spiritual Vnity Insomuch that some have called the Spirit of God the holy bond of the Trinity It 's not a carnal bodily Unity but spiritual and thus ought the Ministers of the Gospel to be though they be of the same nature of the same flesh and bloud yet if they have not the same spirit composing and sanctifying of them they will be like ropes of sand This the Apostle urgeth admirably 1 Cor. 12. 4 c. and vers 13. where enumerating the several gifts and operations of Gods Spirit he still addeth It 's the same Spirit and by one Spirit we are all baptized in the same bond This then ought to be our Unity the holy Spirit of God is to move work and guide all our hearts and affections As it 's the same Soul that informeth all the parts of the body or as some Philosophers said There was one intellectus agens that was universal to all men There may be agreement for civil and political considerations but this will never hold till there be a spiritual Unity As Tully observed That all friendship founded upon bonum utile or jucundum would never endure unlesse they added bonum honestum We may adde further Even that moral honest good is not ground enough unlesse it be bonum spirituale If then the Spirit of God did work the same measure of illumination and sanctification in all there would not be any disagreement but though all godly men have the same Spirit yet not the same gifts or graces or degree of graces and for want of this cometh contention Secondly The Vnity between Father and Son is constant and individed There can never be a separation between them The Father and Sonne were alwayes one though the manifestation of this is more under the Gospel-light then it was under the Law and thus ought the Ministers of the Gospel to agree constantly perpetually for if at any time contention breaketh forth it proveth like a dead flie in a box of ointment it makes all the other good they have to be ill spoken of Let them never be so learned so godly so zealous yet discord will scandalize all and this constancy of Unity is to be preserved against all outward or inward causes of difference outward is the persecution and opposition of enemies to the Church of God inward is from our own corruptions and distempers Against both these we are to watch that so our peace be not weakned Thirdly The Vnity of the Father and the Sonne is an holy Vnity They are one in that which is holy and heavenly They onely will what is good and the Sunne may sooner become a dunghill then they will what is evil such an Unity let the Ministers of God endeavour after An unity in errour an unity in mischief and wickedness is such an unity as the devils have amongst themselves That unity amongst Papists which they boast of is it not like the unity of Herod and Pilate both agreeing against Christ Fourthly The Vnity of the Father and Sonne is full of love and bowels to mankinde They both are one in this to procure the salvation of believers The Father he wils to send his onely begotten Sonne to die that reproachful death and to be an atonement for mans sinnes The Sonne doth voluntarily and readily undertake this bitter cup then they are one to procure the salvation of man If the Father and the Sonne had disagreed no salvation had been possible Oh then that the Ministers of the Gospel would make this use of their Unity that they might all as one man endeavour the conversion and edification of souls How happy would it be to lay all differences and disputes aside that they might bring people to the saving knowledge of God What a spur should this be to us Shall the Father not think his Sonne too dear Shall the Sonne not think his bloud too dear for mens souls and shall we ruine souls by contentions Do we not take the devils work then upon us and not Christs Fifthly The Vnity of Father and Son is a well-ordered Vnity Though there be a Unity of Nature yet this breedeth not a confusion of the Persons The Father is the Father and the Sonne is the Sonne for all this Unity they are not unus though they he unum and thus the unity amongst Gods Ministers and the people must not degenerate into confusion The difference between shepherd and sheep between Governours and governed in the Church must be maintained When the Devil cannot divide then on the contrary he would bring unity into confusion The difference of gifts and offices shall not be kept up as Corah and his Company told Aaron They took too much upon them all the Congregation was holy as well as they But the Apostle though he presse unity fervently and that because we are one body yet he sheweth a difference between the members in that body every member is not the eye so neither is every one a Preacher an Officer in the Church This unity ends in all schism and disorder at last Lastly The Vnity of the Father and the Sonne is most perfect and absolute It 's an essential Unity and although we cannot have this Unity yet this should teach us to aâ—m at the highest degree of unity we can not to suffer the least grudging and repining thoughts not the least proud or envious thought against one another to love more then father or children then husband or wife or any kinde of relation that causeth unity for they are but one flesh This calleth for an higher unity We have heard the duty and necessity of unity as also the causes that break it what good remedies may be prescribed to keep this excellent harmony Although I shall not lanch into this whole point deferring it till vers 21. yet I shall name some First We are earnestly to pray to God to bestow such a spirit of concord It 's not the industry or policy of all the Conciliators Moderators and Pacificators in the world to bring this about but God onely can bend mens hearts for it Hence we see our Saviour praying to the Father for this agreement and God is called The God of peace because he only can make it in the Church and State It 's from Gods anger and wrath when an evil contentious spirit is amongst the Prophets as well as when he sends a lying spirit amongst them when the Temple was to be destroyed the rending of it was a prognostique of the desolation thereof and when God will unchurch a Church and make a Garden a Wilderness commonly divisions are the antecedent causes of it A second Rule is To rejoyce in the parts and gifts of others as much as our own when God is glorified by them and to be compassionately affected in the weaknesses and failings of others These two are necessarily joyned together and they are able to cement and unite all differences The former is to
it 's a good Rule that Divines have whereas Faith hath three acts ingredient to it 1. Knowledge 2. Assent 3. Fiducial application The Scripture describeth the whole nature of Faith sometimes by one act sometimes by another In other places it 's described by assent and most frequently by trusting but here by knowledge For whereas the Papists would make ignorance rather of the definition of faith then knowledge they shew plainly what an ignorant faith and Religion they would have people take up with In the second place there is the object which is twofold 1. The only true God 2. Jesus Christ That is both God in respect of his nature and attributes oppositely to those Heathens who worshiped Idols and 2. Jesus Christ that is opposite to the Jews who knew the true God but not Christ and withall that the knowing of the true God as a Creator by the creatures is nothing at all without the latter It must be as he is Father in Christ so that hereby is implied that the knowing of God absolutely is not saving it must be relatively in the glorious dispensation and mystery which is by Jesus Christ I shall not explain further on this only remove an Argument which the Arians and Socinians use to triumph in from this Text as their Achilles Oh say they here it 's plain That Christ is not a true God because they are distinguished God is the only true God and therefore Christ is not But this is absurd That the only true God is opposed to Idols and to the heathenish gods which were worshiped by them in which sence he is sometimes called The Holy One of Israel and not to Christ for if he were not God likewise how could eternal life be said to be both in knowing of God and Christ and that Christ is truly God take instead of many two undeniable places Rom. 9.5 Of whom after the flesh came Christ who is over all God blessed for evermore And the other which is an excellent Comment upon this place 1 Joh. 5.20 We are in him that is true even in his Sonne Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life and then addeth Keep your selves from Idols So that God the Father is the true God and Christ the Son is the true God and all other made gods are Idols This Answer is sufficient and indeed the Socinians themselves may be convinced for they grant this Rule that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solus doth not exclude the inclusa or subordinate for they acknowledge Christ to be truly God though not essentially Whereas by their Argument Christ as true God should be excluded and nothing is more ordinary then to use the word solus not to exclude what is concomitant or homogeneall but diverse as Mat. 11.16 None knoweth the Father but the Sonne where the Father himself is not excluded nor the holy Ghost for it 's said 1 Cor. 2.11 None knoweth the things of God but the Spirit Others of old made this order of the words To know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent to be the true God but this may seem too much forced Lastly Many answer that the restrictive word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not determine the Antecedent te or Patrâ—m but the true God so that the sense is not the Father alone is the onely true God but that he is the only true God and then this expression doth not exclude the Sonne or holy Ghost but because by other places it 's evident they are also the true God therefore they are necessarily included Obs That by the knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ we come to eternal life 1 Tim. 2.4 God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth Here you see the knowledge of the Truth is the way to be saved I shall not now treat upon the nature of this knowledge especially as it includeth faith but shall first handle it in the generall as it is opposite to ignorance and errour about the true God And to open this Consider 1. That all men by nature are ignorant of God in a saving true manner For although Rom. 1. it 's plain that God hath implanted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some imbred apprehension about a God so that Divines say there cannot be a natural Athiest yet this knowledge is so confused and dimmed that it is better called ignorance then knowledge Yet 2. This imbred knowledge may be actuated and perfected by the contemplation of the Creatures as Rom. 1. None that observeth such a curious Fabrick as the world is can conclude it made it self but it had some Creator Even as when a man heareth curious Musick upon some Musical Instrument every one will conclude there is some artificiall hand playing upon it that it doth not move it self Thus the Heathens have many expressions concerning a God whom they discovered no other way but by the creatures although this was accompanied with some hesitancy and doubting And their light was like that of the Moon and Stars yea not so much for it was not able to direct them in any manner acceptable to him Hence it is that the Scripture speaks of them as without God Eph. 2. and such as know not God Therefore 3. The true and right knowledge of God is only had within the Church That as God saith of his people You only of all Nations have I known so they only of all Nations have known God Hence the Samaritan Woman is said to worship she did not know what Joh. 4.22 because Salvation was only of the Jews viz. the knowledge and true revelation of it Hence is that saying of Divines Extra Ecclesiam non est salus As without the Ark every one perished For although some of the Ancients and others have been very prone to ascribe salvation even to a natural knowledge of God as if God would require no more of them Then in that condition thinking otherwise that he would reap where he had not sown yet this Text putteth out of all doubt as well as others that the knowledge of the true God and of Christ is necessary to Salvation Now whatsoever they might know of God yet it is plain they could not by the Creatures know any thing of Christ his Nature and Offices being of meer Revelation and from hence likewise it is apparent that even among the Jews though the knowledge of the Trinity and of Christ seemed more obscure and implicite yet those that were saved had some measure of the knowledge of it for saith Christ This is eternal life The way to it and those in the Old Testament went in the same way to Heaven as well as those in the new You see then our Saviour by this Proposition doth assure us that without the knowledge of God and Christ there is no eternal life and thereby that it is had only in the Church There are no flowers
spoken oppositely to his divine nature so that to deny the humane nature of Christ though we should affirm he was God yet this is not to know Christ Therefore the Marcionists and some Anabaptists who said he had not a true reall body that he was only in the appearance of a man They do not know Christ 3. To know Jesus Christ implieth also that we have some understanding of his Offices Of his anointing with all sufficiency and fulnesse to be a Mediatour for us He that saith he knows Christ and doth not acknowledge him anointed by God with all fulnesse to be a Mediatour for us saith he knoweth not what Now the ignorance of Christs Office and his fulnesse therein doth wonderfully abound in Popery The devil in former times opposed the natures of Christ when he could no longer succeed that way then he opposeth the Offices of Christ all those doctrines of merits indulgencies and satisfactions do oppose the Offices of Christ for if Christ be the Messiah if he be the full Mediatour to what purpose are all these Although therefore in Popery there is the true doctrine retained about Christs Natures he is acknowledged to be God and man yet in respect of his Offices there is a total burying of him in silence Angels and Saints merits and indulgencies have even almost put out the very Name of Christ amongst them so then all acknowledging that Christ is not enough it must be a Scripture-confessing of him We must give him his full due not make him half a Mediatour half a Saviour and joyn ' our selves or others in this great work 4. To know Christ implieth also that we acknowledge the great love of the Father in sending his only Son thus to mediate for us Therefore it 's added whom thou hast sent and for this reason it 's said he that knoweth and honoureth the Son must know and honour the Father also Joh. 5.23 For from the Father comes the Spring of all this love He so loved the world that he gave his only Son Joh. 3. and certainly this is of great consequence to know the Father sent Christ into the world for hereby we may be assured that all the obedience and sufferings of Christ shall be accepted of by the Father We need not fear it or doubt of it for the Father did make the first motion as it were to the Sonne Though the Sonne also did readily and voluntarily undertake it Now how great a matter was this for God the Father to do Was not Christ the only begotten and beloved of the Father Did he not come out of his Fathers bosome to the Crosse and shall not this make us return all thankfulnesse and obedience unto him Lastly This must necessarily imply a knowledge of our misery and damnable condition by sinne For if we were not lost what need had we of a Saviour If we were not sinners what need of a Mediatour So that the acknowledging of a Christ sent into the world to be a Mediatour is the beleeving also of man by nature to be the childe of wrath the Enemy of God one who may not come into his presence or expect the least hope of mercy till an Advocate and Intercessour come and pleade his cause so that this Knowledge of a Christ should be accompanied with great affections and workings of heart it should breed shame fear and confusion in us it should breed an hungring and thirsting after Christ an esteem of him as the only Remedy In Christ only is our fulnesse our sins would undo us were it not for his righteousnesse our iniquities would overthrow us Did not be intercede blessed art thou then when this Knowledge is like fire in thy bosome kindling holy flames within thee Now here may be some Questions made 1. Doth not this exclude all that lived under the Old Testament dispensation from Salvation For howsoever they might know the true God yet was there any discovery or Knowledge of Christ in those daies This is so great a matter that some have looked upon all the Jews as knowing only temporall promises That they knew nothing of heaven but an earthly Canaan was their heaven That they had no Knowledge of Christ but thought by the bloud of Sacrifices to appease God But to answer this 1. No doubt but the common and ordinary sort of them was greatly ignorant of Christ and therefore rested in their Sacrifices and the knowledge of the Law as the only thing that made them acceptable This is plain by the Apostles Arguments in his Epistle to the Galatians and we see by the Prophets they so relied upon these externall services that they thought themselves beloved of God though abounding in all wickednesse And no wonder they did so for under the Gospel how many rest on their duties and have no faith in Christ But 2. Those that were holy and godly they looked upon all their bodily Sacrifices as Types of Christ It was Christs bloud they put confidence in The Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews shews that God intended Christ by those Sacrifices and that the bloud of Rams and Goats could never clense away sinne as this was Gods meaning so the Priests and Prophets they explained the meaning thereof to the people and sometimes they have clear promises of a Saviour a Messias to come to them who shall be a Prince of Peace and shall bear their sinnes for them as Isaiah speaks like an Evangelist to this purpose which made the Apostle say that the Prophets did bear witnesse of Christ Abraham he saw Christs day and rejoyced Act. 10.43 Now all the godly have the same faith Abraham had therefore he is made the Father of the Faithfull so that what was covered in the Old Testament is revealed in the New Christ they had and Mediation they had though the Knowledge of it was more obscure Hence the Gospel is said to rise like the Light of the Sun 2. It may be demanded why the Knowledge of the holy Ghost is not there said to be Eternal Life as well as of the Father and the Son for without the Spirit of God efficiently enabling us we cannot do any holy duty as well as without Christs merits we cannot be accepted Christ is the meritorious cause and the Spirit of God the applying cause To this we may say that the Knowledge of the Spirit is necessarily implied in the Knowledge of Christ For he was in respect of his humane nature conceived by the holy Ghost when he was to leave his Apostles bodily he promiseth his Spirit to supply his presence So that none can know Christ as a Mediatour that doth not also know the holy Ghost Hence be is called the Spirit of Christ And in the 2d place we may say it 's not necessary that this Text should speak of all things necessary to Salvation It 's enough that other places doe sufficiently testifie it Now that the knowledge of the holy
Ghost is also requisite to Eternal Life appeareth in that we are baptized into his Name so that it 's a principle and Foundation to be instructed about the holy Ghost as well as the Father and the Sonne We reade that the Apostle doth in most of his Salutations pray for grace and peace from God the Father and the Lod Jesus Christ yet none may from thence gather the Spirit is excluded for 2 Cor. 1.13 14. There is the communion of the Spirit added to the love of God and the grace of Jesus Christ 3. You may demand If the Knowledge of those things be enough to eternall Life what then needs the Ministry or Preaching to a man that knoweth these If a man have these is he not above Ordinances and the Ministry This indeed some have arrogantly thought But 1. There is no man knoweth as much about God and Christ as may be known The Apostle that was lifted up to the third heavens yet he saith We know but in part 1 Cor. 13. If Paul then knew but in part what must others do We see the Angels themselves desire to have the Mystery of Christ made more known to them Eph. 3. so that it 's a foolish conceit to think thou knowest enough already for though our knowledge shall be perfected in heaven yet even there we cannot know God as much as he is known for the infinite object cannot be comprehended by a finite faculty 2. Suppose thou couldst not grow in knowledge which yet is impossible yet the Ministry is necessary for thy heart and affections The devils know more then any man but there will is obdurate and hardened in wickednesse So thou maist have great knowledge and understanding yet thy heart may need much quickening much mollifying and for this end the Ministry is appointed 3 If thou didst not finde a need of them either for understanding or heart which yet is more impossible then the former yet God having appointed such a way thou art only for obedience sake and to testifie thy submission to God to do it Christ needed not to be baptized for he wanted not the grace signified viz. remission of sinnes Yet to shew his obedience he did it Adam though created in a state of integrity yet had a command of triall to manifest his obedience and so though never so perfect yet thou canst not be exempted from obedience to Gods commands Vse of Instruction to the full self-righteous man that is not burthened and loaded with the sence of his sinnes whatsoever knowledge thou maist have yet thou canst not know any thing in a saving manner about Christ Till thou be affected with thy misery and the remedy thou art not yet a knowing man in Christs School or to those who labour and are greatly affected with their sinne They know sin They know the Law They know the terrors of an angry God but they know not Christ Consider how Paal was affected herein he knew nothing but Christ crucified 2 Cor. 2.2 All things were accounted dung and drosse for the excellency of this knowledge Phil. 3.8 Consider Eternal life is as well in knowing of Christ as in knowing of sin or what duties God requireth of thee SERMON XIX Sheweth how a Godly Life though it merit no good is a Ground of Comfort at the hour of Death JOH 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do IN this Verse our Saviour addeth a new argument for that Petition mention mentioned v. 1. Glorifie me Why because I have glorified thee on earth I have finished my work Now his work is done he expects his reward These words our Saviour doth not speak out of ostentation and boasting but to shew the order God appointed that by his sufferings when perfected he should enter into glory In the words we have Christs profession of the end he intended in all things I have glorified thee on earth 2. The manner how or the means by which I have finished the work thou gavest me to do I have glorified thee though Christ as God had all divine glory due to him yet as Mediatour in the state of humiliation so he was inferiour to the Father and in this sence he did glorifie him To glorifie is either when really that glory is exhibited which was not before and so God glorifieth us or else when we celebrate acknowledge and declare that glory which is already possessed and thus we glorifie God For when we glorifie God we adde nothing to him we do not make him more glorious then he is indeed We cannot advantage him but our selves by serving of him as a man by seeing doth not profit the Sun but himself nor the thirsty Traveller by drinking refresh the Fountain but himself Christ then being by the state of humiliation made lower then God yea lower then Angels had this purity of intention in all that he did and all that he suffered to glorifie God Q. If you say Was not the redemption and salvation of these the Father gave him his end how then is the glory of God his end A. The Answer is the ultimate and chief end is Gods glory The proxime and immediate was the salvation of man and therefore in respect of the chief end this is the manner or the means of glorifying of God and this is intended when he saith He had finished his work 2. Consider the restriction or limitation of this glorifying of God from the place where I have glorified thee on earth That is mentioned because here only on the earth was he to be in a state of debasement here only he was to work in heaven he was to receive his glory The Schoolmen use to call a man while he was in this life the way to heaven viator and when he is possessed of glory they call him comprehensor Now they say That Christ was both viator and comprehensor together but if they mean that in this life he possessed all that glory which he should have in heaven that is false for we see him here praying for it and other places God promiseth it as a reward of his obedience and sufferings Indeed the humane nature of Christ was alwaies united personally to the godhead but there was a suspension of that glorious influance and happinesse while on the earth 3. Consider the time when Christ makes this profession at the end of his daies when he is to go out of this world This was the ground of his confidence in his Petition Now although we are not able in the same degree and perfection to say as he did yet for the main we ought to be like him in this when Death comes when our daies are to be finished to be able to say Lord we have glorified thee we have finished the work thou gavest us to do and of this particular I shall treat Obs That it is a blessed and most happy thing to be able at the time of
speak of Christs Intercession it 's constant and never interrupted There is no day or night that it ceaseth Elisha scorned at the Priests of Baal bidding them cry aloud It may be they were either sleeping or in a Journey 1 Kin. 18.27 But the Lord Christ is alwaies attending and minding this very thing Oh the unsearchable depths of comfort that are in this when thou art preaching drinking working then Christ is interceding for thee when thou hast no minde of thy self dost not pray for thy self yet even then Christ is commending thy case to his Father Oh the godly soul should cry out I have enough what can I desire more If this will not satisfie thy disquieted soul what will 4. This Mediatory praier comes from him who not only because of his worth doth merit or because of his dear Relation The Father cannat deny him as you heard but also from one whose affections and compassions are larger to thee then any of thy dearest Friends can be You heard that he was one who was touched with our infirmity one who had gone under several Temptations that he might know experimentally how to succour those that are tempted Oh now it 's farre better to have one praying for us that is experimentally tempted or hath been as we are then ten thousand others Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco So that so far as any grief or temptation may go without sinne so far Christ knoweth the meaning of it and even for the guilt of sinne and the displeasure of God that he did undergo in the height of it Thus he that intercedes for thee is one who knoweth the meaning of thy Temptations of thy desertions what it is to fear God hath forsaken thee 5. A great aggravating consideration in this Mediatory praier of Christ is the potency and prevalency of it It is an almighty and omniscient praier Luther called the praier of a Godly man so how much rather may we say so of Christ himself God said to Moses Let me alone as if his Praier hindred him from doing what he would do Iacob wrestled and made Supplication and prevailed with God how much more doth Christ then prevail and that upon two Titles 1. of Iustice his Praier is satisfactory and compensatory to God And then 2. Because of Love For he is the only begotten Sonne and welbeloved of his Father The prevalency of Christs Mediatory Praier is seen both for impetration and application for as it is with his oblation of himself so it is with his Intercession There are two special effects of it 1. Impetration 2. Application Impetration is that whereby he doth obtain at Gods hands the right and claim to all those prieiledges he hath purchased for his people Such are Remission Justification Adoption and Glorification These transcendent mercies which are not in the power of the world to bestow are obtained by him and indeed had it not been for this his Mediatory power there had been no such things in rerum naturâ Reconciliation and Peace with God had been a meer Ens rationis men might have imagined such a thing as they may golden Mountains but there had been no existency of them so that it was of infinite concernment to Beleevers to obtain of God that there might be such priviledges They cost him dear It was not only praiers with tears but with bloud also but Impetration is not enough for if it had been as Arminians say That Christ as Mediatour obtained only a possibility of Salvation or made a way for such mercies but then the application to arise partly from mans free-will and power This would be to hold That Christ might have died in vain That notwithstanding all that love of God sending his Sonne into the world and all the wrath that he did undergo Not one man might have been saved This must needs be very derogatory both to the Father and to the Sonne but Christs Praier is for the application and actual bestowing of all those benefits he hath obtained and for this end he sends his Spirit into our hearts Rom. 8 and that is a Spirit of praier and supplication So that we have a twofold bottome to stand upon Christs Praiers and the Spirits Intercession in us Oh the strong Consolations that may be received hence for the godly soul may think Though Christs praier be prevalent yet I must pray also He that asketh not shall not receive Now my praiers are weak dull sinfull See therefore the goodnesse of Christ that gives his Spirit to us to help us against all the Infirmities of our praiers both to know what to pray and how to pray It 's not then enough to hear that Christ by his Praier doth obtain all good things at Gods hand unless he vouchsafe them to us and make us partaker of them Oh then let not the Godly soul say how can I ever be at peace with God how can I ever have power over such strong corruptions This is to say God will not regard or answer Christs Praier 6. The latitude and extensivenesse of Christs praier is also very full of comfort For it reacheth as farre as the effects of his death so that for whatsoever priviledge Christ died for the same he praieth So that as it is said of the Lords Praier that it 's the breviary and Summary of all things to be praâ—ed for Thus it is in Christs Praier There is nothing that the soul can desire no evil to be avoided no good to be procured but this Mediatory praier extends unto it Insomuch that it 's the Treasury and stock out of which the Godly soul is constantly replenished We may instance in some particulars 1. Daily pardon for our daily sinnes and Infirmities For though all our former sinnes were wholly remitted yet if we have not a constant remission every hour and moment our condition would be damnable Therefore when we sinne he stands up as an Advocate We see then what it is that may support our hearts against all quotidian failings The vain thoughts the proud and unbeleeving Imaginations The dulnesse and formality of our duties all these are done away by Christs praier We could not have any rest or peace in our consciences all the day long if we had not an Antidote against the daily poison we suck down Alas it 's not thy Repentance thy godly strict life thou maist build on for the least vain thought deserveth hell and would marre all thy graces But it 's the Intercession of a Mediatour without us 2. As pardon of sinne so power against sinne under the urgent and important temptations thereunto Oh this is of admirable concernment That when thou art even eating poison when thou art within the hot flames of sinne yet to be preserved This is so great a matter that we are taught constantly to pray that we may not be led into temptation What sad bruises and wounds have the godly got to themselves in a temptation Thou
