an important Secret that he had been bereaved of common Prudence when there were such plain Reasons to suspect a persidious Design but so God rightly order'd that the Folly should be a Punishment of the Sin and that both should make way for his further Suffering For assoon as this was done his Strength went from him ver 19. His Strength seems to be a peculiar Gift to him which was to be continued upon the Condition of keeping his Hair uncut and so that Condition being broken this Gift was recall'd Yet the strange Presumption and Stupidity of Smpson after all this may be Matter of Astonishment to us of which we have an Account in this 20th ver When Dalilah comes to rouse him with the usual Cry The Philisines are upon Thee See 1. His Presumption He awoke out of his Sleep and said I will go out as at other Times before and shake my Self How could he imagine this when he himself had said that if he were shaven he should become Weak and like another Man How could he expect to do as he had done when he had so positively foretold his own Fate Therefore 2. See his Stupidity And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him He said what he did upon a sudden at his first awaking before he found how he was betray'd besore he perceiv'd that his Locks were cut off and before he consider'd what the Consequents of that would be He was not instantly apprehensive of the Misery of his Case through God's just abandoning of him but depended on the same Assistance which he had formerly receiv'd till he felt the contrry by woful Desertion It is a lamentble Truth which these Whords do teach us but yet a Truth which is prositable to be known Obs There may be sad Departures of God from Believers themselves of which for a while they may remain insensible Sampson was not only an eminent Type of Christ in whom the Power of God was gloriously displayed 1 Cor. 1.24 But is also reckon'd among those Old Testament worthies Heb. 11.32 Of whom 't is said notwithstanding their various sinful Infirmities That these all obtained a good Report through Faith ver 39. And therefore this general Doctrine may be built on this Particular Example In handling of it I. What are those Departures of God which even Belivers are incident to II. What are the Causes and Occasions of them III. What are the Essects which sollow thereupon IV. How far may Believers be insensible hereof V. HOw comes it to pass that they are so Vi. Use I. What are those Departures of God from Believers which they are lyable to and sometimes exercis'd with There are Three Things which must be distinctly enquir'd into with Respect to this Point 1. What are they as to the Kind 1. Not a Loss of the Favour of God Psalm 89.33 My Loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him c. 'T is brought in with a nevertheless after he had spoken of the visiting of Transgression with the Rod ver 32. God's sharpest Corrections for Sin are no Arguments of his Alienation from the Person when his Hand goes forth with most Severity against us his Heart may be still towards us as much as ever So Isa 54.10 The Mountains shall depart c. but my Kindaess shall not depart from thee The Mountains are the most solid and lasting Parts of this lower Creation yet they may and shall be remov'd they may by violent Eruptions be carried into the midst of the Sea they shall be overturn'd at the End of the World but the Love of God is Everlasting and Vnmoveable Where 't is once fixt 't is never to be taken away neither Things present not to come shall be able to separate us from it If the foresight of our Sins did not prevent it Sins actually committed shall not displace it If God bear such a good-will to unbelieving Sinners for the first fulsilling of the Work of Faith in us is a Fruit and Evidence of his Love to us we cannot reasonably suppose that it should afterwards cease to sinning Believers 2. 'T is a withdrawing of the Spirit of God not in Regard of real Fresence but manifest Influence 1. The real Presence of the Spirit is not withdrawn for this is constant and perpetual Both its Constancy and Perpetuity I conceive to be intimated John 14.17 He dwelleth with you and shall be in you Where he once makes his abode he always settles it he is not an uncertain Guest but a resolv'd In habitant Believers have the Spirit when they cannot discern that they have him for they would be no longer Believers if they were without the Spirit We must be cut off from Christ if the Spirit should be taken from us for our Union with Christ is maintain'd and secur'd by the indwelling of the Spirit 1 John 3.24 Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us This is a continued Priviledge upon which others depend for we are no louger the Members of the Lord Jesus than we are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 2. The manifest Inftuence of the Spirit may be withdrawn though his Residence be not alter'd his Operations may be interrupted in Three Respects as to Gifts Graces and Comforts 1. In Respect of Gifts These receive the Name of spiritual Gists not only from their Nature but from the Spirit as the Author for how various soeverthey be they all flow from him as their common Fountain There are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 Now they that are possest of these Gifts will fsind them withering and decaying and be as though they had none when the Spirit of God withholds that actual Influence which gives Life and Vigour to them With what stammering Lips do we speak when he is not with our Mouths What poor ignorant Babblers are we when he does not enrich us in Utterance and Knowledge 2. In respect of Graces As the Habits of Grace are infused so the Actings of Grace are assisted by the Spirit and the most strong and lively Christians are very feeble and languid when he keeps back his quickening Helps The being of Grace is the Effect of the Spirits planting the springing of Grace is the Effect of his Watering The choicest Vine will yield but sorry Grapes like the shrivell'd Fruits of a dry Tree when God Commands the Clouds that they do not Rain upon it In such a Case though the Seed of God remain in a Believer 1 John 3.9 Yet what he bring forth is always ready to Dye 3. In respect of Comforts All Consolation is the Work of the Spirit which is certainly more or less according as he affords or abates his Testimony When he sheds abroad the Love of God in the Heart there is abounding Hope and a full Tide of spiritual Joy Rom. 5.5 When he refuses or forbears to do this there 's a black Cloud upon all our Evidences
is that which inseparably results from it but can never be presupposed to it By Faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out of his own Countrey into a strange Land Heb. 11.8 And whoever obey from any other Principle they are nothing in God's Account and all that they do will avail nothing to them Receiving of Christ is the first Act and yielding our selves to him is consequent upon it 3. We are expresly said to receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Faith is oppos'd to Works twice in this very Case of receiving the Spirit ver 2 5. And therefore the Gospel which is the Doctrine of Faith as distinguisht from the Law which is the Rule of Works is stiled the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 A Road of doing separate from believing is not the Way of the Spirit of God 3. How are we to understand the giving of the Spirit to them that obey Christ 1. It must not be understood as if this were the Reason of the Gift or the actual Qualification of the Persons before the receiving of this Gift Our foreseen Faith and Obedience is not the Reason why God gives the Holy Ghost to us for he is given freely as hath been said from no other Motive but the meer Kindness and Good-will of God to lost and undone Sinners Nor are any Persons so qualified and prepar'd for the receiving of the Spirit before he is given to them for we are unbelieving and disohedient till the Spirit hath been mightily at Work in us The whole Race of Manking are by Nature a wretched Company of Insidels and Rebels against Christ without the Spirit And there is not the least Disposition in us to any Duty whatsoever but what is of his producing 2. Believing and Obeying are the present Effects of the Spirit 's Influence upon our Souls assoon as he is given us He is given in Order to this End and this End is immediately and infallibly brought about by his powerful Agency When the Holy Ghost was given to the Gentiles their Hearts were instantly purified by Faith Acts 15.8 9. To have the Spirit and remain one Moment an Unbeliever is a Contradiction So we read of Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience 1 Pet. 1.2 Where the Spirit is he Acts as a Sanctifier and where he Acts so it instantly appears by the Fruit of Obedience which flow naturally from it So the Promise runs Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within-you and cause you to walk in my Statutes c. 3. In the Exercises of Faith and actings of Obedience we have more and more of the Spirit given to us So we may understand the giving of the Spirit to them that obey Christ and believe in him not of the first Donation but of the increased Degrees and Measures of the same Spirit to those that have him already In this Sense we read of the Spirit 's being given and receiv'd John 7.39 He was given before Christ's Ascension but more sparingly when he was ascended the Spirit came down in greater Flouds there was a more signal and liberal Effusion So though the Spirit is poured out that we may believe yet after we believe there are still larger Portions continually given forth This the Apostle calls the supply of the Spirit Phil. 1.19 'T is the same Word which is used 2 Pet. 1.5 Add to your Faith c. God does not stop at the first Gift but vouchsafes daily further additional Supplies III. How is the Work and Office of a Witness perform'd by the Spirit to our Lord Jesus Ans This may be shewn under four Heads distinctly How he did it before Christ's coming and during Christ's stay on Earth and after his Departure to Heaven And how he does it even now at this present Time 1. How did the Spirit perform the Work and Office of a Witness to Christ before his Coming Chiefly by Prophesie Now here two Things are to be prov'd that Prophesie was indeed a Witness to Christ and that the Spirit did witness by it 1. That Prophesie was a Witness to Christ This the Scripture most positively Asserts Acts 10.43 To him give all the Prophets Witness c. There are very numerous and plentiful Instances which might be given of the Truth of this if we look into the Prophetical Writings of the Old Testament which unanimously Point to Chtist as their main Subject Our Lord calls the Jews to search the Scriptures in General upon this account because they testified of him John 5.39 Various Predictions concerning Christ even in the Books of Moses in the Psalms of David in the Greater and Lesser Prophets in those that Prophesied before the Captivity and in them that Prophesied after the return out of Captivity There were few or none among them all but what foretold the coming of the Messiah and gave some Character of him 2. It was the Holy Spirit who witness'd hereby to Jesus Christ The Spirit of God is said to testifie in the Prophets Neb. 9.30 1 Pet. 1.11 Whatever is written in the Word he is stiled a Witness of Heb. 10.15 Because he dictated to the Pen-men of the Word not only the Matter and Substance but the very Expressions themselves For Prophesie as the Apostle says came not in Old Time by the Will of Man but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 When the Word was brought to them it was not lest to them to invent or chuse out such Terms as they thought best for the declaring and reporting of it but they were acted herein by the Divine Spirit as Passive Instruments to deliver all that which he suggested and nothing else The Gift of Prophesie was entirely his without and antecedent Preparations of their own and the Exercise of this Gift was from him and under his Conduct and Management also Therefore the Angel might justly say Rev. 19.10 The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie This Testimony was born to Christ before his Coming and the Spirit was the Author of it SERMON XII June 30. 1696. ACTS V. xxxii latter Part. And so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him 2. HOW did the Spirit perform this Work of a Witness when Christ was upon the Earth I will mention only Three Ways 1. His Visible Descent upon Christ at his Baptism Luke 3.22 The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon him c. It is not to my present Purpose to enquire of what Nature or Substance this Appearance was the Form or Resemblance here assum'd is said to be that of a Dove which was obvious to Sense and seen by his forerunner the Person that Baptiz'd him which was the Token that God had given him to know the Messiah by and this he bare Record of John 1.32 33. That this was designed as a solemn Testimony to Jesus Christ
is manifest because immediately after this he enter'd upon his publick Ministry here was a Pledge first given of the Authority which he was invested with that he might be accordingly acknowledg'd and regarded in the Exercise of his Office which till now he had not begun 2. The extraordinary Works that were done by Christ these were the Seals of his Commission and prov'd him to come from Heaven for the Doctrine of an Impostor would never have been so signally asserted But now all these Works were done in the Power of the Holy Ghost whom he is said to be anointed with and partly for that End Acts 10.38 Particularly he cast out Devils by the Spirit of God Mat. 12.28 And for that Reason he charges the Jews with Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost the unpardonable Sin who ascrib'd this mighty Act of his to Beelzebub the Prince of Devils ver 31 32. If Christ himself only had been concern'd in this Work this could have been Blasphemy against him only but seeing the Spirit of God concurr'd with him in it they were guilty of Blaspheming that Spirit also 3. The Resurrection of Christ which was a considerable Testimony to his Eternal Deity is ascrib'd to the Spirit likewise This Work is indeed in Scripture ascrib'd to all the Three Persons to the Father Rom. 6.4 To Christ himself John 10.17 18. And the Holy Ghost is interested in it too Rom. 8.11 If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that rais'd up Christ from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit c. The Connexion of the Words and the Relation which one Thing in them bears to another shews this to be the meaning that God will revive and raise the Dead Bodies of Believers by the same Spirit by whom he rais'd his Son that Spirit who reunited the Humane Soul and Body of Jesus Christ will reunite ours also So 1 Pet. 3.16 Quicken'd in the Spirit the same Spirit by which he Preach'd to the Disobedient in the Days of Noah ver 19 20. with Gen. 6.3 3. How did the Spirit witness to Christ after his Departure into Heaven I mean in the Times of the Apostles and in those first Ages of the Gospel Answ I. By the Revelation of the Mysteries of the Gospel to the Apostles which they were to Preach to others This we have an Account of from Christ himself John 16.12 13 14 15. I have yet many Things to say unto you but you cannot bear-them now howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth c. He shall Glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you which is repeated in the next Words The Disciples then were weak in the Faith prepossest with carnal Notions about the Kingdom of Christ and at that Time also overwhelm'd with Sorrow upon the Notice of his intended Departure and by this means they were uncapable at the present of Learning all that they needed to be taught now Jesus Christ who consider'd their weakness and dealt with them according to it refers them to be more fully instructed by the promised Spirit who though he did not discover any new Truths which they never heard yet he brought old Truths to their Remembrance with new Illumination he help'd their remaining Ignorance and Infrimity in giving them a clearer Understanding of all the Things of Chirist of all those Doctrines concerning Christ which were hid and veil'd from them before 2. By endowing them with a miraculous Power of doing those Things which were above the utmost activity of Nature for the Confirmation of the Christian Doctrine Thus he is said to give Testimony to the Word of his Grace in granting Signs and Wonders to be done by their Hands Acts 14.3 God bearing them Witness with Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2.4 A great many of those supernatural Effects were produced by his means in the Course of their Ministry and some of them such as even exceeded what were wrought by our Lord himself So he had told them that it should be John 14.12 He that believeth on me the Works which I do shall he do also and greater Works than these shall he do because I go to my Faither I would not go about to restrain this Text to the Apostles because Christ puts it in larger Terms He that believeth c. but undoubtedly it was verified in them They were enabled to Work the same Miracles which he did and in some Respects such as out-did them Chap. 9. The Healing of those that were laid upon Beds and Couches in the Streets with the Shadow of Peter passing by ver 15. of this Chapter and Chap. 19.11 12. We read of special Miracles wrought by the Hands of Paul so that from his Body were brought unto the Sick Handkerchiefs or Aprons and the Diseases departed from them c. The Reason of these greater Works done by the Apostles was Christ's going to the Father which made Way for an eminent pouring forth of the Spirit and this tended not so much to the Reputation of their particular Persons for they could not Work them when they would as to the Glory of Christ whose Interest was hereby advanced in the World 3. By the remarkable and numerous Conversions of great Multitudes to Christ among whom they preach'd As soon as ever the Holy Ghost was come upon them there were Three Thousand Souls added to them That gladly receiv'd their Word and were Baptized Chap. 2.41 Soon after these were made up Five Thousand Chap. 4.4 All this was done in the compass of very few Days and the first Harvest was the Fruit of one Sermon At Samaria when Philip went and Preach'd Christ to them 't is said that the People with one accord gave heed to the Things which he spake Chap. 8.5 6. Which is the more extraordinary because they had all given heed to Simon the Sorcerer before from the least to the greatest ver 10. What a strang and marvellous turn was here in an whole City upon the Preaching of the Gospel In many other Places the Word of God grew mightily and prevail'd Chap. 19.20 It got ground against all the Opposition both of Jews and Gentiles The Preachers of it were made to Triumph in Christ and baffies all contrary attempts from open Enemies and false Brethren and overcame the Devil by the Word of their Testimony And the way of doing all this is explain'd to us 1 Cor. 2.4 My Speech and my Preaching was in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power The Spirit of God accompanied their Word and made it thus successful 4. By the supernatural Gifts which were bestowed upon other Believers also as well as the Apostles The Truth of this might be made out by several Instances if it were needful Acts 10.44 While Peter spake the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word viz. Cornelius
