declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past 2. No farther price for what they need 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without spot and blemish The repentance of a sinner is pleasing to him there is Joy in Heaven Luke 15. 7. Ioy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that is converted A Feast was made at the return of the Prodigal As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner Our Conversion is more pleasing to God than our Destruction 3. He is pleased with the Execution and Management of it by Christ he carried himself in the office of the Mediator according to what was injoyned him Ioh. 8. 29. I do alwayes the things that please him Ioh. 5. 30. I can of my self do nothing as I hear I judge and my Iudgment is just because I seek not my will but the will of the father which sent me And did finish all that was necessary for the Redemption of the Elect before he died Ioh. 19. 30. When Iesus had received the vinegar he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost Evidences of this are his Resurrection from the dead Act. 5. 30 31. The God of our fathers raised up Iesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins Heb. 13. 20. The God of peace brought again the Lord Iesus from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant As pacified in Christ received into glory 1 Tim. 3. 16. Certainly God is well pleased since he hath given not onely a Discharge but a Reward The gift of the Spirit for renewing the heart of man which is the great pledge of Gods being satisfied Ioh. 7. 39. This he spake of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Iesus was not yet glorified a sure evidence that our ransom is paid Acts 5. 32. And we are his witnesses of these things and so is the holy Ghost which he hath given to them that obey him A Sacrifice of infinite value and esteem 2. That he is well-pleased with us who have an Interest in him In our natural Estate we are all displeasing unto God whatever we are in the purpose of his decree we must look upon our selves as we are in the Sentence of his Law so children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. Enemies by our minds in evil works Col. 1. 21. Estranged from the womb Psal. 58. 3. so that all of us were cut off from the Favour of God obnoxious to his wrath this is our miserable Condition by Nature that we were no way pleasing to him for without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. A sinner as a sinner can do nothing acceptable indeed God having found a Ransom is placabilis but not placatus not actually reconciled to us till we are in Christ and he is placandus antequam placendus to be appeased before he can be pleased he is not actually reconciled till we are in Christ. 2. Awakened sinners are not easily satisfied so as to look upon themselves as pleasing unto God for the Conscience of Sin is not easily laid aside nor is the stain soon got out And though the grant be passed in Heaven yet we have not the sense of it in our own hearts for it is the Blood of Christ can onely do it Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God The Carnal offer thousands of Rams and Rivers of Oyl and the fruit of the body for the sin of their soul Mic. 6. 6 7. They would give any thing for a sufficient sin-offering yea the renewed and pardoned have not so firm a peace as to be able always to look upon themselves in a state of well-pleasing therefore often beg that God would dissipate the Cloudes and cause the Light of his Countenance to break forth upon them Psal. 80. 19. Turn us Oh Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved So that when there is a grant of Pardon and Peace and Access to God we have not alwayes the sense 3. Yet the Ground is laid assoon as we have an Interest in Christ God is well pleased with us if you consent to his Mediation and take him in his three Offices as a Prophet Priest and King As a Prophet hear him the business is put out of all Question that God will love you because he loved Christ. When you depend on him as a Priest you have Reconciliation and Access to God Rom. 5. 1 2. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand When you subject your selves to him as a King Col. 1. 13. He hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son Christ is dear to God and to him all the Subjects of his Kingdom are dear also So that if you will be more explicite in your Duty you may be more explicite in your Comforts if you will receive his Doctrine so as it may have Authority over your Hearts if in the Anguish of your Souls you will depend on the Merit of his Sacrifice and give up your selves to live in a constant Obedience to his Laws You will find him to be a dear Son indeed one very acceptable with God for you also will be accepted with him for his sake II. Concerning the weight and importance of this Truth 1. It is propounded as the Foundation upon which God will build his Church Mat. 16. 16 17 18. And Simon Peter answered and said thou art Christ the Son of the living God And Iesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Barjona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven And I say unto thee That thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 2. It is the question put to those that would enter upon Christianity Acts 8. 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou maist and he answered and said I believe that Iesus is the son of God When they were serious in the Profession that was enough 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God 3. This engaged the hearts of the Disciples to tarry with him when others murmured at his Doctrine He that cleaveth to this Profession carrieth himself accordingly whatever Temptations he hath to the contrary we believe and are sure that thou art
CHRISTS TEMPTATION AND TRANSFIGURATION PRACTICALLY EXPLAINED AND IMPROVED In several SERMONS By the late Reverend THO. MANTON D. D. LONDON Printed in the YEAR 1685. TO THE READER THE following Discourses on Those important Subjects of the Temptation and Transfiguration of our Blessed Saviour together with the Sermons on the First Chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians from the 14th to the 21th verse Having been carefully Perused and Transcribed from the Reverend Authors own Manuscripts are now at the earnest request of divers persons that were the happy Auditors thereof offered to publick view had the Authour lived to publish these himself they had come forth into the World more exact but yet as they are now left I doubt not but they will be very acceptable to all that have discerning Minds for the peculiar Excellency contained in them Thus much was thought necessary to be said by way of Preface The Work sufficiently commending it self especially coming from such an Author as Doctor Manton THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST SERM. I. MATTH 4. 