in their mouths As for this Custom I shall give you some passages in Scripture That the Weddings were in the Night-time we read Gen. 29.23 It came to pass in the evening that Laban took Leah his Daughter and brought her to Jacob. That the Bridegroom had his Companions we read Judg. 13.11 Sampson had thirty Companions brought to him That both had their Companions we read of the Children of the Bride-Chamber Matth. 9.15 the special guests invited to the Marriage-feast who were by Custom to fetch the Bridegroom and wait upon him These are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Friends of the Bridegroom Joh. 3.29 That the Bride had her Companions 't is said in Psal. 45.14 the Spouse shall be brought to the King in a Rayment of Needle-work the Virgins her Companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee And their fashion was to take Hand-lamps then in use and fit to carry abroad for Night-lights The Scripture frequently alludes to that Rev. 18.23 And the light of the Candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the Bridegroom and of the Bride no more at all shall be heard in thee And thus the Bridegroom was met by Virgins with Lamps as he grew near the Brides house he was met by Servants with Candles returning to the Marriage Therefore 't is said Luke 12.35 36. Let your loins be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding This was the custom which I the rather observe that you may see how fitly our Lord layeth down things Now those that accompanyed the Bridegroom and the Bride were Children of the Bride-chamber and admitted into the Marriage Room and Supper and those that came after that when once the door was shut were surely kept out Now here is a fit representation of the spiritual Mystery laid down by Christ and therefore let us 1. See the thing compared The Kingdom of Heaven that is the state of the Church wherein God reigneth in the person of the Messiah of the Kingdom of Glory it cannot be meant for there are no foolish Virgins and in the internal Kingdom of Grace none But in the external Kingdom of Christ in this World And this is not considered simply and restrainedly to that point of time when Christ is coming to Judgment but respects and should affect us all for such as we depart out of the world now such shall we be found to be at the day of Judgment It concerneth all Ages not only those that shall be found alive at that time but every one in successive Ages 2. The Comparison must be explained the Bridegroom is Christ and the Bride is the Church the whole Church is the Spouse of Christ and each particular Believer a Virgin attending upon this Spouse the Marriage is mutually promised the Espousals are in this Life Hos. 2.19.20 I will betroth thee to me for ever and to be solemnized and compleated at the coming of our Lord Rev. 19.7 Let us be glad and rejoyce and give honour to him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his Wife hath made her self ready Here is the betrothing in the Covenant of Grace A nobis accepit arrhabonem carnis c. saith Tertullian he took the token of our flesh and carried it to Heaven to prepare Heaven for us and left with us the token of his Spirit to prepare us for Heaven he is not gone from us in discontent but will come again with all the Angels of Heaven with him to receive the Bride unto himself 1. The Companions of the Bride are here represented under the Name of Virgins for so Christians are called for the Purity of their Faith and Worship and also for their blameless Conversations 1. Virgins for the purity of their Faith that keep themselves free and untainted from the corrupt and rotten Opinions of the World 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as Chast Virgins to Christ he meaneth it here in respect of the purity of their Faith that they might not be corrupted by false Teachers 2. Virgins for the purity of Worship Idolatry and Corruption of Worship is often expressed by Harlotry and therefore the Prophet to figure out Israels Apostacy and Corruption in Worship is bidden to take a Wife of Whoredomes Hos. 3. And those that followed the Lamb are said to be Virgins not defiled Rev. 14.4 not polluted with Idolatry which is spiritual Fornication 3. Virgins for purity and blamelesness of Conversation The Apostle speaketh of some that had escaped the pollutions of the world through the Knowledge of Jesus Christ who might be again intangled and overcome therein 2 Pet. 2.20 Well then these were all Virgins even the foolish as well as the wise not tainted with Errour nor defiled with false Worship nor prophane corrupt or scandalous in their Conversations they were such as had escaped the Corruptions of the World and had as glorious a form of Godliness as any others 2. They are described by their Number Ten this is mentioned either because Ten is a number of perfection or because usually the number of those Companions of the Bride never exceeded Ten. 3. They are set forth by their Distribution into two ranks some Wise some Foolish five of the one sort and five of the other the number is not exactly to be stood upon as if the number of the saved and damned were equal as in the Parable of the Marriage-feast one had not a Wedding-garment 't is not to be understood as if only one were damned of all that are invited to the Profession of the Gospel it only signifyeth that all the Virgins are not alike careful to prepare for the coming of the Lord By the wise are meant provident and diligent Christians by the foolish the Improvident and negligent among those that bear the name and keep up the reputation of Christians some will be found not to fill up their Profession with answerable Duty not to make serious Provision for the coming of Christ. 4. They are set forth by their Work and Imployment they went forth to meet the Bridegroom that is they expected the coming of Christ and Happiness by him The foolish and the wise did both agree in this indeed this is the whole business of a Christian. 5. They are set forth by their preparation for this work they took their Lamps that is made open profession of their hope Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine among men for external shining profession they were both alike All are called Christians all are Baptized and all profess faith in Christ and an expectation of his second coming with eternal Life to ensue upon it all are Virgins all have Lamps all are devoted to the Bridegroom goe forth to meet him and yet some were wise and some foolish some made preparation that whenever the Bridegroom should
the world Our whole Life was appointed for this end and all the time we spend here is worse than lost if it be not imployed and used for this end 'T is now Preparation time these are the Months of our Purification for our Immortal Souls therefore our continual care should be to make ready Secondly We may deferr this work too long we cannot begin it too soon The foolish Virgins would get Oyl in their Vessels but it was too late Never any complained of beginning with God too soon many could have wished they had known the wayes of Righteousness sooner Rom. 13.11 Many have judged the time past more than enough 1 Pet. 4.3 Thirdly 'T is not so sleight and easie a thing to get to Heaven as the World imagineth Mat. 7.14 Strive to enter in at the streight gate for many shall seek to enter and shall not be able Many deceive themselves 't is not so broad as the Opinions of some as the practices of more would make it and the carnal hearts of all would have it Broader or narrower it cannot be than Christ hath left it In the General a man may come much too short none go over Oh! when you do but consider that many are afar off Eph. 2.13 and some are near as Christ told the young man Thou art not far from the Kingdom of Heaven and others are scarcely saved and some enter abundantly it concerns us therefore to take heed to our selves Fourthly This is your Wisdom There is a great deal of doe in the World about Wisdom Job 11.12 Vain man would be accounted wise A man cannot endure to be counted a Fool will sooner own a Vice in Morals than a weakness in Intellectuals Now Wisdom lyeth in Providence and folly in Negligence especially in weighty matters These wise Virgins provided Oyl in their Vessels and the wise Builder built upon a Rock They are wise in Gods account whatever the World thinketh of them that are wise for Heavenly things and govern their hearts and ways exactly Eph. 5.14 15. and they are fools that never mind the good of their Souls What would you have us do I will only press you to three things 1. Let your Belief be sound and firm to the great Articles of Christianity 't is Faith enlivens all our notions of God John 6.69 We believe and are sure that thou art Jesus the Son of God 2. Let your Resolutions for God be unbounded Psa. 119.112 You never knew a man fall off from God but he loved some secret Lust some corruption was left unmortifyed though for the present it did not appear to the party himself this in time will break out and cause some scandalous fall 3. I would have you put it out of all question by the lively Exercise of your Grace and by your diligence in the spiritual Life Phil. 2.12 and in time 't will grow up into an evidence 2 Pet. 1.5 Luke 13.3 Nothing will yield you comfort but the exercising and increasing Grace SERMON II. MATTH XXV v. 3 4. They that were foolish took their Lamps and took no Oyl with them But the wise took Oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps NOT only the openly wicked those that eat and drink with the Drunken are rejected but those that have some shew of Godliness yea hopefull beginnings but not improved is the drift of this Parable We have considered wherein the ten Virgins agree now wherein they differ They had so much Wisdom to take their Lamps with them but so much Folly as to take no Oyl in their Vessels These Vessels were annexed to their Lamps or that part of the Lamp which was kindled and lighted By the Lamps are meant outward Profession Matth. 5.16 by the Oyl the Spirit called the Anointing which abideth in us 1 Joh. 2.27 Now the foolish Virgins are such inconsiderate Christians as content themselves with the Name and blaze of outward Profession neglecting the great work within namely an inward principle of Grace which should maintain their Profession before men and their Uprightness before God they had only some transient motions of the Spirit or inclinations to that which is good enough to keep up their present Profession but not to hold out and suffice at Christs coming But the wise Virgins that had Oyl in their Vessels with their Lamps are sound and solid Christians who with the Lamps of external Profession are careful to be furnished inwardly with the Graces of the Holy Spirit 1. Doctrine 'T is not enough to have Oyle in our Lamps but we must have Oyle in our Vessels also 2. Doctrine This will be found to be our true Wisdom and the other to be the greatest folly For the first point That 't is not enough to have Oyl in our Lamps but we must have Oyl in our Vessels also Let me explain this point in these Propositions 1. Profession must not be neglected both the wise and the foolish took their Lamps with them burning Profession is twofold Vocal and Real Vocal Rom. 10.9 If thou shalt Confess with thy Mouth and believe with thy Heart Christ will be owned by those that are his Christs followers need not be ashamed of avowing their Master Faith should not and Love cannot be smothered and hidden therefore Profession is as necessary as Believing in its kind Again there is a Real Profession not so much by word of Mouth as by constant Practice and Conversation so Christians are bidden to shine as Lights Phil. 2.15 This is for the glory of God Mat. 5.10 and the Honour of Christ that it should be so therefore the Apostle prayeth 2 Thes. 1.11 12. Wherefore we Pray alwayes for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fullfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of Faith with Power that the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you 'T is not meant of the illicite acts but the Fruit that it produceth and 't is for the honour of the Truth Suitable Practice joyned with Profession puts a Majesty and splendor on the Truth and recommendeth it to the Consciences of Beholders Titus 2.10 Adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour 'T is not so much by good words and expressions that Christians do put a loveliness and beauty upon the wayes of God as by ordering their wayes with all strictness and gravity So that this fair Profession is of great use especially the real part it is an evidence that all is right within for the breaking out of sin and folly in the Life clearly evidenceth the power and prevalency of unmortified Lusts in the Heart Therefore we must keep our Lamps burning the foolish and the wise did both well in that 2. A Profession of Godliness though never so glorious should not be rested in without a saving work of Grace upon the the Heart to maintain it there was the folly of one sort of Virgins that they were contented with having Oyl in their Lamps
in the State of his Exaltation Our Lord would be ours not only in Love but Duty that so we might have the greater Assurance Till all the Saints come to Heaven Christ looks upon himself as bound in point of Office they are his Charge he cannot be loving to the Church nor faithful to the Father if he should do otherwise 4. His Experience Heb. 4.15 He is touched with the feeling of our Infirmities was in all points tempted as we are yet without Sin Pray mark in all points Christ hath had Experience of all Trials whereinto any of his Servants can fall Poverty forsaking of Friends Exile Imprisonment Hunger Nakedness Watching Weariness Pain of Body Heaviness of Heart Desertion as to Sense Wrath and Curse of God Christ hath carried his feeling with him into Heaven he knew what Poverty meaneth what trouble of Conscience what heaviness of Spirit meaneth Christ could not so experimentally pity us so feelingly pity us if he were not like us in all things his Heart was intendred by Experience as a Man that hath felt the Gout and felt the Stone Israel knew the Heart of a Stranger Christ knew the Heart of a Man that is left to the World's Frowns and Snares He took a Communion of our Natures and Miseries as a Pawn and Pledg that he will pity us and help us Heb. 2.10 The Captain of our Salvation was made perfect through Sufferings Christ tho he was perfect he received the Spirit without measure yet he lacked one thing which his Office required to be a perfect Mediator till he had an experimental feeling So Heb. 2.18 In that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Christ was able as soon as he came from Heaven as God what could he not do But there is an Ability of Sufficiency and of Idoneity an Experimental Ability Christ had Experience tho not of Sin yet of Temptation to Sin he is not only able but willing he knoweth what it is Christ would borrow our Nature to make Experiments Vse 1. To teach us to walk with Caution and in a continual dependance upon God We are continually assaulted and live in the midst of Snares A Man that cometh into the World saith Luther is like a Traveller that cometh into an Inn where there dwell none but Thieves Now he that carrieth Jewels about him had need to take heed the diversity the frequency the continuation of Temptations should make us wary The Diversity there are Baits for every Temper Honours for the Ambitious Wealth for the Covetous and Pleasures for the Sensual The Devil hath a Diet to feed every Distemper some are fullen not bent to Pleasures but Satan is not at a loss to fit them with a Temptation there are Profits for them Others are facile and more easy they have Pleasures Others would be great they have Honours And when Satan knoweth the Lust he suiteth the Bait he is an old Sophister well skilled in the Tempers of Men. Therefore seeing that in every Business in every bit of Meat in every Recreation there are Snares we had need feed with fear and trade with fear When there is an Enemy in the Country we keep constant Watch and Ward Then for the frequency and continuance of Temptations they are always about us Long Suits prevail at last From the first use of Reason till the hour of Death as long as God continueth our abode in the World we are in danger There are many Baits Satan is craâ—â—y and the World is spightful and our Hearts are naught We are now upon our Trial the great Work of Religion is to walk in a constant watchfulness and dependance Alas many are as if they were in the Haven already so negligent so careless as if they were in the midst of Paradise out of Temptations Vse 2. To press us to grow weary of the World it is a place full of Snares here we have many Snares and many Enemies If we have a mind to sin no longer why should we desire to live in the World The World is a Step-mother to the Saints why should we desire to hang upon the Dug He that would always live here is like a Scullion that loveth to lie among the Pots In Heaven we have pure Company and are out of the reach and danger of Temptations The Devil when he was not fit for Heaven was cast out into the World a fit Place for Misery Sin and Torment it is Satan's Walk and Circuit Here is Antichrist the Devil 's eldest Son here are Terriculamenta Irritamenta Fears and Snares It is a dirty odd Corner of the Universe we can hardly walk up and down but we shall defile our Garments Here are Briars to hitch us Snares and Baits to intice us There is a more excellent Country above where we shall have the Company of God and the Fellowship of the Saints Saints without Corruption other manner of Saints than here There is no Tempter there there should be your Country In a pet we long for Heaven but it should be out of a resolved Judgment Men fight in the World as long as they are able and then make Heaven their Refuge It should not be a melancholy wish We should desire Heaven not as weary of Work and Service but as weary of Temptation Vse 3. Examination What kind of Temper have we There are Children of this World Luke 16.8 The World is their own Mother they love to lie hanging on the Dugs and Teats And there is a Spirit called the Spirit of the World 1 Cor. 2.12 A Genius that suiteth with present Conveniences there is their Portion Psal. 17.14 Their Names are written in the Earth Jer. 17.13 that is their Happiness The Nature of the World's Sons is all for the Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eye and the Pride of Life to go fine to feed high to shine in worldly Pomp affect Honours and great Places Too many Christians are baptized into this Spirit There is an use of the Things of this World but we should use them with fear they cannot smell the Rose of the Field Christ hath no scent or savour Oh it is a sad Character to be a Child of this World one that hath the Nature of the Mother in them one of the World's breed A Child of God is a Pilgrim and Stranger Psal. 119.19 I am a Stranger in the Earth Abraham purchased but a Sepulcher that is all the Faithful can lay claim to on Earth He looketh on himself as born and bred in another Land his Mother is a Princess the Bride the Lamb's Wife and his Father is in Heaven he is in the World but not of the World Vse 4. Comfort Christ is apprehensive of your Danger All Trials you meet with do either better your Hearts or hasten your Glory Christians must expect Danger but need not fear it Formido sublata est non pugna You are not absolutely freed from
heed then of going forth in the strength of your own Resolutions The Devil doth not fear us but the Guard that is about us Peter was a sad Instance Tho all Men do deny thee yet will not I deny thee At first he out-braveth a whole Troop and afterwards falleth by the accusation of one Damsel A bold Resolution doth not carry out a Man so far as an humble Dependence a silly Wench discourageth this stout Champion Every small Temptation is sufficient to overturn a Man puffed up with the confidence of his own strength the weak Blast of a Damsel's Question What poor Creatures are we when God leaveth us We cannot be without these Providences Audeo dicere saith Austin utile esse superbis cadere in aliquod manifestum opertum peccatum ut salubrius sibi displiceant The Saints fall so often that they may stand the firmer Nay if you do not fall fouly you will meet with a great deal of Uncomfortableness and Weariness in the ways of God our Strength will soon tire Learn this the best of you you that seem to have most reason to stand Peter had been with Christ on the Mount Mat. 17.1 in the Garden Mat. 26.37 assured of his Glory armed against his Sufferings and yet now denieth him 2. Observe How loyal faithful and tender Christ is over his Charge He is loyal to God I have kept them in thy Name faithful to his Flock he omitted no point of the Duty of a good Shepherd he was tender of them Whilst I was with them in the World I kept them and now he surrendreth his Charge into God's hands Judas was lost not out of any impotency and carelesness in Christ he was not in his Commission but through his own malignity Christ is faithful for he giveth an account to God none of them is lost just as he will at the last day it is but a Type of what he will do then He will present all the Faithful to God Heb. 2.13 Behold I and the Children which God hath given me And he will disclaim Hypocrites as he doth Judas Vse 1. Let us learn how safe it is to be in Christ's hands and keeping Christ was a faithful Shepherd when he was upon the Earth and tho his corporal Presence be removed yet it is supplied by the Spirit he hath still a care of his Flock the Lambs those that are most tender he carrieth them in his Bosom he hath a particular care of every single Believer tho there be so many Thousands in the World John 10.3 I know my Sheep by Name John Anna Thomas however called and distinguished in the World He is careful to provide good large Pasture to supply your Defects His Conduct is gentle and tender as the little ones are able to bear and to guide you with Dispensations suitable to your Work and Temptations are proportioned to your Growth and Experience Paul was not buffeted till his Rapture After ye were illuminated ye endured a great Fight of Afflictions Heb. 10.32 The Castle is victualled before it is besieged He is constantly watchful over you taketh notice of Decays of Grace and spiritual Languishments to reclaim and reduce his People when gone astray Isa. 30.21 Thine Ears shall hear a Voice behind thee saying This is the Way walk in it when ye turn to the right-hand and when ye turn to the left You may be confident of his keeping if you will but chuse him for a Shepherd and put your Souls as a Pledg in his hands Psal. 23.1 The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want Walk on in a Course of Obedience referring your selves to Christ's care Vse 2. We should learn of Christ to be faithful to our Charge We that are Ministers should keep those that are committed to us in God's Name that when we die or by Providence are called away from our People we may plead our Faithfulness Father I have kept them in thy Name If we give not warning to the Sinner His Blood will God require at our hands Ezek. 3.20 As under the Law if an Ox or Sheep were laid to pledg and it did miscarry the Party was to make it good So Heb. 13.17 They watch for your Souls as they that must give an Account that they may do it with Joy and not with Grief It is an heavy Charge and a great Trust the Account of lost Souls will be craved at your hands So also you that are called to a Family you have a Charge you are not only to provide for them corporally but spiritually that when you die you may commend them to God upon these Terms Whilst I was with them I kept them in thy Name 3. Observe God hath many ways of keeping mediate and immediate Immediate by his own Spirit this Christ beggeth for them mediate by Christ's corporal presence I have kept them by the Guides of the Church by Angels they are a part of our Guard Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister to them that are Heirs of Salvation They have a great deal of Employment about God's Children Psal. 91.11 He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy Ways Against bodily Dangers the Angels watch over us God against spiritual Dangers So by Grace in the Heart Prov. 4.5 6. Get Wisdom and she shall keep thee These are the inward Means of Preservation Vse 1. Admire the Providence of God about such a Creature as Man is It is counted a matter of great State to have at our Heels a long Train of Followers these mighty Peers of Heaven are our Attendants How many Guards hath he set upon us His Spirit his Angels glorious Angels they behold God's Face and watch over our Feet his Ministers the outward Supplies of Providence and Grace in the Heart If our Protection were visible all the Princes in the World would come short of it a Guard full of State and Strength Even little Ones have their Angels stand by their Cradles Vse 2. Learn to wait upon God tho you want an outward Guard and Vail of Safety Christ's corporal Presence was removed and supplied by the Spirit and if God can make us amends for Christ's Company certainly for an outward Comfort and Blessing Do not limit God to one way of keeping he hangeth the Earth upon nothing how doth he keep the Earth A Feather will not stay in the Air. Man liveth not by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God Mat. 4.4 Not only by the outward Supply but the Promise and the Sustentation of Providence God can bring Water out of the Rock as well as out of the Fountain When we have outward Supplies we are many times worst Our well-being doth not lie in these things but in God's care which may be expressed in several ways Christ may put that Question to us that he did to the Apostles Luke 22.35 And he said unto them VVhen I sent you
can be no true Calling unless you see God in it as well as Men. And the Lord taketh it to be his Prerogative to bestow Officers upon the Church Dabo Evangelistum I will give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good Tidings Isa. 41.27 He did not only appoint the Office but doth design the Persons Now what is this Inward Call I Answer God calleth us when he maketh us able and willing the Inclination and the Ability is from God The Inclination He thrusts out Labourers into his Harvest Mat. 9.38 And the Ability He makes us able Ministers of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3.6 and both these are required of us Ability there must be Look as Princes count it a point of Honour when they send out Ambassadors to Foreign Nations to employ those that are fit so it is for the Honour of God that all his Messengers should be gifted and fitted Gifts and Abilities are our Letters of Credence that we bring to the World that we are called of God and authorized to this Work Certainly if the Spirit of God fitted Bezaleel and Aholiab for the material Work of the Tabernacle much more doth Spiritual Work require proportionate Abilities It is true there is a Latitude and Difference in the degree of Abilities but all that can look upon themselves as called of God must be able and apt to teach The Apostle took this for a Call 1 Tim. 1.12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the Ministry If ever God put us into the Ministry he first enableth us and bestows suitable Gifts and Graces But that is not all a Man must be willing too 1 Tim. 3.1 If a Man desire the Office of a Bishop he desireth a good Work There must be a strong Inclination that carries us out to such a course of Life if the Lord shall give us a Call Yea in some Cases in the Conscience of the Inward Call a Man may offer himself his Gifts to Trial and his Person to Acceptance so it be done modestly and not in a vain-glorious Confidence As Antisthenes said in the Case of Magistracy that a Man should deal with Magistracy as with Fire a Man would not come too near the Fire lest he burn himself nor stand at too great a distance lest he grow stiff with Cold So of the Ministry a Man must not be too forward nor too backward In some Cases it is good to expect the fair Invitation of Providence an Inclination there must be if the Lord vouchsafe a Call In some Cases we may offer our selves to the Acceptation of the Church if the Lord see fit that we be chosen But to return he hath the inward Call who is able and willing I mean upon Spiritual Grounds having first counted the Charges Difficulties Duties Dangers of this Calling Well then if Men be willing but not fit they are not called of God or if fit yet not willing they have not Warrant enough to undergo the Difficulty much more they that are neither fit nor willing but only thrust themselves upon the Office by the carnal Importunity of Friends or corrupt Aims at Honour and secular Advantage Thus you see what the Inward Call is 2. There is an Outward Call The Inward Call is not enough to preserve Order in the Church an Outward Call is necessary As Peter Acts 10. was called of God to go to Cornelius and then besides that he had a Call from Cornelius himself So must we having an Inward Call from the Spirit expect an Outward Calling from the Church otherwise we cannot lawfully be admitted to the Exercise of such an Office and Function As in the Old Testament the Tribe of Levi and House of Aaron were by God appointed to the Service of the Altar yet none could exercise the Calling of a Levite or serve as an High Priest till he was anointed and purified by the Church Exod. 28.3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted whom I have filled with the Spirit of Wisdom that they may make Aaron 's Garments to consecrate him that he may minister to me in the Priest's Office The like is repeated Numb 3.3 So the Ministers of the Gospel tho called by God must have their External Separation and setting apart to that Work by the Church as the Holy Ghost saith Acts 13.2 Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the Work whereunto I have called them Mark the Spirit of God had chosen them and yet calls upon the Church the Elders of Antioch to separate them for the Work of the Ministry But now in what Order this is to be done and by whom this Separation is to be made is the great Controversy Politicians and with them Erastians make it to be the Magistrates Right the Anabaptists with some others make it the Peoples Right Papists and others give it to the Bishops others to Presbyters and Elders of the Church To examine every Claim at large would take up a great deal of time let us compound the Difference as well as we can In short there are three Pretenders to the Power of the External Call the People the Elders the Magistrate and we may divide it among them and give every one their share and then the Call will be compleat I say there are but three Pretenders for we need not to speak of the Bishops Plea for Bishops and Presbyters or Elders in the Scripture are all one The Apostle writes to the Bishops and Deacons at Philippi Phil. 1.1 The Apostle taketh notice of no other Officer in that Church And Chrysostom's Gloss is of weight What is the Reason the Apostle saith to Bishops were there more than one of one City The Reason is saith he because Bishops and Elders or Presbyters are the same So when the Apostle bids Titus Tit. 1.5 6. Ordain Elders in every City if any be blameless c. He adds Vers. 7. For a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God To lay aside this then we shall speak to the Claim of the People the Elders and the Magistrate and give every one its due For in the External Call there are three parts Election Ordination and Confirmation Election that belongeth to the People Ordination which standeth in Examination of Life and Doctrine together with Authoritative Mission that is the Right of the Presbytery and Confirmation that belongs to the Magistrate 1. Election is the Peoples Right This appeareth because their Consent and Suffrage is required in all Offices even in the choice of an Apostle Acts 1.15 26. the 120 nominate Matthias in the room of Judas and God decided it by Lot and in the choice of a Deacon Acts 6.3 Look ye out among you seven Men of honest Report full of the Holy Ghost c. and of an Elder Acts 14.23 And when they had ordained them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders in every Church and had prayed with Fasting they commended them to the
