law that we might receive the adoption of sons and especially that is very remarkable John 1. 12 But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name The word translated power is another word in the greek He gave them authority to become the sons of God 't is a word that imports more then bare power Every one will challenge a part in sonship that they are the children of God but only those that are in Christ have authority to challenge it as their due If a stranger should say he was the Kings son and were heire to the Crown it would cost him his life because he is none of the Kings son but if one be declared by Act of Parliament to be the right heire to the Crown then he hath authority to challenge it 'T is so here when once we come to be in Christ then we have authority to claime this priviledge to be the sons of God and heires of heaven And this great priviledge that is so mightily above us we have it in Christ not only by way of the redundancy of his merit but by our union with him we are married to Christ and by union with his person are made one with him and so are sons by vertue of his sonship And are therefore sons of God in a higher way then the Angels are the Angels are sons by creation but we are the sons of God in Christ by vertue of our union in his sonship as Christ is the son of God the second person in Trinity and we made one with him so we come to be the sons of God in a mysticall way of union with him and Christ is all in all in that And then in point of reconciliation and peace with God Christ is all in all there Being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 1. It is not all the created power in heaven and earth that can bring true peace to a troubled soul there is no salve for a wounded spirit but the bloud of Christ applyed unto it t is he that is the brazen Serpent that is onely able to cure the strings of conscience as Luther sayes it is a harder matter of comfort an afflicted conscience then to raise the dead few think it so and wonder what people meane in being so troubled in conscience as they are I tell you were there not a mighty redeemer the conscience of a man or woman could never be pacified that once apprehends the wrath of God against them so that Christ is all in all there And so he is all in all in point of all our sanctification that is sanctification to life There is a generall kinde of sanctification the Scripture speaks of which comes some way from Christ but now I speak of that sanctification which is our spirituall life You know what the Scripture sayes John 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and John 1. 16. And of his fulnesse have all we received and grace for grace There is the fulnesse of Christ conveyed into the soul so that our sanctification is not only from him meritoriously but efficiently yea and in a kinde materially too for he doth not only merit it and work it by his spirit but through our union with him there is a kinde of flowing of sanctification from him into us as the principle of our life as from the Liver there flowes bloud into all the parts of the body so through our union with Christ he having the fulnesse of the Godhead in him from him as from a fountaine sanctification flowes into the souls of the Saints there sanctification comes not so much from their strugling and endeavours and vowes and resolutions as it comes flowing to them from their clossing with Christ and their union with him there may be a great deal of striving and endeavouring that may be utterly ineffectuall for want of having recourse unto Christ as the spring and well head of all grace and holinesse I remember a Germane Devine professeth of himself that before he understood the grace of Christ in the Gospell he vowed and vowed and covenanted and covenanted a thousand times and could never overcome his corruptions till he understood Gods letting out of his grace through Christ and then he got strength against them and the reason why we faile in point of sanctification is because we think to get it all by maine strength but the ready way is to close with Christ by faith and then there will flow in life and grace to the soul there may be many morallities by the light of nature and the remainders of that light left in us but that is not the sanctification that is to life And hence it is that there is so much beauty and glory in the sanctification of the Saints because Christ is all in all in it and that there is such power and strength in it because it is of the strength of Christ for Christ is all in all in it And hence it is of an abiding nature and an immortall seed And therefore of a higher nature then that of Adams in innocency that lost but so cannot this because Christ is all in all in it so that Christ is all in our sanctification likewise Again he is all in all in the want of all things whatsoever we want doe we want grace doe we want gifts doe we want outward comforts in the world there is enough in Christ it is Christ that is instead of all that is better then all and that will supply all in his due time Those that know Christ and have acquaintance with him though they have this and that comfort taken from them yet they know how to make supply out of Christ they have that skill and art and mystery of godlinesse that they can make Christ to be all in all in the want of all and it is a great skill and mystery of godlinesse to know how to make up all in Christ in the want of all Again Christ to the Saints is all in all in the enjoyment of all when they enjoy never so much of creature comforts Christ is all in all in them the satisfaction that their soules have is not so much that they have the creatures that they have larger estates more friends greater comforts then others but in this they know how to enjoy Christ in all and can look upon it as a fruit of the covenant that God hath made with them in Christ and as coming from the fountaine of Gods eternall love and mercy in his Son Zech. 9. 11. God saies there As for thee also by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water That which is spoken there of the deliverance of the prisoners may be applied to all the mercies that a believer enjoyes whatever deliverance he hath from
excellency and glory that there is in God to know much of God in his own essence and being and elevates the sould to converse with God in a higher way abundantly then reason can doe though it is true a great deal of God is understood by reason And then by faith the soul comes to know what riches there are in these excellent and glorious things of God It first sees them in God and then after that it sees this God to be infinitely willing to communicate and let out himself to his creature And then by faith the soul converseth with the deep and glorious councels of God between himself and his Son It sees into the great designe God had in sending his Son into the world for the working and bringing to passe those high and glorious intentions he had in communicating himself to the children of men through a mediator Again faith converseth with the great things of the covenant of grace and there sees into those unsearchable riches as the Apostle speaks that have no footsteps in the creature so the word signifies we cannot see them by reason or the creature A speciall object faith works upon is the covenant of grace in the Gospell and it sees the riches that are revealed there And faith receives the testimony of the holy Ghost the holy Ghost is appointed by the Father and the Son to witnesse these great things to manifest to the soul the deep things of God those things that are but meer notions otherwise to the heart of a man the spirit of God discovers these to the soul and so faith working upon these objects and closing with them as the proper spheare for it to move in it makes all those glorious things that are revealed concerning the happinesse of those that God intends eternall good unto substantiall and reall to the soul such things as the soul can build upon and dare venture its self and its eternall estate upon and we had need have a good foundation in those things we are content to venture our eternall estate upon and because it must be the work of faith when God intends to save the soul to have such apprehensions of the Gospell as to be willing to venture its eternall condition upon it therefore it had need have a sure foundation and hence faith is the substance of things hoped for and gives a reall being unto these things And as it makes them reall and substantiall so there is another thing included in this word It makes them present though they are but things hoped for yet by faith they have a present subsistence to the soul they are lookt upon by faith as now subsisting though in themselves they doe not faith partakes much of the nature of God it hath a kinde of omnipotent power in it out of nothing to create something there are many excellent works of faith and amongst the rest this is a speciall one to give a being to that which in itself hath none to make it for the present a substantiall reall being to the soul the work of faith in this kinde is very observable for evill things that are very high faith can make them at a mighty distance and for good things that are never so far off faith can make them to be as present to it Observe what the Scripture speakes of it this way first for evils that are very nigh and encompasse us round about when we are in the midst of them faith can put the evill at a distance as Psalm 91. 