them they have solemnly dedicated and given up themselves to the Truth and so upon that account are now able to do nothing against it And so likewise for the mercies which they have received there 's a restraint from them also The Truth where-ever it is imbraced it does sufficiently reward those who have been imbracers of it besides that they are intrusted with it Now for them therefore to do any thing against it it would be very unworthy they cannot do it upon the point of ingenuity That 's another and the third Consideration Now all together may serve as a satisfaction to mens minds in this particular There are many which are apt oftentimes to wonder at that strictness and rigidness which is in many of Gods servants that they keep so close to the Truth so that there 's no shaking or removing them from it or perswading them to do any thing against it Here 's now a true account of it whence it is so indeed in them It is from hence that they cannot do otherwise we cannot do any thing says the Apostle Paul against the Truth And as he could not do it himself no more can others do it with him They are better taught and they are better affected and they have other kind of Bonds upon them and restraints than other men have who are more loose and at liberty in this respect as for them they cannot do it It is not selfishness or peevishness or perverseness or a spirit of singularity as the world is ready for the most part to construe and judg and interpret it in them no but it is Grace and Religion and Christianity we cannot i.e. we will not there is a restraint upon us of Principles Thirdly We cannot i.e. we shall not It is a restraint likewise of Power we cannot although we would but herein shall be prevented and intercepted we cannot attempt it and we cannot effect it there 's both in it cannot attempt it as prevented by the Providence of God denying us opportunities cannot effect it as prevented by the power of God denying us success First We cannot attempt it God preserves his servants from this even from endeavouring any thing against Truth he keeps them graciously from such temptations and occasions as might put them hereupon and besides what we spoke of before the general frame of their own hearts considered as regenerate there is the particular actings and restrainings of his own spirit in them whereby he does keep them from such a miscarriage and sin as this is Gods servants are under a blessed conduct and government which does prevail upon them whereby they are preserved from those evils and snares which others are taken with and do very readily fall into We cannot that is we shall not attempt it he denies opportunities But then secondly we cannot i.e. we shall not effect it as denied success This it holds good both of themselves and all men else We cannot do any thing against the truth That is we cannot prosperously we cannot successfully we cannot safely We may do it but we had better let it alone Cannot to our own comfort and contentment And we may do it but we had as good spare our selves a labour Cannot as to any real prejudice or disparagement to truth it self Those that seem to do most against it yet indeed they can do nothing at all nor never shall This although it be not the proper and direct sense of the place but rather the other which we mentioned before with some other which we shall speak of afterward as also the analogy of faith yet it agrees very well with the words and may by way of overplus and redundancy be taken in to the explication of them to us even to signifie and declare thus much That all endeavours against the truth are in vain and to no purpose Veritas magna est praevalebit the truth is strong and is sure to prevail When we have done all that we can do against it yet this all is as good as nothing it will at last be too hard for us But I will not insist upon this Point now as not being that which is so much intended I only give an hint of it by the way So much of the first word of Emphasis which is here to be explained and taken notice of by us and that is the word cannot there 's a force in that The second is the word any-thing for so indeed it
for it so much also for that the Explication of the Apostles Constancy in this Expression in two particulars both in point of Doctrine and Censure Now to draw up this whole Discourse of the Apostle into a brief sum and conclusion We may not rest our selves only in these expressions barely propounded as if his intent had been no more but this to shew his Power and Authority over Angels or others as to the Anathematizing of them no but there 's a further drift in them than all this which we may reduce to Three Heads There 's a threefold respect of all which hath been hitherto spoken First The inflexibility of the Gospel Secondly The Duty of the hearers of it Thirdly The misery of false teachers First We have here set before us the inflexibility and unvariableness of the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ that it is a thing which does not change with times or persons or conditions but is still one and the same otherwise the Apostle could not have been thus absolute and peremptory about it What was Religion formerly it is Religion still and what is now Religion it was Religion many years ago in the Generations which are past and will be and must be likewise to the end of the world We speak now in regard of the things themselves in their own nature Indeed mens opinions alter and vary about them but the points themselves are still the same we can have no new Gospel nor new Jesus nor new Spirit of God as the Apostle seems to imply in the Scripture before alledged All these things are unalterable and inviolable and indispensable there 's no changing nor bartering of them Look as the principles of nature are immutable so likewise the principles of grace That the Principles of Nature are so is very clear Reason is the same in all men and in all nations and in all ages and the same common principles of it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as we call them they are scattered and disperst and communicated to the whole world This it holds also by a proportion as to the Principles of Religion and Christianity Though so many have not these Principles in them as have the Principles of Nature yet so many as have them they have them as immutably and unchangeably one as the other and ye may as soon rase out these as ye may rase out them The Ground hereof is this Because these things are laid in the Nature of God himself who alters not as God himself is unchangeable so is his Truth which issues and proceeds from himself And such a kind of thing is the Gospel it is an Extract and Emanation from God it was hid in him and it does spring out and flow forth from him And so the Apostle in another place seems to derive it 2 Cor. 1.18 c. As God is true our word toward you was not yea and nay For the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us was not yea and nay but in him was yea for all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us From hence will now follow That therefore our faith does not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God as it is 1 Cor. 2.5 Christianity and the Doctrine of Religion is not as any man living will determine but as God himself has done it to our hands and we must fetch it out of his written word where his will is revealed unto us and which is still one and the same yesterday and to day and for ever Therefore those that are every day in a new opinion and change their Religion with the fashions we see here what to think of them even as of those that do not know or understand what Religion is or what belongs unto it which is a constant and certain business a thing imbred and connatural where it pleases God to vouchsafe to bestow it and such as is not easily rooted out yea indeed at all out of that heart in which it is wrought Look as no man that has common sense and reason in him will be beaten out of such and such Principles If an Angel from Heaven should say that black were white or white black or contradict any thing which comes within the verge of sense we would not believe him so neither will a Christian in these things which belong to Christianity therein there is as great certainty yea greater than in the principles of nature That 's then the first result or conclusion which does follow from this Text viz. The inflexibility of the Gospel The second is the Duty of the Hearers of it and that particularly in reference to the Dispensers which is this not to have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons This is clear also from the words wherein we are discharged not only from the Apostles themselves but also of the Angels from Heaven It 's no matter who 's the Preacher but what 's the Sermon not who it is that speaks this or that but what it is which is said by him Indeed for the most part we do rather look after the former than we do after the latter If men who are of esteem with us do deliver at any time such and such points unto us we receive them let them be what they will be swallow them without chewing let them go down without any sticking or straining or stopping at all at them but this is not safe for us to do if we will be ruled by the Apostle himself who to this purpose restrains us and in case of notorious Error and Contradiction to the Doctrine of Scripture Though we or an Angel from Heaven should Preach it he will not allow it that 's the second Corolary Thirdly Here 's the danger of all Seducers and false teachers which is this that they lye under a curse and are exposed to a most severe Anathema and that uttered not in passion or fury or lightness or by a private person such an one as had nothing to do with it but by Authority and by the Apostle of Christ This has somewhat more in it than the world is commonly aware of It is a dangerous thing to be under the pressure and weight of an Apostolical or Ministerial Imprecation and the rather as we do not presently see the sad effects and consequences of it This is that which falls heavily upon those persons which do corrupt the Doctrine of Christ and abound with their novel opinions and innovations in matters of Religion they are here by the Ministry of St. Paul long ago pronounced to be accursed Neither does this Curse light only upon the Preachers and Authors and Devisers of these Errors but in part also breaks upon the receivers which we may take in with it and add unto it Those that admit of such points as those are whenas they have been formerly taught better they may not
perhaps you were very little or nothing at all affected with it Now ye are ashamed This now it may admit of a various and manifold Explication First Now since the time of your Conversion and Regeneration and coming home to God Secondly Now since the commission of your sins and the intermission or the withdrawing of the temptation Thirdly Now since the experience of Gods Goodness and the sense and apprehension of his special love and favour towards you since these all or either of these ye are now ashamed of those things which formerly had no impression upon you or at least which ye did not look upon as any great matter of shame unto you First I say now that is since the time of your Conversion and Regeneration and coming home to God Conversion as it makes a change in a mans condition so also in his affections it makes him to have other thoughts and apprehensions than formerly he had and in particular in point of shame he is a shamed of those things which before he did not regard And whereas before sin was nothing with him now he looks upon it as the greatest reproach can befal him A man after Conversion will be ashamed and confounded in himself for those ways which he walked in before Thus it was here with these Romans yea thus it was with the Apostle Paul himself when he looked back sometimes upon his former condition before his Conversion he was ashamed to think of it and he speaks of it with a great deal of abhorrency and indignation as we may see in Act. 26.10 11. 1 Cor. 15.9 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Thus it proceeds upon these following Considerations First The clearer discovery of the nature and condition of sin it self which is the ground and matter of shame shame in the affection is according to the apprehension of it in the occasion those that are not thoroughly convinced and perswaded of any thing to be shameful they are not consequently ashamed of it but those which are so they will be affected with it And this is when it is apprehended to be filthy and base in ââself as the Philosopher describing this affection sets in forth unto us that it is properly imployed about those things ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which seem to have some vileness in them and which are apprehended so to be Why thus now is it with a man which is converted in regard of sin He looks upon it as a shameful business and proportionably is ashamed of it he sees sin in its colours and in its nature what it is by the light of Gods Spirit assisting him and inabling of him so to do which another does not It 's a good observation of Chrysostom's which he has to this âurpose ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã c. Every sin does then indeed appear how vile and filthy it is when you empty it and strip it off the affection of him that commits it Tell an angry man when he is cool of the words which he spoke in his passion and then he will be ashamed Then a drunkard when he is sober the things which he did in his cups and then he will be as contented bring an unchast person to his harlot when his lust is over and he will then abominate both her and himself and so he goes on These Romans when they ââere here converted the Apostle dares appeal to themselves and needs no other witness besides for the confirmation of that which he said If people had but the same thoughts of sin in the committing as they are likely to have after it they would never be guilty of it There 's a double light which is communicated to a Christian as pertinent to this purpose the one is whereby he sees the filthiness of sin it self and the other is whereby he sees himself as guilty of sin Where either of these is wanting there is not this shame which we now speak of when either we see not sin in it self or see not our own interest and propriety in it as belonging to us then we shall not be affected with it no more than a blind man is with those spots which are upon his garments but where both these concur there is blushing and shame of heart and thus in a person converted Secondly This shamefacedness does arise from a serious and due apprehension of the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God Those which many times are not much ashamed of things simply considered in themselves yet when they think they are taken notice of by others this is a means to work shame in them Now a good Christian he is sensible of this he has set God always before his eyes that thereby he might be restrained and considers him as everywhere beholding both the evil and good Therefore it is emphatically exprest there in Ezra and twice repeated in the place before cited O my God I am ashamed and I blush to lift up my face to thee O my God if we had real and daily and constant apprehensions of him as present with us as it becomes us to have it would make us ashamed of doing any thing which were unworthy of Christians from the sense of his presence This is more than to set before us some Cato or Socrates or Seneca or any such persons as those were as the Philosopher advised in such a case Thirdly A Christian after conversion comes to be ashamed of his ways and courses before from the height and nobleness of his Principles and that spirit of Grace which is now in him over what formerly he had Men when they come to be men and are grown up to years of maturity and riper understanding they are ashamed to think of those toys and tricks which they plaid in their child-hood and Scholars when they come to some perfection they are ashamed of those exercises which they made in their former and younger time and all from this Consideration because they are now better qualified and more inabled than formerly they were even so is it also with a Christian upon conversion and turning t6o God He is not now the same man that heretofore he was and therefore the same things will not satisfie him or give him content but he is apt to quarrel and find fault with them yea to blush and to be ashamed of them when he reflects and looks back upon them especially his sins and evil courses which is that we speak of at this time because he has a new nature in him which does bear in most direct opposition and contrariety to all such courses as these are Yea further which is also pertinent hereunto a gracious person has an holy reverence and awe of himself which does encline him and carry him hereunto it was that which some of the Heathens did sometimes advise unto in their Moral Philosophy ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of all others reverence thy self This a good Christian does and from hence comes to blush and to be ashamed of