and his Kindred and Friends whom he had call'd together ver 24. But how did he fall on them Peter himself explains it Chap. 11.15 As on us at the beginning i.e. in a miraculous extraordinary Manner So Christ had said Mark 16.17 These Signs shall follow them that believe in my Name shall they cast out Devils they shall spake with new Tongues c. Not only they that Publisht the Gospel but they that receiv'd it were many of them thus eminently gifted by the Holy Ghost and this was much for the Honour of Christ whom they believed in and serv'd to rescue his Gospel from that Contempt and Reproach which the World was so apt every where to pour upon it 5. By the admirable Patience and Resolution both of the Apostles and other Believers in the extream Sufferings which they underwent for Christ and the Gospel I think says Paul that God hath set forth us the Apostles as it were appointed to Death 1 Cor. 4.9 He protests for his own Part that he Dyed daily Chap. 15.31 Stood in jeopardy every Hour ver 30. Others to whom he writes endured great fights of Afflictions Heb. 10.32 Not little Skirmishes but continual Combats What vast numbers of them crown'd all at last with Martyrdom which is the most peculiar Notion of witnessing And with what meekness and undauntedness was all this done as by Men that had fully learnt to despise their own Lives and dearest Comforts together with the greatest Cruelties of their Adversaries But whence did all this proceed From the Spirit of Glory resting on them 1 Pet. 4.14 As Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost saw the Glory of God when his Murderers gnash their Teeth Acts 7.54 55. Their dying witness to Christ was through the special Assistance of his Blessed Spirit 4. How does the Spirit witness to Christ even now in our own Times For there is a never failing Testimony which he gives still and will always give to the End of the World Not by Voices Dreams or Enthusiastick Inspirations which are usually dangerous Delusions where they are pretended and rested on but in such Ways as are safe and clear and highly beneficial As 1. The Spirit witnesses at this very Day to Jesus Christ in the written Gospel This is the standing Memorial and Register of all Divine Testimony There the Doctrine of Christ is preserved uncorrupt and is the same in writing to us that it was originally to the first Christians and here we have a sufficient History of the Miracles which recommended and backt this Doctrine I say a sufficient History sufficient to Answer the End though not a compleat History of all that was done John 20.30 31. Many other Signs did Jesus in the Presence of his Disciples which are not written in this Book but these are Written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Son of God c. They were not only wrought but are written in Order to our Believing this puts it out of doubt that we are bound to Believe upon the Testimony of those Miracles which we never saw as faithfully related if they were to be renewed in every Age the commonness of them would make them lose their End and every Generation after they are ceased might challenge a Repetition of them as well as one and to what Purpose should Persons be enjoyn'd to tell the wonderful Works of God to their Posterity if they were not oblig'd to give Credit to them As Exod. 10.2 And many other Places 2. He witnesses to Christ by the Operations and Effects which the Gospel hath upon all the chosen of God for hereby it is distinguisht from the Word of Man even by its Effectual Workings 1 Thess 2.13 There is no Comparison between them in their Natures For what is the Chaff to the Wheat Jer. 23.28 Nor in their Operative Vertues For is not my Word like as a Fire saith the Lord and like an Hammer c. ver 29. This shews the Power of the Spirit attending it this is that which puts an Edge upon the Word and gives a force to it which makes it quick and mighty sharp and searching in the Work of Conviction hereby it takes hold of Sinners Casts down Imaginations and brings every thought into Captivity to the Obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 The Word alone would not do this but as it comes in Power and in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess 1.5 There are Impressions of the Majesty and Authority of God upon the Word stampt by the Spirit but the same Spirit must enable us to discern them as a Stranger must Learn to know an Artificer's Workmanship from himself 3. By giving us an inward Experience and feeling of the Things of Christ Spiritual Sences are a great Advantage to those that have them and whoever have them are beholden to the Spirit for them Hence it is that the Things of Christ are called the Things of the Spirit of God which the natural man neither does receive nor can know 1 Cor. 2.14 A meer notional acquaintance with them is vain and insignificant and yet this is all that any Man in the World by Nature without the help of the Spirit can Rise up to We know them by receiving them they are strange Things till they are taken in and made Familiar to us by real and experimental Knowledge Therefore 't is said He that believeth on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5.10 That Verbal Testimony which is without him in the Scripture is then transcrib'd within him on his own Heart he is satisfied from himself which is the highest and fullest Satisfaction 4. By the producing of Faith in Christ which is a Work that 's never fulfilled in any Soul where be is not given for 't is one of his Titles the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 He infuses the Habit he excites to every Act. Divine Supernatural Faith requires a Divine and Supernatural Agent 'T is he that effectually Reproves for the Sin of unbelief John 16.9 He discovers the Disease he applies the Remedy 'T is a part of the Mystery of Godliness that Jesus Christ is believed on in the World and another part of it is that he is justified in the Spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 But one part Contributes to the unriddling of the other If Christ were not justified in the Spirit he would not be believ'd on in the World Christ is justified in or by the Spirit whenever any one in the World is persuaded to believe they are the Spirits internal Arguments on the behalf of Christ that sway the Soul to a receiving of and closing with him He reveals those Things concerning Christ to us which could not enter into our Hearts to conceive of him 1 Cor. 2.9 10. 5. By the strengthening and increasing of this Faith daily after he hath produc'd it There are gradual Displaies of the Glory and Excellency of Christ to the believing Soul all is not manifested at once there are fresh
Endearments in one Breath and also in the right Order Song 2.16 My Beloved is mine and I am his God is the Ocean from which Love first flows out and to which it always streams back Love when it hath descended from Heaven to Earth hath finished but half its Course but when it ascends from Earth to Heaven the Circle is compleated 2. This Love which is the Product of God's is virtually all Obedience both as it inclines and disposes unto all and as it comprehends all in it 1. It disposes and inclines to all Obedience When the Heart is melted by his Fire within 't is easily cast into the mould of any Precept whatsoever As it puts us upon keeping the Commandments of God so it keeps them from being grievous 1 John 5.3 Obedience can neither be partial nor burdensome where-ever this Love of God dwells but it fulsils the Charge which David gave to Solomon of serving God with a perfect Heart and a willing Mind 1 Chron. 28.9 2. It comprehends all Obedience in it self The end of the Commandment is Charity c. 1 Tim. 1.5 Both Tables are reduc'd by Christ to two Commandments and Love is the grand Inscription of them both Therefore Love is styled the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 All the Duty which we owe to God and to our Neighbour is included in Love to each And indeed we cannot walk in God's Truth unless we walk in Love to one another as well as to him Our Alienations from our Brethren speak our distance from Christ the Center of our Union The nearer any Lines in a Circle come to the Center the nearer they are one to another but the further they go from the Center the more they run out one from another III. To Apply this What are we to be inform'd of and exhorted to I. Vse Information 1. If our Obedience be excited by the Love of God then the Love of God prevents our Obedinence If we did first give to God he is able infinitely to recompence it again above what we can think but who is it that hath first given unto him Rom. 11.35 There is not one whose Heart God hath touched that will dare to pretend it We do not commend our selves to God but God manifests himself to us The Love of God was not purchas'd even by the Obedience of Christ much less by ours 1 John 4.10 Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins The sending of the Son was the Effect of the Father's Love and therefore the Son 's coming could not be the Cause of it How then can we procure what Christ did not His Love is not bestow'd upon us for our Service but is the incentive to it 2. 'T is blasphemy against the Love of God to reproach is with being the Parent or Nurse of carnal Security They that have the Kingdness of God in their Eye can take no Encouragement from thence to set any wicked Thing before them for Sin tends to Cloud that Light wherein we rejoyce If God be well pleased with us it lays the greater Engagement upon us to walk worthy of him How absurd is it to say that when God communicates his Thoughts of Peace the Soul is embolden'd to new Acts of Treason As if Men should lay aside the Fear of God because the Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psalm 25.14 Or as if the Spirit of Adoption took Men off from Obedience to God when they are call'd to be Followers of him as dear Children Eph. 5.1 3. They that by loose and disorderly Practices give any occasion to such Blasphemers have a great deal of Sin to answer for besides their own If any of us Cause this way of Truth to be evil spoken of we bring the guilt of those Calumnies upon our selves It will be an heavy load to a tender Conscience if sound Doctrine is arraign'd through our unmortified Corruption How do we wrong the Purity of the Gospel when we turn the Grace of our God into lasciviousness For the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation teacheth us the contrary Tis. 2.11 12. What is this but to change the Glory of God into an Image made like to unclean Spirits Wo to those Libertines by whom this offence cometh What Jealousie and Rage does that Adulteress deserve who impudently abuses her Husband's Love 4. The Grace of God in us is a comforting Evidence of his Love to us Though Holy Walking is no Foundation for Trust we may reflect upon it as a Token for good 'T is said of the way of Holiness that the redeemed shall walk there Isa 35.8 9. as Mary Magdalen's Pardon is concluded from her Affection so if God enables us to make straight Paths for our Feet 't is a sign that he hath set his Heart upon us As all Obedience issues from the Spirit so the Gift of that Spirit is a Testimony of peculiar Favour Ezek. 39.29 Neither will I hide my Face any more from them for I have poured out my Spirit c. 5. A denial of the possibility of Assurance is injurious to Holiness The first and best Christians were such as could say we have known and believed the Love which God hath to us 1 John 4.16 And they that have had the same Spirit of Faith have always approved themselves the greatest Saints in all succeeding Times but to say that this their belief was a Delusion is in effect to say that all their Religion was a Cheat too which in this more degenerate Age is hardly to be matcht To stake Men down to uncertain suspended waverings about their Interest in the Love of God is to destroy the most quickening Motive to Obedience 6. The Christian Life is as far from being uncomfortable as from being irregular What greater Pleasure can there be than to be constantly influenc'd by the Love of God to the Service of God A dull and sowre Complexion does not belong to real Christianity Psalm 97.11 Light is sown for the Righteous and Gladness for the upright in Heart Though Cain's Countenance fall Abel's Race may lift up their Heads If there be any Consolation in Christ they that are his have reason to rejoyce and what more sure than that there is all in him and none out of him He hath a Chariet of Gold paved with Love for the Daughters of Jerusalem Song 3.10 What so delightful as to go up and fit with him in that Chariot II. Exhortation 1. Think not only on the Love of God in general but on the most affecting Properties of it in Particular Such as 1. It s Antiquity God loved us from Eternity before we were and before the World was and there have been Early discoveries of it there is the Love of God to us in our Childhood Hos 11.1 And his Kindness in our Youth Jer. 2.2 Which are both Seasons of Vanity The Loving Kindnesses of God
would omit to mediate for them or that his Mediation was not to be eyed by them but the meaning is that the Father's Love does prevent as it were this Act of Christ and is the very ground which 't is built upon for Christ had never been appointed to this work if God had not lov'd us 2. That the Communication of the Spirit is altogether free and undeserved He is truly given and whatsoever is proper Gift is not bestowed as a recompence to any previous Endeavours but in a way of most gracious voluntary Disposal it might be withheld denied and kept back without the least shadow of unrighteousness or wrong to the Creature God is under no Obligation to give the Spirit to any but what by his own Promise he hath laid upon himself and there is no Promise but what Mercy is as much concern'd in the making as Truth in the keeping of God hath practised to give the Spirit to them that ask him and for our our Encouragement he is describ'd as more willing to give the Spirit upon our asking than the tenderest Parents are to give necessary Sustenance to their own Children Luke 11.13 But is this ever the less an Act of Grace because we are put to beg it And is not our very begging an effect of Grace receiv'd For we cannot ask the Spirit without the Spirit the Spirit of Supplication is poured out where Pleaded for 3. That when the Spirit of God is once communicated he is never totally recall'd God does not take away what he gives of this sort His saving Gists as the Gift of the Holy Ghost most certainly is are without Repentance Rom. 11.29 In them is Continuance as the Prophet speaks Isa 64.5 Their Duration runs Parallel with the being of the Giver They that are really made partakers of the Holy Ghost in his special sanctifying Operations cannot lose him He is given to abide with them for ever they are his Living Temples which shall be at no Time forsaken or left desolate There may be transient workings and long strivings of the Spirit with carnal Hypocrites but they are not indeed possest of him and therefore are sinally without him There was a notable Difference between the Anointing of Saul and David the former with a Vial 1 Sam. 10.1 The latter with an Horn of Oil Chap. 16.1 God's Ceremonies are very signisicant the Horn was a more solid the Glass a more brittle Substance to intimate the permanency of the Divine Presence with David and its sudden removal from Saul 4. That the Communication of the Spirit is an exceeding valuable Blessing When God is said to give the Holy Ghost it implies the Priviledge of those that receive him 'T is an instance of singular Favour on God's Part and a Matter of unspeakable Advantage on their Part both to themselves and others 1. 'T is the greatest Advantage to themselves There are many good and perfect Gifts of God but this Gift excells The Promise of Christ in the Old Testament and of the Spirit in the New contain all the Promises in Eminency There are some Things which God gives in Anger but he never gives the Spirit so There are some Things which God distributes promiscuously and some times to those whom he hates most plentifully but the Spirit is a Gift which the World cannot receive John 14.17 Other Things may be the lot of such as are reserved to the Day of Destruction but they that have the Spirit are sealed to the Day of Redemption 2. T is a great Advantage to others also 1 Cor. 12.7 The Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal No Persons in the World so useful in their Places as they that partake of this blessed Gift It was this which recommended Joseph to the Egyptians Gen. 41.38 Pharaoh said unto his Servants can we find such an one as this a Man in whom the Spirit of God is One fill'd with the Holy Ghost is worth a Thousand of common Men he is a capable Instrument of much more good in his Generation than all the Philosophers Criticks and Disputers of his World with their vast stores of unsanctified Learning II. Whom is this Spirit given to The Answer is in the Text to them that obey him For the clearing of this there are Three Things which should be a little enquir'd into Who is the Person here said to be obey'd What is meant by our obeying him And how we are to understand the Spirits being given unto such 1. Who is the Person here said to be obey'd To them that obey him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is indeed applicable to all the Three Persons Father Son and Spirit as they are all the just Objects of our Obedience God the Father is to be obey'd in the Commands which he gives forth God the Holy Ghost is to be obey'd in his inward Motions upon our own Hearts but I incline rather to their Judgment who Interpret this especially of God the Son Jesus Christ This seems the fairest Construction if we view the Words in the Original we are his Witnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Christ's Witnesses Christ is the Person spoken of first and last the Verse begins and closes with him Now that Christ hath a right to our Obedience is undeniable 1. Because we were made by him and as his Creatures we are bound to be his Servants He that brought us into Being may upon that Account require the utmost Performance of Duty from us 2. As he is our Redeemer he is entitled to be our Ruler He may very well give Laws to us that hath restor'd our Lives to us as the impotent Man urg'd to the Jews when they censur'd him for carrying his Bed on the Sabbath-day John 5.11 He that made me whole the same said unto me take up thy Bed and Walk q.d. it becomes me to follow his Orders to whom I owe my Recovery Christ is Saviour and Lord to the same Persons and all that are ransom'd by him are thereby engag'd to be subject to him 2. What is meant by obeying him here Some render it by Believing and that this must be included if it be not principally intended I would offer these few Argumeuts to prove 1. Faith it self is the highest Act of Obedience We read of the Obedience of Faith Rom. 16.26 As the great End of the Gospels Publication and the very same Words are render'd Obedience to the Faith Chap. 1.5 If we should take Faith here for the Doctrine of Faith 't is evident that the receiving of this Doctrine is set forth by Obedience In believing we obey for this is his Commandment that we should Believe c. 1 John 3.23 Indeed 't is the most difficult Duty as they that are found in the Performance of it are able to declare from their own Experience Presumption is easie but the true Exercise of Faith is hard Work 2. Faith is the Foundation of all Evangelical Obedience Obedience
Communicatious of Light and Grace as long as we are in the World that our Faith may grow and that what is lacking in it may be perfected According as the Spirit enriches us in the Progress of our Sanctification the Testimony of Christ is confirmed in us 1 Cor. 1.6 He grounds and settles us and makes us unmoveable from the Hope of the Gospel he fortifies and establishes us against various contrary Temptations whereby the Devil is frequently endeavouring to loosen our hold of Christ and beat us off from him We are poor wavering unsteady Creatures when we are left to our selves rejoycing one Moment and drooping the next confidently assured of that at one Time which we are ready to call in Question at another The best Believers in the World will most humbly own this the strongest Faith would certainly fail if the Cause of Christ in the Soul were not often pleaded over again by the Spirit as an Antidote for the Motions to Infidelity IV. Vse There are several Things which from hence we may be informed of and exhorted to 1. There are several Things which we may be informed of As 1. Jesus Christ never will nor can be left without a Witness because the Eternal Spirit is his Witness who will never with-dram his Testimony This Spirit of Christ is given to all that obey him and he testifies of Christ to them and by them to others but if we could suppose this whole Generation of the righteous to be extinct which yet shall never be as long as the Earth remains if all these Humane Witnesses were slain and not one left to stand up on the behalf of Christ in the World yet while the Holy Ghost survives as a faithful Witness in Heaven 't is impossible that Christ should be destitute Let the Rage and Malice of the World against Christ go as far as it can in stopping the Mouths or shedding the Blood of all that receive or bear the Record which God hath given of his Son the Spirit cannot be prevented from doing constant Honour to Jesus Christ 2. The Word of Christ hath a better Foundation than any Tesitimony from Man or from any Church or Party of Men whatever As Christ said He had a greater Witnrss than that of John John 5-36 Concerning thy Testimonies I have knowu of Old says David that thou hast founded them for ever Psalm 119.152 But if mortal Witnesses were their only Supporters they would be as liable to fade and perish to be subverted and destroyed as other Inferiour Things To build the Credit of the Gospel upon Humane Tradition is like putting the Ark of the Testimony into a wooden Cart which will be apt to shake and reel if not to tumble The Church of God is the Pillar and Ground of the Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 To hold it forth indeed not to hold it up not such a Pillar as Houses stand upon but as Writings hang upon for Publick Notice 3. The unrighteous Judgment of Satan and the World against Christ is and will be perfectly reversed Now is the Judgment of this World says Christ John 12.31 So Chap. 16.11 When the Sprit is come he will Reprove or Convince the World of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged I take these Two Texts to refer to one and the same Thing for the Prince of this World and the World it self pass the same Judgment on Jesus Christ and the Judgment of both is very unjust the World and its Prince make up as it were but one Person the Head and the Body and they exactly Agree and Joyn in the same Sentence to condemn our Lord Jesus But here is a Witness that nuls this Sentence and plainly proves the Iniquity and Falshood of it and indeed none of the Devil's Devices can stand when God himself comes forth to withstand and oppose them 4. It must needs be a lying Spirit that speaks a Word against Christ or that derogates any Thing from him 1 Cor. 12.3 I give you to nderstand that no Man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed Whatever is spoken by any to the dishonour of our Lord Jesus cannot proceed from the Spirit of God This is most certain because the Spirit of God cannot contradict himself he cannot testifie for him and against him too The Holy Ghost is Christ's Witness the unclean Spirit is his Adversary and too many Tongues are duided by this unclean and wicked Spirit that pretend to Prophesie in Christ's Name and whereas a true Witness delivereth Souls Prov. 14.25 These do lay snares for their Ruine and Destruction 5. They that have the Spirit of God cannot err in what is essential to the Faith of Christ and necessary to Salvation They are undoubtedly taught to hold the Substance of Divine Testimony though they may be mistaken in lesser Particulars This is hinted by what our Lord says Mat. 24.24 There shall arise false Christ's and false Prophets and shall shew great Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. That Parenthesis is the most material Part of the Proposition there is no possibility of any of God's chosen and called ones miscarrying by a fundamental Delusion they have a Resident Witness for Christ in their own Bosoms who secures them from it 6. Vnbelief is a special Sin against the Holy Ghost all unbelief is so though all unbelief and perhaps no meer unbelief is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost It is the Spirit that beareth Witness because the Spirit is Truth 1 John 5.6 But he that believeth not makes him a Lyar ver 10. Hypocrisie is a lying to the Lord as Ananias and Sapphira lyed to the Holy Ghost but infidelity is a belying of him Jer. 5.12 'T is a painting of the Spirit of God like the Sons of Men who are Lyars upon Record Rom. 3.4 Yea like the Devil who is the Father of Lyes John 8.44 This black aggravated Evil is included in the not receiving of the Spirit 's witness 2. There are some Things which we may hence be exhorted to 1. Set your Seal to the Truth of the Spirits Testimony unto Christ by Believing in him and reject it not against your selves Embrace him with all your Hearts upon the high and honourable Commendation which the Holy Ghost gives of him How readily do we repose a Confidence in Creatures when we have receiv'd a worthy Character of them from Persons of known Integrity And shall we be influenc'd more by the Witness of Man than by the Witness of God God forbid How much greater Encouragements have we to Divine than humane Faith There are infallible Grounds for Divine Faith to rest upon which for humane cannot be 2. Grieve not the Spirit of God by Sin that he may not deliver you up nor leave you alone to be led away by Error The Holy Ghost is often provok'd by Men's loose Conversations to give them over to some unsound Opinions Practical