upon the Son but through the Blessed Spirit and so we come aright to God 2. That prayer may carry proportion with other duties All the Children of God are led by the spirit of God Rom. 8.14 as in their whole conversation so especially in this act of prayer Look as in common providence no creature is exempted from the influence of it for in him they all live move and have their being exempt any creature from the dominion of providence and then that creature would live of its self So as to gracious and special providence you cannot exempt one action from the spirits influence for we live in the spirit and walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 We sing with the spirit and hear in the spirit and serve God in the spirit so we pray in the spirit only there is a special regard to this duty because here we have experience of the motions of the renewed Soul directly towards God and so of the comforts and graces of the spirit more than in other duties 3. Because of our impotency We cannot speak of God without the Spirit much less to God 1 Cor. 12.3 No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost That is on him as the Messiah and Redeemer of the World 'T was a deadly state the Redeemer found us in to lessen mans misery was to lessen the grace of Christ so we must not extenuate the Honour of our Sanctifier we can neither live nor work nor walk nor pray without the Spirit The help is not needless if we consider what we are and what prayer is what we are who are enemies to our own happiness and holiness and Prayer which requireth such serious work surely the setting of our hearts and all our hopes upon an invisible Glory and measuring all things thereunto is a work too hard for a carnal sensual creature that is wedded to present satisfactions and without this there is no praying in a spiritual manner they that love sin will never heartily pray against it and they that hate an Holy Spiritual Heavenly life can never seek the advancement of it Now this is our case we may babble and speak things by rote or we may have a natural fervency when we pray for Corn Wine and Oyl and Justification and Sanctification in order thereunto we may have a Wish but not a serious Volition of spiritual and heavenly things which is the Life and Soul of Prayer 4. With respect to acceptance Psal. 10.17 When thou preparest the heart thou bendest the ear Rom. 8.27 He knoweth the mind of the spirit because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God God knoweth what is a belch of the flesh and what is a groan of the Spirit every voice but that of his Spirit is strange and barbarous to him he puts us upon holy and just requests he hath stirred them up in us as a Father teacheth a Child to ask what he hath a mind to give him 3. Cautious against some abuses and mistakes in prayer 1. This is not so to be understood as if the matter and words of prayer were immediately to be inspired by the Holy Ghost as he inspiried the holy men of God in their prophecying and penning the Holy Scripture We read 2 Pet. 1.21 That holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And we may say Holy Men pray as they are moved by the Holy Ghost but yet there is a great deal of difference between both these partly because they were immediately moved and infallibly assisted by the Spirit so moved and extraordinarily born through that they could not err and miscarry they were free from any fault failing or corruption in the matter form or words wherein this was expressed all was purely Divine But in our Prayers we find the contrary by sad experience Partly because it had been a sin in the Prophets not to have delivered the same message which they received of the Lord both for matter manner and method but it is no sin in a Child of God against the guidance and governance of Gods Spirit to use anoâ—her method than he used To contract and shorten or to lengthen and inlage his Prayers as opportunity serveth and yet the Prayer is the Prayer of the Spirit that that is directed ordered and quickned by the Spirit 2. This is not to be understood as if we should never pray till the spirit moveth us The Prophets were not to Prophesy till moved by an extraordinary impulse for they were not bound by the common law of Gods servants or children to see visions or to prophecy but we are not to stay from our duty till we see the spirit moving but to make use of the power we have as reasonable creatures Eccles. 9.10 Whatever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might and to stir up the gifts and graces that we have as believers Isa. 64.7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee and in the way of duty to wait and cry for the necessary influences of the Lords Spirit Cant. 4.16 A wâ—ke O north-wind and come thou south wind blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow forth let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits And to obey his sanctifying motions Psal. 27.8 When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek 3. We cannot say we have not the Spirit of Prayer because we have not such freedom of words as may give vent to spiritual affections If there be a sense of such things as we mainly want that is Christ and his graces and an affectionate desire after them and we address our selves to God with these desires in the best fashion we can that we may have help and relief from him and you are resolved not to give him over till you have it you have the Spirit of Grace and supplications tho it may be you cannot inlarge upon these things with such copiousness of expression as others do Therefore let us consider what is the Spirit of Prayer and how far doth he make use of our natural faculties I conceive it thus A man is convinced that his happiness lyeth in the injoyment of God that there is no injoynment of God but by Christ till he be justified and sanctified and walk in Holy obedience to him The Spirit of God upon this changeth his heart and 't is set within him to seek after God in this way 1 Chron. 22.19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God And Psal. 119.36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies Now because the will without the affections doth not work strongly but is like a ship without sails affections are the vigorous and forcible motions of the
It maketh us shy of Gods presence Once more 't is a debt which bindeth us over to everlasting punishment and if we be not pardoned the Judge will give order to the Jailer and the Jailer will cast us into Prison till we have paid the utmost farthen Luke 12. last verse And that will never be How doleful is their case who are bound hand and foot and cast into Hell there to remain for ever and ever Now put altogether certainly if you had ever been in bondage and felt the sting of death the curse of the Law or been acquainted with the fiery darts of Satan or scorched with the Wrath of God or known the terrours of those of whom God hath exacted this debt in Hell surely you would say Blessed is the man Happy are those whose sins are pardoned Those that mind their work that know that it is to look God in the Face with comfort that have this Chain broken the Judge turned into a Father the Tribunal of Justice into a Throne of grace and punishment into a pardon will say Blessed is the man SERMON XXXVII 2 Cor. 5.19 And hath committed to us the word of reconciliaion WE come now to the third thing The means of application or bringing about this reconciliation on mans part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath placed in us In which observe two things 1. The matter of the charge trust or thing intrusted The Word of reconciliation Called also verse 18. The Ministry of reconciliation That is the Gospel which revealeth the way of making peace with God and is the Charter and Grant of Christ and all his benefits from God unto every one that will receive him Now the Gospel may be considered as written or preached As written so 't is properly called the word of reconciliation as preached so the ministry of reconciliation The one serveth to inform the other to excite by the one the door of mercy is set open by discovering the admirable methods of grace in reclaiming the World by the other men are called upon perswaded and exhorted to accept of the remedy offered 2. The persons to whom he hath committed He hath put in us The Apostles and their successours First the Apostles are of chief consideration for these as Master-builders were to lay the foundation 1 Cor. 3.10 And Eph. 2.20 And are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the corner stone They were infallibly assisted and to be absolutely trusted in what they wrote had the power of miracles to evidence their mission and call They were confined to no certain charge and Country therefore this trust did belong to the Apostles in all respects chiefly in some respects to them only Secondly Ordinary Ministers are not to be excluded because they agree with the Apostles as to the substance of their Commission Which is to reconcile men to God or to preach the Gospel The ordinary ministerial teaching is Christs institution as well as that of the Apostles Eph. 4.11 He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and sâ—me Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers He that appointed Prophets and Apostles to write Scripture hath also appointed Pastors and Teachers to explain and apply Scripture This is done pleno jure Matth. 28.19 20. All power is given me in Heaven and Earth go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy-Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you and loe I am with you to the end of the World By vertue of that authority given him by God they are in the same Commission and have a promise of the same presence and Spirit So also 1 Cor. 3.5 Who then is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed As to the substance of the work they do the same thing as to the substance of the blessing they are accompanied with the same Spirit In both as their ministry for the matter of it 't is the ministry of reconciliation so for the power of it 't is the ministration of the Spirit unto life Only the one are immediately called miraculously gifted infallibly assisted sent out to all the World the other have an ordinary call a limited place but yet do the same work in the same name and are assisted by the same Spirit Doct. That much of the wisdom and goodness of God is seen in the course he hath taken for the applying of reconciliation In the merit or way of procuring in the branches the restitution of his favour and Image we have seen already now the way of applying that will appear 1. God would not do us good without our knowledge and therefore first or last he must give us notice 't is every where made as an act of Gods goodness to reveal the way of reconciliation When the Psalmist had discoursed of the pardon of sins he presently addeth Psa. 103. He made known his ways unto Moses his acts unto the Children of Israel And Psa. 147.19 20. He hath shewed his Word unto Jacob and his Judgments unto Israel he hath not dealt so with every Nation as for his Judgments they have not known them And Mich. 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good but especially in the new administration of the covenant Heb. 8.10 11. I will put my Laws in their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his neighbour nor every man his brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest And Isa. 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many Those places shew that as it is a great favour that the way of reconciliation was found out so this is a new favour that the way is so clearly revealed that 't is not left to our blind guesses if God had intended to do us good but would not tell us how there would not have been due provision made for the comfort duty of the Creature Not for our comfort For an unknown benefit intended to us can yield us no comfort Christs Prophetical office is as necessary for our comfort as his Sacerdotal Heb. 3.1 Consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our profession Jesus Christ. We could take little comfort in him as an High-Priest if he had not been also an Apostle The highest office in both the Testaments was necessary to our comfort and peace In the old Testament all the business of that dispensation was to represent him an High-Priest So in the new as an Apostle That was to open the mind and heart of God to us shew us how to be happy in the love and injoyment of God Nor could we understand our duty All parties interesâ—ed in the reconciliation must be acquainted with the way of it and therefore man must understand what course God would
with the Spirit of Christ assisting but not reforming as an Angel sometimes appears in an assumed Body But 't is dangerous to rest in this it maketh our sin and Judgement the greater if after a taste we rest in a common work Historical Faith if not growing into a saving sound Faith 't is a kind of mocking of God and an Hypocrites portion As for instance We profess to believe him Omniscient yet fear not to sin in his presence Omnipotent yet cannot depend upon his Alsufficiency to believe a day of Judgement yet make no preparation for our Account Tit. 1.16 Mens sins and Judgements are aggravated according to the sense they have had of Religion and so their latter end may be worse than their beginning 2 Pet. 2.20 And sad it will be for those that from hopefull beginnings fall off from God I will tell you a man may live and die with a temporary Faith and Affections to God and Holiness without making any visible Apostasie and yet have no sound Faith of the right Constitution Yea if you regard what little rooting Grace hath in mens hearts how weak their Pulse beateth this way how strong their Affections are to the World and the things thereof how little they can vanquish the cares and fears of this world and the temptations that arise from voluptuous living 't is to be feared the far greatest part of Christians are but Temporaries 3. Oh then be sure to get this truth of Grace into your Hearts let your Hearts be effectually subdued to God let there be a Principle of Life set up in them Religion respects our Principles as well as our Performances 2 Tim. 1.5 The end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned There must be a renewed Heart as the fountain a well informed Conscience as our guide and Faith unfeigned as our great encouragement And so all acts of Charity to God and men are accepted with God as a piece of Obedience done to him If we will not regard the Manner God will not regard the Matter Oh then get this renewed Heart and a lively Faith and an awakened Conscience This is to get Oyl into your Vessels and if once you get this it will never fail but increase exceedingly like the Sareptan's Oyl But how shall we get it I answer 1. You have this Oyl from Christ. The Unction is from the Holy One 2 Joh. 2.20 As the Precious Oyl was first poured on Aaron's Head and then came down to the Skirts of his Garment so Christ is first possessed of the Spirit and then we have it by our Union with him Joh. 1 16. Of his fulness we receive Grace for Grace We must go to the Fountain every day to seek new supplies Christ was anointed with the Oyl of gladness above his fellows Zech 4. Christ is represented by the Bowl and the two Olive Trees that alwayes poured forth Golden Oyl Christ as Mediator is the Store-house of the Church who is intrusted with all Gifts and Graces for our benefit Oh bring your empty Vessels to this golden Olive-tree The Widdow only brought Casks the Oyl failed not till the Vessels failed 2. If you would have it from Christ you must use the Means of Grace the Word Prayer Sacraments Meditation We need continual supplies must use continual Prayers seek the Grace of the Spirit to keep in our Lamps Luk. 11.13 So the Word God droppeth in something to the Soul that waiteth on him Mark 4.24 Take heed how you hear for with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again If we be earnest and diligent in waiting upon God God will abound to us in blessing his Word to us So for Meditation Mat. 13.19 The High-way Ground did not bring the Word to their minds again doth not revolve it mindeth it not heedeth it not So for the Lords Supper 't is a means to root us in the Love of God when we so often renew our Oath of Allegiance to him to excite our Faith in Christ. All these are a price put into our hands to get Oyl in our Lamps and prepare for his Coming 3. Keep your Vessels clean The Spirit dwelleth not but in a clean Heart Doves build not their Habitations on Dung-hills He cometh as an efficient Cause as a Spirit assisting before he comes as a Spirit inhabiting and purifieth our Hearts by Faith 4. After you have gotten this Oyl cherish it that it may not decay Of its own nature it would do so witness that stock of Original Righteousness which Adam had Gods Promise by which it is secured supposeth our endeavours to waste it Luk. 8.18 Whosoever hath to him shall be given but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have 5. Do not only cherish and keep it from decay but see that you encrease it 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge 1 Thes. 3.10 Perfect what is lacking 1 Thes. 4.1 That as you have received of us how you ought to walk and please God so you should abound therein A little Faith will be as no Faith not honourable to God nor comfortable to you nor useful to others All our doubts perplexities uncertainties come from the smallness of our Graces 'T will not make an Evidence therefore give diligence No endeavour labour pursuit after God but hath its recompense not an earnest thought an earnest Prayer or time spent What shall I say They whose Hearts are upon the wayes thereof go on from strength to strength You are almost at home nearer than when you first believed Then you thought all your pains too much now all too little Let me apply all to the Sacrament 1. There we come to meet the Bridegroom in a way of Grace The Marriage Covenant between God Incarnate and his espoused Ones is here celebrated and solemnized The Sacrament is a Transfiguration of the last Marriage Supper to ascertain us what entertainment we shall have at the Day of Judgment when the Bride the Lamb's Wife shall be made ready and cloathed with fine Linnen Rev. 19.23 and then be received in to the Nuptial Feast Blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. All is now prepared in this Duty 2. In some respect there should be a Serious Preparation for the one as for the other as we would prepare to dye or prepare to meet Christ the Judge Christ did not wash his Disciples feet when he took them with him to Tabor to his Transfiguration but when he took them with him at his last Supper Joh. 13.7 Surely to rush upon the presence of the Bridegroom with a perfunctory careless common frame of spirit is a dangerous thing When a People come hand over head prepare themselves slightly pray slightly before they come and live carelesly and negligently they slight the Bridegroom and wrong themselves strengthen themselves in sin rather than
till they fall into greater Small sins harden as well as great sins 't is hard to say which more Indeed at first little sins seem to awaken Compunction The prick of a Pin maketh a man start but a heavy blow stunneth him David when he cut off the Lap of Sauls Garment his heart smote him but when he fell into Adultery and Blood he was like one in a swoon This is true but then on the other side great Sins are more apparent and liable to the notice of Conscience but we neglect small sins and so inveterate Custom groweth upon us and we are insensibly hardened by a carelesness and constant neglect of those kind of sins yea sometimes more than by gross falls A surfeit or violent distemper maketh us run to a Physitian but when a disease groweth upon us by degrees we have death in our bowels e're we know it We take care to mend a great breach but a leak unespyed drowneth the Ship We have need alwayes to stand upon our watch Many great mischiefs would not ensue if we took notice of the beginnings of those distempers which afterwards settle upon us 6. The Omission of holy Duties and the want of a constant serious Exercise induces a secure careless temper of Spirit Solomon telleth us Prov. 19.15 Sloathfulness casteth into a deep sleep and the idle Soul shall suffer hunger Labour dispelleth the vapours and scattereth them but sloath and idleness maketh way for sleep 'T is true in the Soul The renewed part hath need of a great deal of spiritual Exercise to keep it awake much Prayer much hearing much fasting The Apostle saith Rom. 12 11. Not sloathful in business fervent in spirit serving the Lord. The way to be fervent in Duties is to be frequent in them Be much in action and in the exercise of Grace that you may be kept fresh and lively Wells are the sweeter for draining so is the Soul the more fresh and ready for every good work In Gifts we see if they be not traded with they rust and decay and fail so in Graces to him that hath shall be given He that uses his gifts well shall find them encreased The right arm is bigger and stronger and fuller of spirits than the left because more in use 7. Grieving the Spirit causeth him to suspend his quickning influence and then the Soul is in a dead and drowsie estate Though the Children of God dare not quench the Spirit yet they may grieve the Spirit Eph. 4.30 The Conscience of a renewed man after 't is wounded by gross sins may be a dead and stupified Conscience for a long time Witness David and Jonah 8. Immoderate Liberty in worldly things as worldly cares and fleshly delights Sobriety is necessary or a sparing medling with those worldly Comforts that do mightily indispose us for the Christian Warfare 1 Pet. 2.7 Luk. 21.34 Take heed your hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness Look as the multitude of gross vapours cast us into a sleep so do these delights and cares stupifie the Soul Psal. 119.37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou me in thy way You will need quickning if you give way to vanity VSE Oh take heed of this Evil. Mark 13.26 Watch lest the Lord cometh suddenly and he finde you sleeping Would you have Christ come and find you in this case 1. Some are wholly in a state of spiritual Sleep To them the Lord speaketh Eph. 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light And of such the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 15.3 4. Awake to righteousness and sin not for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame 'T is all reason and more than time that you should thorowly rouze up your selves from the condition of sin wherein you have gone 'T is a shame such should be among Christians such as snort still upon the bed of Security when the light of the Gospel shineth round about them Oh! when God calleth Awake and rise from the dead if not God may punish you by your own sin One of his heaviest judgments is a Spirit of slumber and deep sleep Rom. 11.8 And then what will the end of it be you may sleep but your damnation sleepeth not 2 Pet. 2.3 Certainly we should commiserate the case of such especially if they be related to us and seek to awaken them from the sleep of sin that they may be brought home to Christ. Oh poor careless Creatures they fear not God nor think of his wrath nor make preparation to stand before the Son of Man at his Coming 2. There are others apt to slumber now and then though for the main they have chosen the better part To these the Apostle speaks 1 Thes. 5.6 Thereâ—ore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober There is great need Our Adversary watcheth The Devil is observing all our motions and Postures if we fall asleep we are exposed as a Prey to him There are many that mind our spiritual harm If we had no Enemy without there is Hostis domesticus a bosom Enemy and we are prone as others to be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Therefore you may not sleep as do others You have another Spirit in you and if you are Gods Children you have other obligations Rom. 13.11 'T is high time to awake out of sleep for your Salvation is nearer than when you first believed When you first gave your names to Christ you thought no labour too much no pains too great How vigilant and diligent then and will you sleep now Your course beginneth to draw to an end and you are almost ready to set sail for the other World that you may meet with Christ. Oh! now you have shaken off the sleep of sin shake off the sleep of sloath too shall we be drowsie and cold at last 1. I shall give you the Signs of this Sin 2. Motives against it 3. Directions to avoid it First The Signs 1. Senslesness in not discerning and weighing the things that befall us good or evil An Instance of the one we have Hos. 7.8 For she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oyl The Lord is very liberal to us yet little notice is taken of it An Instance of the other we have Isa. 42.25 Yet he laid it not to heart In Mercies we neither consider their Author nor their End nor their Cause Their Author we are like Swine that eat the Acorns but never look up to the Oak from whence they fall 'T is said of the Church she hath doves eyes they peck and look upward VVe should see God in every Mercy A drowsie unattentive Soul heedeth it not but is swallowed up in present delights and enjoyments and looketh no further 'T is our Priviledge above the Beasts to know the first Cause Other creatures live upon God but are not capable of knowing
If these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ That will make a Christian busie and active in Gods Service Well then by this you know who are prepared and who unprepared 2. There is an Actual Preparation which is like the trimming the Lamps when they heard the Cry and that noteth our actual fitting our selves for Death and Judgment Besides our general habitual Preparation there needeth actual Preparation When Pharaoh sent for Joseph he washed himself 'T is no slight thing to appear before Christ. Our general work should often be reviewed that we may get Promises ready Evidences ready Experiences ready that we may have nothing to do but to wait the good hour and give welcome to the Lord Jesus Christ as old Simeon Luk. 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation You should be so settled in Conscience weaned in Heart purified in Spirit that you do with comfort wait for the Salvation of God and not only wait for it but long for it love his appearing especially after a long Profession of the Name of Christ so it should be Now this actual Preparation should be made either 1. Daily and when you are in the greatest health and strength We should think of our great change Job 14.14 for Death doth not alwayes give warning and to be provided doth no hurt It enliveneth our General Preparation and maketh us the more serious 'T is like poysing our confidence and weighing the strength and temper of it to see if it can encounter the thoughts of Death and Judgment to come A run-away cowardly Faith that cannot endure the serious thoughts and supposition of these things will do us no good Presumption is a Coward Besides it riddeth off the present work with more success when we live every day as if it were our last and do all things as if presently to give an account to Christ of the doing of them Once more to familiarize the thoughts of Christs coming to us it allayeth so much of the dread and terrour of it as belongeth to bondage and keepeth up so much as belongs to Reverence and serious and awful walking with God 2. When God summons us by his Providence to make up our Account Luk. 16.2 Give an account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward Many are about to go into the other World but they do not think of making ready for it The Wrath of God is even at the door and they are stupid and careless Surely such a frame of Heart should be far from the Children of God They have a tender Conscience and a deep sense of the World to come therefore in probality when they have but a short time wherein to prepare their preparation should be the more serious So when we are to partake of the Lords Supper a man would go aside and renew his Evidences for Heaven and awaken his spiritual desire So for hearing the Word a man would compose his Heart to receive the Word with Meekness And should we not set our Hearts in frame when we are to meet with Christ not only in the Ordinances but in Person Secondly Why those only that are Ready and Prepared are to enter into the Nuptial Chamber 1. Those are only meet for heavenly Happiness 'T is most suitable to them as having that life begun in their Hearts which shall be perfected there Col. 1.12 What should poor sensual sinful Creatures do with Heaven Heaven is prepared for us and we for Heaven Rom. 6.23 When we are put into an Heavenly frame and temper Heaven Gates stand open for us 'T is the wisdom of God to put all things in their proper place heavy and light Bodies in their proper places So here the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5.5 He that wrought us for this very thing is God Excellent Vessels are not thrown about the House but put into a place suitable The purging and purifying of our Souls is a kind of spiritualizing of our Bodies And so we are fitted both in Body and Soul 2. These only have a lively sense of the Coming of the Lord. Temporaries are a sort of Hypocrites their work is real though but a common work not because they purposely and intendedly dissemble but because they have not answerable impressions to the things which they profess to believe and their Affections and Preparations are not answerable to what they know and so 't is a kind of mocking of God They profess and believe God Omniscient yet fear not to sin in his presence to believe Eternity yet Temporal things have the greatest power and influence upon them They look for the coming of Christ in great Majesty and Glory but do not make suitable Provision If we had high thoughts of Christ and a great respect to him we would prepare accordingly But surely we have lessening thoughts of Christ and his glorious Coming if we do not make ready for him how high soever our notions be about it VSE Are we ready I must direct the edge of this Use to four sorts of People 1. Some care not whether they be ready or no They do but dally with Eternity and things of Religion Their Hearts are not moved with joy or grief or hope or fear at the Remembrance of this day Surely they have no Faith at least not a lively but dead Faith and therefore are so dead-hearted and besides they care for none of these things they mind Earthly things If they can live comfortably here be well at ease here they never take care to live eternally Now to these I shall only say Live in no state or frame of Heart but what you would die in Alas in your serious moods you cannot but say I would not die for all the World But what if God should arrest thee before thou thinkest of it What would become of thee On the other side consider when our work is done and our Ornaments put on then it will be pleasant to us to think of the coming of Christ. Now Lord lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation Luk. 2.29 2. Some think themselves ready when they are not Rev. 3.17 Thou thoughtest thou wast rich and encreased with goods and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked I trust in Gods mercy and hope I shall go to Christ 'T is easie to say this but do you know what 't is to meet with Christ what honour he expecteth from you at the last day and how little a naked trust and a dead and empty Faith will do to your acceptance with him I confess we have all from Christ and all the honour we can do him results from his own Grace But yet 't is said Rev. 19.5 The Bride hath made her self ready There is work required of us and such as
of Christ's glorifying his Father on Earth by communicating the tenour of the Christian Doctrine to the Disciples so that some of them by the Light received were to be special Instruments of converting the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have manifested By outward Teaching and inward Illumination Outward Teaching was necessary the Mystery of the Gospel was but sparingly revealed by former Prophets but Christ who was in the Bosom of the Father knew the depth and bottom of it John 1.18 No Man hath seen God at any Man the only begotten Son who is in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him and accordingly he revealed it to the Disciples And besides by an inward Light he gave them to understand it for Christ preached publickly but all did not understand him but those to whom it was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Mat. 13.11 So much is intimated in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And herein Christ fulfilled that Prophecy Psal. 22.22 I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren The Disciples of Christ especially the Apostles are adopted into the Privileges of Coheirs with Christ and therefore to them he declared his Father's Name than which there could not be a greater Privilege Now by the Name of God some understand one thing some another according to the different Acceptations of the word Name Largely and more generally we may understand whatever is necessary to be known and believed to Salvation concerning God's Will and Essence That is his Name all by which the Father might be known as Men are known and distinguished by their Names The meaning is that he had made known to them the whole Doctrine concerning God's Will and Essence teaching them that in one Essence of God there are three distinct Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost that the Father begot the Son his substantial Image by eternal Generation and sent him in time that he might take a true Humane Nature on him that so he might become a Mediator between God and us by whom alone we have access to God that we may obtain Grace and Life Eternal Now this he manifested in his Doctrine in the Course of his Life and by the Light of the Spirit freeing them from all Prejudices contracted by their own Darkness or the obscure Doctrine that was then taught in the Church 1. Observe Christ's faithfulness to his own Charge He opened all the Mysteries of God's Name that is of the true Religion to them We that are Ministers and you that are Masters of Families should learn of him It is our Duty to teach the Flock committed to our Charge Acts 20.20 I kept back nothing that was profitable to you teaching you publickly and from House to House We are to draw out all the Truths necessary to Salvation It is not enough that Ministers live honestly and unblameably that they are hospitable and kind but they must teach the People to read God's Name If you hire a Man to prune the Vineyard and he diggeth in the Field to fight in the Battel and he watcheth the Stuff it is not the Work you set him about So to you that are Masters of Families the Apostles were Christ's own Family God expecteth it from you Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Do not disappoint the Lord he reckoneth upon it your Family should be a little Flock a little Church Families are the Fountains of Church and Common-wealth Oh how sweet will it be when we come to die if we could say as Christ we concerning our Flock you concerning your Families I have manifested thy Name to them that thou gavest me out of the World thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy Word 2. Observe The earnest desire Christ had to glorify his Father by living teaching dying thy Name thy Word Oh that we would learn of our Lord to glorify our Father which is in Heaven to be contented to do any thing to be any thing so we might be to the glory of God! 3. Observe The Excellency of the Doctrine of the Gospel It s Certainty its Clearness 1. It s Certainty It is not a Doctrine forged in the Brain of Men but brought out of the Bosom of God into the Breasts of the Apostles and from them conveyed to us In this word you have the Father's Heart Christ told it the Apostles I have manifested thy Name to them c. Christ is the Original Author Heb. 1.2 In these last Times he hath spoken to us by his Son The Son of God is the first Man in the Roll of the New-Testament Prophets the first was not an Angel but God's own Son the Messenger of the Covenant the Apostle of our Confession Though Christ doth not speak to us immediately in Person yet he spake to us by the Apostles they have their Light from Christ. Therefore he that readeth the Word should seem to hear Christ speak This was that which he whispered to the Apostles in secret 2. The Clearness of the Scriptures Christ knew all the Councils of God and he hath manifested his Name to the Apostles There is a Light shining if we see it not it is a sign we are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them What an Advantage have we above the Gentiles and above the Jews 1. Above the Gentiles The Doctrine of the Essence and Will of God cannot be known by the Light of Nature Somewhat of his Glory shineth in the Creatures Rom. 1.20 For the invisible Things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his Eternal Power and Godhead Some Characters there are in Conscience though horribly defaced but alas the furthest reach of Nature cometh short of Salvation Nature is blind as well as lame in things supernatural there are some few remains of Light to keep the Law of Nature alive in the Soul for the advantage of Civil Society and Moral Business When Nature putteth on the Spectacles of Art still she is blind There are many Inventions to polish Reason to sharpen Discourse there is Logick for Language Rhetorick for Government and Equity Laws for Health Physick for Manners Ethicks for Societies of Men Politicks for Families Oeconomicks but for Worship Nothing their piercing Wits were there blunt Man is naturally wise for every thing but to maintain a respect between him and God They knew there was a God and that this God ought to be worshipped but what he was and how he should be worshipped they knew not their Knowledg was rather a Mist than a Light His Works told them that