seeing that Christ by his Death hath purchased justification for us this ought to cause great peace and joy in our hearts as Paul said Blessed be God who causeth us to triumph through Jesus Christ And why so because as afflictions so Consolations by Christ abound much more 2 Cor. 1.3 Oh then let the people of God who are apt to be dejected and cast down to walk in a discouraged manner to have their hearts pierced through with many thorny cares Remember what Christ hath done for them and how acceptable it is to him that we should walk comfortably and thankfully Is it not a dishonour to the Master for the servant to be dejected and grieved Doth it not proclaim to others that they account his service an hard uncomfortable condition Thus when men leave their former wicked courses and give up their names to Christ but after that are troubled grieved and have no comfort or encouragement These reproach the Lord Christ as if the world could give better comforts then Christ as if we had done for the worse by forsaking the devils service and resigning our selves up to the Lords Oh then consider that as in gross prophanesse and unrighteous waies there is a scandal to Religion so in all discouraged and uncomfortable dejections refusing to be comforted thou art a dishonour unto the Lord Christ as if he could not give manna to us in the wildernesse of this world Thus you see how many waies Christ may be glorified Now let us consider why it 's our duty thus to glorifie Christ First Because Gods purpose from Eternity was to put infinite glory on Christ God suffered Adam to fall and in him all mankinde to be lost that so the glory of Christ sent into the world for an atonement and a Mediator might breed amazement to all yea some Divines have said that the first Decree which God made was to glorifie Christ and that therefore he had been incarnated though man had not fallen Therefore say they all our Predestination Justification and Salvation it 's not so much for us as in order to Christ Howsoever that there is a Church a people of God that they shall have such priviledges of glory the end of all is that hereby Christ should be honoured Joh 5.23 Christ was sent into the world that he who honoureth the Father should also honour the Son 2. The end of Gods Spirit in appointing a ministry and giving gifts to them as also accompanying of them with his spiritual presence is to glorifie Christ We are appointed for the work of the Ministry for to glorifie Christ and all your hearing ought to be for that end Joh. 16.15 He shall take of mine and glorifie me and Ioh. 14. he shall convince the world of sin and righteousness in reference to Christ We see here what is the utmost end in preaching and hearing even that Christ may be glorified Insomuch that there is no greater pest to the soul of man then for the Ministers thereof to be given up to vain glory to seek their own glory from men for hereby Christ will not be exalted Oh it 's farre better for them to have it said Christ is glorified in our Ministry then that men give glory to us Lastly Christ will in time glorifie his therefore they may well glorifie Christ For what is our drop to his Ocean What is our glow-worm to his Sun It 's well he will accept of it we are of such polluted lips Vse of Instruction to live both doctrinally and really to the honour and glory of Christ doctrinally when we beleeve all such opinions as magnifie Christ the contrary whereunto Popery doth abound in This made the worthy Reformers first think of departing from that Church Christ was rob'd of his glory he had not that honour which did belong to him And then really by an heavenly holy and unspotted conversation Oh the patience and mercy of Christ that he should suffer the earth to bear so many prophane wretches that are a reproach to him and all Christianity Did the Disciples call for fire because the Samaritans would not receive Christ how would their zeal have kindled to see so many crucifie the Lord Christ again You glorifie the devil and exalt the waies of sin but in time you will feel how dear this will cost you SERMON L. Of Christs tender care of all his People in the greatest of their dangers and afflictions JOH 17.11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee THis Eleventh Verse begins a new and special Reason why Christ is to be heard in his Praier for his Disciples Whereas the former Arguments some of them were taken from the person of the Father some from the person of the Apostles themselves some from the Person of Christ In this Verse the Person of the Apostles and Christ are conjoyned together Now the efficacy and force of the Argument lieth 1. From the Condition of Christ 2. From the Condition of the Apostles The present condition of Christ is described thus I am no more in the world 2. Of the Apostles But these are in the world Let us explain the words that relate to Christs condition and then see the pith of the Argument For the first Christ may be said to be in the world two waies Either 1. Invisibly in respect of his divine nature and operations Thus Christ cannot go out of the world no more then God who is every where and in this sence he told his Disciples he would be with them to the end of the world Mat. 26. Or 2. Visibly and corporally in respect of his humane nature and thus he was to be with them no more so that this is a strong place against Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation Though they would gladly evade the dint of it But why doth Christ say I am no more in the world in the present tense seeing while and when he said it he was in the world I answer This Apostle as is observed by the Learned of all doth most abound with Hebraisms and with them it 's ordinary to use a participle of the present tense for the future as might be shewed And besides our Saviour was very shortly to go out of the world by his sufferings and it 's ordinary with all to speak of a thing as done which is immediately to be done as Heb. 11. Abraham is said by faith to offer up his Son Isaac when yet he did not offer him up but was prepared for to do it immediately Lastly Observe the difference between being in the world and of the world When our Saviour saith I am no more in the world it supposeth he had been in it but now he never was of the world as he saith v. 16. For to be of the world is to partake of the wickednesse and ungodlinesse which reigneth there The whole world lieth in wickednesse And therefore Christ could not
by the Apostles Diotrephes he loved to have preheminence Others accounted gain godlinesse and had their hearts exercised with covetous practises There was no heretique ever proved a firebrand in the Church but one of these causes for the most part moved him which made Austin put it in the definition of an heretique that he did alicujus temporalis commodi causâ either invent or propagate false Opinions But of Unity more when we come to the following Verses Vse of Exhortation to follow Christ in this Praier give the great God of heaven no rest by praier till he hath given rest to his Church and the guides thereof Cry out as the Disciples did to Christ to rebuke the windes and tempests for the Ship we are in sâ—isâ—nking These divisions are not only sins but sad prognosticks of Gods wrath as if he had a purpose to unchurch us and to make us no more his people as he did to the Churches in Asia SERMON LX. The great Paterne of Vnity The Nature and Properties of the Vnity that is between God the Father and the Sonne against the Socinians That the Ministers of God should endeavour after a perfect Vnity even to be One as the Father and Sonne are Also some Rules guiding thereunto JOHN 17.11 That they may be One as Thou and I are WE are now come to the close of the Prayer which containeth the Example or Patern of that Unity Christ prayeth for It 's not for every kinde of Unity he prayeth for but he would have them imitate that Unity which is most absolute and compleat even the Unity of the Father and the Son Before we raise the Doctrine this particular must be vindicated For the Arians and Socinians think this a pregnant place to overthrow the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all nature of the Father and the Sonne That therefore here cannot be meant an essential Vnity Thus they argue Such an Vnity the Father and Christ have as the Disciples are prai'd for to have But that is a Vnity and Concord and Agreement not of Essence Therefore Christ and the Father are not Essentially One. This seemeth to be very specious and plausible But First Grant that we should interpret the Onenesse spoken of in the Text of consent in Will and Agreement as Calvin doth yet it doth not follow that other places speaking of their Onenesse should be also understood in the same manner yea from the Onenesse of Will between the Father and Sonne is necessarily inferred the Onenesse of their nature So that although we should understand this principally of Unity in accord yet by consequence it would prove Unity of Nature for in free Agents where there is the same will there there is also the same nature where there is the same humane will there is the same humane nature and where is the same divine will there is the same divine nature indeed with men it 's the same specifical nature not numerical but because there is one God onely therefore it must be the same numerical nature But in the second place We are to take the Unity of the Father and the Sonne in as large a sense at least not to exclude it as in other places it is Now in other places especially John 10.30 there we have undeniable Arguments to prove it is an Essential Unity I and my Father are One. Bellarmine though otherwise a Papist yet in this point against the Arians is Orthodox and doth strongly maintain the truth against them Now these three Arguments he brings That the Unity spoken of in that verse is Essential First Because otherwise our Saviours Argument there mentioned would be insufficient for thus Christ argueth None can pluck my sheep out of my hands because none can pluck them out of my Fathers hands Why doth this follow Because I and my Father are one So then if Christ and the Father had not one power and so one Divine Nature the Argument would not hold A second Reason is Because the Jews did understand him in this sense and therefore they took up stones to stone him and mark the reason vers 33. Because thou being a man makest thy self God If our Saviour had meant no more then Vnity of Agreement with Gods will The Jews knew that every godly man had the love of God in this sense written in his heart Therefore they could not think that blasphemy They did not think that David made himself a God when he delighted in the Law of God making his will to accord with Gods Thirdly Because our Saviour upon this accusation doth not deny the thing or charge them with falshood but further proveth it Because he doth the works of the Father therefore he bids them believe his works if they will not believe him which are to make them know that the Father is in him and he in the Father upon which words it's said again vers 39. They sought again to take him implying he had not corrected but confirmed that more which they called blasphemy In the third place Though our Saviour prayeth the Disciples may be One as he and the Father are yet their Argument will not hold unlesse they can shew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is alwayes used as a note of equality and not similitude onely but we can shew the contrary in Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for similitude not equality Luke 6.36 Be ye mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull There it 's a note of similitude onely for how can a drop be equal to the Ocean So 1 John 3.2 He that hath this hope purifieth himself as God is pure Here it must be a note of similitude for none can be equal to God in purity and thus here in the Text endeavour to be One as the Father and the Sonne not that you can equalize it but propound that absolute and perfect Rule to follow Insomuch that if this place be well considered it makes against all Arians and so is pro testimonio fidei which they perverted in argumentum perfidiae and Austin's observation is not to be neglected Christ saith he prayeth that they may be One as we are he doth not say that they may be One with us or that they and we may be One as we are One but that they may be One as we are One What more may be said upon this is to be spoken unto vers 21. Observe That it 's not enough for the Ministers of the Gospel to be one but they are to endeavour after the most perfect Vnity to be One as the Father and Sonne are Oh this consideration should make us blush and ashamed to see the contentions and differences that are Did the Father and the Sonne ever shew such discord We should never take our eyes off this patern Let us but consider in how many respects we are to aim at such a Unity as is between them First The Vnity between the Father and the Sonne is a
are equal in Nature and Dignity they are all God and infinitely blessed for evermore yet the Scripture doth represent unto us an order in their operations ad extra to us-ward especially in the work of our Redemption one operation is appropriated to the Father another to the Son and another to the holy Ghost To the Father is constantly applied the sending of Christ his Sonne into the world as at the second verse of this Chapter Gal. 4.4 In the fulness of time God sent forth his Son and 1 John 4.9 it 's the Father that sends him So that the original of all our peace and salvation is the love of the Father 2. That which is appropriated to the Sonne is to be sent To be the Person that shall procure our Redemption And 3. To the holy Ghost that he is sent both by the Father and the Son for the application of those benefits which he shall procure for us Therefore the Father is said to send him Joh. 14.16 and Christ saith He will send him Joh. 16 7. Thus he is called The Spirit of Christ as well as the spirit of God because now he is sent by Christ as a Mediator The holiness in Adam was wrought by the Spirit of God as the third Person in the Trinity absolutely considered but now it causeth holiness in believers relatively as the Spirit of Christ So that in Gods dispensations about mans salvation there is an appropriated order in the operations of the three Persons Secondly The mission or sending of Christ here spoken of doth not relate to him as the second Person but as he is Mediator for so as he is the Son of God he is not sent but begotten And thus the Scripture when it speaks of him in that respect calleth him The only begotten Son of God but this mission is in time and of a voluntary dispensation whereas the other was natural and of eternity Christ was alwayes the Sonne of God but not alwayes sent to be the Mediatour of his Church unless in the purpose and decree of God So that this sending of Christ respects him as God and man and denoteth that incarnation of his with the discharge of all those duties that thereby he undertook Thirdly Gods sending of him doth signifie the authoritative Mission and calling of him to that work The Apostle diligently presseth this Heb. 5.5 that Christ glorified not himself but was called by God to his Priesthood called of God to be â— Priest after the order of Melohisedech yea Ch. 7.21 the Apostle presseth this that he was made an High-priest by an oath The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever And certainly this must needs be of great comfort to us when we shall reade that Christ was so solemnly invested with this power to forgive sins to sanctifie our natures to procure our salvation Things that are done by those that have not a Call are said to be null and invalid they have not powerful efficacy and success but Christ was authorized by God to be thy Saviour he had his Commission to do it he would not take this work in hand till he was called unto it Fourthly The Father did not only call him thus to this wonderfull imployment but he did qualifie and fit him with all abilities for that work he poured out his Spirit upon his humane nature without measure So that as those in the Old Testament when called to any Office were anointed Thus Christ had not a temporal but a spiritual Unction Psal 45.7 there God is said to anoint him with the oyl of gladness Therefore Joh. 6.27 the Father is said to have sealed him to this work Thus Christ acknowledgeth when he saith a body thou hast prepared for me the meaning is he had an universal fitness for the work and this also is of great comfort that Christ is not only called to be our Saviour but he is qualified with all sufficiency thereunto there is nothing that a poor humbled sinner could desire in a Saviour but there is a treasury of it in him Col. 1. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Oh then why do not the people of God believe more firmly and walk more comfortably What do they want which is not in this Christ Shall Christ send his Officers to work and endue them with proportionable power and shall not the Father send him with all fitness and fulness to that work Fifthly In that Christ is said to be sent there is implied that the fountain from which our salvation doth arise is the meer good-will and pleasure of God the Father So that although our Justification Sanctification and Glorification be to be attributed to the merits of Christ and it 's for Christs sake that we enjoy them yet the sending of Christ into the world and giving him to become our Mediator is wholly from the absolute good pleasure of God Christ did not merit his Incarnation he did not merit that he should be sent into the world No this is said to be Gods love Not that hereby we are to make comparisons as if the second Person loved us lesse then the first as the Socinian would divide but to admire the great love of either in their distinct operations That conceit also is vain of some that say God upon the fore sight of the will of Christs humane nature to become our Saviour and presupposing this determinate choice did therefore appoint him to be our Mediator This they think will reconcile Christs necessary Obedience and his free-will together but then the Scripture would not have attributed it to Gods love and to the Fathers love but Christs love as a man which yet it doth not Sixthly In that Christ is said to be sent there is implied that he is under an Office and Obligation of faithfulness and trust So that as it lay upon the Apostles faithfully and diligently to accomplish their Office thus also it did upon Christ and therefore he doth so often call it the command that he had from the Father implying that if he did not accomplish all that for which he was sent he should be guilty of unfaithfulness and disobedience and here also is contained much consolation for why should the believer doubt of Christs willingness and readiness to pardon sanctifie or heal him seeing that Christ is under a command to do this he is betrusted with this work he would be found blame-worthy if he did not accomplish all that he was call'd unto As it 's thy duty to believe in him so he hath voluntaily submitted to make it his duty to give thee rest and ease Seventhly Though Christ be sent and be thus under command yet we are not to think that this is done against his will as if the Father did compell him to this work against his desire No how readily doth he profess his coming into the world Loe I come to do thy will O Lord thy Law is
and sores to appear upon that body which once was as fair as Absâ—loms body Hence the Apostles doe so much presse That all things be done in charity that they fulfill the Royall Law by loving that they doe not so much as grudge one against another This unity and peace is so glorious a thing that the Apostle 1 Thess 4.11 makes it matter of ambition Study or be ambitious to be quiet There is a great deal of carnal and worldly ambition after great things though fading and transitory but here is godly ambition here is spiritual ambition when to be a peace-maker and a peace-preserver we judge it the greatest glory God doth put upon us Eighthly This duty of Love and uniting is most imbred in the hearts of the godly it should be that which they are most perswaded of most inclined to It 's strange for thee to say God hath taught thee such and such high things and hath not taught thee love The Apostle speaks excellently 1 Thess 4.10 Concerning brotherly-love ye need not I write to you for you are taught that of God It 's a shame and a reproach to us that we need a Sermon for this Oh fear thy self thou boastest of the teachings of Gods Spirit above others and yet art not taught to love And here we see Those that thinke a Ministry needlesse and they will not hear it If nothing else may convince yet this may God hath not taught them this duty of love enough and therefore they had need of the Ministers of God to doe it But by this you see That Love and Unity should be so planted in all the godly that we need no more presse and preach this then an hungry man to eat his meat or the mother to love her childe God teacheth this duty in the chief place SERMON CXIV Of Vnity among the Godly More particulars setting forth the Excellency of it and mischiefs of Division Answering this Objection viz. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way and Christ praied for it How comes it to passe that there should be so many breaches amongst the Godly JOH 17.21 That they may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee c. WE are describing the Excellency of Union and the mischief of breaches amongst the godly we shall adde to the fore mentioned As 1. Divisions and differences they are the fruit of the flesh Whereas love peace and kindenesse they are the fruits of the Spirit so that a man cannot more demonstrate himself to be in the flesh and devoid of Gods Spirit in any thing then by a contentious dividing spirit There are some men like those old Spaniards the historian speaks of that cannot live without an enemy So these Salamanders can only be in the fire they are unquiet restless men and these like Marcion with great boldnesse and delight will cry out we will cast fire into the Church and divide it But these demonstrate of what nature they are and who is their Father even that envious one the devil who delights to sow tares amongst the wheat Gal. 6.20 21. c. you may there see two chief principles of mens actions in the world whereof the one is immediatly opposite to the other the flesh and the Spirit now it 's good to observe what the works of the one and the other are of the flesh he instanceth in hatred variance strife emulations c. all tending to break unity and of the spirit the clean contrary love peace gentleness c. all uniting If then we would know who is a godly man who hath the Spirit of God Judge of the Tree by its fruit he is full of love gentleness and meekness It 's impossible that pride arrogancy and envyings should be the fruit of Gods Spirit Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. doth thus argue If there be envyings and divisions among you are you not carnal Thus the Apostle James c. 3.13 14. speaks notably to this Who is a wise man let him shew it by a good conversation with meeknesse he divides wisedom into that which is earthly and devilish the mother of envyings and strife and the wisedome from above which is first pure and then peaceable yea verse 14. Whosoever hath the Name of Religion yet is haunted with this devil The Apostle bids him glory not and lye not against the Truth So that though a man pretend never such singular gifts such extraordinary Teachings of Gods Spirit yet if contentious he is not to glory yea he lieth against the Truth Thou saist it 's for the truth thou art thus contentious It 's for the truth thou hast made these divisions No the truths of Christ are to be maintained by the Spirit of Christ As the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God so neither doth the perversenesse of man the truths of God so far then as any in the Church of God are contentious and striving so farre they demonstrate the power of the flesh reigning in them 2. This Unity is necessary because all other things in Religion are reduced to one If therefore all things agree in unity every thing in Religion tends to this Why should not the people of God embrace it The several Unities are notably made an Argument to our purpose Eph. 4. For the Apostle at v. 1. having exhorted believers to walk worthy of their calling he instanceth in such graces as procure Vnity with all lowlinesse meekness forbearing one another See these graces are the comely worthy graces of our holy calling and you have the end of these graces v. 3. endeavouring we must make it our aim our labour our study and praier to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace hereupon he enumerates v. 4. why there should be such Unity There is one body Christ hath not many bodies no more then a man hath All the people of God are one body Now how destructive is it when one part of the body should conspire against the welfare of another Let grace do that in this mystical body which nature doth in this natural Then there is one Spirit There is but one Spirit that enlightens and sanctifieth the whole Church of God why then should there be so many contrary opinions and waies yet pretended to be of the same Spirit Indeed the Apostle saith there are diversity of gifts and operations yet the same Spirit He doth not say contrarieties and the same Spirit for that is as impossible as darkness to come from the Sun If then there be but one Spirit let not the godly give occasions to the adversaries to blaspheme saying the Calvinistical Spirit is one thing and the Lutheran spirit another Again there is one hope of our calling we are called to one Inheritance there is only one Heaven prepared for all the godly Why then should they be so different by the way when at our journeys end we must all be received into the same place of glory It
is true our Saviour saith Joh. 14.2 In his Fathers house are many mansion places There is room enough for all yet it 's but one house if one Church cannot now contain us how shall we think one heaven will It followeth there is one Lord that is Christ who is to be worshiped and served by us Indeed if there were many Lords as the Papists set up many Saints in heaven to have their peculiar worship then no wonder if there were several faiths and worships also but the Lord Christ is one This the Apostle urged the Corinthians with to compose their divisions Is Christ divided 1 Corin. 1.13 unlesse there were many Christs or Christ be divided into many parts there ought not to be many divisions in the Church how absurd would it be to say I have one Christ and another he hath another a third a third Christ There is one faith one systeme of doctrine to be believed Though there may be many particulars yet they make up one intire Truth So that although there be many Religions and many faiths in the world yet indeed there is but one Even as the Apostle saith There are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called gods nuncupative gods but to us there is one only God So there are many called Religions many called Churches but indeed there is one only The next argument is there is one Baptism that is one profession of the doctrine of faith Though there is not one baptism in number yet there is one in kinde Christ hath appointed but one way for the profession of his name and being called upon by us The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is also made an argument of unity 1 Cor 10.17 So that the Sacraments in their signification denote unity They manifest one body one spirit how sad then is it that so many â—ents and divisions should be made in the Church about Sacraments which yet are the bodies and seals of unity and communion Lastly there is one God and Father of all Because there is one God only therefore we ought to be at unity God being One cannot be divided in himself he cannot command things to be believed or done contrary to himself Therefore let all these unities make us serious in endeavouring after unity yea we might adde that in hell there is unity all the devils agree against the Church There could be a Legion of devils in one man Shall there then be unity against us and not we at unity among our selves These things thus urged let us answer that Objection Seeing God hath promised one heart and one way and Christ hath also thus earnestly praied for it who is not denied any thing by the Father how is it there are so many breaches amongst the godly That we may cry out contrarily to the Psalmist Behold how sad and destructive a thing it is for brethren to be at discord one with another how comes it about that the godly do no more remember of what spirit they are That they consider not the Spirit of God descended in the shape of a Dove That Babel was to be built by confusion of tongues but Jerusalem without any noise of the hammer and therefore Solomon must build the Temple not David because he had been a man of war That this may not scandalize any Consider these things 1. Though unity among the godly be thus necessary yet that inferreth necessarily divisions and oppositions to the world and therefore we are not to wonder if the Gospel and powerful dispensing of Christs waies makes fractions and troubles in the world for the godly cannot have peace with themselves but they must be in open opposition to the world Therefore in this Chapter and in other places our Saviour informs them that the world will hate them So that we are not to say That the Gospel of Christ is in it self of a turbulent dividing nature as carnal Politicians suggest and that therefore the best peace and unity is where Atheism doth abound for if by the Gospel there be sad distractions and concussions of Kingdoms and States it 's not from the genius of the Gospel but from the opposition and corruption of mens hearts Therefore when our Saviour said he came to send fire and sword in the earth Luk. 12.49 that Father should be against Son and mother against daughter That a mans Enemies should be those of his own house This was not from the nature of Christs doctrine but the corrupt indisposition of the subject as when the Sun doth offend soar eyes or the medicine and potions taken disturb the humours and makes a man the sicker in these cases not the Sun or the Physician is to be blamed So if the Introduction of Christs Kingdom and his Ordinances make great divisions in a place It 's not Christs way but wicked mens sins that are to be blamed This then is to be concluded upon that the godly and the wicked can have no unity The godly may not come off to the worlds principles and the world will not come off to the godly mans principles and therefore there must be a perpetual enmity which made the Wise man say That the Righteous was an abomination to the wicked and the wicked to the Righteous Pro. 29.27 2. Seeing there cannot be unity between Sheep and Wolves the godly and the wicked hence it is that even in the Church of God there being so many still that retain their beastly nature and though they have the title of Christians yet are really of the devil hence it is that in Christs Church there is many times such deadly opposition Wonder not then if among those that yet pretend highly to Christ there be sad divisions for many are in the flesh still many savour not experimentally the things of God There shall arise among you men that shall speak perverse things saith the Apostle Act. 20.30 So there shall be false Prophets who will bring in damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2. and why because they are men of corrupt mindes If then all that pretend to Christ to his Spirit had indeed Christs Spirit there would be no such divisions but saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. They went from us because they were not of us and 1 Co. 11. there must be heresies that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are sound may be esteemed Therefore though Christ hath thus praied and God thus promised yet in the Church there will be grievous rents because these are not of the Church though in the Church and therefore were not included in Gods promise or Christs praier Hence it is that the Scripture is full of such predictions that there shall arise false Prophets that there shall be wolves in sheeps clothes that Satan will transform himself into an Angel of light by which if it were possible the very Elect would be seduced Therefore you are not thus to argue when you see raging divisions amongst those that professe faith in Christ and holiness