7. A thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee not come nigh thee If he had said it shall not be upon thee it had been somewhat but to say it shall not come nigh thee this is a strange kinde of expression how could it be said not to come nigh him when thousands fell on the both hands and he was in the midst of it it was by faith faith put that at a distance which was just upon him The strength of reason will help one when the plague is a great way off then a man thinks I am safe enough because farre enough from it but suppose the plague come into thy house into thy chamber now to believe a promise it shall not come nigh thee here is a mighty work of faith faith puts evils present at a farre distance And then on the other side for good things that are absent a great way off faith can make them as if they were really subsisting therefore Heb. 11. 13. It is said of the Fathers that they saw the promises afarre off and embraced them the word in the originall is saluted the promises now friends when they salute must be nigh one another their faith made the promises which were a great way off to be with them as if present therefore it is said of Abraham that he saw Christs day and rejoyced and the Scripture speaks of taking hold of eternall life and that we doe by faith and of being in heaven receiving the end of your faith T is not you shall receive but now you are receiving Psalm 108. 7. 8. God hath spoken in his holinesse I will rejoyce I will divide Sechem c. Gilead is mine Manasseth is mine marke is mine he presently concludes as if the thing were already done for it was so by faith faith gives a present subsistence to things Reason it self hath a great deale of power to make things that are future to be as present both in evill things and in good In evill things a man that is a contemplative man and hath a wicked heart he will fetch the sweetnesse of his lust and sinne which is a great way off and make it as present by mediation and roling it up and down in his thoughts in a way of discourse and so acts his sinne contemplatively though he may be in hell before he act it really Now as reason and discourse can fetch in a lust and make it as if it were present so reason can goe a great way in making a future good thing as if it were present And this is the difference between a rationall creature and a sensuall a sensuall creature is only for the things that are before it but now reason can fetch things that are absent and make them as present and in regard of this God hath a mighty advantage of mankinde either for the bringing of his wrath upon them or for bestowing happinesse upon them as you can fetch in your lusts that are absent and make them as present to you in your thoughts by the work and discourse of reason so by the worke of this faculty God can make evils and plagues though future yet to be as present with you And in this respect the wofull evill of those that perish eternally may be set out dreadfully namely thus they being reasonable creatures by the work of their reason they may fetch in all the
we have offended God we must seek to him for pardon and mercy and the like But that God communicates himself through Christ and that not one drop of mercy in order to eternal life can be communicated from God but through Christ the mediator of this there is not one footstep in all the works of God This is that which is so supernaturall that 't is above perfect nature Adam knew nothing of this in his perfect estate Yea this is that which the Angels themselves desire to pry into looking upon it as a mighty depth 1 Peter 1. 12. the Angels stoop downe for so the word signifieth 't is as if a thing should lye in a deep pit and when any would see it they stoop down with their bodies to pry into the pit that 's the propriety of the word so the Angels they see a mighty depth in the mystery of the Gospell and they stoop downe to pry into it that they may know what it is Yea this is that which requires a worke of the spirit beyond the ordinary work of the spirit of God to reveale it to the soul 1 Cor. 2. 10. speaking there of the Mystery of the Gospell sayes the Apostle The spirit that searcheth the deep things of God c. discovers this that is the spirit of God in an extraordinary worke of his as he is a spirit searching the deep things of God so he is a discovering spirit of this truth unto us and therefore seeing it is thus it is not so light to be past over I you will say 't is true all must come through Jesus Christ well you see a little at first but there is much more in this truth then we are aware of 'T is a truth that is the most profitable of all the truths contained in the book of God there is no growing up in godlinesse till we come to know God in Christ the knowledge of God is something to worke upon the heart and many labour against their sinne because they see it is against the law of God and set upon duties because God requires them and this is well but till they come to understand indeed the mystery of the Gospell of Gods letting himselfe out unto his people through a mediator they doe but bungle in the wayes of godlinesse they doe not thrive and grow up in them and therefore these Christians that live under such a ministry where though they have many good truths revealed to them yet having but little of the mystery of Christ as the mediator their way of Christianity is very low they doe not sanctifie God in their conversation I remember a speech that Erasmus hath when they would have had him write against Luther and promised him a great Bishopricke for it he answers Luther is greater then that I can write against him for I am instructed more in one small page of Luther then out of whole Thomas Aquinas that was the great Schoolman So certainly the understanding but some one truth some one sentence in the mystery of the Gospell in this way of Gods communication of himselfe unto us through his Christ doth instruct the soul and cause it to thrive and grow up in godlinesse abundantly more then thousands of Sermons about meere moralities and you have a most admirable Text for this Ephes 3. 17. and so on That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge marke what followes That yee might be filled with all the fulnesse of God v. 19. By coming to know God in Christ that is to know Christ to be the way of Gods communicating himselfe unto us we come to be filled with all the fulnesse of God many Christians their hearts are very scant and empty there is not a fulnesse in their spirits and all because they know so little of God in Christ in this mystery of the Gospell Lastly there is no truth revealed in all the Scriptures whereby we can honour God so much as by this this indeed is the great honour that God would have in the world to be honoured in his Son and in the great designe he hath of bringing forth glorious things by his Son and therefore though we know never so much of God and would honour him meerely as the Creator of heaven and earth yet God doth not accept of that honour that is but to honour him in a naturall way we never know what it is to honour God aright so as to be accepted of him till we come to honour him in an Evangelicall way to honour him in his Son and yet the greatest honour he hath from most in the world yea from multitudes in the very Church of God that heare the mystery of Christ opened to them is tendred up to him meerly in a naturall way and not in this spirituall Evangelicall service of God You see now the consequence of the point let us then fall to it And First I shall shew you the truth of it in Scripture And Secondly how it comes to passe that there can be no good communicated to us from God in order to eternall life but by Christ And Thirdly how Christ comes to be the meanes and way of conveighance of all good unto us from his father Fourthly I shall instance in some speciall things great things wherein most of the goodnesse of God is communicated to us and shew you how in them Christ is all in all to us And Fifthly the reasons why God will have this way of communication of himselfe unto us through his Son why he will not communicate himselfe immediatly to us but through a mediator these are the five things for the doctrinall part For the first the course of Scripture especially of the new Testament runs this way you know that of Christ John 14. 6. I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto the father but by me there is no coming to the Father but by Christ and Christ he is the way and that in 1 Cor. 3. at the latter end sayes the Apostle there All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours How is that marke All are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods God the Father he is the principle of all good all firstly comes from him but it comes not from him immediatly he doth not say all are yours for ye are Gods because you have an interest in God therefore all comes to be yours no but all are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods so that you see here how that Christ comes between yours and Gods All good is in God true but how shall we come to partake of that good there is such a distance between these