's the incorruptible seed as the Scripture calls it which hath this Vim plasticam in it Jam. 1.18 By the word of truth he begat us of his own will 1 Cor. 4.15 I have begotten you through the Gospel And 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God c. Now this it may be considered of us two manner of ways First simply as it lyes in it self Secondly Relatively in its connexion with that which went before According to the former consideration of it so it shews us what is especially required in Christians according to the latter so what especially in Ministers First To look upon it absolutely and simply as it lyes in it self Till Christ be formed in you And here again it does carry a double sense with it either first as it does imply an essential perfection or secondly as it does imply a gradual Take it as an essential perfection so Till Christ be formed in you that is till ye be true Christians supposing them as yet unconverted and in a state of nature Take it as a gradual perfection so Till Christ be formed in you that is till ye be eminent and compleat Christians supposing them new begun to be converted though as yet in a state of imperfection First Take it as a perfection essential Till christ be formed in you i.e. till ye be true Christians and really brought home to God By which expression we see wherein the work of true Conversion and Regeneration does indeed consist and that is in having the image of Christ stampt upon us and in his being part for part fashioned in us There 's tow things at once in it and both of them worthy our observation First It is not any forming which will serve the turn but the forming of Christ by laying an Emphasis upon the Person Secondly It is not Christ in any ways conferred upon us neither but Christ so far forth as he is form'd by laying an Emphasis upon the Conveyance First I say it is not any forming which will serve the turn but the forming of Christ this was that which the Apostle lookt at in them above any thing else and which was most of all to be lookt after by themselves There are other formings and fashionings sometimes which the world has an eye uoto it is called a conforming to the world Rom. 12.2 opposite to this transforming but such as do not make men more acceptable in the fight of God I 'le name some of them to you by way of illustration As first Bodily proportion the shape and lineaments of the outward man to have these formed in them this is a great matter with the world and that which many look upon as the greatest ornament and accomplishment to them Corporal beauty But this is such which though considered in it self be a good natural blessing yet it makes not any to be of the greater account with God himself where Christ is not formed the greatest beauty is no better than deformity and ugliness it self Secondly Natural Parts and Abilities of mind they are also much regarded by the world and go very far especially where the profession of Religion is joined with them they will carry a very great shew and appearance even of Grace it self although being very far distant and different from it But all these come short of the true mark It is not what wit any have but what goodness and spiritual favour The greatest Wits unsanctified do the greatest mischief And let mens judgments and natural understandings be never so ripe and pregnant in them yet if they be not moulded by the spirit of Christ and fashioned to him they will prove but very defective yea very destructive Thirdly Civil and Moral Accomplishments they are short here likewise and are here signified as insufficient whiles there 's mention made of the forming of christ There Galatians they were some of them very much for the Jewish Rites and Observations and did place great perfection in them thereby derogating and diminishing and detracting from the honour of the Gospel but Paul was not satisfied with them in this particular nor would not have them satisfied in them themselves he desires Christ and none but he might be formed in them The Reason hereof is this Because it is he alone in whom God is well pleased with us as having fully satisfied his Justice for us He hath made us accepted in his Beloved Ephes 1.6 So much therefore as we have of Christ in us so much amiableness and loveliness there is in us and so far forth is God delighted in us It is Christ not Adam it is Christ not Moses it is Christ not Plato or Aristotle or Seneca or any of those people Therefore let this be that which we all especially endeavour after to have as much of Christ as we can whatever we have else and to think that no perfections without him will be sufficient for us whether of wit or wealth or beauty or honour or any worldly accomplishment whatsoever Christ is much out of esteem in the world now in these days but there 's a day a coming which will advance him to us That 's one thing we may take notice of the Emphasis laid upon the Person it is nothing which will serve the turn but Christ The second is as laid upon the Conveyance It is not Christ under any Dispensation but as formed in us It is not Christ as he is barely known or preacht or profest or any such but as fashioned and formed This is that as I said wherein the true and proper nature of conversion and regeneration does consist in having the Image of Christ stampt upon us and himself part for part fashioned in us Look as in nature the child has part for part answerable to its Parents so in Grace has a Believer to Christ from whence he is said to be formed in him Of his fulness we all receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 As we have born the image of the first Adam so we must bear also the image of the second 1 Cor. 15.49 Every natural man he has the former form'd in him and so must every spiritual man have the latter For this reason is the work of Regeneration set forth in those in whom it is by the expression of a man the new man and the inward man and the new creature and the like because that Grace it does convey it self quite throughout in every part so that as we are wholly defiled with sin so we are wholly also renewed by the spirit and as Adam has tainted us wholly so has Christ wholly repaired us To open this phrase a little more particularly and distinctly to us Of Christs being formed in us We may take notice of these things in it as pertinent unto it First Here 's the substantiality of Grace that it is a real and substantial thing in us it is not a meer fancy or notion
or matter of conceit but such as has a bottom with it when we become true Christians Christ is formed and framed in us Look as there 's a great deal of difference betwixt a Tympany or Mole or false conception and a true birth so is there likewise a great deal of difference betwixt a meer formal professor and a true believer for the former hath only as it were the picture and shadow of Christ upon him the other hath Christ formed in him So that as Christ sometimes replied upon his Disciples when they took him for a Ghost or Spirit Luk. 24.39 Behold says he my hands and my feet handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me to have Even so may a true Christian say to any one that shall question his condition and take him for a meer image or counterfeit in Religion Behold and see if it be not thus and thus with me He has flesh and bones as it were appearing in him there 's Christ in all his lineaments to be seen upon him and Grace it enters as we may so speak into the substance of him He is in deed and good earnest that which he makes shew of and seems to be We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works as it is in Ephes 2.10 Therefore let us according hereunto examine and search our selves see what truth of Religion there is in us There 's many which have a bare outward profession and title but that is all they have a form of godliness as form is taken for outward appearance but they have not Godliness formed in them as form is taken for the inward substance Grace it is not thoroughly rooted and incorporated into them which is here implied that it ought to be Now as long as it is so with them they cannot be that which they should be whiles Christ is said to be formed hereby is denoted the substantiality of Religion Secondly The enlargement and spreading of it as running all along which I intimated before through the whole man He that is a true Christian he has every part sanctified in him he which has not he is no better than a monster Christ has somewhat of every thing in him eyes and ears and tongue and heart and all The Apostle Paul elsewhere expresses as much unto us Rom. 6.19 For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness Your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity there 's the old man formed in them and defiling every part of them your members servants to righteousness and holiness there 's the forming of Christ So 1 Thes 5.23 Sanctifie youwholly c. Thirdly Here 's also Activity and Operation Till Christ be formed in you that is till you be animated by Christ as producing the actions of spiritual life in you Whosoever is a true Christian he has Christ living and acting in him more or less and he brings forth answerable fruits unto Christ There 's an ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a supply of the spirit of Christ Phil. 1.19 which does actuate him and put him forward Religion is an inward business Christ in those which are his members does exert and draw forth Grace in them Lastly Here 's also permanency and inherence whiles Christ is said to be formed in us hereby is signified our constant abode and continuance in him and his in us that as the forms of things they are unseparable and unremovable from the things themselves which they are forms unto so is Christ and the Grace of Christ from the heart of a Christian and he cannot sin with a total Apostasie or falling away from Christ because the feed of God remaineth in him as the Apostle John tells us 1 Joh. 3.9 This is the difference now betwixt true and sound Christians and other men Take a worldly person and he is joined to Christ by common profession as bearing his name upon him but he is not knit and united to Christ by faith Christ has no settlement or foundation in him but for a true believer he is as it were bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh He is incorporated and ingrafted into him and formed in him And because he is so therefore he is sure never to depart or to fall away from him From all which considered by the way it will appear unto us whence all those mistakes proceed which are sometimes in the world concerning the Doctrine of Perseverance and the Saints standing or falling in point of Grace it is from hence that the nature of true Grace and Conversion is not rightly either understood or at least considered and thought upon which if it were it would soon put an end to such-like disputes as these are and of it self determine them to us As long as men shall look upon Religion as a thing meerly taken up it is no wonder that they should conclude a departure and falling away from it but when they shall consider that it is setled and rooted here they will not easily yield to a possibility of losing of it whatever is natural it is constant and permanent in the subjects of it and so it is âere with Grace which is as it were a second nature you may as soon separate light from the Sun or heat from the fire or life from the soul as you may do Grace from a Christian heart in which it is wrought and riveted and imprinted and transformed into it Thus you see how many things are at once included in this expression of Christs being formed in us But here it may be further demanded how far forth and in what manner this is done in what respects did the Apostle undestand that Christ should be formed in these Galatians and so consequently in all other Christians To this I answer in two especially First In respect of the Doctrine of Christ that they should be moulded and formed into that And secondly in respect of the Spirit of Christ that they should be also wrought upon and fashioned by that First In respect of Christs Doctrine that they should be moulded and formed into that this is one manner of way in which Christ was to be formed in them For this was that now which they were in a great measure departed from they had forsaken the Doctrine of Christ through the seducement of the false Teachers amongst them and were returned to the Law of Moses which they did expect Justification from Now the Apostle would have them to be formed and reformed in this particular He would have them to be well setled and confirmed in Evangelical Truths and the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ This was that in the first place which we may here conceive as commended unto them so it concerns us to be in like manner who profess our selves Christians to be well acquainted and instructed and grounded in all the Articles
to travel with them again Alas what a pitiful thing is it to be the means of bringing those into the world which shall be enemies to Christ and to suffer the pains of travel that others may suffer the pains of hell This Parents cannot otherwise prevent than by prayers and good example and education and this they should do and say in the words of the Apostle here in my Text with which I will conclude My little children of whom I travel in birth again till Christ be formed in you SERMON XL. Gal. 5.16 This I say then Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh There 's nothing which is more ominous or pernicious to the Church of Christ than the divisions and contentions of those which are the members of it one with another being such as do threaten the ruân and consumption and destruction of the whole and there 's nothing which does more lay the way and give ground and occasion hereunto than a diversity and contrariety of Doctrine and opinion in matters of Faith This is that which the Apostle Paul does in a more especial manner take notice of in the course of this present Chapter more particularly in the Church of Galatia to which he here writes who were now at this time more especially apostatized or declined in a very great measure from their former profession and were over-grown with very strange errors which did breed strange affections amongst them Now the Apostle here does three things in reference to this present evil First He shews the nature of it Secondly He shews the danger of it Thirdly He prescribes the remedy He shews the nature of it in the 13th verse that it is namely a carnal humour and such as proceeded from the unregenerate and unsanctified pant in them therefore he bids them not to use their liberty for an occasion to the flesh He shews the danger of it in the 15th verse that it is namely a mortal disease and such as carries no other than death and desolation in the bosom of it But if ye bite and evour one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another He prescribes the remedy in this particular verse which we have now in hand the 16th verse of this Chapter whereby because that contraries are best cured by contraries he does therefore endeavour to remove carnal distempers by the provoking of spiritual performances This then I say walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh IN these present words before us we have two General Parts especially observable of us First A Preface or Introduction Secondly The Doctrine or Matter which is delivered thereupon The Preface that we have in those words This I say then The Doctrine or Matter delivered in these Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh We will a little invert the order and begin first of all with the particular Doctrine or Matter it self which we have laid down in the latter part of the verse Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill c. And here again there are two Branches more which offer themselves to us First A Precept or positive Injunction Walk in the spirit Secondly A Promise or according as some read the words a Prohibition And ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh We begin in order with the first viz. the Precept Walk in the spirit ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Wherein there are two terms to be explain'd and stood upon by us First The spirit to consider what is meant by that And secondly Walking in the spirit what is the sensen and meaning of that and what we are taught and instructed from it For the first By the spirit we are here in one word to understand the spirit of God the Holy spirit And that either first of all in his Graces and Principles as subjected and radicated in us or else secondly in his motions and suggestions as objected and propounded to us either of these do imply the spirit First In his Graces and Principles as subjected and radicated in us Walk in the spirit i.e. walk after a spiritual manner And this again is done two manner of ways First When we are frequent and conversant in spiritual duties when we are much in the Exercises of Religion which are the currents and conveyances of the Spirit then we may be said in one sense to walk in the spirit which is here required of us Those which profess themselves Christians they must be much in the Duties of Christianity as Praying Reading Hearing Communion of Saints c. These are such things as they must apply themselves to with a great deal of diligence and endeavour It is true there are other things also to be done in reference to humane life and conversation here in the world as the works of our ordinary callings and imployments which belong unto us these they are not to be neglected but we must be also mindful of other and apply our selves to the performance of them even the exercises of Piety and Religion And that especially upon this consideration as being such actions wherein we have special communion with the Spirit of God and wherein he takes occasion to communicate himself unto us These they are the pleasant walks of the Spirit as I may so call them the green pastures in which he makes us to lye down and the still waters besides which he leads us for the restoring of our souls as the Prophet David there expresses it in Psal 23.23 The Galleries wherein Christ is held Cant. 7.5 and a great deal of good to be gotten by them Those which talk of the Spirit and in the mean time cry down the Word whether in the reading or preaching of it which vilifie Ordinances and Religious duties and such performances as these are they speak those things which are inconsistent and which will never hold together For these they are Pabulum animae they are the food and nourishment of the soul which it lives upon and the sweet and happy channels wherein the Spirit of God does glid into us Secondly When we are daily and continually in a spiritual frame and temper of heart This in another sense is to walk in the spirit and seems also to be laid upon us in this present Expression in the Text. We may not judg of our walking in the spirit always or only by the matter and substance of the actions themselves wherein we are imployed but rather according to our carriage and behaviour in them A man may walk in the flesh even then when he is religiously exercised as for the nature of the performance it self And again A man may walk in the spirit even then when he is about business but of common and ordinary consideration The want of right distinguishing here hath been that which hath given occasion to such mistakes especially amongst the Papists and those of that way for