know that I love the Father He will be the Sinners Surety for his Father's sake Vse 2. Glorify God the Father it is the end of the whole dispensation of Grace Glorify him in your Expectations the Father himself loveth you Glorify him in your Enjoyments all is from the Father of Lights James 1.17 There is no Defect in Christ John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the World may know that thou hast sent me and that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me God hath loved him not only as his own Son but our Saviour John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my Life that I might take it again SERMON XI JOHN XVII 8 For I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me CHRIST in this Verse further explaineth the Argument that was urged before which was taken from their Proficiency in his School and that they had a right Sense of and Faith in the Dignity and Quality of his Person This Faith is set forth by all the Requisites of it First The Means by which it is wrought that is The Word the Doctrine given to him by his Father and by him to his Apostles For I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me Secondly The Nature of Faith which consisteth in Knowledg and Acceptation They have known surely and they have believed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the two Acts of Faith Thirdly The Object of Faith the Mission of Christ and his coming out from the Father That I came out from thee and they have believed that thou hast sent me First I begin with the Means of Faith For I have given unto them the Words which thou gavest me The only difficulty is how the Word was given unto Christ. Some think it is meant of the divine and infinite Knowledg and Wisdom which was communicated to Christ by eternal Generation But that is very improper Quaecunque Christo dantur secundum humanitatem dantur It is meant of that giving which Christ had as Mediator as the Ambassador hath his Instructions according to which he is to act Now saith Christ I have taught them according to the Instructions which I received as Mediator These are said to be given to be infused and revealed to his Human Soul 1. Observe The Word is the proper means to work Faith We see here the Apostles had no other means of Salvation than Christ's Word when Christ giveth an account of their Faith he doth not mention his Miracles but his Doctrine Again he doth not speak only of the internal manifestation of the Spirit I have manifested thy Name but also of the outward Revelation I have given to them the Words which thou gavest me We have a general Saying Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God This is the usual Method and way of Grace's working God will insinuate the Efficacy of his Spirit by outward Counsel and Instruction and by the Ear transmit his Grace to the Heart that he might work fortiter suaviter Vse 1. It reproveth the Folly of two sorts of Men there are some that think the Word cannot work unless it be accompanied with Miracles and others that think the Spirit will work without the Word 1. Those that think the Word will not work without Miracles and therefore expect a reviving of Miracles to authorize that Ministry which they mean to receive Vain Thoughts In the Primitive Times when Miracles were in force we read of some converted by the Word without Miracles but of none converted by Miracles without the Word Acts 11.20 21. Some of Cyprus and Cirene when they were come to Antioch spake unto the Grecians preaching the Lord Jesus And the Hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned to the Lord They wrought no Signs only preached the Lord Jesus There is not one Instance in the whole Word of any one converted by a single Miracle It is natural to us to idolize visible Helps and Confirmations Those mentioned Acts 11. were not Apostles but private Brethren who in that extraordinary Time used their Gifts and were successful 2. Those that expect the Illapses of the Spirit without waiting upon the Word It is true God can work immediatly but the Question is about his Will God is not tied to means but we are bound and tied God may use his Liberty but this doth not dissolve our Duty and Obligation we are to lie at the Pool if we expect the stirring of the Waters There is a great deal of difference between the want of Means and the contempt of them I should always suspect that Grace that is wrought in us in the neglect of the Means The regular way of Faith is by the Word it hath pleased God to consecrate it God could have converted the Eunuch without Philip but we are to submit to his Will Paul that received his Consternation miraculously had his Confirmation from Ananias Christ had preached him into Terror from Heaven but he sendeth him to Ananias for Comfort Vse 2. It stirreth us up to attend upon the Word It is God's Instrument Rom. 1.16 I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth the meaning is it is a powerful Instrument to work Faith As the first Sermon that ever was preached after the pouring out of the Spirit converted three thousand Souls An Angel could slay an hundred and eighty five thousand Men in a Night by his own natural Strength but it is easier to kill so many Men than to convert one Soul All the Angels in Heaven if they should join all their Forces together they could not convert one Soul to God but yet this Power will God discover in the Ministry and cooperation of weak Men. Those that do not delight to hear the Word have no mind to see the Miracles of Grace The Power is of God yet it is wonderfully joined with the Word it is not inclosed in it but sent out together with it when God pleaseth It is God's Ordinance and under the Blessing of an Institution 2. Observe again The Certainty of Christian Doctrine The Word delivered to the Apostles was received from the Father by Christ. It was no Invention of his own but brought out of the Bosom of the Father John 7.16 My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me So John 14.10 The words that I speak I speak not of my self that is not as Mediator It was prophesied of Christ who was the great Prophet of the Church Deut. 18.18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their Brethren like unto thee and will put my Words in his Mouth and he
Chain must be broken the Son cannot die for them whom the Father never elected and the Spirit will never sanctify them whom the Father hath not elected nor the Son redeemed Reasons 1. From the Unity of Essence they are one and if any Person be interested in them all must otherwise Men might be beholden to Christ that were never beholden to the Father nor the Spirit They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of one Essence and of equal Dignity none shall be beholden to one that are not beholden to the other It is very notable that when Christ speaketh of his own Flock and the Certainty of their Conversion and the Sureness of their Estate he saith John 10.27 28 29 30. My Sheep my Voice and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any Man pluck them out of my Hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no Man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand I and my Father are one He is greater than all greater than me as Redeemer If I acknowledg them for mine they must have Grace and cannot miscarry We are two Persons but one God he is a Joynt-Cause working together with me one in Power one in Counsel 2. From the Unity and Agreement in Will and Design They are one and agree in one The Persons are resolved to glorify one another In Man's Salvation the Father will have the Honour of Electing that the Son may have the Honour of Purchasing and the Spirit the Honour of Sanctifying It is said of the Spirit John 16.14 He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you And Christ faith John 14.13 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son The Son came into the World to make good the Purposes of the Father John 8.50 I seek not my own Glory and the Son sendeth the Spirit God sendeth the Son and the Spirit anointeth Christ Acts 10.38 God anointeth Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with Power There is a perfect Agreement mutual Missions between them Vse 1. To condemn them which put asunder those Operations which God hath joyned together the Arminians in Doctrine the common People in Practice 1. The Arminians in Doctrine by dividing Christ from Election or Election from Christ as if Christ were to die for those that were never elected and chosen to Life equally as for those that were or as if he expected Glory from and designed Salvation unto all alike These trouble the Links of the Chain of Salvation how can it be said All thine are mine and mine are thine when God would never own them and the Spirit would never sanctify them 2. The common People that sever the Election of God and Redemption of Christ from the Sanctification of the Spirit They say Christ dyed for them when there is no Evidence of it or that God loveth them when there are no Fruits of his Love The Fruit of the Father's Love is sending of the Spirit and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8.9 If God had chosen thee thou wouldst be sanctified Sanctification it is as it were an actual Election John 15.19 Because I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you As by Election we are distinguished from others in the Counsel of God so by Sanctification we are actually set apart If Christ had dyed for thee thou wouldst have the whole Fruit of his Purchase Ephes. 5.25 Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of Water by the Word Vse 2. Information how Believers come to be possessed of such excellent Priviledges All that are God's are Christ's and all things that are Christ's are ours by Faith There is the same Communion between Us and Christ as there is between Christ and God 1 Cor. 3.23 All are yours for you are Christ's and Christ is God's We have it from the Father's Love by the Son's Purchase Christ was God's natural Heir he made a Purchase that he might adopt Heirs and take them in with himself by Faith we are taken in We may say between us and Christ All mine are thine and thine are mine I am my Beloved's and he is mine Cant. 2.16 Vse 3. To shew us the Comfort of the Faithful God and Christ have an equal Interest in them the Father loveth them as Christ's as his own Christ careth for them as the Father's as his own 1 John 1.3 Our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. God made the Elect Members of Christ's Body that he might redeem them Christ made them Children of his Family that he might love them The Father saith They are mine the Son saith They are mine the Power of God issueth through Christ for their Salvation 2 John 1.9 He that-abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath the Father and the Son We may expect the Fruits of Elective Love and the Fruits of Christ's Purchase Two are better than one we have the Father to love us the Son to redeem us the Spirit to sanctify us and bring us to God It is a great Advantage John 16.27 The Father himself loveth you When Joab saw the thing was pleasing to David he interceded for Absalom 2 Sam. 14.1 The King's Heart was towards Absalom We have more Confidence to speed in our Prayers He loveth us for his own sake and for Christ's Christ hath satisfied the Justice of God and God is reconciled we have more boldness of Access to him we need not fear his Justice we have a double Claim and may lay hold with both Hands 1. We have God on our side who is the Supream Judg the offended Party the first Cause and Fountain of Blessing 2. By Christ we have a near Relation to God We are Christ's more than Angels they are Ministring Spirits not the Spouse of Christ's Bosom nor Members of his Body God hath given us to him as he brought Eve to Adam we are near to God John 14.20 I am in my Father and you in me and I in you as a Woman married to the King's Son by the King's Consent The whole Blessings of Christ's Purchase are ours we have God in our Nature working Righteousness making Atonement meriting Blessedness sending the Spirit as purchased by him And I am glorified in them So we render it that it may lye indifferent to any Sense tho the Word properly signifieth I have been glorified in them It relateth not only to their past present but future Endeavours for Christ's Glory But how was Christ glorified by his Disciples Answ. First Passively as he glorifieth himself in them by comforting refreshing their Hearts doing good to Persons so despicable and unworthy and manifesting the Riches of his Glory
of the World another standeth stoutly and from their different Practices there proceed different Interests and Opinions We should with a combined Strength promote the Gospel 2. Observe the Patern he doth not only pray Let them be One but shows what kind of Oneness he meaneth as we are One. Some think that by we is meant the Father and Christ as Mediator between whom there was an Agreement in the Work of Redemption this is true but Unity of Essence I suppose is here intended there being a plain intimation in the Context of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peculiar to the Trinity viz. Ver. 21. But what then shall we say to the Arrians I Answer In this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is implied not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not an exact Equality but some Resemblance not the same Unity but a like Doct. The Vnion of Believers with Christ the Head and with one another hath some resemblance to the Vnity that is between the Divine Persons themselves 1. It is a Spiritual Union not Natural or Civil but Divine and Spiritual 2. It is a close Union Between the Father and the Son there is not only Consent but Unity of Essence there cannot be a greater Unity So there is a close Unity between the Members of the Mystical Body by Love and Peace and Concord and delighting in one another It is Vnitas Pluralis Pluralitas Vnita saith Bernard 3. It is a constant and inseparable Union The Divine Essence may be distinguished but not divided They that are united to Christ cannot be separated from him and should not from one another Take heed of stragling What becomes of the Member that is cut off from the Body the Branch from the Root It is dangerous to run from the Shepherds Tents 4. It is an Holy Union There is no Unity but what standeth with Purity Mark 9.56 Have Salt in your selves and Peace one with another The Heart must be kept pure and Holy Loose Zeal it is not Unity but Compliance Peace with Men is bought upon hard Terms when we must go to war with God It is better still to be a Man of Contention An Agreement in Evil is like that of Herod and Pilate who shook hands against Christ. Heb. 12.14 Follow Peace with all Men and Holiness without which no Man shall see God A Man may see God without Peace but he cannot see God without Holiness 5. It is an Unity which consisteth with Order and Distinction There is in the Church a Subordination of Callings by which its Beauty and Strength is maintained and if we would keep this Unity we must yield Honour to one another's Gifts and Places In the Body Natural the Eye medleth not with Hearing nor the Ear with Seeing the Foot talketh not the Office of the Hand is to dress the Body that of the Foot to support the Body The Soul giveth Life to all the Parts there is ground of Unity but the Parts have several Offices and there is ground of Order and Comeliness The Soul enlivens the Feet as well as the Hands and Breast It is comfortable to see all conscionably in their way joining together for the common Good Vse Let us study to imitate the Trinity as in the Case now before us there is a little resemblance of the Mystery of the Trinity Men cry for an Union and yet make no Conscience of Separation They would have an unholy Mixture a carnal Compliance and Consent for Carnal Ends out of Worldly Policy As Ice amasseth into a Body Iron Water Wood Sticks and Stones We have one Unity but observe not due distinction therein Is there not an horrible Invasion of Callings and thence comes Confusion and Disorders Ministers turn Souldiers and Souldiers turn Ministers Oh but remember Christ commendeth this Patern to us Walk as those that are One as Christ and the Father are One seeking one another's Welfare rejoicing in one another's Graces as if they were our own contributing Counsel Simpathy Spiritual Assistance and Prayers for the Common Good When the Finger is hurt there is pain through the whole Body We should live as if we had but one Essence and Interest It is almost in vain to hope for the Publick at present but in your particular Societies faithfully yet regularly use your Gifts for the Common Good so as that you may neither dishonour the Head nor dissolve the Union between the Members 3. I Observe That Christ seeketh it of God he beggeth Perseverance that they may be One. Doct. It is God that keepeth the Saints together Nature is prone to Discord if God should leave us we should soon discover what is in our Hearts God doth it sometimes by his Providence letting loose the common Enemy as a Dog let loose makes the Sheep run together Or by inflicting great Distress as two Ends of Wax are joined together in the Fire Or he can take off Contention as a Judg. Sometimes by his Spirit and the constant Influences of his Grace of Light and Love God made Esau a Friend to Jacob let Spirits be never so rough he can meeken them Vse Acknowledg God in this Matter He will be known as the Lord of Hosts and as the God of Peace Acknowledg him in this Matter in Prayer and Praise In Prayer before Division is broken out if God did but leave Men to their own sway they would never be at Peace After Divisions are broken out Prayer is the best Means to settle the Church It is God's Prerogative to speak Peace when Men have wearied themselves in the pursuit of it it is God must give it Acknowledg him in Praise in Days of Peace and Tranquility when there is a happy Union among the People of God give thanks to his Name for it for it is God alone who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh that unites the Spirits of Men to one another SERMON XX. JOHN XVII 12 While I was with them in the World I kept them in thy Name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled IN this Verse Christ declareth how he had performed his Duty to the Apostles when corporally present with them which Help was now to be removed He had said before I am no more in the World and he saith now Whilst I was with them in the World I kept them c. The Argument is taken from the Necessity of the Request and the Equity of it 1. The Necessity He could no longer keep them as he had kept them by his visible Presence outward Ministry and familiar Conversation therefore he beggeth the Father to keep them Christ is careful to remedy every Defect when the visible external Custody was to have an end then he beggeth the Spiritual 2. The Equity When thou commendedst them to me I kept them now I commend them to thee do thou keep them Which
take in Liquor by drops so do we Divine Truths and therefore you have need to hear the same things often that your Understandings may grow familiar and acquainted with these Notions Isa. 28.10 For Precept must be upon Precept Precept upon Precept Line upon Line Line upon Line here a little and there a little they must be taught as little Children are wont to be taught when they learn to read or write to know Letter after Letter and to draw Line after Line we must go over it again and again that you may understand it more Frequent inculcation maketh us to observe every Part and Point you take it in by degrees 2. Our Attention is small we do not consider it when we understand it Since the Fall we have lost our setled and solemn Thoughts the roving vanity of our Minds needeth this outward Cure When Truth is again brought into the view of the Understanding the Mind is set a work first we learn and then we meditate If Christians would observe their Hearts they would find it hard to go along with the Preacher at first hearing but when they go over it in their Thoughts then it worketh spiritually and they consider it with affection upon a review Mary kept all these Sayings in her Heart Luke 2.51 We mind things but slightly there must be Apprehension before Musing Study findeth out a Truth Meditation improveth it 3. Our Memories are weak We have a short Memory in the best Things a Man needeth no Remembrancer to put him in mind of worldly Gain and to revenge Injuries But as to good Things our Memories are as a Bag with holes or as a Grate or Sink that retaineth the Mud and lets the running Water go Heb. 2.1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we should let them slip We are as sandy Ground or leaky Vessels we have much lost the practical Memory have few actual Thoughts of Truths in the season of them Men forget what we have told them of God's Justice his Omnipresence the Day of Judgment When we are about to faint under Afflictions Heb. 12.5 Have ye forgotten the Exhortation that speaketh unto you as unto Children My Son despise not thou the chastning of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked by him It is a main Office of the Spirit to remember us of Truths in their Season John 14.26 The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you It is one thing to know another thing to remember seasonable Thoughts are a great relief in Temptation 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach the Word be instant in Season out of Season 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We may press Truths when there is not such express need of them in season press them again it is a great advantage 4. Our Wills are slow and averse It is not enough for a slow and a dull Servant to hear the Commands of his Master but they must be often told him We must be urged again and again as Christ doth Peter The Heart is averse and deceitful we give a slight Answer to the first Demand Will you do this for God 2 Pet. 1.12 13. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things tho ye know them and be stablished in the present Truth Yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance Most Men love to hear as being greedy of Novelty and Speculation expecting things that are rare and less known it is our Duty to press things that are more known to urge the Will 1 John 2.21 I have not written to you because ye know not the Truth but because ye know it and that no Lie is of the Truth not to acquaint them with new Doctrine but to urge them to stedfastness All Preaching is not to enlighten the Understanding but to gain the Will to stir you up again Our Affections are changeable heated Water groweth cold again we have need of the same Truths to revive our Frame Our Affections soon flag as a Bird cannot always keep upon the Wing and Remembrance worketh not so much as present excitement It were an excellent Work to put you into the same frame again Our Corruptions and Temptations daily arise we lose what we have wrought we had need be quickned anew put in mind again that we may be kept in a good frame 2 Pet. 3.1 This second Epistle I now write unto you in both which I stir up your pure mind by way of remembrance Secondly It helpeth Duties 1. Meditation The Mind worketh freely upon such Objects to which it is accustomed in things rare and seldom heard of there is more need of Study than Meditation to search them out 2. It helpeth Application We hear to do and practice not only to know we do not hear to store the Head with Notions but that the Life and Heart might be bettered Vse 1. Let it not be grievous to you to hear the same things pressed Common Truths are not too plain for our Mouths nor too stale for your Ears If you should hear the same Sermon preached again Observe God's Providence A Sparrow doth not fall to the Earth without our Heavenly Father Have I considered of this meditated of it Doth not my Heart need it again Sure there is somewhat in it that God directeth the Minister to it again Usually we come to hear Sermons with an unmortified Ear and bewray an itch of Novelty as the Athenians who loved to hear of new Things And this puts Preachers upon ungrounded Subtleties and quintessential Extracts and so the gravity and sobriety of Religion is lost Or else there is Pride in it as if they were above these common Helps the most learned need a Remembrancer Some will say this I knew before they can teach no more than I know already 1 Cor. 8.2 3. If any Man think that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know But if any Man love God the same is known of him Dost thou practise what thou knowest This is a new Hint from God to humble thee to quicken thee God seeth that I do not live up to my Knowledg and therefore the same Truth is returned Preachers should hear Sermons as Prophets studied their own Prophecies as Godly as Prophets there is difference between the Man and the Prophet Or else for want of Affection In Musick if a Man hear an excellent Lesson he would hear it again the second hearing is sweetest to a gracious Heart If it be grievous to any it is to us that do more deeply consider it and weigh it before it is brought If it be not grievous to us it is safe to you It is a great wantonness and gluttony when Men
You think God is not wise enough you will teach him whom to advance and whom not Princes have their Arcana Imperii Shall our Servants know all our Counsels Many times God raiseth bad Men to high Places not because they deserve it but because the Age deserveth no better Phil. 2.14 15. Do all things without murmurings and disputings that ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God 3. If you are favoured by God why should you trouble your selves about the World's Respects In chusing Heirs to Salvation God doth not ask their Counsel thou hast the testimony of God's Spirit and many now in Hell have had much of the World's Respects Their Disrespect cannot hurt thee it may profit thee if thou art not wanting to thy self If God should take Counsel of the World whether he should assume thee to Glory or cast thee into Hell then their Respects were to be sought after but God will deal with thee alone not ask their Opinion but refer it to thine own Conscience If all the World should respect thee what is this to God who will judg thee by another Rule They had need of steady Heads that walk on high Places When Men study to preserve the World's good Opinion they lose it God is Master of their Respects if Men did not study to please the World they would not only have more quiet but more success 2. Observe again An excellent means to digest the World's Neglect is to consider the Example of Christ. It is our Duty it will be for our Comfort and it turneth to our Profit 1. It is our Duty In his Example we have a taste of his Spirit I am not of the World saith Christ and we should imitate Christ as dear Children Ephes. 5.1 They that love to live in delight and pleasures are but Christians in Name If we had no other Reason to contemn the vanity of the World than the Life of Christ this were enough Who was wisest Christ or you Who can make the better choice Christ or you Who is in an Error Christ or you Christ chose a poor Life and you affect Greatness 2. It will be your Comfort It is a sweet comfort in all Conditions to remember the similitude of condition between Christ and us Shall the Disciple be above the Lord What more honourable than to carry the Cross after Jesus Christ Christ hath worn this Garment Col. 1.24 Who now rejoice in my Sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my Flesh. Christ was exposed to the envy of Satan and his Agents Art thou better than Christ He suffereth with us because we should suffer with him Mat. 25.45 Verily I say unto you in as much as ye did it no◠to one of the least of these ye did it not to me Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Man and Wife if they love one another had rather live together in the meanest Estate than in the greatest Glory and Abundance asunder Christ and a Christian are fellow-Sufferers we are conformed to his Sufferings and he hath a feeling of ours 3. It will be for our Profit The Issue will be glorious we must first suffer then enter into Glory Winter is before the Spring Rom. 8.17 If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together 2 Cor. 4.10 Always bearing about in my Body the dying of the Lord Jesus that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal Flesh. 2 Tim. 2.11 12. It is a faithful saying for if we be dead with him we shall also live with him If we suffer we shall also reign with him If we would be like Christ in Glory we must be like him in suffering Vse Meditate on this God had but one Son he came into the World without Sin but he could not get out without a Cross. Art thou poor so was Christ Hast thou Enemies so had He Art thou disdained Christ went this way to Glory and so must thou He was charged maliciously blackned with Slanders accused falsly c. the like usage you must expect Secondly With respect to God How sollicitous is Christ about those who are not of the World compare Vers. 14. with this His Father's Choice must be made good his own delight is in those that are like him Christ loveth himself and his own reflection in the Saints Christ is at a perfect antipathy with the World and a Christian loveth what he loves and hateth what he hates If you have the World's hatred against you remember you have Christ's Prayers SERMON XXVI JOHN XVII 17 Sanctify them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth HERE is Christ's second Request for his Disciples Where First The Request it self Sanctify them Secondly The Manner how it is to be accomplished through thy Truth Thirdly The Reason why it is to be so accomplished thy Word is Truth The main Points are the influence of Truth upon Sanctification and that the Word is the publick Record and Register of this Truth Now I shall make some entrance upon the Verse First The Request And here I. What he prayeth for II. To whom III. For whom I. What he prayeth for Sanctification 1. Observe Our chief Aim in Prayer for our selves and others should be to be sanctified Christ prayeth for Sanctification 1. What it is to be sanctified To Sanctify is 1. To Consecrate or set apart for some Holy Use. 2. To Cleanse or Purify 3. To Adorn with Gifts of Grace Some prefer the first Acceptation and apply it particularly to the Apostolical Calling Sanctify them that is separate them and set them apart for the Work of an Apostle So Christ was sanctified that is set apart for the Work of Redemption But it is not sanctify them for thy Truth but in or by thy Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore this Scripture hath a more general respect and signification However in the Work of Holiness all the Senses may be taken in for whoever are sanctified are set apart cleansed and adorned with Grace 1. Set apart by God and by themselves By God both in time and before time Before time they are set apart by God's Decree to be an holy Seed to himself in and by Christ separated from the perishing World to be Vessels of Honour as the Reprobate are called Vessels of Wrath and Dishonour set apart by God's Election chosen to be holy Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love But then in time they are regenerated and so actually set apart Sanctification is an actual Election By Election they are distinguished from others in God himself so by Regeneration and Sanctification they are distinguished from others in themselves separated and set apart from the perishing World to act for God to seek the things that may make for his Glory James 1.18 Of his