1. Then was Iesus led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be Tempted of the Devil THis Scripture giveth us the History of Christs Temptation which I shall go over by degrees In the Words Observe 1. The Parties Tempted and Tempting The Person Tempted was the Lord Iesus Christ. The Person Tempting was the Devil 2. The Occasion inducing this Combate Iesus was led up of the Spirit 3. The Time Then 4. The Place the Wilderness From the whole observe Doctrine The Lord Iesus Christ was pleased to submit himself to an extraordinary Combate with the Tempter for our good 1. I shall explain the nature and circumstances of this extraordinary Combate 2. The Reasons why Christ submitted to it 3. The good of this to us I. The circumstances of this extraordinary Combate And here 1. The Persons Combating Iesus and the Devil the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent It was designed long before Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel and now it is accomplished Here is the Prince of peace against the Prince of darkness Michael and the Dragon the Captain of our Salvation and our grand Enemy The Devil is the great Architect of wickedness as Christ is the Prince of Life and Righteousness These are the Combatants the one ruined the creation of God and the other restored and repaired it 2. The Manner of the combate It was not meerly a phantasm that Christ was thus assaulted and used No he was tempted in reality not in conceit and imagination only It seemeth to be in the Spirit though it was real As Paul was taken up into the third Heaven whether in the body or out of the body we cannot easily judge but real it was I shall more accurately discuss this question afterwards in its more proper place 3. What Moved him Or how was he brought to enter into the lists with Satan He was led by the Spirit meaning thereby the impulsion and excitation of the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God For it is said Luke 4. 1. Iesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Iordan and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness He did not voluntarily put himself upon Temptation but by Gods appointment went up from Iordan further into the Desart We Learn hence 1. That temptations come not by chance not out of the Earth nor meerly from the Devil but God ordereth them for his own Glory and our Good Satan was fain to beg leave to tempt Iob Iob 1. 12. And the Lord said unto Satan behold all that he hath is in thy power onely upon himself put not forth thine hand There is a concession with a limitation till God exposeth us to tryals the devil cannot trouble us nor touch us So Luke 22. 31. Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat Nay he could not enter into the Herd of Swine without a patent and new pass from Christ Matth. 8. 31. So the devils besought him saying If thou cast us out suffer us to go away into the Herd of Swine This cruel spirit is held in the chains of an irresistable Providence that he cannot molest any creature of God without his permission Which is a great satisfaction to the faithful all things which concern our tryal are determined and ordered by God If we be free let us bless God for it and pray that he would not lead us into temptation if tempted when we are in Satans hands remember Satan is in Gods hand 2. Having given up our selves to God we are no longer to be at our own dispose and direction but must submit our selves to be led guided and ordered by God in all things So it was with Christ he was led by the spirit continually if he retire into the desart he is led by the Spirit Luke 4. 1. If he come back again into Galilee ver 4. Iesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee The Holy Ghost leadeth him into the conflict and when it was ended leadeth him back again Now there is a perfect likeness between a Christian and Christ he is led by the spirit off and on so we must be guided by the same Spirit in all our actions Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God 3. That we must observe our warrant and calling in all we resolve upon To put our selves upon hazards we are not called unto is to go out of our bounds to meet a temptation or to ride into the devils quarters Christ did not go of his own accord into the desart but by divine impulsion and so he came from thence We may in our place and calling venture our selves on the protection of Gods Providence upon obvious temptations God will maintain and support us in them that is to trust God but to go out of our calling is to tempt God 4. Compare the words used in Matthew and Mark chap. 1. 12. And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the Wilderness That shows that it was a forcible motion or a strong impulse such as he could not easily resist or refuse so here is freedom he was led there is Force and efficacious impression he was driven with a voluntary condescension thereunto There may be liberty of mans Will yet the victorious efficacy of Grace united together a man may be taught and drawn as Christ here was led and driven by the Spirit into the Wilderness 3. The Time 1. Presently after his Baptisme Now the Baptism of Christ agreeth with ours as to the general nature of it Baptism is our initiation into the service of God or our solemn consecration of our selves to him and it doth not only imply work but fight Rom. 6. 13. Neither yield ye your members as instruments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
office it is to keep us in the way and to bring us into the place which Christ hath prepared for us he it is that must be obeyed by the people of God and pardon their transgressions in him is Gods Name for he will not communicate it to any other that is not of the same substance with himself God is in him and he in the Father and his name is Iehovah our Righteousness So Exod. 33. 14. My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest My presence that is my Angel spoken of before called the angel of his presence Isa. 63. 9. In all their affliction he was afflicted and the angel of his presence saved them This Angel is called Iehovah Exod. 13. 21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud c. This Angel of Gods presence was no other than Jesus Christ the conductor of them in the Wilderness who safe-guarded them and secured them all the way from Egypt to Canaan And we Christians may also tempt Christ for the Apostle warneth us against it We tempt Christ now he is ascended into Heaven when we disobey his Lawes question his Authority doubt of his Promises after sufficient means of conviction that he is the Messias the Son of God grow weary of his Religion lothing spiritual Manna and begin to be glutted with the Gospel and are discouraged in the way to our heavenly Canaan whither we are travelling 3. The Holy Ghost is said also to be tempted Acts 5. 9. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord Namely by their Hypocrisie and Dissimulation putting it to the trial whether he could discover them in their sin yea or no they had endeavoured as much as in them lay to deceive the Spirit by keeping back part of the price that is by that practice they would put it to the trial whether the Holy Ghost yea or no could find out that cheat and fallacy It is not barely to deceive the Apostle who was full of the Holy Ghost and had a discerning spirit though to them they brought their lye no saith the Apostle ye have not lyed unto men but unto God Ver. 4. and therefore they are said to tempt the Holy Ghost whether he could find them out or no though they had so many experiences of his care and respect to the Church and all affairs belonging thereunto and so the injury was done not to the Apostles but to the Holy Ghost himself Secondly The Act. What is this Tempting of God Temptation is the proving and making Trial of a Thing or Person what he is and what he will do Thus we tempt God when we put it to the Trial whether God will be as good as his Word and doubt of the cominatory and promissory part thereof or whether he will be such an one as he is taken to be Now this is lawful or unlawful according as the Trial is made humbly and dutifully or else proudly and sinfully whether God will do such a thing as we have prescribed him And again as the trial is made necessarily or unnecessarily sinfully we are said to tempt God when we make an unnecessary experiment of his Truth Goodness and Power and Care of us having had sufficient assurance of these things before 1. There is a tempting or proving of God in a way of Duty So we are bidden Malachi 3. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now therewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windowes of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it God there submitteth to a trial upon experience though we are to believe him upon his bare word yet he will have us to wait for the good things promised and in this sense it is said The word of the Lord is a tried word he is a buckler to all them that trust in him Psal. 18. 30. All those that build any hope upon it and wait to see what the Lord will do will find that God will stand to his Word This is a constant duty to observe Gods Truth and Faithfulness To suspend our belief till the event is distrust but to wait observing what God will do as to the event is an unquestionable Duty 2. There is an allowed trying of God in some cases I cannot say it is a Duty because it is only warrantable by Gods special indulgence and dispensation and I cannot say it is a sin because of Gods gracious condescension to his People Iudges 6. 39. And Gideon said unto God Let not thine anger be hot against me and I will speak but this once Let me prove I pray thee but this once with the fleece let it be now dry only upon the fleece and upon all the ground let there be dew The request was not of distrust and malice but of infirmity and from a weak Faith not out of Infidelity to tempt God but out of Humility being sensible of his own weakness he desired this help for the further confirmation of his Faith concerning his calling to this work as an Instrument authorized and the issue and success of it and also to assure others who followed him To this head I refer Thomas his proof and trial Ioh. 20. 25. Except I see in his hand the print of the nailes and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Here was weakness in Thomas to suspend his Faith upon such a condition but an Apostle was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eye-witness of those things which were done especially of his Resurrection and therefore Christ meekly condescended to his request ver 27. Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing I put it among infirmities he alloweth him his trial of sense but with some rebuke To this head may be referred that of Hezekiah who when he was sick of a mortal disease and the Lord had extraordinarily promised him on his mourning that he should be recovered again he asks a sign for the confirmation of his Faith and God grants it him 2 Kings 20. 8 9. And the instance of Ahaz who when the Prophet bid him ask a sign he said Isa. 7. 12. I will not ask neither will I tempt the Lord. He believed nothing of what the Prophet had spoke and was resolved to go on in his way but he pretended a reverend and religious respect to God This kind of tempting God is tolerable being an act of condescension in God to the weakness of his People 3. There is a sinful Tempting of God and this is done two ways 1. Generally every Transgression in a general sense is a tempting of God Num. 14. 22. They have tempted me now these ten
You must make your way to heaven almost every step by conflict and conquest Remember your baptismal vow the obligation of which ceaseth not till your life be ended and then you shall be out of Gun-shot and Harmes-way Therefore still follow the Captain of your Salvation wherever he leadeth you The more Trials the more Glory 3. Avoid rash Judgment and Censure if the same happen to others Pyrates do not use to set upon an empty Vessel The best are most assaulted God permitteth it for their Trial and Satan hath the greatest spight at them II. Observe That the more grievous temptations follow the lighter ones and the last assaults and trials are usually the greatest This is so if you respect either the dexterity and cunning of the Tempter represented before or the foulness of the Temptation viz. to Idolatry The best of Gods Children may be tempted to the most execrable sins Thus usually doth Satan reserve his worst assaults for the last and his last temptation is commonly the sorest Dying Beasts bite shrewdly so Satan rageth most when he hath but a short time Therefore since our warfare is not over let us prepare for the worst brunt and the last efforts of Satan If God will crown us fighting we have no cause to complain Many of Gods servants whom he could not draw to Worldliness Sensuality or Vain-glory in their Life-time he will seek to inject blasphemous thoughts into their Minds at last But though it be grievous be not dismayed your Conquest is sure and near III. Observe The World and Worldly things are the bait and snare which the Tempter offereth to Christ and his followers As here when he would make his last onset upon Christ he sets before him the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them as the matter of the Temptation 1. There are three Enemies of our Salvation the Devil the World and the Flesh they are reckoned up together Eph. 2. 2 3. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind The Devil is the deceiver and grand Architect of all wickedness the Flesh is the Principle that he worketh upon or that rebelling faculty within us that would be pleased before God the World is the bait by which the devil would deceive us and steal away our hearts from God for it suiteth with our fleshly appetites and desires More distinctly that Satan is an enemy appeareth from his name that signifieth an Adversary and in many places of Scripture he is so called as Matth. 13. 25. While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat compared with the 39th verse The enemy that sowed them is the Devil he is the great Enemy to God and Man 1 Pet. 5. 