yet because the Foundation of all our Christian comfort is in this Union and Unity is our whole spiritual Treasury Let us follow the Scripture Light in Explication of it And First It is good to Consider what synonimous or equivolent expressions the Scripture hath to represent this Vnity And we reade of an emphatical one 1 Cor. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is joyned to the Lord The metaphor is from glue that doth so closely and inseparably joyn things together He is made one Spirit Is not this a wonderful expression of that intimate Union the believer hath with God He is made one Spirit with him not essentially as if he were made infinite omniscient c. but as it were morally as they say Amicus est alter ego Another word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 1.2 Truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ Thus 2 Pet. 2.4 we are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partakers of the divine nature and often we reade of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Communion of the holy Ghost This Communion indeed is a consequent of our Union our Union is the Foundation of our Communion although the word doth not only signifie Communion but Communication sometimes howsoever this signifieth the unspeakable priviledge the godly have by their Union that now all things do become theirs which Christ hath our mala and his bona are communia We cannot fall and perish unlesse Christ also be destroyed with us A last word I shall instance in is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.5 and hereby is intimated our co-planting into him and this the similitude of the Olive-Tree and the Vine doth admirably represent and certainly there is no kinde of Union scarce but the Scripture expresseth our Unity with Christ by it as that of the Head and the body of a Foundation and building of a Vine and its branches of a Husband and wife to shew hereby the Excellency and fulnesse of it every one of those unions having something that another hath not As David doth attribute several Titles to God of a Shield Rock Tower c. to shew that God was all things to him Thus is Christ all Unions to the godly as I may so say 2. There must be an unition as Cameron well observeth before there can be an union a Communication before a Communion Unition is to be conceived efficiently as the work of Gods Spirit joyning the believer to Christ and union is to be conceived formally The joyning it self of the persons together Now there is something on Gods part uniting and something on ours On Gods part that is the spirit of God Eph. 2.8 the Jew and Gentile have through Christ accesse unto the Father through one spirit So that as it 's the Spirit that sanctifieth the Spirit that worketh mightily in beleevers the Spirit that sealeth Thus it is also the Spirit that unites to Christ for of our selves we are aliens from God we all lie dissipated in ruine but it 's the Spirit of God that quickens us and engrafteth us into Christ As the Spirit on Gods part so Faith on our part Eph 3.15 Thus Christ dwels by Faith in our hearts and it 's by Faith we are ingrafted into the Olive-Tree therefore that is called eating of his Flesh and drinking of his bloud whereby we are made one with Christ our head We then may easily conclude all men living in their natural condition without the Spirit of God have nothing of this Unity They must needs wither and perish in their sins 3. We may conceive of a natural union with Christ and a supernatural A natural union all men have in that he took mans nature and not Angels upon him So that in this respect all men though never so wicked yet agree with him in his humane nature and thousands are damned though Christ took mans nature upon him The other union is supernaturall for as Christ though man yet was conceived in a supernatural way by the holy Ghost So all those who are mystically united to Christ are in a supernatural way changed by the holy Ghost and thereby joyned to Christ for it 's the Spirit of Christ as well as of God the Father that doth thus unite us to him We cannot then take any comfort simply in this that Christ was made man unlesse we have a spiritual Vnion with him as well as a naturall Therefore the Apostle excellently to this purpose urging Christs Incarnation Heb. 2.11 14. doth not press absolutely his being made man but so as thereby to help not all men but such as are his brethren all men are not Christs brethren but such as by faith are made one with him Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one that is of one Adam of one root as it is generally expounded but though other men be of that one root as well as such as are sanctified yet the Apostle limits it to such only that are sanctified and from thence draweth that comfortable inference Christ is not ashamed to call them brethren and v. 14. because the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself took part of the same so that it 's plain by these Texts No man can simply take comfort in this that Christ became a man That he is of the same humane nature with Christ for it 's only to the children only to such as are sanctified that his Incarnation is advantagious Hence 4. This union is wholly spiritual and invisible Christ is the head and we the body Christ the husband and we the wife but all this is after a spirituall and mysterious manner The ligaments are spiritual insomuch that this is better felt experimentally then palpably expressed Therefore to carnal and natural men it 's wholly a paradox They cannot imagine what it is Even as spiritual and immaterial objects cannot be discerned by the eye No man hath seen God at any time So neither can this spiritual union be naturally perceived if we should preach all our life time upon it a natural man would never understand one iota or tittle about it Therefore when the Apostle speaking of the union between man and wife Eph. 5.32 therby representing the union of Christ and his Church addeth This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his Church Oh pray therefore that thou maist experimentally feel this union with Christ That something within may close with this and thou maist be able to say O Lord though I reade it in no Book hear it in no Sermon yet my own heart can discern it 5. Though this union be spiritual yet for all that it is reall it 's not imaginary and a meer fancy but as Christ is a real Christ God a real God faith a real grace so real is our union with these and therefore the effects of this union are altogether real such as
is not the devil still suggesting this unto thee if thou be the Sonne of God then it would be thus and thus with thee Gods children never do as thou doest Now this temptation hath so farre prevailed by Satans instigation upon some of Gods people that they have wholly given over to pray that they dared not to presume to pray And why because God is not their Father they may no more pray then the damned in hell So that the godly man is left in a wofull desolate estate all the while this truth doth not reign in his heart that God is his Father 3. This perswasion of God being our Father is of so great consequence that the Spirit of God is sent on purpose into our hearts for this very work Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Father So that as we remain blind and darkned in mind till the Spirit lead us into all truth that as we remain unholy and cleaving to our lusts till the Spirit sanctifie us so we do also remain in a doubting unbelieving and dejected disposition till God send this Spirit into our hearts so that when a man is humbled for sinne and feels the load of his transgressions it must be more then humane power yea or all the counsels and directions of the ablest Ministers that can inable such an one to call him Father Oh how often doth such a tempted soul say Oh that I could call him Father Oh that I could delight in him as a Father But now when this Spirit of Adoption cometh into our hearts see with what efficacy and power it cometh it maketh us to cry that denoteth earnestness vehemency and also confidence undauntedness notwithstanding the roaring cries of the devil and conscience to the contrary and thus it enableth us to cry Abba Father by way of ingemination implying that it is not once but twice yea often for indeed if the Spirit of God did not constantly thus keep up a filial frame every new failing would cast us back into a meer darknesse and confusion Therefore the Spirit of God hath this office of being a Comforter because we of our selves cannot sow that seed in our own souls 4. This is necessary because this only raiseth sweet comfortable and delightfull thoughts of God The relation of a Father is sweet and what a great difference is there between a childe praying to a tender father and a malefactor to a severe Judge David once said He remembred God and was troubled Certainly the more we think of God and his Attributes Omnipotent Wise Holy Righteous if not a Father the more terrible and dreadfull is the apprehension of him It 's necessary to have good endeared thoughts of God therefore the devils and the damned who are of the farthest distance from God they have hard and raging thoughts against him It being therefore necessary to keep up such thoughts in the soul as these Let God afflict smite destroy yet he is just and righteous yea and to be loved now this cannot be unless this faith is strongly carried out unto him as a Father 5. Perswasion of God as a Father is necessary because this only will produce faith and confidence in those that pray with such an assurance Now faith is the very soul and life of prayer He that prayeth believing shall receive and James exhorts Let him ask in faith nothing doubting Chap. 1. Our Saviour told the woman It should be according to her faith So that unbelief makes our prayers like a messenger without hands or feet and if so How shall we get our prayers animated with this grace Nothing conduceth more to this then the Meditation of God as a Father when this is assented to then it easily believeth God will do all necessary good for it such a Father will not give a stone to his childe when he asketh bread Thus Mat. 5. our Saviour maketh this an argument against all distracting fears and cares Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of Why is it that after prayer thy heart is as much troubled and disquieted as if the request had never been made known to God but only because faith did not reign and predominate in thy heart concerning Gods fatherly relation to thee 6. Perswasion of God as a Father is necessary because hereby the heart will be quickned to all those holy and filial dispositiâ—ns which ought to be in children If ye call him Father 1 Pet. 1.17 c. Passe your sojourning here with an holy fear The Scripture apprehension of a Father will not beget security and a licentious life but rather it will cause an holy reverence and a diligent attendance to avoid all those sins that may offend and provoke The Spirit of adoption is also a Spirit of Sanctification being born of God he doth not he cannot sin for how abominable and uneffectual would our prayers be if we should joyn prophaneness to those duties In stead of obtaining mercy we may justly expect that God would pour out greater wrath whereas a due and right apprehension of God as a Father will make a gracious and humble disposition in the soul Vse of Exhortation to the people of God that they strengthen and confirm this relation to them as much as may be Pray for that Spirit of Adoption which will inable thee to cry Abba Father Oh know that all the cause of thy disquietness distractions and diffidence of Spirit in thee ariseth from unbelief in this point If thou believe God is thy Father then sin is forgiven then no good thing will be denied thee This Father will treasure up for thee yea the properties of this Father are wonderfully quickning he is an omnipotent Father and so can do all things he is a compassionate Father and so will do all things he takes upon him both the bowels of Father and Mother also Parents have been hardned to their children as the Prophet observeth but God cannot be He is a wise Father and so ordereth every thing for the best This if duly considered would free thee from all distrustfull cares and thou wouldst learn from thy own childe to walk depending upon God casting all thy burden upon him because thou seest it taking no care what it shall eat or what it shall put on but resteth it self wholly upon it's Fathers care The second thing observable in the Text is The manner of Christs expression his Petition I will Father I will Some think this an expression not of prayer but of Christs just demand of his right to that which he had as God and therefore they think that whereas before he prayed as a man here he interposeth himself as God as thus Austin of old Omnipotenti patri se velle dixit omnipotens filius Others they make it an expression of prayer because in the former part the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used and thus Mark 10.35 when James and John
even as man there should be revealed unto him all the thoughts actions and circumstances thereof concerning every man in the world that so he might fulfill the office of a Judge 4. Christ as Mediator God and man is the author and fountain of all the light which is communicated to the Church Hence it is that one of his Offices is to be the Prophet of the Church He is called the chief shepherd of our souls 1 Pet. 5 4. and being our high-Priest he was to offer up himself for us so also instruct and teach us Therefore you heard the whole world is commanded to hear him and therefore it is that he cals himself the truth and the way Joh. 14.16 So that in all matters of Religion we are still to enquire what Christ hath revealed and what he hath manifested now he doth not only reveal the truth to be believed but the duties also that are to be performed and therefore the Apostle makes it so hainous a sinne to refuse Christ speaking above Moses Heb. 12.25 Tremble then all ye wicked men who do constantly refuse Christ still speaking from heaven by his Word and Ministers to leave your sins and impieties 5. The Scripture doth often as in all actions ad extra attribute the same work of teaching and enlightning both to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Spirit So that this great work of saving knowledge is attributed indifferently to all Thus the Father James 1. is called the Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift So our Saviour alledgeth that promise They shall be all taught of God Joh. 6.45 So the holy Spirit is said to guide and lead into all truth Illumination being frequently ascribed to the Spirit and 1 Cor. 2.10 God is said there to reveal things unto us by his Spirit And lastly Christ himself is said to be the great teacher of his people as Mat. 23.10 For one is your Master even Christ Hence the Apostle magnifieth the Gospel Heb. 1. that whereas formerly God had spoken by the Prophets in these later dayes he spake by his Sonne So that the geeat sinne against the Gospel and the aggravation of all wickednesse is from hence that though this light be come into the world yet men love darknesse rather then light 6. The Lord Christ doth teach several wayes either immediately when he was upon the earth or mediately by the Apostles and the Ministers that he hath appointed in his Church Therefore he is said still to speak from heaven viz. by the Word and the Ministry so that we are not to conceive as if we had nothing of Christ now because he is ascended to heaven for what the Ministers guided by the Word of God do that is as if Christ himself spake it and you are to receive it with the like faith and obedience Hence our Saviour speaking to his Apostles saith Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me he that despiseth an Embassadour contemneth him from whom he is sent Oh that this truth may be as a two-edged Sword in thy heart What darest thou who livest in thy prophaneness if Christ himself were here upon the earth commanding thee to leave thy sins yet to persevere in them if not How is it that you refuse those who come in his name 7. Though Christ hath appointed a Ministry to teach and instruct people yet the whole efficacy and power cometh from Christ alone It 's God and Christ by the Word that can only open the understanding and give a spiritual knowledge so that conversion is so called the teaching of God John 6.45 Therefore a man must hear and learn of the Father before he can come to Christ onely Christ there addeth that this hearing and knowing of the Father comes by him So Joh. 3.26 27. when Johns Disciples said That all men come to Christ he answered A man can receive nothing except it be given him of heaven attributing it to the power of God that any come to Christ Therefore this Sun exceedeth the bodily one which giveth indeed external light but cannot give an eye to see the blinde remain blinde for all that Lastly Though Christ only do effectually give a knowing heart so that although we had the best Ministry of men and Angels yet it would do no good without his secret power and energie yet we must not from thence inferre the uselesness of the Ministry as some foolishly have done opposing the principal and subordinate For in our natural life although it be not the bread we eat but the word of blessing from Gods mouth that makes it to nourish us yet none casts away his food resolving to depend on God immediately Thus though Christ alone give the seeing eye and the understanding heart yet it 's by and in the use of the Ministry though it was God alone that did give the healing vertue to the pool of Bethesda yet the Angel must move it and every lame man must come into it else he could not be healed Hence although Jeremy prophesie of such abundance of knowledge that they shall not teach one another but be all taught of God which may seem and is brought by some to overthrow the Ministry yet the same Prophet Jer. 3.15 declareth it as a special blessing that he would give them Pastors according to his own heart which would feed them with knowledge and understanding So that Gods teaching and the Pastors teaching do not oppose one another It 's said also of Lydia that God opened her heart Act. 16.14 but to what end To attend to the words of Paul So that you must never oppose Gods work and the Ministry together In the next place Let us consider the Properties of Christs knowledge whereby he makes us also to know As 1. The Authoritative and potestative Nature of it he taught as one having authority not as the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 7.29 Hence Mat. 5. when he had related the corrupt opinions of their Doctors in the Interpretation of the Law he addeth But I say unto you opposing his Authority to them all It 's true he saith he speaks not of himself but referreth his Doctrine wholly to his Father but withall saith He and his Father are one he doth not speak of receiving his Doctrine in the same manner as Paul and other Apostles did of him by revelation 2. There is the freeness of this he teacheth whom he pleaseth There are none so froward and so contumacious but he can open their hearts and others that are of high and eminent understandings for want of him do remain blind owls Mat. 11.26 27. where our Saviour giving God thanks for manifesting the things of the Gospel to some and not to others resolving all into Gods good pleasure Even so Father for so it pleaseth thee he addeth No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him So that where
groans unutterable The heart is but as so much dull earth till the Spirit of God inflame thee Thy praier is a body without a soul if there be words but not Gods Spirit in the heart But oh what shall we then think of most mens praiers that have nothing but custome and formality in them No wonder if these be birds without wings Messengers without feet good for nothing at all Thou saiest thy praiers and thou hast thy praiers but oh consider the Spirit of God must move upon thy heart else thou art onely a worm crawling on the ground 2. An heavenly Praier must have an heavenly heart that which pants after and delights in heavenly things but Ps 4.6 Many say Who will shew us any good Every one can pray for earthly and temporall good things for health strength peace and outward plenty but few with David Lift thou up the light of thy countenance In the Lords Praier we are first to pray for those spirituall things that relate to Gods glory before we are to ask for our temporall comforts yea while we pray for temporall mercies we are to do it in a heavenly manner for this end that we may be more instrumental to Gods glory and be brought nearer to him Difficile est erare quia difficile est desiderare said Aquinas It is a very hard thing to desire heavenly things and therefore as hard to pray for them how happy then is it when the matter praied for and the frame of the heart are both heavenly Now like Christ he is gone up to the Mount and praieth alone he is above all earthly things alone with God himself 3. That Praier is heavenly when the heart and affections are purified and sanctified fit for the enjoyment of God In praier we have an immediate approach unto and fellowship with God There cannot be greater honour vouchsafed unto a creature then to be admitted to pray to him but who is sufficient for this duty The Heathens did often presse this that God was to be worshiped prae mente but the Apostle more divinely 1 Tim. 2.8 Lifting up holy or pure hands Mat. 6. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God A sore eye with corrupt humours is not fit to look on a bright object and truly in all our praiers we should think nothing so comely as to have heavenly hearts for heavenly work If the godly mans conversation even in buying selling and all other lawfull emploiments is to be heavenly much more in praier then there should be Sabbatum mentis the rest of the Soul there should be no distractions no debasings of it by earthly affections we should have a garden readily dressed for the Spouse to walk in If Christs body was to be in a Sepulchre where none ever lay btfore how much rather will whole Christ abide in a clean heart The devil would not come into his Lodgings but because they were swept and ready garnished for him how much rather will Christ expect that the soul should be in an holy and heavenly manner fitted for to enjoy him 4. An heavenly Praier is When it stirreth and moveth the heart to more love and delight in heavenly things Praier is not to be only heavenly in its nature but in its effects By praying holily we are made more holy It 's like exercise to the body which makes it more strong and active It 's the rich Ship that brings in glorious returns from God Heavenly Praier leaveth an heavenly frame it keepeth a soul in longings after God As Moses who had been in Gods presence his face did shine with great lustre Thus the soul that is heavenly in Praier to God leaveth an excellent and spiritual lustre upon all his actions his conferences his conversation speaks the mighty glory of this praier oh what godly man may not fall down with shame and confusion to think how far short he comes of this heavenly praier Vse of Instruction in two things 1. How hard it is to pray indeed You may say of the dull Formalist that hath bare words and no heart he praieth but it is as unprofitable as a body without life Oh that the God of grace would work this in you that he would pour the Spirit of praier and supplication upon you I know nothing wherein people are more to be instructed and rectified then in this particular They have good praiers and they say good praiers as they speak but understand nothing at all about an heavenly praier 2. Why it is that after many publique and private praiers thousands of people live in the same wickednesse they did Who would not think their sinnes would make them give over praying or praying their sins how can this fire and Ice stand together The reason is they are not heavenly praiers neither private or family praiers do raise thee up like Elijahs fiery Chariot You ask and receive not because you ask amisse He doth not say you ask mala but male you do not pray for unlawfull things only you pray not in a right manner Oh then say the decay of all my godlinesse all my comforts arise from my decay in praier Pray heavenly and all will be heavenly and on the other side meer dead and customary praier leaveth a man in a destitute estate he may pray in that manner all his life and yet receive nothing at Gods hand Think and meditate of this more say the beginning of all my spirituall consumption is in my lean empty praiers SERMON II. The transcendent Excellency and Efficacy of Christs Praier in respect of the matter and nature thereof as being Mediatory his Person and Relation c. held forth as a ground of unspeakable comfort to Beleevers JOH 17.1 These words spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father THE Introduction hath already been dispatched which contained the Order and Method of Christs Praier as also his gesture We now come to the praier it self he said Father c. To open this Consider That Praier is of two sorts Either 1. Mentall which is only in the soul and spirit for God being a Spirit and omniscient knoweth all the thoughts and desires of the heart Thus Angels and the spirits of just men perfected in heaven do pray The souls under the Altar cried for an holy avenging on their enemies Rev. 6.9 Or else there is 2. a vocall Praier when our desires are manifested by outward signs of words and thus Christs praier here is a vocall praier neither may such kinde of praying be thought needlesse for we do not use words as if God needed these signs in which sence Eliah derided Baals Priests bidding them cry aloud it may be Baal was asleep or in a journey 1 King 8.27 but hereby to excite and stir up our affections for the soul and body do mutually help each other and partly because we are to glorifie God with our body and with our soul
God he is a Son and God is his Father Father glorifie thy Sonne 2. From the seasonablenesse of it Now is the time Tho hour is come 3. From the finall cause he desireth not this glory for himself only but he would be glorified that he might glorifie the Father Every one of these Arguments doth deserve at least a Sermon to open the excellency of it and 1. I shall begin with the relation expressed in that compellation Father Now it is true God is the Father of Christ in a farre more transcendent way then he is ours for that is a true Rule quod Christus naturâ nos sumus gratiâ That which Christ hath by nature we have by grace Christ therefore is Son to the Father yet so that he is of the same nature with the Father having all the properties of the Godhead with him but we are Sonnes only by grace and adoption and therefore cannot call God Father in that respect as Christ doth yet because a Father to both and that we may improve this Title for comfort with him our Saviour doth put these together in a most excellent manner Joh. 10.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Go and tell my Brethren so The Apostle admireth this that he was not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 and in this Praier how wonderfull are those expressions That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Let not therefore the great distance between us and Christ trouble us in this dear relation for he is our Father as well as Christs though not in the same manner From this Argument further observe That those Praiers are successefull and are sure to speed which are poured out to God as a Father It 's this Title this relation that giveth life and efficacy to our praiers Dulce nomen Patris said he it works much both in the Father to move his bowels and in the Sonne to enlarge his affections and hopes Although that Faith whereby Christ called God Father was not like that in us which we call justifying in respect of that act for Christ did not need justification for himself because there was no sin found in him yet as faith in the generall betokens a fiduciall dependance on God and application of his favour so Christ did with faith call God Father Thus at other times we see Christ in his praiers using this compellation as the ground of his being heard and having all his requests granted him Luke 23.34 46. Joh. 11.41 Joh. 12.27 28. And that we may not think this Prerogative belongs only to him our Saviour in that Directory of praier which he hath left teacheth us to come unto him as unto a Father and this is the faith we must pray in else we are sure to be sent away empty Hence Christ Mat. 6. and Mat. 7 11. laieth all the ground of confidence and hope to speed on this because he is our Father an heavenly Father farre above all earthly Fathers Nemo tam Pater as one in another case I need not tell you that God is a Father either by Creation in which sence Paul alloweth that of the Poet We are his Offspring for this it makes not any thing to confidence in Praier for so the devils and wicked men had their being from God But 2. He is a Father by grace by adoption and reconciliation through Christ This is the relation that sweetens all This is that which makes us confident he cannot or will not deny any thing that is good to us When the Prodigal Sonne came with this Title in his mouth Father I have sinned the bowels of the Father immediatly moved and he runneth to meet him Luk. 15.18 First That every one by nature and through sinne is in a state of enmity against God God is so farre from being a Father to such that he is a Judge and an adversary to every wicked man so that it is a very rare thing and few there are who may call God Father Is God the Father of Drunkards adulterers proud and prophane persons It 's blasphemy and an high dishonour to God to think so No the Scripture telleth us of another Father to such Ye âre of your Father the devil Joh. 8.44 There are many may say Our Father which art in hell not which art in heaven This I would presse upon you that you may not blaspheme God by calling him Father when you do the works of the devil If children only and not dogs must eat the meat on the Table much more must they only be taken into the Fathers bosome The Scripture will inform you that none may presume to take this excellent Title into his mouth unlesse he shew his filiall fear and obedience Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour 1 Pet. 1.15 If ye call on the Father passe the time of your sojourning here in fear Hence it is resolved by Austin that none but a just and righteous man may pray the Lords Praier because God is not a Father to any but those that walk holily Oh that this might strike to the very heart of every ungodly man Thou hopest in thy praiers and trustest in thy praiers when yet thou hast no right to call God thy Father He owneth no such enemies as thou art for his Sonne Secondly This sweet relation of Sonship to God the Father is purchased at a dear rate by Christ He shed his precious bloud that we might be put into so happy a relation We that were afar off are made neer by him Hence it is that Christ is the Elder brother the Heir and we made coheirs with him so that we had nothing to do with God in any comfortable way we could not have praied to him but had been like the devil in hell had not Christ purchased this sure and comfortable condition for us It costs the mother much ere she be mother of a childe In sorrow she was to bring forth but Christ was a man of greater sorrow ere he could see his seed and his soul be satisfied Among Brethren what envy is there apt to be yea what murthers have been committed by one brother upon another that they might solely enjoy the dignity and great estate but how farre was Christ from this who though only beloved of the Father and heir to all glory yet grudgeth not to take in others to a copartnership well then This word Father or to be able to call God Father cost Christ dear even more then to make a world for there was but a word here were great sufferings Thirdly To be able to call God Father is so great a matter that there needeth the Spirit of Adoption to move us thereunto Gal. 4 6. He hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father Although it be easie for a presumptuous