Godliness is an excellent Means for the maintaining of Doctrinal Orthodoxy If any Man will do his Will he shall know of the Doctrine John 7.17 Follow the Spirits Guidance in the Course of your Lives if you would not forfeit it as to the regulating of your Judgments Be govern'd by him as a Spirit of Holiness if you would be instructed by him as a Spirit of Truth 3. Whatever the Spirit in and according to the Scripture testifies against give it no Entertainment That cannot be the Doctrine of Christ which he doth not attest 'T is another Gospel and therefore not to be receiv'd though an Angel from Heaven were the Publisher of it We have a sure Word of Prophesie whereunto we do well to take heed 2 Pet. 1.19 That must be no Article of our Faith which we have not first tried or which upon the Trial is not approv'd by this Rule of Faith According as the Testimony of the Spirit in the Word is we are to Judge of every Cause which comes before us 4. Regard the Witness of the Spirit with respect to Christ in you as well as Christ without you He is a capable Witness as to both for he searcheth all Things he knows the State and Disposition of our Souls towards God as well as the out-goings of the Heart of God to us He that can reveal Christ in us is undoubtedly the sittest to discover us to our selves Therefore what our Conscience bears us Witness in the Holy Ghost as Rom. 9.1 Is to be comfortably acquiesced in as a faithful unerring Report If Conscience it self be as a thousand Witnesses how much more when the Holy Ghost concurs with it 5. Beg the help of the Spirit in Order to the giving of your Testimony to Christ as you ought to do in your several Places 1 Cor. 12.3 No Man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Obj. What think you then of those that call Christ Lord Lord and do not the Things which he says Ans 'T is true the meer repeating of such words is easie and may be done without the Spirit but if we say it from a right Principle in a right Manner and to a right End it must be by the Holy Ghost And therefore this saying is like that confessing 1 John 4.15 Not a bare Verbal Confession with the Mouth but joyn'd with believing in the Heart 6. Manifest your having of the Spirit by your ready resolute and eonstant witness-bearing on the behalf of Christ. Be not asham'd of the Testimouy of our Lord 2 Tim. 1.8 'T is the greatest Honour to us when we are call'd to any such Service to our great Redeemer A Work which is done by the Spirit of God himself must unquestionably be a Matter of Glory and Reputation to such as we Nor is it only upon solemn extraordinary special Occasions but in the whole Course of our Lives in all that we think speak and do we should testifie to our Lord Jesus In short you who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in you can do no less among a World of Men that ungratefully despise him than by your whole behaviour proclaim your deserved esteem of him SERMON XIII September 8. 1696. MARK X. xxvi xxvii And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves Who then can be saved And Jesus looking upon them saith With Men it is impossible but not with God For with God all Things are possible To understand the occasion of the Words we must look back as far us ver 17. of this Chapter where we find a young Ruler as two of the other Evangelists describe him Mat. 19.20 Luke 18.18 addressing himself with some Earnestness and Reverence to Christ for his Judgment and Advice in a very important Case What shall I do that I may inherit Eternal life Christ framing his Answer according to the Principles then generally embrac'd of living by doing refers him to the commandments He that put the Question having too good an Opinion of himself confidently affirms his keeping of them all Christ in his Reply to convince him that he was not so perfect as he pretended himself to be offers him a Test which he could not comply with viz. Selling what he had and giving to the Poor and taking up the Cross and following him This was no unreasonable Proof of his Obedience for a resolved Preference of Heaven to all that this World affords and actual parting with all for it when we are called thereunto is every one's necessary Duty But this Ruler was sad at that saying and went away grieved Carnal Men may be sorry that they cannot bring down God to their own Terms when they refuse to come up to his they would reconcile Things in Heaven and Things in Earth and enjoy their Portion in both Worlds Hereupon our Lord applies the rest of his Discourse to his Disciples as being most concer'd for their Satisfaction and Improvement to them therefore he says How hardly shall they that have Riches enter into the Kingdom of God ver 23. These Words astonisht the Disciples and yet Christ with little Variation repeats them ver 24. And enforces them by a Proverbial Comparison which was yet more startling ver 25. It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle than for a Rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God Whether that which we render here a Camel should be rather Translated a Cable-rope because the Original Word sigifies both is not much material but certainly a Man with great Possessions loaded with thick Clay might be fitly enough represented by a camel carrying Burdens more for others than himself and the Entrance into Life being strait and narrow may very well be said to resemble the Passage through the Eye of a Needle But this brings us to the Text it self wherein we have two Parts the Amazement of the Disciples at Christ's Doctrine and his own Explication of it 1. The Amazemenet of the Disciples at this Doctrine of Christ ver 26. And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves who then can be saved The Word here which we render by Astonishment is not the same with that ver 24. But more significant as if the Mind were not only struck but struck out as it were with Horror and Confusion Besides 't is added here out of measure or abundantly and exceedingly for this Doctrine appear'd very rigorous and severe to them as if it shut out all Persons almost from a possibility of Salvation Becaufe 1. Though all Men are not Rich nor perhaps the most yet there are few but what desire to be so and the Love of Riches which is indeed the Disease prevails where there is not the Possession It was very common among the Jews in the Prophet's Time From the least to the greatest every one is given to Covetousness Jer. 6.13 Chap. 8.10 And 't is not less natural to other People 2. The Rich seem
whereas there is but one Lord Jesus Christ they make up one Mystical Body but not one natural Person therefore his Grace and theirs must numerically differ 3. The Grace given to Christ was to serve some special Purposes and Ends which the Grace given to us is not adapted for He was not only made under the Ceremonial Law and under the Moral as others were but under a peculiar Law which concern'd himself only Gal. 4.4 There is a vast Difference between the Work of Christ as Mediator and the Work of an ordinary Christian and therefore besides the stock of habitual Grace of which his Manhood was possest he had the Godhead also to support him and there was absolute need of it There was more Service and Duty incumbent upon Jesus Christ than ever was upon any meer Creature before or since The Active and Passive Obedience of Christ exceeds all that any Man was ever called to do or suffer Our work under the Influence of his Grace hath a subordinate Respect to our own Salvation he was to work out the Salvation of all his Elect in a way of proper Merit and Satisfaction 4. The Grace in him and in us are not equally perfect they are not like Parallel Lines which run the same length No Believer can pretend to be so full of Grace as he was our receivings are far from coming up to the same measure with his Christ had an extraordinary anointing in a larger Quantity we have it drop't in Comparison upon us He as the Sun of Righteousness Mal. 4.2 We as twinkling Stars He as the King of Righteousness Heb. 7.2 We as Inferiour Subjects Grace is Christ was like Water in a wide Sea which hath no visible Bounds Grace in us is like Water in a little Brook or a narrow River Grace in him was in sinless Perfection at the first in us it is never so while we are in this World there are mixtures of sinful Infirmity with all the Grace which we have or Exercise He had abundance of Grace clouded with no Corruption we compar'd with him have a great deal of Corruption besetting a little Grace 2. To State the Truth it self as it is in this Case 1. The Grace which is in Believers bears some Proportion and Similitude to the Grace which is in Christ as it proceeds from one and the same Spirit The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him and make him of quick Vnderstanding in the Fear of the Lord Isa 11.2 3. All Holy Communications to Christ and us are the immediate Effects of this Blessed Spirit the Third Person in the Godhead He was sanctified by the Holy Ghost when he was sent into the World so are we when called out of the World and translated into his invisible Kingdom As Christ gives us the same Glory Which the Father gave to him John 17.22 So he fills us with the same Divine Spirit which he had himself 2. Christ's Grace and ours have one general Scope and Aim viz. The glorifying of God No Grace can be of the right Seed but what is levell'd at the Honour of the Giver As it is God's Design in giving it so it will be our Design in acting it if it be acted with Integrity Christ who had so rich a Furniture of Grace sought not his own Glory nor the exalting of himself But he glorified God on the Earth John 17.4 This is what he had an Eye to in all he did so every Believer intends and pursues the same Thing 'T is as much his business to glorifie God as it is his Pleasure to enjoy him Grace consecrates even his natural Actions to serve and promote this noble End the Actions of Eating and Drinking which in others are only perform'd for Necessity or else for Lust 1 Cor. 10.31 3. As Christ had every Grace so hath the Believer though none in the highst Degree Our Lord Jesus was a compleat Copy of universal Righteousness none could say to him as he said to the Young Man One Thing thou lackest So as to the kinds of Grace they that belong to Christ are likewise perfect and entire wanting nothing James 1.4 And they stand compleat in all the Will of God Col. 4.12 they are not endued with some Graces and destitute of others but where one is there is all If a a Liar c. 1 John 4.20 These Things are not separable any more than you can divide Christ from himself Wheresoever Faith is there is Repentance and new Obedience that 's a Counterfeit Faith which is alone 't is Dead and therefore cannot be true James 2.17 Saving Graces are always in Connection They make up the one Chain on the Spouses Neck which ravishes the Heart of Christ Song 4.9 4. The Matter of his Grace and ours is the same The new Creature is therefore set forth by Christ formed in us Gal. 4.19 Because of the Agreement and Conformity betwixt the stamp of God's Holiness upon the Humane Soul of Christ and the Souls of them that believe Hence the same Mind is said to be in us as was in him Phil. 2.5 The same humble meek self-denying self-resigning Temper So he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous 1 John 3.7 'T is the same Rule of Righteousness observ'd by both and so the same specifical Work of Righteousness perform'd by both That Law which was perfectly obey'd by Christ is sincerely obey'd by all that are Christ's A new Commandment write I unto you which Thing is true in him and in you 1 John 2.8 That Law which was in his Heart is in ours if we be Partakers of Christ and that which govern'd his exemplary Life will govern ours also Vse Many Things follow from hence both for our Learning and Practise 1. For our Learning As 1. If Grace it self be given then nothing done by the help of Grace can be meritorious of Glory If our first stock and all our Improvements are from God and vouchsafed freely What Reward can we challenge for any thing we do God is so much before-hand with us that he can never be oblig'd or indebted to us if we were capable of first giving to him we might expect a recompence and requital but says God Who hath prevented me that I should repay him Job 41.11 We do not prevent God with Duty but he prevents us with Grace and therefore we owe all that we can do to God and a great deal more we can never answer the Engagements which we are under nor discharge the thousandth part of what he might require from us so that 't is impossible for the least or lowest Degree of Favour to be due from him All our returns of Service and Obedience to God are built upon the Foundation of Grace receiv'd we do but give him of his own as David said 1 Chron. 29.14 And therefore the Gift of Eternal Life cannot flow from distributive Justice but must be a further Act of undeserved Bounty 2. If Grace
Vera Effigies TIMOTHEI CRUSO Aetat 40. 1697. T. Forster delin N. White scuÌ„lp TWENTY-FOUR SERMONS Preached at the MERCHANTS-LECTURE AT Pinners Hall By the late Reverend Mr. TIMOTHY CRVSO LONDON Printed by S. Bridge for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside MDCXCIX TO THE READER THese Sermons are some of the Reliques of one who is gone to receive the Fruit of his Labours who hath left Sowing for the sake of the Harvest wherein he is now reaping Though this is a Posthumous Piece yet it speaks out the living Praise of the dead Author whose it was without any Alteration or Addition being Printed from his own Notes If I may use the Phrase in Fashion he lived too fast not as too many do who shorten their Days by their Debaucheries and sinful Excesses but as a Taper which wastes it self to give Light to others His Bodily Constitution was too weak to undergo the Service his Soul put it to in constant Studies and hard Labour that he might Answer the Restlesness of his Mind which was always aspiring to greater Knowledge and higher Attainments whereby he laid greater load upon his Flesh than its weakness could bear and so sinking under the burden he died in the midst of his Days There is no need of my Epistle to Midwife these Excellent Discourses into the World nor had I had any hand in it had it not been to answer the Desires of some Relations of his to whom my Obligations will not allow me to deny any thing And also to take this occasion to Vindicate what I spake and published in his Funeral Sermon about the Vnion of the Spirit of Christ with the Dead Body of a Saint which hath by some been greatly stumbled at and called in question as a new Doctrine I therefore thought it Charity to such to remove this stumbling Block not by any Arguments further than what I have therein already urged but by calling in the Judgment of others in this matter and I shall look no farther back than to the Learned Men of our own Times Mr. Rutherford speaking of the Covenant of Grace Treatise of the Covenant of Grace p. 216. says It is thus Eternal in that the dead Parties Abraham Isaac and Jacob are still in the Covenant of Grace and there remains a Covenant Union between Christ and their rotten Flesh sleeping in the Dust Mr. Calamy says Morning Exercise of Giles in Fields Ser. 24. p. 548. The Bodies of the Saints shall be raised by vertue of their Union with Christ for the Body of a Saint even while it is in the Grave is united to Christ and is asleep in Jesus and shall be raised by vertue of this Union And in p. 557. If thou gettest into Christ while thou livest thou shalt die in Christ and sleep in Christ and be raised by Christ into Eternal Happiness Mr. Case speaking of the Vnion between Christ and Believers Case his Mount Pisgah first Part p. 38. says Not only in Death but even after Death this Union holds the Saints are said to sleep in Jesus that part of the Saints which is capable of sleep is not capable of Separation from Christ While their more noble Part is united to Christ in Heaven among the Spirits of Just Men made perfect Christ is united to their inferiour and more ignoble Part in the Grave their very Dust they sleep in Jesus Mr. Stedman says Stedman's Mystical Vnion of Believers with Christ p. 191. Death it self shall not separate Believers from Jesus Christ but still they are entirely in him even when they are dead As it was in the death of Christ himself though it made Separation between his Body and Soul yet it did not separate the Humane Body from the Divine So it is in the death of the Saints though it rend the Spirit from the Flesh yet it can part neither from the Son of God The very Bodies of Believers are united to Jesus when they are dead Dr. Collings on those words of our Lord Pool 's Annotations on John 11.26 He that believeth on me shall never die says Though his Body shall die because of sin yet his Spirit shall live because of Righteousness and God shall in the great Day quicken again his Mortal Body through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in him and is united to him Dr. Thomas Goodwin Dr. Goodwin 's first Fol. on Ephes 1.14 p. â—â—1 Doth the Spirit dwell in you now When you are laid in the Grave that Spirit dwelleth in you as he did in the Body of Christ I do not say in the same manner The Spirit of God did dwell in the Body of Christ in the Grave and raised it up he never left him Though his Body was a dead Carkass without a Soul yet that Body was Hypostatically united to the Godhead therefore it was called Holy One My Holy One shall not see Corruption Now the Comparison is If we have the Spirit of Christ and if he dwell in us the same Spirit shall never leave our Bodies till he hath raised us up also Nay while thy Body is dead and rotten in the Grave the Holy Ghost dwells in it And hear what a great Man of the Church of England in his Day saith Christ's Deity was united to his dead Body his Resurrection was perform'd by the Power and Spirit of the Father God reached out his hand to him and raised him up Here then is our Comfort the same Spirit of God is communicable to us the same Arm of Power may be reached out to us He will imploy the same power for us as he did for Christ Ephes 1.19 And again in p. 210. His Spirit dwells in you The Inhabitation of God's Spirit that is the Ground of our Resurrection because it is Vinculum unionis the Spirit is the Bond of our Union and Conjunction with Christ By it we are Incorporated into his Body and made Members of it Now then if our Head rise all the Members must rise with it if the Head be in Heaven the Members shall not for ever perish in the Grave This Union by the Spirit is like the touch of a Load-stone it will attract and draw us to him that where he is we shall be also It is spoken of his Hypostatical but it is true also of his Mystical Union Quod semel assumpsit nunquam deposuit Christ will part with none of his Members Bishop Brownrig 2d Vol. p. 204. And again in the same Page Our Bodies by this Inhabitation are Consecrated to be a Possession of the Holy Ghost and the Temple of God must not be destroy'd God's Spirit takes Pleasure not only in these living Temples but owns them when they are dead takes Pleasure in the dead Bones and Favours the Dust of them I could multiply Testimonies of elder Date to prove the Truth of this Doctrine and that it is no new Notion but there needs no Proof from Humane Testimony