8. Your adversary the Devil like a roaring Lyon walketh about c. The Flesh is an Enemy yea our greatest Enemy for it warreth against the soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. If you indulge the Flesh you are willing to lose your Souls Yea it warreth against the Spirit or better part as contrary to it Gal. 5. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Other things could do us no harm without our own flesh We are tempted to Sin by Satan encouraged to sin by the Example and Custom of the World but enclined to Sin by our own Flesh. The World is an Enemy of our Salvation as well as the Devil and the Flesh all the other Enemies get strength by it by the bait of worldly things the devil pleaseth the flesh we are in continual danger of being everlastingly undone by it Whosoever is a Lover of the World is presumed to be a professed Enemy of God Iam. 4. 4. Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God 1 Ioh. 2. 15. If any man love the world the love of the father is not in him It is an Enemy because it keepeth us from God who is our chief good and the enjoyment of him among his blessed ones which is our last end There is a neglect of God and heavenly things where the world prevaileth 2. The devil maketh use of the world to a double end 1. To divert us from God and Heavenly things that our Time and Care and Thoughts may be wholly taken up about things here below Luk. 12. 19. Soul thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry Phil. 3. 19 20. They mind earthly things But our conversation is in heaven These are perfectly opposite Some are of the world and speak of the world and wholly mind the world and are governed by the spirit of this world seldom look higher or very coldly and slightly Thus that which should be thought of in the first place is scarce thought of at all But remember he doth but offer you worldly things to deprive you of heavenly 2. To draw us to some open sin for the worlds sake as here he tempted Christ to Idolatry and Demas to defection from the Faith 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world Others to some carnal fraudulent oppressive course whereby they are spotted by the World The whore of Babylon propoundeth her Abominations in a golden cup Rev. 17. 4. and the great motive here is All this will I give thee Though the Devil cometh not in Person to us with his offers he doth by his Instruments as Balak when he sent to Balaam to curse the Israelites he promised him great rewards Numb 22. 17. I will promote thee unto very great honour and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me Come therefore I pray thee curse me this people So when he doth intice you by the motions of your own hearts to any thing that is unlawful to falshood deceit or unjust gain or to get and keep wealth by any base or unjust means or doing something that is base and unworthy of your Religion 3. I Observe that Temptations from the world may prevail with us Satan maketh use of a twofold Artifice The one is to greaten the worldly Object the other is to make us large promises of success happiness and contentment in our evil enterprizes 1. He useth this sleight here he doth in the most inticing manner lay the world before Christ as a splendid object to greaten it in Christs Thoughts and apprehensions Therefore when we begin to magnifie the Riches Pomp and pleasures of the World the devil is at our Elbow and we are running into the snare And therefore if we begin to say happy is the people that is in
such a case it is time to correct our selves and say yea happy is the people whose God is the Lord Psal. 144. 15. Take heed the devil doth not gain this advantage over you to make you follow the world with the greatest earnestness and spiritual and heavenly things in a slight and overly manner Esteem desires resolutions of worldly Greatness though not upon base conditions begin the Temptation You think it is a fine thing to live in Pomp and at ease to swim in pleasures and begin to resolve to make it your business The devil hath you upon the hip it is a hour of Temptation 2. His next course is to make large offers and promises by his instruments or your own thoughts that though you neglect God and Heaven and do engage in some sinful course you shall do well in the world and enjoy full satisfaction There is a double evil in Satans Offers and Promises 1. They are false and fallacious All these things will I give thee Satan maketh fair offers of what he cannot perform He promiseth many things but doth only promise them he offereth the Kingdomes of the world to Christ but cannot make good his word he sheweth them to Christ but cannot give them And this is the devils wont to be liberal in promises to fill the minds of those that hearken to him with vain hopes as if he could transfer the Riches and Honours of the world to whom he pleaseth whereas they are shamefully disappointed and find their ruine in the very things in which they sought their Exaltation and their projects are crossed for the earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof 1 Cor. 11. 26. 2. All the devils offers and promises have a spightful condition annexed He pretendeth to give but yet selleth at the dearest rates It is but a barter and exchange a flat bargain but no gift He must have our souls God is dishonoured his Laws broken his Spirit grieved The devil staineth his grant with unjust covenants and exacteth more than the thing is worth Two wayes then must we defeat the Temptation 1. Not believing his Promises that I must be beholding to sin to make me happy Those that by unlawful means get up to honour and wealth seem to have accepted the devils offer they think he is Lord of the world and all the Kingdoms and the Glory thereof Do not look upon wealth as the devils gift as a thing to be gotten by fraud flattery corruption bribery alas it is put into bags with holes Haggai 1. 6. It is called the deceitfulness of riches Matth. 13. 22. They promise that contentment and happiness which they cannot give There is sure dependance on the Lord's but none on Satans promises Young men that are to begin the world take up this resolution take what God sendeth but resolve never to take wealth out of Satans hands what God sendeth in the fair way of his Providence by his blessing on your lawful endeavors Prov. 10. 4. The hand of the diligent maketh rich And Ver. 22. The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with it When you deal righteously and do not barely heap up treasure to your selves but seek to grow rich towards God to subordinate all to heaven and a better pursuit otherwise God can find a moth and a thief for your Estates 2. The other way is to consider what a sad bargain you make by gratifying the devil and hearkning to his Counsel Matth. 16. 26. What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul A man never gets any thing with Satan but he shall lose that which is more precious he never maketh a proffer to our advantage but to our loss and hurt Follow the world as hard as you can lie cosen cheat and you shall be rich put the case it is so but I must lose my soul not in a natural but legal sense Iob 27. 