self-justifying man to call God Father yet take the afflicted mourner for sinne who is sensible of the great dishonour he puts upon God it 's the hardest thing in the world to think God is a Father to him because therefore it is so great a work God sends his Spirit into our hearts that enableth us to cry boldly vehemently and notwithstanding all opposition Abba Father Where then we would use this compellation with power and life with successe and heavenly advantage there the Spirit of God must inflame the heart there all our servile fears and tormenting doubts must be removed Now who but the Spirit of God can command these windes and waves to be still There are groans and crys great commotions of spirit ere the soul can be perswaded of Gods fatherly love These things premised let us consider in the next place what disposition and frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every one that doth fervently pray to God And 1. It cannot but raise up the heart to great confidence and hope to speed Indeed if we look to our selves to our sinnes there is nothing but matter of despair Who can think of himself and not expect that answer Depart I know you not But then when we consider this gracious relation God putteth upon himself to be a Father what humbled sinner may then be afraid O Lord thou art not only a Lord a mighty and great God but a Father also and upon this Title I pleade Fathers use to lay up for children if it were an earthly Father Mat. 7. when the childe asketh bread he would not give him a stone and thou art an heavenly Father how long then shall I ask for such consolation pray against such corruptions and meet with the contrary Is not this to give a stone for bread If then God be a Father if thou maist conclude on this then expect every thing else Now this is a great sinne in the children of God they doe not improve this relation They do not think with themselves behold I am a Father I am a Mother will my bowels let me deny my poor children if afflicted any thing that I can give them why then shall I have such low thoughts of God He that giveth the father bowels shall not he much more have bowels If it be thus with a drop shall it not be much more with the Fountain 2. The meditation of this relation will cause fervency and zeal in our Petitions The more confidence to speed the more earnestnesse as on the other side where there is no hope there is fainting and languishing he said Qui timidè rogat docet negare we may say Qui tepidè It 's the fervent praier of a righteous man that prevaileth much and confidence quickens up to fervency As men that are pulling any weight the more they feel it coming the more earnest they are in pulling This divine hope puts wings to the soul addeth legges to its journey Indeed a bold presumption that God will vouchsafe him the matter of our requests is carelesse of praier because that looketh for the end without the means but an holy confidence that God will give us the good things we want but by earnest and fervent praier that makes the godly soul more zealous and active when we are sure our labour is not in vain As the Apostle encourageth to sufferings to wait and endure patiently because in due time they shall receive a recompence if they faint not Gal. 6.9 Oh then be afraid of those cold and lukewarm formall duties thou art so often in These argue no faith no hope in thee It 's a sign thou dost not much matter or regard the issue of thy Praiers whether God grant them or not 3. This Title in the lively improvement of it will cause a filiall reverence and humility even as the childe doth his Father as you heard If I be a Father where is my honour The good ingenious childe doth not abuse his Fathers kindenesse doth not contemne his favours but consider the great distance that is between him and his Father that he is never able to satisfie his Father for Aristotle saith There cannot be any justice between a father and son seeing therefore he hath all from him he is in a reverentiall fear and honour of his father Thus it is with those who have the Spitit of Adoption their fear is accompanied with their confidence Their boldnesse and hope doth not degenerate into security and contempt of God and if at any time they grow wanton under his mercies then as God is a Father to provide for us so he is a Father to chasten as the Scripture speaks often Do not then give way to thy corruptions do not eat too much of this honey till thou surfet lest God give Physick lest he chasten thee and seem as if he were no Father David upon security and other neglects into what sad darknesse is he cast He knoweth not how to call God Father he thinketh on God and is troubled as he saith Ps 77.5 God will deal with thee upon thy rebellion as David with Absalom Command thee out of his sight and this will work upon thee as it did with Absalom who desired to die rather then to be alwaies under such displeasure and herein the people of God upon their sinnes have a greater wound and deeper gash then the wicked have It 's against a Father they have sinned so mercifull and so gracious a Father this paineth them at the very heart 4. The Meditation of this Title will breed tranquillity and quietnesse of spirit free from all sinful cares and distrustful thoughts I have a Father in heaven and it is not my care my counsell my labour can provide for me but his goodnesse meerly Mat. 5.25 26. Our Saviour doth there at large give heavenly Physick to kill these worms these moths of cares that are ready to eat into us and devour us and amongst other helps this is one Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of As we see our little Children then eat and drink and take no care for their raiment for their food but go to their Parents such a quiet and composed frame of soul would God have all his Children have If you call me Father why do ye not commit all to my wisedom to my love Can a childe order his affairs better for himself then his Father Is it not well for the childe that it is not his wisedom and care but his Father that he must trust to How quickly would he undoe all Thus may God our heavenly Father say Cast your care and burden upon me how quickly would you undo your selves ruine your selves if all were left to you your happinesse lieth in my wisedome and love to you Oh what a chearfull quiet heart would the due meditation of this cause in us It 's my Father in heaven that doth all things that governeth the whole that dispenseth all
things It 's my Father in heaven that giveth life and motion to every thing and therefore I need not be afraid Know then that all those gnawing worms of unbelief and fears upon thee whereby thou makest thy self an hell to thy self they come from want of this consideration 5. This Relation if rightly considered will put us upon holinesse and an earnest endeavour to resemble and to be like him A good childe loveth to imitate and conform to all those lovely perfections that are in his Father his endeavour is that in him his Father may live even while he is dead Now the Scripture sets forth Gods holinesse as our Copy to write after Be ye holy as I am holy and that ye may be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Matth. 5.48 and He that hath this hope viz. to be a Sonne of God purifieth himself even as God is pure Oh then let those vile and leprous sinners stand aloof off They call God Father where is thy Image or likenesse of him upon thee Art thou pure as he is pure holy as he is holy Is thy will conformable to his will To love and delight in those things that God loveth and commands The Scripture telleth us the godly are born of God that his Image is restored in them That they are partakers of the divine nature Now let every one see upon what grounds he cals God Father Is it not a meer lye and mockery Dost thou not delude thy own self If God be thy Father wherein art thou like him Art thou holy as he is pure as he is Certainly even in the godly this should raise up their spirits to higher exercise of holinesse They should consider who is their Father It is for them to shew better breeding then to be proud passionate earthly and carnall They are to be as Ignatius was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that bear God about with them you may see the resemblance of God in their lives So then this Title and relation doth not only vouchsafe comfort but engage to much duty None should be so cheerful and yet so holy and pure as they are 6. This Relation of a Father will put us upon zeal for his glory and honour a desire to exalt and set him up every where an holy impatiency to have his Name blasphemed and his commands broken What childe can endure to hear his Father spoken against to have his name defamed You see in Christ himself the zeal of his Fathers house did eat him up he could not endure to see the corruption and defilement of his Fathers worship and thus it is with the Children of God his honour is dear unto them To see and hear the wickednesse and prophanenesse of others torments his righteous soul This is against my Father I have no patience when you thus dishonour my Father Oh this is an excellent signe you look upon God as your Father when you are thus affected for his glory for his truth and worship It 's a known story of that dumb Sonne that never spake before yet when he saw one going to kill his Father cried out and forbad it Thou that feelest no anger or grief within thee when God is dishonoured doe thou doubt of thy childe-like disposition Lastly The Meditation of God as a Father may wonderfully support under all afflictions They are the corrections of a Father not the punishments of a Judge and the Apostle argueth the great reasonablenesse of bearing Gods afflictions seeing we endure the chastisement of our Fathers according to the flesh Heb. 12.9 10. where the Apostle shews that a good childe though chastened by his Father giveth reverence to him why then should not we rather obey God who is the Father of spirits and that from the end of God he afflicts for our profit and we live by these chastisements Hence it 's the devils great temptation to imbitter this cup of affliction as much as he can To let them think God is not their Father and if he were a Father he would never lay such a load upon them and all this to stirre up impatience and discontent within them Thus you see what mighty effects this consideration of God as a Father should produce in us In the next place consider Why this doth so prevail with God And 1. Because it 's not a bare Title but accompanied with the reall love and bowels of a Father God is not only called so but is indeed a Father yea a Father above all earthly Fathers yea or mothers too he takes more tendernesse upon him then they can have Isa 49.15 when Zion sadly complained The Lord had forsaken her he tels her Though a woman should forget her sucking childe yet he would not So then love is infinitely in God his kindenesse is like himself beyond all thoughts and expressions and if among men it be so unnaturall for a Father not to love his childe can we think God will not love his He that hath commanded us to love our enemies and to forgive them seventy times seven in a day will not he pardon his Children Children are part of the Father and therefore God visiteth the sinnes of Fathers sometimes upon their Children because they are as one with the Father and Christ praieth that the godly and his Father may be one 2. It 's for the glory and honour of God to hear them when they pray What priviledges and mercies children have tends to the honour of a Father Doth it not disgrace a Father when he is able and yet letteth his Children be almost famished and be contemned in filthy rags Oh we say he doth not go like such an ones Sonne it 's a disgrace to his Father so it is here should not the people of God be holy comfortable heavenly and accepted of this would be as if God did not own them Vse of Instruction Concerning the happy estate of the godly and the contrary of the wicked That which is a comforting fire to one is a consuming fire to the other The godly have alwaies the Scepter held out to them They may go to God as a Father and are sure to be heard either ad voluntatem or ad sanitatem They may say O Lord if I did come to thee as an angry Judge if I did draw nigh to thee as one provoked as one whose sins made a division between me and thee then I might be sent comfortlesse away but I come to thee as a Father a relation thou art not ashamed off and which thou wilt fullfill though as yet the glory of God is not fully manifested but as for the wicked what a thunderbolt is this to them God is not their Father Though they may call him so a thousand times over yet he is not he is thy enemy thy adversary what good things thou hast cometh from him as the governour of the world not as a Father SERMON IV. Of Gods appointing an hour a set time
of Christ was the time of his sufferings concerning which he often said My hour is not yet come and when it was come he most readily yeelded himself Now in this hour many things are observable as 1. That all the power and policy that his enemies did use were not able to prevail over him till his hour came Though he preached every day and went up and down doing good by all which his enemies were the more provoked against him yet they were not able to take an hair from him and how observable is that when some bid him depart for Herod would kill him Go saith he and tell that fox behold I do miracles to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Neverthelesse I must work to day and to morrow The meaning is that maugre all his malice and power yet he should do his work and be preserved till his hour did come so that all endeavours all counsels are frustrated which meet not with Gods appointed time only Christ knew when his hour was which God keepeth sometimes secret from his people Again 2. Observe the wisedom and prudence of Christ when danger was come because then it was not his hour Sometimes he departed secretly and went from place to place to avoid the malice of his enemies yea his father and mother fled with him while a childe to escape death This teacheth us That it is our duty to preserve our selves from ruine when we have not a call or obligation thereunto So the Prophets in Jezabels time were hid by many in a cave and those Noble Worthies recorded by the Apostle that fled and hid themselves in caves and mountains they are said to do it by faith It was not sinfull fear but faith so that we are diligently to consider when it is our call our duty when God requireth of us as the time and hour of our affliction that we must lose all for him and in this we must not consult with flesh and bloud for that saith as Peter to Christ Master save thy self who had that severe Rebuke Get theee behinde me Satan Then on the other side when the time of Christs sufferings did come every thing brought it about A Judas a Disciple of his own he betraieth him and all his adversaries do easily insult over him and then he doth not as before depart out of the way no but though be knew he was to suffer at Jerusalem yet he set his face to go thither and though he could have commanded Legions of Angels to have rescued him and we reade that those who come to surprise him fell down immediatly being stricken with his Majesty yet he will not deliver himself No though his enemies did with so much scorn bid him save himself which teacheth us that when the hour of our afflictions is come when God manifestly discovers it must be the time of our trouble that then we do with all patience and chearfulnesse resign our selves into his hands And thus much as it relates to Christ Now let us consider of it in the generall and we shall see how God hath hours and times either of anger or mercy in the world As 1. When the Church of God hath been greatly corrupted by all manner of vice and idolatry so that there hath been an unclean Leprosie over the whole body God oath appointed an hour a time for its Reformation and purity which shall certainly take effect though all the world oppose it Men can no more hinder it then the Sunne from breaking out of the Cloud and oh how happy is it when such a time comes how wonderfully are mâ—ns hearts prepared to forsake all their former Idolatry and prophanesse This you have notably Joh. 4.23 Our Saviour tels that ignorant superstitious woman The hour is coming and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth This was in Christs time he came as Malachy cap. 3. prophesied to refine the Sons of Levi and to be like the Fullers Sope This was so terrible as that the Prophet crieth out Who may abide the day of his coming It was to the Pharisees and chief Priests as terrible as the day of Judgement Well though Christ goeth about to take away all that admired will-worship which was then exalted and this was so contrary to mens inclination and education yet the hour cometh that they shall worship him in spirit and in truth Thus it was at the first Reformation out of Popery when Luther though but one unarmed man and a despicable Monk by his profession set himself against the torrent of all that Idolatry and corruption which reigned in Popery Was it not as ridiculous as if a man had set his shoulder to some huge Mountain thinking to remove it It was so in all mens account and therefore when Luther opened his Councels to one great Doctor who did not approve of the Romish courses yet he bid him go into his Cell and say Lord have mercy upon us As if the case were desperate Now although it was thus unlikely yet we see how truth and purity did break forth to all mens amazement and which aggravateth this There had been many before Luthers time who witnessed against the practices and doctrines of the Church of Rome yet still they were vanquished till Luther came and then no water could quench this fire Now why was all this Gods power was as able to go along with Iohn Husse or Jerome of Prague as well as Luther but now was Gods hour now was his appointed time Thus till Gods time came for the removing of all the Jewish Rites they lay like that stone upon the Sepulchre that the woman could not remove yea neither men or Angels could remove and therefore it 's called the time of Reformation Heb. 9.10 2. God in his just judgement lets wicked men have their hour That is an opportunity of expressing all their wickednesse and impiety so that you would think God took no notice of the things done in the world and was as some Philosophers prophanely thought included within the circles of the heaven and had given the earth to the Sonnes of men to do what they would This our Saviour told his enemies who consulted and practised against him Luk. 22.53 This is your hour and power of darknesse Thus in the Revelation we see that Satan was let loose for many years and then he was bound up for many years which denoteth that God by his just permission did suffer Satan and his Instruments to prevail in the world And when this hour of darkness is all the praiers and all the tears of the godly shall not prevail till his time of deliverance come And this we may finde even from the beginning of the world since there was an Abel and a Cain that God lets some wicked men have their hour a power and season to act their impieties and yet Gods waies were alwaies just when
is the first and the second and so still all is passing and what is past we have not and what is to come we do not yet enjoy so that there is nothing but the present advantages that we are properly said to possesse now put eternal life to this and it 's the clean contrary even as Eternity is to time for whereas time is in a continual transient being Eternity is an whole and full possession of all together There is no past present or to come in Eternity but Eternity comprehends all these things together even as the greater wheel comprehends at once all the motions of the lesse wheel within it and certainly this consideration is able to swallow us up Thy comforts do not flow and reflow They do not passe and others come but thou art in a stable permanent way of enjoying all happinesse together Thou canst not be lesse happy at one time then at another Thou canst not expect greater joy then thou hast neither canst thou wish for any joy that is past so great a matter is Eternity In the Last place This Life is full of dissatisfaction even in the vertical Point of all its blessednesse The heart of a man morally as well as naturally is alwaies in motion never lieth still It 's alwaies hydropical the more it drinketh the thirstier it is still Solomon you heard that made it his study and endeavour to have content in this world yet it could not be he may as soon think to make an Oistershell hold the Ocean as that these earthly things can fill the heart What man is there who liveth a meer earthly life that can say he is satisfied he desireth nothing Indeed we reade of Paul Phi. 4. saying I have all things and abound but that is through grace because enjoying of God otherwise the Air can as soon fill the hungry stomack as earthly things the appetite of the soul But compare this eternal life hereto and there is all fulnesse and satisfaction They never desire a change they cannot wish it better with them We see Peter but in a taste of it yet cried out It 's good to be here Let us dwell here he would not have parted with joy The soul in heaven is arrived at its haven it 's come to its journeys end it 's now fallen to its center it cannot go any further It now cryeth out Here is enough Lord here is enough yet this fulnesse breeds not nauseating as they were weary of Manna No it exciteth desire and yet filleth it It provoketh love and yet satiateth it so that this particular likewise proclaimeth the madnesse of all wicked men for why is thy soul like the devil compassing about the earth seeking out for this comfort and then for another Even as children cry for this thing and then quickly weary cry for another and in the mean while doth neglect that which would be instead of all Thus have we handled it comparatively the last way is to consider it oppositely for that is an old Rule contraries put together illustrate one another the more The Sunne is most glorious after the breaking out of a black thick cloud Now the contrary to Eternal life is eternal death so that we may apprehend the good of the one by the evil of the other and indeed man is so slavish and bruitish that fear doth more prevail then love Therefore though we propound all the joys of heaven and invite to this eternal life yet few make that Question as he did to Christ Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life but if we speak of eternal death in all the terrour of it then fear may for a while at least awaken them Let us then consider wherein the contrary to this eternal life consisteth And 1. That is in the deprivation of God and an utter departure from him and this privative part of eternal death is the great aggravation of it At the day of judgement that dreadful doom runneth thus Depart from me Mat. 25. 41. That is worse then the eternal fire they are cast into you have heard that God was the fountain of all good every creatures goodnesse is but a stream from that Fountain At thy right hand said David Psa 16.11 are rivers of pleasure for evermore So that this eternal death takes thee from the light of his countenance Thou art never to be admitted in his presence and when God departs all comfort all hope departs with him Oh that wicked men would lay this to heart you that now bid God depart from you you will have none of his knowledge none of his commands God will requite you in your own kinde he will then command you to depart from him Were it not that Athiesm and unbelief did reign in your hearts this truth would make your ears to tingle and your heart to tremble while you hear it Was it not death to Absalom to be kept from his Fathers presence Why do ye not kill me saith he to Joab rather then let it be alwaies thus yet he was but an earthly Father he could not give peace and joy to the consciences of men but this heavenly Father is a Father of spirits whom he bids Depart from him all terrour and horrour immediatly seizeth on that man There is no quietnesse in his bones Michah had lost but an Idol-God Judg. 18. and he wringeth his hand and crieth out bitterly Oh but what roarings and yellings when we shall have lost the true God and his favour for ever 2. This eternal death brings all the positive evil that can be feared or imagined upon a man For as here we told you was not one kinde of comfort but an aggression of all therefore the Scripture delights to represent it under severall desirable good things so neither is hell one kinde of misery one kinde of torment but the Scripture represents it under every thing that is terrible Because death is so much feared therefore it 's called death because fire and brimstone are so terrible in burning it 's called that Because a dark dungeon and prison with chains in the darknesse are so miserable It 's resembled to that because men in extremity of pain and misery do use to weep and wail and gnash their teeth therefore is hell set out by all these dreadful things so that as the glorified in heaven have every thing they can desire there is no good they want Thus the damned in hell have every thing they fear There is no torment or pain imaginable but they partake of it and this they are filled with having not the least ease or respite Dives desired but a drop of water to cool only the top of his tongue and he could not obtain so much Oh that men who give themselves up to the pleasures of sin would remember these torments These howlings to all Eternity What are we preaching follies and fictions to you If you beleeve the
of it is so great that be cannot let it go as Psa 51. a Praier made by David when overwhelmed in his Spirit by the guilt of sinne How often doth he repeat though in different words a Petition for pardon That God would have mercy on him That he would wash him purge him and blot out his sinnes This he nameth twice for till he had obtained this pardon there was no living for him He could take no pleasure in houses friends yea in his kingdom and all outward prosperity so that the necessity of it makes him again and again repeat his praier for it and thus our Saviour when he was upon those agonies and extremities he praieth Father if it be possible let this cup passe away and the Text saith he went thrice and said the same words Mat. 26.44 Here the necessity of that Praier he praied for made him say the same words for as the same earth or the same Sun we are not weary of because of the necessity of it Thus neither is it to be accounted a vain tautology when again and again we pray for that without which we cannot be 2. When the matter is excellent then it may be repeated again because by often striking the same stroak at last the Instrument enters sometimes a sudden transient passage doth not touch the heart and so the excellency of it is not discerned but when once or twice it is spoken then it may affect It 's a Rule Pulchrasunt his dicenda we cannot see the worth of a Jewell at the first sight and hence it is that there are some sentences of choice and excellent vertue that our Saviour himself would use more then once Such as that Many are called but few are chosen and some Parables also are twice spoken to by our Saviour yea that Psalm which describeth the grievous pollution of every man by nature The Apostle Rom. 3. doth repeat at large it being such an excellent choice Truth that every one is to be affected with and till that foundation be laid there cannot be any esteem or prizing of Christ 3. When the affections are very fervent and zealous then it cannot but they will expresse the same thing again It 's not want of matter but height of affection and zeal that makes the tongue utter the same thing twice as Gal. 4.6 it 's said The Spirit of God is sent into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Here is an Ingemination we cry Father Father and why so the Spirit of God doth so kindle and inflame the heart that it 's so sweetly and passionately affected that as he said pro dulcedine vix labris expedire possit he is unwilling to let this hony out of his mouth As Peter when he was in the Transfiguration said It 's good to be here So the heart of a godly man thus filialized by the holy Ghost cannot but utter the same dear relation over and over It 's usuall with the Hebrews when they would expresse their earnest affection and desire to a thing to double it and when Esau was in that great extremity and desired Jacobs pottage he crieth out Give me of thy red pottage as it 's in the Original The heart that is strongly affected and zealously drawn out is not contented with once naming of that which he so much desireth so that commonly cold and customary praiers have no ingeminations 4. Repetition of the same matter may be when he would by faith perswade our heart of the certainty of the thing we pray for Thus that crying Abba Father did not only argue zeal but assurance and certainty They were so fully perswaded that they were bold to speak it again and again and so also it 's a Rule among the Hebrews to expresse the certainty of a thing by the ingemination of it Thus dying thou shalt die So when it 's said Amen and Amen that repetition is to shew their affection that they would have it so or that it is so and thus indeed those Petitions which God sets home with certainty upon the heart they are again and again mentioned The Lord will do them yea he hath done them Lastly There may be a repetition of some Petitions especially in publique Praier when the matter doth greatly concern us and so it 's such as we ought to be deeply affected with for as it is with Preaching that matter which doth greatly concern the hearer it 's lawful to mention it over and over again as the Apostle Peter did think fit to write the very same things which he had formerly delivered as also the Apostle Jude in his Epistle did So it is in publique praier such sinnes as we would have the Congregation sensible of in their confessions such duties as we would have them diligently perform it 's useful in praier to mention these more then once for how dull and distracted are our thoughts how hard and sencelesse are they So that like Moses his rock till we be stricken over and over again water cannot come forth like the Shunamites dead childe Till we be often rubbed over there cannot come any spiritual heat into us Do not then alwaies look for new matter but rather desire thy heart may be affected with that which is old sometimes It 's a great sinne in all that they endeavour not to have their hearts affected in publique praier in our Congregations we should all be like so many Jacobs wrastling with God We should be like so many Hezekiahs or Jonahs crying out of the Whales belly but oh how few when God takes notice doth he finde that have spiritual mourning hearts some sleeping some roving some weary and wishing it over But you will say though this indeed prove that sometimes a doubling of the same Petition may be usefull yet may there not be idle bablings and sinfull repetitions in the same Praier May there not be such Tautologies as may be offensive and distastful to a godly heart Yes certainly And this is expresly forbidden Mat. 6.7 a notable place Vse not vain repetitious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some derive it from that foolish man the Poet speaks of a Shepherd called Battus sub illis montibus inquit erant erant sub montibus illis Others more probably from the Hebrew word baetta that signifies to pour out froth a blatero and so Hesychius expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty words of any sence or matter when there are many words and no true grave matter Therefore our Saviour cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much speaking not that he condemneth long praiers but to make many words without sence or the affection of the heart Hesychius expounds it also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseasonable and unbeseeming So that then are Repetitions forbidden by our Saviour 1. When they arise either from want of judgement to prepare good matter or a dry sencelesse heart For Praier is a stream and if there be not fulnesse in