they still put all spirituality in the outside of Duties themselves reckoning them for the only spiritual men in the world which are mured and shut up in a Cloyster and are imployed in their superstitious Devotions and practices of Will-worship and in the mean time wirhdrawing themselves from all serviceableness and usefulness to the world and places wherein they live This is not to walk in the spirit but rather in the flesh We must therefore take a further account of this business than as yet we have done and here to walk in the spirit will be as I in part intimated before to be heavenly and spiritually minded in our whole course and conversation Whatever the things themselves be so not sinful which we are occupied about let them be matters but of our ordinary callings yea even lawful recreations themselves a gracious heart will be spiritual in them and so we ought to be when we do every thing as in God's Presence to his Glory and as accountable to him for whatever we do then do we indeed walk in the spirit when we are in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 Which makes up the first Explication understanding by the spirit the spirit as bestowing grace as subjected in us Secondly By the Spirit we may here understand his motions and suggestions as objected to us Walk in the spirit that is walk according to the guidance and dictate and moderation of the Spirit of God And this again in two particulars more First In the directions of the Spirit Walk as the Spirit of God inclines you Secondly In the Consolations of the Spirit Walk as the Spirit of God comforts you and gives encouragement to you First Walk in the spirit that is after the directions of the spirit as the Spirit of God inclines you be sure and careful of that It is the blessed and happy advantage of those which are the servants of God that as they have the Spirit of God working grace in them at first so they have also the same gracious spirit still exciting and provoking and stirring up that grace which he has wrought in them for following times Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it c. Isa 30.21 Now then are we said to walk in the spirit whensoever we listen and hearken hereunto and move our selves accordingly when we do that which the spirit commands us and provokes us to do and when we shun that which the spirit forbids us and takes us off from not only in the word but in the conscience wherein he does also apply himself to us and that in a suitableness and correspondency unto the word look what he commands in the one he suggests in the other and never contrary or opposite thereunto whereby it may be discerned whether it be the Spirit of God or no. There are many who sometimes pretend to follow the dictates and motions of the spirit when-as it is rather the propensities and inclinations of their own corrupt and carnal hearts but such as these delude them This is the priviledg and duty of Christians to be guided by a better spirit than their own even the Holy Spirit to suffer his motions and suggestions to take place in their hearts and to rule and bear sway in them This we should labour still to do upon all occasions whenever we find any stirrings of good in us presently to close with them and to improvethem all we can toturn the motions of the spirit to resolutions on our behalf and not only into resolutions but into practice which is the life and vigor of all This is to walk in the spirit And this is that which we should apply our selves unto in obedience to this command or counsel which is here given us in the Text especially such amongst us as have any thing more of this Spirit of God dwelling in us the more that any partake of the spirit the more it concerns them to walk in the spirit and to yield themselves up to the Power and Authority of the Spirit upon them because that such as these have greater and larger opportunities than other have As for other men which are but of common and ordinary principles yet living within the bosom of the Church and there partaking of the means of grace there are very few of them except they be such as are desperately concluded but they have now and then some kind of stirrings and workings of the Spirit of God moving in their consciences whereby he diverts them from evil and puts them on to the doing of good and it concerns such as these accordingly to walk in the spirit and to follow those motions and suggestions which are thus offer'd and tender'd unto them yea but now as for the children of God which are regenerate and born again and have saving grace wrought in their hearts such as these they are seldom without them but are frequently and continually exercised and inured unto them And therefore for them not to walk after them is a matter of great indignity which is hereby offered to so holy a Spirit and such as does not pass in them without some trouble and affliction upon their own spirit usually for it that so they may take the greater heed of being guilty or neglectful herein at another time as is manifest from the experiences of many which have made complaint in this partiular and should be a caution and warning to all the rest We should take heed of grieving the Holy Spirit of God by refusing his gracious Motions and Applications of himself to our hearts but walk in the spirit that is first after the spirits directions as the Spirit of God inclines us Secondly Walk in the spirit that is walk in the spirits Consolations as the Spirit of God comforts and incourages you This is such a kind of walking in the spirit as the Scripture does sometimes make mention of as Act. 9.31 it is said there of the Churches That they walk'd in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost This is also our duty to do and though perhaps it be not that which in this place is chiefly intended yet neither is it altogether excluded it is the special office of the spirit to be a comforter therefore to walk in the spirit is to walk in his comforts We find among other fruits of the spirit which are reckoned up here in this Chapter Joy is named for one as that which does belong thereunto and certainly we do then walk in the spirit when we do preserve this joy in our selves When we labour to keep terms of peace and reconcilement betwixt God and us from whence our hearts may be filled with comfert When the Consolations of God are not small with us but we do value them and make much of them and do not easily do any thing which may forfeit them or provoke God to take them
away from us A Christian when he does at any time find himself in any cheerful and comfortable frame of spirit he should endeavour to keep it up and maintain it allhe can as that which is of very great consequence and importance to him not only for the sweetness and pleasingness of the condition it self but also in reference to that duty which is to be performed by him yea we must know that it is also more pleasing to God himself that his Children upon good and right grounds should walk comfortably and cheerfully before him and rather to close with the Consolations of his spirit than to lye down under the suggestions of Satan or the false and dark representations of their own sad and mis giving hearts therefore walk in the spirit also in this sense that is in the comforts and encouragements of the spirit And so much may suffice of the first term in these words to be explained by us namely what is meant by the spirit which we have shewn in a twofold Explication In the spirit that is in his Graces and Principles as subjected and radicated in us walk in the spirit that is walk after a spiritual manner and in the spirit that is according to his motions and suggestions as objected and propounded to us walk in the spirit i. e. walk according to the guidance and moderation of the Spirit of God The second Term here to be considered is walking and what is meant by that Now in this there are three particulars which seem to be intimated and implied First Here 's implied activity in opposition to bare speculation or profession or idleness in Religion Walking it is a business of motion he that walks he does not stand still Secondly Here 's implied strength in opposition to faintness or remisness he that walks he moves strongly Thirdly Here 's implied perseverance in opposition to declining or giving out he that walks he moves constantly All these particulars are in walking and so appliable to our Conversation in the spirit First Here 's implied activity in opposition to bare speculation or profession or idleness in Religion he that walks he moves himself and does not stand still And thus must it be with us in Religion an the ways of God We must be active and put forward in them it is not only have the spirit or understand it or pretend to it no but walk in it that is be careful to improve the Doctrines and Principles of it in the activity and fervency of a godly and holy Conversation This is that which is in a special manner required of us as Christians and accordingly we shall find t preach'd and urg'd upon us As in vers 25. of this present Chapter If we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit that is if we have a principle of spiritual life in us let us carry our selves answerably thereunto Look as the soul in the body it is not there after an idle manner but it does distribute motion and vigor to the several parts and members of it even so should it be with grace in the soul it should not nor will not be there to no purpose but so as to make the man of God perfect and ready to every good work that I may use the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Tim. 3. ult And so the Apostle Peter also signifies unto us in 2 Pet. 1.8 When he had spoken of the several graces of the spirit in the words before If these things says he be in you and abound they will make you that ye shall not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ This life of the spirit in us should work in us a walking up to it and whiles it is said here walking we may take notice of the variation of the phrase in the Original Text for it is not only ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which latter signifies a regular and orderly walking a walking by rule so it becomes us to walk who live in the spirit so to walk as not turning either to the right hand or to the left not carried by our own corrupt lusts nor yet overswayed by the mis-guidings of others but led by the sweet conduct and inclinations of the Spirit of God in us and doing that which he requires of us In a word This is that which is commended to us in this Text that our conversation be answerable to our principles and that as we make any claim to Religion more than others so we should behave our selves suitably thereunto It is not leaves that God stands upon but fruit it is not profession but action it is not only the principles which are in us but the works and duties which come from us in a correspondency and agreement to those Principles Not every onethat saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven says our blessed Saviour but he that doeth the will of my father which is in Heaven Matth. 7.21 It is doing that God does principally look after And this it does sadly come home to the consciences of many people in the world which are very guilty in this particular which have a name that they live but are dead as was said of the Church of Sardis which talk much of the spirit and the gifts and graces of it but in the mean time shew but little power and efficacy of it upon their hearts by framing of their lives thereafter as it becomes them to do such as these can have but little comfort whiles they live here in the world or hope and expectation when they go out of it so remaining We see how the Scripture puâs all still upon action If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them John 13.17 And then are ye my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you John 15.14 And he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever 1 John 2.17 and many more places besides tending to this purpose Therefore we should not content our selves with any thing below this whatsoever it be First Not with agreat measure of knowledg only no more but so let not that satisfie or content us the devils themselves have this in great abundance and yet but miserable creatures they know and believe and tremble as the Apostle James speaks of them And there were many in this Church of Galatia to whom St. Paul here writes his Epistle which were very knowing and intelligent persons as to the Doctrine of Religion and Christianity which yet for all that the Apostle seems not to be satisfied with Therefore we may observe that he does not say Spiritually understand the law but walk in the spirit There have been some who have so supersticiously sought after and urged the former as that they have laid all the stress of Piety and true Religion wholly thereupon and counted them the only spiritual men which were exercised therein namely in finding out the