8. What is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul He hath far better things from us then we have from him a Birth-right for a mess of Pottage the hopes of Heaven for an opulent condition here below The Bird buys the Fowlers bait at a dear rate when his life must go for it Thy soul must be lost which all the Gold and Silver in the world cannot redeem and recover 4. I observe again that Christ by his refusal hath taught us to tread the world under our feet and all the glory of it should be an uneffectual and cold motive to a sanctified soul. If we have the same Spirit that was in Christ it will be so All the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them was far too little to make up a Temptation to him A mortified heart will contemn all this in comparison of our duty to God and the comfort of a good Conscience and the Hopes of Glory Surely they have not the Spirit of Christ who are taken with small things with a Babylonish Garment or some petty Temptation USES The Use is to teach us how to counter-work Satan 1. Since he worketh upon the fleshly mind we are to be mortified and grow dead to the world We profess Faith in a Crucified Lord we must be like him Crucified as he was Crucified then shall we glory in the Cross of Christ when we feel the vertue of it and are planted into the likeness of it Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Grow more dead to the Riches Honour Pomp Pleasure the Favour Fear Love Wrath Praise and Dispraise of Men that we may readily deny these things so far as opposite to the Kingdom of Christ or our duty to God or as they lessen our Affections to him We die as our esteem of those things doth decay till the mans temper be altered there is no hope to prevail by Argument onely they that are made partakers of a divine Nature do escape the corruption that is in the world through Lust. 2. Since he worketh by Representation and Promise you must be prepared against both 1. As he worketh by Representation or the fair shew and splendid Appearance of worldly things you must check it 1. By considering the little subsistance and reality that is in this fair appearance 1 Cor. 7. 31. The fashion of this world passeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is but a draft an empty Pageantry so it is called Psal. 39. 6. Avain shew an Image shadow or dream that vanisheth in a trice So Prov. 23. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not It was not a-while ago and within a little while it will not be again at least to us it will not be we must shortly bid good night to all the World 1 Pet.
that God is and that he ought to be worshipped It appeareth by our Saviours reasoning Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in Truth He giveth directions about the manner of worship but supposeth it that he will be worshipped When God had proclaimed his name and manifested himself to Moses Exod. 34. 8. Moses made hast and bowed himself and worshipped It is the crime charged upon the Gentiles that when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1. 21. They knew a divine power but did not give him a worship at lest competent to his nature God pleadeth his right Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a master where is my fear And God who is the common Parent and absolute Master of all must have both a Worship and Honour in which Reverence and Fear is mixed with Love and Joy So that if God be worship is certainly due to him They that have no worship are as if they had no God The Psalmist proveth Atheism by that Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God and ver 4. They call not upon God The acknowledgement of a King doth imply subjection to his Laws so doth the acknowledgment of his God imply a necessity of worshipping him III. That both Worship and Service is due to God him shalt thou worship and him shalt thou serve The worship of God is both Internal and External The Internal consisteth in that Love and Reverence which we owe to him the External in those offices and duties by which our honour and respect to God is signified and expressed Both are necessary both believing with the heart and confession with the Mouth Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation The soul and life of our Worship and Godliness lyeth in our Faith Love Reverence and Delight in God above all other things the visible expression of it is in Invocation Thanksgiving Prayers and Sacraments and other Acts of outward Worship Now it is not enough that we own God with the Heart but we must own him with the Body also In the Heart serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Psal. 2. 11. Such as will become the Greatness and Goodness of God with outward and bodily worship you must now own him in all those prescribed duties in which these Affections are acted The spirit must be in it and the body also There are two extreams some confine all their respect to God to bodily worship and external Forms Mat. 16. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are far from me They use the external Rites of worship but their Affections are no way suited to the God whom they Worship It is the Heart must be the principal and chief Agent in the business without which it is but the carcass of a duty without the life and the soul. The other Extream is that we are not called to an external bodily worship under the Gospel why did he then appoint the Ordinances of Preaching Prayer Singing of Psalmes Baptisme and the Lords Supper God that made the whole man body and soul must be worshipped of the whole man Therefore besides the inward Affections there must be external Actions whereby we express our Respect and Reverence to God IV. That both these Religious Worship and Service are due to God alone I prove it by these Arguments 1. Those things which are due to God as God are due to him alone and no Creature without Sacriledge can claim any part and fellowship in that Worship and Adoration neither can it be given to any Creature without Idolatry but now Religious worship and service is due to God as God he is thy Lord and worship thou him Psal. 45. 11. Our worship and service is due to him not onely for his supereminent Excellency but because of our Creation Preservation and Redemption Therefore we must worship and serve him and him onely Isa. 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another nor my praise to graven Images God challengeth it as Jehovah the great self-being from whom we have received Life and Breath and all things This Glory God will not suffer to be given to another And therefore the Apostle sheweth the wretched estate of the Galatians Chap. 4. 