hope for great and glorious things as I gave you a hint of them Now let faith be exercised and strengthened in these things if all those blessed things we spak of were present to the soul O how would our hearts be above the creature how should we look upon all things here below as dung filth drosse how would our thoughts be raised in the admiration of spirituall and heavenly things how would our spirits be taken up in wondering at the glory of God that appeares in these things how would our hearts be enflamed with love to God! how would our conversations be in heaven for the present what heavenly thoughts and heavenly affections would be in us in all our wayes and how would we venture to goe through fire and water for God! to doe any thing suffer any thing be any thing for God And did our faith make such glorious things as these reall and substantial to us how substantial would our duties and services be Why is it then that our duties have so much vanity in them are so empty having nothing but circumstance in them certainly brethren if our faith gives a subsistance to such blessed glorious things of eternal life it will likewise give a subsistance to all our duties and services that we shall not tender to God empty and dead services Consider this you who though you dare not omit duties yet what empty duties doe you tender to God your works should be the works of faith and faith should give them a subsistance as well as it gives your hopes therefore satisfie not your selves with that faith that will not give a subsistance to your duties and doe not think it will give a subsistance to such glorious things we speak of Thus much of the first particular Faith is the substance of things hoped for I would faine speak a little of the second It is the evidence of things not seen There are two things here First that the things of grace spiritual and heavenly things are things not seen And secondly that faith gives an evidence to those things First that grace spirituall and heavenly things are things not seen The Apostle sayes Gal. 5. 19. 22. the works of the flesh are manifest but when he comes to the workes of the spirit he sayes the workes of the spirit are these he doth not say they are manifest for indeed they are things that are not seen though t is true the operations of them appear yet there is no externall work of grace but an hypocrite may doe it therefore the workes of the spirit cannot be said to be seen either by the eye of sense or reason And then for the things of heaven sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall I might here discover to you how it comes to passe that spirituall and heavenly things are not seen unto sense and reason Many arguments I thought to have given to discover this I must but cull out two or three particulars The riches of a Christian in spirituall and heavenly things are like the riches of the Sea it may be outwardly you see nothing but hideous waves and a great deal of filth I but the riches are at the bottome and the riches of the earth are within and hidden they doe not appear so the riches and treasures of a Christian are things not seen they are things that are in the very bosome of God in the very heart of God Now as no man knowes the things of a man but the spirit of man so no man knowes the things of God but the spirit of God and him to whom God doth reveal them And then they are things that are beyond the principles of reason they are too high and so too glorious for such a faculty as reason is if an object be too glorious for sense it destroyes the sense so these objects are too high for reason and and therefore cannot be seen by reason And the blindnesse of man naturally is such that he cannot see these things And chiefly God so orders things in his providence that he goeth a quite contrary way as to sense and reason to that which he hath promised I say it is the way of God to hide his glorious excellencies by seeming to goe in the wayes of his providence directly crosse to what he hath promised we might shew how God hath hid from sense and reason his mercy to his own people that of Abraham is considerable there were two promises God made to Abraham the one of going out of his own country and carrying him to a land flowing with milk and honey the other that he would make his seed as the stars of heaven for multitude and that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed Mark now if Abraham had not had something to evidence that which was not seen he could never have seen the faithfulnesse of God in these promises for when he was gone out of his own country he comes to Ganaan the country promised but as soon as he was there he was ready to starve and was faine to flye to Egypt and if he had not had faith he would have fallen off and have been ready to turne back againe And then for the second promise That in his seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed Abraham goeth on seaventy yeares and his wife had no childe and it ceased to be with her after the manner of women she was old and Abrahams body dead and after he had a child he must kill him and being saved Isaac must be forty yeares before he is married and when he is married he must have no childe in twenty yeares and in the first hundred and fifty yeares after the promise there was but seaventy of all his seed yet this was the promise that in his seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed thus God seemes to goe crosse to what he promised We might instance also in Jacob God commands Jacob to returne from Laban and after that mark how God followes him First his uncle Laban followes him with thoughts to slay him Secondly In his Journey his wives nurse dyeth Thirdly his wife dyes Fourthly Dinay is ravished Fifthly his two Sons Simeon and Levy commit that villany that makes him stink in the nostrils of the people of the land Sixtly Esau comes to destroy him and all this in that journey that God commanded Jacob to take Now if Jacob had not had faith to look through these to the things that might encourage him in his way to things not seen it had been impossible he should have gone on So when God brings Israel to Canaan you know what a way they goe about through the wildernesse when they were come to Canaan a land flowing with milk and hony God
the cords of love 2. Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ stead be ye reconciled to God and Philip. 2. 1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy c. The Gospel comes not as the law upon mount Sinai with thunder and lightning and darknesse but it comes in a milde and gentle way and by that allures and draws the soul unto it self and that is the sixt joyful sound The seventh joyful sound of the Gospel is that the Gospel and liberty of it comes as gently so with abundance of life and strength together with it it comes as the spirit is and where the spirit is there is power as the Apostle speakes I remember Luther hath this note upon Rom. 8. sayes he the law is a spiritual law because it is the law of God but it is not the law of the spirit of life t is the law of the Gospel that brings the spirit of power and life along with it there goes a vertue together with the commands of the Gospel to strengthen the sould to obedience And the Gospel gives grace and strength beyond what Adam had two wayes the grace that Adam had was onely a power to doe but there was not the will and the deed given but the grace of the Gospel it gives both the power and the will and the deed The eight joyful sound of the Gospel is that tender pity and compassion that is in God to those that are made free by it This is the difference between the sins of those that are under the law and those under the Gospel the sins of those under the law makes them hated by God but the sins of those that are under the Gospel makes them pityed by God The ninth joyful sound is this the Gospel hath a mighty efficacy to melt the heart and to resolve it into sorrow and mourning such mourning that is one of the most acceptable things to God in the world the law I told you accepts not of repentance I but the Gospel doth the teares of repentance that come from believers next to the blood of Jesus Christ are the most precious things in the world I say next to the drops of the blood of Christ the drops of thy teares coming from Evangelical repentance are most acceptable unto God That is the ninth joyful sound Tenthly another is this the Gospel it comes with healing as it hath a melting power so it hath a healing power Christ is described to come with healing in his wings water makes the lime burne the more but oyle which provokes other things to burne quenches that so it is with the oyle of the Gospel Christ was annointed for this purpose to heal thee and to quench thy lust and corruptions In Isai 57. 