of a state of sinne into pure and perfect holinesse It 's from seeing God in a glasse and obscurely to see him face to face Oh then how enamoured and ravished is the soul with the enjoying of this if the glimpse of this glory If the branches of this Canaan be so goodly what is Canaan it self If the Church praied so earnestly Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1. What then would the total and full enjoyment of God be never to be divided or separated more Glory is not only the advantage and welfare of a godly man the preservation of him from hell and misery or giving him happinesse but it is the ordering of him with all graces more glorious then the Sunne Hence the godly are compared to the Sunne and Starres in the Firmament for the great lustre God puts on them 3. This must needs be a great support because of the emptinesse and insufficiency in all these things here below to fill and satiate the heart The eye is not satisfied with seeing or the heart with wishing in this world but in the world to come there the faculties of the soul and all the parts of the body are fully replenished There is no want no desire no wish for more then they have It 's no wonder if Solomon who took all waies possible to satisfie his minde and to finde out happinesse in this life yet instead of happinesse found nothing but briars and therefore wrote upon all Vanity of vanities all is vanity For it cannot be otherwise Can an hungry man fill his belly with empty air Can a cold man warm himself at a painted fire Could these birds fill themselves that fled to Zeuxes painted grapes taking them for true ones no more can any thing in this world satisfie man No it 's only in the world to come that can fill up every corner of the soul Lastly Glory with God must needs be the only support because the way to heaven is full of briars and thorns Great are the afflictions and tribulations which abide all that go in this way to glory Were it not then that the heart is full of hopes in this matter it would soon be discouraged it would presently give over saying Why should I deny such pleasures and comforts as others take Do I not wrong my self Am I not a defrauder of my own comforts No saith this hope of eternal glory hold thy tongue from all grudgings and repinings There is glory coming will make amends for all Heaven in reversion is better then all the world in actual possession know then if at any time thy soul be dejected or cast down within thee if at any time thou art impatient and discontented It 's because this hope of glory doth not fill the heart In the last place this is farre to be desired above all humane glory and that although it be the Idol adored by the world if we consider how most men referre all their actions to this We may presently judge that description of man to be true That he is animal gloriae vanissimum all those actions the Heathens did were dedicated to honour Even as the Romans consecrated a Temple to it yea which is the highest degree of vanity men have made all their Religious actions to serve this Goddesse The Pharisees in all their alms fastings and praiers did all to be seen of men as our Saviour who knew their hearts condemned them Mat. 6.2 It went so far with some that they placed the chiefest happinesse of a man to be in honour and how prone this is to keep in the hearts even of godly men appeareth in the often prohibitions of it in the Scripture and our Saviours advice about private Praier and alms This is the Pirate that many times surpriseth the Ship which is come richly laden to the very haven it depriveth us of our duties and the benefit by them Well as glorious as it is yet it is no more comparable to this eternal glory then a straw to a Pearl For 1. It 's but the puff and breath of men whose breath is in their nostrils There is no solidity in it it brings no true solid joy and peace to the conscience What if men applaud thee abroad and thy conscience condemneth thee at home No doubt but the Pharisees humored and flattered Judas to betray his Master but what could that help him when he roared out I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud Gal. 5. Let every man prove his own work so shall he have rejoycing in himself and not in another That is terrible of Austin Many are praised of men who lie tormented in hell 2. All humane glory will not avail us if at our death God findes us in our sinnes To be praised by men and reproached by God to be blessed by men and cursed by God this will be little case Oh that men would look to this who look only to have the good words of men Alas can man save thee can man deliver thee from those eternal flames Gal. 1. If I should please men I should not be a Servant of Christ What an unworthy thing is this to pray to professe Religion for vain-glory and not for glory with God Our Saviour speaks it as a great curse to have a mans ends satisfied in that way Verily I say unto you they have their reward Vse of Exhortation so to live and so to walk as that you may be prepared for this eternal glory Oh what a glory will it be when God at the day of judgement shall say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you When God and Angels shall put honour upon you why should not the faith of these things raise up your spirits why should it no more affect you and that you may obtain this take heed of what will totally deprive you of it or else greatly weaken your thoughts and hopes about it That which totally depriveth is a constant wilful continuance in grosse sinnes Be not deceived neither whoremonger or drunkards c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 and without the heavenly Jerusalem are said to be dogs Rev. 22.15 The Scripture cals all wicked men such who lick up the vomit of their sin Oh then the hopelesse and damnable condition of most people Doth not the Land in every place mourn for the whoredoms and drunkennesse and oaths that are every where if God say the Lord shall spue out such Inhabitants God thinketh the earth too good for them will he bestow heaven on them And then 2. The godly who have a right and interest to this glory they weaken their hopes and entreat their fears when they walk negligently when they are earthly or dejected through diffidence you might have this glory here on earth and be in heaven before you are in heaven were you not wanting to your selves SERMON XXVII The Eternall Deity of
Though we be washed yet still we need our feet should be washed Thus Paul Rom. 7. and Gal. 6. Seeing therefore in every duty there is such a combat and constict between grace and sinne There is drosse as well as Gold It behoveth us to renounce all and to say Only Christ Only Christ SERMON XL. Further setteth forth the Excellency and Necessity of pressing the Doctrine of Faith in Christ the Mediatour and of our being affected with it And invites the greatest Sinners to come unto him for Salvation JOH 17.8 And have known surely that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didss send me MArvell not if I am the third time upon this Subject for we see our Saviour doth again and again commend this Faith in his Disciples and certainly this is the Summe of the Gospel the marrow and quintessence of Christianity By this we differ from Jews Pagans and Turks yea by this we are separated from Papists Socinians and other Hereticks None of them allowing this imputed Righteousnesse by a Mediatour which by Faith is to be received Therefore I shall proceed in exalting and pressing this Faith in a Mediator that at last we may come to have a spirituall and sound understanding herein For here are two great stones to be rolled out of the way 1. Ignorance or misbeleef in this Point There are very few that have been Orthodox here There are most in the world that have an erroneous perswasion in this matter under the guilt of sinne they do not fly only to Christ as a Mediatour They say Lo here is Christ and Lo there is Christ They have something else they put a confidence in and therefore what the Lord saith in another case is also true here He will reject their confidence Jer. 2.37 Never were the people of Israel more prone to lean on Egipt and Assyria for outward help rather then on the Lord only then we are in a spiritual manner ready to rest upon some spirituall prop besides the Lord Christ so that ignorant people they know nothing of this and knowing people are hardly perswaded of the truth of it A second stone to be rolled out of the way is that senselesnesse and unsavourinesse on mens hearts though it should be granted that they know and rightly beleeve in this matter for indeed none can prize or be affected with this Subject but such a spirituall heart that is sensible of his spiritual disease and the spiritual Remedy They must be Children of the Adoption They must be Evangelical hearers such as have been in a spirituall Transfiguration with Christ on the Mount as it were That are refreshed with these Truths It 's not every hearer It 's not every one that cometh to the Assemblies that can say How welcome are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of the Gospel Therefore we desire your hearts as well as your heads your tender affections as well as solid understandings This is a Truth that must be eaten you will not feel the sweetnesse of it till it be in your belly Now there are very good grounds why we should be thus insisting upon this Subject For 1. It 's the main scope and end of the whole Scripture If you ask why the Word of God was written the Answer is That the chief principal end was that man being convinced of his sinne and of the utter impotency of any righteousnesse in himself or other Creatures should fly unto Christs Righteousnesse as the onely Sanctuary Thus John These things are written that beleeving you might have eternal life All the Administrations in the Old Testament were Types of Christ as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews doth at large open their meaning It was not their Sacrifices but Christ It was not the bloud of Rams and Goats but Christs bloud Hence it 's said that Moses and the Prophets bear witnesse of Christ It 's true the Scripture hath many other subordinate ends but the chief is to direct us to Christ to make us see that nothing in the world can pacifie God for our sinnes but Christ Oh then how necessary must that be which all the Penmen of the Scripture aimed at Moses David all the Prophets They looked at this Messias And the New Testament is wholly spent in describing his person and his Office or the end of his coming into the world Oh then whatsoever thou maist be ignorant of or negligent in yet give thy self to the studying meditating and beleeving of this Subject 2. The great work of the Spirit of God in the Ministry is to convince of this Righteousnesse It is to make us see that all humane Righteousnesse all moral duties no nor the graces God bestoweth on his people are the Righteousnesse God looks for Joh. 16.9 10. The Spirit of God is there said to reprove or convince the world of sinne especially of that great sinne of Unbelief and then of Righteousnesse which Christ procureth by going to his Father Observe that It 's the work of Gods Spirit thus to convince So that all Moral Philosophy and the wisest directions of the most civil men will leave us in a Wildernesse They cannot tell us what is true Righteousnesse and how we come to be accepted of by God Therefore this is revealed by the Gospel only If we would know what is that Righteousnesse which we may trust to which may be as a Skreen between Gods justice and us Neither Aristotle nor Plato among the Heathens no nor Bellarmine and Suarez among the Papists will inform us rightly Because in the matter of Justification and the doctrine of Righteousnesse they have too much consulted with Aristotle as if the Scripture spake of such a Righteousnesse as the Heathens do No this tels us It 's a Righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us without works this it doth again and again Seeing then all natural reason would never perswade us herein it must necessarily be the Spirit of God that will convince us in this and therefore though you hear ten thousand Sermons of this Subject your hearts will never be convinced of your own sinfulnesse and Christs Righteousnesse till you are overpowerd by Gods Spirit Oh then pray to God that he would make thy heart readily to yield to it yea and rejoyce in it 3. The end of the Law and the preaching of that is wholly for this end to discover Christ the Mediatour Those that would not have the Law preached cannot have Christ preached truly and effectually for Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse Can the end be obtained without the means It 's the Schoolmaster to bring to Christ The disease must be discovered are we will seek out for a Physician The heart must be wounded ere we shall desire oyl The Law then is to be preached in the exact purity of it and in the condemning power of it That so when we see our selves wholly undone in that Court
appropriated if no man had the light of the Sun but one or few men Oh what a price would be put upon it It 's then proptiety both with God and man that is the Fountain of all good of all care and brings about all the blessednesse that Gods Children have To open this Point and not to fall in with what you have heard already 1. Take notice That a people becomes the Lords peculiar ones his Jewels solely by his grace and goodwill He hath chosen us and not we him he loved us first The great God of heaven who might have made other people other persons his treasure did out of his own meer goodnesse take thee and thee into such a blessed relation The Apostle doth every where in his Epistles reduce it to this cause The counsell of his will and out of his meer grace and certainly if Deut. 9.5 the Lord doth again and again inform the Israelites that it was not for their righteousnesse or any good in them but meerly because be set his love on them that he made them his externall people by an outward Covenant how much rather must it needs be the meer grace of God to make a people inwardly and spiritually his so that whosoever finde themselves thus appropriated to God to be able with the Church to say as she doth many times because our blessednesse lieth in this I am my well-beloveds and my well-beloved is mine Cant. 6.3 Oh let such be deeply humbled and even astonished under the discriminating Grace of God I am the Lords when the devils are not when such men of parts abilities and great Revenues in the world And if the Lord would have looked to any thing in man how many thousands are there that if converted would have been more glorious Instruments of Gods glory then I am 2. As it is the meer goodnesse of God to make a people his so it is not out of any want or any necessity any need that he hath of us that he did thus make us his and this also is a quickning consideration Husbands have Wives because they want such helps Masters have Servants because they need them Even the greatest Monarchs want their people But it is otherwise with God My goodnesse extends not to thee saith David Psa 16.2 And thus Job was told that if he were perfect and righteous he did not advantage God God is the Elshaddai the Allsufficient God blessed and happy enough in himself Though he had never created the world Though he had not appointed one man to Eternal glory yet such was his goodnesse that he would have those Objects to whom he might communicate of his fulnesse And therefore God of many thousands hath made such and such his not that he wanted their graces duties or praiers but that they might partake of his riches 3. When Christ saith here They are thine he doth not exclude himself from having a propriety in them nor the holy Ghost neither For this is the infinite priviledge of the Godly that they are both the Fathers and the Sons and the holy Ghosts not only because whatsoever one person hath the other hath as Christ saith All mine are thine and thine are mine but in an appropriated consideration Thus Christ saith they are the Fathers They are thine in the present tense he had formerly at the sixth Verse used the preterperfect tense Thine they were but now he useth the present tense to shew that though the Father had given them to Christ yet he had not abdicated or quitted himself of his interest in them he had not so given them to the Sonne as that the Father had no dominion or right to them but they did still continue the the Fathers possession though they were given to Christ And as they are the Fathers so they are the Sons purchased people also They belong to Christ in an indeared manner which makes them to be called bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Eph. 5.30 To be his members and body as he is the head They are also the holy Ghosts and therefore they are said to have the Spirit dwelling in them and they are his Temple and they are led by the Spirit and walk in the Spirit We are the Fathers by meer grace and therefore are given to Christ as a Mediatour We are Christs by merit for he purchased us by his bloud We are the Spirits by operation for he works the holy Image of God in us Oh then that our hearts were enlarged in this matter that we might wonder how and why we who are not worth the owning or the the looking after should yet be made the Lords in such indeared respects 4. When the Godly are said to be the Fathers though it doth not exclude the other persons yet it doth all other creatures By this we are delivered from all other proprieters and interest whatsoever and this makes the phrase to contain in it a Treasure of happinesse as first Seeing we are the Fathers therefore we are no longer the devils We are no more in his possession and under his dominion We may see by the Scripture in what a wofull and cursed state all men by nature are They belong to the devil they are his proper goods The devil hath them as his even as he hath the damned in hell though in this life there may be hope of delivering them whereas the damned have none Eph. 2. The devil who is called the God of this world is said to rule in the hearts of the disobedient Hell is not more the devils place then the heart of a wicked man and therefore 1 Tim. 2.26 they are said to be Captives to the devil to be like tamed birds and our Saviour tels the Pharisees They were of their Father the devil Joh. 8. And why because they did his works So that whosoever doth the works committeth the sins that the devils do the devil is their Father Though they rage and are mad at such a charge and this is the reason in part why the glorious fruit of Christs death is called a Redemption and why he is called a Redeemer because we were wholly in bondage and captivity to the devil We were his he had a proper right to us till Christ redeemed us Oh that the ungodly men of the world should hear this and not tremble Whose art thou To whom dost thou belong Who may challenge thee but the devil There are a cursed sort of men who give themselves to the devil by compact in the waies of witchcrafts Now all wicked men though not by such an expresse Covenant yet implicitely by their wicked waies give themselves up to be the devils Oh what a terrible thing is this to consider that though thou canst say These grounds are mine these Cattell are mine these goods are mine yet thou thy self art the devils Oh consider that the devil will have his own when thou diest he will lose nothing
Peter 2.9 They are under Gods care And therefore thy Condition is more secure then if the whole world were to keep thee For he that keepeth Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth Psal 121.3 4. Because they are the Fathers therefore they are sure to persevere and not to apostatize from the waies of grace and holinesse Adam indeed was his and the Angels before their Fall were his but because not his in that sure and better Covenant which is established by the bloud of Christ Therefore they fell from that propriety but now a sure and everlasting Covenant is made through Christ They if once his alwaies his Hence our Saviour saith None can pluck them out of his Fathers hand John 18.29 Because the Father is greater then all Out of his hand that is a very comfortable expression as if God held them alwaies in his hand as we do those things that are precious and therefore we are kept by the power of God to Salvation Oh how often should we lose our propriety forfeit our Interest become sinnes and Satans did not he keep us his This preserving of us his is more then making us his at first for such is our falshood and inconstancy that we should every day dissolve all those bonds of love between God and us Did not he put this fear in our hearts Oh by this it is that we do not only live his but die his By this it is that we may with Triumph take up Pauls perswasion That nothing shall separate us from the Love of God in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. Build not then thy Perseverance upon thy graces but Gods propriety These may suffice for the former part then in the next place This propriety God hath in us is the cause of all our good in our approaches unto God And First It is that onely which administers confidence and fervency in praier What hopes what strivings what agonies could there be in Praier if it were not for this he is our God we are praying unto Who can hopefully pray to an Enemy or Adversary to a condemning Judge but when to a gracious Father that breedeth encouragement Thus we are taught to pray Our Father And the Spirit of God is especially for this appropriating confidence to call God Abba Father and what is it that makes David so full of hopes even in sad Temptations because God was his God his buckler his Shield And it 's said in that sad perplexity he was in at Ziklag he encouraged himself in his God 1 Sam. 30.6 So that take this away and you take away the very soul and life of all praiers 2. Joy and Thankefulnesse The overflowing of the heart with praise and rejoycing is from this because God is our God Thus David is like a Fountain often running over because God forgave his iniquities and was his God The people of God walk in darknesse because they are not clear in this their evidences are not strong here 3. Contentation and a blessed composure of spirit For in that God is theirs they have all can be desired Fear not Abraham I am thy exceeding great reward The Lord is my Shepherd I shall want nothing Psal 23.1 I wonder not now that Paul can say he knoweth how to abound and how to want Phil. 4. 12. yea that he hath all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he hath God who hath all things Oh say not I want a drop when thou hast the Ocean Vse To admire the blessed estate of the Godly No wonder if Balaam wish that he might die the death of the Righteous and that his latter end might be like his See the Large Inventory of 2 very Godly mans Treasure 1 Cor 1. All things are yours and why is it so Because Christ is ours and God is ours A wretched man thinks it a great matter to say This Estate and that is mine when yet none can say as the devil of all the Glory of the World All is mine yet he is happy that hath the Lord for his Portion Vse 2. Take heed of opposing and malicious vexing of those that are godly it redounds to Gods dishonour It 's not they but God that is despised SERMON XLVIII The Deity of Jesus Christ cleared and defended against the Socinians JOH 17.10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them THese words are an Argument to prove that though the Apostles and in them all beleevers were the Fathers yet the Son was not excluded from a propriety in them Therefore to put more force in the Argument he presseth the samenesse or Identity of Nature and ageeement with one another as if he should have said Let not any praier put up in their behalf be rejected for they are fit Subjects both for me to pray for and thou to hear we both have an Interest in them We must deny our own if we deny them This is the sence of the words and in them we may observe 1. The argumentative particle 2. The argument it self The argumentative particle in'the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not conjunctive but ratiocinative It 's not so well translated and as for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture Even as the Hebrew is sometimes conjunctive and sometime a Note of Inference as Give help from trouble and Vain is the help of man Psa 60.11 that is for We have sinned and thou art angry i. e. for that c. So here They are thine for all mine is thine In the next place we have the argument it self and that is from the homoousiall consideration of the Father and the Sonne All mine are thine and thine are mine which words are not spoken quoad fruitionem only or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but quoad essentiam all that Wisedom power Majesty thou hast I have we have all in common Therefore this place is very strong against the blasphemous Socinians and used by the Ancients against the Arians The Socinians have nothing to evade but only that our Saviour doth not speak of the Fathers Essence but of his dominion and propriety The Apostles were the Fathers by propriety and so they were Christs also But this will not stand for although we must grant that before The Apostles were said to be the Fathers yet he proveth this by an Argument from the generall to the particular No wonder they are thine and mine for all mine are thine Note the Universality all mine are thine all thine are mine If all then the Essence Nature and Majesty of God otherwise it was not all and if Christ were a meer Creature he could not say thus for although the former part every creature may say all mine are thine in respect of dominion and efficiency because there is no good natural moral or divine but it's the Lords and although in some sence a godly man may by the Covenant of grace say to God all thine are
mine because now made his God in which sence the Apostle said all things are yours 1 Cor. 1. and I have all things Phil. 4. yet in regard of Gods essentiall Attributes his Omnisciency Omnipotency c. None but the Sonne and the holy Ghost who are God can truly say so Now that our Saviour meaneth all in this sence appeareth by a parallell place Joh 16 15. all things that the Father hath are mine Mark the aggravation he doth not say some things but all things then that the Father hath in the present tense Now God hath nothing but essentially he hath wisedom he hath life but he hath it essentially not as creatures who have it accidentally Therefore notable is that expression Joh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given the Son to have life in himself No creature hath life in that sence 3. He saith All things are mine he doth not say shall be mine when I am glorified when ascended into Heaven but even in that very state of humiliation Lastly He saith All that the Father hath In calling him a Father he acknowledgeth a personal distinction which cuts off the Sophistry of the Socinians If Christ hath all things the Father hath then he is the Father No the very compellation supposeth a relative distinction though there be an essential Vnity Thus you see the Text vindicated and it 's our duty diligently to vindicate those Texts that assert Christs Deity so much oppugned for if Tertullian said Omnis sermo adaptandus est contra Idololatriam much more against this blasphemous heresie Obs That our Lord Christ hath all things the Father hath Even the things he praieth for viz. glory he saith He had it with the Father before the world began Let us unfold this Doctrine for it will be of great use both doctrinally and practically And 1. The Lord Christ hath the same Name and Titles that God the Father hath Even that Name which they call the incommunicable Name Jehovah and that is never given directly to any creature yet that is attributed to Christ Heb. 1.10 Thou O Jehovah hast founded the Heavens and the Earth That spoken by the Psalmist the Apostle doth expresly apply to Christ himself and although some observe that in the New commonly the Father is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 1 Cor. 8. We have one God the Father of all and we have one Lord yet Christ is often called God Rom. 9.11 He is called God blessed for evermore And 2 John This is the true God And 1 Tim. 3.26 God manifested in the flesh So that he is called God as well as Lord Now then this argueth Christs Deity that he hath the same Titles with God Magistrates indeed are called gods and Moses is said to be a God to Pharaoh but not absolutely as Christ is but respectively for such an end and purpose viz. to direct and govern For the Name of God is God as Rabbins say God is his Name and his Name is God If it be a capitall crime amongst men to give the Titles of the Supream power to those that have it not or to deny it to those to whom it belong◠Take heed then thou beest not found in the number of those that thinkest it robbery what Christ himself did not to make him equall with God 2. He hath the nature and essence of God the Father so that he is equall with him Mark that reason Ioh. 16.15 He shall receive of mine and shew you all things For all the Father hath is mine The holy Ghost was to receive of his wisedom and power because all the Father had was his which as it necessarily proveth the holy Spirit to be God that doth search the deep things of God so also Christ to be of the same divine nature and thus the Jews understood him when they charged him with blasphemy that he being man should make himself God or equal to God 3. He hath all the essential properties of God he is immortal eternal infinite omniscient omnipotent For he knew what was in mens hearts and needed none should tell him 1 Joh. 2. ult Eternal for he created all things and in the beginning was with God 1 Ioh. 1. called therefore Alpha and Omega Omnipotent in that the Creation of all things out of nothing is attributed to him and the wonderful Miracles he wrought not as the Apostles in a Petitionary manner but mandatory and authoritatively in his own Name do fully evince this so that there is no glorious attribute of God but the Lord Christ hath the same and that not in kinde but in number The very same numericall wisedom and holinesse 4. Christ doth all the works the Father doth I and my Father work hitherto Joh. 5.17 The Son doth nothing but what he seeth the Father doth Joh. 5.19 Doth the Father create so doth Christ Doth the Father conserve and govern all things so doth Christ bear up all things by the power of his word Heb. 1. Did the Father send the Prophets in the Old Testament so which i◠greatly to be considered did Christ 1 Pet. 1.11 The Spirit of Christ is said to be in the Prophets which yet were long befere Christ was born of the Virgin Therefore Christ had a subsistency as God before and did work as God Therefore the Israelites 1 Cor. 10. are said to tempt Christ in the Wildernesse And Moses preferred the reproaches of Christ before Egypts Treasures Heb. 11. so also doth the Father regenerate give the holy Spirit sanctifie our natures all these things Christ also doth 5. The Son and the Father have the same will and the same purposes This all the Socinians would have But the samenesse of will and minde floweth from the Identity of the nature Indeed when he praieth for his Disciples in this Chapter that they may be one as thou and I are one It 's not a sicut of equality but similitude not as if they were to be one essentially as the Father and the Son is but that intimate Union of the Father and Son is made the Rule as when it 's said Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5. ult that cannot be understood of an equality The Rule hath alwaies more perfection in it then the thing regulated by it Hence it is that Christ is called the express character of the Father Heb. 1. What Christ wils what he purposeth we may conclude the Father doth so also so that this consideration may abundantly take away that doubt which may arise That although Christ be thus ready to work out our redemption yet will the Father accept of it he is not obliged to take a Surety in our room he will see the Law satisfied in our own persons but Christ removeth this when he saith Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for my Sheep Joh. 10. The
