Christ is the Beloved Son of God in whom he is well pleased 1. I shall open this Testimony given to Christ. 2. Speak of the importance and weight of it I. Of the Testimony given to Christ. 1. Let me open the term that expresseth his Filiation that he is Gods Son Christ is the son of God properly so called a Son only begotten Iohn 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son Eternally begotten Prov. 8. 22 23. I was set up from everlasting the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old A Son coequal with his Father Iohn 5. 18. The Jews sought to kill him because he said God was his Father making himself equal with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own proper Father So co-essential of the same substance with his Father Iohn 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Now thus is he the Son of God Why is it mentioned there 1. To shew the special dignity of Christ above all others he is the Son of God Christians are the Sons of God but in a different manner he by nature we by Adoption Tho God have many sonsby Creation and Adoption yet Christ is his Son in a peculiar proper way by eternal Generation and communication of the same Essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Son that beloved Son so a Son as none else is the son of God properly so called 2. To distinguish him from Moses and the Prophets from Moses Heb. 3. 5 6. Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant but Christ as a son over his own house whose house we are c. so from the rest of the Prophets Heb. 1. 1 2. God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets but hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed heir of all things by whom also he made the World This is the great Doctor of the Church now as to meekness above Moses as to zeal above Elias as to familiarity and communion he was with God and was God 3. To shew the old Prophesies were fulfilled which foretold the union of the two Natures in his Person the predictions concerning one whose name should be Immanuel God with us and who should save and redeem the Church Isa. 7. 14. And of a child that should be the Mighty God the Everlasting Father Isa. 9. 6. This the Prophets foretold that he should be God and the Son of God Micah 5. 2. His going forth is from Everlasting though born at Bethlehem so the bud of the Lord and the fruit of the Earth Isa. 4. 2. The man Gods fellow Zech. 13. 7. and in many other places the union of the two Natures is asserted 2. He is the beloved Son 1. That God loved Christ Christ is the object of his Fathers Love both as the second Person and as Mediator As the second Person of the Trinity two things are wont to attract love nearness and likeness they are both here nearness he was in the bosome of the Father Iohn 1. 18. The only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Likeness is another loadstone of Affliction Heb. 1. 3. He is the brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person such as the Father is so is Christ. 2. As Mediator so God loveth him on the account of his obedience Iohn 10. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for the Sheep Iohn 3. 35. The Father hath loved him and put all things into his hand the Father approved Christs undertaking for sinners delighted in it as an excellent way of glorifying his name and recovering poor creatures out of their lost condition and rested satisfied and was pleased with his death as a sufficient ransom for poor souls Well then God loved him so as to trust the souls of all mankind in his hands and to appoint him to be the great Mediator to end all differences between him and us and the more he doth in pursuance of his Office the more beloved he is and acceptable to God 2. The testimony of his love to him as Mediator for his unspeakable rejoycing in him as second person in the Trinity we are not competent judges of It is described Prov. 8. 30. I was dayly his delight rejoycing alwayes before him The mutual complacency which the divine persons take in one another is there set forth God delighted in Christ and Christ in God But in the second love as Mediator God expressed his love to him in two things the gift of the Spirit and the Glory of his humane nature 1. The gift of the Spirit Iohn 6. 34. God giveth not the Spirit in measure to him for the Father loveth the Son and hath put all things into his hands This was the great expression of his love to Christ as Mediator not to make him a visible Monarch of the World but by the gift of his Spirit to be head of the Church 2. The other expression of his love to him as Mediator was the gift of Everlasting Glory Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me should be where I am and behold my glory for thou hast loved me before the foundation of the World Gods love to Christ as Mediator was manifested in exalting him to glory and this Everlasting These are the great expresses of Gods love to Christ as God incarnate or appearing in our nature 3. Why is it put here 1. To shew the end for which Christ came to represent the amiableness of God that he is Love 1 Iohn 4. 