18. we have an excellent promise vers 17. He went on frowardly in the way of his heart marke what followes I have seen his wayes and I will heal him The eleventh joyful sound is that now being set at liberty by Christ though thou doest sin not onely against the law but against the Gospel thy sins against the Gospel shall not have power to root out any habits of grace but still the grace of the Gospel will uphold the habits of grace in thy soul It is otherwise with the law for one offence against the law doth not onely root out the habit that is contrary to that offence but all other habits also but the grace of the Gospel is such that the habits of grace within us are not touched The twelfth joyful sound is this the Gospel is so full of grace that it takes advantage of our misery this is a good argument of the tenour of the Gospel Pardon my sin O Lord for it is great strange argument of a childe of the bond-woman but a good argument of a childe of the free-woman and t is Gods argument Gen. 8. 21. I will not destroy the world againe for the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth Thirteenthly Another joyful sound of the Gospel is this the Gospel proclaimes this liberty to us that all that is required of us may be done and accepted by and from another namely Christ Fourteenthly Further the grace of the Gospel shewes a way wherein God shall have all the wrong made him up that ever thy sins did him for suppose the Gospel had proclaimed that God were willing to pardon this were not enough as long as God stood wronged but now the Gospel doth not onely proclaime to thee that God is content to forgive thee all thy sins but it tells thee of a way how God shall have all the wrong made up that ever thou hast done him and this Son that sets thee at liberty hath undertaken it and hath done it Fifteenthly And then another joyful sound of the Gospel is this That there is a most absolute perfect righteousnesse made over to us the righteousnesse of the Son of God is thine made over to thee to be presented before the Father for thee Sixteenthly yet further there is this joyful sound of the Gospel It proclaimes admirable promises glorious and high things even the infinite Treasures of Gods grace the Son is come from the bosome of the Father and hath opened the treasures of the grace of God and hath discovered those things that were kept secret from the foundations of the world Seventeenthly And yet there is one thing more that is necessary for the full consolation of the liberty of the Gospel and this blessed Jubile that it may make a Jubile indeed in thy heart and that is this that such is the covenant of the Gospel and Christ hath so undertaken for thee that it shall never be forfeited this is the full rich and glorious grace of the Gospel that now Christ hath undertaken and engaged himself to the Father and the Father hath promised and hath engaged his own truth and mercy and faithfulnesse that this covenant shall never be forfeited yea the very condition of the covenant that is required of thee is that which Christ hath undertaken to the Father to performe in thee If perseverance be a spiritual blessing it is part of the purchase of Christ and must stand and therefore peace be to thee thou art in such a condition as thou canst not forfeit and breake the covenant the marriage covenant between thee and thy Saviour can never be dissolved I should now have shewn you a little more the blessednesse of this liberty that all this grace comes in and by the Son not from the bounty of God in general but in a higher way by the Son of God we come to be set at liberty by being made one with him who is God and man the heire of all things and so are made co-heires with him But
cut then thou art gone for ever For after death comes judgement In the meditation of this point me thinks I cannot but look upon God as beholding all the children of men in their fallen lost sinful and miserable estate with pity and compassion saying poor creatures they have sinned against me and have made themselves liable to eternal wrath which they understand not which they are not able to beare well a little time I will grant unto them to sue out their pardon and to come in and make up their peace with me and I will give them meanes for that end but let them look to themselves for according to the improvement of the time that I now give them so shall it be with them to all eternity if they neglect it they are gone for ever mercy then shall doe them no good so that the tenour upon which we all hold our lives it is no other then as a malefactor condemned to dye who hath granted to him through the favour of the Prince a little time of reprieval and some intimation withal given of a possibility in that time to sue out his pardon and according as he spends that time so it shall be with him for life or death Thus I say we all hold our lives we are all condemned before the Lord onely God hath out of his infinite grace provided a way and meanes of salvation for the children of men and gives us a little time we know not how long whether two or three dayes but as long as we live to look about us to provide for the making of our peace with him and if that be neglected all is gone and we are undone for ever great things then doe depend upon this uncertaine small time of our lives It is reported of Alexander that when he went against any City he did use to set up a lampe burning and would make proclamation that whosoever came in while this lampe was burning should finde favour and have his life but whosoever staid till this lampe was out he was but a dead man and must expect no mercy brethren know that God hath set up a lampe and our life is this lampe and God proclames Whosoever comes in while this lampe is burning shall finde mercy but if you stay till the lampe be out there is nothing but eternal misery to be expected Now this lampe of your lives may not onely goe out upon the consumption of the oyle but it may be put out by accidental meanes and if this lampe be once out and your work not done you are lost for ever We read 1 Kings 6. 7. that when Solomon was preparing the Temple he made all things so ready before hand that there was no noise of axe or hammer heard there Whosoever God intendeth for a living stone in the glorious Temple of Heaven he squares and fits them here there is no noyse of repentance and sorrow for sin after this life what is to be done must be done here nothing will doe it hereafter Whatsoever thou hast to doe doe it with all thy might for there is no work nor device nos knowledge nor wisdome in the grave whòther thou goest Eccles 9. 10. and Chapter 11. vers 3. In the place where the tree falleth there it lyeth Which way thou fallest when thou dyest that way thou shalt lie eternally if Godward then God is thine for ever if sinward then misery and destruction is thine for ever Eccles 12 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne unto God who gave it The souls of wicked men doe returne to God that gave them as well as the souls of the godly that is they doe presently returne to God to receive the sentence of their eternal doome from him and to be stated in their everlasting condition there is a mighty change in the soul immediately after it is departed from the body and is brought to stand before the glorious God to be stated in its eternal condition There are twelve houres in the day sayes Christ wherein a man may worke but the night comes when no man can work John 9. 4. The time of this life is thy working time I but the night is coming and then no man can work Revel 6. 8. And I looked and behold a pale horse and his name that sat on him was death and hell followed him Hell immediately followes death where death surprizeth any in their natural condition that have not finished the work of making their peace with God 2 Cor. 5. 