Consideration Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God The same good Confession was made once before by Peter John 6.69 And now repeated to evidence his firm Establishment in this grand Article of Faith In which our Lord is describ'd two Ways both by his Office and his Essence 1. Christ is a Name of Office of the same Signification with the Messiah as the Holy Ghost himself Interprets it John 1.41 The anointed of the Lord he to whom the Prophets witness't he that should come into the World as John 11.27 He whose Work and Business was to be a Saviour not a Temporal but an Eternal one a Saviour from Sin and Wrath from the drudgery of the Devil and the Prison of Hell 2. The Son of God is a Name which respects his Essence and Being a Son not by Adoption and Grace as the Baptist and Elias and Jeremy and the other Prophets were but a Son by Nature a Son whose Generation is ineffable for he is infinitely Equal with the Father for he is true God as well as Son of God the Father hath that Title of the Living God in Opposition to false Gods Jer. 10.10 Acts 14.15 And the very same Title is likewise given to the Son Heb. 3.12 Jesus is true Jehovah and according to the true Import of that Word he hath Life in himself as the Father hath John 5.26 Well Christ's Commendation of this Confession is set down in the Text Jesus answered and said unto him c. Where we may take Notice of three Things 1. The Name which Christ calls this Apostle by Simon Bar-jonai or Simon Son of Jona as the Word signifies Peter was the Name that Christ gave to him ver 18. As God gave the Name of Israel to Jacob Gen. 32.28 But here Christ puts him in Mind of the meanness of his Extraction and of what he was originally as he does again after his fall no less than three Times over John 21.15 16 17 What change soever is made upon us by the Favour and Mercy of God 't is good to reflect sometimes upon our Primitive Vileness and Wretchedness to look to the Rock whence we are hewen and the hole of the Pit whence we are digged 2. The Happy State which Christ pronounc't him to be in Blessed art thou Christ had Authority to pronounce Persons blessed for he had Power to make them so Acts 3.26 God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you He can really and effectually do it what Palak said falsly of Balaam is true of Christ The Man whom he blesses is blessed Numb 22.6 If he blesses we shall be blessed for ever as David said to God 1 Chron. 17.27 Such is the Blessedness which Christ speaks of here both Perfect and Perpetual without Defect and without Decay 3. The Reason assign'd to back this comfortable Sentence which refers to the Way and Means of the discovery of that Truth which Peter had now confest and this is laid down both Negatively and Affirmatively 1. Negatively For Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto Thee Flesh and Blood are variously taken in Scripture 1. Sometimes for the humane Nature consisting of Soul and Body so Heb. 2.14 2. Sometimes for the natural Body accompanied with its present Infirmities in Opposition to a spiritual glorified Body So 1 Cor. 15.50 3. Sometimes for humane Instruction so Gal. 1.16 Paul says that he conferred not with Flesh and Blood which is the same Thing with not receiving the Gospel which he Preacht of Man ver 12. 4. Sometimes for humane Opposition so Eph. 6.12 We wrestle not with Flesh and Blood c. i. e. we have not only to do with persecuting Men but raging Devils 5. Sometimes for natural Reason our own Judgments and Understanding And this I take to be the principal Sense of the Phrase here q. d. Thou dost not owe this Revelation to thy self or to any discerning Faculty in thee above other Men. 2. Affirmatively But my Father which is in Heaven Four Things seem to be intimated by this 1. That there is a mysterious Order in all Divine Operations according to which God the Father is to be lookt upon as the Fountain The Father Works and the Son and Spirit Works conjunctly there is no Inequality or Subordination among the Persons and yet we are led by the Gospel to Eye the first Person as the spring of all When our Lord speaks of sending the Comforter 't is from the Father John 15.26 And when the Spirit of the Son is sent forth into our Hearts God is said to do it which is plainly meant of God the Father Gal. 4.6 2. That in all the Works of Grace towards lost Creatures God acts as the Father of Christ Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in him Out of Christ we can expect only the Curse of God as a revenging Judge but we can expect nothing from him as a Father in a way of Love and Mercy 3. Acquaintance with the only begotten Son of God must flow from him that begat him No Man knoweth the Son but the Father as no Man knoweth the Father but the Son Mat. 11.27 Therefore they mutually manifest and declare each other which none else is capable of doing Who should lay open the Secrets of one Man to another but himself And who should reveal the glorious Persons in the Godhead but themselves See 1 Cor. 2.11 4. If therefore we look for Light we must look upwards As the Sun over our Heads is the visible Cause of natural Illumination so spiritual Illumination is from an Infinite Being above the Sun 'T is one of the gracious Issues which belong to our Father in Heaven The dark Places of the Earth unanimously say it is not in us Every good and perfect Gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights James 1.17 The Words thus open'd come to this Point Obs There is a certain Blessedness annext to the Knowledge of those Truths which humane Reason does not discover but God himself Here 1. Shew That there are some Truths necessary to be believ'd which humane Reason neither does nor can discover 2. How such Truths are discovered by God 3. What kind of Knowledge is the Effect of this discovery 4. Wherein lyes the Blessedness annext to that Knowledge 5. Why it is so 6. Use 1. To shew That there are some Truths necessary to be believ'd which humane Reason cannot discover The peculiar Doctrines of the Gospel are as deep as the Commands of the Law are broad But I will confine my self to the instance mention'd in the Context the Godhead of Jesus Christ Every one is bound to believe this and every Man that calls himself a Christian professes the Belief of it without such a Profession his Christianity is void and without such a Belief his Profession is vain To take upon us the Christian Name and
53.3 They that give no Credit to him and have no Dependance on him do not Care so much as to look towards him But where Faith is exercised the Eye is fixed and therefore Believing is very often exprest in the New Testament by Seeing John 8.56 Heb. 11.13 3. To Esteem and Prize it As the casting of the Word behind us Psalm 50.17 is an evidence of Contempt so the keeping of our Eyes upon any Object intimates the value which we have for it And indeed who can take a view of the heighth and depth and length and breadth those unmeasurable Dimensions of the Love of Christ Eph. 3.18 19. Without having his Heart rais'd to an Holy Admiration so as to cry out with David How excellent is thy Loving Kindness Oh God! Psalm 36.7 4. To consider it and be seriously mindful of it As the Fear of God being before our Faces Exod 20 20. Is to stand in actual awe of him and to have the dread of his Majesty upon us so to have the Love of God in our Eye is to have it imprest upon our Minds to roul it in our Thoughts and make it the Matter of our frequent Meditation As the Spouse says to Christ We will remember thy Love c. Song 1.4 3. What is meant by God's Truth here It is capable of a Threefold Sense 1. The Truth of God may import his immutable faithfulness So Psalm 89.49 91.4 And many other Places God is a God of Truth and all creatures compar'd with him are a Lye 2. His Truth may signifie his Word which is called the Truth Psalm 119.142 And his Truth John 17.17 As being given by his Inspiration and containing in it the Counsel of his Will 3. His Truth may denote the Sincerity of those that belong to him This though inhaerent in us and acted by us and therefore stiled our Integrity Prov. 20.7 And our Uprightness Isa 57.2 Yet is the Truth of God as 't is enjoyned by him Psalm 51.6 And implanted by him also for all Truth is an Emanation from him and he is the fountain of it as the Devil is the Father of Lyes 4. What is it to walk in his Truth 1. To Place our firm Reliance on the faithfulness of God This may be taken in as Part of the Sense the trather because the Psalmist makes that Profession ver 1. I have trusted in the Lord and because Experience of God's Kindness does embolden our Hope in his Truth for indeed we can take no Comfort in the faithfulness of God except we have some Proofs of his Love His Kindness and Truth often go together but his Kindness is put first 2 Sam. 2.6 Psalm 40.10 11. Now as the Phrase of walking in God's Name is used by the Holy Ghost Micah 4.5 So his Truth being a Part of his Name we may be said to walk in that when we confide in it 2. To attend strictly to the Word of God both as to the Doctrinal and Practical Parts of it 1. As to the Doctrinal Parts of the Word which are the Truths that the Spirit leads into John 16.13 Not barely into the Form of it which is all that Hypocrites have Rom. 2.20 But into the rooted Possession Hence this Truth is said to dwell in Believers and be with them for ever 2 John 2. So that they shall not be turn'd aside nor led away by contrary Errors 2. As to the Practical Parts of the Word which are the Rule of Life and call'd the way of Truth Psal 119.30 And the Truth which is after Godliness Tit. 1.1 For all Sin is countenanced by falshood This is the Truth which must be obey'd Gal. 3.1 1 Pet. 1.22 And which we are requir'd to do 1 John 1.6 For 't is as necessary to guide our Practice by Divine Commands as to steer our Judgments by Divine Revelation 3. To be upright in our Way in Opposition to that walking in craftiness 2 Cor. 4.2 Which is the celebrated Policy of the Children of this World This seems to be aim'd at by David here because in the very next Words ver 4. He protests against going in with Dissemblers The Curse that God hath pronounc'd against Deceiver should make us afraid of being tinctur'd with the Leaven of Hypocrisie and Guile Our walk is not as it should be if the Law of Truth do not govern our whole Conversation as Persons whose Loins are girt about with it Eph. 6.14 4. Perseverance in this Course must also be added to fill up the Sense How is it a walking in the Truth if it be only taking a step or two and not a continued Motion What less can it include than a diligent Care to approve all our Ways to God to the very End of our Lives If we do not this we imitate the Devil who abode not in the Truth though he stood in it once John 8.44 For though the greatest Saints are too often guilty of sinful waverings and startings in their walk with God yet the least of them is never left finally to depart from him or to quit the Road of Duty The Words thus open'd afford us this Point to be insisted on Obs A deep and constant Sense of the Love of God does most powerfully engage and quicken to steady and sincere Obedience The Two Parts of this verse are to be view'd in their Connexion and then we shall see how clearly this Results from the whole Thy Loving Kindness is before mine Eyes there 's the Antecedent And I have walked in thy Truth there 's the Consequent Here I. Lay down some Propositions for the explaining of this Doctrine II. Offer some Arguments for the Proof of it III. Apply it I. To lay down some Propositions for the explaining of this Point 1. All that pretend to an Interest in the Love of God have not their Hearts engag'd to suitable Obedience for by many this is falsly pretended The Church of Ephesus whom Christ wrote unto Tryed them which said they were Apostles and were not and found them Lyars Rev. 2.2 So Multitudes that say they are the Friends and Favourites of God really are not but by their own Practices discover themselves Lyars If they do not walk in God's Truth 't is most certain that they have not his Loving Kindness before their Eyes Wile carnal Wretches too often delude themselves in this Case and the Delusion is very strong though it be so gross and palpable If any Man say that he hath found Grace in the sight of God who makes little or no Conscience of Duty to God we must say as John does on a like occasion The Truth is not in him 1 John 2.4 To say that I shall have Peace though I have no regard to Holiness and that God will make me up among his brightest Jewels tho I lye wallowing in the Mire still is impudently to give the Lye to the whole Bible as if we kenew the Mind of Christ better than himself Such Imaginations as these are
positive Discovery of Corruption in the actual Commission of Sin is not Apostacy A Man may halt and slip yea he may stumble and fall and yet not go back He that resolvedly holds on his way may notwithstanding oftentimes through Ignorance or Infirmity turn aside out of it before he finishes his Course A Believer may be led into Captivity to the Law of Sin and yet never properly is brought under the Reigning Power of Sin Rom. 6.14 compar'd with 7.23 To be violently seized by another as an Enemy is a very distinct thing from submitting to another's Dominion as a Lord. A Subject may continue Loyal to his Rightful Prince though the Arms of a wrongful Usurper may for a Time prevail against him A voluntary Transferring of my Allegiance is much more than to be taken Prisoner by force Rebellion is an aggravating Addition to Sin Job 34.37 Now Apostatizing in Scripture is very frequently exprest by Rebelling Josh 22.29 God forbid that we should Rebel against the Lord and turn this Day from following the Lord c. Dan. 9.5 We have done wickedly and rebelled by departing from thy Precepts c. Every Offence against a Law is not an Act of Treason or Renunciation of the Soveraign Authority All Sin is a Transgression but this Sin of backsliding is the great Transgression 3. Apostacy from God includes not only a Deviation in the Life but an Alienation of the Heart Not only a sinful wandering but a loving to wander Jer. 14.10 Thus have they loved to wander they have not refrained their Feet So long as the Heart is right with God it cannot be said that the Man goes back from him An unwilling Departure is not so much the Act of the regenerate Person as of the Sin that dwelleth in him Rom. 7.17 No outward Performance good or bad does denominate so much as the inward frame and working of the Spirit A great many miscarriages will be graciously overlookt in the visible Walk and Conversation when there is a cleaving to God with full Purpose of Soul The Errors of a Man's way are far more pardonable than erring in Heart The Generation whom God was so much griev'd with were a People that did err in their Hearts Psalm 95.10 Though there be no manifest or gross backsliding in the Life yet if there be a revolting and a rebellious Heart there is the poysonous Root of all Abomination Here is Apostacy in the sight of God though not in the sight of Men as the Israelites in their Hearts turned back again into Egypt when they were marching in the Wilderness Acts 3.39 According as the Mind is estrang'd from God or keeps close to him a Man is clear or guilty in this Case Our Heart is not turned back was the Church's Vindication Psalm 44.18 4. Apostacy from God is really an undoing of all the good which we have done 'T is a wicked Repentance quite contrary to the Grace of Repentance as that is a Repentance from dead Works so is this a Repentance from Works of a better sort Psalm 36.3 He hath left off to be wise and to do good 'T is a Perversion to Evil after a seeming Conversion from it The first Apostacy wherein all are involved supposes the Creation of Man in a State of Uprightness Every one is gone back Psalm 53.3 Therefore Adams Original Course was a walk with God So here the Apostacy whereof we speak is a miserable change for the worse after a plausible change at least for the better There can be no going back but where a Man hath once run well No looking back but where a Man hath first set his Hand to the Plaugh Luke 9. ult 'T is ending in the Flesh after we have begun in the Spirit when our Faces have been towards Sion and our doings framed to turn to God this is a revoking and disanulling of all and driving towards Hell 'T is a Declaration of War where we have pretended Friendship 't is a saying in Effect the Time past sufficeth us to have wrought the Will of God and therefore now we will Work our own In short 't is no less than our pulling down all that we have built up and a listing of our selves in the Service of Sin and Satan whom we have fought against II. Of what Concernment and Importance it is to Believers to be secur'd against such Apostacy This will appear from two Things their Danger of Apostacy and their Danger by it 1. How much they are in Danger of it viz. If left alone and abandon'd to themselves There are Three Considerations which will sufficiently shew the greatness of this hazard 1. Grace in us is very weak The Apostle does not say be strong in the Grace which is in thy self but in the Grace which is in Christ 2 Tim. 2.1 That fulness of Grace of which Christ is the subject can never be lessen'd but those measures of Grace which are communicated unto us and lodg'd in us might and would be lost if we were separated from him Borrowed Abilities will fail if not continually recruited and supplied All created inhaerent Holiness of it self is a perishable Thing 't is indeed made of God an abiding incorruptible Seed in Believers now but 't is not so in its own Nature If it were how could the Angels in Heaven or Adam in Paradice have ever fallen Grace is a good Treasure in the Heart but it wants Almightiness to guard it as there is no Worldling who thinks that his Bags or Coffers can defend themselves Gracious Habits are the true Riches but they lye open for Thieves to rob us of them except God keep our House after he hath furnisht it Poverty will come upon us like an armed Man 2. Corruption in us is very Active We are very apt and ready to be drawn away by our own Lust James 1.14 There is Folly enough remaining in the wisest and best of Men to pervert and mislead them He was no ordinary Saint who complain'd of his being so foolish and ignorant that he was as a Beast before God Psalm 73.22 There is still too much Brute in him that hath attain'd to be more than a Man None of us are so washed from our silthiness while we are in this World but that the Reliques of a swinish Principle in our Natures would make us return to wallow in the Mire if God did not keep us back If we consider how just Lot linger'd in going out of sinful Sodom we cannot but think that he would have lookt behind him as well as his Wife except those Inclinations had been restrain'd Though our Hearts be Circumcis'd to Love God predominantly there are vile Affections stirring in us still not very easie to be supprest The Law in our Members is not like a dead Letter but a lively Principle which Wars against the Laws of our Minds 3. The Temptations which come against us are very numerous Every Place every Condition every Employment every Relation is full
of them 'T is hard to avoid being assaulted by them 't is harder many Times to escape being overcome Wheresoever we are we find our selves like the Prophet in Dathan 2 Kings 6.14 Compass'd about with a great Host Every Friend of God hath many Adversaries always besieging him and often solliciting and labouring to seduce him from his Obedience to God When Solomon was Old and when one would have Thought he should have been the more confirm'd in the pure Religion his Wives who were therein the Instruments of Satan turned his Heart after other Gods 1 Kings 11.4 The Devil manages his Point with so much subtilty as even to make use sometimes of sincere mistaken Christians to Hand his Suggestions to us as Acts 21.4 When Paul by a Divine impulse was going up to Jerusalem there were some Disciples who said that he should not go through the Spirit they knew what he would suffer there if he went and as carnal Men they dissuaded him from it The Old Man within and Old Serpent without us make it very difficult to keep our Way 2. How much danger they incur by Apostacy if they should be left to be guilty of it Three Particulars will give us a sufficient discovery of this 1. They must needs at the present lose all comfortable Communion with God How can they that go back from him have any Enjoyment of him How can they that go out from the Presence of the Lord suppose that his Presence should follow them in their degenerate Course Must not he that turns his back upon God acknowledge it the natural Fruit of his won Ways if the Face of God be hid from him The Lord is with you while you be with him 2 Chron. 15 2. But if we forsake our own Mercies do we imagine that they will not also forsake us God's backsliding Children have sadly Experienc't the Truth of this by lying long under their Father's frowns he hath suspended the sweet Manifestations of himself and they have not known where to find him even after they have come to themselves again 2. They can never see the Kingdom of God unless they remember from whence they are gone back and return and do their first Works While a Man is in a Road of Apostacy he is quite out of the Way to Heaven and 't is impossible ever to reach the End without returning into the Way None are further off from the Kingdom then they that once seem'd to be the nearest to it and afterwards Revolt None more hateful to God than such as have once express'd much Love as a Prince is most provoked by those that first appear very zealously for him and then turn maliciously against him God hath said If any Man draw back my Soul shall have no Pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 God will never endure such an one to stand in his sight that dare to quit and renounce his Service after the hath been for a season employed in it 3. If they come back to God again as undoubtedly they will if evey they were truly Converted to him it must be by very bitter and sorrowful Repentance With what Indignation does the Apostle speak 1 Cor. 6.15 Shall I take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot And is there not as much Cause for the same Holy Indignation against a Man's self after he hath done so The Case is the same as to all others Sin 's of such a kind which are more than common Defilements When backsliding Israel was about returning The Voice of Weeping was heard upon their high Places Jer. 3.21 How plentifully should we sow in Tears when like those Jews we have been scattering our Ways to strangers How should we sit in the Dust go softly be covered with Confusion and lye down in our Shame in the Sense of what we have done when we have done so wickedly He that can pass over a foul Apostacy with little remorse and sleight Humiliation is under a Delusion if he think that God hath graciously receiv'd him III. How is the Strength of Christ our Security in this Case Answer in five Things 1. Omnipotence belongs to Christ on the account of his Godhead and this shall be exerted on the behalf of them that believe as there is occasion Prov. 8.14 I have Strength They are the Words of Christ who is brought in speaking under the Name of Wisdom It is not meant of any created borrowed Strength such as Angels are said to excel in but infinite essential Strength the Strength of God for he is God The mighty Angels are his 2 Thess 1.7 made and govern'd by him to wait upon him and Minister to him but he himself hath a nobler and greater Character The mighty God Isa 9.6 Yea the Almighty Rev. 1.8 The Almighty Son of an Almighty Father yet not another but the same Almighty God a distinct Person invested with all the glorious Properties of the same Nature Here lies the Argument which Christ himself used John 10.28 None shall pluck them out of the Father's Hand because he is greater than all and consequently none shall pluck them out of Christ's Hand because he and the Father are one The Strength is equal because the Essence is undivided 2. Christ was anointed with Power as Mediator the Improvement whereof is not to his own Advantage but the Advantage of those that believe in him He that travail'd in the greatness of his Strength declares himself Mighty to Save Isa 63.1 Therefore we read of God's raising up an Horn of Salvation for us Luke 1.69 An Horn intimates Strength Christ is a mighty Saviour and our Salvation is the End and Scope of his being so He had a Spirit of might resting upon him Isa 11.2 Great and singular Abilities for his special Work communicated to him and the Fruit of all redounds to us Hence he is call'd Emmanuel the strong God with us not only so in himslef but as our Redeemer as 't is said in the Case of the Deliverance of the Jews from Babylon which was figurative of a greater and more excellent Deliverance their Redeemer is strong Jer. 50.34 3. Christ hath destroy'd the Power of the Devil by a Power Superiour to him This is meant by his dividing the Spoil with the strong Isa 53.12 Snatching of poor Captive Souls as a Prey out of the Teeth of the Devourer which being once rescued are never given up again The Devil was the strong Man armed that kept his Palace and his Goods were in Peace but our Lord who was stronger than he came upon him and overcame him and took from him all his Armour wherein he trusted Luke 11.21 22. None but Christ the Prince of Life was able to do such Execution upon the Prince of this World whose Slaves and Vassals we naturally are But this being done by Vertue of Christs Victory we also shall be finally Victorious Satan would have despis'd our utmost Opposition if the Son of God had