8. and hath love for his children Christ is the pattern of all for he is first beloved and the great instance and demonstration of Gods love to the World 2. To intimate the redundancy of this Love it over-floweth to us for Christ being beloved we are beloved also Eph. 1. 6. he hath made us accepted in the beloved to the praise of his glorious Grace It is an overflowing Love he is loved and all that have an interest in him are loved There is a twofold love in God the love of Benevolence and complacency The Elect from all Eternity are loved by God with a love of Benevolence whereby he willed good unto them and decrees to bestow good upon them but the love of complacency and delight is that love whereby God accepteth us delighteth in us when he hath made us lovely as his own children reconciled them by the death of Christ renewed them by the Spirit of Christ and furnished them with all the Graces which make us acceptable to him and precious in his sight 3. To shew the kind and manner of the expressing of his love to his redeemed ones Christ prayed Iohn 17. 23. That the World may know that thou hast loved them as
had a peculiar Angel to guard him and look after him then when he was in great trouble and detained in prison it doth not follow that every person and every where should have an Angel-Guardian Besides an assertion in Scripture must be distinguished from men introduced speaking in Scripture it sheweth indeed that it was the Opinion of the Iews at that time which these holy men had imbibed and drunk in Or it may be the word Angel is onely taken for a Messenger sent from Peter why should an Angel stand knocking at the door who could easily make his entrance And is it credible that the Guardian Angels do take their shape and habit whose Angels they are It is enough for us to believe that all the Angels are our Guardians who are sent to keep us and preserve us as it pleaseth God But what is their Ministry and Custody It is not cura animarum care and charge of Souls that Christ taketh upon himself and performeth it by his Spirit but ministerium externi auxilii to afford us outward help and relief It is custodia corporis they guard the bodily life chiefly Thus we find them often employed An Angel brought Elijah his food under the Juniper Tree 1 King 19. 5. An Angel stirred the waters at the Pool of Siloam Ioh. 5. 4. An Angel was the guide of the way to Abraham's servant Gen. 24. 7. He will send his angel before thee and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence Angels defend us against Enemies Psal. 34. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them 2 King 19. 35. The Angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand An Angel opened the Prison doors to the Apostles Acts 5. 19. and 12. 7. But were not all these services extraordinary and Miraculous which we may not now expect Answ. The visible Ministry was extraordinary proper to those times but the invisible is perpetual and ordinary as Abraham's servant did not see the Angel in the journey The devil worketh in and about wicked men invisibly so do the good Angels Secondly Reasons Why it is so 1. To manifest the great Love and Care which God hath over his people therefore he giveth those blessed Spirits which behold his face charge concerning his people on Earth as if a Nobleman were charged to look to a Beggar by the Prince of both 2. We understand the operation of finite Agents better than infinite God is so far out of the reach of our commerce that we cannot understand the particularity of his Providence 3. To counterwork the devil evil Angels are ready to hurt us and therefore good Angels are ready to preserve us Well might the devil be so well versed in this place he hath often felt the effects of it he knew it by experience being so often encounter'd by the good Angels in his endeavors against the people of God 4. To begin our acquaintance which in Heaven shall be perfected Heb. 12. 22. Ye are come to an innumerable company of Angels USES 1. To shew the happy state of Gods people No Heirs of a Crown have such Guards as they have Christ dwelleth in their hearts as in a Throne Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith The Holy Spirit guardeth them against all cares and fears Phil. 4. 7. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Iesus Christ. And the good Angels are as a Wall and Camp about them Psal. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Mat. 18. 10. Despise not one of these little ones for verily I say unto you that in heaven their angels do alwaies behold the face of my father which is in heaven If the Angels make an account of them surely men should not despise them Yea rather God esteemeth so much of the meanest of these little ones that the good Angels who daily enjoy Gods glorious presence are ministring spirits appointed to attend them If the Lord and his Holy Angels set such a price on the meanest Christians we should be loath to despise and offend them 2. It should breed some confidence and comfort in Christians in their sore straits and difficulties when all visible help seemeth to be cut off This invisible Ministry of the Angels is matter of Faith 2 Kings 6. 