10. We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ to receive according to what we have done in the flesh whether it be good or bad It is not according to what we doe afterwards but according to what we have done here in the flesh so it must be with us for ever There can be no repenting no believing after this life body and soul being parted the whole man is not capable of a work of God upon it And besides immediately after death God takes all meanes away you shall never heare Sermon more never have admonition more never have good connsel more never have any working of Gods spirit more to draw you soules to Christ And not onely so but God then withdrawes himself so fully in regard of all the common workes of his spirit that there is a kinde of stating the soul in sin which yet cannot so properly in regard of God be said to be sin as evil so that it shall be impossible for thee to doe any thing but sin as the Saints though while they live here they have many lusts and corruptions in them yet immediately after death their souls are so fully possessed of the spirit that then they cannot sin so on the contrary though wicked men while they live here have divers common gifts of Gods spirit and many restraints upon them yet immediately after death they are so fully separated from God and God so fully withdraws himself from them that it is impossible for them to doe any thing else but sin and rebell against God and blaspheme him to his face There was in Adam in innocency a possibility not to have sinned there is in us while we live in this world an impossibility but that we should sin but in the world to come there is in the Saints an impossibility that ever they should sin and look how the impossibility is on the one hand with the Saints so is the impossibility directly contrary on the other hand with the wicked therefore the wicked must needs be stated in an everlasting evil condition There is no more possibility for the damned souls in hell ever to doe any thing but to blaspheme God then there is a possibility for the Saints in heaven ever to sin against God And yet further at the great day Christ gives up the kingdome to the Father and then there will be another manner of administration then before
Christ will not then be exercised in the work of his mediatorship to mediate any further for those for whom he did not mediate in this life And presently after the separation of the soul from the body the spirit of God wholly departes from the soul and the wrath of God is let out so fully into it that it breaks the soul and fills up every faculty of it so that it is impossible in regard of the strong current of divine wrath that carries the soul along with it that ever it should be exercised to all eternity any one moment in any thing but onely in bearing of torment and divine wrath As the Saints shall be filled up with the presence of God and carried on with such a strong current of divine mercy that it shall be impossible that their souls should ever to all eternity be exercised in any other thing but in the enjoyment of God and living to his praise so on the quite contrary is it with the wicked therefore after death there is a stating of both I will enlarge my self no further in the opening of this point but come presently to apply it for this point is applicatory rather then doctrinal and I shall content my self with three or foure branches of application and so conclude In the first place hence we may see what cause we have to blesse God for the continuance of our lives especially any that are here this day that have not throughly made their peace with God that are not upon certaine and infallible termes in this great businesse of providing for their eternal estates If there remaines but any doubt in thy heart concerning thy eternal condition and if the feares of eternity have been upon thy spirit thou Wilt from this point that hath been thus briefly spoken to see cause to blesse God with thy face up on the ground adoring the riches of his grace that thou art alive this day why because thy life it is the time of making up thy peace with God it is the time of providing for thy eternal condition if thy life be at an end and this work not done then all is gone then judgement comes and thou wilt be infallibly and unalterably stated in a lost and undone condition O therefore it s well that thou art alive this day if a man have a great businesse to doe that concernes his whole estate or life and it must be done in a very little time O what a favour would he count it to have his time lengthned out though but a little because his businesse is of great weight and he thinkes with himself if I miscarry in it I am lost and undone for ever so all those that have ever had serious apprehensions of the infinite consequence of what depends upon their lives here they cannot but sit downe and blesse God for lengthening out their lives for the time of this life is a happy time it is a day of grace a day of salvation O how happy would those poor creatures upon whom this judgement is past that are stated in their eternal condition think themselves if they might have but one day wherein it might be said there is a possibility for them to make provision for themselves concerning their eternal estate As they were not long since so art thou now and therefore know how to prize thy life O the lives of men and women especially such as have not yet done that great work are worth a thousand thousand worlds I remember I have heard of a speech of a great Gentleman who being very sick and Physitians telling him that there was no way for him but death O sayes he that I might live though it were but as a Toad and indeed what man or woman is there that hath not got a thorough and Scripture-assurance of this great work that their peace is made up with God but may upon very good ground if sicknesse be upon them desire to live though but as a Toad because such great things depend upon their lives here in this world Brethren doe but say this to your own hearts upon serious meditation of this that I am now speaking of What if God should come now to this Congregation and say to every one of you Well now the time that I have given you to provide for your eternal estate is at an end if you have done your work well and good you shall be saved and possesse eternal glory but you must be cast according to that which is now done I feare if such a message should come from heaven to many of us it would make our hearts to ake within us and we should cry out O Lord give me a little space before I goe hence and be no more seen O that I might yet have a little more time Suppose God had taken you away when he took away such a kinsman or kinswoman of yours such a neighbour or friend and death had come then and judgement had then been past upon you which way doe you thinke you must have been cast cannot some of you remember that if God had taken you away at such a time or when such a one dyed you were then in such a case that you have cause to think you had been certainly stated in a condition of eternal misery therefore blesse God that you are alive at this day to heare of such a doctrine as this is that so long as you live God gives you time to provide for your eternal estate Psalm 78. 38. the Text sayes God did not stirre up all his anger but called back his wrath when sicknesse comes upon men and women some part of Gods anger is let out I but if God had let out his anger but a little more what would have become of you you had been gone one stroake more had cast you for ever I but God was pleased to call back his anger and did not stirre up all his wrath O blesse God for sparing you at such a time for certainly had you died then your condition had been as irrecoverable as the Devells themselves now t is a day of grace now you have the voyce of the Gospel and the glad tidings of salvation sounding in your eares but then you had been past the time of grace past praying and past repenting now that you are not past this day you are to prize your lives And brethren know wherein consists the worth of your lives and the continuance of them there is a horrible impudence in some men they would faine have their lives lengthened to have their lusts more satisfied did God give thee thy life for this end no the end why thou shouldst desire to live is that thou mayest have further time to make provision for that which is of such infinite consequence which if it be not done it had been better for thee to have been a Toad or Serpent or the vilest creature that ever lived O that we had hearts to give God