good Work it is not of your selves but of God Every Act every Degree of Holiness is from God III. For whom he prayeth the Apostles I. That were already holy John 13.10 Ye are clean and in the Verse immediately preceding They are not of the World yet now Sanctify them let their Hearts be more heavenly and their Lives more pure every day Observe Those that are sanctified need to be sanctified more and more Rev. 22 1â— He that is righteous let him be righteous still he that is holy let him be holy still 1. Our inward Sanctification must increase because of the weakness of present Grace and the relicts of Corruption 2 Cor. 4.16 Tho our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day It is not a Work to be done at once 1 Thess. 5.23 And the very God of Peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is perfect in parts at first the New Creature doth not come out maimed but not in degrees there is need of more Sanctification in Spirit in Soul in Body the Kingdom of Heaven increaseth by degrees 2. Our outward Man must be cleansed day by day because of new defilements John 13.10 He that is washed needeth not but to wash his Feet but is clean every whit It is an Allusion to a Man coming from the Bath his Feet contract Soil in the Passage Your Persons are sanctified by the Spirit but when you are never so holy there are new Defilements Vse 1. Be not satisfied with any present degrees of Grace There is an holy Covetousness I count not my self to have attained Phil. 3.14 Christ is so full that we cannot receive all at once 2. It is a strange Conceit in any to think they may be too good When we begin to be unwilling to grow better we begin to wax worse it is a good degree of Grace to know our Defects 3. Therefore let us use Means to persist in Holiness to increase in Holiness especially Prayer which is the Breath which God hath appointed to keep in the Flame II. For the Persons once more They were to preach the Word as a Preparative he prayeth for Sanctification Observe Holiness is a good Preparative to the Ministry and they are inwardly consecrated by the Spirit sanctifying them 1. That they may have experience of the Truth of the Doctrine upon their own Hearts The Apostles were to preach the Truth to others now saith he Sanctify them through thy Truth I believed and therefore have I spoken Psal. 116.10 We speak best when we speak by experience This is the right way of getting Sermons by Heart We are God's Witnesses now we should have sound Experience 1 John 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our Eyes which we have looked upon and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you Ezekiel was first to eat the Roll Ezek. 3. 1 2 3. not only to see it and to hear it but to eat it Ministers must first eat themselves then feed others We are not to speak by hear-say to deliver God's Message as a meer Narration but out of a deep Impression on the Heart What cometh from the Heart and from Experience is quick and lively 2. For the Honour of God Carnal Ministers bring a Reproach upon the Ordinances 1 Sam. 2.17 The Sin of the young Men was very great before the Lord for Men abhorred the Offering of the Lord. Who will take Meat out of a Leprous Hand 3. To answer the Types of the Law Aaron and his Sons were sanctified for the Levitical Priesthood Exod. 29.4 To be washed with Blood and Oil to be washed in the great Laver sprinkled with Blood anointed with Oil which denotes Remission of Sins Regeneration the Gifts of the Spirit 1 John 5.8 There are three that bear Witness in Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood Every Office should have a solemn Consecration Vse 1. Ministers should look to their inward Call They that are designed to serve God in a special manner must look after special Purity It breedeth Atheism when we do not live up to our Doctrine People will say they must say something for their Living 2. Let People look to their choice of Ministers There is a great deal of difference between an Eloquent and an Experienced Pastor Secondly We now come to the Means or Manner how Christ's Request is to be accomplished by thy Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be rendred in thy Truth or by thy Truth oâ— through thy Truth as Vers. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without an Article that they may be sanctified through the Truth or as in the Margeâ—t truly sanctified but we better render it by the Truth there is an Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not in Truth but in the Truth and it is presently added thy Word is Truth So that it noteth not the kind of their Sanctification but the Instrument and Means Now these words by thy Truth may be understood either of God's Faithfulness or his revealed Will both which are called his Truth Of God's Faithfulness as Vers. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as keep them by thy Power so sanctify them by or according to thy Truth and Faithfulness But this Exposition tho plausible yet is not so proper because it is presently added thy Word is Truth By Truth then is meant not his Faithfulness but his revealed Will. Now God hath revealed his Will by the Light of Nature or by the Light of his Word That Will of God which is revealed by the Light of Nature is called Truth so the Gentiles are charged Rom. 1.8 With-holding the Truth in Vnrighteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God Vers. 19. is called Truth How came the Gentiles by the Truth who are strangers to the Covenant of Promise The Apostle answereth much of God was known to them But this Truth that is here spoken of is the Will of God made known in his Word or the Knowledg of things necessary to Salvation concerning God and his Worship first delivered by the Prophets afterwards explained by Christ himself to the Apostles and by them consigned to the Church Now the Truths delivered in the Word may be referred to two Heads Law and Gospel The distinction in Christ's Time was Law and Prophets In this place Christ chiefly intendeth the Gospel the Truth which they were sent to preach to others Christ would have them to have an experience of it themselves And it is notable that in many places of Scripture the Gospel is called Truth not only in opposition to humane Writings but also with respect to the Law and other parts of Scripture because it is the Truth by way of eminency as we call the Plague
Zin because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the Children of Israel 4. Another Quality to be discerned in the Manner and Form of the Scriptures is the Harmony and Agreement that is to be found in them all along notwithstanding the diversity of Times Places and Persons still there is an increase of Knowledg and Dispensations rise higher and higher as the Light increaseth till Noon-day but there is no difference Luke 1.70 As he spake by the Mouth of his Holy Prophets which have been since the World began One Mouth many Prophets They lived in such distant Ages handled such diversity of Arguments yet all conspired in promoting the same Truth which is now revealed to us in the New Testament There is a great difference of Style some speak with more loftiness and majesty others with greater familiarity and humility of Expression yet all promoting the same thing There is a difference in the manner of Prosecution yet an exact harmony in the Substance and essential Quality of their Writings not only in their general drift and scope to set out the Glory of God and the Good of Mankind but in the matter handled without any spice of secular Vanity as is to be seen in other Writings So that one and the same Spirit appeareth throughout the whole 1 Cor. 12.4 Now there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit Yea there is not only a diversity of Style but a different degree of Light according to the increase of God's Dispensations yet there is an Harmony God's Name and Style and the Mystery of Christ was made known to the Church by degrees the solemn Title and Style of God was not one and the same from the beginning of the World but tho they were divers yet they were not one contrary to another but one perfecting the other He is called by Melchisedeck The most High God Possessor of Heaven and Earth Gen. 14.19 Afterwards by reason of his Covenant with Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God Alsufficient Gen. 17.1 I am the Almighty God or the Alsufficient God walk before me and be thou perfect Then when he was put to it he made known himself by the Name of Jehovah Exod. 6.2 3. And God spake unto Moses and said unto him I am the Lord. And I appeared unto Abraham unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the Name of God Almighty but by my Name IEHOVAH was I not known unto them And after the appropriation of the Covenant to the Family of the Patriarchs he is called the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob Exod. 3.15 The Lord God of your Fathers the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you This is my Name for ever and this is my Memorial unto all Generations Then upon experience of God's care of them he is called Exod. 20.2 The Lord thy God which hath brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the House of Bondage Then the Lord that brought his People out of the North Country Jer. 23.7 8. Therefore behold the days come saith the Lord that they shall no more say The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt But the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the Seed of the House of Israel out of the North Country and from all Countries whither I had driven them and they shall dwell in their own Land Then when the Sun of Righteousness was risen the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope c. 2 Cor. 1.3 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort Ephes. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ. So for the Mystery of Redemption First it was revealed to Adam to be by the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed It shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel Then to Abraham by thy Seed Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed which was repeated to Isaac to cut off Ishmael then to Jacob to cut off Esau. Then it was revealed out of what Tribe he should come viz. out of Judah Gen. 49.10 The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the Law-giver from between his Feet until Shiloh come Then that he should come of David's Line Isa. 11.1 There shall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grow out of his Roots And that he should be born of a Virgin Isa. 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and shall bear a Son and shall call his Name Immanuel There is a difference of manifestation yet still an Harmony as there is a difference between a small Print and a great Print but the Matter is the same The Mystery of God manifested in the Flesh is set forth in a fairer Edition 5. There is one Character more in the Form and Manner of these Writings and that is Impartiality Kings and Subjects are bound by the same Laws liable to the same Punishments encouraged by the same Promises If the Scriptures were only a Politick Device to keep Subjects in awe there would be some exemption for Potentates but they are alike obnoxious to God's Judgment and the same Tophet that is provided for the Peasant is provided for the Prince Isa. 30.33 For Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large c. Tophet was a Valley where the Idolatrous Jews were wont to burn their Children therefore as a fit Type of Everlasting Punishment it is put for Hell it is capacious enough to receive all King and Subject Now the Scriptures that threaten Potentates as well as others must needs be a Law that cometh from an higher than the Highest Who would presume else to threaten those in Power Rev. 20.12 And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which was the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works On this side the Grave there is a distinction between Man and Man but all are alike obnoxious to Christ's Judgment and all stand in dread of it There is enough in the Scriptures to astonish the Heart of the mightiest Potentate and make it tremble II. Now from the Matter of the Scriptures I am much prevented from what is published on James 1.18 But let me speak something now All that is spoken in the Scripture may be reduced to these five Heads Precepts Promises Doctrines Histories Prophecies Now all these
precious Ointment upon the Head that ran down upon the Beard even Aaron 's Beard that went down to the Skirts of his Garment So our Head is anointed with the Oil of Gladness for our sakes Christ received the Spirit without measure in our Nature as Holiness Pity and the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Look as when an Ambassador is sent forth there is not only a designation of his Person but he is furnished for his Emploiment and Work So is Jesus Christ sent forth that is his Person not only designed and chosen in Grace and yet in Wisdom but also furnished with all manner of Endowments in our Nature Grace and Strength for his Work as our Head 3. This Sending implies Authority and noteth a Commission sealed to him so that he was an Authorized Mediator or an Ambassador with Letters Patents from Heaven This is the principal thing intended in this Sending the Call and Authority Christ had to do his Office Heb. 5.4 5. No Man taketh this honour to himself but he that was called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee He was designed in the Council of the Trinity And as every Ambassador hath Letters of Credence under the Hand and Seal of him from whom he is sent that he may be acknowledged as his Deputy to act for him So Christ is sent as God's Deputy into the World to act and deal for him and the Apostles they are thus sent from Christ to act and deal for Christ. Here the Comparison chiefly holds As thou hast sent me into the World that is given me Authority to execute the Office of a Mediator So have I sent them I have given them Authority to preach in my Name and to deliver the Gospel to others This sending of Christ it maketh all that Christ doth in the Father's Name to be valid which is much for the comfort of our Faith Christ is not a Mediator by the right or meerly by the desire of the Creature or by his own Interposition but he is sent and authorized you may plead it with God he hath sent him to save Sinners You know Moses when he interposed on his own accord Exod. 32.32 Forgive their Sin and if not blot me I pray thee out of thy Book which thou hast written Tho it was an high Act of Zeal in Moses yet God refused it Vers. 33. And the Lord said to Moses Whosoever hath sinned against me him will make I blot out of my Book So if Christ had been set up as Mediator by the Right and Desire of the Creature only he might have been refused but he was authorised by God he did not glorify himself by invasion of the Mediatory Office but had a Patent from the Council of the Trinity indited by the Father accepted by himself sealed by the Holy Ghost evidenced to the World by his Personal Endowments and by his Miracles Thus you see what this Sending is it implies the Designation of the Father the Qualification of his Person for the Work and his Authority to execute it in his Name III. To what purpose was he sent into the World I Answer To perform the whole Duty of the Mediator but principally to redeem and instruct the World those two Offices of Prophet and Priest Christ performed upon Earth The Apostle toucheth upon them Heb. 3.1 Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Jesus Christ. Mark the Apostle mentioneth but two Offices but they were the highest in both the Churches the High Priest was the highest Officer in the Jewish Church therefore he saith he was the High Priest of our Profession And an Apostle was the highest Officer in the Christian Church therefore he saith he was the Apostle of our Profession And he mentions but these two because these were the two Offices Christ chiefly performed upon Earth he came to preach the Gospel which we profess so he is the Apostle of our Profession and he came to ratify it with his Blood so he is the High Priest of our Profession In short he came to deal with God and with Men To deal with God and so is an High Priest to pacify God to offer such a Sacrifice as might satisfy God and he came to deal with Men and so be is an Apostle to open the everlasting Gospel to bring it out of the Bosom of God to our Hearts His Kingly Office was but little exercised upon Earth We have a glimpse of his Kingly Office or rather of his Divine Nature in turning the Mony-Changers out of the Temple but it was little exercised upon Earth Why because this was the time of Christ's Humiliation Now the Kingly Office suits more with the Exaltation of Christ when he comes the second time then he comes to exercise his Kingly Office to reign and scatter his Enemies and shew his Kingly Power but now he came to teach and to suffer That is the Reason why his Kingly Office is made the Consequent of his Resurrection Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance to Israel and Forgiveness of Sins Was not Christ King of the Church and King before his Resurrection I Answer As God so he was a King from all Eternity and in the days of his Flesh he was our Mediator therefore certainly King Priest and Prophet but in the World he did not come to possess his Kingdom but only to preach it and divulge it Therefore he saith to Pilate John 18.36 My Kingdom is not of this World if my Kingdom were of this World then would my Servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my Kingdom not from hence Christ came to bear witness that he was King but did not come to possess his Kingdom and act as a King As soon as ever he was consecrated to be a Mediator he was King Priest and Prophet of the Church Look as David was King before God as soon as he was Anointed long before he possessed the Throne and was crowned at Hebron 1 Sam. 16.13 for he was King when he wandred up and down and was hunted like a Flea or like a Partridg upon the Mountains So Christ in the time of his Humiliation was a King but did not exercise his Kingdom Chiefly then he was sent into the World the first time to redeem and instruct the World To redeem the World 1 John 4.10 God loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins This was Christ's first Errand to make Satisfaction for Sins afterwards he will come to destroy his Enemies at his second coming And to instruct the World that is of special consideration in this place As thou hast sent me into the World so have I sent them into the World Christ sent Disciples as a Prophet and in
us as in the Text. There was no possible way to recover Holiness unless a Price and no less a Price than the Blood of the Son of God had been paid to provoked Justice for us He must sanctify himself give himself before we can be sanctified and cleansed 3. That they do not aright improve the Death of Christ that seek Comfort by it and not Holiness He died not only for our Justification but Sanctification also There are two Reasons why the Death of Christ hath so little effect upon us either he is a forgotten Christ or a mistaken Christ a forgotten Christ Men do not consider the Ends for which he came 1 John 3.5 Ye know that he was manifested to take away our Sins And Vers. 8. To this purpose was the Son of God manifested to destroy the Works of the Devil to give his Spirit to sinful miserable Man Now Things that we mind not do not work upon us The Work of Redemption Christ hath performed without our minding or asking he took our Nature fulfilled the Law satisfied the Law-giver merited Grace without our asking or thinking but in applying this Grace he requireth our Consideration Heb. 3.1 Wherefore Holy Brethren partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Our Faith Believest thou that I am able to do this for thee Our Acceptance John 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God But the other Evil is greater a mistaken Christ when we use him to increase our carnal Security and Boldness in sinning and are possessed with an ill thought that God is more reconcilable to Sin than he was before and by reason of Christ's coming there were less evil and malignity in Sin for then you make Christ a Minister and Encourager of Sin Gal. 2.17 For if we seek to be justified by Christ we our selves also are found Sinners Is Christ therefore the Minister of Sin God forbid You set up Christ against Christ his Merit against his Doctrine and Spirit yea rather you set up the Devil against Christ and varnish his Cause with Christ's Name and so it is but an Idol-Christ you doat upon The true Christ came by Water and Blood 1 John 5.6 Bore our Sins in his Body on the Tree that we being dead unto Sin should live unto Righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24 And will you set his Death against the Ends of his Death and run from and rebel against God because Christ came to redeem and recover you to God Certainly those weak Christians that only make use of Christ to seek Comfort seek him out of Self-love but those that seek Holiness from the Redeemer have a more spiritual Affection to him The Guilt of Sin is against our Interest but the Power of Sin is against God's Glory He came to sanctify us by his Holiness not only to free our Consciences from Bondage but our Hearts that we may serve God with more liberty and delight This was the great aim of his Death Tit. 2.14 He gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Thus did Christ that the Plaister might be as broad as the Sore we lost in Adam the purity of our Natures as well as the Favour of God and therefore he is made Sanctification to us as well as Righteousness 1 Cor. 1.30 4. With what confidence we may use the Means of Grace because they are sprinkled with the Blood of Christ. Christ hath purchased Grace such a Treasure of Grace as cannot be wasted and this is dispensed to us by the Word and Sacraments The Apostle doth not say barely he died to cleanse us but to cleanse us by the washing of Water through the Word and here that we might be sanctified through the Truth Christ hath established the Merits but the Actual Influence is from the Spirit Titus 3.5 6. According to his Mercy he saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ. And the Means are the Word and Sacraments whereby the Spirit dispenseth the Grace in Christ's Name ordinarily the Gospel which is the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 If we come to the Father we need his grant Rev. 19.8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine Linen clean and white for the fine Linen is the Righteousness of Saints All cometh originally from his merciful Grant but God would not look towards us but for Christ's sake If we look to the Father he sendeth us to the Son whose Blood cleanseth us from all our Sins 1 John 1.7 If we look to the Son he referreth us to the Spirit therefore we read of the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess. 2.14 If we wait for the Spirit 's Efficacy he sendeth us to Moses and the Prophets where we shall hear of him Therefore we may with encouragement pray read hear meditate that all these Duties may be sanctified to us 5. If Holiness be the Fruit of Christ's Death it maketh his Love to be more gratuitous and free For all the worth that we can conceive to be in our selves to commend us to God is in our Holiness Now this is meerly the Fruit of Grace and the Merit of Christ and the Gift of his Spirit in us We wallow in our own filthiness till he of his Grace for Christ's sake doth sanctify us by his Spirit Both the Love of God and the Merit of Christ is antecedent to our Holiness He hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood and made us Kings and Priests to God and to the Father Rev. 1.5 6. And the Spirit 's Work is not lessened as if it were no great Matter 2 Pet. 1.3 According as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that appertain unto Life and Godliness through the knowledg of him that hath called us to Glory and Vertue 6. We learn hence the preciousness of Holiness it is a Thing dearly bought and the great Blessing which Christ intended for us We do not value the Blessings of the Covenant so much as we should Christ was devising what he should do for his Church to make it honourable and glorious and this way he took to make it Holy 1. It is the Beauty of God for God himself is glorious in Holiness Exod. 15.11 and we are created after his Image in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes. 4.24 The Perfection of the Divine Nature lieth chiefly in his immaculate Holiness and Purity 2. It is that which maketh us amiable in the sight of God for he delighteth not in us as justified so much as sanctified Psal. 11.7 For the Righteous Lord loveth Righteousness his Countenance doth behold the Vpright When upon the account of Christ's Merits and Satisfaction he hath created a clean Heart in us and renewed a right Spirit then he
because Three Were there nothing to draw us to desire to be dissolved but this it were enough John 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you It is no small part of our â—ortion in Heaven For the present how much cause have we to bless God for the Revelation of this Mystery Let us adore it with an humble Faith rather than search into it by the bold enquiries of Reason It is enough for us to know that it is so tho we know not how it is God were not infinitely Great if he were not greater than our Understanding 2. Christ and God are one as Mediator There is a personal Union of the two Natures The Father may be said to be in him because the Divine Nature is in him he is Immanuel In Christ there are two Natures but one Person His Blood could not be the Blood of God if the Humane Nature were not united to the Second Person of the Trinity It is so united that the Humane Nature is the Instrument As the Hand is Man's Instrument not separated from the Communion of the Body as a Pen or Knife it is Man's Instrument but yet a part of himself So is Christ's Humane Nature joined to his Divine Nature and made use of as the great Instrument in the Work of Redemption So that the Humane Nature is a Temple in which the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily Col. 2.9 Now because of that Union the Natures are in one another and dwell in one another as the Soul dwelleth in the Body and the Body is acted and enlivened by the Soul Hence the Flesh of Christ is called the Flesh of God and the Blood of Christ is called the Blood of God Acts 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood God was made Man but not Man made God because God was a Person of himself that assumed Flesh and united it to himself All his Actions are the Actions of God-Man and so have a Merit and a Value The Humane Nature is a Passive Instrument but the Divine Nature giveth it a Subsistence necessary Gifts and Honour Besides all this there is an Union and Consent of Will in the Work of Redemption the Father's Acts and Christ's Acts are commensurable God loveth Christ and Christ obeyeth God II. The Resemblance 1. between the Mystical Union and the Unity of the Persons in the Divine Nature The Spirit is indissolubile Trinitatis Vinculum as one saith the Eternal Bond of the Trinity So among Believers it is the Holy Ghost who joineth us to Christ. Christ as one with the Father liveth the same Life that the Father doth so do we as one with Christ. John 6.57 As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eatetâ— me even he shall live by me It is a close Union beyond Conception but yet real ours is also close hard to be understood John 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father and you in me and I in you There is the highest Love wherewith the Father and the Son love one another Believers have a Room in Christ's Heart as Christ in the Father's Bosom they love Christ again that loved them first The Union is Everlasting for in the Divine Nature there can be no change Christ's Mystical Body cannot lose a Joint It is a Holy Union be One as we are One Holy as we are Holy So must ours be with one another An Agreement in Evil is like that of Herod and Pilate who shook hands against Christ. In the Divine Persons there is Order and Distinction the Unity of the Tâ—â—nity doth not confound the Order of the Persons they are One and still Three the Father the Word and the Spirit from whom in whom and to whom are all things they keep their distinct Personalities and distinct Personal Operations The Unity of the Church doth not confound the Order of it there are diversity of Gifts and Ministrations but one Body The Persons of the Godhead mutually seek the Glory of one another the Election of the Father maketh way for the Redemption of the Son and the Redemption of the Son for the Application of the Holy Spirit and so upward John 16.14 He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you And John 14.13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son Phil. 2.9 Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every Name So in the Spiritual Union Christ puts Honour on the Church and the Church honours Christ they throw their Crowns at the Lamb's Feet and the Members are careful of one another 1 Cor. 12.25 That there be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same care one of another To endear us one to another Christ did not only leave us the Relation of Brethren but of Fellow-Members we are not only in the same Family but in the same Body Brothers that have issued from the same Womb and been nursed with the same Milk have defaced all the Feelings of Nature and been divided in Interests and Affections Cain and Abel Jacob and Esau are sad Precedents but there is no such strife between Members of the same Body who would use one Hand to cut off another or divide those parts which preserve the mutual Correspondâ—â—â—e and Welfare of the Whole At least Brothers have not such a care for one another each liveth for himself a distinct Life apart and studieth his own Profit and Advantage but it is not so in the Body each Member liveth in the Whole and the Whole in all the Members and they all exercise their several Functions for the common Good 2. The Resemblance between the Mystical and the Personal Union In the Hypostatical Union our Nature is united with Christ's Nature in the Mystical Union our Person with his Person In the Hypostatical Union Christ matched into our Family in the Mystical Union the Soul is the Bride It is an honour to the whole Kindred when a great Person matcheth into their Line and Family but more to the Virgin who is chosen and set apart for his Bride Thus Christ first honoured our Nature and then our Persons first he assumeth our Nature and then espouseth our Persons In the Hypostatical Union two divers Substances are united into one Person in the Mystical Union many Persons are united into one Body In the Hypostatical Union Christ was a Person before he assumed the Humane Nature the Body is a passive Instrument c. In the Mystical Union on Christ's part Active on ours Passive Christ is in us in that he liveth in us governeth us maketh us partakers of his Righteousness Life and Spirit We are in him as Branches in the Tree Rays in the Sun Rivers in the Fountain The Divine Nature is