not foil'd him first now we may despise his Our Triumphant Friend hath left us a Conquer'd Enemy to deal with so that through him strengthening us we may tread down Strength 4. Christ by the matchless Efficacy and Merit of his Blood hath purchas'd for us Confirming Grace and the perpetual Presence of the Spirit with us Not only our access into that Grace wherein we stand but our standing in that Grace whereinto we have Access is by Jesus Christ Rom. 5.2 He hath engag'd positively that the Spirit shall not only be given to us but abide and dwell with us John 14.16 17. And he hath engag'd for nothing but what he hath effectually procur'd The Sufferings of the best of Creatures are weak and worthless but the Death of Christ is of such Infinite force as to make it impossible for any one whose Sins he hath dyed for to dye in Sin By one Offering he hath perfected for ever them c. Heb. 10.14 We have deserv'd to fail of the Grace of God he hath deserv'd the Continuance of it we deserve to be as Chaff which the Wind drives away Christ hath deserved that we should be as Mount Sion which cannot be removed His Blood is that which Answers all Things 5. Christs prevailing Intercession secures to us the needful actual succours of Grace while we are here in this World There is a great deal which depends upon this Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost such as come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Christs Everlasting Intercession is mention'd as the Reason of Christs Ability to save to the uttermost Indeed all Christs Pleadings are irresistible God can deny him nothing which he asks therefore he is called by the Name of Israel Isa 49.3 A Name which was given to the Patriarch Jacob upon the success of his wrestling with the Angel for it may be more eminently applied to Christ what was said of him That by his Strength he hath Power with God Hos 12.3 Christ produces his strong Reasons which the Father cannot but hearken to So that if he Pray for Peter that his Faith may not fail it is impossible that it should If he Pray for our being kept we cannot be lost SERMON VIII January 14. 1695. PSALM LXXX xvii xviii former Part. Let thy Hand be upon the Man of thy right Hand upon the Son of Man whom thou madest strong for thy self 18. So will not we go back from Thee IV. WHy hath God order'd it so that Believers should be secur'd against Apostacy by the Strength of Christ The Reasons of the Divine Will in this Case may be such as these Six following 1. This agrees with God's general Design of heaping all the Glory possible upon Jesus Christ. Never was such Honour and Majesty laid upon any Creature nor was indeed fit to be laid upon any as was laid upon Jesus Christ This was a Part of the Message which the Angel brought to his Virgin-Mother concerning the Son whom she was to conceive and bear He shall be great Luke 1.32 He was that Son of Man whom God resolv'd peculiarly to magnifie and advance above all That all should be beholden to him and have their Dependance on him I will set him on high says God Psalm 91.14 He shall be the Head of my Family in Heaven and Earth he shall be as the firt-born among many Brethren I will give him an universal Preheminence and put all Things in a State of necessary subjection He shall be the Joseph to whom every one's Sheaf shall bow down and whom all in my House shall be nourish'd by and receive their subsistence from This was the Glory which the Father determined from Everlasting to give to Christ to make him the unmovable Center of the whole Creation of God Eph. 1.10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ c. that nothing should be firm or steady but what is brought into him The Tenure of all the Good that we enjoy is therefore in Christ In the Lord have Irighteousness and Strength Isa 45.24 What we have in Him we hold by Him alone What is given for his sake is secur'd by his means that he may be every way glorious 2. This suits with God's Design of Grace in our eternal Election for we are chosen in Christ Eph. 1.4 Therefore 't is sit that we should be also preserv'd in Christ Jude 1. God's chusing of us is a giving of us to Christ 't is often exprest so in Scripture and therefore who so fit to be their Security as he to whom they are given Christ hath the Christ hath the Care of all whom the Father chuses and he is to give account of them at last They are committed to him and will be demanded from him and therefore where should stength be lodg'd for their support and establishment so properly as with him John 6.39 This is the Father's Will who hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again c. to prevent their being finally lost God gives 'em to Christ this is God's End and Aim but how shall the Loss be prevented except we have Strength and Stability from Christ whose Charge and Trust we are That God's Foundation might stand sure he lays his own Son for a Foundation Every Stone in the Building rests upon Him or else there would be no difference between them and those that are out of the Building for he must keep those that are in it from dropping out It would have been a vain thing to constitute Christ the Head of God's Elect if God had not also appointed that the Elect by his Influence should be inviolably maintained to the very last 3. 'T is necessary that we should be sccur'd against Apostacy by the strength of Christ because he is the First and the Last in our Sanctification He stiles himself the Beginning and the End Rev. 21.6 So he is not only in himself but with respect to the Work of Grace in us He begins it and compleats it the Author and Finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 i.e. The Firist Author and Finisher of it Now 't is impossible that he should be so without being our Establisher and Preserver all the time between From the First to the Last we must be upheld by him or else all that is wrought in us will quickly come to nothing If he do not strengthen his own work it will be soon destroy'd tho' it be his own Psal 68.28 Stengthen O God that which thou bast wrought for us Another Hand is not able to preserve what his Hand produces The best Beginnings will have the worst Endings if any thing less than the Power of Christ have the Management of them So that Christ will lose the Glory of our begun Sanctification unless he undertakes for our setled Confirmation and
One while David is got up so much above carnal fear that nothing can shake him he encourages himself in God and concludes that he shall not be greatly moved Psalm 62.2 Yea not moved at all ver 6. At another Time he is so overwhelm'd with horror so sunk and dispirited as if there were no Providence to shield him and therefore cries out for the Wings of a Dove that he might fly away from the reach of his Enemies Psalm 55.5 6. The same Soul follows hard after God when his right Hand upholds it Psalm 63.8 Which afterwards flags and is almost ready to give over following when that right Hand is withdrawn 4. This lays open the ground of the Devils Enmity against Christ which hath been always most extream and implacable He knows that he should easily compass his Ends upon Belivers if Jesus Christ did not stand in the Way All the Powers of Darkness were furiously bent against the Person of Christ because the great Strength of all that belong to him lies in him If they could have conquer'd him no Member of his could ever have stood against them The Destruction of the Head would have been the Destruction of the whole Body as when the Philistines saw that their Champion was dead they all fled immediately 1 Sam. 17.15 All God's Jewels and peculiar Treasure are laid up and kept in the Hands of Christ so that the subduing of him if it had been possible would have been the seizing of all at once What an Exedrcise hath Christ undergone for our sakes in bearing both the Wrath of God and the Rage of Hell when he might have avoided both if he had not design'd to be a Refuge and Covert from both to us 5. The State of those that are in Christ is greatly amended and improved since the Fall beyond what it was before Never was better Tidings brought to the World than that behold I make all Things new Men are given to change and often change for the worse but God's Alterations are always to Advantage The New Testament Dispensation mightily excels the Old the latter Days will out-shine and out-do the former Times Isa 60.17 For Brass I will bring Gold and for Iron I will bring Silver and for Wood Brass and for Stones Iron That which comes in the room of what is done away is still of a more valuable Kind The second Covenant is better than the first the second Adam more glorious than the first Sinful Man restor'd is in a better Condition than innocent Man as he was Created A poor Believer is stronger in Christ than the holiest Angels without Christ for without Christ no Promises of Perseverance but in him there are and such as cannot be broken He will not turn away from us we shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 6. 'T is inexcusable Folly for any one in the World to lean to his own Arm. As the Holy Ghost says that Vain Man would be wise i.e. 't is an instance of his Vanity that he will not be persuaded to cease from his own Wisdom so the Pride of our Hearts makes us very unwilling to suspect our own Strength or to cast away all Confidence in it This Pride does not only go before Destruction but is the Cause of it Man would be a God to himself his own Saviour and Defender and in thinking himself so he is his own Destroyer Nothing does more effectually Ruine us than the Conceit that we can recover or preserve our selves from Ruine It is such kind of Presumption which slaies its Ten Thousands if Men were more sensible of their own Infirmities and distrustful of their own Abilities the Devils Kingdom would be empty in Comparison of what it is To imagine that we can do any Thing without Christ is the way to undo the Work of God already done If Adams perfect Holiness was not permanent while he was left alone how should ours be so which is imperfect 7. Everlasting Strength must fail before any true Believers can Everlastingly Miscarry I say before any can for if any one may perish all may because it is the same Strength which secures all Unless the Lord's Hand be shortened no Soul can ever be pluckt out of it The Honour of Christ is concern'd and indeed engag'd to see every Child of God brought safe to Heaven and therefore they may do well to consider what Reproach they cast upon Christ who by their Doctrines of Apostacy make believers walk with him as one said like sorry Dancers on a Rope that are every Moment in danger of breaking their Necks Is Jesus Christ such a strong Helper and yet may the Gates of Hell prevail against those that are joyned to him Hath he pawn'd his unchangeable Word that the good Part shall not be taken away from those that have once chosen it Luke 10.42 And shall Men that turn the Gospel upside down represent it as a doubtful uncertain Portion Is Grace no better than common Gifts and outward Blessings That we may be totally disposlest of the one as well as the other Nothing can more derogate from our Blessed Lord or expose him worse than this scandalous Opinion does as a feeble incompetent Undertaker II. Exhortation 1. Beware of falling from your own stedfastness 2 Pet. 3.17 This is proper and pertinent Advice to those whose Strength is in Christ Gospel-Principles breed an Holy not a Carnal Security Watchfulness and Diligence Circumspection and Caution are necessary in our daily Walk for they that lay these Things aside do thereby Declare that they have nothing to do with Christ nor any Interest in the Priviledge I have been speaking of They are wofully mistaken who think that infallible Promises render all Exhortations fruitles The Spirit of God teaches otherwise 1 John 2.27 28. Ye shall abide in him and now little Children abide in him How absurd is it to suppose that certainty of Perseverance in Grace should make Men do such Acts as are contrary to Grace and destructive of it Or that we should therefore live in the neglect of Means because we are sure to persevere in the use of them This is such kind of Divinity as the Devil 's was Mat. 4.6 He shall keep thee therefore hazard thy his Angels shall bear thee up therefore cast thy self down 2. Be not utterly dismayed when Satan hath gotten any Advantage of you through your sinful Weakness Be duely affected with and suitably abased for the least Departure from God but do not let go your hold of Christ as if you were irrecoverable Say not as the Church in Captivity did Lam. 3.18 My Strength and my Hope is perished from the Lerd This is a very false and unjust Conclusion not warranted by the Word of Grace but a meer Artifice of the Devil When he tempted you to Revolt he would also urge you to despair of a return but though you have complyed with him in the one stand it out against him in the other Psalm
own Conceits God will disable those from doing any thing praise-worthy that give not him the Praise 4. The setting up of Duties in the room of Christ This we are exceeding apt to do Disciples need to Learn that Lesson of being Converted and becoming as little Children Mat. 18.3 It was very truly said by Mr. Rutherford that Deadness to good and gracious Works and lively Activity in the Performance of them seldom meet together high Degrees of inherent Holiness and a full devolving of the Soul upon Christ's imputed Righteousness rarely Kiss each other 'T is well where they do but 't is a Provocation to God to abandon us where they do not If we would run in the way of God's Commandments we must remember that it is not of him that runneth if we would be assisted in the Duties of Obedience we must bear it upon our Hearts that we can never be entitled to Heaven by them We forfeit the Spirit of Faith if we imagine that Faith it self the noblest of all Graces does enrich us any otherwise than as a Vessel which holds the Treasure Sicut olla paecuniis referta hominem locupletat Calv. 5. Spiritual Sloth is another Cause in the disuse of Gifts not exercising of Grace and neglect of Duty This is the contrary extream to that Self-Confidence mention'd before as that was a Conceit that we could do all Things in our own Strength this is to sit still and do nothing We must stir up the Gift which is in us if we would preserve it God uses to help the Industrious but he abhors the Sluggard Seneca a sober Heathen calls Idleness the Grave of a Living Man Dr. Arrowsmith an Holy Divine stiles it the Hell of a Living Christian We hazard the taking away of our Talents when we do not employ them To let our Graces lye asleep is not the way to nourish but to starve them Many have almost lost the Spirit of Prayer by the restraining of Prayer Arise and be doing and the Lord will be with thee 1 Chron. 22.16 If we leave God to do all God will leave us to our selves if we fold our Hands together we cannot expect that his should be stretcht out for our Assistance 6. Sleightness and Formality A sincere Believer who is so in the Main and Acts as such for the most Part may yet sometimes imitate the Hypocrite too much i.e. his Heart may be too little engag'd in approaching unto God We too often pour out Words in Prayer without suitable Affections too often attend on God's Word without bending our Minds to it or taking heed how we hear Now by our resting so much in the outward Forms of Religion we lose the Spirit of Power by going in a Road of Duty and performing this or that Act of Worship because we are accustomed to do it we put our selves out of the Way of Divine Influences When we do not serve God with our Spirits we may well expect to be depriv'd of his Spirit when we do not seriously and earnestly pursue Communion with God in Duties how can we expect to enjoy any We put off God with a little bodily Exercise God puts off us with a visible Church-Priviledge we lift up our Hands in the Sanctuary without our Souls he lets us see nothing of his Power and Glory there 7. Worldliness and Carnality The minding of Earthly Things clips the Wings wherewith we should mount up towards Heaven So far as we are joyned to such Idols we may look to be separated from God we open our Bosoms to them and he hides his Face from us Hence it is that that Condition of Life which does most please and gratifie the Flesh does most expose to the withdrawings of the Spirit because when our Portion of good Things in this Life is very large we are very prone to rejoyce inordinately in it and when the World smiles much upon us we commonly grow fond of the World Therefore a low or afflicted State hath been oftner bless't with sweet incomes from Heaven than the height of Prosperity 2 Cor. 1.5 As the Sufferings of Christ abound in us so our Consolation also aboundeth by Christ some have enjoy'd so much of God in Prisons as that Martyr in Bonner's Coal-hole that they have been unwilling to receive their Liberty But 't is very usual that according to what Men gain in Temporals they lose in Spirituals 8. Base and sinful Compliances for the avoiding of outward inconveniencie This is as great an Offence to the Spirit of Christ as Peter once was to Christ himself in a like Case The affording of a Man's Presence at false Worship may justly provoke God to deny his wonted Communications to us when we are joyning in the true If a Man partake of the Table of Devils what Divine Fellowship can he look for at the Table of the Lord The woful declinings of many Persons who have been meerly led by Fear to Build up what they formerly destroy'd have been too plain a Testimony to this Truth Sulpitius the Historian who liv'd with St. Martin tells us that after he had joyn'd in Communion with Ithacius the persecuting Bishop through the Threatenings of the Emperor Maximus there was a remarkable Suspension of those Influences and Graces for which he was eminent before Dr. B. Answer to Letter of the Ass Gen. p. 29. The best Way to retain the Spirit is to retain our Integrity whatever we hazard by it 9. Vnbelieving Dejection wilfully indulg'd There is a saying of the Hebrew Doctors mentioned by Drusius Spiritus Sanctus non residet super hominem moestum the Holy Spirit does not delight to dwell with one of a Sorrowful Spirit and 't is in great measure true The Spirit of God is not a Spirit of heaviness 't is no Pleasure to him to see any of his Saints go mourning and bowed down when their Hearts should rather be lifted up in the ways of God Nehemiah was sore afraid when the King took Notice of the sadness of his Countenance Chap. 2.2 And Mordecai would not enter the Court-gates with his Sackcloath on Esth 4.2 An Holy Joyful Frame and Garments of Praise are always comely for Upright ones and most acceptable unto God As David's Musick drove away the Evil Spirit that troubled Saul so Christian Alacrity not vain and foolish Levity is a means of having the good Spirit to abide with us Hardening our selves in Sorrow is giving Way to Unbelief the Sin of which he especially reproves SERMON X. April 7. 1696. JUDGES XVI xx last Clause And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him 10. REjecting the Present Motions of the Spirit which ought to be instantly embrac'd and followed All the Spirits Motions are seasonable and therefore not to be put off for Delay is a kind of denial and savours of such ungrateful Contempt as must needs be very displeasing to him When thou saidst Seek ye my Face my Heart said unto thee thy Face will I