sense and meaning of the Scripture as they have thought after a spiritual manner and in the mean time departed from the power and scope of it by leading lives opposite and contrary thereunto But the Spirit of Christ here by the Apostle requires of us to make the Word of God the Rule of our life Secondly We may not content our selves neither with some Discourses an inlargements of speech as tending to Piety which is another thing which many are subject much to rest in and to satisfie themselves withal There are many which if out of the strength of parts or the advantage of company and education and converse they can speak commendably and plausibly in Religion that they have then discharged themselves and done all which is required of them nay but it is not this which will serve the turn neither This walking in the spirit it does imply more than simple discourse or Amplification of speech in Divine and Spiritual Points it is not talking but walking which is here commended unto us not the walking only of the tongue but of the whole man Thirdly It is not only good meanings and intentions as some please to call them which should content and satisfie us neither There are many which go no further than these pretend they have as good a mind to God-ward as any other though they do nothing which savors of so much in them promise and vow and resolve and are full of good purposes but such as at last come to nothing at all in them Now all such as these are cut off by this Exhortation Walk in the spirit It is not enough for men to have good intentions but they must have answerable actions it is not enough for men to have good purposes but they must have answerable performances they must do that which they do resolve on Indeed it is true in some cases God accepts of the will for the deed and the intention for the performance it self namely there where we are extrinsecally hinder'd and debar'd of an opportunity of performance as we may see for Abrahams offering up of his Son God was well-pleased with his willingness thereto and accordingly accepted it and so for Davids building of the Temple God took it very well from him that he had a mind and desire to do it though he did not do the thing it self as being prevented by Divine Dispensation This his Son Solomon signifies concerning him in 2 Chron. 6.8 The Lord said to David my Father Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my Name thou didst well that it was in thine heart Mark thou didst well because it was in thine heart to do so God looked upon it as well-doing good actions are good intentions incarnate because there was well-purposing and well resolving for as the thought of foolishness is sin so the thought also of goodness is grace and so to be accounted but yet where there 's opportunity for action there 's somewhat more which is required of us We must not rest our selves in good desires but endeavour to bring them into accomplishment what we can through the infirmity of the flesh and that 's the first thing implied in this walking viz. Activity c. Secondly Here 's implied strength in opposition to faintness and remisness he that walks he moves strongly so must a Christianin his course of Christianity He must labour to express some strength and vigor therein he must be able to do somewhat more than other men and the generality of people in the world in the subduing of corruptions in the bearing of afflictions in the performance of duties it does not become such an one as has the Spirit of God in him to be overcome or yield there where perhaps another would be foil'd no but as he has been made partaker of a nobler and higher principle so to put forth the vertue of it in his whole life and conversation both to the Honour and Glory of God as likewise to the greater advancement of Religion it self Thirdly Here 's implied also constancy in opposition to declining and giving back walk in the spirit that is continue and go on in goodness and proceed still from one degree of grace to another here 's improvement and perseverance in Holiness which is commended to us under this expression as it is said of the People of God Psal 84.7 That they go from strength to strength till they every one of them appear before God in Zion So it should be with us in our Christian course we shoul never give over till we come to our journeys end till we attain the end of our faith even the salvation of our souls as the Apostle Peter speaks 1 Pet. 1.9 Forgetting those things which are behind press forward Phil. 3.13 There are many which begin as it were in the spirit but they end in the stesh as the Apostle speaks of these Galatians they set upon that which is good but they do not persist and persevere in it Now this is that which he does here over and above require of them and in them of all others besides which pretend to Christianity And so now I have done with the first Particular in this first General viz The Affirmative Injunction or Precept which the Apostle here commends to these Galatians and in them to our selves Walk in the spirit The second is the Negative or Prohibition ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and do not or ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh I put them both together because the words will bear either and I find them both in our own English Translation the one in the Margent the other in the Text. According to the former so it has in it the nature of a Prohibition or Dehortation as shewing what should not be According to the latter so it has in it the nature of a Promise or comfortable intimation as shewing what shall not be We may if we please take notice of both And first of the former sense as it carries in it the nature of a Prohibition and as shewing a Christians duty Do not fulfil the lusts of the flesh the Subjunctive for the Imperative Where we may by the way observe this in the general how careful the Spirit of God is to set us and keep us right and what means he uses thereunto Here 's precept upon precept and line upon line and negative upon affirmative one thing after another to make it so much the more full and effectual to us one would have thought it might have been enough to have said this Walk in the spirit no more but so for whiles we do thus we are not likely to do much amiss as we shall hear afterwards but the Apostle is not content with that he adds this to it moreover And do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh This he does upon a two-fold ground First His own tenderness and jealousie over us Secondly Our falseness and the slipperiness of
to Duty and the doing of that which God requires of them in their several places Great and strong lusts are hinderances to any noble performances and high atchievements which are to be undertaken by us The Apostle tells us in the verse immediately following to the Text vers 17. of this Chapter that from the flesh lusting against the spirit the Galatians were disinabled from doing the things which they would and so they were and all others with them whereas on the other side where these are kept down there is strength and ability thereunto namely to serve God with so much the more strength All these laid together do shew us the happiness of this particular condition and the truth of this point in hand to wit the benefit and advantage of not fulfilling the lusts of the flesh Again further we may here also take notice that as it is a benefit in it self simply considered so it is such as is apprehended and counted so by all those which have the Spirit of God in them Those which are the true children of God they look upon this as one of the greatest mercies which can happen unto them to be freed from the power of their lusts This is also implied in the Text it was not only so in the thoughts of the Apostle but also in the thoughts of the Galatians to whom he here wrote or else he had said nothing to the purpose and it had been to no end to signifie as much unto them that by walking in the spirit they should have this benefit confer'd upon them if they had not thought it to be a benefit indeed But now he uses argumentum ad homines and speaks to them in their own Element to their heart as the Hebrew phrase hath it He knew he should now please them and bring that which would be acceptable to them when he should tell them of being freed from their lusts and so he did A good and a gracious heart looks upon this as the greatest mercy and priviledg in the world which he longs for and most eagerly desires as the Apostle Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord which is such as makes him willing to desire even death it self where in he shall indeed partake of this priviledg Again Moreover observe this as another thing implied in these words That the reward of Religion lyes within the compass of Religion The Apostle had stir'd up these Galatians and in them all other Christians to an holy Life and spiritual Conversation to walking in the spirit Now what does he here for their encouragement signifie to be the reward and recompence hereof unto them Why namely this that they should not fulfil the lusts of the flesh He does not say ye shall have such and such outward comforts heaped upon you riches and honours and the like nor he does not say ye shall have Heaven at last given you and ye shall be free from condemnation though this also be true no but ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh If we had no other recompence of a godly life but only that which is emergent from it and immediate to it yet this were enough to satisfie us in it and to perswade us to the leading of it And so much for that which is here supposed and implied in this expression I come now in the second place to that which is exprest which is the words of the Text And ye shall not fulfil c. This for the right handling of it we must take in its conjunction and connexion with the words before and as dependent thereupon Walk in the spirit and so ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh the one prevents the remedy against the other the more spiritual any are the less carnal and the more we are guided by the spirit the less we shall yield to the flesh This truth and expression may be made good to us according to a various explication which may be given of it First Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall not have so great a mind and desire to fulfil them ye shall be restrained in regard of inclination though Grace and the exercise of it does not as I said before wholly extirpate all cortuption out of us and make it cease to be whiles we live here in this world yet it does qualify the dominion of it and makes it cease to be in that measure and degree wherein it was in us before And as sinful acts do increase the habit of sin in us as we have formerly shewn in the point above so the other side do gracious acts dminish this habit and make it less It is the avantage of that man who is imploy'd and taken up in well-doing that he has not that lust and propensity in him to that which is evil as another has Godliness it puts our mouths out of taste to the pleasures of sin as on the other side sin does make goodness to be disrelish't by us Look therefore how far a man is freed from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh by having little or no desire unto them so far is he freed from them also by this course of walking in the spirit which is advantageous and effectual to this purpose to mitigate the desire of sin in them Secondly Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall not have temptation to fulfil them ye shall be kept from lustful and sinful suggestions and provocations The reason why many fall into sin now and then is because they have strong temptations and instigations to it because the Devil is very busie with them and it pleases God someimes in his Providence to give them up into Satans hands But now when men are careful to walk in the spirit they do very much provide for themselves in this particular Satan has not that power over them and advantage which otherwise he would have in the neglect of it nor they are not so much under the power of temptations as they would be if they did not thus walk This is true upon a ouble account both on Gods part and on Satans on Gods part who in this case does not so much give them over to temptation and on Satans who in this case has not that incouragement to fasten his temptation upon them First I say on Gods part who in this case does not so much give them over to Satan to be tempted Take a man that neglects his daily walk and converse with God that does not look so strictly and narrowly to his steps as it becomes him to do it pleases God now and then for his exercise and tryal and partly his correction to let Satan loose upon him and to suffer him to molest and trouble him with sad temptations not only for sin
but to sin also thereby to humble him and bring him low and to shew him the vanity and sinfulness of his own corrupt heart But now when a man walks in the spirit and is careful to keep close to God God will free him from such evils as these Again secondly It holds also on Satans part who in this case has not this incouragement to tempt as thinking he shall but lose his labour and do all to no purpose It is true indeed that Satan is not easily put out of heart in regard of his temptations nor yet does he always forbear men because they have more grace in them nay therefore does hereafter sometimes so much the more violently set upon them he throws his sticks the fastest at those trees which have the most fruit upon them because he thinks thereby he shall have the greater booty but yet where he sees Grace in the activity and the exercise and improvement of it in a spritual way he is not so much heartened and incouraged and provoked to tempt men as otherwise he would be Resist the Devil says St. James and he will flee from you Give him but the least advantage and he will be sure to take it and improve it to the utmost but resist him an give denial to him and then he is gone Why thus now do those that walk in the spirit they leave no hole for Satan to come in and they put on all their spiritual armour whereby they stand against the wiles of the devil Ephes 6.11 Thirdly Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall not have leasure or opportunity to fulfil them The more business a man has in goodness the less vacant he is to sin and has less time for the committing of it This a man shall be sure to find upon tryaland experience of it That man that truly walks in the spirit will find so much work for him to do in a spiritual course for the watching of his own heart for the getting of a farther stock of Grace for the serving of God in his relations and the place wherein God has set him as that he will find but little leasure for the lusts of the flesh at all And this is another Explication Lastly Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh that is ye shall be kept from the thing it self in regard of the immediate influence and efficacy of a spiritual Conversation which it has in the nature of it for the restraining and preserving of the heart from any sinful miscarriage This ye shall not as to actual accomplishment we shall find to be true according to all the former senses and explications which we have given of this walking in the spirit take it in which ye will and ye shall find that in the practise of it Ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh First Take it in the Graces and Principles of the spirit Walk in the spirit so and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh The more spiritual we are in our Principles the less carnal shall we be in our Conversation This is clear from the words that follow in the next verse to the Text the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do the thing that ye would Ye cannot do the things that ye would it holds true of either part not only as to the doing of good ye cannot do the things that ye would that is whereby ye would with your sanctified will because the flesh which is in you is an hinderance and impediment to you but also as to the doing of evil ye cannot do the things which ye would neither that is which ye would with your corrupt will because the spirit which is also in you is here a curb and restraint upon you Look as the inherence of sin and corruption remaining in us keeps us from a full and perfect walking in the spirit so the infusion of Grace and Holiness abiding in us also keeps us from an absolute fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh Again Secondly Take it also in the motions and suggestions of the spirit and they all take us from the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh whether we understand it of the suggestions of Counsel or whether we understand it of the suggestions of Comfort they do either of them hold us back in this particular First The suggestions of Counsel the directions and excitements of the spirit they are such as if we follow them we shall be sure never to fulfil the lusts of the flesh which by the way shews the horrible blasphemy and wickedness of some persons in the world which would make their lusts of the flesh to be the motions and suggestions of the Divine Spirit What a grievous and fearful thing is this yea and how false is it too and incongruous the Spirit of God is an holy Spirit ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Spirit of Holiness it self as the Scripture stiles him and therefore he does not nor cannot provoke men to that which is unholy no but it is the desperate vileness and rottenness of their own corrupt hearts together with the spirit of Satan of joyning and complying with them and improving of them Satan hath fill'd thy heart to lye against the Holy Ghost as Peter to Ananias So likewise secondly for the suggestions of Comfort which the Spirit of God does let in into us if we walk after them also we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh spiritual comforts and consolations they do not breed security and presumption or make men the more to abound in sin as some men vainly pretend against them no but where they are in reality and good earnest they make men so much the more to avoid sin and to be more shy and fearful of it To take heed of doing any thing whereby we should deface our evidences and lose that sweet and comfortable testimony of Gods love which he does vouchsafe unto us This is the proper improvement of such experiences as these are in the hearts of those which are God's People as also the proper consequence and connexion of the things themselves The Consideration of this point in hand may be thus far useful to us as it may serve to put us upon the search and examination of our own hearts and ways we may see what our selves are according to this Doctrine There are many which pretend to the Spirit and to the walking in it Well but how are they now as to this particular whereof we now speak the fulfilling the lusts of the flesh When men give themselves over to these without any curb or restraint at all Can they say and say with any truth that they walk in the spirit Certainly no such matter He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as