8. When ye knew not God ye did service to them that by nature are no Gods that is they worshipped for Gods those things which really were no Gods There is no kind of Religious worship or service under any name whatsoever to be given to any Creature but to God only for what is due to the Creator as Creator cannot be given to the Creature 2. The nature of Religious worship is such that it cannot be terminated on any Object but God for it is a profession of our Dependance and Subjection Now whatever invisible Power this worship is tendered unto must be Omniscient Omnipresent Omnipotent Omniscient who knowes the Thoughts Cogitations secret purposes of our heart which God alone doth 1 King 8. 39. Give unto every one according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of Men. It is Gods Prerogative to know the inward motions and thoughts of the heart whether they be sincere or no in their professions of dependance and subjection So Omnipresent that he may be ready at hand to help us and relieve us Ier. 23. 23 24. Am I a God at hand and not a God afar of can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. The Palace of Heaven doth not so confine him and inclose him but that he is present every where by his essential presence and powerful and efficacious Providence Besides Omnipotent Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high unto God who performeth all things for me Alass what a cold formality were prayer if we should speak to those that know us not and who are not near to help us or have no sufficiency of power to help us Therefore these professions of dependance and subjection must be made to God alone 3. To give Religious Worship to the Creatures it is without command without promise and without Examples and therefore without any Faith in the Worshipper or acceptance of God Where is there any command or direction or approved example of this in Scripture God will accept onely what he commanded and without a promise it will be unprofitable to us and it is a superstitious Innovation of our own to devise any
chearfulness of countenance guilt and shame cast down the countenance but Righteousness and Wisdom embolden it more particularly in prayer as our confidence and joy in God is increased it bewrayeth it self in the countenance Psal. 34. 15. They looked unto him and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed they are revived and incouraged and come away from the Throne of Grace other manner of Persons then they came to it 3. That some kind of Transformation is wrought by prayer appeareth by these Considerations 1. That as God is glorious in himself so he maketh him that cometh to him partaker of his Glory For certainly all communion with God breedeth some Assimilation and likeness unto God it is clear in heavenly glory when we see him as he is we shall be like him 1 Iohn 3. 2. and it is clear also in our Communion with him in the Spirit for the Apostle telleth us that by beholding the Glory of the Lord as in a glass we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. not onely doth vision or immediate intuition produce this effect but also spiritual specular vision or a sight of God in the Ordinances produces a divine and God-like Nature inclining us to hate sin and love Righteousness the more we are above with God the more we are like him we see it in ordinary converse a man is as the company that he keepeth he that walketh with wise men shall be wise saith Solomon but a companion of fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. now it is not imaginable that a man should converse often with God fervently seriously and not be more like him He that liveth in a Mill the dust will stick upon his clothes Man receiveth an insensible taint from his company he that liveth in a shop of Perfumes often handleth them is conversant among them carryeth away somewhat of the fragrancy of these good Ointments so by conversing with God we are made like him 2. Nearer we cannot come to God while we dwell in Flesh then by lifting up the heart to him in fervent prayer this is the intimate converse and familiarity of a loving soul with God therefore it is called a lifting up the heart to God he will not come down to us therefore we lift up the heart to him Lament 3. 41. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens so Psal. 25. 1. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul and Psalm 86. 4. Rejoyce the soul of thy servant for unto thee do I lift up my soul so Psalm 143. 8. cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee All these places shew that there can be no sincerity and seriousness in this Duty unless there be this Ascension of the soul to God it is an act of spiritual Friendship therefore called an acquainting our selves with God Iob 22. 21. now as acquaintance is kept up by frequent visits so prayer is called a giving God a visit Isa. 26. 16. In their trouble they have visited thee Well then here is the greatest intimacy we have with God In the word God speaks to us by a proxy and Ambassador another speaketh for him in the Lords Supper we are feasted at his cost and remember him but we are not admitted into his immediate presence as those that are feasted by the King in another room then he dineth in but prayer goeth up to God and speaketh to himself immediately and therefore this way of commerce must needs bring in much of God to the soul. 3. In fervent prayer we have a double advantage we get a sight of God and exercise strong love to God and both conduce to make us like God 1. We get a sight of God for in it if it be seriously performed we turn our back upon all other things that we may look to God as sitting upon the Throne governing all things by his power for his Glory By Faith we see the invisible one Heb. 11. 27. surely if we do not see God before the eye of our Faith when we pray to him we Worship an Idol not the true and living God who is and is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Our hearts should be shut up against the thoughts of any other thing and confined only to the object to whom we direct our Worship I reason thus if a Christian foreseeth the Lord before him in all his wayes and keepeth alwayes as in his eye and presence surely he should set the Lord before him in his Worship and in his prayers Psalm 16. 8. a good Christian doth always keep as in Gods eye and presence much more when he calleth upon his Name now every sight of God doth more affect and change the heart as none but the pure in heart see God so none see God but are most pure in heart there is a self-purifying in moral things purity of heart maketh way for the sight of God Mark 5. 8. so the sight of God maketh way for the purity of Heart Iohn Epist. 3. 11. He that doth evil hath not seen God a serious sight of God certainly worketh some change in us 2. In prayer a strong love to God is acted for it is the expression of our delight in him Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwayes call upon God Now we are changed into the likeness of him in whom we delight in Love transformeth and changeth us into the nature of what is loved there is the difference between the Mind and the Will the Mind draweth things to its-self but the Will followeth the things it chooseth and is drawn by them as the wax receiveth the impression of the Seal Carnal objects make us carnal and earthly things earthly and Heavenly things Heavenly and the love of God Godly Psal. 115. 8. They that make them are like unto them so are all they that put their trust in them stupid and senseless as Idols it secretly stamps the heart with what we like and esteem and admire 4. There are Agents in Prayer to help us to improve this advantage 1. The Humane Spirit 2. The New Nature And 3. The Spirit of God 1. The Humane Spirit or our Natural Faculty so that by our understandings we may work upon our Wills and Affections surely God maketh use of this for the Holy Ghost doth not work upon a man as upon a block and we are to rouze up our selves and to attend upon this work with the greatest seriousness imaginable The Prophet complains Isa. 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee without this it is but dead and cold work and if there be no more than this it is but dry litteral work not that fervent effectual prayer which will change the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 5. 16. the