bait the Devil and hunt him out of his Territories and oppose themselves against the Tradition of the Nation there is a mighty Spirit set up and he shall convince the World those that are not really and heartily gained he shall convince them of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment 1. Of Sin because they believe not in me The Spirit shall convince them that Christ is the Son of God the great Prophet and true Messiah and so it is a Sin to reject him and his Doctrine that Unbelief is a Sin as well as the Breach of the Moral Law and that the Lord Jesus Christ is to be owned as a Mediator as well as God as a Law-giver All will grant that a Breach of the Law of God is a Sin but the Spirit shall convince that a Transgression against the Gospel is a Sin as well as against the Law 2. Of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye shall see me no more That Christ did not remain in the State of the Dead but rose again and ascended and liveth with the Father in Glory and Majesty and therefore that he was not a Seducer but that Righteous One and so however he was rejected by Men yet he was owned and accepted by God and all his Pretensions justified and so might sufficiently convince the World that it is Blasphemy to oppose him as a Malefactor and his Kingdom and Interest in the World there needeth no more to perswade Men that he was that Holy and Righteous one 3. Of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged The Devil is the Prince of this World Eph. 6.12 The Ruler of the Darkness of this World and he was condemned by virtue of Christ's Death and Judgment executed upon him by the Spirit John 12.31 Now shall the Prince of this World be cast out He was foiled and vanquished by Christ and by the Power of the Gospel was to be vanquished more and more by silencing his Oracles destroying his Kingdom recovering poor captive Souls translating them out of the Kingdom of Darkness into a State of Holiness Liberty Light and Life the usurped Power he had over the blind and guilty World is taken from him now his Judgment shall be executed 4. The Way and Means whereby this should be brought about By the coming of the Spirit or the sending the Comforter When he came the Disciples and Messengers of Christ had large Endowments whereby they were enabled to speak powerfully and boldly to every People in their own Tongue and to endure their Sufferings and ill usage with great Courage and Fortitude and to work Miracles as to cure Diseases cast out Devils to confer extraordinary Gifts to silence Satan's Oracles and to destroy the Kingdom and Power of the Devil and to establish a sure Way of the Pardon of Sins and bring Life and Immortality to light preaching that Truth which should establish sound Holiness and helping to restore humane Nature to its Rectitude and Integrity And by this means he should convince the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment 5. Consider the Effects suitable both to his Promise and Prayer The Acts of the Apostles are a Comment on this Many of the Elect were converted At the first Sermon after the pouring out of the Spirit all that heard the Apostles discoursing that Jesus was appointed to be Lord and Christ were pricked in their Hearts and convinced Acts 2.37 38. This was not Conversion for they cried out What shall we do And Peter said Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Three thousand were converted by this Sermon and five thousand at another time Acts 4.4 when they preached boldly in the Name of Jesus yet others were only convinced pricked in Heart tho they had not yet attained to Evangelical Repentance Some that remained in the Gall of Bitterness and Bond of Iniquity yet they admired the Things the Apostles did and desired to share with them in their great Privileges Acts 8.18 19. When Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostle's Hands the Holy Ghost was given be offered them Mony saying Give me also this Power that on whomsoever I lay Hands he may receive the Holy Ghost Yea and some that were upon the Benches and Thrones and sat as Judges were almost perswaded to be Christians by a Prisoner in a Chain As Felix Acts 24.25 As Paul reasoned of Righteousness and Temperance and Judgment to come Felix trembled And Agrippa Acts 26.28 Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Some were forced to magnify them who had not an Heart to join with them Acts 5.13 And of the rest durst no Man join himself to them but the People magnified them Some would have worshipped them who were yet Pagans Acts 14.11 And when the People saw what Paul had done they said The Gods are come down to us in the likeness of Men. Some were astonished at what was done by the Apostles Acts 8.13 Then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptized he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the Signs and Miracles which were done Some marvelled at their boldness Acts 4.13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant Men they marvelled and they took knowledg of them that they had been with Jesus What! is this cowardly Peter that was foiled with the weak blast of a Damsel Nay their bitterest Enemies were nonplust in their Resolutions when they had to do with them and were afraid to meddle with them Acts 4.16 What shall we do to these Men for that indeed a notable Miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it So far the Bridle of Conviction was upon the Reprobate World SERMON XXXVII JOHN XVII 21 That they all may be One as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the World may believe that thou hast sent me HAVING proved the Point I shall examine Why Christ should be so earnest to have the World convinced that he should put this into his Prayer that the World may believe that thou hast sent me The Reasons are partly in respect of Himself partly in respect of the Elect partly in respect of the World First In respect of Himself 1. It is much for Christ's Honour that even his Enemies should have some esteem of him and some conviction of his Worth and Excellency Praise and Esteem in the Mouth of an Enemy is a double Honour more than in the Mouth of a Friend The Commendations of a Friend may seem the Mistakes of Love and their value and esteem may proceed from Affection rather than Judgment Now it is for the Honour of God and Christ that his Enemies speak well of him and that they give an
wantest a sense of his Love because of thy manifold Failings it is unreasonable to think that all will end in Wrath which was begun in so much Love If he expressed Love to thee in thy unconverted Estate and hath brought thee into God's Family will he destroy thee and turn thee out again upon every actual unkindness The Lord doth gently question with Jonah in his Fret Dost thou well to be angry Jonah 4.9 When the Disciples fell asleep in the Night of Christ's Agony he doth not say Ye are none of mine because ye could not watch with me one hour but rather excuseth it Mat. 26.41 The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak This great Love of God overcometh all the unkindness of his Children 2. What may evidence they are concerned in this Love 1. There is some change wrought in you thou art now no despiser of God and his Holy Ways the Heart of thy Sensuality Pride and Worldliness is broken tho too much of it still remaineth in thee Now it is good to be in the way to a further Progress and we begin with Mortification 2 Cor. 5.17 If any Man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Every change for the better is either the New Creature or a Preparation to it 2. The Gift of the Sanctifying Spirit is more prized by thee than all the Riches and Honours in the World Now without Holiness we cannot esteem Holiness and practically prefer it above other things God loveth Christ as he bore his Image so he loveth us we are sealed by the Mark of the Spirit Psal. 106.4 Remember me O Lord with the favour that thou bearest unto thy People O visit me with thy Salvation And Psal. 119.132 Look thou upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name 3. Thou lovest and preferrest Christ's People and that for their Holiness and therefore seekest to discountenance all sorts of Wickedness Psal. 15.4 In whose Eyes a vile Person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He laboureth to discountenance all sorts of Wickedness and desireth to bring Goodness and Godliness into a creditable Esteem and Reputation and payeth an hearty honour and respect to those that excel therein So Psal. 16.3 But to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the Excellent in whom is all my delight He doth value them and esteem them above the greatest Men in the World because they are so loved prized and set apart by God 4. You labour more and more to be such whom God loveth as he loved Christ. Jesus Christ was the express Image of his Person we strive to be such in the World as Christ was 1 John 4.17 hating what God hateth and loving what God loveth then we make it our business to walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 doing his Will seeking his Glory God loved Christ for that Spirit of Obedience that was in him who shrunk not in the hardest Duties but whatever it cost him was faithful in his Work 3. Observe That God would have the World know so much and be convinced of this great Love which he beareth to the Saints that the World may know that thou hast loved them c. 1. The Necessity of the World's Knowledg 1. Because the World is blinded with Ignorance and Prejudice against the Children of God they cannot or rather will not see 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned They will not see because they have a mind to hate 2. The Life that floweth from this Union is a hidden thing Col. 3.3 For our Life is hid with Christ in God It is hidden because maintained by an Invisible Power the Spiritual Life is hidden under the Vail of the Natural Life Gal. 2.20 The Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me It is obscured by Infirmities The best shew forth too much of Adam and too little of Jesus It is hidden under Afflictions Heb. 11.37 38. They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the Sword they wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Of whom the World was not worthy c. and the World's Reproaches 2 Cor. 6.8 By Honour and Dishonour by evil Report and good Report as Deceivers and yet true 2. The Means whereby the World is convinced 1. The Promises of the Word shew God's great Love to the Saints and hereby he hath engaged himself to do great things for them 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature He hath engaged to pardon their Sins accept their Persons sanctify their Natures keep them blameless to his Heavenly Kingdom and finally to translate them to Glory Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O People saved by the Lord and who is the Shield of thy Excellency thy Enemies shall be found Liars unto thee and thou shalt tread upon their high Places Psal. 144.15 Happy is that People that is in such a Case yea happy is that People whose God is the Lord. 2. By the visible Fruits of the Mystical Union The Gift of the Spirit cannot be hidden they have a Power and Presence with them which others have not 1 Pet. 4.14 The Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you They live contrary to the course of this World so as to become the World's Wonder 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of Riot And Reproofâ— Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark for the saving of his House by the which he condemned the World 3. By the wonderful Blessings of God's Providence they are hidden in the secret of his Presence strangely preserved Psal. 4.3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is Godly for himself not only as Instruments of his Glory but as Objects of his special Favour and Grace 4. This is more fully seen for the utter confusion of the Wicked at the last Day 2 Thess. 1.10 When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe Now it is for their Conviction or Conversion then for their Confusion these are those whose Lives we judged Madness and Ways Folly 3. Why Christ was so earnest that the World should know this 1. To restrain their Malice 1 Cor. 2.5 Had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory If God loveth Believers it should stop the Violence and Malice of the World against them they are the Beloved
times because of our blockishness Col. 2.3 In him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg Hidden not that they should not be found out but because they are seen by the Eye of Faith Hidden because deposited there to be dispensed to us God made Christ a Storehouse to furnish all our Necessities 1 Cor. 1.30 Of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption Wisdom to give us Spiritual Illumination Be not discouraged it is not the Pregnancy of the Scholar that prevaileth here but the Excellency of the Teacher If Christ be the Teacher no matter how dull the Scholar be Pride in Parts hath been in hinderance but Simpleness hath never been an hinderance Psal. 19.7 The Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the Simple Jer. 31.33 34. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People And they shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord. Mat. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes God can give to shallow and weak People great understanding in Spiritual Things as he cured him that was born blind John 9. 2. With Earnestness cry for Knowledg and lift up thy Voice for Vnderstanding Prov. 2.3 Many times God withholdeth Knowledg that we may cry for it especially when the Case is doubtful and litigious John wept when the Book was sealed with seven Seals Rev. 5.4 We need to cry for all Grace but especially for Saving-Knowledg Let us groan and sigh when we are in the Dark 1. Consider the Necessity of Knowledg The blind Man cried after Christ because he knew what it was to want Eyes Luke 18.41 Lord that I may receive my Sight We are not sensible of our natural blindness as we ought to be There is Ignorance and Folly in all but Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg in Christ. If we are not ignorant yet we are indiscreet Men know not how to guide and order their Course Certainly if you were acquainted with your selves you would not hold your peace 2. Consider the Excellency of Knowledg All Knowledg is Excellent as all Light is Comfortable Knowledg is your Excellency above the Beasts that you have Receptive Faculties capable of knowing and understanding Things that you are intelligent Creatures this is your advantage above the Beasts But Saving-Knowledg is far more excellent even the Knowledg of God in Christ. This is the Glory of a Man Jer. 29.23 24. Let not the wise Man glory in his Wisdom neither let the mighty Man glory in his Might let not the rich Man glory in his Riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord c. If Men should be able to dispute of every thing that might be known from the highest Star to the lowest Shrub this Knowledg is nothing to the Knowledg of God in Christ which is far better than all the Knowledg of the Questionists and Disputers of this World The Fear of God that is the best Excellency and that is it which Christ teacheth I observe the Providence of God in that one thing viz. Solomon had wrote many Books of Philosophy which are not extant when the Books of some Heathens as Aristotle's Book de Animalibus c. are extant but his Books of the Fear of God are preserved by a special Providence not one of them lost we may want the other without any loss of true Wisdom but we cannot want these And therefore you are more concerned in the getting of Saving-Knowledg than you are aware of Light was the first Creature that God made so it is the way by which all Grace is wrought in the Soul for in all Communications of Grace God beginneth with the Understanding Jer. 31.19 After I was instructed I smote upon my Thigh He makes the Creature to submit to his Providence to be contented in all Estates and Conditions Phil. 4.12 In all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need God draws you to Christ but his drawing is accompanied with a Teaching John 6.44 No Man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Ver. 45. And they shall be all taught of God Every Man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me God's drawing is not a blind Force but there is a teaching with it God loves rational Service not blind Obedience And therefore cry for Knowledg and run to Christ that he may teach you and lead you into the Paths of Righteousness SERMON XLIV JOHN XVII 26 And I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it that the Love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them THIS is the second Reason taken from the Benefits Christ had bestowed upon them Here is his Gift and his Aim In the first what he had done what he will do Where 1. Quid the Manifestation of his Father's Name 2. Quibus to whom principally to the Apostles and from them to Believers 3. Quomodo I have that is by his Ministry upon Earth and I will in the pouring out the Spirit and his Discourses with them after the Resurrection All that needeth Explication is What is meant by God's Name Answ. The use of Names from the beginning was a distinction to separate Creature from Creature by their Appellations At first Adam gave Names to the Beasts that their Species and Kinds might be distinguished for Beasts are distinguished only by their Herds and Kinds But the Names which Men bear are individual and particular Man being an excellent Creature made for Rule and Commerce and therefore is to be known not by his Kind but Name But now what is God's Name Where there are many there is need of Names but where there is but one the singularity is distinction enough But yet God hath his Name by way of distinction from Creatures so we have a Negative Name removing the Imperfections of the Creature and to distinguish him from those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods that are so called and his Name is a Jealous God Exod. 34.14 For thou shalt worship no other God for the Lord whose Name is Jealous is a Jealous God And by way of Notification that we may conceive of him aright as Names are not only distinctive but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Damascen So all that by which he is known or distinguished that is his Name and so God hath many Names because one cannot enough express him his Works are a part of his Name but chiefly his Word the Doctrine
former sins and that penitent Believers might have eternal Blessedness instated upon them by way of inheritance therefore the most obvious thing represented in these Seals of the new Covenant must be the Death of Christ. 2. With respect to the great Benefit we stand in need of which is the destruction of sin which hath a double malignity in it for sin is considerable under a double respect as it damneth or as it defileth as it rendreth us obnoxious to Gods Justice or as it tainteth and staineth and defileth our faculties Christ considereth sin under this double respect and maketh none partakers of the benefit which cometh by him whom he freeth not from sin both as to the guilt and power by his Death our sins are expiated before God and so pardoned and also the Spirit or a new and holy Nature is put into us whereby the reigning power of sin is broken and taken away not only the guilt of sin which is opposed to Blessedness but the reign of sin which is opposed to Holiness We can never be compleatly happy till we get freed from the punishment which sin hath made our due and also get that sin destroyed which would involve us in new guilt God who is a just and wise Disposer of his Grace will not give impunity where sin remaineth in its full strength Now this being the nature of our recovery we ought to seek Communion with Christs Death that we may obtain both pardon and the gift of the Spirit and be justified and sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God or which tendeth to the same effect that we might feel the virtue of Christs Death and express the likeness of it 3. With respect to the value of Christs Death which is often recommended to us under these two Considerations 1. As a wonderful Act of Love 2. As a Price and Ransom paid for our Souls and the Blessings we stand in need of 1. As a wonderful Act of condescending Love Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me Eph. 5.2 Who hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour Rev. 1.5 Who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood Christs Death is the greatest instance of his Love and Sacraments are a Memorial of his Love to us and therefore must needs principally relate to his Death for so they are most apt to work upon our Souls 2. They are the Price paid for the Blessings we stand in need of and so breed confidence in us The great benefit is the destruction of sin as I said before for the great occasion of this Mystery of Grace was our fallen estate which brought sin and misery upon us But the Son of God came to take away sin 1 Joh. 3.5 by dying an accursed Death to propitiate God to us and make way for the more liberal effusion of his Mercy Well then if poor Creatures have any awakening sense of their deep misery what should they look after or bless God for when they solemnly come to accept the Covenant but the Death of Christ 4. The mutual respect that is between both Sacraments For Christs Death and the immediate Benefits which result thence are represented both in Baptism and the Lords Supper in a way proper to each Baptism signifieth our first entrance into the Evangelical state and the Lords Supper our growth and progress therein Both are necessary 1. Baptism that our consent do depend upon God for the benefits of the new Covenant and perform the duties thereof may be more solemn and explicite for all the sincerity of our after-obedience doth very much depend upon the seriousness of our first consent therefore it is meet that we should be strengthened with such a bond that we should be baptized into the Death of Christ that act is an act of Love it may bind us to love him to the death who hath loved us first and in all Temptations cleave to him performing our Covenant-resolution and consent with all fidelity all the days of our lives And as it is the ground of our confidence and the price of our Blessings we may comfortably depend upon God for the gift of the sanctifying Spirit and that he will afford all necessary help to us in the use of those means which he hath appointed that we may receive the Grace and Spirit of God by virtue of this help 2. The Lords Supper is necessary to confirm and strengthen both our resolutions and dependence for nothing is more fickle and uncertain than the heart of man Men are of several sorts and sizes three I shall mention Good Christians who have a clear and undoubted Right to the Priviledges of the new Covenant yet they stand in need of the Lords Supper that they may give Christ a new and hearty welcome in their Souls by the solemn remembrance of his Love and also have their Right solemnly confirmed and ratified that their confidence and joy in the Lord may be quickned and increased Acts 8.39 Or else lapsed Believers these come by the solemn Remembrance of Christs Death to be set in joynt again and restored to Gods favour whilst both they and God renew the promise of the destruction of sin 1 Joh. 2.1 Another sort are weak wavering doubtful Christians Jam. 1.8 who come because of their imperfect estate that they may be confirmed and strengthened that the comfort of their Christianity may be more explicite and their resolutions against sin fortified that they may more glory in the Death and Cross of Christ feeling the effects of it in their own Souls Gal. 6.14 and look upon Christ not simply propounded as dead but as dead for them and themselves dead with him Vse Here is direction to us about the improvement of our Communion with Christ to look more to the effect and fruit of Sacraments have we the Communion of his Death 1. Of your Baptism Do you live as one that is washed from his sins that is baptized into the Death of Christ What vertue have you to quell sin What likeness do you express Baptism is the best preparation for the Lords Supper if you have the fruit of that you may more comfortably come to the other Joh. 13.8 If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me We are utterly unqualified and unprepared for the Lords Supper if we be not washed Now though no man can say his heart is clean yet every good Christian maketh Conscience of his Baptismal Vow he purifieth himself as Christ is pure the work is a doing If this Conscience be not in us the whole Action is lost to us yea will bring a Judgment upon us What do we come about but the destruction of sin Is it really your burden Have you not only a wish but a will to get rid of it If so you have been labouring in it you desire solemnly to remember Christs Death to
is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead To convert Souls to God there needeth a mighty working of efficacious Power which exceedeth all contrary power which might hinder and impede that work Men by Nature are averse from God the Devil seeketh to detain them from him and his powerful Engine is the World But now if they are to be raised as Christ was raised what can oppose this work So that we have not only the Merit of his Humiliation but the Power of his Exaltation And besides that this Power is likely to be exercised for us we may consider that Christ is said to rise by his own Power Joh. 2.19 Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up Joh. 10.17 I lay down my life that I may take it again and to be raised by the Power of his Father which noteth Authority to rise again and having fully done his work upon which account he is said to be brought again from the dead Heb. 13.20 and the Apostle inferreth from thence vers 21. Being made perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. Now if both these be implied in Baptism it doth mightily oblige the Parties baptized to look after the effect of these two Acts of Christ Mediation for Christians should not only believe the Death and Resurrection of Christ but feel it by the Merit of his Death and Efficacy of his Resurrection we obtain this new life and both are the causes of our dying to sin and living to God Secondly What it sealeth or confirmeth The new Covenant wherein God hath promised the gift of the Spirit to renew sanctifie and heal all those that enter into it We have the Grace to destroy sin by virtue of the Death and Burial of Christ but the Promises are in the new Covenant That the new Covenant is sealed in Baptism see Mat. 28.19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall de damned Now the great Promise of the new Covenant is the Spirit to renew and cleanse the Soul Surely this is properly signified in Baptism Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God And Tit. 3.5 According to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost As the body is washed with water without so is the Soul cleansed by the Spirit within As at the Baptism of our Saviour the descending of the Holy Ghost upon him was a visible Pledge of what should be done afterward for at his Baptism the fruit of all Baptisms was visibly represented we are admitted Children of his Family as Christ was declared to be the well beloved Son of God Mat. 3.17 and we have the Spirit of his Son Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father As God promiseth to pour out water on him that is thirsty and floods on the dry ground so to pour out his Spirit on the seed and his blessing upon thy off-spring Isa. 44.3 And the Spirit it self is figured by Water Joh. 4.14 Whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Rev. 22.17 Let him that is a-thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Now unless we will receive this Grace in vain we are bound to wait for and obey the Spirits motions either by way of restraint or excitation Rom. 8.13 14. If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God we that pretend to come to God for this Promise of the Spirit as in Baptism we do Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Thirdly It obligeth as there is a kind of undertaking to shew forth the likeness of Christs Death and Resurrection by our submission to it Our receiving Baptism implieth two things 1. A publick and open Profession 2. A solemn Bond wherewith we bind our Souls 1. A publick and open Profession wherein we profess a Communion with Christs Death and Resurrection or to dye and rise with Christ. In the general that Baptism is an open Profession for it is required as a sign of the Faith that is in our hearts Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation And Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost As Circumcision was the Badge of the Jewish Profession so is Baptism of the Profession of Christianity Therefore the Jews are called Circumcision and we are called the purified people Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works and those that are purged from their sins 2 Pet. 1.9 And more distinctly what we profess is plain and evident in this Ordinance we profess to dye and rise with Christ. 1. Death yea in the Text not only and simply to be dead but to be buried with Christ. If Baptism expresseth an image of Burial and every Burial supposeth Death not only of Christ but us surely we are bound not only to dye unto sin at first but to make our mortification more thorough and constant for as Burial noteth the continuance of Christs Death so should we persevere and increase in the mortification of sin for Burial is a continued dying to sin we should not only renounce and give over all the sins of our former lives but presevere in this resolution and increase in our endeavour against sin daily A Christian living in sin and serving his lusts is like a Spectre and Ghost arisen out of the grave 2. So for Christs Resurrection In this Ordinance we profess to rise again with Christ and therefore should not only put off the old Man or body of sin but have an earnest impulsion within our selves to the duties of Holiness and
of bonds and tyes to obey God they were not under the Law Thirdly The Doctrine of Perseverance as if they might do what they list the Covenant of Grace would secure their interest and whether they watched or strived yea or no sin should not have dominion over them All these are rejected as unreasonable Conclusions What then shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid In the words we have 1. An Interrogation to excite us to regard what Conclusions we draw from Christian Priviledges What then that is What do we conclude thence 2. A faulty Inference or Conclusion is mentioned Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace Where first 1. The Inference it self Shall we sin that is let us continue in sin or serve sin or not strive against sin 2. The Ground whence it is inferred 1. From the Evangelical state negatively proposed Because we are not under the Law as if we were exempted from the Rule of the Law because we are exempted from the Rigour of it 2. From the Evangelical state positively proposed But under Grace 1. The Grace of Justification we may indulge sin since the Gospel offereth a Pardon or freedom from Condemnation 2. The Grace of Sanctification by the Spirit God will maintain our Right though we mind it not and so we turn the Grace of God into loosness or laziness 3. The Brand upon this Conclusion or his Abhorrence specified it is not only unreasonable but impious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far be it from Believers thus to conclude 1. Because the Conclusion is unreasonable being a distortion of true Doctrine or of the Grace of the Gospel 2. It is ungrateful what be more licentious for Gods Grace it is the most abherred use of Gods mercy that is imaginable Doctrine That it is a manifest abuse of the new Covenant so much as to imagine that it countenanceth any licentiousness or liberty in sin I shall 1. prove it by two Arguments First From the design or end of God in setting up this new Transaction with Mankind Secondly From the Tenor and Constitution of it 2. Shall vindicate those Doctrines of free Grace which may most seem to occasion such thoughts in the hearts of men 1. From the design of God in setting up this new Covenant which was to recover lapsed Man from the Devil and the World unto himself that he might not wholly lose the Glory of his Creation which appeareth by manifold expressions in Scripture Luke 19.10 The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost Now we were lost first to God as Luke 15. the lost groat was lost to the Possessor the lost sheep was lost to the Owner the lost son lost to the Father these two last Parables shew that they were also lost to themselves but that is but a consequent the primary sense is they were lost to God and therefore Christ came to recover them to his obedience But to leave Parables it is said expresly Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood that we might not only be admitted into his friendship and favour but fitted for his service and that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 by which is meant not only to reconcile us unto God but bring us into a state of subjection and obedience to him Christ is set up as a Mediator and Lord of the new Creation to the glory of God the Father Phil. 2.11 That every tongue might confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father that his interest in his Creatures might be secured And the Kingdom of the Mediator is subordinate to the Kingdom of God all the Authority and Power which Christ hath as Mediator to enact Laws and make a new Covenant is to bring men back again to the obedience of God upon more comfortable terms Our subjection to him is not vacated or made void or only reserved but established on more comfortable terms as we have Grace given us for the pardon of failings and the effectual help of his Spirit to incline us to obedience 2. From the Tenor and Constitution of it As to the Precepts it begins with Faith and Repentance and is carried on in the way of new Obedience or Holiness None are admitted to the first Priviledges but those that repent Upon Mary's Repentance Christ said Her sins which are many are forgiven her Luke 7.47 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins Acts 5.31 Now Repentance is a serious fixed purpose of returning to the obedience we owe to God And the last Priviledge Eternal Glory we have it not without Holiness Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Heb. 12.14 Follow peace and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. All the intermediate Priviledges do expresly require or imply Holiness Psal. 84.11 For the Lord God is a sun and a shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will be withhold from that walk uprightly So that from first to last it is an Holy Covenant as it is called Luke 1.72 Yea it is holy not only with respect to what it requireth but with respect to what it promiseth it promiseth the Holy Spirit to sanctifie us Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Ezek. 36.25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean and from all your idols will I cleanse you 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are justified but ye are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And the Heaven of Heavens is Perfection of Holiness 1 Joh. 3.2 3. Beloved now are we the sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be but this we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And he that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure Eph. 5.27 That he might present it the Church to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Once more the aim of it is to promote Holiness 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God Luke 1.75 That we might serve him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without fear that is the great Priviledge of the new Covenant in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives In short the Covenant dealeth only with an holy