he walked 1 John 2.6 And how was that why according to the Spirit the Spirit of Holiness which was in him and acted him all his whole life If it be objected that David and Peter and other of the Servants of God have sometimes turned aside to these lusts First I answer that in the strict sense they did not fulfil them which is with delight and perseverance in them without repentance Secondly That so far forth as they did any way fulfil their lusts so far forth they did decline walking after the spirit but walk c. Again Yet further We may take these words not only simply and emphatically but if we will also exclusively walking in the spirit it does prevent and restrain the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh and upon the point nothing else but that at least so effectually and powerfully as that does There 's nothing which doe so infallibly civilize men as Grace and true Religion and the Spirit of God and the Power of Godliness This is the best means of Mortification that is in the world there are other means which are also happily used now and then as good company and fear of punishment and avoiding of occasions and the like But there 's nothing like this the living in the exercise of Religion This it makes sure work and sets our lusts at the greatest distance from us that possibly may be the best remedy against sin is duty and the best help against lust is grace every sin of commission it has commonly a sin of omission going along with it or rather going before it as the ground and occasion of it whereupon it is laid If we were but more in doing what we should do we should be less in doing what we should not therefore walk in the spirit if ever ye desire to be kept from fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh And in the spirit again in the highest and sublimest notion of it the spirit not in the natural or moral Consideration of it only the spirit of that 's his reason or ingenuity and good nature and the like though that be not excluded neither but in the spirit especially and actually in the supernatural Consideration of it The spirit of a man that 's his grace and his spirit indued with a principle coming from above it is not parts that will keep men from lusts but gracious and holy affections it is not reason but reason sanctified which will here serve the turn abstract it from this and it is too weak and feeble a Principle for such a business as this we now speak of We shall find by certain observation that men of the highest reason have been sometimes of the strongest passion and none have been worse for their Morals than those which have been most eminent and admired for their Intellectuals This I add that we may rightly understand it what spirit and in what sense it is spoken of here in this place when we are required to walk in it that we may not fulfil the lusts of the flesh And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which I propounded in order to be considered and that is the Doctrine or matter it self which is here delivered and propounded unto us Walk c. The second which we find to be the first in the method of the Text is the Preface or Introduction to this Doctrine and that we have in these words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã This then I say This is as it were the dore in the Text and that which makes entrance into it This is such an Introduction as we oftentimes meet withal in Scripture and where we meet with it it is commonly with some special force and impression upon it Here in this present Text we may look upon it as carrying a fourfold Emphasis in it First As a word of Authority I say it that is I charge it upon you and require you to observe what I say I say it by special warrant and command mand from God himself and therefore know what I say it is not hoc dico ego non Dominus this I say and not the Lord as it was sometimes in another place 1 Cor. 7.12 But hoc dico ego quia dominus this I say because the Lord he has said it and I say it from him A Minister whiles he speaks from God he may speak boldly that which he speaks without difficulty or hesitation As Paul to Philemon I may be bold in Christ to enjoyn thee that which is convenient Philem. ver 8. When we speak purely from our selves according to the dictates of our own fancies or passions or the like here our speech may be well intercepted and hindred in us but we speak by direction from God here I say his Authority And especially may this confidence and boldness further be used when-as the things which we speak have some footing and foundation in the hearts of those whom we speak to It is great matter of confidence to a Preacher when he has the soul and conscience of the hearer bearing witness to that which he says and can say as the Apostle also does in another place concerning his Epistles We write no other things than what you read or acknowledge and I trust ye shall acknowledg even to the end in 2 Cor. 1.13 And again chap. 4.2 By the manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God And again chap. 5. ver 11. We are manifest to God and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences Thus was St. Paul also here in the matter of this present Text and therefore says I say that is boldly as a word of Authority and Command And so 't is a word of Constancy I say it again and again and therefore confidently Prov. 21.28 He that heareth speaketh constantly that is he that is sure Secondly I say it is a word of experience I say it sensibly and I say it feelingly and I say it upon mine own knowledge as finding the power and efficacy of this Truth upon mine own heart from whence I may so much the more fully and freely commend it to you Thus did St. Paul say it here and thus should we also which are Ministers endeavour to say what we say upon such occasions and in such matters as these then indeed a Preacher speaks to purpose when he speaks thus When we deliver spiritual Truths out of raised and spiritual affections and more as the workings of our hearts than as the workings and inlargements of our brains it is not enough for men to speak out of Books from the spirit of other men or to speak out of themselves only out of the strength of parts and wit and invention and such kind of abilities to say what can be said of a Text in a way of logical deduction and as fetching one thing out of another by a kind of rational distillation but to spin
a way of Application Thirdly In a way of Evidence or Conviction Probat qui tentat probat qui approbat probat qui docet argumentis But here in the Text it is confined only to the two former the word in the Greek is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which is the same that is used by the Apostle in another place in reference to the Lords supper 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and let him prove his own work they come both to one and the same effect only in that place it is restrained to one work as the occasion is whereas here it is taken more at large and so it seems to carry two things in it which are understood by it First As it is a word of Inquity or Examination Let him prove that is let him try Secondly As it is a word of Allowance or Approbation Let him prove that is approve either may be meant by it First It may be taken by way of Examination or Exploration Let every man prove his own work that is let every man try it and so ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the same with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Thus it is in many other places of Scripture besides as 2 Cor. 8.8 1 Thes 5.2 That I might prove the sincerity of your love that is that I might try it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã proving all things c. that is examining or trying them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Luk. 14.19 I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them that is to try them and to inquire about them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Thus is both this word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Greek and also prove in our own language oftentimes taken in this acception for matter of Tryal and Examination And so first of all here in the Text. We must do with our works as Goldsmiths do with their Gold who prove it for their better satissaction Now Goldsmiths they prove their Gold two manner of ways First They prove it by the touchstone for the discerning of true from counterfeit they prove it that is they try it Secondly They prove it by the fire for the separating and consuming of the dross they prove it i.e. they approve it And the first of these is that which is considerable of us in this present verse in regard of our own performances This is the duty of every Christian as to search and examine and inquire into his own heart as concerning the general frame and temper and disposition of it so consequently into all the works and actions which do come from him whether they be such as are warrantable or not it is not a matter of indifferency to us what things they be which we do but we are to call our selves to an account about them and to set up a Tribunal in our own consciences for the trying and judging of our selves And that especially upon these following Considerations First For our own innocency and the better ordering of our own lives where we do not prove that is try our works we cannot dispose of them so as we should do but shall be apt still to go on in a way of security and self-pleasing whether we have cause to do so or no Those that never look in the glass they do not see the spots in their faces and so do not take any care for the wiping them off from them and so those that do not try their works they do not so easily see their miscarriages from whence they might be brought to reform them and to do them away This tryal is necessary to integrity and self-reformation and therefore we shall find the Prophet Jeremy so to set it in Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our mays and turn again unto the Lord. Self-examination is a very good step to Copversion when we inquire how it is with us we are likeliest to be that which becomes us and which we ought indeed for our own parts to be I considered my ways and turned my seet unto thy testimonies says the Prophet David Psal 1 19.59 Look as it is with those which are travellers when they never look after the way or consider whither they are going they many times go a great way astray before they return and come into it again even so is it with those that are upon their journey to Heaven c. Secondly This tryal is also requisite in order to our own comfort and satisfaction it is good we should prove our works as that we may be humbled for our defects so that we may be comforted from our good proceedings and reap the fruit of our own doings as the Scripture speaks For though the best things that come from us they have corruption mingled with them and so in that regard are matter rather of abasement than any thing else yet withal for the substance of them they are the workings of God's Spirit upon us and the evidence of his Graces in us which therefore in the discerning of them must be very grateful and comfortable to us in the sweet relishes and reflexious of consciences as rich men considering of their estates and worldly improvements This is such a special Consideration for this inforcing of the present Duty as that it seems to be the principal hinge upon which the Text it self turns as we shall see hereafter out of the following words And the c. Thirdly In an holy Conformity to the Judgment of God himself and his proceedings with us Therefore let us prove our own works because we shall have one to prove them for us at another day there 's a time a-coming when every mans work shall be prov'd whether he will or no namely at the day of judgment which is by a special Eminency in Scripture call'd the day of Discovery or Revelation Rom. 2.5 And again in another place it is said That every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is 1 Cor. 3.13 God will try every mans work and therefore it concerns every man to try it himself and so much the rather that that tryal may be with the greater comfort Schollers that have well examined themselves they are so much the better fitted and qualified for their Masters examination and so it is here This therefore justly meets with the contrary practise of abundance of persons there are a great many of people in the world which never take this so much into their thoughts whether their works be good or bad but let them pass without any reward or consideration at all And to give you some account of it it does proceed from a threefold Principle in them First From neglect and non-attendency Secondly From presumption and self-flattery Thirdly From consciousness and self-suspicion First The cause why many do no more prove their own works it does proceed from simple neglect and carelesness
the judgment which on any is past by us We should so far reckon and esteem of any and of our selves as we have of this in us This it suits with the scope of the Text by comparing it with that which went before The Apostle had to deal with some in the Church of Galatia which stood much upon their Jewish Prerogatives and priviledges which they did partake of in that respect which did ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã made a fair shew in the flesh in ver 12 of this Chapter Gloried in their circumcision and conformity to the Law of Moses In answer to whom he adds the following words God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ c. And in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature And then he adds As many as walk by this rule that is as we may well understand it by this rule as to matter of judgment and estimation of any ones person This is that which we should be mindful of though respect is also to be had to other Considerations yet we should principally value any as they have more of grace and goodness in them walk by this rule in point of Censure Thirdly In matter of practise and the things which are to be done by us consult also with this rule Consider whether that which we do or not do be agreeable hereunto First Be sure to know and to consider what the new creature is and wherein it consists and then examine whether such and such actions do comply with it according to this we should either provoke or restrain our selves where we find our selves slack or remiss to our duty quicken our selves upon this Consideration that our Principles require better from us where forward and carried to evil check our selves also from this argument as being contrary to the new creature in us This is the state and condition of a Christian and of one that is indued with saving-grace that he cannot do those things which others take liberty in nor omit what others discharge themselves from but has a necessity upon them from whence it is that we read oâ such expressions as these in Scripture We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Act. 4.20 And we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 Here 's can and cannot with a Christian in such cases as these are because he is under a law even the law of the spirit Rom. 8.2 That which he cannot do with a good conscience he cannot do at all A Moral impotency is all one with him as a Physical and he is provoked or tyed up according to the Principles which are in him Fourthly As to matter of carriage and behaviour in every condition we must walk by this rule here so deporting our selves as may be suitable to Religion and the work of Grace in us forasmuch as that does very much fit and qualifie us for all estates whatsoever The Apostle Paul speaking of himself in Phil. 4.12 says He knew how to be abased and he knew how to abound everywhere and in all things he was instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need He was taught a suitableness and comeliness of behaviour in a variety of conditions And who and whence was he taught it surely not from flesh and blood but from the work of God's Spirit in him and by Grace wrought in his heart And so must every one else be besides and being so be careful to walk proportionably hereunto with patience and humility and thankfulness and moderation and contentment and compassion and fellow-feeling of the necessities of other men to exercise the grace of that condition in which we are This new creature if we observe it and be indeed acted by it it will lead us and carry us to such a frame and temper of spirit as this is whatever state happens unto us And so now I have done with the first General Part of the Text which is the qualification of the persons here mentioned As many as walk c. The second is the signification of the blessings or priviledges belonging unto them Peace be on them and mercy c. I call it the signification of blessings but indeed there is somewhat more in it This passage for the clearing of it to us seems to carry a threefold Emphasis with it which may be fastened upon it First In the notion of a Promise or Divine Intimation Peace and mercy unto them that is there shall be peace and mercy unto them it is a priviledg which they have interest in Secondly In the notion of a Prayer or Apostolical Benediction Peace and mercy upon them that is let peace and mercy befall them it is the blessing which I do pronounce unto them Thirdly In the notion of a compliance or friendly salutation Peace and mercy upon them that is I am peaceably affected towards them and in charity with them either of these notions or all may be comprized in this expression here before us in these present words We begin with the first As it has the notion of a promise or Divine Intimation There shall be peace c. This is the advantage of all godly men living in the Power of Godliness and walking by the Rules of Christianity that they shall have peace and mercy for their portion which shall be bestowed upon them This is that which the Scripture does signifie in divers other places as Psal 119.165 Great peace have they that keep thy law and nothing shall offend them So Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee c. and Phil. 4.7 The peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds c. Peace it is a large word comprehending all kind of happiness and felicity in it whatsoever but we may here in this place confine it more especially to that which is spiritual Peace and mercy that is peace flowing from mercy in the pardon and remission of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ This is the peace here meant with the effects and concomitants of it as belonging to powerful Christians they shall have peace and reconciliation with God as the main ground-work and foundation of all and they shall have also peace in their own consciences as issuing and following hereupon To which also we may add as an overplus Peace with men and all other creatures so as not to be able to do them hurt but rather good even in their greatest oppositions and at last eternal peace and rest in glory to him that ordereth his conversation aright I will shew the salvation of God Psal 50.23 For the further amplifying of this unto us it ma no be amiss for us to take notice of the manner of expression by an Hebraism Peace not to them but upon them ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And