Lord face to face and spake with him as a man doth with his Friend and Elias 1 Kings 19. Both had fasted fourty days as Christ also did therefore conveniently were these chosen 3. With respect to our Profit and Instruction Christ would not choose two Angels for this service but two Men. Here the business was not to see glorified Spirits but glorified Bodies therefore the Angels having no Bodies of their own and must appear in assumed Bodies if in any are not fit therefore two Men that had Bodies wherein they might appear But you will say if two men must appear in glorified Bodies why not Enoch rather then Moses who was translated into Heaven and remaineth there with a glorified Body as well as Elias Answ. Enoch had no publick charge Enoch lived before the legal dispensation these both belonged to it and were chief in it of great Authority among the Jews Enoch hath an honourable Testimony in the Word of God but had no publick office and charge in the Church which the other two had and managed with great Fidelity By the appearance of Moses the whole legal Oeconomy is supposed to appear in his Person and by the appearance of Elias the Prophetical Ministry which was a kind of Chancery to the Law is supposed to appear also Both do as it were deliver over to Christ their whole dispensation and lay it down at his feet as the Magistrates that are to go out of office solemnly resign the ensigns of their Authority to him that succeedeth and also they come both to reverence the majesty of their supream Lord. In short it is for our comfort that one that died and one alive in glory should come to shew that Christ is Lord of quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. Moses was dead Elias translated these two come the one to give a pledge of the glory of the World to come the other of the Resurrection of the dead which is the way and introduction to it and both these persons come to attend and adore our Saviour and do homage to him Secondly They appeared in glory that is in a corporeal shape shining with brightness glory as Christs body did bating only for the degree proportion that ther might be a difference between the Lord and his Servants Now whether they appeared in Bodies formed and assumed for the present purpose and to be laid down again as we do our Garments or in their own proper Bodies is often disputed by Interpreters upon this occasion That they appeared in bodies is certain for bodily acts and properties are ascribed to them as their talking with Christ their being seen by the Apostles for a spirit cannot be seen If in bodies why not their own It is as easie to the Lord to cause them to appear in their own bodies as in a body assumed for this special purpose and service and they were known by the Disciples to be Moses and Elias not by the external Lineaments for they never saw them in person before but either were made known to them by some internal Revelation or by Christs words or by some words of Moses and Elias themselves but which way soever they knew them certain it is they knew them and took them to be Moses and Elias therefore Moses and Elias they were both as to Soul and Body The Apostles that were admitted to this Transfiguration were not to be deceived by a false appearance for they were admitted to be confirmed in the Truth of Christs Person and Office that by what they saw they might confirm others How would it weaken the Testimony if what they saw appearing before them in glory were not the bodies of Moses and Elias but only other bodies assumed Concerning Elias the matter is without difficulty for since he saw not death but was translated both body and soul into Heaven why should he lay down his own body and take another to come and serve Christ upon this occasion cause sufficient there was why he should come from the blessedness of Heaven to Mount Tabor no cause why he should lay aside his own proper body It is no loss nor trouble but advantage to blessed and heavenly Creatures to be serviceable to their Redeemers Glory though it be to come out of the other into this World But concerning Moses the matter is more doubtful we read that he died in Mount Nebo and his body was buried by God in the Plains of Moab so that his Grave was known to no man unto this day Deut. 34. 5 6. Some think it was preserved from putrefaction by the extraordinary power of God that he might resume it at this time The Jews say that God sucked out Moses soul from his body with a kiss and afterwards restored it again and so he liveth in immortality but he that looketh for Divinity among the Jewish Rabbins will much sooner find a ridiculous Fable then any sound Doctrine suffice it to us that he was really dead and buryed and his body mouldred into dust as our bodies are and now on this special occasion raised out of the dust but after this whether it were laid down in dust again or carryed into Heaven it is not for us to determine it may be either according to the Analogy of the Christian Faith if his body returned to corruption again surely it is a great honour that it was raised up for this special use I say it was a great joy to these Prophets to see all their predictions fulfilled in Christ. If we say it entered into Glory what inconvenience was there If God would indulge him this peculiar Prerogative to be raised from the dead and enjoy blessedness both in soul and body before the last day He granted it to Enoch and Elias and those who came out of their Graves after Christs death Matth. 27. 53. the great Harvest is at the last day but some first-fruits before Secondly Their Conference with our Saviour they talked with him saith Matthew they spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Ierusalem saith Luke they talked with Christ not with the Apostles here is an Apparition to them but no parley and intercourse between them and the glorified Saints The Saints that are glorified are out of the sphere of commerce of the living nay it is a question whether they heard at all what was said to Christ but of that in the next verse Here observe three things 1. What they spake of Christs death 2. The notion by which his death is set forth it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. The necessity of undergoing it in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he should accomplish at Jerusalem 1. What they spake of none could divine unless it had been told us and the Evangelist Luke telleth us that it was of his death This Argument was chosen 1. Because it was at hand the next solemn Mediatory Action after this was his Death and Bloody sufferings after he was Transfigured in