you are a dead man it would make him call in his thoughts and compose his spirit so if thou hast a slight and wandring heart this is said to thee this day friend poor soul know what thou art doing even this dayes work concernes thy life thy eternal estate and take your selves off from all creatures til you have done so great a work so saies the Apostle 1 Cor. 7. 29 30 31 32. Brethren the time is short it remaineth that both they that have Wives be as if they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not and they that buy as though they possessed not the time is short The word is the time is wrapt up it is folded up it is a Metaphor taken from cloth that is folded even to the very fag end the time is all folded up sayes the Apostle therefore let your hearts be taken off from the creature Truly brethren whatever you think of this point yet those that understand themselves aright would not venture to be in an unconverted estate one half houre for ten thousand worlds for they know that when death comes then judgement also comes And you that are poor people who live hardly and in great extremity in this world yet so long as you live here your condition is comfortable for you have time to doe that worke that is of such mighty consequence for the good of your souls And indeed upon the consideration of this point peoples hearts should be taken off from the creature for a man had better live here in order to that great work though as a stock or log in the fire then to be taken away before he hath done that work he was sent into the world for When men are in paine they would faine dye I but did they know what will be the state and condition of a wicked man immediately after his death they would rather live though as the miseablest creature in the world And consider all you young ones now while God gives you time of this great work of making your peace with him If a man were to goe over Sea about a businesse of great weight after he comes upon the shore what should his first thought be let him first make sure of his great work and then be merry afterwards If thou hast made sure of this great work that thy peace is made up with God and that thy everlasting estate is secure then thou mayest be merry amongst thy friends and mayest live joyfully and comfortably all thy dayes It was the complaint of one that Art is long and life short but surely the art of providing for eternity is a long and difficult art and thy life is short and uncertaine O therefore doe not put off this great work as Seneca speakes of some they are alwayes about to doe they will and they will and are about to live but never live O that you that are young ones would begin betimes and this point setled upon the hearts of young ones would cause them to apply themselves with all their might to the great work of their souls And that which you do be sure you do it with all your might which is the Argument of the Holy Ghost Eccles 9. 10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor wisdome in the grave whither thou goest If ever thou hadst a work to put forth thy strength about O doe it here doe not onely have some faint wishes and desires and some sudden good moods as perhaps at the hearing of such a truth as this is you have some sudden wishes and inclinations no but work out your salvation with feare and trembling and be sure to take hold of all opportunities seeing so much depends upon the short time of your lives If a man were to goe over Sea for his life and had a faire day and winde it were desperate madnesse for him to say Well I have two or three dayes more to goe over in and therefore I will not go now and so neglects his gale and when those days are past and the last day comes he thinks to go over but cannot have a wind for a world so many think they will repent when they come to dye O but take heed when thou hast a gale that thou doest not neglect it for feare it never come again and know that if the Lord stirres any of your hearts this day or any other day by his word and you neglect it and goe to your businesse and shops and to your sensual pleasures and delights you may hereafter desire to have such a time of the working of Gods spirit againe and if you would give a thousand worlds for it were it in your power you cannot have it therefore take heed you doe not neglect this great work And upon this ground labour to make sure work for if a man had a work to doe and having done it amisse he might mend it afterwards he need not be so exact about it but if a man be set about a work and he knowes when it is gone out of his hands he can never mend it he will not be carelesse in it but will lay his work to the rule and labour to make all sure Know it is so with you about your eternal condition that which you doe in this world must be available for ever you cannot mend it afterwards If after you see your selves cast you should say O Lord give me farther time and let me come into the world againe and then I will mend this and the other fault that I was rebuked for God will say no you cannot returne into the world again therefore it neerly concernes you to make all sure while you have time And doe not rest upon blinde hopes and desperate adventures I hope it will be thus and thus with me but entertaine this thought What if it should prove otherwise what if I should miscarry this will mightily daunt the heart of a man especially if he knows that upon his miscarriage he is undone for ever Yet further which is another branch of the exhortation my brethren never baulk any way of God for feare of suffering be willing to suffer any hardship for Gods way How doth that follow thus If the time of thy life be that upon which the stating of thy eternal condition depends then it concerns thee to goe through stitch whatever comes in thy way as for instance suppose a man were going to such a place and he must be there at such a time for his life and riding apace through the streets the dogs bark at him as usually the dogs bark most at those who ride fastest how little doth he regard the barking of the dogs but did a man ride onely for his recreation then it would be a little troublesome to him And when a man rides for his life though the clouds gather
them as certainly as if they were already 73 2. Faith looks upon the present possession of things ibid. 1. In Christ our head ibid. 2. We have the first-fruits of the Spirit ibid. 3. This time is nothing to eternity ibid. 4. Faith eyes the things of Heaven continually 74 5. The Saints enjoy all in God ibid. Faith it selfe is a very substantiall thing ibid. The vanity of the faith of most people discovered 75 We must learn to strengthen and exercise our faith in the things we hope for ibid. Spirituall and heavenly things are things not seen 76 1. They are hidden 77 2. They are beyond the principles of reason ibid. 3. The blindness of man naturally is such that he can not see these things ibid. 4. God orders things so in his providence that he goeth a contrary way as to sense and reason to what he hath promised ibid. We should cease wondering that men of excellent parts and reason doe not see the things of God 79 Faith doth evidence and make spirituall things clear 80 If faith be an evidence to other things then it is an evidence to it selfe 81 One way to be freed from doubts and feares is by renewing the act of faith it selfe 82 It is no presumption to cast ones selfe upon the free grace of God in Christ ibid. Christians should be afraid of unbeliefe as well as of presumption 83 The admirable use of faith 84 T is a wonderfull mercy to have faith to evidence all the glorious things of God ibid. Faith can make those that are of weak parts to see the great things of God 85 SERMON IV. Doctrine THere is a blessed liberty that Christians enjoy by Christ and onely by him 88 In what sense Christians are freed from the Law 89 The rigour of the Law opened in seventeen particulars 1. It requires hard things of those that are under it 90 2. It requires things which are impossible to be performed by those that are under it 91 3. The Law exacts all of us under the condition of perfection ibid. 4. The Law accepts of no surety 92 5. The rigour of the Law is such that it acceps of no endeavours short of perfection ibid. 6. The Law requires constancy in all we doe ibid. 7. The Law exacts the obedience it requires exceeding rigorously 93 8. There is this rigour in the Law that upon any the least breach of it it doth utterly disenable the soul for ever performing any obedience to it again ibid. 9. The Law requires as perfect obedience as if we had all principles that might enable us to keep it ibid. 10. It requires it of us and yet gives us no strength to doe what it requires 94 11. In all the Law doth it strikes at our life ibid. 12. Vpon any breach it doth presently binde over the soul to everlasting death ibid. 13. When the Law is once offended it will never be made amends again by any thing we are able to doe ibid. 14. The Law accepts of no repentance 95 15. The Law when it hath opened our wounds and miseries it shews us no means of deliverance ibid. 16. The Law accidentally stirs up lust ibid. 17. The promises of the Law are but mean and low in comparison of the promises of the Gospel ibid. This rigour of the Law will not seem hard if we consider 1. That we have to deale with a God of infinite justice and worth 96 2. If we consider that state of perfection wherein God made man at first ibid. 3. If we understand aright what sin is ibid. 4. If we consider those things that we all take for granted that yet are as hard as these ibid. Use 1. All men in their naturall condition are in a very evill case 97 2. The saving of a soule is a great and mighty work ibid. 3. T is a vaine thing for carnal hearts to trust to their good meanings ibid. 4. If God reveal himself to a man onely by the law it is impossible but the soul must flye from him ibid. The liberty of the Gospel is a precious liberty 98 Our bondage under the law and liberty under the Gospel opened from Gal. 4. 21 c. ibid. The liberty of the Gospel opened in seventeen particulars 1. If thou beest a believer in Christ thou shalt not be cast for thy eternal estate by the law 100. 