be of the world in this sence For the Apostles after their call neither any converted persons are thus of the world though they be in it locally The words thus explained Consider the efficacy of Christs argument I pray for these and commend them to thy care and protection because I am going out of the world I shall not be corporally present with them I was a comfort to them and preserver of them but now I commend them to thy hands Thus we see the admirable care and love Christ shewed to his Disciples he seems to be more mindeful of them then his own self All his thoughts about his own sufferings did not so affect him but that still he could remember his own Disciples that it may go well with them Obs That the greater the dangers are Christs people are kept in the greater is Christs care and love to them It was likely to be worse with the Disciples then ever therefore it 's said their hearts were troubled Joh. 14. when he spake of leaving of them for what can the Chickens do when the hen is killed What can the Sheep do when the Shepherd is smitten Now because they were fallen into such a condition our Saviour doth in amore special manner commend their Estate to God we do not reade that formerly he did in such a peculiar manner give them up to God because their danger and temptations were not so great as were likely to be This is a Truth worthy of all acceptation by the godly They are dismaied when they see their afflictions rise higher never considering that the love and care that Christ hath to them doth also encrease Ioh. 13.1 when Christ saw the time of his departure was come having loved his own he loved them to the end more then ever he discovered his love partly by condescending to wash their feet and partly by instituting the Sacrament as a remembrance of his death for them So that as they say of all motions they are swiftest towards the end Thus Christ loving his Disciples from his heart upon pure grounds he loved them most of all at his latter end as the clock runs fastest at the last stroak But it 's good to open this Box of Oyntment that the sweet smell thereof may comfort and refresh us And first Christ never cals his people to any danger and temptations but as he removeth some mercies from them so he makes a supply otherwise If they are in greater streights and difficulties then before So if they do observe they shall finde some mercies they had not before Christ will not let thee be a loser by any thing he doth to thee Neither will he be in thy debt if he takes away any mercy he will recompence it otherwise So that still his love is as great if not greater See this notably Joh. 14.1 2 3. Let not your hearts be troubled viz. at the sad things I have told you of my departure and the rage of the world For I go away to prepare a mansion place for you It 's expedient I should go away you shall not be the worse for it Therefore v. 18. I will not leave you comfortlesse or Orphans I will send the Spirit of God to comfort you and abide with you Thus you see though Christ removed his corporal presence from them yet he gave them a spirituall presence If then the Spirit of God can be a Comforter to supply the room of Christs corporal presence how much more of a husband or father If God take any of these away pray that he would send his Spirit the Comforter and if that can be better then Christs bodily presence much more then than ten thousand Fathers or Husbands Oh then let not the Children of God deject themselves either with the condition they are in or they fear may be in If such and such things fall out what would become of me Oh remember it 's Christs way when he takes away one mercy to make it up otherwise again Secondly Christs love and care appeareth in that if he call to greater dangers and afflictions he will then give more strength then ever to bear them and more comfort then ever even to rejoyce in them If then thy afflictions are more then ever what art thou the worse If thy strength be greater then ever God will not lay a Giants burthen upon a childes back But if he prepare a Giants burthen for thee he will enable thee with a Giants strength Thus these Apostles because they were to encounter with the rage and madnesse of the whole world Therefore did the Spirit of God come in an extraordinary manner upon them They were commanded to stay at Jerusalem till they were endowed with power from above Luk. 24.49 Thus before also when our Saviour told them They should be hated before Kings and Governours for his Names sake he addeth It shall be given them in that day to know what to speak in that day Oh then when thy dejected heart saith What shall I do if the Lord bring this and that sad trouble upon me If this or that temptation come upon me it will grinde me to powder Oh remember it shall be given thee in that day If with Job he deprive thee of thy Estate and Goods and Children at once it shall be given thee in that day to bear it Do not then measure or compare a great affliction with that little strength thou hast at present No if God make the waters to encrease he will provide an Ark for thee the Apostles could not work miracles when they would as they could not cast out some kinde of devils but when they were called to it and their miraculous faith was increated then they could do it Thus it is here If God should give thee no more faith no more patience no more heavenly-mindednesse then thou hast at the present Thou wert never able to bear such mountains and loads of trouble that happily God may bring on thee but God proportions thy strengtht to â—hy afflictions as our Saviour said Mat. 9.17 New Wine is not put into old bottles They must not fast while the Bridegroom was with them but the time was coming when they should fast As God encreaseth their strength so he doth also their comfort he gives them more joy and consolation then they ever had as the Disciples had the Comforter promised them after his departure and accordingly we reade that under all the persecutions and miseries they endured they were filled with joy and they went away rejoycing so true is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.4 Who comforteth us in all our Tribulations that as our sufferings abound so our consolations also abound This we see abundantly fulfilled in all the holy Martyrs and Confessors was not their dungeon a Paradise to them Were not live Coals beds of Roses Did they not rejoyce and sing Psalms Now how came all this about The more their miseries were the
24.46 It must be so else the Justice of God could not be satisfied else mans Redemption could not be obtained This our Saviour implieth I come to thee but how Even as the Israelites to Canaan through a Sea of bloud That then which our Saviour quickly spake was with great pain and agony undergone I come to thee through fire and bloud The Father doth this to demonstrate the bloudy nature of sinne the unspeakable love of Christ and the order God hath appointed for all beleevers ere they come to glory 1. the bloudy nature of sinne for it was this and nothing else that put Christ to be a Sacrifice for us had not Adam and we in him all apostatized from God There had been no need of his death but now by this transgression and ours superadded without the shedding of his bloud there could be no remission of sinne Yet oh the prophanesse and blindenesse of the world what a little matter do they make of sinne how easily do they think a pardon may be had for it Oh remember the least vain thought or idle word cannot in this world or in the world to come be expiated but by Christs bloud only had there been no other sinne in the world but a vain thought Christ must have undergone all that wrath of God and man ere it could be blotted out Oh think of this you who like Leviathan laugh at the Spear and sport your selves with those sinnes which put Christ to all that Agony Lastly This sheweth the order God hath appointed we must first be on Mount Calvary before we can be on the Mount of Transfiguration As Christ had first a Crown of Thorns here before he had a Crown of glory so it must be with us Rom. 8. We shall be glorified with him if we suffer with him Let this then sweeten all thy afflictions and miseries Though the beginnings of God with thee like those of Joseph to his brethren are harsh and rough yet the endings will be full of sweetnesse and comfort If thou grudest at thy Tribulations say this is to grudge at the Crown of Glory This is to repine at the way to everlasting happinesse In the second general place Consider That when Christ saith he goeth to his Father herein is implied that state of glory and honour he shall have in heaven as if he had said I shall be no more in the state and habit of a Servant no more in a despised and contemned condition but I am going to receive that Majesty and glory which is due unto me Although we told you Christ ascended into Heaven for our good and to pleade our cause yet it was also for his glory and honour This our Saviour excellently presseth Joh. 14.28 If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go to my Father The Disciples were troubled and full of fears because they were to lose his corporal presence but saith our Saviour true love to me would make you do otherwise you would regard my honour more then your benefit It is for your good that I abide with you It is for my glory that I go to the Father Now love that is unfeigned lieth in our affections to another not because of the good we have by him but for his own good Thus the Disciples they were to rejoyce because Christ was to be honoured and exalted though they should lose the comfort of his presence See here then who are they that do spiritually love Christ even such as rejoyce in that he is exalted and glorified though it be to their ruine and undoing O Lord Let me have this comfort and that comfort no longer if Christ may be more honoured As Mephibosheth said Let Ziba take all so that King David was returned safe so that the honour and kingdom of Christ may be promoted let good Name wealth and life it self go unlesse we be the true genuine Sons of God we are never able to abide this touchstone Doe not the most holy depend on Christ more for the benefit they receive by him then to honor and glorifie him Hence they bemoan their want of assurance and evidence which is their comfort more then recumbency on Christ which is his glory So then in that Christ went to his Father it 's implied that now there was a period to be put to all sufferings Now he was no more to be like a Servant but to be made the Prince of Glory Therefore observe the reason why he goeth to the Father because the Father is greater then he Not as the Arians would have it essentially but in outward dispensation because Christ here was in the fashion and form of the meanest and most despised of men Thirdly Though this phrase imply Christs Exaltation yet we must know also that in this is the whole Treasury of a Christian The Fountain of all our Comfort is in this that Christ is gone to the Father Therefore let the beleever diligently improve it for the effects are admirable of this his departure 1. Hereby his holy Spirit is given in the more plentifully and abundantly It is said The holy Ghost was not yet given because Christ was not yet glorified Joh. 7.39 The large administration of the gifts of Gods Spirit were reserved till Christ in triumph went up to heaven Ioh. 16.7 If I depart I will send him to you You see the sending of the holy Ghost depends upon Christs departure The Spirit comes to make a spiritual supply of Christs bodily presence There cannot be two Suns together in the Firmament O then let all those who have Gods Spirit dwelling in them enlightening sanctifying and comforting of them acknowledge this the blessed fruit of Christs going to his Father but men are so prophane and sensual that they know not what the Spirits working upon the Soul is no more then a beast knoweth the operations of a rational Soul 2. A second benefit by Christs going to the Father is the enabling of us with all holy and heavenly gifts either in a sanctifying way or a ministerial Thus Eph. 4. Christ when he ascended into heaven gave gifts to men That you have a Ministry and Ordinances with the spiritual effects thereof it 's wholly from this Yea Ioh. 14 12. all miraculous Gifts do descend from this Our Saviour there saith That he who beleeveth on him shall do greater works then he doth that is as some say greater Miracles in themselves for we reade that by Peters handkerchief and his very shadow wonderful things were done which we reade not of Christ or greater in quantity and extension They did them in more places For whereas Christ wrought no Miracles at Ierusalem the Apostles did or greater as others say in regard of the successe because farre more were converted to the faith by the Apostles preaching then by Christs Well let this be how it will Consider the ground why they shall be enabled to do these great things because saith Christ I go to the
Isa 6. called a fat heart from Cattell that doe grow fat in Fruitfull Pastures But above all places there is one more remarkable Eccles 8.11 Because Sentence is not speedily executed against the sinner Therefore the heart of the Sonnes of men is fully set in them to do evill Fully set There is nothing can divert them they are resolved come hell and come devils they will have their way 6. Hypocrisie or a deceitfull pretending to matters of Religion when yet at the same time their hearts are carnal vile and unsanctified this was the Case of Iudas he never from the beginning did truly love Christ or in a saving way beleeve in Christ as appeaseth Ioh. 6.64 It 's true his hypocrisie was the more wonderful because they left all and followed Christ They were exposed to all hardship and hatred from the world who would not think that only pure ends had moved Iudas but yet you see that even in the poor and low way Christ was in yet Iudas could have false ends and there were temptations to draw out his carnal worldly heart whether he was a convinced hypocrite that lived in sins against conscience at first is hard to say But after he became the Bag-bearer and did daily steal from that publike stock which Christ had for the maintenance of himself and his Apostles then no doubt but he knew he did not walk uprightly and so was a grosse hypocrite Now this hypocrisie all along he discovers especially Mat. 26.7 in this History of Mary who anointed Christs feet with precious Oyntment at a dear rate Iudas murmured at this Iohn the Evangelist mentioneth him only â—e other make all the Apostles to murmure but either it is an Eâ—allage the plural for the singular number or else Iudas was the beginning of the Sedition he was Ringleader and put others on it But in this complaint of this See how speciously and religiously be covered his wickednesse Ad quid perditio haec saith this Son of perdition It might have been sold and given to the poor This he said saith the Evangelist not that he cared for the poor but because he was a Theef If all that had been put into the bagge he could have stolen from it and so enriched himself This was his hypocrisie Another instance is when he had agreed with the Priests about betraying of Christ his Master he comes and kisses him with an Hail Master this which appeared such an obsequious expression of love was made the very sign by which they should lay hold on Jesus and carry him away It is true some of the Ancients have much excused Iudas as if he intended only to cheat the High-Priests of their money because he thought that Christ could escape out of their hands as soon as he was apprehended for Iudas had observed before that when the people took him and intended to throw him down the Hill that he did in a strange miraculous manner convey himself from them but this cannot be for our Saviour had informed them that he must die though as yet his hour was not come that one of them should betray him and that Iudas was earnest and reall in this Treachery appeareth by this expression Whom I shall kisse that is he take him and leade him away diligently as fearing Christ might have escaped them or as it is translated Mat. 26.46 Hold him fast Thus in his most devilish actions he hath fair pretences and under this Visor perpetrares his abominations in like manner Absalom when he was upon that Treacherous design of unnatural rebellion against his Father he pretends a Vow and Piety to perform it Thus that cruell bloudy and deceitful Doeg on whom David acted by Gods Spirit doth pronounce so solemn Curses yet it is said of him 1 Sam. 29.7 He was detained before the Lord Though he was upon some speciall Vow or otherwise serving of God yet he could even then take occasion to inform Saul against David and be the cause of the death of many innocent Priests of the Lord and the Pharisees were so hypocritically Religious that they would not enter into Pilates house lest they should defile themselves when yet they could crucifie Christ Thus when men can harden themselves as they think to cosen God and men no wonder if they fall into perdition Lastly Men who become Sons of Perdition are such as willfully despair of Gods mercy and conclude there is no hope for them Iudas had committed grievous sinnes especially in betraying innocent bloud but his despair at last was worse then all the rest Even that bloud he had shed would have washed away that grievous sinne of shedding it had he by Faith sprinkled himself with it What made Cain so desperately continue in rebellion as was against God though with constant trembling upon him it was his despair My sins are greater then I can bear Thus as the devil when he possessed some bodies threw them in the fire and water so when he doth the soul by despair he violently hurleth them into hell Thus you have heard the inward cause of selfâ—destroiers there are some outward causes mentioned in the Scripture And they are 1. Evil and wicked company Men imboldened in sinne labour to make others so As Joab said to the young man that trembled to runne his Spear into Absalom Fear not saith he have not I loved thee Thus such great Ones such rich Ones or such a multitude they bid thee doe thus Why then shouldst thou regard what Ministers or the Scripture saith Art thou so foolish and precise to be awed with such things Thus Prov. 1. Old hardened sinners are brought in enticing the young man to be one of their company 2. When Satan takes greater hold and possession of men then formerly Thus he driveth them to hell that as you reade the devil entred into some Swine and threw them headlong into the Sea Thus he possessth some men and throweth them as violently into hell Judas before he sets upon this Treachery is said Joh. 13.27 Satan entred into him he entred into him and took full possession of his Soul Thus before Ananias and Saphira did in so horrible a manner lye and dissemble it 's said Act. 5.3 Satan had filled their heart and thus the Jews are said to be of their Father the devil There is a generation of men that have by way of curse the devil often in their mouths but he is much more in their hearts and such men none can stop from hell Lastly God by a just and severe judgement withdraweth or denieth all mollifying and softening grace to some men for their former sinnes and when thus left by God they are in a sencelss stupid and impudent estate of sinning Thus Pharaoh was left by God and then he was so hardned that no Miracles did him any good Vse of Instruction Marvell not if such desperate mad men live amongst you though they come to Church though they hear never
humbled for sinne would willingly have comfort as the lame man would to walk the blinde man to see but how to have true peace with God there is the difficulty As there were above an hundred Opinions amongst the Philosophers whaâ— was the summum bonum So there are great disputations about that Righteousnesse whereby we are justified the ground of peace So that it 's an heavenly skill to be directed into the right way for comfort Heb. 6. The babe is unskilfull in the word of Righteousnesse As the young Childe though it cryeth for the breast yet knoweth not how to come at it Before the Gospel was purely preached how many false waies were observed to comfort the afflicted conscience how many Pilgrimages devotional praiers and several penitential practises were enjoyned to comfort the timerated heart through sinne but all these were like Jobs miserable Comforters Physicians of no value The souls Mountebanks that instead of healing did enflame and enrage the wounds more Therefore as to the infant new-born it 's a great matter to fall into the hands of a good Nurse for the education of it and care about it No lesse is it for people when once awakened through the guilt of sinne and deeply wounded for their iniquities to have such spiritual Physicians that can prepare them the true Gospel-cordials and direct them into the right way for Consolation This is the Art of Arts Nothing being more tender and to be handled with more câ—rumspection then a wounded Spirit These are therefore two distinct benefits to be convinced of the duty to walk comfortably and to be direâ—â—ed into the way of it for who is not here out of the way Doth not every one think to obtain comfort by working and not beleeving Do they not labour to qualifie themselves sufficiently first and then go to Christ Do we not think by works to come to Faith and not by faith to works To do enough to comfort our selves and then go to Christ for comfort This is the preposterous course that every afflicted soul doth naturally take Oh then as the wise men when they saw the Starre that directed them to Christ rejoyced with exceeding great joy so when the Spirit of God shall direct thee by the word into this supernatural way of rejoycing blesse God for thou mightst have wandred through dark and uncomfortable waies into hell it self 3. The Spirit of God is given by Christ to comfort us Causaliâ—èr that is it doth by a mighty efficacious power work joy in the soul Is bids the heart rejoyce and it will rejoyce Neither greatnesse of sins sence of unworthinesse weight of Temptations oppositions of Satan shall discourage But as it 's said in Job when he speaks peace who shall make Trouble So it 's here When God commands the heart to be quiet and to rejoyce before him who can forbid it Hence Gal. 5.22 Joy and peace are made the fruits of the Spirit It 's only the God of all Consolation and Father of all comforts that comforteth us in tribulations 2 Cer 1. So that as the Almighty insuperable power of God goeth to make a gracious heart so also it doth to give a comfortable heart That God who made Iron to swim and the waters of Jordan to go backward he also and he alone makes the heavy heart to sing for joy Oh therefore pray for this work of Gods Spirit though thou canst not of thy self rejoyce yet the Spirit of God can make thee joyfull 4. The Spirit of God is a Comforter by witnessing and sealing unto us that we are the Children of God for then we have joy in the fulnesse of it when we have assurance not only resting on Christ for Salvation but assured that we are in him Now this is the proper work of Gods Spirit to witnesse unto us Rom. 8. and to seal unto us Eph. 4 30. when the Spirit of God doth thus assure then the Oyl of joy doth overflow On the contrary many of Gods Children do therefore walk in darknesse and are like the Passengers with Paul in his Voyage tossed up and down with waves and tempests not seeing the Sun for many daies and all because they have not this sealing and witnessing unto them had they this then they could with old Simeon say Lord let thy Servant depart in peace I can live and die comfortably when he hath thus seeen the Salvation of God Hence he is called the Spirit of Adoption which being sent into the hearts of the Godly makes them to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Lastly The Spirit of God comforts them by blessing the Ordinances and making them successeful to them These are like Jonathans eating of honey like Elisha feeding himself to go a long journey The Gospel is a Gospel of comfort The Sacraments Seals of Comfort The Preaching of the Word instrumental to encrease joy Praier is an heaven to the Soul Now the Spirit of God blessing these to the godly soul doth thereby fill him with heavenly Consolations That as Christ in Praier had his countenance changed shining like the Sun and his garments with glorious Light and as Moses in his Communion with God had his face shining so as to dazle the eyes of his beholders Thus many times the children of God in these duties have soul-transfigurations and are so full of joy that they can scarcely bear it despising the pleasures of this world for such spiritual joy Thus you have heard it's Christs will we should have compleated joy in us because of the holy Ghost But in the next place if we consider Christ himself for what end he came into this world and what he hath wrought for us this makes it evident that Christ left nothing unwrought that might procure our joy for what are his three Offices but to procure our peace Did he not as Priest make an atonement for our sins Did he not as Prophet reveal the good pleasure of God about our Salvation Did he not as King subdue all our enemies Now what is the fruit of all this but joy and peace Therefore he is called our peace and the Prince of peace Isa 9. yea Is he not still our Advocate ever-living to make Intercession for us and can any other thing then honey distill from these sweet Combs Vse of Exhortation To the people of God Awe your selves with this Duty As Jonah said he did well to be angry so you think you do well to be thus immoderately grieved with Peter You bid Christ go from you because you are a sinner you pleade for your unbelief you argue for your troubles Is not this to oppose the comforting spirit of God within you Did not Judas murmure and cry but because there was no faith and holy joy therefore he became miserable 2 Cor. 7.10 you see there is a sorrow opposite to godly sorrow and that is when it is not in the manner God hath appointed There is a repentance to be repented of There
be full of blemishes yet when we present Christ by Faith then there is no fault to be found Lastly The vertue of this Sacrifice is to make us like Christ himself he thinketh it not enough to be King and Priest himself but he maketh us also Kings and Priests for ever We offer up Praiers and Praises to him and by him we conquer all our spiritual Enemies The devil and our lusts are subdued Such glory have all they that are partakers of this Sacrifice Vse of Terrour to all wicked and ungodly men who by their Unbelief and Prophanesse reject this Sacrifice The Apostle Heb. 10. cals it trampling upon the bloud of Christ and accounting it a prophane thing Oh how many thousand live that have no esteem and make no account of this Sacrifice Oh remember that this is the last and ultimate Sacrifice He that rejects this hath no more hope There remaineth no more oblation for sinne There is not another Christ or another Sacrifice if thou refuse this Vse 2. Of Encouragement to the Godly Come to this Fountain that is set open for Judah and Jerusalem to cleanse in Doe not say because Christ crucified is a stumbling block and foolishnesse to wicked men that therefore thou wilt disesteem him also There is no sore but this blood will heal and cure Oh let the blood of thy soul be stanched with this blood of Christ This blood speaks good and comfortable things better then that of Abel SERMON CI. Of Sanctification as the Effect of Christs Death Shewing That no man truly believeth in Christ for Justification that doth not also for Sanctification JOH 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also may be sanctified through the Truth WE are now come to the end of Christs Sanctification which is two-fold the finis cui and cujus We shall put them both together for so they are conjoyned in the following clause That they might be sanctified through the Truth Wherein you have 1. The final Cause 2. The Manner of accomplishing it The final Cause That they might be sanctified and from this the Socinian would argue That Sanctification in the former clause was not meant of an oblation by way of Sacrifice because the same word is applied to the Apostles in the Text and they were not to be sacrificed for us To answer this First Some Expositours do expound it of their offering up of themselves by Martyrdom to confirm the truth for Paul professeth his willingnesse herein using the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.15 which was used of some kinde of their Sacrifices but we need not runne to that it 's no new thing in Scripture to use the same word in one verse in different significations and it 's a Rule Talia sunt praedicata qualia permittuntur à subjectis The Apostles then needing not such a Sanctification as Christ applied to himself but that for which he prayed in the former verse We must understand it in the same sense as there It 's true by Sanctification some also will have Justification comprehended and so speak of an imputed Sanctification but we need not stretch the word violently but understand it first Of making inwardly holy and then consequently A setting apart and dedicating our selves wholly unto God by living unto him and thence observe That Christ died not only for our Justification but Sanctification also He made himself a Sacrifice not onely to remove the guilt of sinne but to remove and subdue the power of it not onely to make us happy but also holy Let us consider What is implied in this That Sanctification comes by Christs death And First We are to know that Christ is the Cause of our Sanctification several wayes partly efficiently for not only the Father and the Spirit but Christ himself also is the cause of all the holinesse we have and therefore he is called the life because he gives all supernatural life unto his and is compared to the vine Joh. 15. because as the branch separated from the Vine can bring forth no fruit so neither is a man able without Christ to do the least holy action he is also called the Head and John 1. Of his fulnesse we are all said to receive Thus as God in the course of nature is the authour of every natural gift therefore it 's said In him we live and move and have our being Act. 17.28 So in the way of grace Christ is the authour and finisher as of our faith so of every holy work in us The Author Heb. 12.2 and therefore we cannot so much as begin or meet Christ he must prevent us and the finisher for although we have begun yet we have not the same manutenency and powerfull preservation what we have begun to build would immediately fall to the ground Thus Christ is the Alpha and Omega of our spiritual life 2. Christ is the meritorious cause of our Sanctification and therefore not only remission of sin but holinesse and zeal is made the consequent of Christs death And the Apostle doth not only Rom. 7.8 shew that we are justified by Christ but also that the body of sinne is mortified thereby Thus Heb. 10. what Sanctification that Apostate had is attributed to the blood of Christ Christ then hath as efficaciously merited holinesse as happinesse He died to destroy the workes of the devil now our captivity to him was not onely in respect of guilt but that bondage and slavery we were in to all lusts and therefore those two benefits are like Castor and Pollux one cannot be without the other 3. Christ is in some large and improper sense called the formal cause of the good in us an assistant form not informing that is Christ received and applied by faith doth in a most inward and intimate manner live in us and thereby strengtheneth us so the Apostle Gal. 2.20 I no longer live but Christ in me Here you see Christ liveth in a godly man for by faith we are united unto him and thus Christ becomes our Head from whom we have all spiritual influx Now an head is a conjoyned and united cause made one with the body and thus is Christ and his Church and therefore is that similitude of an Head and the Body so often used 4 Christ is the final cause of our Sanctification that is we are made holy to this end both that we might shew forth the praises and glory of Christ as our Redeemer as also that we should live to him and set all our affections and desires upon him desiring with Paul To know nothing but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2.1 Secondly In that by Christs death we are sanctified there is implied That we of our selves are very impure and unclean that we are like so many noisome dunghils For our being unsanctified doth imply 1. Our filthiness or uncleanness this is the state of every man till sanctified by Christ he is like an unclean leper his