them and if others do injuries to us to forgive them as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us The second Operation which the Holy Ghost produceth in us is righteousness or justice in all our dealings giving every one his due honour whom tribute and praise to whom praise belongeth not borrowing without a mind or ability to pay which is but a specious robbery and 't is a shame so many Christians are guilty of it I am sure 't is contrary to the Spirit of God for when God hath done so much to manifest his justice to the world all that have the Spirit of God should be very righteous far from Oppression Fraud or Detention of what is another mans The Third Thing is Truth or Fidelity whereby we carry our selves sincerely and free from Hypocrisie and Dissimulation or lying cozenage and deceit God is a God of Truth and the Holiness be worketh in us is true holiness the Apostle groundeth his Exhortation upon that Wherefore put away lying Eph. 4.24 25. and speak truth every man to his neighbour 'T is a sin inconsistent with sincerity more than any other Well then this is the Gospel-spirit now the Holy Ghost doth not only plant these graces in us at first but doth continually increase them and assist us in the exercise of them he doth plant them in us at first Faith is his gift and 't is he doth change our hearts and kindle an holy love in us to God and raiseth the heart to the hope of Salvation 1 Pet. 1.9 begotten to a lively hope This is his first work for men must be good before their actions can be good then he doth increase Grace making all outward means effectual to this end and purpose this is called the supply of the spirit of Christ Jesus Phil. 1.19 meaning thereby a further addition of grace wrought in us by the spirit whereby we grow and advance in the way to Heaven These Impressions are weak in us at first but they are increased by the same Author or Agent in the use of the same means Lastly he doth assist us in the exercise of the same grace still working in us what is pleasing in the sight of God Heb. 13.21 he concurreth to every action and we do not only live in the spirit but walk in the spirit Gal. 5.25 all along we are quickned by his influence Let us in the next place consider from whom we receive it 't is said here the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus it belongeth to Christ to give the spirit 1. He is the head ef the renewed state Christ was filled with the spirit to this end to be the head or quickning spirit to his Mystical Body 1 Cor. 15.45 The first Adam was made a living soul the second a quickening spirit not only as he giveth us the life of glory but the life of Grace also so Eph. 1.22 23. he is head over all things to the church which is his body the fulness of him that filleth all in all He is an Head not only to govern and defend the Church but to give them spiritual life and motion as the Head doth to the members for he filleth all with grace all believers are supplied from this fountain and continually supplied till they be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.17 18 19. That is with all the Grace he meaneth to impart to us Well then the spirit is given by Christ John 4.14 Whoso drinketh of the water that I shall give shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life 'T is a living Conduit John 7.38 39. 2. 'T is his law that is written upon our hearts by the spirit The new Covenant is made with sinners in Christ Heb. 8.8 9 10. Behold the days come saith the Lord I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt because they continued not in my covenant for this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts Now he that taught us the Christian Faith and Religion doth impress it upon us by his spirit we find a power more than can be from the words alone in the effects on our selves This cometh from Christ whose Law it is but it is immediately wrought by the spirit 3. Christ promised it therefore Christ giveth it John 15.26 The comforter shall come whom I will send you from the father by vertue of his Merit and Intercession Christ from the Father sendeth forth the all-conquering spirit to subdue the world to himself he promised aforehand to send down this sanctifying spirit into mens souls to do this work upon them 4. He giveth it on his own conditions that is to say of Faith John 7.37 38. if any man thirst let him come to me and drink he that believeth in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water but this he spake of the spirit which they that believe in him should receive And repentance Acts 2.38 Then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Now these are the conditions of the new covenant which Christ brought out of the Bosom of God 3. By what law By the Gospel this is the law of the spirit of Christ there is some little of the spirit given by the light of nature to help men to read the book of the creatures Rom. 1.19 God shewed it them they might see somewhat of God in the creatures his Wisdom Power and Goodness and God excited their minds to behold it and did dart in some light into their consciences There was more of the spirit given by the legal Covenant they might see much more of the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God in his Statutes and Laws than Heathens could in the book of Nature but generally it wrought unto bondage the free spirit was but sparingly dispensed and to some few choice servants of God but these were but as a few drops of grace the great Flood of grace was poured out by the Gospel The Apostle puts the Galatians to the Question by what Doctrine they received the spirit Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you received you the spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith He appealeth to their conscience and experience what kind of Doctrine conveyed the spirit to them the preaching of the Law or the preaching of the Gospel and this is meant not only of the Spirit that wrought Miracles but the sanctifying spirit he speaketh of both ver 5. He therefore that ministreth to you the spirit and worketh miracles among
it doth not barely work as an example but as sanctified and accompanied by the spirit for 't is said 2 Cor. 3 18. beholding the glory of the Lord as in a glass we are changed into his image and likeness and so we are made partakers of this new and Divine Nature 2. When the spirit cometh to work it in us we must not neglect and refuse his help but give place to his motions as when the Waters were stirred they presently put in for cure To smother convictions breedeth Atheism and hardness of heart When he reproveth you must hearken and observe Prov. 1.23 When he knocketh you must open Apoc. 3.20 When he draweth we must run Cant. 1.4 The smarter the reproof the â—ouder the knock the stronger the drawing the more you are bound to improve it or else you are left in worse condition than before by resisting or quenching the spirit It will be your advantage to obey him speedily before the heart cool again Isa. 54.6 'T is a time of finding which God may not give you again delaying and shifting is a sign the help offered is rather lookt upon as a trouble than a favour and 't is but a deceit of heart to elude the importunity of the present conviction Mat. 27.24 25. Pilate took water and washed his hands saying before the multitude I am innocent of the blood of this man His Conscience boggles and he makes use of this shift to put off the conviction Surely God demandeth a present obedience Heb. 3.7 8. To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts And all serious people will take the advantage Gal. 1.16 Immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood Psal. 119.60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments 2. Obey him thoroughly Many will yield to him in some things but reserve others He must be obeyed in all things even in renouncing our sweetest and dearest lusts Matt. 5.29 30. Nothing must be spared every way of pleasing the flesh must be renounced a partial obedience is rather a following our own humour and inclination than an obeying the spirit for he is contrary to all sin and one sin let alone and allowed is Satan's Nest-egg in our hearts that he may come thither again and lay more 3. Obey him constantly for he is still your guide and monitor to put you in remembrance of your snares and duties Eph. 4.30 grieve not the holy spirit whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption When he hath sealed you and stamped Gods image and impress upon your hearts he must not be grieved by your folly and disobedience The children of God that are first regenerated by the spirit are still guided and led by him Rom. 8.14 For as many as are led by the spirit are the sons of God You are not only to obey at first but obey still Jesus Christ that was at first conceived by the Holy Ghost was led by him Luke 1.4 14. So Christians are always under his conduct You interrupt the course of his love when you are deaf to his motions 3. VSE is To put us upon serious reflections Are we in the flesh or in the spirit We are never Christians indeed till we are in the spirit you will have Flesh in you but which principle is the most predominant Surely that principle is predominant whose Object is our chiefest good or esteemed as our felicity Objects of the Flesh are contentments of the present world the Objects of the spirit are God and Heaven what do you count your happiness Psal. 144.15 Happy is the people that is in such a case Many judg them happy that have much of the world Yea happy is the people whose God is the Lord There is the natural happiness and the spiritual happiness which is most valuable or most prized by you Secondly That principle is most predominant which doth most imploy us What do we most industriously pursue The pleasure and prosperity of the body or the happiness of the soul All the care of some is about the body and the bodily life but their neglected soul may complain of hard usage what have you done to get the soul furnished and adorned with Grace or established in the comfort and hope of the Gospel Matth. 6.33 First seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added John 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but the meat that endureth to everlasting life Thirdly When to the hurt of the soul and displeasure of God you frequently gratifie the flesh This is such a constant disobedience to the spirits discipline that you cannot be said to be influenced by him SERMON XII ROM VIII 9 Now if any have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his IN the Context we have an Asserrion of a general Truth There is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit We have this Application in the beginning of this Verse lest any should raise up a vain considence that they were in Christ and therefore freed from Condemnation without regarding what he had before said expounding himself v. 1. who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit he here further adds as an Application of the proposition he who hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his which because they were Christians in profession was more accomodate to them Here Observe Doct. That all true Christians have the spirit of Christ. 1. I suppose there are Christians or Christs Disciples in name and Disciples indeed John 8.31 As an Israelite indeed John 1.47 Rom. 2.29 the Apostle distinguisheth of a Jew in the letter and a Jew in the spirit So by just analogy and proportion there are Christians in the letter that have the outside of Christians but not the life and power We are only Christians in name and Profession till we have the spirit 2. I assert That which discriminateth the one from the other is the having the spirit 'T is a mark both exclusive and inclusive some marks are exclusive but not inclusive John 1.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word Ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God that is exclusive Acts 13.46 But seeing ye put away the word of God from you and judg your selves unworthy of eternal life that is also exclusive but if we depend upon these marks we put a false reasoning upon our souls Jam. 1.22 But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are inclusive marks but not exclusive as Rom. 9.1 2 3. I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy-Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart for I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh They that can prefer a publick good before their
mortifie and subdue them Good motions are as a dash of Rain and those weak inclinations and good dispositions which are in temporaries are as a Pond or Pool which may be dryed up but this saving and sanctifying work is as a Spring John 4.14 Two things are considerable in it 1. It 's Continuance and Radication 2. It 's Efficacy and Predominancy 1. The radication is set forth by the notions of the Spirits dwelling in us John 14.17 He shall be in you and dwell in you It s resting upon us 1 Pet. 4.14 The Spirit of God and of Glory rest upon you He taketh up his abode with us John 14.23 We will come to him and make our abode with him 'T is not a visit and away or a lodging for a night but a constant residence he taketh up his Mansion in our hearts Some have fits and qualms of Religion motions of conviction and joy but not a settled bent of Heart towards God and Heaven 2. It s prevalency and predominancy for where the Spirit dwelleth there he must rule and hath the command of the house he dwelleth in the Soul he dwelleth so as to govern directing and inclining us so as to do things pleasing unto God weaning us from the World 1 Cor. 2.12 This is called the receiving not the Spirit of the World but that which is of God Mastering and taming the Flesh both its gust and savour Rom. 8.5 for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh Its deeds and motions Rom. 8.13 If ye mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live The Flesh will rebel but the Spirit gets the upper-hand for the Dominion and sovereignty of the Flesh is not consistent with the having of the Spirit the Flesh is subdued more and more where the Spirit cometh he cometh to govern to suit the heart to the will of God and to give us greater liberty towards him 2 Cor. 3.17 Where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty The objects of sense which feed the flesh make less Impression upon us and the love of sin is more and more conquered Now take it thus explained you may know what it is to have the Spirit namely the dwelling and working of the Spirit in our Souls mortifying the flesh and causing us to live unto God 2. Why is this an evidence that we are true Christians here I shall prove two things 1. That all true Christians have this sanctifying Spirit 2. That 't is the certain evidence and proof of their being Christians or having an interest in Christ. 1. That all that are true Christians have it I prove it 1. From the promise of God who hath promised it to them and surely his love and faithfulness will see it made good Zech. 12.10 I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplications and Prov. 1.23 Turn unto me and I will pour out an abundance of spirit unto you and Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him drink of the water of life freely By the water of life is meant the spirit as appeareth John 7.38 39. So in many other places Now surely Gods word will not fall to the ground but must be accomplished 2. From the merit of Christ. Two Things Christ purchased and bestowed upon all his people his righteousness and his spirit 2 Cor. 5.21 He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Gal. 3.14 That we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith the Rock was smitten by the rod of Moses twice 1 Cor. 10.4 And these two gifts are inseparable where he giveth the one he giveth the other We have both or none 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God And Tit. 3.5 6 7. But according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost which be shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour that being justified by his grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life He freeth us at the same time a malo morali which is sin and a malo naturali which is punishment 3. When we enter into the covenant of Grace we enter into covenant with Father Son and Holy Ghost With God and with the Redeemer and with the Sanctifier Mat. 28.19 We are baptized in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost What is our Covenant with the Holy Ghost It implieth both our duty and our benefit our benefit that we expect is that the Holy Ghost should regenerate us and renew us to the Image of God and plant us into Christ by faith and then dwell in us and maintain Gods Interest in our souls and so make us Saints and Believers And our duty is to consent to give up our selves to him as our Sanctifier and to obey his powerful Motions before we are made partakers of the Holy Ghost 4. The necessity of having the Spirit appeareth in that without him we can do nothing in Christianity from first to last 'T is the Spirit uniteth us to Christ and planteth us into his mystical body 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are baptized into one body 'T is by the Spirit we give up our selves to God as our God and reconciled Father in Christ and to Christ as our Redeemer and Saviour and so are planted into his Mystical body 1 Cor. 6.17 But he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit As a Man and a Harlot are one flesh so we are one Spirit ' The union is Spiritual for kind and the Spirit is the author of it So for further Sanctification and Consolation and Mortification take it either for the purging out lusts or suppressing the acts of sin For the purging out of lusts 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit Pride worldliness and Sensuality these are purged out more and more by the Spirit Or suppressing the acts of sin Rom. 8.13 If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body So for vivification he infuseth Life and quickneth and maintaineth it in our Souls Gal. 5.25 If we live in the spirit let us also walk in the spirit Strengthning it Eph. 3.16 That he would grant according to the riches of his grace to be strengthned with might by his Spirit He maketh it fruitful and exciteth it Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit into you and cause you to walk in my ways For Consolation to uphold our hearts in the midst of all trials and difficulties then we may go on cheerfully and in a course of holiness Acts 9.13 They walked in the fear of God and the comforts of the Holy ghost To comfort us with the sense of Gods love in all our tribulations Rom. 5.5 Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy ghost which is given unto us To
have petty ones attending them must be chiefly attended by us and we must not discontinue the work till we have gotten some power against them and they be considerably weakned Be it lust or passion or sloath and dulness or worldliness or pride we must Pray and Pray again as Paul Prayed thrice grace must watch over it and keep it under and abate it by contrary actions that we may the better govern this inclination and reduce it to reason 5. Take heed of an unmortified frame of spirit there are certain dispositions of heart which argue much unmortifiedness and do loudly call for this remedy and cure even the grace of the spirit whereby we may be healed as first impotency of mind whereby temptations to sin are very catching and do easily make impression upon us The heart like tinder soon taketh fire from every spark certainly there is great life in our lusts when a little occasion awakeneth them As it is said of the young fool in the Proverbs he goeth after her suddenly Pro. 7.22 That is as soon as inticed Upon the least provocation we grow passionate the temptation findeth some prepared matter to work upon as straw is more easily kindled than wood Now this calleth upon us to weaken the inclination 2. When the temptation is small a little adversity puts us out of all courage and patience Pro. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small If we be so touchy that we cannot bear the common accidents of the world how shall we bear the most grievous persecutions which we are to endure for Christs sake For the other sort of corruptions for handfuls of Barley or a piece of Bread will that man transgress So selling the righteous for a pair of shooes Selling the Birthright for one morsel of Meat She is a common prostitute that will take any hire A little thing makes a stone run down hill Certainly the heart must be looked after the bias and inclination of it to God and Heaven more fixed 3. When lusts are touchy storm at a reproof If the word break in upon the heart with any evidence carnal men cannot endure it 1 Kings 22.8 He doth not propechy good concerning me but evil 't is a bad crisis and state of soul when men would be soothed in their lusts cannot endure close and searching truths but either affect general discourses that they may creep away in the crowd without being attacked or loose garish strains that please the fancy but do not reach the heart or must be honyed and oyled with grace scarce can endure the Doctrine of Mortification none need it so much as they or love flattery more than reproof 't is a sign sin and they are agreed and they would sleep securely Not only did an Herod put John in Prison but an Asâ— put the Prophet in the stocks 2 Chron. 16.10 4. In case of great spiritual deadness The heart hath too freely conversed with sin and so groweth less apt for God Psal. 119.37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken me in thy ways and Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the Blood of Christ purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Our vivification is according to the degree of our mortification and therefore great deadness argueth the prevalency of some carnal distemper 5. Live much in doing good The intermitting of the exercise of our love to God maketh concupiscence or the carnal love to gather strength and when men are not taken up with doing good they are at leasure for temptations to entice them to evil our lusts have power indeed to disturb in holy duties but 't is when we are remiss and careless and usually 't is the idle and negligent who are surprized by sin as David walking on the Terras 2 Sam. 11.2 Diabolus quem non invenâ—â— occupatum c. I will close all with these two remarks 1. That 't is more sweet and pleasant to mortifie your lusts than to gratifie them Stolen waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant but the dead are there Prov 9.17 so Job 20.12 13 14. Tho wickedness be sweet in his mouth tho he hide it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still within his mouth yet his meat in his bowels it is the gall of asps within him Sin is but a poisoned Morsel Mortification is not pleasant in its self yet in its fruits and effects 't is rewarded with joy and more occasions of thanksgivings we shall have Rom. 7.24 25. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. If you enter not into a war with sin you enter into a war with God shall sin be your enemy or God the Eternal Living God Ezek. 23.14 Can thine heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee I the Lord have spoken it and will do it SERMON XIX ROM VIII 13 If ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the body DOCT That in mortifying of sin we and the Spirit must concur Here I shall handle 1. The manner of this Co-operation 2. The necessity of it 1. To state the manner of this Co-operation First We must know what is meant by the Spirit 't is put either for the Person of the Holy Ghost or for his Gifts and Graces the new Creature or the Divine Nature wrought in us The Person of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 Baptize all nations in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost The new Nature John 3.6 That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit The former is here intended the uncreated Spirit or Author of Grace called the Spirit of Christ v. 11. which leadeth and guideth us in all our ways v. 14. which witnesseth to us v. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Spirit is the Author or principal Agent in this work For he doth renew and sanctifie us we are merely passive in the first infusion of Grace Ezek. 35.25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness Eph. 2.1 You that were dead in trespasses and sins yet now hath he quickned but afterwards we cleanse our selves 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit First he worketh upon us as Objects then by us as Instruments So that we concur not as co-ordinate causes but as subordinate Agents being first purified and sanctified by him we purge out sin yet more and more 3. Tho the spirit be the principal Author yet we must charge our selves with the duty it is our work they destroy all humane industry and endeavour that make mortification to be nothing else but an apprehension that sin is already slain by Christ no 't is charged on us Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon
think that Grace will drop to us out of the Clouds he was an evil and a sloathful servant that did not improve his Talent To neglect duty is to resist Grace and to run away from our strength God hath promised to be with us while we are doing therefore we are to wait for this power in the use of all holy means that our corruption may be subdued and mortified USE is to exhort with all diligence to set about the mortifying the deeds of the body by the Spirit Two Things I shall press you to 1. Improve the death of Christ. 2. A right carriage towaâ—ds the spirit 1. Improve the death of Christ For the term Mortifie or Crucifie often used in this matter respects Christs death and every where the Scripture sheweth that the death of Christ is of excellent use for the mortifying of sin I shall single out a few places Gal. 2.20 I a am crucified with Christ. Three Propositions included 1. Christ crucified 2. Paul crucified 3. With Christ. It doth not imply any fellowship with him in the acts of his Mediation there Christ was alone only that the effects of his death were accomplished in him a participation of the benefits of his Mediation so Rom 6.6 knowing this that our old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin may be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Then was there a foundation laid for the destruction of sin when Christ died then was the merit interposed or price paid and the obligation laid upon us to mortifie it Something there was to be done on Gods part the body of sin was to be destroyed which intimateth the communicating of his spirit of grace to weaken the power and life of sin and something done on our part that henceforth we should not serve sin There was a time when we served sin but being converted we must change masters and betake our selves to another service which will be more comfortable and profitable to us One place more 1 Pet. 4.1 For as much as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves likewise with the same mind for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin That is since Christ hath suffered for you you must follow and imitate him in suffering also or dying with him namely in dying to sin as he dyed for sin or mortifying our lusts and passions For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that hath suffered in the flesh or is crucified in his carnal nature it hath not respect to suffering afflictions but mortifying sins for 't is presently added He hath ceased from sin given over that course of life so that he should no longer live the rest of his life in the flesh to the lusts of men but the will of God He inferreth the obligation of this correspondence and conformity from Christs dying From all these places we collect 1. 'T is an obligation This was Christs end and we must not put our Redeemer to shame 1 John 3.8 For this purpose the son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil That the interest of the Devil might be destroyed in us and the interest of God set up with glory and triumph shall I go about to frustrate his intention or make void the end of his death cherish that which Christ came to destroy tye those cords the faster which he came to unloose By professing his name we bind our selves to die to sin Rom. 6.2 How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein not ab impossibili but ab incongruo 2. That the death of Christ was a lively and effectual pattern of our dying to sin For the Glory of God and our Salvation Christ dyed a painful shameful accursed death now we must crucifie sin Gal. 5.24 Be crucified to the world Gal. 6.14 That is to say Christ denied himself for us and we must deny our selves for him he suffered pain for us that we should willingly digest the trouble of Mortification and suffer in the flesh in our carnal nature as he did in the human nature 1. The death of Christ was an act of self-denyal he pleased not himself Rom. 15.3 Minded not the interest of that nature he had assumed parted with his Life in the Flower of his Age when most cause to love it And will you part with nothing make it your business to please the flesh and gratify the flesh he loved you and gave himself for you and will not you give up your lusts 2. The death of Christ was an act of pain and sorrow of all deaths crucifixion is the most painful and shameful Sinful nature is not extinguished in us without trouble as sin is rooted in self-love self-denyal is a check to it as this self-love is mainly a love of pleasure or the delight we take in sin so the pains of Christs death check it shall we wallow in fleshly delights when Christ was a man of sorrows Christs sufferings are the best glass wherein to view sin will you take pleasure in that which cost him so dear he was mocked spit upon buffetted he bare the shame due to our vain conversations A Malefactor was preferred before him Therefore when you remember Christs death you learn how to deal with sin the Jews would not hear of Christs being King Away with him we have no King but Cesar such an Holy indignation should there be a in a renewed soul Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign therefore in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof Let it not King it we have no King but Christ. 3. 'T was a price paid that we might have grace Every true Christian is a partaker of the fruits of Christs death and one fruit is that we might die unto sin 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousness This is communicated to us by the spirit he bought sanctification as well as other priviledges Eph. 5.25 26. As Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word And Titus 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works 1 Pet. 1.18 Redeemed us from our vain conversations We are ready to say I shall never get rid of this naughty heart renounce these sensual and worldly affections our hearts are so wedded to the interests of the flesh but Matth. 19.26 With God all things are possible 2. Carry it well to the spirit 1. Believe that the Holy Ghost is your sanctifyer and resign up your selves to him as such that he may recover your souls to God This is but fulfilling our baptismal vow Mat. 28.19 Go baptize all nations in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost To God the Father as