2. Thy Law-giver is no other then he that is thy husband and thy advocate ibid. 3. Thou art made a law to thy self by having the law of God written in thy heart 101. 4. Though there be many imperfections in what thou doest yet if God can spye out but the least good thing in thee he will take notice of that and cast away all the evil ibid. 5. If there be a desire in thee to doe good God accepts the will for the deed 102 6. Though the Gospel call for obedience yet it doth it in a sweet and loving way ibid. 7. The Gospel and liberty of it comes with abundance of life and strength 103 8. God doth compassionate those that are made free by the Gospel ibid. 9. The Gospel hath a mighty efficacy to melt the heart ibid. 10. The Gospel as it hath a melting power so it hath a healing power ibid. 11. Sins against the Gospel shall not have power to root out any habits of grace 104 12. The Gospel takes advantage at our misery to pardon us ibid. 13. All that is required of us may be accepted from another ibid. 14. The grace of the Gospel shewes a way wherein God shall have all the wrong made him up that ever thy sins did him ibid. 15. There is a perfect righteousnesse made over unto us in the Gospel 105. 16. The Gospel proclames admirable promises ibid. 17. The covenant of the Gospel shall never be forfeited ibid. SERMON V. THe Text opened 107. 108. Doctrine That the onely time that men have to provide for their eternal condition is the time of this life if it be not done here there is no help afterward for after death comes judgement 109 This point is one of the most serious points that concernes the children of men ibid. Wicked men when they die are stated in an irrecoverable evill condition ibid. The tenor upon which we all hold our lives 110 There can be no repenting nor believing after this life 112 After death God takes away all means of grace ibid. The souls of wicked men are then stated in such a condition that they can doe nothing but sin ibid. At the great day Christ gives up the Kingdom to the Father 113 Presently after death the wrath of God is let out fully into the soules of the wicked ibid. Use 1. We have cause to blesse God for the continuance of our lives especially those that have not throughly made their peace with God and are not upon certain and infallible terms in this great businesse of providing for their eternall estates ibid. 114 115 Use 2. Those are to be reproved that mispend and squander away the precious time of their lives about vanities and neglect the great businesse that they were sent into the world for 116 Time an exceeding precious thing ibid. Few think of the passing away of their time or that any great matter depends upon the time of their lives here in this world 117 Use 3. When death findes any man unprepared in an estate of unregeneracy that hath not made his peace with God it must needs be exceeding dreadfull because it brings judgement and states such a one in his eternall condition 120 Gods wrath let out fully upon the wicked immediately after death 121 Then they must bid an everlasting farewell to all comforts that ever they did enjoy ibid. The dreadfulnesse of death is applicable 1. To old people whose time is neer at an end therefore had need be sure that that great work be done of making their peace with God 123 2. To prophane wretches who instead of doing the work of their time and preparing for their everlasting estate goe directly backwards and make the breach between God and their soules wider 124 3. To those that have heretofore been in a good forwardnesse in the way of life and salvation but yet through the violence of their lusts have been turnd back againe ibid. 4. To those that upon every discontent wish themselves dead 125 5. To those that upon every drunken occasion for a word or two will venture their lives ibid. 6. To those that in trouble and anguish of conscience are ready to lay violent hands upon themselves ibid. 7. To those that have been upon their death beds as they thought and in danger of everlasting ruine and did then promise if they lived what new people they would be but afterwards forgot all 126 The efficacy and worth of a thing is when it is done in the season of it 127 The consideration of time and the worth of it should take off all sleightnesse of heart and roving dispositions 128 The consideration of this point should take off peoples hearts from the creature ibid. All young ones should now while God gives them time labour to make their peace with him 129 The danger of putting off the worke of repentance till we die 130 We should labour to make sure work in the great business of our eternall estate because that which is done in this world is available for ever ibid. Wee should not baulk any way of God for feare of suffering ibid. Temptations to sinne are to be repelled by the consideration of the great business we came into the world for 131 FINIS ERRATA IN some of the books p. 8. l. 33. for reference read inference p. 9. l. 11. for notion r. Nation l. 19. for Numb 27. r. Numb 23. p. 17. l. 27. for so take all r. take all p. 23. l. 19. for them r. him p. 25. l. 3. observe no stop at consciences p. 26. l. 26. for in this holy worship r. in his holy worship p. 31. read the text thus but Christ is all and in all p. 37. l. 33. for the humane r. humane p. 54. l. 24. read doe but take this one rule for that p. 76. last line for 2 Cor. 2. r. 2 Cor. 4. p. 99. l. 30. for Levit. 29. r. Levit. 25.
I conclude now that the Lord is willing to be reconciled to me and why then should I be unbelieving any more why should I have hard thoughts of God any more why should I remaine in my doubting condition any longer thou canst not be more desirous of the salvation of thy soul then God is of magnifying his grace and mercy and God hath done more for thee then thou canst possibly do for the salvation of thy soul Besides t is a mighty drawing argument for by this meanes the infinite distance that conicience apprehended to be between God and the soul is taken away for when the soul sees it hath to deal with an infinite deity that is so farre above it it stands shaking and trembling and dares not draw nigh to God What have I to doe saith the soul with such a God as this is who is so infinitely above me but now when thou knowest that Christ is between God and thee then this distance needs not scare thee yea now all thy guiltinesse and all the filthinesse and pollution of thy soul and all that the law hath to say against thee need be no discouragement to thee when thou seest thou hast to deal with God through Jesus Christ Therefore no soul can stand off and say how doe I know it belongs to me doe but take this one rule for that there is nothing can interest the soul in Christ but Christ himself there is no preparation to Christ but Christ must be all in all in it therefore stand not off and say how shall my heart be wrought to these and these preparations and work thus and thus before I have part in Christ no puzzle not thy self about thy preparations but set before thy soul the mystery of the Gospell in this glorious way of Gods communication of himself to thee and of reconciling man unto himself and the very efficacy of these truths will have a power upon thy heart to draw thee unto God in this way of reconciliation and that is the way of true comfort The Gospell it self though there be no preparation before yet hath an efficacy to draw the heart to Christ for Christ is all in all in that And doe not say I am a poor meane creature I can doe nothing I cannot remember a Sermon I cannot pray or performe any good duty as I ought why remember soul Christ is all in all true if any thing were required of thee in the businesse of salvation it were somewhat but know that God hath laid help upon one who is mighty therefore t is not thy weaknesse nor the distance between God and thee that can hinder if thou rightly apprehendest God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Another reason might have been this God doth it to indeare his mercy to his Saints for ever for indeed nothing indeares Gods mercy to them so much as this that they see it come to them in such a way of conveyance and that which will indear mercy to the Saints in heaven to all eternity and for which they shall be full of the praises of God shall not be so much for the good things they enjoy as for that strange and wonderfull way by which they come to enjoy them This I say is that which shall take up the hearts and be a great part of the work of the glorified Saints in Heaven to all eternity even their admiring adoring and praising God in Jesus Christ And then God delights to honour his Son and that he might set him up he makes him to be the meanes of conveyance of all good to those he intends it to as if a King were to honour his Son what way can he take to doe it more effectually then this that all the favour he meanes to shew to any shall be only through his Son so when God the Father would honour his