out in Christ which it does in so full a manner as that he that sees the one he sees the other And so Christ himself tell us Joh. 14.8 9. When Philip said unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us Jesus saith unto him Have I been so long with you and yet hast thou not known me He that hath seen me hath seen the Father and how sayest thou then Shew us the father And again ver 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me In Christ who is God-man we have a full true sight and knowledg of God and no-where else So that those who deny the Doctrine of Christ they have not God First in point of Knowledg Secondly They have not God neither in point of Worship God out of Christ is an Idol as to any true adoration of him or religious service exhibited to him This is true both in regard of the object of worship as also in regard of the medium In regard of the Person worshipped as likewise in regard of the conveyance of this our worship to him For the Person worshipped it is still God in Christ from whom abstracted and divided we cannot apprehend or conceive of him in our prayers Forasmuch as in Christ all the fulness of the Godhead dwells as the Apostle speaks in Col. 2.9 therefore out of Christ there is nothing of God to be found and so consequently nothing of God to be worshipped Those that worship God out of Christ they worship they know not what as our Saviour speaks to the Woman of Samaria in Joh. 4.22 Thus it holds in regard of the Object and the Person that is worshipped It holds also in regard of the Medium and the conveyance ofthis worship to him as there 's no worshipping of God neither but in Christ so there 's no worshipping of God but by Christ in whom our worshipping and service of him is alone transmitted to him He is that Jacobs Ladder which touches Heaven Earth and whereby we ascend from Earth to Heaven No man cometh to the Father but by Him He is the way and the truth and the life Joh. 14.6 As none comes to Christ except the Father draw him so none comes to the Father except Christ bring him It is he that makes our way for us even a new and living way which he hath consecrated to this purpose as the Apostle speaks Heb. 10.20 Through him we have an access by one spirit unto the Father both Jew and Gentiles Ephes 2.18 And in him we have boldness and access and confidence through the faith of him Ephes 3.12 By him who is our high-Priest we go boldly to the Throne of Grace c. Heb. 4.16 If we pray it is in his name or else to little purpose Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you Joh. 10.23 If we give thanks it is still by him Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually giving thanks to his name And Col. 3.17 Whatsoever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him So that take away Christ now and we take away all approach to God and adoration and service of him who is the only Angel that with incense offers up the Prayers of all the Saints upon the golden Altar Revel 3.8 They that have not him they have not God in point of worship neither as to the object nor medium Thirdly They have not God in point of Interest they have not that relation to God as is desirable for them They have God indeed in the common relation of a Creator and so even the Devils themselves have him but they have him not as a Father or Friend or beloved they have not God as a God in Covenant which is the right having of him indeed this being alone founded in Christ This is the misery of all those which are out of him and walk in opposition to his Doctrine that they are deprived of his sweet and comfortable relation God out of Christ is a stranger there 's no acquaintance with him and God out of Christ is an enemy there 's no standing before him But in him there is peace and agreement Col. 1.21 You that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works he hath reconciled in the body of his flesh Him hath God the Father sealed Joh. 6.27 And him hath God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 He hath made us accepted in the beloved and him alone Ephes 1.6 He is the true mercy seat in whom we have intercourse with God the Father Those that think to come to God upon the terms of nature and common providence they will have little comfort in such approaches for God considered out of Christ he is a consuming fire and our nature is now through sin become odious to him as it is in it self There 's no coming now unto him without expecting to be devoured by him But it is Christ who assuming our nature and in that nature satisfying Gods justice who hath made our nature now amiable to him in those persons who by faith apprehend him and are united to him and in them alone We are not now acceptable to God so much as bearing the image of the first Adam but rather as bearing the image of the second by whom the image of God himself is now renewedand repaired again in us and we in a manner partaking of his likeness which is usually the ground of love and delight in several persons one to another Therefore those that have not Christ in this sense they have not God They have not God to own them nor they have not God to justifie them nor they have not God to adopt them nor to accept them and take them as his thus they have him not They are at an absolute distance from God and have no comfortable relation to him nor interest in him Lastly They have not God i.e. they have him not in point of influence this follows from the other forasmuch as all benefitfrom God proceeds from interest in him Therefore those who are strangers to Christ and his Doctrine as they have no interest in God so neither to speak of have they influence from him And that according to all these kind of influences which are to be desired and those benefits which are of the greatest concernment As first Of Grace and Holiness they have not God to sanctifie them and to communicate his holy Spirit unto them God is the God of all Grace but it is God in Christ he is the channel and conduit-pipe and conveyance of the grace of God unto us in all the several kinds and particulars of it wherein it is communicated Look as by the first Adam sin is derived unto all those who partake of him by carnal generation so by
because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek c. And we see it fulfill'd in Luk. 4.18 so Ephes 2.17 He came and preached peace to them that were a far off and to them that were near that no man may think meanly or scornfully of this work of Preaching and publishing of the Gospel it was the work and business and employment even of Christ himself in his own person But secondly He did it also and still does in his servants who were sent and appointed by him Thus 1 Pet. 1.10 11. Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ c. And so St. Paul in 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me c. It is Christ that speaks to us in his Ministers who have his Spirit given them to this purpose Thus is Christ a witness by way of Discovery and Revelation which is the first Explication Secondly By way of assurance and confirmation not only so far forth as he reveals to us those things which we knew not but also as he does further settle us in these things which we know in part already he is a witness in this respect likewise And that by virtue of his Spirit that dwelleth in us God hath revealed these things to us by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God And as he reveals them so also he confirms them and gives us a further assurance of them as it is also intimated to us 2 Cor. 2.10 Now there are two things which Christ by his Spirit doth thus witness to all those that are members of him First The Truths and Doctrines of Christianity and Religion it self And secondly Their own spiritual condition and state in Grace as having such truths belonging to them First For the Truths and Doctrines of Religion Christ is a witness in regard of these namely so far forth as he does illustrate them and shine upon them and open our minds and understandings for the conceiving and apprehending of them As it is said of the Disciples in the general in Luk. 24.45 He opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures The Spirit of Christ in his children witnesses Divine Truths not only to their heads but to their hearts and gives them a further savour and rellish of those things which they know in part already which is the great difference betwixt them and other men Take common and ordinary persons who have no work of Grace at all in them and they have many times a great deal of knowledg in the Doctrines and Points of Religion so far as belongs to the brain and are able to discourse it may be pretty largely and plausibly of them But now a good Christian indeed he has another kind of knowledg of them He sees spiritual Truths by a spiritual light that which others discourse of he feels and has his heart transformed and changed into the nature of them Thus he knows the Scripture and written Word to be the Word of God not only from the testimony of the Church but from the testimony of the Spirit and as finding in his own soul the workings and impressions of it as Austin sometimes professes it for his own particular This is that accordingly which we should labour to find in our selves as being that which will be of greatest use and benefit to us and most likely to hold out with us It is the best and readiest way to perseverance and continuance and abidance in the truth when it is thus wrought and riveted into us When the Doctrines of Religion are meerly notional and speculative as swiming and floating in the understanding men do more easily let them go and part with them but when Christ by his Spirit does seal them and engrave them upon the heart then they are sure and certain and we shall constantly hold them out even to the end Again for a further explication of this Point as Christ may be said to be a witness of the Truths of Religion by his Spirit so also by his life and his whole conversation Joh. 18.27 For this end says he was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth Christs actions they gave a testimony to his Doctrine and to the truth and reality of it That which was done by him it was a manifestation of that which was said which is indeed the best witness of truth that can be given unto it And it teaches us the same likewise in some kind of conformity unto him We ought thus far to be fellow-helpers to the truth and promoters of it all that may be And so as by doing so by suffering likewise Christ was a witness to the truth also thus and enables all his servants where they are called unto it to be so likewise He is in a sense the first Martyr and all others take it from him that have any ability to be so That 's the first Branch of this witness as to the matter of it as extending to the Truths of Christianity The second is as to Christians own condition and state of Grace Christ is a witness likewise thus as he witnesses by his spirit to their spirits that they are his children Rom. 8.16 Thus 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself that is wrought and imprinted upon his heart by the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in him and certifies him in this particular and that against all false witnesses and objections to the contrary When Satan or a mans own misgiving heart shall be ready sometimes to accuse him and fly in his face here 's the witness and testimony of Christ himself which will carry all down before it And so again when a man 's own heart acquits him and speaks comfortably to him here 's the witness of Christ also to confirm it and to add strength unto it which is the chiefest of all As Peter sometime to Christ Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Christ is not only a Judg but a Witness and accordingly we may appeal unto him for the clearing and justifying of us upon any occasion as this Disciple here does and he will be ready accordingly to give in witness to us and for us as it is proper unto him my witness is in heaven and my record on high Job 16.19 Yea and to give witness in us too within our own breasts Christ he can speak peace to the Conscience and make it speak peace to it self which no other witness can do besides He can so enlighten and over-power the Conscience as thereby to enable it to give a right judgment of it self which oftentimes
especially in temptation of it self it is unable to do Ministers may be able to bear witness of the promises in general but Christ he is able to apply them and bring them home in particular Therefore we should learn to give Christ the honour which is due unto him in this respect by owning and acknowledging of his power and ability to this purpose and complying with it We should take heed of denying it either in point of Doctrine or in point of practise Those deny it in point of Doctrine who with the Papists deny it to be possible for a Christian here in this life present to be assured of his Eternal salvation or state in Grace and those deny it in point of practice who chuse rather to close with the malicious suggestions of Satan than with the comfortable intimations of Christ and his Spirit applying himself to them And both of them do exceedingly derogate from Christ in his Prophetical office whereof this is one part to testifie the condition of his people in order to salvation that they are indeed in the state of Grace And so much may be spoken of the first word of Emphasis in the Text and that is the Witness The second is The Faithful Christ is not only a witness but a faithful witness which is the chief and principal commendation of a witness indeed what St. Paul says of a steward the same may be said of a witness of the former we have it in 1 Cor. 4.2 It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful and so it is required in witnesses And accordingly such an one is Christ as we find him described Revel 3.14 The Amen the true and faithful witness This faithfulness of Christ in point of testimony it may be explained and laid forth unto us in three particulars especially First In the veracity of it Secondly In the universality And thirdly In the sincerity For the veracity of it First Christ is a faithful witness because he witnesses nothing but that which is indeed truth Whatever Christ propounds to his Church to be believed by it it hath an undoubted certainty in it Thus 2 Cor. 1.19 20. the word of Christ is declared not to be yea and nay but in him to be yea And it is added For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us And what is there said of the Promises it holds good of the whole word at large it is no other than Truth it self as proceeding from him whose name is faithful and true Secondly From the universality of it Christs faithfulness is seen in this likewise not only in delivering the truth but the whole truth There are many witnesses sometimes in the world who are partial and imperfect in their testimony somewhat they will be content to witness but other things they will desire to conceal this is a great part of unfaithfulness But now with Christ it is far otherwise he reveals and declares whatsoever is to be revealed by him not reserving or concealing any thing Joh. 8.26 He that hath sent me is true and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him Those things which I have heard of him indefinitely whatsoever they be without any reservation or exception And so as without reservation so without addition likewise that which the Father commits unto him to be declared that alone does Christ declare As he is the Mediator of the Church so he does all by dispensation from him and varies not Thirdly His faithfulness is seen in his sincerity in all this in that herein he seeks not his own glory but the glory of him that sent him as he testifies of himself Joh. 7.18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory but he that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true and there is no unrighteousness in him Where Christ does therefore conclude himself to be true because he seeks not his own glory but the glory of his Father and so