and defend the truth to confute and put all errours and heresies to silence Therefore it 's a qualification required in the Minister That he be able to convince gain-sayers Tit. 1.9 You see the Apostle in some of his Epistles is not only practical but didactical and therein confuting those errours that molested the truth even in her Infancy for this end they are called Guides and Salt yea they are Shepherds to keep off the wolves that would subtilly devour the sheep We are to watch against prophaneness and also against errours The Apostle useth that phrase of a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump both in matter of corrupt manners as also corrupt Doctrine Gal. 1. and therefore would have the Churches of God purged from both Lastly The Ministry is appointed for spiritual Government in the Church to admonish those that are disorderly to cast out prophane and obstinate sinners For this end they have the spiritual Keyes of the kingdom of Heaven vouchsafed to them and in the due administration thereof God hath promised his gracious confirmation Hence it is that they are called Governours Rulers Pastours all which demonstrate that a Ministry is not only in doctrinal publication of the word of God but in a spiritual governing and ordering of people to supernatural ends Indeed the Apostle saith This power is given us for edification not destruction 1 Cor. 10.8 all is for spiritual ends It 's to save the souls of those that are under us This though accounted austere yet is profitable and necessary even as Government in the Commonwealth Thus you see the ends of a Ministry Therefore fourthly when we say God hath appointed a Ministry thus for spiritual ends this implyeth God will blesse and go along with it unlesse mens sins do hinder it We may not think God hath appointed these things in vain or for a meer form Doth not the Apostle say That if the Gospel be not the word of life it is to them that perish 2 Cor. 2. who performed the Office of a Gospel Minister more faithfully then Christ himself And who might expect greater successe in his Ministry then he Yet we hear him complaining Who hath believed our report Oh then let that people that Congregation tremble which hath long enjoyed the Ministry yet as ignorant and prophane as ever Oh consider with thy self and say O Lord thy arm is not shortned thou art as able to break and humble the hearts of sinners as ever therefore some heavy spiritual judgement is upon me I may fear I am like that cursed fig-tree upon which Christ said Never fruit grow more Now that this Ministry is to be to the end of the world while God hath a Church here appeareth by these Arguments 1. The ends of the Office are perpetual therefore the office it self is perpetual The end is to convert to build up to preserve from errours to admonish and rebuke Will there not be this work to be done alwayes Heaven is like Paradise that needed no rain there were waters from within refreshed it but the Church while militant is like the ground that needeth the former and later rain 2. It appeareth by Gods promise to them Mat. ult I will be with you to the end of the world and here all that shall believe at any time are said to believe by their word he is said to hold the seven stars in his hand Rev. 3.1 3. The duties that are injoyned people respectively to them are perpetual as to hear them highly to esteem of them for their works sake to submit themselves unto them These are duties required of a Church as long as it is a Church therefore it 's implyed they must have such teachers and officers 4. The similitude that the Scripture useth about them and the Church inforceth their perpetuity They are light the world will alwayes need the Sun and Stars They are the salt of the earth every Sacrifice must have that The Church is a Garden these are said to water it They are sheep and such must have a shepherd They are the house of God then there must be stewards to dispense the things of life 5. God threatens it as the sorest of judgements to remove their Pastors and Teachers into corners To remove the Candlestick away Rev. 2.5 6. There are directions for the qualifications of such who are to be ordained Ministers given by Paul to Timothy and Titus which are to be kept unblameably till the coming of Christ Vse of Exhortation Is the Ministry thus appointed perpetually for spiritual ends then look again and again whether it hath been so to you or no Hath it been light to remove thy blindness Hath it been salt to take away thy corruption If our Congregations are still so many Golgothaes when the word of life hath been so often preached to it What can you expect that God will make them Aceldamaes What hath hindred the Ministry from its proper efficacy upon thee but thy wilfull rebellion and wickednesse It is to work faith and thou art atheistical it 's to convert thee from thy lusts and thou art a beast still Hear ô heavens and hearken ô earth dreadfull is that sin and judgment which is upon thee Vse 2. Of Instruction Why the devil and his instruments would overthrow Christs Ministry Is it not because those onely hinder him from his quiet possession SERMON CXII Of Vnity among Gods People The Nature of it JOH 17.21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me c. IN this Verse is laid down the matter of Christs Petition what it is that he praieth for in the behalf of those who shall believe in him and that is unity and concord amongst themselves so that as before for the Apostles he praied that they might be one as Apostles in the work of the Ministry so here he praieth for all believers so great a matter is it to have all the Godly at Union amongst themselves Now although this Union comprehend in it grace begun here and glory consummated hereafter yet it 's again and again to be considered that these glorious priviledges should be comprehended in theâ—r Union as if that being preserved all was preserved and without that there could not be any godliness here or blessedness hereafter We have then the unity and agreement of all believers made the principal part of Christs Petition for them and in that take notice 1. Of the benefit it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they may be one he doth not say that they may love and agree with one another but be one as if the Church should be but one person and as the Apostle argueth None ever hated his own flesh Eph. 5.29 So there should be no divisions envyings and differences amongst the godly because they are one spirit as it were They should no more hate one another then a man doth himself 2. Here is the universal extent of this unity That they all Though there be great
that therefore Christ praied in vain or that there is no Truth no Religion at all but rather that there are many hypocrites in the Church many who for their pride rebell on against the Light and other sins shall be left by God and given up to believe a lye From such differences conclude upon this pious meditation That even under the known light of the Gospel men may sadly apostatize and become heretikes yea persecutors of the Truth if the spirit of God keep them not in an holy fear Therefore in the midst of these differences say there is a seeming believer a seeming Church a seeming professor and such commonly for some corrupt end or other make a breach in Christs body 3. There is an unity in fundamentals or essentials and an unity in circumstantials or lesse principals Now as when God hath promised and Christ praied for the sanctification of his people hereby they are seen to have so much grace as shall certainly bring them to heaven for though they have not all the degrees of grace and neither are freed from all sin yet they have the essence of grace that will certainly bring to eternal glory Thus it is in unity although in many things they have not attained to the same minde to the same judgement yet they all agree in those things that are necessary to salvation and this is called all truth The Spirit of God shall leade them into all Truth Joh. 26.13 and they have the unction which teacheth them all things 1 Joh. 2.20 Hence Mat. 25. it 's not possible to deceive the Elect viz. in fundamental things such as shall exclude Salvation It 's true the disciples doubted a while about Christs Resurrection which was a fundamental Point but it 's one thing to doubt and another thing heretically to oppose it The godly then cannot live and die in a fundamental errour no more then in a grosse sin unrepented of because these do necessarily oppose salvation and this may be a great comfort to the godly under the diversity of Opinions and several subtle waies of those who would bring in damnable Heresies 4. Even in accessories and lesse principals their unity shall be consummated in Heaven and so we must understand Christs Praier as in his other Petitions with an extent to heaven where is the compleating of all grace and holinesse The comfort is that one day all the godly will lay aside their bitternesse and censures of one another They will all with one mouth and in one way praise and glorifie God without any difference at all 5. Christ hath not given his Spirit to the Church to its full measure in this life and therefore they know but in part They love but in part Now all division ariseth from ignorance in the minde and corruption in the heart as long therefore as these reliques shall be in us so long will these divisions be As long as the earth emits vapours so long will thunder and lightnings be in the ayr Lastly The devil doth yet put forth his power and his work is to fill the Church with differences and raising up Instruments thereunto that so his kingdom may the more prosper Therefore though heretical Incendiaries are taken away yet because the devil dieth not therefore he is still setting his cloven foot where God hath raised up any Church SERMON CXV Of Vnity among Believers Cautions about it Also setting forth some good uniting Principles With a Censure of some bad ones JOHN 17.21 That they may be One as thou Father art in me and I in thee THe next thing in order to be treated on concerning this Unity is the Cautions that are to be attended unto about it For the name of Unity like that of peace is very specious and fair yet as Hierom said Cursed be that peace which forsakes the truth So cursed be that unity which shall prejudice the Kingdom of Christ Conspiracy and a sinfull confederacy in ways of sinne may be painted over as if it were this glorious unity commended by Christ And First Let this be considered That the Vnity which Christ commends and prayeth for is originally from Christ and terminated in him and afterwards in those things that are his his truth his wayes his commands So that whatsoever unity doth not begin there and afterwards diffuse it self to those things is a sinfull and wicked unity The Devil hath unity in his Kingdom all the Devils though full of malice and envy to man yet agree in their wickedness Though one wicked man may fall out with another yet one devil doth not with another There is order amongst them There is the prince of the devils a legion of them could possesse one man So that if we look into hell we shall finde nothing but unity and agreement amongst them yet all is in their work against Christ and his Church Thus there is also an Antichristian Vnity the Papists glory in their unity that they all acknowledge one way yea they make it a mark of their Church And in the world we see all wicked men are as one man in opposing what is godly Now such unity as this is matter of shame and mourning For 1. It 's not terminated on Christ they are not first united to the true Head this oil is not first on Aarons head but they are of the devil who doth move and reign in their hearts And 2. It 's not an unity in the Scripture way not an union in the true Doctrine but heresie not an union in the instituted worship of God but idolatry and superstition an union to overthrow Christs Kingdom if it were possible Look we then to the cause and object of our unity else it will afford no true comfort Secondly This unity must be a directed and ordered unity This unity must not be confusion That Chaos and unformed heap God created at first it was one thing but it was confused it was without form An house demolished makes one heap but it 's a ruinous disordered one So then the Scripture unity is that which keeps the order and distinction God hath appointed and indeed this is greatly to be pressed lest under this pretence of unity that all the people of God are one we should introduce a confusion and make Christs body Monstrum horrendum c. Though the Church be that one body of Christ yet in it there are distinct members and all have their several operations So that the Apostle argueth against those that would confound this order Are all the members of the body an eye 1 Cor. 12.14 15 16. This hath many times sorely troubled the Church Men through pride and corrupt ends would not religiously keep that order and distinction God hath made in his Church Hence the Apostle so often presseth the people to hear to obey to submit themselves unto their Governours to have them in high esteem for their works sake 1 Thess 5.13 And why is all this But because while
this unity of order is preserved the Church it self and godlinesse is preserved Thirdly This unity is consistent with such graces that yet have an outward appearance of dissolving unity as zeal for the glory of God sharp and severe reproof of such as go astray to suffer no heresies or prophanenesse after admonition in such who are of the Church And certainly this is much to be observed As there is a sinfull and foolish pity when men would not have justice done against notorious offenders which pity to the wicked is truly called cruelty to the good for he that is pitifull to the wolf is cruell to the sheep So there is a counterfeit disguised unity and love and that is when because of this peace and agreement no damnable heresie no corrupt or evil way is to be severely dealt with and a Scripture-way taken to stop the progresse of it If this were true then Ahab did upon good grounds call Elijah a troubler of Israel because his zeal would not bear the Idolatries then practised If this were true then all the godly Prophets were justly discouraged because they reproved the sinfull wayes of the times they lived in Yea then Christ himself and his Apostles were justly condemned for the zeal of God did so eat them up that they reproved not only the grosse Idolatries but almost every petty superstitious way What shall we think the Apostle Paul who doth so often commend the spirit of love and meekness That there be no hatred or strife amongst them yet when he saith I would they were cut off that trouble you Gal. 5.12 and their mouths must be stopt Tit. 2.11 that speak perverse things that he forgets his own rule and becomes an incendiary in the Church or shall we think the Apostle John who presseth love in every verse and sheweth He that hateth his brother is like Cain a murderer and of the devil yet when he saith If any one bring any other Doctrine then you have received 2 epist John 10 receive not that man into your house or bid him God speed that now he hath forgot his own spirit that his honey is turned into gall Be then fully perswaded that the unity and love Christ prayeth for doth not oppose Scripture-zeal and courage against any prophane and erroneous wayes It doth not bring in a compliance and symbolizing with all heresies and prophanenesse It doth not erect a Temple as the Romans did to all gods Nor make the Church like the Ark wherein all beasts clean and unclean were received No such remisness breaketh unity as the strings not well-wound up cannot make any melodious sound and the paralytical members of the body for want of the due firmnesse cause many feeble operations There is a Sect called the Family of Love as if they only had peace and unity amongst them but they would have all things even wives common and so their unity is a fomenter of sinne and confounds those relations God hath distinguished These Cautions premised Let us consider what remedies are fit to heal these wounds As in the natural bâ—dy a wound is Solutio continui so in this spiritual body of the Church and as to wounds unless there be wisdome and skill they are made worse by Empericks Thus unless there be proportionable and fit remedies applied with wisdom and compassion the breach is made greater And First There are two remedies and they are in extreams The one suggested by the Popish party the other by the Socinian The first is A rigid imperious and tyrannical commanding of an uniformity and approbation in every punctilio and minute particular So that no dissent or liberty shall be allowed to a man though humble and peaceable earnestly desiring to finde out the truth This tyranny came into the Church betimes What a large breach did Victor Bishop of Rome make in the Church about the determinate time of keeping of Easter whom Irenaeus did gravely oppose Certainly the Apostle Rom. 14. in matters of lesse concernment where men may erre salvâ fide or when men build only hay and stubble not laying other foundations doth there command a charitable carriage between the strong Christian and the weak It 's true the least truth of Christ is precious and we are not to deny it but yet it is not violently to be obtruded unlesse where there is eternal damnation inevitable if that truth be not received Our Saviour speaks excellently to that Matth. 9.17 If new wine be put into old bottles the bottles break while men impose opinions or practices of less consequence upon a people not prepared in stead of unity they make many fractions yet this way of unity hath much infested the Church and especially when men have been in power They have pressed unity not so much out of love to Christ as thereby to keep up their interest As Musculus observeth of the souldiers that would not have Christs coat divided every one hoping thereby to have it all Thus when Luther reformed nothing was more ordinarily preached by the Papists then the inconsutilis tunica the seamless coat of Christ which made Luther call them Inconsutilistae and Tunicastri Now all this endeavour to have such an uniformity was not out of love to Christs Church but their own power and therefore they were afraid of divisions lest they should overthrow their kingdom Certainly to such austere and severe imposers That of Austin is often to be re-minded Saeviunt illi qui nesciunt c. let them rage and persecute who know not with what prayers and tears it is given to understand but a little of Gods truth yet this political way of unity hath been long in the Church Aut subscribe aut discede was a speech of old in the Church 2. There is another false way of unity extreamly opposite to this strenuously propugned by the Socinian and that is A licentious and unbounded Toleration of damnable heresies and Idolatries which Julian also studiously promoted thereby to overthrow the Christian Religion Now as the former way of unity hath been propugned by those who had power in the Church so this latter by those who have been the oppressed party for the Scripture decides a middle way between these two principles Hence Rev. 2. Chap. 3. The Angels of the Church are commended when they did not suffer or could not bear such as published unsound Doctrine and therefore those who did suffer such are reproved I say the Angels of the Church for we are treating of Church-peace and liberty not political and external which is not comprehended in this Petition Certainly the Apostles in their Epistles doe as much if not more set against false Doctrines and false Teachers as they do against corrupt practices Hence 1 Tim. 1.20 Hymeneus and Alexander for their blasphemies and false doctrines are by Paul delivered up to Satan and Tit. 3.10 we have an universall Rule given An heretique after the first and second
admonition reject So that it is very clear That Church-power and Church-censures are to be inflicted on such as obstinately offend therein and certainly a boundless Toleration of all kinde of heresies seemeth to be so harsh and unsavoury a thing that even the Remonstrants who yet cried up a liberty of prophesying as their great Diana did disavow this professing their approbation of that known Rule It 's better living ubi nulla licent then where omnia and that with this liberty of opinions there ought to be wayes used for the extirpation of heresies This licentiousnes then doth not beget unity but increaseth breaches for it gives way to mens corruptions to vent themselves and is like the warm Summer to snakes and serpents which makes them come abroad when the cold winter kept them in These remedies then being laid aside Let us consider what are truly and properly so what is the fit oil to be poured into the Churches wounds seeing it is so often like that man of Jericho whereas then this breach of unity may be made three wayes Of the true Doctrine by heresie Of godly Order by schism and Of Christian love by wrath and contentions in outward matters Let us see what are the peculiar Remedies for what is proper to one is not to another and as for the way of unity in Doctrine these are uniting and closing principles 1. So farre as there is an agreement in judgement to close heartily and imbrace one another in that It 's a mercy that the difference is not in the very fundamentals and vitals of Religion seeing therefore there are common opinions and doctrines wherein the godly do agree let that unity be nourished this will be a means to produce further union This Rule the Apostle giveth Phil. 3.15 16. Whither we have attained let us walk by the same Rule and if any man be otherwise minded God shall reveal this to them It 's a great frowardness in the rigid Lutherans that they will not own the Calvinists as brethren though there may be a reconciliation in fundamentals as Pareus pleadeth So farre then as men do retain Christ and fundamental truth with an humble godly disposition desiring to be further informed Let not the want of what they should have make thee despise the good things they have 2. Let private Christians highly esteem and submit to those godly and faithfull Pastors God hath set over them For commonly there begins the breach when they begin to be offended at them It was some mistake about what Christ preached that made so many Disciples quite forsake him it was durus Sermo an hard speech they said and would not seek to be further informed when men will not own that publick office God hath appointed then they wander into by-paths Therefore Eph. 4.12 13 You see a two-fold end of the Ministers of Christ the one is To keep them from being carried about with every winde of Doctrine The other for a spiritual edification till we all come in the unity of faith So that a due and fit obedience and acknowledgement of them would in a special manner prevent divisions 3. Get a pitifull and compassionate spirit to those that go astray We are indeed to have zeal and an holy impatience in the things of God yet this is to be accompanied with pity Of some have compassion making a difference saith the Apostle Jude Certainly when we shall consider how prone it is for men to receive errour for truth How naturally blinde and opposite the minde of a man is to the revealed truths of God and how that it 's the Spirit of God that leads thee into truth That it's God only who keeps thee from the heresies and errours that others are carried aside with These things will greatly move thee to tender bowels SERMON CXVI Of Christian Vnity Setting forth some Rules for Vnity in Doctrine Church-Order and Affection for the preventing of Errour Schisme and Wrath. JOH 17.21 That they also may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee c. TO prevent or heal any breach that may be made in doctrine by errour we have given some Remedies and there are more remaining As first Candidly and truly to lay down or report the opinions of others that do dissent from us There is nothing hath made the gap wider and more raked into the sores of the Church then such a malevolent and ill disposition to pervert the opinions of others to make them hold such monstrous things as they do with all their hearts detest It was thought that the Apostle James therefore was moved to write that Epistle for works as well as faith because some did misunderstand Pauls writings as if he had taught Faith onely was enough to save though it was not accompanied with an holy life How often was Christ and the Apostles traduced for preaching such things that they never taught and all this was done by their malicious enemies to make them more odious and to bring greater danger upon them And do not the Papists to this day represent the Protestants as if they were the most damnable and blasphemous heretâ—ques that ever were But if it be not lawful in civil matters to bear false witnesse against another much less in Religious and doctrinal matters whether therefore it be by writing preaching report or any other way Gods Word and Conscience requireth of us that we are to represent the Opinions of others truly and really not put a sence of our own upon them and then fight with that this is not the way to bring the straying Sheep back again this will never reduce to unity for the party dissenting will presently see that truth is not sought for but victory That the end of dissenters is not to bring him to the knowledge of truth but to disgrace and defame him and this will never convert Therefore that is necessary in all disputations to state the controversie aright for that is like the first concoction which if it miscarry is not mended afterwards men may write voluminous books and bring multitude of arguments to no purpose if the true state of the controversie be not laid down To know therefore the true and proper distance is the only way at last to unite as the best way to recover out of a disease is to be truly informed what it is A second Remedy uniting in matters of doctrine is not to impose such Conclusions and inferences upon the doctrine maintained by dissentients that are not the proper and genuine effect thereof To cast that upon them as their doctrine which is but our inference that we may make through ignorance or any other distemper is not fair especially when they do with their whole soul abhor such Conclusions There were some Spiders that would suck poison from those sweet herbs the Apostle had planted because he shewed that where sin had abounded grace did much more Therefore some forced this consequence upon the