is a sin God hath severely punished witness Eutychus Acts 20. 9. And there sat in the window a young man named Eutychus being faln into a deep sleep and as Paul was long Preaching he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead Mark though the Sermon continued till midnight and it was a youth that slept yet he fell down as dead it was a small sin a sin of infirmity a boys sin yet God would leave this warning I do not animadvert too severely upon this infirmity only give you caution Christ praying all night on mount Tabor this weakness prevailed on these choice Apostles and elsewhere during the time of Christs Agonies yet we are to strive against it and be sure it may be said of us as of them Mark 26. 41. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Make conscience of avoiding this sin do not compose your selves to sleep do not come to these duties spent with labours and Worldly cares nor clogged with excess of meat or drink nor having defrauded our selves of necessary refreshing by sleep by vain pleasures the night before Secondly Their carriage when they were awake when they awaked they saw his Glory and the two men that stood with them they saw Christ transfigured before they fell asleep but I think they saw not Moses and Elias before but now saw them that they might give testimony of it to the Church not by common fame and hear say but as eye Witnesses and they knew Moses and Elias either by information from Christ or some secret instinct and Revelation of the Spirit or as hearing some part of the discourse they heard enough to shew what they were or what the general matter of their discourse was But that which is most remarkable is Peters motion and proposal It came to pass to pass as they departed from him just as they were parting Peter said Lord it is good for us to be here let us make three Tabernacles one for Thee one for Moses and one for Elias He mentioned no distinct Tabernacle for himself and fellow Disciples because they would be with Christ attending on their Master in his Tent. The Motion in the general is rash sudden and unadvised but being made by a good man though under a passion there is something good and something bad in it 1. That which was good in it is he yet retaineth his Reverence 1. That he submitteth his proposal to the judgement of his Lord and Master wherein he expresseth his Reverence of Christ Lord if thou wilt he desireth a continuance of this dispensation leaveth it to his consent acknowledging herein his Wisdom and Authority 2. It sheweth the valuableness and felicity of conversing with Christ and the glorified Saints for when but two of them appear in Glory talking with Christ Peter said it is good to be here to continue and abide in this place together with thy self Moses and Elias What a blessed dignity is this the Glory of Heaven is so ravishing and satisfactory to the soul that the soul can rest in the least glimpse and degree of it If a glimpse what is the fulness if the splendor of his humanity not yet Glorified be so great what is the Glory of his Godhead If a fight of these things at a distance what is the participation when the Glory shall be revealed in us or we shall appear with him in Glory If Moses and Elias what is the company of all the Saints and Angels If it be thus at Mount Tabor what will it be in Heaven when all the World is renewed and refined and the Church gathered together in one great Assembly 3. The nature of a state of Glory and how easily it maketh us to forget all things here below Peter had a Family and Houshold affairs to mind for we read in the Gospel that his Wives Mother was sick and cured by Christ Matth. 8. 14. he had Friends and a Brother called Andrew who was one of the Disciples of Christ left below in the Valley Iohn 1. 40. nay he forgot his own present condition of Life which could not long brook his remaining in that Mountain without the supply of Food and other necessaries Now all this sheweth that when we are translated to Heaven we shall be so ravished with that kind of Life we shall have there as that all sense and memory of things that we have left behind shall cease as Peter being ravished with this sight and spectacle thinketh not of Kindred Friends or Houshold or any kind of Worldly comfort but saith onely it is good to be here so that it teacheth us that the delights of the other World make us forget all our concernments here below all shall be forgotten and swallowed up in that heavenly delight we shall have there 2. That which was Evil in it 1. That he mistook the nature of the present dispensation this was to be a representation not a Fruition to be transient and momentany for confirmation not possession rather a viaticum a bit by the way then a Feast It was good and commendable to be affected with joy and delight in the presence and company of Christ and Moses and Elias but it was not to be rested in as their full Reward 2. If this request had taken place the work of our Redemption had been hindred what had become of Christs Death and Passion which he should accomplish at Ierusalem all our happiness dependeth on that and if God should give way to our carnal desires what mischief would ensue If Christ had hearkened to him he would not have gone up to Ierusalem to suffer nor would any man living have dared to lay hands upon him while he continued in this Glory and Majesty 3. This request was injurious to Moses and Elias that they should utterly forsake their Heavenly Mansions for an abode on Earth and therefore to desire their continuance there was to desire their loss they were a little time to appear on Earth with Christ and then to return to their blessedness or to the enjoyment of the sight of God in the third Heavens 4. It was injurious to Christ to hope to learn something from Moses and Elias which Christ could not teach them and to equal them with his Lord and Master in building Tabernacles for all three alike and without difference was some lessening of his respect to Christ. If they were to learn any thing from them they were to consult the Books not the Persons Luke 16. 29. They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them and the desires of extraordinary means argueth a contempt of ordinary 5. It was an error to imagin that Tabernacles were necessary for Moses and Elias who now appeared in such Heavenly Glory in the Mount they needed not earthly Houses and Tents to dwell in to defend them from the injuries of the weather neither had they such present conveniencies to prepare them Thirdly The