1.8 And no Prohibitions or Threatenings must stop their Mouths or tempt them to neglect their Duty But this is not all that which follows in the last Clause of the Verse is yet more considerable And so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him q.d. Though you quarrel with us and oppose our Testimony there is a witness above all Exception who may not only silence but Cure your lnfidelity we are not alone in this Work we have one to back us who is greater than all even the Spirit of God himself This agrees with what Christ had said John 15.26 27. When the Comforter is come he shall testifie of me and ye also shall bear witness The Words are the Conclusion of Peter's Reply to the Jewish Sanhedrim in which we have a brief Abridgement of his Sermon or larger Discourse upon the Day of Pentecost though that and this had very different Effects they who heard that were pricked to the Heart and it issued in their saving Conversion Chap. 2.37 They who heard this were cut to the Heart and consulted about slaving the Apostles ver 33. of this Chapter The same Expression is us'd concerning Stephen's Murderers Chap. 7.54 And signifies the galling of their Consciences Which provoke them to a more furious Resistance of the Truth when they have been persuaded to embrace it Thus that very Word in substance the same which is the savour of Life unto one becomes the savour of Death unto another Obs The Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey him is a Witness to Jesus Christ The Text is not a direct Assertion of the Doctrine of the Trinity but we have here all the Three Divine Persons brought in and mentioned together Our Lord Christ is the Person witness'd to the Holy Ghost is the Person witnesssin and God the Father is the Person whom this Witness proceeds from and is sent by These are the Three that are siad to bear Record or witness in Heaven 1 John 5.7 And indeed they all Testifie to each other The Father bore Witness of Christ John 5.37 Christ also was given to be a Witness to him Isa 55.4 And in this Place the Holy Ghost is named as a Witness to Christ In handling this I. Shew in what Sense the Holy Spirit is given II. Whom he is given to III. How he performs the Work and Office of a Witness to our Lord Jesus IV. Use I. In what Sense is the Holy Spirit given by God In many Places which 't is needless to repeat the same Phrase occurs to us especially in the New Testament To prevent misunderstanding in so fuudamental a Point I shall endeavour with an humble regard to the greatness of the Mystery to open it Negatively and Positiverly 1. Negatively The giving of the Spirit by God the Father does not import the Spirits being Inferiour to the Father nor does it exclude the Purchase and Gift of Christ 1. This does not import the Spirit 's being Inferiour to the Father How difficult soever it be to conceive the Order which is among the Persons in the Godhead we are sure 't is impossible that there should be any inequality The Blessed Spirit is one with the Father and to him belong all the glorious Perfections of the Supream Being he is the most High God as the Father is All the Three Persons have the same Infinite Essence and Nature the same Understanding Will and boundless Power If any one Person be put beneath another his Deity is thereby destroy'd and therefore we must take heed of any such unscriptural Imagination concerning the Spirit of God The Holy Ghost is given indeed but not as by a Superiour who hath a command over another whether he will or not for he is given with his own Consent and one equal may give another if they agreee to do so as in like manner Jesus Christ whom the Scripture calls God's Fellow is also said to be given of God 2. This does not exclude either the Purchase or the Gift of Christ The Holy Spirit is given by the Father and yet Purchased and given by the Son too 1. Purchased by Christ the Son of God He hath obtained the Spirit for us or else we should never have partaken of him Hence it is that he is said to be shed on us through Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3.5 6. His Bloud was the Price of this Priviledge his Intercession procures our actual Enjoyment of it John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforther c. After the finishing of his Work on Earth and Exaltation to Glory the Apostle tells us That he receiv'd of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost Acts 2.33 The Promise of the Holy Ghost here is put for the Holy Ghost promised to speak strictly Christ receiv'd the Promise of the Holy Ghost in the Everlasting Covenant of Redemption upon such and such Conditions which he was to perform in the fulness of Time but now those Conditions being perform'd he receiv'd an abundant Accomplishment of this Promise not for himself but for those that belong to him 2. The Spirit is given by Christ He is said to shed him forth in the last cited Place So he engag'd to send him John 15.26 Chap. 16.7 The same Act may very well be attributed both to the Father and Son as concurring in external Operations My Father worketh hitherto and I work Chap. 5.17 The Father is represented as the Maker of all Things very frequently and so is the Son In the Beginning God Created the Heaven and the Earth and in that beginning Jesus Christ was with God not as an unactive Spectator but as a Co-worker Believers are sanctified by God the Father Jude 1. And they are also sanctified in or by Christ Jessu 1 Cor. 1.2 The Greek Particle is the same in both Places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore 't is manifest that the giving of the Holy Ghost by God the Father is not at all inconsistent with the dispensing of the same Gife by our Lord Christ 2. Positively There are Four Things which seem to be signified to us by the Father's giving of the Holy Ghost 1. That the Grace and Love of the Father is the spring of all Divine Communications Here is the first Rise and Original of all the good that we receive 't is all resolv'd into the Father's good Pleasure as the Primary moving Cause John 3.16 God so laved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. 'T is from the same Fountain of Eternal Love in the Bosom of God the Father that this Gift of the Holy Ghost does issue also 'T is very remarkable therefore that our Lord directs the Faith of his Disciples to fasten chiefly hereupon Chap. 15.26 27. I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you The meaning is not that Christ
2 Cor. 12.10 The Spirit of God speaks in very large and comprehensive Terms upon this Subject Col. 1.11 Strengthened with all might according to his glorious Power unto all Patience c. So 2 Cor. 9.8 Here 's a remarkable heap of Expressions as Mr. Trail very well Notes pag. 236. All Grace first in God and that abounding towards us and then as the result of it our having a sufficiency and All-sufficiency and that always and in all Things and thence flows every good Work and our abounding to every good Work 5. You who are Believers and consequently to whom all Things are thus possible study all thankfulness What a Debtor is he to God whose Strength is in him According as his Divine Power hath given Relief to you make suitable returns to him The Man that had been Lame from his Mother's Womb assoon as he receiv'd Strength and stood up he entred with the Apostles into the Temple leaping and praising God Acts 3.7 8. Thus David cries out The Lord is my Strength and my Shield my Heart trusted in him and I am helped therefore my Heart greatly rejoyceth and with my Song will I Praise him Psalm 28.7 To Conclude therefore as your help comes from Heaven so let your Praises go up thither Remember every renewed Experience calls for a repeated Acknowledgement and there may be equal Danger of obstructing God's mighty workings by ingratitude and by unbelief both tend to with-hold his Hand and enfeeble ours SERMON XV. December 1. 1696. PSALM LXIX iv last Clause Then I restored that which I took not away THough the Title of this Psalm Points us to the Author a Psalm of David yet much of the Matter makes it plain that he is not the only nor the principal Subject The main Substance of the whole agrees well enough to David and he might have an Eye in it to his own personal Afflictions but yet his Thoughts and Expressions were so directed by the Holy Ghost as to be more fully and properly verified in Christ of whom he was an eminent Type than in himself There are several Remarkable Passages which have a particular Respect to Christ and to put it beyond all Doubt that this was the meaning and design of the Spirit of God in them they are so applied in the New Testament Compare ver 9. with John 2.17 And ver 21. with Mat. 27.34 A Circumstance of Suffering which we never meet with in the History of David's Troubles but punctually Recorded by the Evangelists concerning our Blessed Lord. Again ver 22 23. is applied not to David's Enemies but to the Jews upon their Rejection by God for the Crucifying of Christ Rom. 11.9 10. and so ver 25. is said to be fulfill'd in Judas for betraying him Acts 1.20 But we need to go no further for an Instance of this kind than the beginning of this verse which is Cited by our Lord himself as spoken with Reference to his Case John 15.25 They hated me without a Cause Only what is contracted in the Citation is here deliver'd more at large where we have four Things distinctly set forth concerning the Enemies of Jesus Christ their Iniquity Malignity Number and Power 1. Their Iniquity they were causeless haters of him and his Enemies wrongfully they had no just or real Ground for what they did no Provocation to do it they were his Adversaries for his good Works not for any Evil ones and that which should have rather engag'd their Affection to him was the occasion of their Opposition 2. Their Malignity they that would destroy me they sought no less than his Life they thirsted after his Blood that which was indeed necessary to be shed for the accomplishing of the Holy Ends of God these wicked Instruments would not be Content without so Devilish Rage was over-rul'd to bring about the Divine Purpose 3. Their Number they are more than the Hairs of my Head the whole Multitude of the Jews were for destroying him Mat. 27.20 c. And truly every Man in the World that is without Christ is against him He hath as many Adversaries as there are Men in a natural unconverted State 4. Their Power They are mighty so it was foretold that they would be The Kings of the Earth set themselves and the Rulers take Counsel together against the Lord and against his Christ Psalm 2.2 Which Peter cites as spoken with Relation to our Lord Jesus Acts 4.26 Paul says That none of the Frinces of this World knew him 1 Cor. 2.8 And being ignorant of him no wonder that they oppose him Antichrist hath more of the Potentates of the Earth on his side than Christ ever had But that which I intend to insist upon is what the Psalmist adds in the close of the verse Then I restored that which I took not away Then when he was so beset and surrounded with Enemies who were worrying him to Death then when the Waters were come into his Soul when he sunk in the deep mire and the Floods overflow'd him when his Throat was dryed and his Eyes failed ver 1 2 3. Which are all so many various Phrases to denote the Extremity of those Soul-troubles that our Lord Jesus was plung'd into by Reason of the Wrath of God let out against him as well as the Wrath of Man Then he restored that which he took not away he was not forc'd or constrain'd to do it but he did it willingly with his free Consent he was under no Obligation to do it but what he took upon himself the Law binds a Man indeed to make Restitution of that which he hath taken away Lev. 6.4 But the Lord of the Law could not be bound to restore that which he had not taken in order to the making of Peace and Reconciliation between God and the Sinner this was graciously undertaken and perform'd by Christ Obs It was the great and blessed Work of our Lord Jesus here upon the Earth to restore what he took not away In handling this I. Shew what is it which was taken away and from whom II. Wherein it appears that Christ took it not away III. How he restor'd it IV. Why he did so V. Use I. What is it which was taken away and from whom For 't is manifestly implied that there was something unjustly taken or else what need of any Restitution As to God there was Glory taken from him and as to Man there was Righteousness Holiness and Happiness taken from him also 1. There was Glory taken from God Not his essential Glory nor any Perfection of his Being for that cannot be taken away but that Glory which shines forth in the Moral Government of his Creatures and that Glory which we are tied to give to him 1. The Glory of God shining forth in the Holy Government of his reasonable Creatures was taken away by Sin It was preserv'd and maintain'd in the upper World indeed among the standing Angels but among fallen Men in this lower World it
laid as a Foundation and some things proposed as the Effects and Consequences of it 1. Something premised and laid as a Foundation Because you are Sons Here the Adoption of Believers is positively asserted as a thing in present possession There are indeed some further Fruits of our Adoption yet future and expected so the Redemption of our Bodies from the Grave at the end of the World is stiled the Adoption which we wait for Rom 8.23 because the Resurrection to Glory will be an eminent declaration of our Adoption as Christ was declared to be the son of God with power by his rising from the dead chap. 1.4 but still our Adoption it self is not deferr'd till then the Scripture affirms the contrary 1 John 3.2 Beloved now we are the sons of God So in this Epistle chap. 3.26 You are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus As soon as we come home to God by believing we are taken into this Relation for the Houshold of Faith is his select peculiar Family 2. Some things proposed as the Effects and Consequences of this partly with reference to the Act of God the Father and partly with reference to the Act of the Spirit 1. As to what concerns the Act of the Father who is plainly meant in that Clause God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Here we may consider the Person spoken of the act respecting this Person and the Objects that have the benefit of this Act. 1. The Person spoken of The Spirit of his Son i. e. the Spirit of Christ So he is call'd Rom. 8.9 1 Pet. 1.11 This Character is given him on this occasion for various reasons 1st Because 't is the same Spirit which was in Christ and which is in all Believers That one Spirit which abode upon him resteth upon them also Though he had a greater Fullness of the Spirit yet they in their measure are filled with him too 2dly By the effectual Operation of this Spirit Christ is formed in us and we conformed to him He fashions the whole Church of the First-born into the lively Similitude of God's only begotten 3dly To intimate Christ's procurement of this Blessing for us We were predestinated to the Adoption of Children by Christ Ephes 1.5 Election is attributed to the Father but the Son is the Purchaser of what we are elected to Hence he is said to give power or right to become the Sons of God to them that receive him John 1.12 and 't is by virtue of our union to him that we recover our lost relation to God all the Children of God are given to Christ written in his Book and ransom'd by his Blood for he redeem'd us that we might receive the Adoption of Sons ver 5. of this Chapter 4thly To teach us that the Spirit it self is procured for us by Christ. They that have not the Spirit are such as have not the Son for an Interest in the one does infallibly carry along with it a participation of the other Those Rivers of living Water by which the effusion of the Spirit is express'd flow out of his pierc'd side The Holy Ghost had never been sent down from Heaven if the Son of God had not desecended first to prepare his way 2. The Act respecting this Person God hath sent forth The same word is used with respect to the Son ver 4. this act is ascribed to God several times in Scripture Psal 104.30 John 14.26 and it imports not any change of place as if he were more distant from the Father when he is thus sent than he was before for he is Omnipresent Psalm 139.7 and of the same undivided Essence with the Father but it notes only his Commission for some special Work in and upon the Creature 3. The Objects that have the Benefit of this Act Into your Hearts i. e. into the Hearts of them that believe Two things are signified by this 1. That the Work here intended is an inward Work Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit within them And therefore 't is secret and does not minister to Vain-glory or carnal Boasting The Testimony of the Spirit is privately given between him and us and the new Name is that which no Man knows but the receiver himself 2. 'T is a saving Work The Residence of the Spirit is appointed not in the Brain by common unsanctified Gifts such as Hypocrites may be endowed with but in the Heart where all the Habits of Grace are planted and from whence all the Issues of Life proceed 2dly As to what concerns the Act of the Spirit Crying Abba Father Here we may examine how the Spirit is said to cry in our Hearts and what it is which he does cry 1. How is the Spirit said to cry in our Hearts when he is sent forth into them Ans Even as God is said to know when he makes others know Deut. 13.3 So the Spirit maketh intercession for us Rom. 8.26 in helping us to Pray for our selves and therefore 't is a vain and feeble Argument which some Socinians would bring from this and the like Texts against the Deity of the Holy Ghost Matth. 10.20 It is not you that speak but the spirit of the Father that speaketh in you i. e. Though your Tongues utter words yet they could not do it without his assistance and direction as the principal necessary Cause As in this Epistle chap. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me The Apostle corrects himself not as if he were not the true and proper Subject of spiritual Life but to shew that Jesus Christ was the Spring and Fountain of it So here the Spirit sent forth into our Hearts is said to Cry because they cry through his gracious Influence The Holy Ghost teaches us to pray but strictly it is we that pray in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. 2. What is it which the Spirit does cry Abba Father i. e. Father Father This Repetition may be upon two accounts 1. To intimate that both Jews and Gentiles are equal sharers in this Blessing of Adoption Therefore the Apostle makes use of two Words in two different Tongues to express the same thing Abba being a Syriack word which was a Language then commonly known among the Jews and that which we render Father beinga Greek word which was a Language then commonly used among the Gentiles Though a Learned Critick Capellus Spicileg hath taken much pains to prove that Abba is a Greek word also and so applied by the Apostle in this place alluding to the manner of little Children when they first begin to speak and call after their Parents which in all Languages as well as the English isn earest to the same sound with this word Abba 2. To note the strength and vehemency of desire The doubling of words does frequently signify this in Scripture Our Lord in the Garden when he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crys and tears as the Apostle
degrees and measures of its working is very different and uncertain Some know more of the Terrors of the Lord than others and some are held longer in Prison before they are brought out though no Soul knows more or is held longer than God sees needful to its thorough Humiliation We must be laid low and yet we shall not be quite sunk God's wounding and healing of our Spirits is not always performed with the same speed as all Convictions are not alike sharp God does not limit himself in this case to any stated Rules which are known to us but acts as he thinks fit towards various Persons He hath said he will not contend for ever but yet we cannot punctually tell how long he will contend His dealing with one Soul must not be alledged as the exact Pattern of his Dealing with another Some Dispositions are more rough and stubborn some sins have been more hainously aggravated perhaps their Chains may be the heavier and not so soon taken off Common Parents consider the Tempers and Crimes of their several Children and proportion their Rebukes accordingly SERMON XVIII March 9. 1697. GAL. IV. vi And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father 3. THE Spirits usual way of evidencing our Sonship to us is nbot by any vocal Testimony or immediate Revelation Every Servant must not look to be as his Lord in this respect who had the Spirit of God visibly descending upon him at his Baptism with a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son c. Matth. 3.16 17. What sudden Divine Suggestions to this purpose filling the Soul in a moment with extraordinary Joy may be sometimes afforded to some peculiar Persons at peculiar seasons I will not dispute it may be when a Soul is under strong and violent Temptations from Satan to throw up all its hopes or after long Attendance upon God in some soleme secret Duties or before our Entrance upon some very difficult and hazardous publick Services but such things are not commonly to be expected God does not tie or confine himself to ordinary means but yet he generally makes use of them and works by them 'T is possible some may be wone without the Word 1 Pet. 3.1 but yet the most are born again by the Word chap. 1.23 so 't is possible that the Spirit may in some cases reveal himself to our Comfort without the Word though never against it but this is not the Method which he commonly takes 4. The usual way of the Spirit in the declaring and confirming of our Sonship to us is by a particular powerful Application of Gospel Promises to us and an illustration of his own Fruits in us 1. By an Application of Gospel Promises There are many Promises to the same Effect with that 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be a Father to you and you shall be my Sons and Daughters c. This avails but little to us till by a Spirit of Faith we are enabled to take hold of it 't is great and precious in it self but we are not at all the richer till it is applied and set home with a mighty power upon the Soul then 't is an inestimable Treasure a Mine a Spring of everlasting Consolation The Spirit takes of Christ's and shews them unto us not only Christ's things but Christ's words too and that word among the rest John 14.8 I will not leave you comfortless Gr. Orphans Such a word as this is enough if he do but imprint it 2. By an illustration of his own Fruits These are the Marks of our Adoption which the Word refers us to and so the Spirit speaks according to the Word in helping us to argue from them As the Grace of God in Truth is by his Operation so the discovery of the Truth of Grace is by his Light reflected upon it that Christ formed in the Soul may be even felt as when the Babe leaped in Elizabeth's Womb at Mary's Salutation Luke 1.44 The Spirit of God submits his witnessing Act to be tried by what he hath wrought in us which is no more dishonour to him than it was to Christ who requir'd the Jews to believe him for his Works sakes John 14.11 As Jacob's Sons pointed him to the Waggons which Joseph sent for a proof that he was alive Gen. 45.27 5. The Spirit of God is very Arbitrary both in the giving and continuing of his Divine Testimony He is an infinitely free Agent as to both He shines as well as breaths upon whom he pleases and when he pleases 1. The Spirit acts Arbitrarily after a Sovereign way in the giving of this Testimony concerning our Adoption The Liberty of the Divine Will appears in the Communication of Grace and yet more in the dispensing of Comfort The Spirit of God is not at our command any more than the Wind which Christ compaes him to and which God is said to gather in his Fists Prov. 33.4 and to bring forth out of his Treasure Jer. 10.13 He is not such a Witness as Men may summon and produce to clear and strengthen their Cause in Humane Courts who sometimes are oblig'd under certain Penalties to appear and give in their Evidence There can be no necessity laid upon him as God sometimes holdsl his peace and is still when he might answer by terrible things so the Spirit of God might be silent in our Hearts when he cryes Abba Father 2. The Spirit Acts after the same Arbitrary manner in the continuing of this Testimony after 't is once given He can weaken and abate it he can suspend and with-draw it at his own Pleasure He that bears Witness at one Time may not do it at another Evidences may be darken'd and obscur'd which were very bright and plain hidden Manna like that in the Wilderness is not constantly gather'd every Day but very often is like that Vessel in Peter's Vision which was let down thrice to the Earth And then received up again into Heaven Acts 10.16 This makes the Ebbings and Flowings in our Hopes and Joys 6. The Spirits testifying of our Adoption is therefore distinct from our Adoption it self and not indispensibly Essential to it The Truth of the Relation does neither include nor depend upon our Knowledge of that Relation A Man may be really a Child of God and not know himself to be so by the infallible Declaration of the Spirit of God he may have as Job had Chap. 16.19 A Witness in Heaven and a Record on high and yet want a legible Copy of it in his own Bosom for his present Satisfaction The Spirits witnessing is not that which makes us the Children of God but supposes us to be so before he Witnesses that we are Children and therefore we are not the less Children though he should not Witness it We should lose the Comfort of our Sonship very much indeed but the fundamental Priviledge it self would remain however Things which for a