16 17. And he answered Fear not for they that be with us are more than they that be with them And Elisha prayed and said Lord I pray thee open the young mans eyes that he may see And the Lord opened the young mans eyes and he saw and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha These were no other but the Angels of God which were as an host to defend them Open the eye of Faith you may see God and his holy Angels to secure you 3. Take we heed how we carry our selves because of this Honourable presence In Congregations there should be no indecency because of the Angels 1 Cor. II. IC In all our wayes let us take heed that we do not step out of Gods way Do nothing that is unseemly and dishonest they are spies upon us And it is profitable for us that they may give an account of us to God with joy and not with grief SERMON IV. MATTH 4. 7. Iesus said unto him It is written again Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God HEre is Christs Answer to the second Temptation where two things are Observable First That Christ Answered Secondly What he Answered First That Christ Answered Christ answered the more to convince and confound this old Deceiver that he might not think that he was ignorant of his sleights or that he fainted in the conflict as also to instruct us what to do in the renewed Assaults of the Devil to keep up our resistance still not letting go our sure hold which are the Scriptures Secondly What he Answered It is written c. But would it not have been more satisfactory to have said It is sufficiently manifest to me that I am the Son of God and cared for by him and that it is not for the children of God to run upon Precipices I Answer It is not for Humane Wisdom to interpose and prescribe to Christ who was the Wisdom and Power of God His Answer is most satisfactory for two Reasons 1. It striketh at the Throat of the Cause 2. It doth with advantage give us other instructions 1. Christ cutteth the throat of the Temptation by quoting a passage of Scripture out of Deut. 6. 16. Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God as ye tempted him in Massah If we must not tempt God then it doth not become Christ to tempt his Fathers Providence for a new proof of his Filiation and care over him Therefore the devils temptation was
neither good nor profitable to put either his Sonship or the care of Gods Providence to this Tryal as if he had said I shall not require any more signs to prove my Filiation nor express any doubt of his Power and Goodness towards me as the Israelites did Exod. 17. 7. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah because of the chiding of the children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying Is the Lord among us or not To which story this prohibition of tempting God alludeth 2. He doth with advantage give us other Instructions As 1. That we must not esteem the less of Scripture though Satan and his Instruments abuse it and that nothing is more profitable to dissolve doubts and objections raised from Scripture than to compare one Scripture with another For scripture is not opposite to scripture there is a fair Agreement and Harmony between the truths therein compared and one place doth not cross another but clear and explain another One place saith he hath a great care of his People and useth the Ministry of Angels for that end and purpose but another place saith Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God they must not seek out dangers and forfeit their protection by unreasonable Presumption 2. It teacheth us that what the Scripture speaketh to all is to be esteemed as spoken to every singular Person for they are included in their Universality In Deuteronomy it is ye shall not tempt the Lord your God but Christ accommodateth it to his own purpose Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God He that is not to be tempted by a multitude is not to be tempted by any one So Psal. 27. 8. When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Gods words invite all but David maketh Application to himself 3. Christ subjects himself to the Moral Law and did apply the Precepts thereof to himself no less than to us and so is a Patern of Obedience to us that we ought to direct and order all our Actions according to the Law and Word of God Doctrine Tempting of God may be an usual but yet it is a great and heinous sin In speaking to this Point I shall shew I. What this Tempting of God is II. The Heinousness of the Sin I. What is this Tempting of God And here let me speak 1. To the Object 2. To the Act. First The Object The Lord thy God To us Christians there is but one onely true God Father Son and Holy Ghost Now sometimes we are said to tempt God and sometimes Christ and sometimes the Spirit of God 1. In Scripture we are said to tempt God as Psal. 95. 9. When your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my works We tempt God either explicitely or implicitely 1. Explicitely by plain and direct words which tend to Gods dishonour or a doubting of his Prescience Power and Providence if they have not all things given them according to their fancies and humors As Psal. 78. 18 19. They tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lusts Yea they spake against God and said Can God provide a table in the wilderness So Exod. 17. 