comparing their estate with damned reprobates but he hath done better for them having after a short time of tryal and service here appointed endless joys and pleasures for them at his right hand for evermore Now he taketh them into his family then into his bosom 2. USE Is to press us to put our selves under the conduct and government of the Holy Spirit 't is implied in our Baptism Matth. 28.19 Go therefore teach and baptise all nations in the name of the Father Son and Holyghost By our express consent we take God for our Lord and portion and Christ for our Redeemer and Saviour and the Spirit for our guide sanctifier and comforter There is all the reason to press us to it First From his excellency he cannot deceive us because he is the spirit of truth He cannot ingage us in evil because he is the spirit of Holiness from his readiness to do good Psa. 25.9 Good and upright is the Lord therefore he will teach sinners in the way the poor sinner that is weary of his wandring that is truly humble for his failings and wandrings and comes to him for pardon and grace Secondly From our necessity Our heedless headlong spirit will soon transport us to some inconveniency Pro. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding in all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy path 't is the greatest judgment to be given up to our own hearts counsels Thirdly From the effects the peace and comfort which followeth his guidance Jer. 6.16 Stand ye on the ways and see and ask for the good old paths where is the good way and walk there in and you shall find rest to your souls and Psa. 143.10 Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness But what must we do Answer 1. Continually desire his assistance and powerful conduct Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him 'T is pleasing to God 1 Kings 3.9.10 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judg thy people that I may discern between good and bad and the speech pleased the Lord. 2. Let us co-operate with his motions mortifying the wisdom and the desires of the flesh avoiding all those things he disswadeth us from you grieve him when you disturb his comforting work or disobey his sanctifying motions Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the holy spirit whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption Do not break through when he would restrain you or refuse or draw back when he would impel and invite you to good The spirit of God will not forsake you unless you forsake him first he is grieved when the wisdom of the flesh is obeyed before his counsel and his holy inclinations smothered and we yeild easily to the requests of sin but are deaf to his motions 3. let us humble our selves when we sin through frailty and leave the directions of the Holy Ghost let us ever be more wary afterwards Psa. 51.6 In the inward parts shalt thou make me to know wisdom We catch many a fall when we leave our guide as the child when without his Nurse he will take to his own feet 3. USE is tryal For 't is propounded as a mark of the children of God Now by whose counsel are you guided Some follow their own spirit not the spirit of God are guided by the wisdom of the flesh and their own carnal affections led away from God by the lusts of their own heart and the temptations of the Devil taken captive by him at his will and pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 Our conversations will declare that which is prevalent Principiata respondent suis principiis the constant effects declare the prevailing principle 1. The effects of the spirits leading are an Heavenly life 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God and Eph. 1.17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him The eyes of your understandings being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints The spirit leadeth us to those things that are above The flesh leadeth us to those things here below to flesh-pleasing vanities vain perishing delights only grateful to sense 2. The spirit leadeth to an Holy life and obedience to God Eph. 4.24 And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness 3. To spiritual things Rom. 8.5 They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit and Gal. 6.8 He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting to excel in these things though with the loss of carnal pleasurâ—s 4. To all duties to our neighbour Eph. 5.9 For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth Gal. 5.22 23. But the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace longsuffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against such there is no law SERMON XXII ROM VIII 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father THE Words contain a Reason why those who are led by the Spirit are the children of God The Reason is because they have received the Covenant of Grace and the Spirit which accompanieth the New Covenant is not the Spirit of Bondage but Adoption 'T is propounded 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively 1. Negatively They were freed from the servile fear of condemnation which the legal Covenant wrought in them 2. Affirmatively They were endowed with the Spirit of Adoption or a perswasion of their Father's Love or of God's admitting them into his Family and the right of inheritance and so were drawn to obedience by noble motives suitable to the Covenant they were under For the First Clause in the Text Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear In which words observe 1. The State of men under the Law-Covenant 'T is a State of Bondage 2. The operation of the Spirit during that Dispensation it made men sensible of their Bondage Ye have not received the spirit of bondage There is the Spirit mentioned and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again implying That during that Dispensation they had it 3. The impression left upon the heart of man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear There is a Twofold Fear filial and servile child-like and slavish The one is
of the Gospel he urgeth this Argument 2 Tim 1.7 8. For we have not received the spirit of fear but the spirit of love and power and of a sound mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a poor cowardly dasterdly spirit mated or overcome with every difficulty but now a spirit confirmed in the love of God and the faith and hope of the Gospel is a fruit of power and fortitude the righteous is as bold as a Lion Pro. 28. 1. Dan. 3.17 18. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O king but if not be it known unto thee O king that we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up and Rom. 8.37 38. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 3. It hindreth the readiness and chearfulness of our service and crippleth our endeavours The sloathful servant was affraid Luke 19.21 22. when we do not know whether we shall please or be accepted or no 't is a very discouraging thing and we drive on heavily when nothing appears to us but fear but love maketh a willing people 1 Joh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous 4. It resisteth sin unwillingly we had rather let it alone than go about it the mortifying of lust is like the cutting off of an Arm with a rusty Saw rather let go any thing than sin but grace furnisheth us with the most powerful arguments For means 1. Cherish good thoughts of God the spirit of bondage is increased upon us by unreasonable fears and jealousies of God the Lord is good and doth good Psal. 119.68 his commands are not greivous Matt. 11.30 My yoke is easy and my burden is light The tryals sent us by him are not above measure nor beyond strength 1 Cor. 10.13 Who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able Nor his punishments above deserving Neh. 9.13 thou hast punished us less then than we deserved he is not hard to be pleased nor inexorable upon our infirmities Mal. 3.17 And I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Heb. 11.6 2. Study the nature and constitution of the Gospel which maketh rich preparation of Grace Help and Comfort for you this is Gods Act of Oblivion which easeth you of your troubles for here God promiseth to blot out your transgressions and remember your sins no more this is a Sanctuary and Refuge for your distressed souls to fly unto when pursued by the laws curse the Charter of your hopes or the word of salvation which secureth you aginst the laws curse or the fears of the damnation of Hell the law is good as a rule of duty but the Gospel is glorious 2 Tim. 1.8 11. In short Your souls will never sit easie within you till you resolve not to seek for that in the law which is only to be found in the Gospel peace of Conscience and Reconciliation with God The law can only save the innocent but the Gospel pardoneth the penitent sinner Look not for that in self which is only to be found in Christ a perfect Righteousness and Merit to appease Gods Justice and propitiate him to us this is only by the Blood and Obedience of Christ never look for that on earth which is only to be had in Heaven which is exact and unspotted holiness Jude 21. Then we are presented faultless in his presence 3. An hearty and sincere love to God 1 John 4.18 There is no fear in love for perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment and he that feareth is not made perfect in love He speaketh not of a childlike Reverence of the Divine Majesty or a carefulness not to displease him but of slavish fear of Condemnation which is the life and soul of many mens Religion but they are never soundly converted till God hath their hearts that is their love Now this strong and fervent love arising from faith in Christ driveth and forceth this tormenting fear out of the heart and will never be affraid of him whom they love and on the other side will not love him whom they look upon as ready to condemn them and cast them into Hell Surely God will never damn the soul that loveth him therefore if we would get rid of the fear of wrath or hell let us love God with our highest and best affections we have reason to love him if we consider the wonder of his love and good will to sinners manifested to us in and by Jesus Christ. 4. Live holily and obey the motions of the sanctifying spirit We deprive our selves of comfort by falling into sin the more the spirit is a Sanctifier the more a Comforter Holiness breedeth a generous confidence 1 John 3.2 Behold now we are the Sons of God Gal. 5.18 But if ye be led by the spirit ye are not under the law If we are not watchful against sin our bondage returneth therefore David saith Psal. 51.12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me by thy free spirit The Holy Spirit withdraweth and suspendeth his comforts when we walk vainly and loosely then we cannot serve God with any delight and readiness of mind 't is not a free spirit but a servile that then governeth us and influenceth our actions SERMON XXIII ROM VIII 15 But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father IN the Words we have 1. A Priviledg Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption 2. One special fruit and effect of it Whereby we cry Abba Father In setting down the effect the change is emphatical ye received we cry He includeth himself and puts in his own name together with theirs to shew that it is a Priviledg common to all that receive the New Testament the meanest and least of Gods Children have an affectionate and childlike way of praying unto God Doct. That the spirit which we receive under the new Covenant dispensation is a spirit of Adoption I shall explain these Five Things 1. The state of Adoption which we obtain under the New Testament 2. The spirit of Adoption consequent thereupon 3. Whether all that live under the New Testament Dispensation have the spirit of Adoption 4. Whether all that have it know it 5. The reasons why this is the fruit of the new Covenant Dispensation 1. What is the state of Adoption Our admission into Gods family that he will be a Father to us and we shall be his children 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons
will without which it would lie sluggish and idle or like a Chariot without wheels and horses or a Bird when her wings are clipped therefore the Holy Ghost stirreth up these affections and our heart within us makes us willing and this bringeth the Soul to God for no other can give us satisfaction but he alone And the difficulties of Salvation are so many that we cannot overcome them but in his power and strength Now sense of wants and an earnest desire of a supply will ordinarily put words into a mans mouth and affections beget expressions Yet because many accidental reasons may hinder it the weight of Prayer is not to be layed so much upon the expression as the affection if there be a strong and an earnest desire after grace it will make us express our selves to God in the best manner that we can As long as you Pray for necessary graces and other things in subordination thereunto and can heartily groan and sigh to God for what you want with respect to your great end the Prayer is well performed there may be a great petulancy and extravagance of words where there is not a good and an honest heart vain bablings without faith or feeling or spiritual affection 4. 'T is not to be understood as if all that pray graciously had the spirit in a like measure or the same persons always in the same measure No the wind bloweth where it liâ—â—eth John 3.7 And he giveth us to will and to do We cannot find the assistance at our own pleasure some have it in a more plentiful others in a scanty measure tho all have iâ— Jesus Christ himself tho he had not the spirit by measure yet he exercised and acted the spirit of Prayer more at one time Luke 22.44 And being in an agony he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more earnestly His love to God was always the same but the expression of it different So Gods Children seek Heavenly things with a weaker degree of desire and sometimes with a stronger at sometimes we have the directing work of the Spirit and are not sensible of those earnest and unexpressible groans That is to say we put up our requests for things lawful and useful and most necessary for us at the time but not with that ardour and fervency that we do desire we cannot say that the Holy Ghost doth not assist these Prayers as sometimes the assistance is given us more largely as to the groaning part and men are all in a flame strong and passionate affections do most bewray themselves Sometimes as a spirit of confidence and Holy liberty with our Father and faith is clearly predominant in Prayer at other times repentance and Child-like reverence and fear are altogether in action in the Prayer and there is a great seriousness tho not such life and vigour or strength of faith as grief for sin bemoaning our failings 5. Gifts are more necessary when we joyn with others and are their mouth to God But the Spirit of Prayer is of most use when we are alone and we have nothing to do but to set our selves before the searcher of hearts and draw forth our desires after him when without taking in the necessities of others we present our personal requests to God and lament the defects of our own Hearts and the plague of our own Souls When we pray alone 't is good to observe the workings of our own hearts surely whatever Prayer we make to God we should find it in our hearts 2 Sam. 7.27 Therefore hath thy servâ—nt found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee Having a deep sense of our wants a real desire of the blessing we ask exercising grace rather than memory and invention pouring out our very Souls to God with sighs and groans rather than words we are liberty there to use or not use the voice to continue speech and break it off and lift up the heart by strong desires to God VSE It informeth us 1. What kind of help we have from the spirit of God in prayer his work is to guide and quicken you First to guide you in Prayer that you may Pray to God in an Holy manner we know not what to pray for as we ought on a fourfold reason 1. As blinded with self-lâ—ve 2. As discomposed by trouble 3. As struck dumb by guilt 4. As straitned by barreness and leanness of soul. 1. As blinded by self-love Oh what strange prayers will men put up to God if they take counsel of their lusts and interests as the Disciples that called for fire from Heaven Christ told them ye know not of what manner of spirit ye are of Luke 9.55 Self love so blindeth us that if we be lead by it we shall rather beg our ruin than our salvation for we know not what is either profitable or prejudical to us so that it would be an argument of Gods anger to grant our requests The Ambitious if he should pray from the passion that possesseth him would only ask honour and worldly greatness The Covetous only that God would double his worldly portion and inlarge his estate according to his vast desires the Sensual the ability and opportunity of glutting his bruitish inclinations the Vindictive that he may interess God in his quarrels All sinners would serve him only to serve their carnal turns whatever words we use to God in Prayer if we serve him to these ends and hope that by praying they shall be the better gratified our Prayer is turned into sin but he that is guided by the Spirit intreateth nothing of God but what is pleasing to him and suiteth with his Glory we come to our Father which is in Heaven when we Pray and our welfare in the World must be subordinated to our Eternal and Heavenly estate And we come in the name of Christ now to ask honours in his name who was born in a Stable and Dyed on a Cross pleasures in his name who was a man of sorrows is utterly incongruous no! Gods Glory Kingdom Will must be preferred before our inclinations other things asked with reservation and submission 2. Our minds are discomposed by trouble that we scarce know what to do or say 2 Chron 20.12 Lord we know not what to do but our eyes are unto thee Our Lord Christ John 12.27 My soul is troubled what shall I say in great grief Christ himself was at a loss The great Teacher of the Church who hath so much to say for our comfort and counsel in such cases yet was amazed and at a nonplus and David Psal. 77.4 I am sore troubled I cannot speak Our words stoppeth the mouth Now when our thoughts are thus confounded we scarce know what to pray for the Spirit teacheth us what to say Look as in the case of the fear of men Luke 12.12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you shall say So in our perplexities when we are scarce able to open
hâ—rtful for us but of that God will be judg some present temporal good may be a cause of future inconvenience and something bitter how may be afterward found wholesome God knoweth whether life or death be best a present riddance of troubles or a continuance of them therefore it followeth verse 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God That which is apprehended as evil may turn to good therefore these things should not be peremtorily asked but with limitation and exception of Gods will as our Lord Christ Matth. 26.39 And he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying O my Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt 'T is one thing to believe for certain that God will grant our petition with this condition if the grant be for his glory and our good and another thing to bâ—lieve absolutely that he will not deny the particular thing we ask of him without such exception and reservation 'T is not for us to determine what is most conducing to Gods glory and desirable for us We must commit and submit to God to our Heavenly Father who is never backward to our good and will certainly guide all things for the best 2. The manner 1. With faith What faith have we in prayer With respect to God that he is able and willing to help his people that we need not run to other shifts and be divided between God and carnal means Jam. 1.6 7 8. As to the acceptance of our persons we must pray that we do not weaken our confidence by any allowed sin 1 John 3.20 21. For if our hearts condemn us not God is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things if our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence towards God We sin a way our peace and then cannot come cheerfully to God As to the particular blessings asked necessary that are absolutely promised must be absolutely expected But the promise of the common blessings of this life is not absolute these things are dispensed as shall be for Gods glory and our good The saints themselves express themselves with some hesitancy about these things though inclined to hope the best as David 2 Sam. 12.22 Who can tell whether the Lord will not be gracious to me that the child may live God knoweth what we most really want and what is most agreeable to our desires being able to choose for us better than we can for our selves Joel 2.14 Who knoweth if he will return and leave a blessing 2. With fervency or that life and seriousness which will become addresses to God Matth. 7.7 Ask seek knock we are not in good earnest unless we set our selves to seek the Lord Dan. 9.3 Christ taught us to pray in two parables one for the spirit Luke 11. By a man coming to his friend for loaves at midnight For right done to the Church Luke 18.1 In the parable of the widow and unjust Judg. Persevere till prayer be answered Matth. 15.26 27. Keep wrestling and striving with God Rom. 15.30 Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Jesus Christs sake and for the love of the spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me 3. With humility we must come as less than the least of his mercies Gen. 32.10 Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God As the Publican Luke 18.13 God be merciful to me a sinner as Abraham Gen. 18.27 Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but dust and ashes 4. With holy ends that God may be glorified John 14.13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son In the spirit John 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Psal. 115.1 Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory Joel 2.14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord our God 2. The reasons why the prayers so made must be acceptable to God 1. Because here all the divine persons concur we pray according to Gods will in Christs name and mediation by the motion and instinct of the spirit every one is a ground of hope therefore it will not be lost labour or breath poured out into the air 2 Sam. 14.1 When Joab perceived that the kings heart was towards Absalom he makes use of the advantage Christs merit breeds confidence Heb. 10.19 Having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus And then the spirits motion God accepteth what cometh from himself Psal. 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear What is excited and stirred up in us by his spirit 2. On mans part the person is qualified the petition just the end right and the heart excited USE Is to shew us what prayers are heard such as cometh from God and are made to God certainly such shall be dealt with as friends God will bestow marks of abundant favour upon them and reward their love and obedience by hearing their prayers he delights to do great things for their sakes and will have it known that their suppplication is acceptable to him Oh pray thus by the spirit 1. Is your prayer such a prayer as cometh from God such a prayer as is inspired by the spirit holy and fervent Holy for he is an holy and heavenly spirit and puts us mainly upon holy and heavenly things things that always make us better not worse and in other things referring our choices to God what he liketh and thinketh best for us not what we do for our selves not my will but thine be done Then Fervent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 James 5.16 The fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man when it looketh like wrestling with God 2. To God like worship relating to God it hath the stamp of his nature upon it some of his Attributes relate to his Mercy and Goodness some to his Majesty and Greatness the one is seen in the joy of our faith and confidence by our delight to converse with him The other in our humility and deep reverence of God when we come to him as poor undone creatures without his grace SERMON XXXVII ROM VII 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose IN the former Verse the Apostle telleth us how the spirit maketh Intercession for the Saints what God liketh and thinketh best for them not what they like themselves most profitable tho not most pleasing Green Fruit is most pleasing to the appetite of the Child but the Parents knoweth 't is
is an object of our love 2. The act 'T is the complacency and well-pleasedness of the soul in God as an all-sufficient Portion This implieth 1. A desire or earnest seeking after God in the highest way of enjoyment we are capable of here and so those mercies are most valued which are nearest to himself and shew us most of God and do least detain us from him his favour and image or to mention but one his sanctifying grace and spirir and therefore his saints are described to be those that hunger and thirst after righteousness Matth. 5.6 They earnestly desire to be like God in purity and holiness and his sanctifying spirit is the surest pledg of Gods love Rom. 5.5 Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit given us and doth most help us to love him again Rom. 8.15 And have received the spirit of adopton whereby we cry Abba Father Other gifts that conduce to please the flesh may keep us from him as wealth honour and pleasures but saving grace as it cometh from God so it carryeth us to him 2. A delight in him so far as they enjoy God they delight in him Psal. 4.6 7. Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time when their corn and wine increased His favour is life his displeasure as death to their soul. Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled Psal. 30.7 They look upon God reconciled as the best friend and God displeased as the most dreadful Adversary 3. 'T is their comfort and solace that they shall more perfectly see him and be like him in the other world to which they are tending when they shall behold their glorified Redeemer and their own nature united to the Godhead and their persons admitted into the nearest intuition and fruition of God they are capable of and live in the fullest love to him and delight in him Rom. 5.2 We rejoice in hope of the glory of God 4. They are so satisfied with this that their great business is to please God and be 〈◊〉 with him 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted with him 3. The properties of this love 1. 'T is not a speculative but a practical love Some please themselves with fancies and airy Religion that consists in lofty strains of devotion and fellow-like familiarity with God but the true love is seen in obedience John 14.15 If ye love me keep my commandments and 1 John 5 3. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments Our love is a love of duty we have such a deep sense of the Majesty of God such an esteem of his favour that we dare not hazzard it by doing any thing which may be a breach of our duty or a grief to his spirit or a dishonour to his name 2. 'T is not a transient but a fixed love Not a pang of zeal for the present but a radicated inclination towards God or a deep impression left upon the heart which disposeth it to seek his glory and do his will the bent of the mind is to God and Heaven They do not chuse him for their portion only but cleave to him all their desire and endeavour is to please glorifie and enjoy God Some have good inclinations but they are as unstable as water being divided between God and the world Jam. 1.8 But these allow no rival and competitor with God in the soul Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee 3. 'T is not a cold but a fervent love We are not to love God after any sort remisly coldly but with the greatest vigor and intention of affection so it runneth Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might Many words are heaped together to increase the sence that our love may be a growing love quickned and heightned to a further degree 1. 'T is God that is loved not the creature Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self but God with all thy heart in a moral consideration there are three beings God Neighbour Self There is a law that you should love God and a law that you should love your neighbour but where is the positive law that you should love your selves Turn over the Scriptures and you will find nothing of this There are Laws to restrain self-love none to excite it in this we need no Teacher there is something in our bosomes to prompt us to love our selves therefore 't is rather supposed than enforced Pauls adverbs are emphatical Titus 2.12 That we should live soberly righteously and godly What is it to live godly but to esteem love reverence and serve God with all our heart and all our strength and to live justly as to our neighbour What is it but to love our neighbour as our self What ye would that men should do unto you do ye the same to them What is it to live soberly as to our selves but that our self-love should be moderated that we should abstain from all unlawful and superfluous pleasures and use the lawful ones sparingly as meat drink cloathing recreation unless we would have our souls choaked or snared Self-love hath so filled the hearts of men that there is no room or little room left for the love of God or our neighbour but yet there is a measure set how we should love our neighbour but we cannot over-love God there all the heart all the soul all the might 'T is modus sine modo mensura sine mensura terminusâ—sine termino here no excess or hyperbole hath any place 2. The nature of the object loved God is infinitely and eternally good therefore we must love God without any exceptions and restrictions as the object of love is goodness so the measure of the goodness is the measure of the love a greater good must be loved more and a lesser good must be loved less Somewhat besides God may be good but 't is finite and limited the Creature is a particular good and our love to it is a particular limited love God only is a sea of goodness without banks and without bottom therefore our love to God is not limitted by the object but the narrowness of the faculty God in this life is seen darkly and so also loved for our love doth not exceed our knowledge that 's our defect God deserveth more 3. God is loved ut finis as the last end and all other things ut media ad finem Now common reason will tell us that the end is desired without measure and the means in a certain respect and proportion to the end As for instance when you are sick you send for the physitian the end is health the medicaments and prescriptions are the means the end you intend absolutely but
2.10 and in whose cause we are ingaged and who giveth us the holy Spirit to move us to good and to restrain us from evil 2. What confidence we have or may have in Christ. The Saints overcome by his love and if you will adhere to him in the greatest hazards will he fail you Surely he is kind to his people and hath given not only such assurance of it in his promises but such experience of it in the course of his dispensations that we are still incouraged to wait upon him He is willing to help his people for he loveth them he is able and sufficient for infinite power is at the beck of his love And you have tryed him and he never forsook you will he fail at last Was all this to trepan men into a deceitful hope 3. How little we should suspect his love when to appearance all things go against us There are two dispensations Christ useth either disappointing the temptation or strengthning his people under it For the first we have cause to bless him and many times more cause than we are well aware of Plures sunt gratia privativae quam positiva say Divines in general in our case that of the prophet is verified I led Ephraim but he knew it not In preventing our temptations we know not what the love of Christ hath done for us but for the second in what he will try us Take heed of misconstruing any act of Christs love towards us You think there is some want of love when he permitteth you to furious and boistrous temptations no then he meaneth to give you some supereminent Grace of the Spirit 1 Pet. 4.14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part he is glorified He loveth you still but will not manifest his love this way or that way which the flesh pleaseth 4. It sheweth us how much we should love Christ and adhere to him in the greatest difficulties Love doth attract and draw love Ordinary love should be mutual and reciprocal 2 Kings 10.15 Is thine heart right as mine is with thee That is dost thou affect me as I do thee Paul pleadeth it 2 Cor. 6.11 12 13. O ye Corinthians our mouth is open to you our heart is inlarged Ye are not straitned in us but ye are straitned in your own bowels now for a recompence in the same be ye also inlarged This sheweth the justice of it that we should retaliate be as kind and affectionate as Christ is to us But alas usually Christ may complain 2 Cor. 12.15 The more abundantly I love you the less I am beloved Shall we lessen our respects to him 2. USE Is to perswade us to give all diligence to this that we be assured that Christ loveth us This is known partly by an external partly by an internal demonstration 1. The external demonstration is in Redemption surely there is no doubt of that that Christ came to shew the loveliness and goodness of God to the forlorn world This only needeth consideration and improvement He that loved us at so costly a rate will he desert us if we chuse his ways and resolve to adhere to him 2. The internal demonstration is in conversion or our receiving the atonement entring into peace with God and adopted as children of the family Sure if you get this one evidence you shall be brought to glory When he hath pardoned thy follies and the frailties of thy youth and called thee when he passed by others and left them in their sins what will he not do for thee SERMON XLVII ROM VIII 38 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. THESE Words render a reason why believers are more than conquerors in their forest tryals and do further carry on the Apostles Triumph to a fit conclusion of such an excellent Discourse In the Text observe 1. The assailants Death Life Angels 2. The attempt and design to separate us from the love of God 3. The fruitlesness of it no creature shall be able to do this 4. His confidence for I am perswaded First The aggressors and assailants are set forth either by a particular distribution or wrapt up in a general expression 1. The particular distribution is made by four pairs or couples 1. Neither death nor life that is neither the fears of death nor the hopes of life this pair is mentioned because death is the king of terrors Job 18.14 And among all desirable good things life is the chiefest and that which maketh a man capable of enjoying all other good things exprest Job 2.4 Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will be give for his life Now all assaults from this first pair are in vain as they tend to separate us from the love of God in Christ. Will you hope to do it by threats of death A believer will tell you that Christ threatneth eternal death and this temporal one be it natural or violent is but a passage into life eternal will you entice him by the baits of life They have learned to prefer everlasting life before it Heb. 11.35 Not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection 2. Pair nor Angels nor Principalites and Powers that is the powers of the visible and invisible world so these two powers are elsewhere coupled Eph. 1.21 Far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also that which is to come So that by principalities and powers worldly powers are intended Angels is a common word that implieth good and evil spirits if you apply it to the good Angels then 't is spoken only by way of supposition if it were possible they could concur in such a design such a supposition there is Gal. 1.8 Tho an angel from heaven preach any other doctrine to you let him be accursed 'T is a supposition of an impossible case but such as conduceth much to heighten the sense of the truth represented As for evil angels they make it their work and business to steal away souls from Christ and if they could would wrest them out of Christs own arms Well then The good Angels seek not to separate us from Christ the good will not and the bad cannot Were it possible for a good Angel to disswade me from my Lord Jesus Christ I would hold him accursed Evil Angels assault us but we are preserved by a stronger than they By the other branch principalities and powers he understandeth the Potentates of the world by what title soever distinguished No powers can overtop the Divine and Soveraign Lord of the Redeemed