Superiour and honour'd accordingly and the more Kind and Indulgent he is the more Honour is due Any behaviour that betrays a slight esteem or a presumptuous Contempt of God is offensive to him and they that carry themselves so have Reason to try and condemn the Spirit which they are acted by He is our Father in Heaven and we his Children on Earth Eccles 5.2 He sits upon a Throne and we must remember that we Worship at his Footstool 7. The Spirit stirs up filial Affection to God in Prayer This makes it a delightful Exercise as indeed it should be Do Children count it a burdensome Task to go to a Father or are they not rather glad of the Opportunity of Converse with those that are so dear to them A Slave indeed hath an Aversion to the Presence of his Lord as the Bond-woman When Sarah dealt hardly with her fled from her Face Gen. 16.6 But when a Child hath to do with a tender Parent 't is quite contrary 't is sweet Employment to pour out the Soul into a Father's Bosom We set about it with Pleasure and a Pleasure which exceeds the Fruition of any Creatures whatsoever The Spirit of Adoption is a Spirit of Love and this Love breaths out it self in Holy Desires to him The Soul loves to commune with him for his own sake even though we could suppose that there were no pressing occasion for it it loves to visit him not only in Trouble when Necessity drives but at all other Times being drawn by internal Motives 8. The Spirit helps us to Pray with unwearied Fervency It behoves us so to do when we are dealing with a Father who will certainly be won and prevail'd upon how deaf or regardless soever he may seem to be for a Time Dull and stupid formality does not suit with the Relation wherein we stand where we look for cold Entertainment 't is apt to cool our Requests but Esau's Opinion of his Fathers Favour made him the more earnest for his Blessing Gen. 27.34 38. The Children of God are baptized with Fire their Hearts burn within them and it would be strange if their Words should freeze Theirs is not an Artificial Zeal which is quickly spent but a Zeal which holds out till the desire comes and by this means they are always Conquerors and as 't is said of I uther Iste vir potuit apud Deum quicquid voluit they can do what they will with God they will take no denial but wrestle and strive till they have obtain'd All this is done by the Assistance of the Spirit of our Father V. Vse I Information 1. The Love of God is to be seen and admir'd in our Adoption as much as in any Thing besides The Love of the Father in predestinating us to it the Love of the Son in procuring it for us and the Love of the Spirit in testifying it to us 'T is God's loving us as Children which is the Foundation and Root of all our Love to him as a Father for his Love descends before ours ascends 'T is marvellous that God should answer to any such Name when we call him by it and that he should give us any such Name himself the Apostle breaks forth into a kind of Ecstasie and Ravishment of Spirit when he consider'd it 1 John 3.1 Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God That in the Place where it was said to us Gentiles Ye are not my People it should be now said You are the Sons of the Living God Hos 1.10 Rom. 9.26 Are such vile Prodigals as we Worthy to be call'd his Sons Luke 15.21 That cannot be suppos'd nor is it for want of other Objects that he bestows this Favour upon us He hath an Eternal Son in whom his Soul delighteth whom he possest with Infinite Joy before all his Works of Old or this Favour might have been directed to fallen Angels but God hath preferr'd us Inferiour Creatures to that which they are excluded from 2. The Dignity of Believers excels all the Titles of Honour in the World 't is of a more glorious Nature and confirm'd by a greater Testimony By Faith Moses refused to be call'd the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter though Pharaoh was a mighty Prince Heb. 11.24 It pleased David to be Son-in-law to the King before he was so but he found little Comfort in it afterwards 1 Sam. 18.26 These Relations to the greatest of Men are poor trifling mean and empty Things in Comparison of Believer's Relation to God Magistrates are called Children of the most High because they bear some little faint Representation of God's Authority Psalm 82.6 But the least of Christ's little ones are God's Children in a sublimer Sense 'T is Ten Thousand Times more honourable to be a Child of God then Lord of the whole Earth 3. Walking after the Commandments of Men is a very ungrateful requital of God Certainly we owe most Duty where we receive the greatest Priviledge and what can Men do for us to be compar'd with what God hath done that we should pay any Homage to them in Opposition to him 'T is basely disingenuous for Children to regard what others say more than the Injunctions of their own Parents The Sense of this unspeakable Benefit of God's adopting us to himself is enough to restrain us from yielding Obedience to Men that is inconsistent with our Obedience to God This is the meaning and scope of that Caution given by Christ Mat. 23.9 Call no Man your Father upon Earth for one is your Father which is in Heaven That one God whose Children we are hath the only Supream Title to our Allegiance 4. The possibility of Assurance one would think should be without all Controversie To call it in Question is to give the lye to this very Text and to cast a blasphemous Reproach upon the Witness of the Spirit 'T is matter of rejoicing to have the single Testimony of our own Conscience for us 2 Cor. 1.12 For Conscience as one says is like a kind of Eccho which makes our spiritual Actions resound after they are past and gone from us but when we have the concurrent Testimony of the Spirit of God this makes our Joy a great deal more full Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it self beareth Witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God The Spirit is more present and conversant with the Soul than the Soul with it self and is better acquainted with its State He knows every Child of God by Name and therefore is best able to make us know if we are such if an Angel from Heaven were sent to tell us it would not be so sure The Spirit that beareth Witness of those things is Truth in the abstract 1 John 5.6 Some may be deluded by a lying Spirit instead of him but does it follow that there must be no Persuasion which comes of him that call us Because there are Counterfeits in
the World are there no Realities So the Assurance of the strongest Believer's may not be compleat perhaps but is it therefore not true Our Graces the Fruits of the Spirit are all imperfect but that does not make them false and feigned and Perfection in Comfort is above the standard of this Life as well as in Holiness II. Exhortation 1. Enquire into your own Adoption 'T is not a Priviledge common to all see whether you have just Cause to apprehend that 't is yours The World hath a mixt Multitude in it there are Sons of Belial and Children of the Devil as well as of God 1 John 3.10 There are Strangers and Dogs as well as Children And there be many who are called the Children of God and are not so indeed being such only by visible external Profession as they were Gen. 6.2 We deceive our selves if we are satisfied with this for this will be of no more Advantage to us than the National Adoption which once belong'd to the Jews is useful to them with Respect to which the Apostle positively says They which are the Children of the Flesh are not the Children of God Rom. 9.8 Think not that 't is enough to be Christians outwardly any more than to be Jews outwardly but look after a real Change of State 2. Apply your selves to God for this Benefit if yet destitute of it Consider what miserable helpless Creatures you are in your present Case like a wretched Infant that is cast out into the open Field in the Day that it is born Ezek. 16.5 Go and bemoan your Case at the Foot of God And as Abraham said to him Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go Childless Gen. 15.2 You may much better say what wilt thou give me seeing I go Fatherless What canst thou give that I can receive any Comfort in Tell him that you can never call your selves Happy till you can call him Father and that you desire nothing besides this in Comparison of it The Chief of Sinners may take Encouragement from that blessed Text Jer. 3.19 Justice seems to argue against it in the former Part of the verse and Mercy concludes for it in the latter 3. Take heed of grieving the Spirit you who have this Benefit that you may not lose the comfortable Sense of it This depends upon his sealing Work and therefore provoke and offend him not if you would keep the Impression clear Eph. 4.30 Two Things are especially grievous to the Spirit which we should beware of neglecting his Motions and opposing his Testimony 1. Neglecting his Motions When he stirs us up to seeking of God and any Act of Communion with him we should stir up our selves It is a part of the Character of God's Children to regard the Spirit 's Conduct Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the Spirit of God c. 2. Opposing his Testimony The indulging of unbelief in our own Hearts is a Contradiction to the Spirit 's Witness He is sent forth to cry Abba Father unbelief says nay God is not so unto me It will be helpful to Souls in such Temptations to look to God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for this will bring them to Eye him as theirs also See John 20.17 Eph. 1.2 3. That Promise seems to concern both Christ and the Believer too Psalm 89.26 He shall cry unto me thou art my Father c. You may venture to say that after Christ which otherwise you could not 4. Evidence the Truth of your Sonship unto others Make it appear that there is indeed a substantial Difference between you and the Children of this World in every Thing that hath a respect to Sin and Duty If you do as others do they will have Reason to suspect that you are not what you pretend to be The Jews were not to disfigure themselves like other People because they were the Children of the Lord their God Deut. 14.1 Let your spot therefore be the spot of his Children let his Image be seen upon you as well as his Name that you may like them Judg. 8.18 Resemble the Children of such a King You must be Followers and Imitators of God Eph. 5.1 Or else you will give occasion to Men to think you a spurious Brood You must be blameless and harmless and without rebuke exemplary and inoffensive in the midst of a perverse Nation for so are the Sons of God Phil. 2.15 Disorderly Children are a shame and scandal to their Parents therefore Credit the Relation wherein you stand by a strict and regular Deportment Particularly 1. By a sober and thankful use of every Mercy Wanton Prodigals that wast their Substance and mispend their Portion are a dishonour to God's Family and deserve to be renounc't Your Father expects that all which is given by him should be improved for him Men reckon it barbarous and unnatural if their Children turn Rebels against them with the Estates which they bestow upon them 2. By a patient and humble bearing of every Affliction Not that a Fathers Anger is a Light thing and to be despis'd they must be very profligate that think so but all his Rebukes should be receiv'd with great Submission Nor must they drive us from him but make us come the nearer and cling the faster to him considering that God's Corrections endur'd in a right Manner are Proofs of our Legitimacy Heb. 12.6 7 8. 3. By a reconcileable and forgiving temper towards the worst of Men. Mat. 5.9 Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God So ver 44 45. Love your Enemies bless them that Curse you do good to them that Hate you c. That you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven c. For this is to transcribe his Pattern and do as he does 4. By living in Love with all our Holy Brethren They do not walk worthy of such a Relation as this is that shew any Unchristian bitterness or unreasonable strangeness towards those that are of the same stock with themselves Let us check our selves in this Case with those Words of the Prophet Mal. 2.10 Have we not all one Father Why do we then deal treacherously every Man against his Brother To Conclude Brotherly Kindness is the necessary Duty of all God's Children and a necessary Token to convince all others that we are so SERMON XIX May 18. 1697. EPHES IV. vii But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ AS it is the Apostle's manner in his other Epistles to mingle Exhortations to Holiness with Explications of Faith so here having in the three former Chapters of this Epistle given some account of the Gospel Doctrine he does in the three latter stir up to suitable Practice In the beginning of this Chapter he presses worthy Walking with respect to those Instances of Humility Meekness and Christian Forbearance as things which have a special Influence in the furthering
Tit. 2.11 12. This is the prevailing Antidote against practical Atheism and all manner of licentiousness and sensuality Hereby we serve God acceptably Heb. 12.28 And hereby we have our Conversation in the World towards other Men so as to gain the rejoycing Testimony of a good Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 Such Fruits of Righteousness does the Root of the Righteous always yield II. Wherein does this Grace appear to he given Ans Two ways 1. If we consider the Matter in general it must needs be given because the Creature is in no Capacity to claim it as a debt For 1. The Man that hath no Grace can do nothing to deserve it Nothing that 's done by the strength of Nature can Merit the infusing of a supernatural Power Nature and Grace differ in kind and Grace is of a kind more Superiour to Nature than Heaven is to Earth There is no Affinity or Comparison between Flesh and Spirit and consequently none between that which is born of the Flesh and that which is born of the Spirit John 3.6 What we bring forth in a State of Sin is all after our own likeness and can this qualifie us for being Created again after the likeness of God All antecedent Dispositions and Preparations rise no higher than the carnal Standard they are still but dead Works which fall infinitely short of a Divine quickening If Glory is not to be procur'd by the most vigorous Exercises of Grace much less Grace by the utmost endeavours of Nature 2. We are so far from deserving Grace that naturally we do not desire it Wheresoever Grace is sincerely desir'd the good Work is begun To will is not present with us till God hath wrought it Whoever covets to partake of God's Holiness does in some Degree partake of it already There is an Enmity and Opposition in corrupt Nature to the Work of saving Grace instead of asking and seeking after it we refuse and reject the offers of it and rise up in Arms against it before God hath subdued us to himself How can we suppose that the Old Man should ever crave to be crucifi'd and reigning Sin affect to be depos'd We may as well think that the Devil should wish the Subversion of his own Kingdom as that unrenewed Nature and sinful Flesh should desire the Destruction of it self 3. We are so far from naturally desiring Grace that we are not deeply sensible of our want of it till God hath made us so By a deep Sense I mean a feeling Apprehension both of our being destitute of Grace and being undone without it Now this is imprest by the Spirit of God where-ever it is Graceless Persons either do not know their Condition to be so sinful or not so miserable as it is they think themselves to have what they have not or else they are Content to want it as if there were no need of having it How then can he deserve a Cure who fancies himself so whole that he hath no occasion for a Physician Or who thinks himself bound to bestow an Alms upon one that is too Proud to beg and will not own his Necessity but says he is Rich enough This is our Case with Respect to God 2. If we examine the Matter more particularly there are several express Instances in Scripture which make it out to us As 1. The Spirit of God who is the immediate Operator of all Grace in us and therefore call'd the Spirit of Grace Zech. 12.10 Is said to be given us Rom. 5.5 1 John 3.24 Or else 't is impossible that ever we should receive him Receiving implies a giving A Man can receive nothing unless it be given him from Heaven John 3.27 And therefore the World cannot receive the Spirit because he was never promised nor is he given to the World Chap. 14.17 Jesus Christ is not more the Gift of God to poor Sinners than the Spirit is they are both equally glorious Persons and unspeakable inestimable Gifts The Communication of the Holy Ghost is as great an Act of Bounty in God as the Exhibition of his Son 2. The New Nature which is inclusive of all Grace is represented in Scripture as a Gift Ezek. 36.26 A new Heart will I give you c. I will give you an Heart of Flesh This new Heart and Heart of Flesh does vertually comprehend in it every Grace for all the habits of Grace are infus'd at once not successively one after another they are all really inherent when we are first made new Creatures though not all on a sudden eminently visible Now this new Heart which constitutes a new Creature is absolutely given so the Covenant runs God does not say I will give it you upon such and such Terms if you do thus and thus but I will give you c. If it were a suspended conditional Promise it might never be performed 3. Saving Knowledge which is coupled with Grace 2 Pet. 3.18 And is indeed it self a Grace is given So God says I will give them an Heart to know me Jer. 24.7 And Christ tells his Disciples Vnto you ic is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom c. Mat. 13.11 'T is rich Love and Mercy which makes the difference in this Case between some and others between those who remain blind as they are Born and those whose Eyes are open'd and that have the Veil upon their Hearts taken away They to whom this Knowledge is given and they to whom it is not given are alike unworthy of it and alike uncapable of attaining it themselves He that gives us natural Light for the guidance of our Bodies does as truly give spiritual Light for the Conduct of our Souls 4. Faith is the Gift of God Eph. 2.8 As 't is stiled his Work to intimate that his Power is the Cause so 't is call'd his Gift to intimate that his goodness is the Motive Vnto you it is given to believe Phil. 1.29 The Grace of Faith is communicated to us with the same freeness as the Object of it is and if it were not so we should live and dye in our Infidelity Our Lord positively says John 6.65 No Man can come to me except it be given to him of my Father We may as well undertake a perfect fulfilling of the whole Covenant of Works as pretend to an Ability of receiving Christ as tender'd in the Gospel He is set up as the brazen Serpent in the Wilderness and God gives us an Eye to look to him or else we should be nothing the better 5. Repentance is God's Gift also There is no Repentance to Salvation but what is wrought by the God of Salvation We may as well imagine that Light should of it self Spring out of Darkness and sweet Waters issue from a bitter Fountain as that any such Grace should be the natural Product of our Impenitent Hearts There is no hope of an Heart desperately Wicked as the Heart of every Man by Nature is Jer. 17.9 unless God is