7. Is the Lord in the midst of us or no They doubted whether Gods Presence were among them when they had continually such pregnant proofs of it The words may either bear this sense Who knows that God is present Or Now see whether God be present or takes any care of us yea or no. 2. Implicitely or by Interpretation which is a more secret way of tempting God when the Act speaketh it whatever be the intention of the Doer As those who were about to lay the burden of the Rites of Moses's Law on the new converts of the Gentiles Acts 15. 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear That is why do you not acquiesce in the Will of God apparently manifested as if ye did go about to try whether God did require any thing of his servants besides Faith in Christ His Will was clearly evident in the case by what happened to Cornelius Or as if ye would try whether God will take it well that ye should impose upon his Disciples a yoke that he approveth not 2. We are said to tempt Christ and he may be considered either as in the dayes of his Flesh or in his state of glory and with respect to his invisible presence 1. In the dayes of his Flesh he was frequently tempted by the Scribes and Pharisees who would not be satisfied in his Mission notwithstanding all the signs and wonders that he had wrought among them or else sought to accuse and disgrace him and prejudice the people against him so Matth. 16. 1. The Pharisees with the Sadducees came and tempting him desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven So Matth. 22. 18. Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites When the Pharisees and the Herodians came to question him about paying Tribute So Luk. 10. 25. A certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him c. 2. In his state of Glory and with respect to his invisible presence So the Israelites in the Wilderness tempted him before his coming in the flesh and Christians may now tempt him after his Ascension into Heaven Both are in one place 1 Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents What was their tempting of Christ in the Wilderness If he be considered as God he had a subsistence before he was incarnate of the Virgin and in this sense as they tempted God so they may be said also to tempt Christ for all the affliction shame and disgrace done to that people are called the Reproach of Christ Heb. 11. 26 27. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt So their murmuring might be called a tempting of Christ. Christ was the perpetual Head of the Church who in his own Person did lead the people and was present in the midst of them under the notion of the Angel of the Covenant The Eternal Son of God guided them in the Wilderness Exod. 23. 20 21 22 23. Behold I will send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak then I will be an enemy to thy enemies and an adversary unto thine adversaries For mine angel shall go before thee and bring thee in unto the land of the Amorites c. This Angel can be no other than Christ whose
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
blessed Mediator working greater miracles than ever did Moses so he is called our Rabbi or Master Mar. 23. 8. One is your master even Christ and ye are brethren The supream Authority the original hight is in Christ We are not Leaders and Teachers but Fellow Disciples so Heb. 3. 1. Consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Iesus Christ. Again he is called the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. Christ with a great condescension took upon him the office of his Fathers Ambassador to the Church to promote the Covenant of Reconciliation between God and Man and make offers of it in preaching the Gospel and he it is that doth by this Spirit perswade the Elect and doth make his Covenant sure to them Once more he is called Amen the faithful and true witness Rev. 3. 14. there can be no prejudice against his Testimony he can never deceive nor be deceived it is so it will be so as he hath said Amen is his Name 2. By the Properties of his Office he hath 3 things to qualifie him for this high Office 1. Absolute supream Authority and therefore we must hear him and hearken to him This is usually made the ground and reason of the Gospel invitation to invite sinners to submit themselves to seek after God in this way As Matth. 11. 27 28. All things are delivered unto me of my father and no man knoweth the son but the father neither knoweth any man the father save the son and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden c. There is no true knowing of God but by Christ and the Gospel Revelation which he hath established therefore here must we seek rest for our souls So Ioh. 3. 35 36. The father loveth the son and hath put all things into his hands He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the son hath not seen life but the wrath of God abideth on him First his Mediatorial Authority is acknowledged and then Faith and Obedience to the Gospel is called for for to the sentence of the Son of God we must stand or fall So when Christ instituted and sent abroad his Messengers to invite the World to the Obedience of the Gospel Matth. 28. 