indeed he did and that in a principal manner and so likewise he sought the good of those persons to whom he was sent which was another part of sincerity in him and so consequently of faithfulness Therefore as he revealed to them the whole Truth of God so still with respect had to their capacities and as they were able to bear it He would not obtrude more upon them than was fitting for them and than they themselves were capable of for such a particular season He would not withhold from them so much as they needed and he would not impose upon them more than they could bear and so making their good and advantage his main aim and intendment This was his sincerity The Consideration of this Point thus open'd and explain'd unto us may have a suitable influence upon our selves in a way of Application First As a special Argument and Ingagement to us to believe what is afforded and propounded by Christ to be believed by us Faithfulness on Christs part it calls for Faith on ours and his witnessing it calls for our assent That 's the improvement which is to be made of it by us We see here from hence the hainousness of the sin of unbelief and infidelity By how much the more faithful Christ is in his witness so much the more shame is it for us to discredit it and to set our selves against it He that believeth not God says the Apostle he hath made him a lyar because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son An unbeliever he makes Christ unfaithful which is such a sin as he will never put up We see amongst men how much commonly they stand upon their faithfulness that that should not be any thing call'd in question and where it is so they are impatient of it To give a man the lye it is counted the greatest indignity that can be And how then may we think will Christ take it when we shall in effect do as much to him as by our unbelief we are said to do He that stands so much upon his Truth which he hath magnified above all his Name as the Psalmist tells us certainly he will not hold them guiltless which disparage it by not closing with it and assenting to it Therefore let this provoke us to stir up our Faith as much as may be upon all occasions and make it as General and as large and of as full extent as possibly may be look how large Christ's witness is so large and full in like manner should be our receiving of it and that whether as to the promises of Christ or else to his threatning for he is faithful in both First Take him as to his Promises Let us hold upon Christs faithfulness in them by trusting perfectly to the grace which is revealed as the Apostle Peter exhorts us 1 Pet. 1.13 And again as the Apostle to the Hebrews Let us hold fast the profession of
most eager and longing and earnest to be partakers of it And he does not the former for the most part without the latter He does not supply their wants but so as withal he satisfies their desires and relieves the sense of want in God So the Scripture still sets it Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden c. says Christ Mat. 11.28 He fills the hungry c. Now this it may be resolved into two things further by way of Explication First Into a sense of our own misery and wretched condition which we are in by nature And secondly Into an apprehension of the necessity which we have of Christ and consequently a desire after him These two Dispositions of Soul do express to us this spiritual thirst which is here laid before us First A sense of misery thirst it has painfulness in it and grief attendant upon it and so it is with all those who are athirst spiritually they are afflicted with the present state and condition in which they are and mourn under it thus it has been with all those who have been converted and brought home to Christ they have first seen themselves undone without him and have bewailed themselves in their present circumstances Paul and the Jailor and St. Peters Auditors they have been all thus far athirst as their natural estate and condition hath been grievous and irksome unto them and they have complain'd of the wretchedness of it as they still have done and so it is with all others whom Christ does here invite to himself that they would come unto him they have a sense of their misery Secondly An apprehension of the Excellency which is in Christ and a desire after him this is also in this thirst it is in the spiritual thirst as it is also in the natural In natural thirst as there 's the tediousness of drought so there is likewise the longing for water for the quenching and abating of it and so it is here in this spiritual there 's a groaning under the burden of sin and there 's a panting after the Grace of Christ and such as have both of these properties and qualifications in them they are more especially here called upon by him to come unto him Let him that is athirst come And there 's a twofold account which may be given hereof unto us The one is as it is that which is the greatest favour to them and the other is as it is that which is the greatest honour to him First For Christ to invite especially the thirsty it is the greatest favour to the persons themselves which are invited by him as those who do from hence receive the greatest benefit from him where there 's the greatest want and sense of it there 's the greatest courtesie in supplying it And so it is here The whole needs not the Physician but the sick And the full stomach it loaths the honey-comb it self And those that are at the well-head they despise the waters which are brought home but to the hungry and thirsty soul such supplies are exceeding sweet Those that are scorched with the fiery beams of the wrath of God against sin and have the flames as it were of hell in their consciences for these to have the water of life as it follows afterwards offered unto them it must needs be a great mercy indeed and so it will be apprehended by all those that shall attend unto it And God delights still so to order his favours as may be with the greatest advantage to those persons upon whom he confers them And this I say in this business it is the greatest mercy to them Secondly It is the greatest honour to himself he gains the greater glory and renown by it and receives the greater thanks and acknowledgment for it We know how it was with Paul a man that thirsted after the Grace of Christ how he blesses and praises Christ for it O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of dath I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord c. Rom. 7.24 25. namely for his delivering of me out of this condition And 1 Tim. 1.12 c. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me c. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious c. And the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant c. Now as God delights so to order his favours as may be most for our content and encouragement so he desires likewise so to order them as may be most for his own honour and glory Therefore let us call our selves to an account in this particular and see how it is with us whether or no we have this spiritual thirst in us which is here commended unto us as being that alone which does dispose us and fit us for coming to Christ so as to be accepted of him There 's a great deal of excellency in such a temper as this is to be taken notice of by us First It is a very good argument of Grace already in some manner begun and wrought in us As we use to observe it in corporals where the Patient grows thirsty it is a sign that the Physick hath wrought kindly and that the body is now perfectly purged Even so is it here in Spirituals when a Christian thirsts after Christ it is a sign that those afflictions and troubles of spirit which God has been pleased to exercise him withal as spiritual Physick they have had an effectual operation upon him and have purged corruptions out of him The earnest desire of more Grace is a sign of Grace already obtained and it is a very good advantage to have such a comfortable evidence in our selves That 's one consideration Secondly It makes us capable so much the rather of receiving more this is the proper notion of the Text Let him that is athirst come as who shall be sure not to be sent away dry God will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground Isa 44.3 Such souls as these they do so much the more easily draw and suck in the Grace of God into them and God himself as I said does delight the rather to bestow it upon them Thirdly It makes Grace it self so much the sweeter and better rellishing in the enjoyment as want provokes appetite so appetite increases delight those things which are most remote are most desired and those things which are most desired are most comfortably enjoyed and so it is amongst the rest with Grace an the appurtenances of it Thus how much the more we desire it so much the more we rellish it The consideration of these things should put us so much the rather upon endeavour after this which we now speak of we should not content our selves with an indifferency of spirit in this particular as many do who have now and then some faint kind of wishes and imperfect inclinations towards Grace but no serious and hearty desires
or longings after it such as these they do shew themselves to be very far from spiritual thirst which is here offered unto us Thirst it is a desire with some earnestness and vehemency and unsatiableness which is in it as David Oh that one would give me of the water of Bethlehem to drink when he longed for it And Sampson though otherwise a strong man he was ready to die and perish for thirst even so is there likewise the same proportionable impetuousness in Grace as that nothing will satisfie it but a greater measure and degree of it self and of Christ himself who is the giver of it As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God O when shall I come and appear before God Psal 42.1 2. And so Psal 63.1 My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is Where thirsting is explain'd by longing as pertinent to it And so I have done also with the second General part of the Text which is the Invitation of access or seasonable Application in these words And let him that is athirst come The third and last is the Intimation of acceptance or grateful entertainment in those And whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Wherein again we have three Branches more First The benefit mentioned and that is the water of life Secondly The persons to whom this benefit is offered and that is whosoever will Thirdly The offer it self let him take of it freely For the first The benefit here mentioned it is the water of life whereby we are in a word to understand the Grace of Christ according to the full latitude and extent of it whether the Grace of Justification in the pardon and forgiveness of sin or the Grace of Sanctification in the purging and washing away of sin or the Grace of Assurance in the comfort and peace of conscience either of these are implied in this expression which we have here before us and indeed all together This water of life it is the Grace of Christ with all the appurtenances that belong unto it and means that make way for it and effects which are consequent of it It is Grace and Glory both Grace as it tends to Glory and Glory as it follows upon Grace The gift of God is eternal life both in the end and in the means and this is the water of life which is here offered and propounded unto us for our receiving of it Thus it is if we take it generally and at large But if we take it more particularly and as limited and restrained so the Scripture it self is herein its own best interpreter as we have it plainly declared unto us in Joh. 7.38 39. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This says St. John he spake of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive For the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Jesus was not yet glorified So then according to this reckoning the water of life should be nothing else but the Spirit of God in the Gifts and Graces of it which indeed not excluding the other is that which is here chiefly and principally to be understood by us That reconciliation which is purchased by Christ but received and applied by Faith which is a fruit and work of the Spirit and Holy Ghost in us as all other Graces are besides and so fitly and properly exprest by living water There are two words in this Metaphor to be observed and taken notice of by us the Principal and the Accessary the Principal that is water the accessary that is the water of life and the Grace of Christ it holds its resemblance and correspondency to both First It has a resemblance to water and accordingly is compared hereunto both in this Text and other places of Scripture in regard of that Analogy and proportion which it bears thereunto in sundry particulars Look what water is as to the necessities and supplies of our humane and natural life the same is the Grace of Christ as to our Divine and Spiritual We may take it in these following instances as a taste of the rest First For purifying and cleansing Water it is eminent for that and so is the Grace of Christ for the taking away of the several spots and defilements and pollutions of sin Thus Eph. 5.25 26. it is said of Christ that he gave himself for his Church that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word So Heb. 10.22 Let us draw near with a pure heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water The Grace of Christ is a spiritual Bath wherein the whole man of a Christian both outward and inward is purified and cleansed Secondly For cooling and refrigeration and quenching of thirst it is compared to water for that likewise This Grace of Christ as abating the heat of lust and allaying the terrors of conscience and extinguishing of the fiery darts of the devil as the Apostle calls them Thirdly For increase and fructification Water it makes plants to grow and flourish and sprout up and so does the Grace of God such persons as are endued with it They shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth their roots as Lebanon their branches shall spread and their beauty shall be as the Olive-tree and their smell as Lebanon as it s in Hos 14.5 Fourthly and lastly Grace is compared to water in its manner of operation as namely that it so runs as that it is always joyn'd unto its Principle Sic fluit ut semper sit conjunct a suo principio It is an Observation upon it out of Austin and so Grace in a Christian it so flows as that it always knits and conjoyns him to Christ Of his fulness we all receive and grace for grace as the Evangelist has it John 1.16 And then the ascent of it is answerable to the descent of it even so is it likewise with Grace which as it first of all comes from God so it carries us up again to him That 's the first part of this resemblance as Grace is compared to water for the Principal The second is as it is compared to the water of life for the accessary and the advancement of it Thus it is frequently call'd in Scripture living water ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã This it is by way of Eminency as that which does tend to life in the scope and drift of it as also does end in life as the effect and that which follows upon it Indeed every thing which belongs to salvation it is usually in Scripture exprest and fet forth by life The word of life and the bread of life and the crown of life c. And so here now the