pleased by his Almighty Vertue to Work the Cure and with an irresistible Hand to turn it to himself 2 Tim. 2.25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them Repentance c. No Instruction will do if he against whom they Sin do not give them to repent III. How is this Grace the Gift of Christ as the Text affirms it to be Ans In six Things 1. All Things are deliver'd unto him by the Father to him as Mediator Mat. 11.27 All things are given into his Hand John 3.35 And he hath the disposal of them according to his own Pleasure he may with-hold or dispense every Thing as he sees good The Son quickeneth whom he will Chap. 5.21 He is empower'd to give Eternal Life Chap. 10.28 Chap. 17.2 And this Eternal Life is founded in spiritual Now the ground-work is his as well as the Head-stone the first-fruits of Grace as well as the Harvest of Glory the Gift of Righteousness it self as well as the Crown of Righteousness Chap. 4.14 The Water which I shall give him shall be in him a Well springing up into Everlasting Life Christ hath so large a Trust and Commission from the Father that nothing is excepted out of it 2. The giving of Grace is one of his essential Royalties as a King To give only corruptible Things is to give as the World giveth the Men of high Degree scatter their Favours of that kind among those that are below them but it agrees with the Majesty of Jesus Christ to bestow that which is of an incorruptible Nature a Principle of Grace and Holiness in the Hearts of his People Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance c. He would be a Prince without Subjects a meer Titular Prince if he did not by his own Grace bring them into Subjection and keep them in it He never ruled in any Heart which he did not first Conquer rebellious Sinners would never submit and yield themselves to his Authority if he did not make them willing in the day of his Power Psalm 110.3 3. Christ is given to be an Head of Influence as well as of Government to his Church Therefore said to be the Head of the Body Col. 1.18 Now as every Part of the natural Body derives Spirits from the Head so every Part of the mystical Body gracious Influences from Christ There is an effectual working from him throughout the whole Eph. 4.16 And how is this effectual working but by the Communication of his Grace to the various Members This 〈◊〉 what Paul experienc'd and gives an account of with Reference to his own first Conversion 1 Tim. 1.14 The Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus Paul's Heart was full of unbelief and hatred before but the prevailing Grace of Christ in whom he was chosen before the World planted Faith and Love in the room of them 4. 'T is the Work of Christ to furnish those whom be unites and espouses to himself with Beauty and Ornaments fit for his Embraces and wherein does this Beauty consist and what are these Ornaments but a Participation of his Grace Some are ready to cry is a deformed filthy Sinner meet to lye in Christ's Bosom But I would Reply who makes the Sinner meet besides Christ himself He can have no complacency or delight in such an one continuing as he is but his Manner is to impart a commending loveliness where he loves As Rebeckah was adorned with Jewel's of Isaac's giving Gen. 24.53 So it was granted to the Lambs Wife that she should be arrayed in fine Linne c. of his preparing Rev. 19.8 For as the imputed Righteousness of Christ so the inherent Righteousness of Saints is his Gift whom they are married to 5. Christ hath the right of distributing Grace as the Effect of his Purchase He hath bought it with his Blood and therefore may confer it on whom he pleases as we know that every one may do what he Will with his own and what we buy at a valuable Price is undoubedtly our own Upon this score all Grace is the Grace of Christ 't is his just Propriety and he hath â—â—â—ain'd it at the dearest Rate which could be demanded He gave himself for the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it c. Eph. 5.25 26. Our Sanctification was one end of his Sufferings and as it was he that suffer'd so 't is he that sanctifies Christ merited Grace for us by his Death and therefore the dispensing of it is his due 6. The Spirit of Grace is sent by Christ and supplies his Place John 16.7 If I depart I will send him to you So that he Acts as in Christ's Name and on his behalf and consequently what the Spirit does may be attributed unto Christ and what he divides to every Man may be very well look't upon as allotted by Christ whose Spirit he is for so he is called the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.17 18. There is the very Heart of Christ in all the Spirits saving Operations they are directed by his Infinite Wisdom and Care to all those whom he laid down his Life for As he shed forth the Holy Ghost at Pentecost Acts 2.33 So the pouring of him out at all Times is his continual Providence still IV. After what manner is this Grace given to every one that belongs to Christ Answ Negatively and Positively I. Negatively I. This Grace is not given to all by the same Instruments and Means 'T is most usually by the Word of Grace but sometimes by the Rod of sanctified Affliction 't is oftnest by the Sword in Christ's Mouth but it may be by the Fan in his Hand Ordinarily 't is by the Preaching of Christ's Embassadors but sometimes the edifying Discourses of Private Christians may Minister Grace to the Hearers Eph. 4.29 Again though it be by the same Gospel yet God makes use of several Publishers They whom he sanctifies through the Truth are Converted by several Persons There are many spiritual Fathers some are begotten in Christ by the Ministry of one and some by another 2. It is not given to all at the same Age or Period of Life As in that Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard some were called at the third Hour some at the sixth some at the ninth some at the eleventh Some are sanctified from the Womb filled with the Spirit like John from their very Birth Luke 1.15 Others it may be wear out almost all their Lives and are even dropping into the Grave before they are brought home to God Some are planted into Christ in their tender Years like Paul when a Young Man others not born again till they are Old when the evil Days come And therefore it is not so material or requisite for us to know when we felt the first workings of Grace as to be sure that we feel it 's real workings
Persons under long and great Afflictions are very apt to say It is enough now oh Lord take away my Life as Elias 1 Kings 19.4 But whatever our Exercises be it is not enough till God thinks meet This is a venting of irregular Passion not an act of Duty Rebeckab cries I am weary of my Life because of the Daughters of Heath Gen. 27. ult But nothing will justifie such weariness till our Time to dye is fully come A discharge should be acceptable when God is pleas'd to give it but not be rashly sought out of the appointed Season 2. An humble bearing of God's fatherly displeasure if there should be any Tokens of it upon us in our Death We have an hint of this from the very Case of Moses here Chap. 32.51 Because you trespassed against me among the Children of Israel at the Waters of Meribah-kadesh c. Because you sanctified me not in the midst of them This one Sin and Miscarriage of Moses in the Conduct of the People is call'd to remembrance by God when he is going out of the World and therefore as the Lord on whose Hand the King of Israel leaned was to see the Plenty in Samaria with his Eyes but not to Eat thereof 2 Kings 7.2 So Moses now was to behold but not enjoy the good Things of this pleasant Land God had threaten'd to kill him a great many Years before for neglect of Circumcision to his Child Exod. 4.24 And now actually summons him to dye as a Rebuke for his unbelief for indeed this was the Sin that lay at the bottom Numb 20.12 Because you believed me not c. Zacharias was struck Dumb above nine Months for not believing the Angels Message Luke 1.20 But Moses must lose his Life God had once pass'd by great unbelief in him Numb 11.21 22. But this was not to escape without Corection and yet 't is born as from a Father without Complaint 3. A final Farewel to this World and to those Things particularly which are apt to render a stay in it most desirable When God calls us forth we must take our leave as Persons that are never to return as long as the present Frame of this World endures The Places which we now possess are to know us no more and we are to know them no more Every one at such a Time may say as our Lord did Now I am no more in the World John 17.11 I must reckon my self as one that shall have nothing more to do with it as one that is going to be everlastingly remov'd at the greatest distance from it and to be no further concern'd in any thing which hath the least Reference or Relation to it Such Thoughts are to govern and influence our Minds in the Performance of this dying Act of Obedience to God 4. A quitting and abandoning of this mortal Flesh as that which is not to be reassum'd till it puts on Immortality at the Dissolution of all Things 'T is indeed a great Tryal of Obedience to part with such an old and intimate Companion which hath been joyn'd and knit by the closest vital Bands it may be for Twenty Thirty Forty or Fifty c. Years together but 't is a trial which our Obedience must be approv'd in This Body of Flesh as it now is is to be given up as a Sacrifice to the Devourer that which so much Pains and Cost is bestow'd upon which so many Creatures are destroy'd to support and maintain is to be Meat for Worms corrupted and dispers'd we cannot tell where Under the Apprehensions of Death's feeding upon it after it 5. A willing Surrender of our Souls into God's hands from whence they originally came Death is exprest by God's requiring the Soul Luke 12.20 now in compliance with this great Demand of God the Soul is to be yielded up God commits this Treasure to us while we live and he expects a Resignation of it when we die But this must be with free and full Consent or else 't is no Resignation and consequently no Obedience for that which is forc'd and constrain'd is as none in God's Esteem He sees into the secret Springs and Motives of every Act and that which we do meerly because we cannot avoid it will be to him as it were not done for God's taking away of the Soul is his Act only the delivering of it up can be ours To die because we must needs die because we cannot keep alive our own Souls and have no power to retain our Spirit is consistent with the highest Disobedience and Rebellion against God But when our Wills fall in with the Appointment of God and we chuse to die when God orders that we should this is truly to die at the Commandment of the Lord as Aaron did Numb 33.38 Here is Freedom and Necessity going hand in hand as 2 Pet. 1.14 Putting off notes Freedom and must notes Necessity 6. An awful and serious Preparationto give an account of our selves to God This is as necessary as dying Rom. 14.12 Every one of us shall give Account c. And we cannot die according to the Will of God without some suitable Preparedness for it There is no true obeying of providential Calls to any Service here in this World without some previous Dispositions in our own Minds wrought by the Grace of God for its performance As when Paul was put upon remembring the Poor he tells us it was that which he was beforehand forward to do Gal. 2.10 So it is here as to departing out of the World we cannot obey God as we ought in it except we are competently fitted for it If we die in the Lord it supposes that we are ready to die and we are not ready unless our Accounts be so 7. A thankful Entertainment of our dying Lot as a real Privilege If we are in every thing to give Thanks we are to do it in this Case as well as any other Yea there is more cause for doing it at Death than at any season or time of Life going before it there is no Act of Obedience which deserves to be more chearfully performed than this nor so chearfully as this It becomes as christian to be glad when he can find the Grave to go down into it not as a Condemned Prisoner but as one who is a Triumphant Conqueror If there be matter of Joy when we fall into divers Temptations how much more when we are going to be freed from all If we are to Rejoice in the hope of Glory when farthest off how much more when upon the Borders of Fruition 8. A vigorous Exercise of Faith with respect to an unseen State when God is leading us forth to it All Obedience must be the Obedience of Faith flowing from it and impregnated with it Faith is to run through every Duty of our whole Lives or else no Duty would be accepted but especially we are to die in Faith And there is great need of our doing so for
done Can we think that our Services would be so well recompenc'd by a perpetual stay here 't is impossible to think so When the Master is come and calleth for us as John 11.28 we cannot but know it is in order to our unspeakable Promotion and Advancement The Arrows which Death shoots though they kill yet they are directed and design'd in greater Love than Jonathan's to David which were to prevent him from being killed Death may seem formidable at a distance as one says like Esau to Jacob but is very friendly when it comes nigher to us and does us the kindest Office which to have undone would be our greatest loss Though it did no more than case us of the grievous weight of indwelling Sin that 's a matchless Benefit for if we had not mortal Bodies we must have immortal Corruptions 6. This is the concluding and crowning Act of our Obedience to God in this World 'T is the compleat finishing of our whole Work here when we have done this we have no more to do on Earth Now how incongruous and unseemly how reproachful and dishonourable would it be for a Man to live many Years in a course of Duty and then spoil all by Disobedience in the last Act Undoubtedly the Man whose Heart is perfect and upright with God shall never be left to do so If we have been truly Faithful to the Death we shall not be Rebellious in it But however Exhortations and Arguments are of use to the best through the efficacious Concurrence of the Spirit with them He that lives to the Will of God cannot be said to persevere finally unless he dies according to that Will also We do not follow God fully if we start and fly back just at the end of our Race when we should lay hold upon the Prize I know thy works and the last to be more than the first was Thyatiras's Commendation Rev. 2.19 God expects that at the last we should outdo all which we have done before If we have run well 't is pity that the last step should be the slowest 7. This being the last Act of our Obedience here in this World will have the greatest Influence on those whom we leave behind us As the last words of dying Persons are apt to make the deepest Impression upon surviving Friends so their last Acts are most likely to encourage Imitation When we forget most of the Passages of their Lives we remember their Deaths and are ready to take our measures from thence And indeed the Holy Ghost calls upon us especially to mark the End of the perfect and upright Man Psalm 37.37 and to consider the End of their Conversation whose Faith we are to follow Hebr. 13.7 The End here signifies the close the issue of their Conversation Now where this is unimitable it will obstruct our following of all that went before how good soever it were This will still stick most upon their Minds that should take Pattern from our Faith and Obedience and tend to dishearten them from walking with God if after a Life of service we should flinch and faulter in the last Extremity it may tempt some to believe that God is an hard Master and that we too late begin to think him so Whereas an holy submissive Death will have all the contrary Effects 8. This is an Act of Obedience from which God 's chiefest Favourites on Earth are not exempted If this were a Cup which passed from every one else and were only filled out to us it might be more bitter to drink of it and sinful Flesh might have the more to say against it but God lays no other Burden upon us herein than what all his Saints excepting two have born from the beginning of the World yea even those two underwent a Change in their Translation in some respects we are sure equivolent to Death Are we so much better than our Fathers than the many Thousands which have gone to Heaven the same way that we should expect any peculiar Privilege Are we greater than Abraham who is dead and the Prophets who are dead whom do we make our selves as the Jews said to Christ John 8.53 Does God deal worse with us or require more from us than from all the Excellent of the Earth Why must not we give place to others when God thinks meet as others have made way for us that successive Generations may still go and come That Life which we are prone to complain of as too short 't is probable hath been longer than many and the shortest is certainly longer than we deserve that it should be 9. 'T is an Act wherein God's Saints on Earth out-do the Obedience of Angels in Heaven This is a mighty Honour to us that we are capable of honouring God by dying according to his will which is out of their Power for they die not 'T is their bright and glorious Character that they do his Commandments Psalm 103.20 but this is a command which they cannot do and which they were never tried with They have no such Bodies as we have to be separated from and by the Settlement which God hath made meer spiritual Beings cannot taste of Death Now this is a thing worthy of our Ambition to bring more Glory to God than the highest Angel can for a Saint of God would seek to excel all Creatures 'T is no Tryal to Angels to execute the orders which they receive in comparison of what Moses did here in the Text and yet 't is astonishing to read how familiarly he hears of his own Departure there was no noise no striving no trouble in the case God only says to him Go up and die and he does it as when the Prophet Elijah had Food set before him and was invited to arise and eat to which an hungry Man in a barren Wilderness would need very little perswasion To which of the Angels did God say thus at any time Our Mortality gives us an opportunity of obeying which they want 10. All the Obedience which we have to yield after this to God in Heaven will be like that of the Angels most easie and delightful Glorified Saints are doing endless Service but there is nothing of Labour or Difficulty in it nor can there be the least degree of aversion or unwillingness to perform it When we have once poured out our Souls into the Bosom of God we shall launch into the pleasant Enjoyment of Eternal Praise and so far as we understand the Worship of the Church above this will be the whole business that we shall be exercised in A business which will contribute greatly to our Blessedness There is a great deal of weight and force in this Argument if we think seriously upon it how hard and painful soever the work of dying be all our work afterwards will be entire and perfect like crowding through a strait Gate into a spacious Mansion where we are to walk at Liberty for ever How desirous soever the Flesh
when it is so plainly confirmed by the Word of God as I have elsewhere shewed If we receive the Witness of Men the Witness of God is greater And there needs no greater Vindication of any Doctrine than the Testimony of God to the truth of it The Author of these Discourses was a Person whose Worth was well known in this City he was a Person of a sound Mind and Judgment in the great Doctrines of the Gospel and held fast the Form of sound Words carefully shunning the Paths of those By-way Men who please themselves with the fond Thoughts of such Opinions wherein they chuse to walk by themselves apart from the Community of the Saints and Churches of God None who knew him and love the Interest of Christ and the Souls of Men but must bewail the loss of such an Eminent Servant in the Lord's Work especially in such a day as this is wherein the Harvest is so great and Faithful Labourers so few But why stand I in the Door-way which leads to the Discourse it self I shall therefore no longer hinder thy Entrance than by begging a Blessing upon the Work that it may be sanctified to thy Vnderstanding for Knowledge to thy Judgment for Establishment to thy Conscience for Peace and for Joy and Gladness to thy whole Soul So Prays Thy Servant in the Lord's Work And for his Sake Matth. Mead. Febr. 2d 1699. ERRATA PAge 18. Line 9. read Duties P. 25. l. 21. r. it 's P. 28. l. 27. r. not P. 31. l. 28. r. askt P. 51. l. 15. r. Fortifies P. 52. l. 15. r. the P. 77. l. 16. r. knew P. 79. l. 21. r. of P. 104. l. 11. r. Law P. 144 l. 1. dele that l. 27. r. hardened P. 193. l. 12. dele when we are so P. 213. l. 17. r. but P. 256. l. 4. r. are P. 257. l. 12. r. Comparison P. 274. l. 13. dele and P. 315. l. 25. r. bounds P. 330. l. 6. r. Thyatira's P. 335. l. 11. r. Equivalent P. 362. l. 26. r. Scope THE TEXTS Matth. XVI 17. AND Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it to thee but my Father which is in Heaven Page 1 Psalm XXVI 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy Truth p. 36 2 Corinth I. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the Glory of God by us p. 67 Psalm LXXX 17. and 18. former part Let thy hand be upon the Man of thy right hand upon the Son of Man whom thou madest strong for thy self 18. So will not we go back from thee p. 95 Judges XVI 20. last Clause And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him p. 125 Acts V. 32. latter part And so is also the Holy Ghost whom God has given to them that obey him p. 156 Mark X. 26 27. And they were astonished out of measure saying among themselves Who then can be saved And Jesus looking upon them saith With Men it 's impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible p. 186 Psalm LXIX 4. last Clause Then I restored that which I took not away p. 217 Gallat IV. 6. And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father p. 247 Ephes IV. 7. But unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ p. 279 Deuteronomy XXXIV 5. So Moses the Servant of the Lord died there in the Land of Moab according to the word of the Lord p. 311 Hebr. VII 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them p. 340. SERMON I. April 23. 1695. MATTHEW XVI xvii And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona For Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven TO understand the occasion of these Words we must look back as far as ver 13. of this Chapter where our Lord having a mind to clear and confirm his Disciples in the Knowledge of himself makes way for it by the proposing of such Questions as would draw forth suitable Answers Accordingly 1. He asks them what was the Opinion of others concerning him Whom do Men say that I the Son of Man am Christ usually stiled himself thus Son of Man not only as an Expression of his Humility but to shew that he was the promised Seed the Person foretold under that Character in the Old Testament Psal 8.4.80.17 Dan. 7.13 And perhaps also to try the Faith of his Hearers whether they had an Eye to any more than his Humanity therefore says he here what does that World which you Converse with think of me what kind of Person do they take me to be The Answer is ver 14. Some say that thou art John the Baptist some Elias and others Jeremias or one of the Prophets Here was a diversity of Opinions about Christ and none of them right but all false and fabulous the Products of vain Imagination That Christ was John the Baptist risen from the Dead was Herods Opinion Chap. 14.2 That he was Elias was the Opinion of many among the Jews who had a mistaken Notion that Elias must first come before the Appearance of Christ Chap. 17.10 And again another sort of them thought that he was the Soul of some eminent Deceased Prophet in a new Body which was one of the wild Conceits of that dark erroneous Age. But 2. Christ asks them what was their own Opinion ver 15. Whom say ye that I am Do you concur with this blind and ignorant World or have you any better Apprehensions of me different from theirs 'T is meet that you who are my little Flock should give me some account of your particular Belief and 't is also meet that seeing you are to Preach me unto others you should first make some Confession of me your selves The Answer to this and the Person answering we have ver 16. Which because it hath an immediate Coherence with the Words now before us ought to be distinctly consider'd And 1. We may begin with the less considerable Part the Person speaking Simon Peter answered and said 'T is probable that he spake as the Mouth of the Apostles in the Name of all and that the rest agreed to this Testimony and believ'd as he said Not that he had any real Precedency or Superiority above the rest for then why should they enquire who was the greatest c. Chap. 18.1 but because he was one of the first call'd to the Apostleship and of the more esteem among them as he was of so long a standing and because he was of a very warm and forward Spirit as is evident by many other Passages 2. Here is the Thing spoken which is the main Subject of our