18 19 20. All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you He hath absolute and supream Authority to gather his Church to appoint Ministers and Ordinances to bestow the Spirit to open and close Heaven and Hell as he pleaseth to dispose of all affairs in the World for the furtherance of the Gospel and to enjoyn the whole World obedience to his Commands and to embrace this Doctrine 2. All manner of sufficiency and power of God to execute this Office Ioh. 3. 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure to him The former Prophets had the Spirit in a limited measure bestowed on them by God for such particular purposes as best pleased him Therefore all their prophesies begin Thus saith the Lord as having for every particular Message and Errand new Revelation but on Christ the Spirit descended once for all and commanded the belief of all and obedience to all that he should say Therefore it is said Col. 2. 3. In him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge He is Ignorant of none of those things which are to be known and practised in order to our eternal salvation they are deposited with him to be dispensed to us 3. There is in him a powerful efficacy As he hath absolute Authority to teach in his own name and fulness of sufficiency to make known the Mind of God to us so he hath power to make his Doctrine Effectual As when he dealt with his Disciples after he had opened the Scriptures he opened their Understandings Luk. 24. 25. so he opened the heart of Lydia Acts 16. 14. He can teach so as to draw Ioh. 6. 44 45. He can excite the drowsie Mind change and turn the Rebellious Will cure the distempered Affections make us to be what he perswadeth us to be There is no such Teacher as Christ who doth not only give us our Lesson but an heart to Learn therefore to him we must submit hear nothing against him but all from him II. About Hearing him that must be explained also First What it is to Hear It being our great duty and the respect bespoken for him In the hearing of words there are 3 things considerable the sound that cometh to the Ear the understanding of the Sense and Meaning and the assent or consent of the Mind Of the first the Beasts are capable for they have Ears to hear the sound of words uttered The second is common to all Men for they can sense such intelligible words as they hear The third belongeth to Disciples who are swayed by their Masters Authority So that Hear him is not to hear as Beasts nor barely to hear as Men but to hear as Disciples to believe him to obey him to believe his Doctrines and Promises and to obey his Precepts For his Authority is absolute and what he doth say doth warrant our Faith and command our practice and obedience I gather this partly from the word Hear which not only signifies Attention and Belief but Obedience as 1 Sam. 15. 22. To obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of rams Where to obey and hearken are put as words of the same import and signification Partly from the Matter of Christs Revelation he hath revealed not onely Doctrines to inform the Mind but Precepts to reform the Heart and Practice If we assent to the doctrine but do not obey the precepts we do not hear him Therefore to hear him is to yield obedience to what he shall teach you and when Christ cometh to take an account of the entertainment of the Gospel he shall come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. Partly too from the intimate connexion there is between his Prophetical and Regal Office Christ is so a Prophet that he is also a Soveraign and doth not onely give us Counsel and Direction but a Law which we are to observe under the highest penalties If the Gospel were an arbitrary direction which we might observe or not observe without any great danger to our selves surely it were folly to despise good Counsel but it hath the force of a new Law from the great King and Law-giver of the World therefore it must not onely be believed but obeyed Heb. 5. 8. He that is the chief prophet of the church is also the king of saints
Partly also from the near connexion that is between Faith and Obedience The Matter which we believe is of a practical concernment and doth not require onely a simple Faith or bare belief which were enough in points merely speculative but a ready Obedience It is said Rom. 16. 26. The mysteries of the gospel are made manifest to all nations for the obedience of faith They are not matters of speculation and talk but practice and Blessedness is pronounced on such as hear them and keep them Luk. 11. 28. Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Many hear and talk hear and stuff their Minds with Notions but they do not frame themselves to the practice of what they hear Many question not Christs Authority but yet they do not regard his Doctrine Now Faith doth not onely silence our doubts but quicken our Affections and enliven our Practice Secondly How can we now hear Christ since he is removed into the Heaven of Heavens and doth not speak to us in Person Answ. Surely it doth not onely concern the Believers of that Age who conversed with Christ in the dayes of his Flesh but it is the general duty of all Christians to hear Christ for during the whole Gospel dispensation God speaketh to us by his Son Heb. 1. 2. The Revelation is settled and not delivered by parcels as it was to the ordinary prophets Now we hear Christ in the Scriptures Heb. 2. 