Contentment in it Oh how great is thy Goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee Psal 31.19 The Lord is Good a strong hold in the day of Trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him Nahum 1.7 It was a great Comfort to think of that because from a Good God nothing can come but good and that which is like to Himself And then the Wisdome of God to meditate on that also that he is great in Counsell c. and the Scripture proclaimes him that he can foresee all Events and discern all Hearts and search into the secret corners of the Soul That there is nothing hid from his Eyes c. That he confounds the wisdom of the Wise and brings to nothing the understanding of the Prudent as it is said of him This is that which affords matter of satisfaction to that Soul that does duly Contemplate it And so Lastly To add no more at this Time the Truth and Faithfulness of God the God that keeps Covenant and Mercy that is true to all his Promises and that performes what ever he undertakes It is very pleasing to think on this and thus is the Meditation of him sweet in reference to his Attributes which is the first Explication of it to us Secondly The word of God which is a part of Himself the Meditation on that is sweet also It is said of a Good man That his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in that Law doth he meditate Day and Night namely for the delight of it Psal 1.2 So Psal 19.8.20 The Statues of the Lord are right rejoycing the Heart the Commandments of the Lord are pure inlightning the Eyes more are they to be desired then Gold yea then much fine Gold sweeter then Honey and the Honey-Comb How much sweetness is there wrapt up in a Promise and to be drawn out of it by a serious Meditation especially fitting to the present State and Condition which at any time we are in here it must needs be very sweet indeed and so it is and the Servants of God have found it so upon their own Experiene'd promises of Pardon of Assistance of Deliverance and such as these they are all of them very sweet If we look into Scripture we shall find variety of Gracious Intimations suted to particular Conditions now these they cannot but be very Comfortable to those that are in them in Sickness in Poverty in Captivity in Temptation and the like and we cannot better provide for our own Comfort and Contentation in them then by thinking and meditating upon them in our own minds and where we are not furnished with particulars yet at least to close with the Generals which have a miraculous sweetness in them also I mean such promises as are made to Gods Children at large that God will give his Spirit to them that ask it That no good thing will he withhold from tehm that walk uprightly that he will never leave them nor forsake them That all things shall work together for good to them that love him It is unexpressible how much sweetness there is in the Meditation upon these Truths which are Exhibited to us in Scripture being set home by the Spirit of God Himself which must be taken in as pertinent hereupon Thirdly The works of God the Meditation on them also it is very sweet and that in all kinds As First His works of Creation to consider of them as they are all very good and beautiful considered in their Nature and kind so is the Contemplation on them is also remarkable As Psal 8.1 c. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the Earth c. When I Consider thy Heavens the work of thy singers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained c. And so for this present Psalm which we have now before us the Hundred and fourth all throughout of it a meditation upon the works of Gods Creation which the Psalmist pleases Himself in and which he blesses God for So Secondly The works of Providence how sweet is it to meditate on these also to reflect upon all Ages and to consider what great things God has done for his Church and People in them What Mercies he has bestowed upon them what Deliverances he has wrought for them and that also sometimes after what a strange and miraculous manner It is very delightful to think of it This has satisfied and comforted Gods Servants when they have been in great Temptations and Trouble and perplexity of Spirit as for instance the Psalmist Himself Psal 77.7 Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Hath God forgotten to be Gracious c. And I said this is mine Infirmity well but what was that which holp him and relieved Him in it He adds presently hereupon I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of thy doings Meditation on the works of Gods Providence it was here sweet unto Him Thirdly The works of Redemption how sweet is it likewise to meditate on these To meditate upon God in Christ By whom he has reconciled himself to the world forgiving them their Trespasses as the Apostle Paul expresses it in the 2 Cor. 5.18 This is the sweet Meditation of all and without which we cannot meditate upon God without any true Comsort or Contentment The thoughts of God out of Christ they are not sweet but dreadfull and terrible Thy Heart shall meditate Terrour whosoever thou art that meditatest on him thus Deus Absolitus as Luther called it God considered absolutely and in Himself there 's no comming near him here so much as in our very thoughts and Meditations No but God manifested in the flesh taking our Nature upon him the Mediator God and Man together This is that which affords unto us the most Comfortable matter of Meditation Especially if we shall take him in his full Latitude and Extent and as he is of God made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption c. 1. Cor. 1. vers 30. Take Christ in all his Offices of King and Priest and Prophet and how sweet then is the Meditation of him Of a King to subdue our Enemies and to Govern and order our selves of a Priest to reconcile us to his Father and to make both Satisfaction and Intercession for us of a Prophet to reconcile unto us the whole will and mind of God all these are sweet things to think on And so as the Offices of Christ so his Graces which are likewise Emanations from Himself they are all very sweet and lovely there is not a work of the new Creature in us but it is very lovely and amiable in it self and the reflexion upon it also very delightful When a Christian by the help of the Spirit shall be
inabled to see the work of Grace to be wrought in his own Heart and shall have his Adoption Evidenced unto him it must needs be a thing very pleasing to him and such as he takes a great deal of more Contentment and Satisfaction in then in all Injoyments of the world whatsoever which it is possible for him to reslect upon as his Thus we see in all these Particulars and Explications which we have now mentioned how the Meditation of God is sweet And we have had an account of it in regard of the Object or the Person Meditated upon which is God Himself Now further we may take account of it from the Subject or Person Himself that Meditates and that is here exprest to be David it is not onely the Meditation of God is sweet but my Meditation of him is sweet which is here moreover considerable and that to make it compleat For let the Object be never so delightfull in its own Nature and apt to give Contentment in it self yet if the person that fastens upon it be not qualified for it there will be yet no Contentment in it It is not every ones Meditation No not upon God which has sweetness with it but onely of such Persons as have dispositions sutable thereunto and can draw out this sweetness which is in Him Now the Qualifications which are required to this purpose are briefly these First For the General a Savouriness and Heavenliness of Spirit as it is this which must put men upon such Meditations so it is this onely which must make them to relish them and to take delight in them There 's not the best things that are but they seem flat to a carnal Heart which can find no Contentment at all in them A vain and frothy Spirit takes a great deal of more pleasure in some Toy and Trifle and Song and empty Fable then it does in the highest points of Religion and all because it is not sutable and agreeable to such things as these are Therefore this Savouriness which we now speak off is necessary to this Spiritual Delight and the sweetness of this Divine Meditation for the Sensibleness and the Apprehensiveness of it Secondly A special love to God that 's also necessary to this Delight those that men care not to see they for the most part care not to think off but Affection it advances Contemplation how pleasing are Lovers in their thoughts one to another their Meditation of each other is sweet and so it is also betwixt Christ and the Believing Soul that Heart which is inflamed with his Love can never think enough of his Person nor of his Graces nor of the Excellencies which are in Him but is much ravished with the thoughts of Him And then Thirdly A perswasion likewise of the Love of God to Him he that will think of God comfortably must be in some sense and apprehension of Gods favour and of his interest in Him and that he is in good terms with Him not onely that God is reconciled to his Nature which we spake of before but also that he is reconciled to his Person and that he is actually at peace with him Those that are Enemies to God or which think God to be an Enemy to them they cannot but think of him with a great deal of horror and Astonishment and Trembling and Consternation of Spirit Lastly There 's required hereunto also a special sense of a mans own wants It is Hunger that makes Eating delightfull and it is Thirst that puts a pleasantness into Drinking there 's not onely the Palate which does conduce hereunto but also the Appetite and so it is also here in these Spiritual things Therefore as there is required a Savouriness so likewise a brokenness of Heart also how sweet are the Meditation of Christ and the Truths of Christianity to an Heart affected with the sight of Sin and the sense of Wrath. Oh Christ is now Christ indeed and the Gospel the Gospel and the promises they have a special sweetness and pleasantness in them Men that are addicted wholly to the world and to the pleasures and delights thereof they do usually but Scoff at such things as these are and make a mock and derision of them talk to them of delight in God and of the sweetness of Divine Meditation and they count it but a mear fancy and idle Speculation But such persons as have their Consciences inlightned and any work of Conviction upon them they relish and savour these things and indeed to speak of it none but they The whole they have no need of the Physitian but they that are Sick as our Blessed Saviour has told us and so the thoughts of the Physitian are not so pleasing to to any persons as they are to them These rejoyce when they do but think of him from the Consideration of their own wants they Honour the Physitian for their necessities which is an account of this Delight in Divine Meditation from the Subject or Person Himself that does meditate my Meditation Now the Consideration of this point thus open'd and amply fied to us may be thus far improved by us Namely as a great incouragement to the Saints and servants of God in what ever condition falls them That they may comfort and solace themselves in Him in the worst of those conditions and be sweetly supported in them when there 's nothing else that they can think of with comfort they can then think comfortably of God and of the Interest which they have in him as a relief and a refreshment to them And they should accordingly put themselves upon such thoughts as these are and inure themselves to them oh there 's a great deal of good which might be got by such performances as these if we were but more acquainted with them and accustomed to them in the course of Christianity and we loose a great part of the true sweetness of our lives when we are deficient in them For the better and more effectual working and inforcing of these things upon us It may not be amiss for us to take notice of this passage of the Text according to the full latitude and extent of the expression which is here used which according to the Original Emphasis is of various signification The Hebrew word which is here used is Siach which signifies three things especially and each of them very considerable of us First Meditation And Secondly Prayer And Thirdly Discourse According to the former notion so it signifies the sweetness which is in Divine and spiritual Contemplation and the musing on heavenly matters according to the second notion so it signifies the sweetness which is in Divine and Spiritual Communion and converse with God in Prayer According to the Third Notion so it signifies the sweetness which is in Holy and Religious Conference and the speaking of God one to another All of them very usefull and profitable Duties and Performances and such as are to be practised
Peter as concerning his denial of his Master he was a person that had a great measure of Habitual Grace in him and in particular of affection to Christ and he poor man thought that this would support him and carry him through temptation and therefore he so considently proclaims it That though all men should for sake him yet that he would never forsake him but yet when he came to the trial and conclusion we know how it was with him and if Christ had not presently prayed for him that his faith might not fail and also by his Almighty power had not kept his faith from failing it had fail'd and ceas'd in him eternally Look as when he walked upon the Sea it was Christs support that kept him from sinking and perishing in the waters so also when he was under a temptation it was Christs grace that preserv'd and sustain'd him When my foot slipt thy mercy O Lord held me up Psal 84.18 This we may see likewise in Paul in the carriage of God towards him 2 Cor. 12.9 when he was there buffeted with Satan and had sought to God to be freed from that temptation how does God endeavour to comfort and encourage him in that his conflict why he does it from this consideration My grace is sufficient for thee And my grace that is not onely my preventing grace the grace which I have already wrought in thee when I at first call'd thee to my self but my grace that is my assisting grace the grace wherewith I still follow thee and am continually present with thee It is not thy grace but my grace not so much the grace within thee as the grace without thee that is my favour and good-will towards thee from whence I come to take special care of thee Thirdly The strength onely of former assistance is not that which will suffice neither As we need Christs Actual grace as well as Habitual and his Assisting grace as well as his Preventing so we need the daily and continual and fresh supplies of this grace unto us without which we can be able to do nothing at least for any time so as we should do This is another thing which is here to be added and taken in by us for the explication of this Particular Without me that is without me daily with you and standing by you and helping of you and imparting and communicating new strength and ability to you ye are indeed able to do nothing According to our particular occasions so must answerably be our support from the Spirit of Christ yesterdays strength and assistance will not serve for the repelling or conquering of this days temptation no more than yesterdays meal will serve the turn for this days strength and corporal improvements No but as new occasions do at any time increase upon us so proportionably is new ability to be imparted to us As a man that carries a burden which is heavier than what he carried the day before he must have somewhat more strength in him than he had before as adequate and agreeable thereto Every new affliction every new temptation every new condition every new duty and performance it requires new strength from Christ besides what has been formerly manfested for the bearing and resisting and managing and accomplishing of it So that though former assistance be so far forth very comfortable as it is an encouragement to the expectation of new yet it is not sufficient alone and of it self without new And thus have we seen this Point explicated and amplified in its several particulars Now the consideration hereof for the Use and Application of it may be drawn out in a various improvement we may reduce it for methods sake to three Heads First in a way of Confutation Secondly in a way of Information And thirdly in a way of Excitement First it serves for Confutation of the contrary Error and false Opinion of the Pelagians and others with them who teach that there is indeed General and Universal Grace communicated to all men from Christ from whence they have power for the doing of good but that the reducing of this Power into Act and the particular doing of it it is purely and absolutely from themselves who do determine themselves in particulars to that which God has given them onely power for in general This I say is plainly refuted from this present Scripture where it is said that without Christ we can do nothing as well as will nothing Answerable to that other place before mention'd For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure that is not onely the power but the act And indeed it must needs be so and cannot be otherwise For forasmuch as the Act is more noble than the Habit the Operation than the Power the second Act than the first therefore the Act cannot be ascribed to our selves and the Power onely to God unless we will prefer our selves before God and give him the lowest place and least stroke in any good which is at any time done by us Again further it may be cleared to us that Christ must needs concur with us not onely by a common and general Qualification but also by a special and particular influence in every good work which is done by us by a proportionable consideration of what is observable even in Natural Actions For so we see it is with Fire the property whereof is to burn yet if God do suspend his influence from it and concourse with it it can produce no such effect notwithstanding the natural propensity and inclination of it thereto as we may see in the three Persons in Daniel which were cast into the fiery Furnace And so though God hath given us a power of Natural life at first yet if he do not preserve this life in us and give us motion together with life we can stir neither hand nor foot for all that because in him we live and move and have our being And thus may this passage here before us serve in a way of Confutation Secondly In a way of Information and Satisfaction We may from hence be now instructed in the truth of this Point which is here before us and take notice of it in its full latitude and extent where whiles it is said that without Christ we can do nothing namely that is spiritually good as we have hitherto explained it we are to take it in all te appurtenances belonging hereunto and the steps and gradations of it whereby this assistance and enablement whereof we speak does proceed First It is He who must inform us and instruct us in that which is our duty which must inlighten out dark understandings in this particular for we are naturally so blind of our selves as that we are unable to discern it That which we do not know we cannot do But he hath shewn thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Mic. 6.8 Secondly It is