Son he appoints from all eternity that all the grace and mercy that any shall have from him shall be only through his Son Therefore as Christ saith All judgement is committed to the Son that all men might honour the Son as they honour the Father So I may say of the work and dispensation of Gods grace that all is conveyed to Christ and by him communicated to those that have interest in him that the Son might be honoured to all eternity I shall conclude in a few words of application to work upon you this that hath been said First if it be thus let us stand a while and admire at the depths of the councel of God and the infinite glory of the riches of his grace to mankinde that God should ever have such thoughts towards such poor wormes as we are that he should not rather have let such despicable creatures eternally perish then goe in such a strange way to shew mercy to them Truly brethren God hath done more in bringing a poor soul to himself then in creating Heaven and Earth the work of creating Heaven and Earth is but a low piece of work in comparison of this wonderfull way of Gods conveying his grace and mercy to the children of men through his Son this is the master-piece of the workes of God which he hath already done or will ever doe to all eternity and God therefore is to be admired and adored in this We are to glorifie God in every creature but how is God to be glorified then in his Son wherein so much of his glory doth appeare If it be a sinne for us not to sanctifie the name of God when we behold his glory in his meanest workes O what a sinne is it not to sanctifie the name of God in beholding the mystery of the Gospell and his glory shining in the face of Jesus Christ God expects brethren that those who live under the Gospel should spend their dayes and thoughts and talk about that glory which he hath manifested in his Son O you that have such chaffy drossy spirits that can spend your precious thoughts upon such poor things as you doe know that here is an object to take up your thoughts and your sinne is abundantly the greater in this that you spend your thoughts about such vanities when God sets before you so glorious an object to raise up your hearts unto himself and you that spend a great deal of your lives in vanity know that this day you have heard of a truth that above all things in the world should take up your time and thoughts in the contemplation of it And you that have more time and greater estates then others and are not put upon it to get your bread as others are and so have greater opportunities for the worship and service of God and for searching into his truth yet how doe you spend your time in vanity and light things as if there were no greater matters to take up your hearts It is a signe of a vaine and frothy spirit that when God propounds such glorious things to you that yet
it should be the content of your souls to baffle out your time in vanity and things that will not profit Well if you would have an evidence to your souls that Christ is all in all to you and shall be to all eternity take it in this if ever God hath opened thine eyes to see his glory in the mystery of the Gospell and that thy heart is taken with it and overcome by it it is an argument that thou art indeed the soul which God hath received to mercy in his Christ but sayes the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost There are a great many to whom the Gospell is preached and yet t is hidden to them and it is hidden to you if you speak of Christ only in a formall way and think it enough to say I hope to be saved by God in Jesus Christ but doest thou see that in the Gospell which raises thy heart with admiration and that darkens all the glory of the world doest thou see more of the glory of God shining in that one sentence God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life then thou seest in the whole frame of the creation of Heaven and Earth thou hopest thou sayest to get to Heaven but what wouldest thou doe there the work of Saints and Angels in Heaven joyned together is to magnifie God for this great work of his doe thou then begin this work here and give God his glory for the great things he hath done for the children of men The Second use should have been this If Christ be thus all in all then let us blesse God that ever we knew Christ and that the mystery of the Gospell hath been revealed to us for otherwise we had been without God in the world and what would have become of us had not this grace of God in the Gospell been revealed to us could you ever have thought of it your selves could it ever have entered into your hearts certainly no nor into the heart of any creature in Heaven or Earth therefore blessed are your eares that heare the things which you heare and blessed are your eyes that see the things which you see and know that when you come to live under the Ministry of the Gospell you enjoy the greatest mercy that ever you enjoyed since you were borne the coming under a powerfull Ministry that reveals Christ and brings the day of salvation to the soul it is no other then the fruit of the prayer of Jesus Christ for that soul compare Isaiah 49. 8. with 2 Cor. 6. 1. 2. and you shall see this Isaiah 49. 8. Thus saith the Lord in an acceptable time have I heard thee and in a day of salvation have I helped thee c. Now it is apparent by the context that this is to be understood of Christ that God the Father speakes there to his Son well what is this acceptable time and day of Salvation in which Christ is heard look 2 Cor. 6. 1. 2. in the chapter before he had told them That they were ambassadors for Christ We then as workers together with God beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vaine Now what is this grace of God t is the Ministry of the Gospell For he saith I have heard thee in a time accepted and mark how he applyes it Behold now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation As if he should say the acceptable time and day of salvation in which God the Father hath heard Christ is now now that we the ambassadors of Christ come and open the mystery of the Gospell to you now is the time wherein God the Father hears the Son for you what a mercy is this and what an engagement upon you that when you heare any thing of the mystery of the Gospell opened to you you are to look upon it as the fruit of the prayer of Jesus Christ and so when Gods sends a faithfull Minister to any congregation t is the fruit of the prayer of Christ Christ prayes O Father that there might be an acceptable time for such a people for such a man and woman it may be they have gone on a long time in ignorance and prophanesse I but Christ hath been praying to the Father for them and when this acceptable time comes then God disposes of them that this man shall goe out of such a wicked family and shall live in a godly family or shall come to such a Sermon and there shall heare the wonderfull things of the Gospell opened to him and shall come to understand this great mystery of Gods letting himself out through Christ unto his people and there the Lord will renew him by a work of grace and bring his heart over unto himselfe this is the acceptable time when God reveales the mystery of the Gospell to any soul therefore blesse God for this Thirdly this shewes how dear Jesus Christ should be unto us O how should we delight and take contentment in him that brings the Treasuries of grace from the bosome of the Father and opens them unto us and not only opens the minde of God the father to us but comes and lets out the treasure of Gods goodnesse to us It was stopt before I but Christ he opened as it were the flood gates and lets the current of grace and mercy in upon us O how deare therefore should Christ be unto us it was the speech of that Martyr Master Lambert None but Christ none but Christ Yea when he suffered Martyrdome for Christ then none but Christ was deare to him because he saw that Christ was the way of conveyance of all good unto him as if God now make a man a meanes of conveyance of a great deal of good to a nation every man will be ready to have his eye upon that man I but there was never such a way of conveyance of good to us as Christ is therefore how should our hearts love him and prize him and rejoyce at the very thoughts of him If you have a friend and God makes that friend an instrument of mercy to you O how doth it indeare you to that friend if the husband be an instrument of good to the wife or the wife to the husband if a Minister to his people or people to their Minister and so in all relations when we can look upon others as a meanes of conveyance of Gods mercy to us it is a mighty argument to knit our hearts unto them and indeed this is the way to obtain love It may be the wife complaines she hath not love from her husband or the husband complaines he hath not love from his wife Why now be as instrumentall as you can to convey the goodnesse of God to them and this will mightily indeare and knit them to you and if it doth