3 4. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Which was first spoken by the Lord and afterwards confirmed to us by them that heard him He began to speak and to declare the Gospel both before and after his Resurrection and they that heard him were especially the Apostles who being indued by the Holy Ghost declared it first to the Iewes and then to the Gentiles to whom it was continued by divers signs and wonders as to the Apostles and to extraordinary Messengers Christ saith Luk. 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me The despising of the Messenger is the despising him that sendeth the Message A mans Apostle is himself is a Iewish Proverb As to ordinary Ministers he saith lo I am with you to the end of the world Mar. 28. 20. they are taken into part of the Apostolical Commission and Blessings they preach in Christs Name and we as in his stead pray you to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 20. so that it is his Voice and his Message he affordeth his Presence and Assistance unto the Worlds end If you receive it with Faith and Obedience you are in a Course and way which will bring you to Everlasting Blessedness but if you stand out obstinately against his Message you are in the way to Everlasting Misery for refusing Gods methods for your Redemption Thirdly The Properties of this Hearing or Submission to our Great Prophet 1. There must be a resolute Consent or Resignation of our selves to his Teaching and Instruction All particular duties are included in the general First we own Christ in his Offices before we perform the duties which each of those offices calleth for at our hands and from us before we depend on him as a Priest or obey him as a King As we receive him with thankfulness and love as our dearest Saviour and with Reverence and a consent of subjection as a soveraign Lord so also with a consent of Resolution to follow his directions as our Prophet and Teacher being convinced that he is sent from God to shew us the way of Life and Happiness Ioh. 6. 63. Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of Eternal Life His Doctrine sheweth that there is such a thing how it was purchased which way it may be had by Gods offer and the terms prescribed Before we take any particular direction from Christ about this or that duty we must first consent in the general that he shall be our Teacher and Prophet A particular consent to Christ in this Relation is as necessary as to any of the rest 2. This Resignation of our Souls to Christ as a Teacher as it must be resolute so it must be unbounded and without reserves We must submit absolutely to all that he propoundeth though some Mysteries be above our Reason some Precepts against the Interest and Inclination of the Flesh some Promises seem to be against Hope or contrary to natural probabilities There are some Misteries in the Christian Religion though not against Reason yet above Natural Reason Now we must believe them upon Christs word Captivantes omnem intellectum in obsequium Christi 2 Cor. 10. 5. Bringing into Captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ. All our disputings and reasonings against the Christian Doctrine must be captivated by a submission to the Authority of our Teacher and Prophet A Disciple is to be a Learner not a Caviller and some Principles are not to be chewed but swallowed as Pills on the credit of the Physitian when it appeareth on other Grounds that Christ is the great Teacher sent from God And as there are Mysteries above our Reason so there be duties against the Interest and Inclination of the Flesh. Many of Christs Precepts are displeasing to Corrupt Nature to deny our selves to take up the Cross to mortifie our Appetites and Passions to cut off right hands and to pluck out right Eyes that none shall be saved that are not Regenerate and Holy that non-condemnation is the priviledge of those that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit that if we live after the Flesh we shall dye that we must not seek great things for our selves that we must hate Father and Mother and our own life if we will be Christs Disciples Flesh and Blood can hardly down with these things that there shall be such an exact day of account such eternal torments in the other World yet if this be revealed by our great Prophet as reason must not be heard against Christ so the flesh must not be heard against Christ nor the World heard against Christ so if some of our Hopes exceed the probability of natural causes Rom. 4. 18. he against hope believed in hope as the Resurrection of the Body we must believe and obey him in what he offereth and commandeth notwithstanding the contradiction of our carnal minds and hearts in what is hard to be believed and practised as well as in what is easie 3. It must be speedy as to the great solemn acts of submission do not delay to hear him Heb. 3. 7. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Christ must not be put off with dilatory shifts if we refuse to hear to day Christ may refuse to speak to morrow The Father hath his time of waiting the Son of his Gospel-offers the Spirit of his earnest motions it is dangerous to slip our day therefore if you will