the beloved to the praise of his glorious grace The people of God are loved from all eternity by his love of benevolence whereby he willed good unto them and decreed to bestow good upon them even when they were children of wrath in the sentence of the law But there is besides this the love of complacency whereby he accepteth of them as being reconciled to him and acquiesceth in them as his peculiar people and will bestow all manner of grace upon them Secondly As to sense or our feeling of this love Rom. 5.5 Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts When 't is evidenced to us that God hath thus sanctified us and adopted us into his family taken us for his children Rom. 8.16 And we are incouraged to look for the eternal inheritance as our right and portion The effects we have in our conversion called therefore effectual calling the sense we have by the Lords confirming Grace or the witness of the spirit which God giveth as a reward to his faithful and obedient servants Experienced seasoned Christians usually have it in a large measure 2. The people of God apprehend it as a very blessed and comfortable condition for here Paul in their name speaketh that as long as God loveth them they are not troubled about other things Death may separate the soul from the body depth of poverty may separate them not only from the preferments of the world but the enjoyment of their own estates Evil angels may disquiet them with temptations worldly powers exile them from their countrey and separate them from their dearest friends and acquaintance but as long as they are not separated from the love of God in Christ they are well apaid and contented for the Apostles triumph is not that he did escape the troubles but that he was not separated from the love of God in Christ Jesus Now this cometh partly from the real worth of the priviledg its self and partly from their esteem and value of it 1. For the real worth of the priviledge its self Surely Gods love can make us more happy than the world can make us miserable Consider a believer as to his present or future condition he is a blessed man For the present his sins are pardoned Psal. 32.1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Their natures are healed 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust Their ways are directed and ordered Psal. 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the Lord. And for the future they have eternal life 1 John 2.25 And this is the promise he hath promised us even eternal life Now these are blessings the world cannot deprive us of and they are the fruits of distinguishing love but worldly things which are subject to the will and power of our enemies are not Eccles. 9.1 2. Love nor hatred cannot be known by these things all things come alike to all These have escaped the greatest misery and are intitled to the greatest happiness mankind is capable of 2. Their value and esteem of it above all worldly felicities Psal. 4.6 7. Many say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness into my heart more than in the time that their corn and wine increased Yea above life its self Psal. 63.3 Thy loving-kindness is better than life They were willing to renounce all to get it and therefore they are willing to renounce all to keep it Phil. 3.7 8. What things were gain to me I counted loss for Christ yea doubtless and I count all things but loss He had counted and did count to shew that he had not repented of his choice Man is changeable and fickle highly conceited for one thing to day and another to morrow but the Apostle saw no cause to recede from his choice he continued still of the same opinion We often affect novelties are transported when we first change our profession and repent at leasure Now if he were to do it again he would freely do it supposing it to be gainful But now to have the favour of God and to be like him how valuable a blessing is it None are true Christians but those that are like-minded that value his favour above all things for otherwise God is loved with the respect of an underling and so cannot have the affection from us that is due to the chiefest good Psal. 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee 3. That nothing can separate us from the fruition of his love This will be best seen from the grounds 1. The immutability of Gods love to the elect His elective love maketh not only our vocation effectual but our justification and glorification also Rom. 8.30 He will not cease to love us nor cast off the care of our salvation till he hath brought it to its final period 2. The infinite merit of Christ. 'T is in the text The love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. His free-love is carried on to us in that way for the fruits of his eternal love we cannot obtain but by Jesus Christ. Now his merit is an everlasting merit he went not to Heaven till he had obtained eternal Redemption for us Heb. 9.12 A purchase that shall ever stand in force 3. The unchangeable Covenant and the promises of God which irreversibly make over this right to us 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God are in him yea and amen And Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation Surely this should give us a strong consolation that we have the word of the eternal God for it That if we run for refuge and stick there nothing shall defeat our right 4. The union of a believer with Christ as a member of his body and so belonging to his care and protection For the Lord Christ is a Saviour to all those to whom he is truly an head Eph. 5.23 Christ is the head of the Church and the Saviour of the body Therefore every living member of the mystical body is safe nothing shall dissolve or break that blessed union that is between Christ and believers 5. The Almighty power of God and Christ 1 Pet. 1.5 Ye are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation Heaven is kept for them and they are kept for Heaven Christ hath promised his Almighty Power for the safety of believers As it was he and not we that purchased our salvation so it is Christ and not we that must have the keeping of the purchased benefits and he saith that none shall pluck them out of his hands and out of the Fathers hands
naturally to be dreaded and avoided Christ would never have prayed against it 2dly Vpon these terms Death is sweetned to them They readily submit to it as the nature of it is changed And by Christs Death it 's made their friend a passage to an endless Life 1 Cor. 3.22 Rom. 8.38 Death shall not separate from but make way for their full enjoyment of the Love of God in Christ Jesus 2d Obj. But must all sincere Christians thus groan and long Many are so far from groaning and longing to depose this Tabernacle That they groan at the least thought of the dissolution of it Some there are that can venture to die but very few that can desire to die Answ. 1. Somewhat of this there must be in all that believe they all groan in this Tabernacle and desire to be dissolved Paul speaketh in his own name and the name of all who are like minded with himself for no man is unwilling to be happy and attain his end How is it an happiness if it be not to be desired and groaned after How will you vanquish Temptations if you cannot lay down Life and all at Christs feet so you may have the Heavenly Inheritance How can you labour for that which you do not earnestly desire and groan after How can you make good your intire surrender of your self in the Covenant of being and doing what God will have you to do and be Of living to God and dying to God Rom. 14.7 8. at least submit to die and to be ready when God shall call you 2dly Much of what is here expressed may belong to an Heroical degree of grace not vouchsafed to all Christians All cannot attain to this measure and height But yet still we must be growing up to this frame of heart Here are marks to aim at marks to try by The marks to aim at are propounded for our imitation the other are proofs of our sincerity We are every day to grow up more more into such an Heavenly Spirit to humble our selves that after so long a profession of the name of Christ we come short We should take occasions thence to provoke our selves to get the same dispositions and affections which Gods eminent Servants have 3d. Obj. But this wishing and longing for Death seemeth to have somewhat of sin in it Men in a passion and when disappointed in the world seem to be weary of their lives We have instances in Scripture The murmuring of the Israelites in the wilderness Would to God we had died in Aegypt c. Answ. 1. There is a difference between Velleity and a Volition Serious desires and passionate expressions In a pet or passion we wish for many things which really we desire not and are loth God should take us at our words Now the Saints desire to be dissolved and to enjoy another state is quite another thing 2dly There is a difference in the grounds and reasons of both these desires As 1. You ought not to wish for Death in a passion and pet and fit of discontent as Jonah 4.3 Therefore now I beseech thee take my Life from me for 't is better for me to die than live 'T is an impatient wish since he could not get his will Death is the Ordinary refuge of imbittered Spirits and the back door which we seek to get out at through impatience weariness of Life pride and contest with providence nothing will please then bus Death to be rid of all these troubles in a passion pet when you have not something which you would have 'T is meer pride that swelleth the Heart with discontent wishing our selves out of that Condition God hath put us into Now thus the Saints do not desire Death because they cannot have their full of worldly injoyments or meet with many Crosses and disappointments here These are carnal grounds 2dly Deep sorrow or some sharp affliction or difficulty that we meet with in our callings as Elijah 1 King 19.4 requested for himself that he might die 3dly From peevish doating Love as David 2 Sam. 48.33 O Absolon my Son my Son my Son would to God I had died for thee But Affirmatively what are the grounds of the Saints regular groaning and desires 1. An Heart dead to the world and weaned from the pleasures honours and profits thereof and firmly fixed upon Heavenly things As in the Text this better House longing for the time when our Souls shall be freed from sin and enlarged for the perfect Love of God our Bodies Fashioned like unto Christs Glorious Body Phil. 3.20 21. When we shall live with Angels and glorified Saints when we shall see Christ as he is and be like him and behold God face to face These things draw forth their desires 2dly Some competent assurance of the Love of God in Christ We that know we have an House Eternal in the Heavens we groan 3dly Love to Christ Phil. 1.23 A panting after a nearer union and more intimate fellowship with him Love cannot endure the absence of the beloved They would be filled up with the feeling of his Love and abound with Love to him again and delight themselves in his immediate presence 3dly There is a difference in the manner 'T is with resignation and submission to Gods will Phil. 1.24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you as long as God hath service for them to do For we must not seek our own contentment in dying or living but absolutely submit to the will of God Well then these desires and groans after happiness are quite different from the passionate wishes that drop from us sometimes They that give way to them do not desire Death as a release from sin nor as a Chariot to convey us to the place where we would be with God for ever But out of some present imagined and real bitterness They fly to Heaven as their retreat or reserve for the present 1. Use is Information 1. It shews us what an argument we have that there is a better estate provided for us hereafter Because the people of God are groaning and earnestly desiring as unsatisfied with their present Condition We are now like fish in a Pail or small Vessel of water which will only keep us alive we would fain be in the Ocean surely then there is an happiness provided for us in the other World How doth this prove it 1. The disposition and instinct of nature towards happiness in general yea eternal happiness is an argument much more the desires of the Saints All men would be happy Man's Soul is a Chaos of desires like a spunge it 's thirsty and seeketh to fill its self Psal. 4.6 There be many that say Who will shew us any good Yea an Eternal happiness They grope about after God Acts 17.26 as the Blind Sodomites about Lot's Door The Soul of man cannot be satisfied here our sore still runneth upon us This being the constant universal disposition of nature sheweth
during his personal abode in the World Even then an outward ceremonious respect to his person was not so pleasing to him as a serious attention to his Doctrine and counsel and ever met with a correction and reproof from Christ rather than approbation and acceptance with him at least Christ aimed at some higher thing which was of more value and esteem with him Search all his life You read of some that desired to see him John 12.20 21 22 23. Some Greeks that had a curiosity to see his person and be more familiarly acquainted with him Now Christ teacheth that the true means to know him to Salvation was not to see with the eyes of the Body but by faith in the Spirit as lifted up to glory they impartially propound the matter to Philip and he consults with Andrew and both of them present their request to Christ but he diverts to the Doctrine of the cross and the glory that should ensue to teach them to lay aside doating on his bodily presence and to think of communion with him in his sufferings and the duty that belonged to his exaltation They came to see a man lately cryed up by popular applause and to gaze on him who was made so famous in the late triumph So when some depended upon their hearing of him and resort to his Doctrine he telleth them this would not do without other things Luke 13.26 Then shall ye begin to say We have Eaten and Drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Yet if there be no more but kind converse or an outward resort to his ministry as to an ordinary man I know you not This acquaintance is disclaimed Some that not only heard but commended him as that forward Woman Luke 11.27 28. And a certain Woman lift up her voice and said unto him blessed is the womb that bare thee and the paps which thou hast sucked but he said Yea rather Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Yea rather 't is a reproof Oh no Woman that 's a blessed thing to hear the word of God and keep it That 's not the use to applaude the person but obey the Doctrine Still he calleth for a more spiritual respect When they told him that his kindred his Mother and Brethren stood without to speak with him Matth. 12.47 to the end Christ saith Whosoever doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother Sister and Mother Believing in Christ and obeying Gods will rendereth us more acceptable than if we did touch him in blood and kindred Augustine saith of the Virgin Mary Beatior Maria percipiendo fidem Christi quà m concipiendo carnem Christi Materna propinquitas c. That she was more happy in carrying Christ in her heart then conceiving of him in her womb So Mark 5.18 19. When Christ had cured a man that was possessed of a whole Legion of Devils he prayed him that he might be with him Howbeit Jesus suffered him not but bid him go home to his friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had compassion on thee Our love to Christ is better shewn not in our humane and passionate affections to his bodily presence but in performance of those religious services he requireth of us he lingered after his bodily presence but Christ expected not the offices of humane conversation but duty and obedience to his commands from him So there is a famous Instance of Christs entertainment at Bethany Mark â—0 38 to the end There were two Sisters severally imployed Martha busied in the Ministries and Services of the outward entertainment but Mary sat at Christs feet the posture of disciples and heard his word The one careful to entertain Christ in her heart the other into her house Christ where ever he came was willing to improve the opportunity and to leave some spiritual blessing behind him He came not to be feasted but to refresh Souls Martha complaineth of Mary as if her devotion had been unseasonable to leave the burden of the houshold affairs to her alone but Christ sheweth Mary's respect was more pleasing to him than Martha's hearkening to his word rather than making provision for his person Many would seem to gratify Christ with an outward and carnal respect but do not hearken to his gracious words So in other things weeping for him when he went to suffer Luke 23.28 Weep not for me ye Daughters of Jerusalem but weep for your selves and Children That would not comport with the end of the death of Christ. Which was not to be looketh upon as a spectacle of humane calamity but as a mystery of higher consideration and God looked for more noble and spiritual motions than this passionate condoling So to fight for him Peter was in a rage when they came to attacque Christ and therefore draweth on an whole Troop John 18.11 Put up thy Sword in thy sheath Peter The cup which my Father hath put into my hand shall I not drink of it Peters act seemed to express much zeal and affection to Christs person but Christ sheweth that he was appointed for an higher purpose and checketh Peter for his rashness Nay the Disciples languishing for the comforts of his bodily presence Then Christ told them John 14.15 If ye love me keep my commandments When a man is ready at our command willing to do what we would have him to do 't is a sign of his love to be up and be doing is a sure manifestation of obedience So John 20.27 Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend Mary Magdalen was now faln at Christs feet and embraced them Matth. 28.9 They came and held him by the Feet and worshipped him In an humble and affectionate devotion she hangeth about our Saviour but Christ forbids this embracing touch me not it comes of humane affection out of a compliment but Christ rejects this Testimony of her love and directs her to a more acceptable service to carry tidings to his Brethren of his Resurrection And 't is more acceptable and pleasing to him to be about our Service and doing good in our station than to be performing these offices of humane love and kindness to his person entertaining him seeing hearing him weeping for him defending him Otherwhiles he bids them come to him Luke 24.39 Handle and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have for a confirmation of their Faith 2. There is a knowing Christ after the flesh since his ascension into Heaven 1. By a naked profession of his name without conformity to his Laws There are Disciples in name and Disciples indeed John 8.31 If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed Christ hath some Disciples who are so in reality and others who are so in shew only there is no true ground of
solid comfort but in being real Disciples others are but Christians in the letter not in the Spirit Those that are in the letter have notions of God and Christ and Heaven and Hell but they have but names and notions of these things But feel nothing of the power and life that accompanieth these things A man may profess himself a Christian and yet perish with unbelievers yea be as great an enemy to Christ as the Jews that crucified him and the heathens that worshipped other Gods a grieving of his Spirit a despising the fruits of his purchase a refusal of his holy Ordinances and an hatred of his Servants is no less offensive to him and may argue as little affection in us as either the spight of the Jews or Idolatry of the Heathens did in them to Christ. I call this profession of careless lawless Christians a knowing Christ after the flesh because 't is a meer carnal humane natural respect to Christs memory such as a man beareth to his famous Ancestours or the deceased Hero's of his Country not befitting him who is our Mediator and Lord of all things who is best remembred when our hearts are converted to him and when his Laws are obeyed such as the Jews did bear to Abraham the founder of their Nation or Moses the Law-giver of their Country Surely Abraham and Moses were as dear to the carnal Jews as Christ can be to us but Christ telleth them if you were Abrahams seed you would do the works of Abraham Joh. 8.39 And Joh. 5.46 If ye had believed Moses ye would have believed me They were Abrahams seed after the flesh not after the Spirit they were Abrahams seed after the flesh but that did avail them nothing since they did not follow his example but sought to kill him which was far from Abrahams Spirit and temper A little of mens practice is a surer rule to try by than all their fair language and complemental respect John 9.28 29. Then they reviled him and said Thou art his disciple we are Moses his disciples we know that God spake to Moses but as for this fellow we know not whence he is However he or such as He were so fully resolved to become disciples to Christ yet they would cleave to Moses John 9.28 Thus are the best of men mistaken and abused by their carnal Successours They made use of Moses his name to excuse their disobedience to Christ. It is an old trick of degenerate men to cry up the names of pious Ancestours and externally to adore the memory of Saints departed But such motives of love are but carnal when there is an apparent inconformity between you and the persons whom you would magnify We detest the memory of Annas and Caiphas Judas and such others as conspired to take away the life of Christ so did they of Corah Dathan and Abiram Ahab was accounted as wicked by them as Pilate by us Therefore to rest in a naked historical belief and meer profession of the name of Christ when there is such an apparent insubjection to his Laws 't is but a knowing Christ after the flesh owning him as the God of the country upon custom and tradition Well then Christ is never rightly entertained but when his Doctrine is received and intertained by faith though there should be an hatred of his persecutors a quarrelling for his religion you put him to more shame in your conversations and crucify him afresh every day Heb. 6.6 Seeing they have crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame A quarrelling ruffian may be ready to fly in the face of him that shall speak a disgraceful word against his Father when his own dissolute and ungracious wicked courses grieve his Fathers Spirit and shame him more than all their reproaches so many will pretend much love to Christ and in an heat quarrel be ready to venture their lives for their religion No man would have his religion despised but yet he shameth and bringeth it most into contempt that matcheth it with disproportionate practices as those are called enemies to the cross of Christ that preached Christ but yet lived in a sensual and earthly manner Phil. 3.19 2. By acts of sensitive affection in the reading or meditating on the story of Christs sufferings or when you hear his Passion laid open in a Rhetorical fashion Men at such occasions find that there is stirred up in themselves some fond pitty at his sufferings and indignation at the Jews and are ready to fly in the face of Judas that betrayed him and the Rulers and those that put him to death All this is but an humane natural respect such as we will find in our selves at any tragical representation true our false let a man but read the sad preparation of Abraham when he went to sacrifice his Son Isaac or the pittiful words and moans of Jacob when they told him that some Beast had devoured Joseph and shewed him his coat The sacking of Jerusalem by the Babylonians or how they handled that miserable King Zedekiah when they had first slain his Children before his face and then put out his eyes Or the Lamentations of Dido for Aeneas when she slew her self These storys will draw as many tears from our eyes as the story of Christs sufferings things of small importance well represented to the fancy may thus affect us And besides these light affections do not comply with Gods end in the Mystery of Redemption we are not to reflect upon the death of Christ as a tragical accident or sad story but as a well-spring of Salvation and God looketh for more noble and spiritual motions namely that we should be affected with the horror of our sins that crucified the Lord of Glory and the terror of that dreadful severity which God manifested on his own Son when he took our burden upon him and the admiration of his incomparable wisdom which could joyn his mercy with his justice the unspeakable joy of Salvation which is derived thence to us and the ardent love which we should bear to the Father who hath given his Son to die for us These are the true resentments of the death of Christ even that we may raise our hopes of mercy upon the foundation of his merit and satisfaction as the price of our blessings and ingage our selves to God in a way of thankfulness for his great love and mercy and increase our hatred of sin having such a glass wherein to view our hatefulness now these are spiritual respects the other are but carnal such as we would shew to man pitifully handled 3. By expressing our respects more in the pomp and pageantry of outward complements rather than serious devotion or an hearty obedience to his Laws or worshipping him in Spirit and in truth This is also a knowing Christ after the flesh or a carving out a respect to him that rather suiteth with our carnal minds than his glorious estate now in
Heaven The whole genius of the Popish religion runneth this way where the worship of Christ is turned into a theatrical pomp and the simplicity of the Gospel is changed into weak and silly observances and beggarly rudiments which betray it to the contempt scorn of all considering men and is no more pleasing to Christ than the mockage of the Jews Souldiers that put a purple robe upon Christ and cryed Hail king of the Jews when they spit upon him and buffeted him In Christians 't is but to complement Christ to feast and make mirth for his memory and deck our bodies and houses whil'st we look not after rejoycing in the Spirit to be all for sumptuous Temples and costly furniture and rich Altar Cloaths and Vestments while his Laws are trampled under foot and those that would sincerely worship Christ and make it their â—usiness to go to Heaven are despised and maligned and it may be condemned to the fires 'T is not the pomp of Ceremonies but Faith and brokenness of heart and diligence in his service and living in the Spirit that Christ mainly looketh after Religion looketh more like a worldly thing in a carnal dress but the Kings daughter is glorious within Psa. 45.13 The glory of the true Church and every member thereof is in things spiritual as knowledge faith love hope courage zeal sobriety patience humility these are the true glories of the Saints not golden Images and rich accommodations and outward triumph and carnal revilings and the great thing Christ hath commended to us in his Doctrine is an holy heart and an holy life Psa. 93.5 Holiness becometh thy house O Lord for ever Not pomp and gaudry of worship but purity and holiness that 's a standing ornament 4. By herding with a stricter party whil'st yet our hearts are not subdued to God There are three places prove this Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature And Gal. 5 6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith that worketh by love 1 Cor. 7 19. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the commandments of God Men hug others because they are of their party and fellowship 't is religion enough to be one of them of such a party and denomination as obtains the vogue and is of most esteem among Christians in that age yet how strict so ever our party be if our hearts be not subdued to Christ all is as nothing in the sight of God till a man be a new creature 't is but a fleshâ—y knowing of Christ a man may change his party as a piece of Lead will receive any Impression either Angel or Devil or what you stamp upon it 3. This knowing Christ after the flesh will do us no good be of no comfort and use to us as to the salvation of our Souls 1. Because God is no respecter of persons 1 Pet. 1.17 If you call him Father who without respect of persons Judgeth every man according to his works The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the outward appearance but God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that doth not judge by outward respects The Prosopon of the Jew was his knowledge of the Law and injoying the Ordinances of God The Prosopon of the Christian is his profession of respect to Christ and esteem of him but God judgeth not by the appearance but by the internal habit and constitution of the heart manifested by an uniform obedience to his whole will otherwise circumcision may become uncircumcision or Christianity as Paganism Therefore 't is not enough to profess you are for Christ of his Faction and Party for there is a Faction of Christians as well as a religion they are of the Faction of Christians whose interest and education leadeth them to profess love to Christ without any change of heart or serious bent of Soul towards him Now this is the Prosopon according to which God may be supposed to judge for you do not think riches or poverty fear or love can so much as be supposed to be in God but profession or not profession is that he looks to 2. Because Christ hath put us upon another tryal than a fond affection to his outward person and memory namely by our respect to his commandments John 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me There 's the main other things will not pass for love though they be taken for such in the World And John 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Perfect friendship consists in harmony or an agreement in mind and will If you have any true love to Christ it will make the Soul hate every thing which it knoweth to be contrary to his nature and will Psa. 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil and constraineth the Soul to set about every thing which it knoweth will please and honour him 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us If we do but love him and be sensible of the obligation he hath left upon us So it will be in a real spiritual love 3. Because they cannot truly challenge the name of Christians that do only know Christ after the flesh Christ being now exalted requireth a spiritual converse with him When Christ hath laid aside his mortal life we should lay aside our carnal conceits and affections There were some Jewish Impostors that Eusebius writeth of Mungrel Christians Chocabites and Nazerites who called themselves the Lords kinsmen a sort of Cozening and Heretical companions they were who for their own purposes forraged the Countrys up and down as the Gipsies now do amusing the World with genealogies and drawing the vulgar after them with many vain fancies denyed the Resurrection interpreting all said about it of the new creature pretending belief in Christ but observing the Law of Moses against whom the Epistle to the Galatians is supposed to be written And there were some that knew Moses after the flesh and seemed to pretend much zeal to the Law of Moses Now the Apostle saith they deserved to be called the concision rather than the circumcision whereof they gave out themselves to be patrons and defenders The true believers had right to that title because they had the thing signified by circumcision worshipping God with the inward and spiritual affection of a renewed heart and trusting in Christ alone for salvation who was the substance of the shadows and renouncing confidence in fleshly priviledges worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus So for Christians glorying in externals is scarce worthy the name of Christianity if they have the name not the reality 4. Because this knowing Christ after the flesh is inconsistent with his glorious estate in Heaven It pleased him not in the days of his flesh A Divine spiritual affection doth only befit the state of glory to which he is exalted Now