Apostles doctrine Let us sin that grace may abound Rom. 6.1 And thus the Papists deal with us and Lutherans also how often do they charge this hideous calumny and consequence upon the Protestants doctrine as if we made God the authour of sin whereas we use but the Scripture words and such expressions no nor such harsh ones neither as some of their own Popish Writers do only it's truth in them but blasphemy in us Indeed what is the evident and plain Consequence of a Doctrine that is to be accounted of as the doctrine it self As whatsoever is a clear genuine consequence from Scripture is Scripture but not every consequence We are apt to deduce Thus it is here what is evidently a consequence from any Doctrine we may charge it upon the doctrine but then we must be sure it 's the proper and natural childe not a bastard that it is the true issue not suppositions 3. Whatsoever truth God may have indeed made known to us or if in our perswasion only we are to be very careful how we publish it This hath been constant fire in the Church of God when men either have or in perswasion only some doctrine different from the current way of the Church at that time Now it 's a very hard thing thus to be with childe as it were and not to be full of pain till we have delivered it to the world Why is an obstinate broacher of damnable doctrines called an heretitk but because he chooseth his own way He invents and excogitates a doctrine of his own therefore compared to theeves and robbers that go not in by the door but climbe up some other way Now such qualifications as these are necessary 1. To question and examine thy own spirit not presently to believe thy own heart This is a firebrand in the Church when men have no modest doubtings and questionings of their own ignorance and pronesse to erre even in that thing they are so confident of how modestly doth the Apostle Paul speak 1 Cor. 7. when he determined the case about marriage I think also I have the Spirit of God and he distinguisheth between that which he had as an expresse command from the Lord and what he was inwardly directed unto wheresoever the Spirit of God leadeth into all truth there he doth likewise into all humility Thus Luthers Tunè solus sapis es is famously known though the Papists charge him falsly with contempt of all others 2. Before we publish it to the world to communicate our thoughts to those that are able wise and learned in the Church of God who have the Spirit of God and his Vnction as well as we Paul though called immediately by Christ yet went up to Jerusalem to confer with the chief pillars there and though he was thus miraculously converted yet he must go to Ananias to be further directed 1 Cor. 14.14 those that had extraordinary gifts yet were to submit themselves to others The Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets which is interpreted two waies and both pertinently to my matter 1. If the meaning be The spirit of the Prophets is subject to other Prophets they have power to judge the doctrine we publish then it will much more follow that what we have in an ordinary way is exposed to the examen of others 2. If by it we understand it thus there is no Prophet having the Spirit of God moving in them that is so extraordinarily wrought upon but he may retain those motions and vent them in an orderly way not to speak while others are speaking which seemeth to be the scope of the Apostle in that place This is very pertinent to my matter that no man can have such revelations and impulses from Gods Spirit but that he is in a divine method and good order to declare them for the unseasonable publishing of some things is like good Physick but not administred in its fit season Lastly To keep up the unity of faith this is a special means when we do highly prize and delight in the known plain truths of Christ Paul that was snatched up in the third Heavens yet desired to know nothing but Christ crucified Peter thought it not inconvenient to write the same things they knew already Certainly nothing hath more rent and torn the Church of God then affectation of singular high things To bring in some unheard and unknown Truths Oh this is the pride of mens hearts to have it said Such a man was the first that brought that nation into the world as the Jesuite of his scientia media Ego primus inveni But to be weary of the known truth is in effect to be weary of the same God the same Christ Why do we not desire a new Sun a new Earth a new world as well In the second place What will keep up unity in the Churches order and prevent Schism there For although the Scripture use the word schism in a large sence yet Ecclesiastically it is restrained to the breach of order in the Church and that hath often been when they have kept the unity of the Doctrine They did not divide from the doctrine but communion in Church-ordinances Now to keep up an intire body in this Consider 1. That if such be the corruption of the Church that thou canst not keep fellowship with her but by partaking of her sins Then before thou leavest that place take the way the Scripture commands Be sure that it be not for some lesse corruption but that which doth eat up the very vitals of Religion Do not thou leave it till God leaveth it Do not thou unchurch it till God doth 2. Let thy endeavours be in thy place to inform and heal before thou dost depart Pleade and strive with thy mother as Hos 2. because she hath committed whoredomes And then Lastly Let thy secession be unwillingly Thou art compelled to make this departure because the Enemies of all godlinesse will not suffer thee or endure thee under their power These things observed then thou art not guilty of any schism or breach but those that gave the occasion to it When those of the people of Israel would not joyn with Jeroboam in his Idolatry but separated themselves and went to Jerusalem where the pure worship was They did not make a schism but Jeroboam 2 Chro. 11.13 14 15. Thus it is with the reformed Churches The Papist cals the Protestant a thousand times over a Schismatick because he withdraweth himself from Obedience to the Pope as Head of the Church but we say ours was not a schism but a secession They were Schismaticks in falling from the primitive order and institutions in the Church insomuch that the Pope is the grandest Schismatick that ever was in the Church and further we departed not from Rome because of petty corruptions no she was a Babylon ere we left her and then we left her unwillingly They drave us out persecuting with fire and fagot so
others but for a season onely The summe then of this speech amounts to this Christ therefore prayeth that believers may be united amongst themselves because hereby a wide door is opened for the progresse of the Gospel Hereby the world may be perswaded that Christ was the true Messias because he had brought such true peace amongst his Disciples From whence observe That Vnity amongst believers is a special means to enlarge the Kingdome of Christ There is no such obstruction to the Gospel and scandal to the world keeping it off from faith in Christ as to see those who professe Christ divided and subdivided into many Sects and opinions Is it not imbred in all to think that truth cannot be contrary to it self That Christ cannot be divided That the Spirit of God is the same Spirit and therefore men do very speciously conclude certainly these men are not of Christ have not his Spirit they are so contrary to one another No wonder therefore if Christ thus earnestly pray for believers unity as being the most effectual means to propagate and preserve the Gospel which made the Apostle Rom. 16.17 when he had spent the Chapter chiefly in saluting of the Saints an expression of dear love he doth in a most fervent manner break out thus I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences and avoid them We are in a special manner to take heed of such turbulent and dividing persons The Apostle gives this general character of all such They serve not Jesus Christ but their own lusts and ends But to open this Consider First That though our Saviour presse Vnity of believers as a sign of his Disciples and a means to winne others to the Faith yet Vnity simply as so is not an inseparable note of the true Church The Papists indeed they professedly maintain this That where we see a Church in it's members all united together and that under one visible Head and Pastour there we are to conclude is the true Church and on the contrary when we see divisions and multiplicities of Sects and Opinions as they say there are almost an hundred amongst the Protestants there cannot be any true Church And indeed they have no fairer way to intangle men and to fill the hearts of people with prejudices against the truth then because of the many opinions that are amongst us But to this we answer these things First Vnity as Vnity without true Doctrine cannot be any distinctive Note of a true Church A whole Church as that of Israel may be universally corrupted so that neither the Worship or Truths of God were in any visible way received and yet in this universall corruption they were all as one man Thus the Jewes and Turks they have wonderfull unity amongst themselves yet who will conclude the Truth is amongst them Although the Heathens had multiplicity of Gods and religious wayes yet the Jewes are at great consent in the main things amongst themselves It is necessary therefore that to Unity there must be joyned true and sound Doctrine In the second place We say There is no such cause for Papists to boast of Vnity amongst themselves For our Divines doe abundantly shew That these Philistims doe not onely fight against the Israelites but even one with another Their Swords are often set one against another witnesse the Jesuites and Dominicans and that in great controversal points so also between Thomists and Scotists Now to this Bellarmine hath these answers First That their differences are not in substantial things they are only in secondary points But First So we say The Protestants truly so called for we cannot tell how to call the Socinians Christians do agree in Fundamentals so that although there be great disputes in their circa fundamentalia yet the foundation it self they fall not upon Secondly We say They have dissented in Fundamentals for is not that a principle of Religion with them Whether the Pope be above the Councell And yet there have been hot differences amongst them in this point And therefore some have asserted The Pope may be deposed by the Councel and deputed for an Heretique Now certainly with them either the Pope or a Councell is the generall Head of the Church and it 's of the necessity of salvation to be in obedience to such an Head yet they cannot agree who that is In the next place Bellarmine hath this evasion If saith he our Church have any divisions they arise from the meer malice of the Devil not for want of a remedy to keep the unity for we have a visible Judge to determine all controversies whereas saith he among Protestants their differences do arise from the very Genius of their Doctrine because they hold no visible efficacious remedy to such contentions But to this also it s answered easily That all the differences amongst the people of God come from the Devil without and corruptions within The Devil is not wholly conquered nor are our corruptions altogether vanquished and therefore it cannot be but that breaches and wounds will sometimes be made Yet in the second place We have a more sure and efficacious remedy to compose all differences then they have for they indeed alledge the Pope or a Councell as a visible Judge to end all controversies but these being men are subject to ignorance and passions and so cannot perform the Office of an infallible visible Church because not sufficiently qualified thereunto Again They have not de facto silenced all those debates that are amongst them Some of the fore-mentioned Disputes are as fervent as ever Neither hath the Pope yet interposed to decide Whether those Doctrines about scientia media and absolute predefinitions with the dependent controversies thereon be true on the Dominicans side or their adversaries Therefore thirdly We hold The Scriptures to be the infallible and unerring Rule and therefore have a proper and sufficient means to end all controversies And although it be said That many differences arise about the sense of the Scripture therefore that cannot be a Judge but the Church We reply That many controversies also may arise about the Church the Authority of it and it's infallibility and therefore they who acknowledge the Scripture the only adequate Rule of faith do thereby confesse a powerfull remedy to remove all differences Further That Vnity is not de facto alwayes a note of the Church appeareth from the opposition of Satan against the peace and quietnesse of it And therefore as it is in matter of practice peace and quietnesse is not alwayes a signe of a good conscience for our Saviour saith The Devil keepeth all things quiet while he ruleth Luke 11.21 Thus it is also in respect of Churches many times a false superstitious Church hath more plenty and ease then a true one because the Devil will not disturb his own but where the Kingdome of Christ is there the Devil doth also desire to erect his Throne Thus when the good
vain-glory Did not the Devil think to overcome even Christ himself in this temptation when he shewed him all the glory of the world Begin then to despise and contemn all the earthly glory of this world what will this avail when thou art vile in Gods eyes Thou art a loathsom abominable creature before God though richly cloathed and faring deliciously every day Now the grounds why humane and earthly glory do not arise to this heavenly is from these particulars 1. It 's not a lasting during glory The fear and certainty of losing of it takes off from all the lustre of it A flour is a glorious creature yet because quickly withered none makes long account of it and thus all the glorious things of man are compared to no better The Prophet Isaiah Isa 40.6 and John Baptist of all Sermons and truths were to proclaim this All flesh is grasse and the flower thereof fadeth away c. And this was to make way for Christ implying that while men continued in their confidence about these things they were too high mountains and so no prepared path to receive Christ As therefore our Saviour argued in another case If the grasse be so cloathed with glory that is to be cut down and withereth so if thou art thus carefull to cloath thy body with glory that presently must become dust and worms meat rotting in the grave how much rather shouldst thou look to have thy soul cloathed with the glorious robes of Christ that continue for ever call that glory and that alone which is eternal which will live with thee and not die with thee 2. It 's no true glory because it 's not inward and substantial It 's not this glory of a man in his most substantial part which is his soul The soul of a man in Scripture language is called a mans glory Gen. 49.6 unto their assembly Let not my honour or glory be united that is not my soul If then a man hath the earthly glory of this world this is not the honour of his soul this is not solid it 's not in the noblest part of him If rich and glorious apparel should be put upon a dead corpse what glory were this to the corpse it would not bring life and comelinesse to the dead body So it is here let a wicked man have more earthly glory then a Solomon yet he is but a dead corpse he hath not that which should be the proper glory of a man viz. the adorning of his soul Hence grace is called glory as you heard So that nothing makes a man glorious but grace this is the image of God in him The Heathen could say That an horse is not chosen by his trappings and other rich accoutrements but as he is naked in his own body and certainly man much lesse is accounted glorious by body or wealth but by his soul 3. It 's not the proper glory of a man as he is a Christian And this is much to be considered Every creature hath that which is a peculiar grace and glory to it in its kinde So Seneca We praise a Vine if it burden its branches with fruit if another had golden grapes or golden leaves the fruitfull Vine would be preferred before it So that what is comely to one is not to another now take man as he is a Christian and so all his glory is spiritual and invisible if you look upon Christ who giveth him his glory he had none external nay none had lesse of that then he for he knew not where to lay his head yet in regard of spiritual glory he did abound in it he had the glory of a Messias though not of a temporal Monarch and thus it is here that is only a Christians glory which is excellency in Christianity The Apostle speaking of women saith Whose glory let not it be of embroidered apparel c. 1 Pet. 3.3 but an humble and meek spirit Hence the Kings daughter is said to be all glorious within Psal 45.13 That then which the world doth deride and contemn that is indeed the greatest glory and hence the glory of a Christian is to be justified to be sanctified to have communion and fellowship with the Father in Christ Lastly There is no true glory without Christ because in times of afflictions and tribulations he only gives occasion to glory Rom. 5. We glory in tribulation and Peter saith While we suffer for righteousnesse sake the Spirit of glory resteth upon us 1 Pet. 3.14 What then will thy outward glory avail in the time of Gods wrath when he shall set thy sins in order before thee he will make all thy desirable things to perish When Belshazzar is smitten with trembling for his sins he findes little glory in his stately Palace in his golden cups he was carousing in Oh then prize such a glory that will bear up thy heart in the saddest extremities A second Corollary is That the meanest Christian united to Christ though never so contemptible yet is surpassing Solomon in all his glory Every believer if you look upon him spiritually is more glorious then the greatest Potentates in the world for concerning that they made a blaze in their solemn installings of the Pope saying Sic transit gloria mundi but the glory of heaven abideth for ever It 's true this world doth not see any glory in a believer no more then they did in Christ Therefore in the Caniicles the women asked the Spouse What was her beloved more then other women They saw no such comelinesse and beauty in him and thus it is with wicked men What glory can we see in those that walk more strictly What is admirable in them more then in others Therefore this glory Christ giveth his people is invisible and discovered onely by the eye of faith So that this should exceedingly bear up the heart of a believer while he lieth under all the reproaches contempts and oppositions of the wicked world Oh comfort thy self with this spiritual glory God gives thee glory Christ gives thee glory while the world doth thus despise thee and doe not be discontented because God hath not given thee so much of the worlds glory as he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ven others What then if he revealeth and vouchsafeth this spiritual glory to thee he doth more then if he should give thee the glory of many worlds Nay further thou many times art dejected in thy own eyes and as thou hast no external glory amonstg men so neither dost thou perceive any spiritual glory in thy self Oh thou criest out that thy soul pollution thy â—oul defilements are worst of all but remember this glory comes from Christ without that it doth not naturally grow up in thee Thirdly Though Christ give part and a beginning of this glory here yet it is not perfected and consummated till hereafter I have saith Christ given them glory already yet he prayeth afterwards for the consummation of this
from the world to God yet that which is here primarily intended is the perfection and consummation of them in unity which though it will not be compleat till in heaven yet it is inchoate and begun in this life Obs That the Father and Christs being in believers is the cause of that perfect and consummate unity which they ought to have of themselves There could be no union in the body if the Head did not unite it All believers union doth first flow from Christ as their Head and Mediator Insomuch that whatsoever unity they may have which doth not first arise from this spring is humane and carnall To open this let us consider What is implied in their being made perfect in one And First Here is implied sincerity and uprightnesse That their unity be from a pure heart and unfeigned faith This is often the use of the word perfect as opposed to that which is false and counterfeit many are said to walk with a perfect heart because they did not walk with an heart and an heart by dissimulation so that it 's a perfection of essence and parts not of degrees and this indeed is greatly to be urged that as all the other things in the godly be sincere so their unity that they be joyned together from spiritual principles and by spiritual means It was the Heathens Position That amicitia could onely be inter bonos that whatsoever friendship was from bono utili or jacundo and not honesto it did not deserve the name of friendship Now how much more is this true in that unity amongst the godly which hath for it's cause and original Christ himself and for it's patern such an unity that the Father and Sonne have To be perfect then in unity is to have sincere hearts one towards another as the Apostle Rom. 12. Let love be without dissimulation Let there be no water to debase this wine let not this fair fruit be rotten at the core Secondly To be perfect in Vnity doth imply not onely sincerity but integrity of all those substantials and essentials wherein this onenesse doth consist You have heard that the Unity of believers doth empty it self into two great streams one of Faith in respect of Doctrine The other of Charity in respect of life and affections Therefore if any of these be wanting the Unity is dissolved if love be pretended but yet there is no divine truth this is conspiracy not unity and if faith be pretended but not love as yet we have no signe of the true Disciples of Christ Let then the Church of God look it hath these two pillars like Jachin and Boaz to bear it up All Unity without Truth is like a stately building upon sand and Truth without love is like a foundation without superstruction pray that the Spirit of God would lead into all truth for the former and would also work those sanctifying fruits of it love peace meekness c for the latter Thirdly The word perfect in one doth imply an increase and daily progresse in the way of Vnity For though the Church of Christ be his Body yet it 's a growing body it 's not come to it's full stature no not in this life There are further degrees to be attained Ephes 4.13 We are to grow to a perfect man in Christ Jesus and thus we reade of many called perfect as 1 Cor. 2.6 Heb. 5.14 not in an absolute sense but comparatively because they are carried on to further degrees of grace then others We are not then to think that any Church will have such perfect Unity in this life but that it may be more perfected In the best constituted Churches there are several imperfections there is much weakness many carnal affections which are apt to discompose the beautifull frame of the Church Fourthly It doth imply That they are perfected in those means which are appointed by God for this Vnity For seeing the means are wholly for the end the end can never be better enjoyned then formerly if the means be not better improved so that if the Church of God be perfected more in one it must more faithfully improve the means of unity and they are especially two 1. The preaching of the Word of God For as by that at first the Church is called out of the world so by that also it 's kept up in it's purity and unity The Word of God preached is the onely means appointed to remove ignorance and mortifie corruptions which are the rares that hinder the good seed As the envious man soweth these so the Spirit of Christ by the Word worketh the clean contrary Hence Ephes 4. the Ministry is appointed as a means to bring us to this perfect stature farre be it therefore from them to make divisions and rents in the Church of God whose great office and imployment is to proclaim peace The good shepherd will not suffer his sheep so to fight with one another as thereby to be destroyed 2. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper that is a special means to preserve Vnity yea and to perfect it The Apostle 1 Cor. 10. speaketh fully to this For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread So Eph. 4. one Baptisme is brought as an ingagement to unity Therefore the more graciously and perfectly these Ordinances are received the more is this unity confirmed and established and therefore those primitive Christians who had one soul and one heart were constant also in their breaking of bread whereby their mutual love was strongly preserved Bellarmine not unfitly speaks of a six-fold Unity in the Church The first is Ratione principii of God who calleth though as he saith this makes the Church not so much una as sub uno one as under one 2. Ratione ultimi finis the salvation to which it 's called and this makes the Church not so much one as ad unum 3. Ratione Mediorum in respect of the means of Faith and Sacraments and thus the Church is rather by one then one 4. In respect of the holy Ghost as a separated Governour 5. In respect of Christ as an internal and conjoyned Head 6. In respect of the connexion of the Members amongst themselves and in these two last respects it 's properly one Lastly This Vnity will be wholly perfected in Heaven Then will all partition walls be destroyed Then shall it no more be said I am of Paul and I am of Apollo but God will be all in all Therefore as this life is a place like Hadadrimmon a valley of tears bewailing corruptions and sinnes amongst us so also the divisions and breaches that are upon us But in Heaven all opinions all different wayes will cease So that although this unity for the main of it be attained in this life yet in the life to come there it will be totally compleated Thus it is here perfect because the endeavours and breathings of the godly should be
after that heavenly unity to have it with the Church here in grace as it shall be with the Church hereafter in glory And certainly if this were not accomplished in Heaven then there would not be all tears wiped away nor would the reproach of Jerusalem cease Thus you have heard what it is that makes this unity of believers consummate and perfect Now let us consider What is the cause of this and that we shall finde to be no humane strength or outward wisdome and policy but the lively communication of grace inabling thereunto by Christ himself Though the Papist pleades That the acknowledgement of one visible Head in the Church is the onely means to preserve unity yet experience sheweth the falsenesse of it The divisions and breaches of the godly like those of Reuben have made sad workings of heart and many have come running in with their water to quench this fire Several Antidotes have been prescribed against this corruption but yet when all is done It 's the onely power of Jesus Christ as Head of his Church that workes this sweet Harmony It 's true indeed many rules and pacificall means are commended by wise and godly men to make an unity but these work onely morally and swasorily that which doth as it were physically and really worke it is the Lord Christ himselfe as the fountain of this unity And the reason is because this unity among believers is not onely externall but internall and spirituall Now no man can worke this unity in the hearts of the godly any more then he can worke purity and holinesse Therefore we see in the Text That because Christ is in us and the Father in Christ therefore are the godly perfected in one so that it requireth a Divine Supernaturall power to make the godly at heavenly accord even as it doth to make them godly Hence it is that in this prayer Christ commendeth it to God to work it as being beyond all humane power to effect it Now Christs being in a believer is a cause of these things in reference to their unity First He is thereby a cause of the Vnity it self For we told you This unity though externall yet is chiefly spirituall and internall viz. The harmonious knitting and joyning of all the Members of Christ together in him their Head Now this being wholly spirituall none can effect it but God alone for naturally we are dis-joyned from God and full of contrariety to him Therefore to be made a member of Christ and implanted into him cannot be by any other but the Spirit of God As those dry bones in Ezekiel could not of themselves gather together nor can a Cyen graft it self into a stock Thus it is here till the Spirit of God joyne us to Christ we are enemies and adversaries unto him That power therefore which gives grace that onely unites As in the naturall body the same cause which makes a member makes it also a united member Insomuch that in all the fractions and divisions we see amongst the godly we ought to have our eyes up more to God to consider that power which makes them holy must unite them and indeed to make them gracious and holy is the greater work yea unity would flow by a necessary resultancy from our membership in Christ but that still our corruptions are too strong and apt to disturb all Secondly Christs being in us is not onely the cause of our Vnity but also of the harmonious sutable proportion to each other We have an admirable description of this harmonious sutablenesse in the unity of Christs body Colos 2.19 Ephes 4.15 16. For the first It 's a Text full of rich and glorious matter and to understand it consider What it is that the Apostle makes the cause why those false Teachers did advance the worship of Angels introduce humane traditions and all to set up other means and wayes of Justification then the Scripture hath appointed It is saith he because they hold not the Head So that every Christian in the matter of all spirituall concernments is still to look up to Christ as the Head and not to let him goe and this he amplifieth from a two-fold precious effect of this Head The first respects the union of beleevers to Christ and so the body is said by joynts to receive nourishment that as the body hath it's nourishment suppeditated by those natural helpes so hath every Christian from Christ Now the joynt that suppeditates these spirituall helps is chiefly the Spirit of God So Romans 8.9 If any man have net the Spirit of Christ he is none of his So that as that is not a member truely united to the Head which is not informed with the same forme the Head is so neither is that Christian really united to Christ which wants the Spirit of Christ Now the Spirit of Christ is here said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To administer nourishment The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie to supply all those ornaments which were necessary to such as kept their sacred dancings and festivities but here it signifieth the supply of those things that are necessary for our spirituall end and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added amplifieth it denoting the full plentifull and abundant supply it giveth So that you see it 's Christs Spirit not ours which doth thus inable us The second benefit flowing from Christ our Head is of the Members themselves They by bands are knit together Now the band here is chiefly also the Spirit of God though gifts and graces doe ordinarily unite So the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.13 For we all by one Spirit are baptized into one body So that the Spirit of God which is in Christ doth also work in all beleevers inflaming and exciting to such graces whereby they have intimate communion one with another Now from these two benefits conjoyned we have the admirable fruit thereof that the body groweth with the increase of God The spirituall growth of Christians as in the body is called The increase of God partly because God onely is the efficient and cause of it partly formally because the nature of this increase is divine and heavenly partly finally because it is to the glory and honour of God So that by all this we see Every true member of Christ is a thriving and growing member and that harmoniously according to it's respective nature and all this comes wholly by the Spirit of Christ so that an unity in the harmonious increase of it depends solely upon him By this Explication the other fore-mentioned Text may also be discovered Lastly Christs being in us is the cause of the perpetuity and constancy of that Vnity the godly have This Union in Christs body can never be dissolved As the Personall Union of Christ could never be divided so neither the mysticall Therefore our sound Divines doe well from Christs in-dwelling in us propugne and assert the perseverance of the Saints Vse of Instruction
is overflowing superabounding grace only remember that here is not only priviledge but duty also Here lieth a powerfull obligation upon us to love him with our highest and chiefest love let his glory his love be next to thy heart Oh be ashamed that thy love can burn no hotter towards him In the next place we are to consider the scope and end of our Saviour in mentioning this preheminent priviledge and it is That the world may know this love It 's not enough for believers to be thus highly loved by the Father but the world is to know and to be perswaded of it From whence observe That it 's of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are loved of God It would quicken them to many duties and restrain them from many sins if this were once fully setled in their hearts that those whom they oppose and deride are the beloved ones of God It 's true it 's of great consequence even to the godly themselves to be fully informed in this they go bowed down and very much languish because they are not so perswaded of this Hence 1 John 3 1. The Apostle cals upon the godly to attend to it Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God So that under all the hatred and opposition of the world it 's necessary that this love of God should bear up thy soul though none loveth thee yet the Father doth Thus I say it 's necessary even for believers themselves to know how greatly they are beloved but here our Saviour speaks of the worlds knowledge and the necessity of their being informed therein Now the usefulness of the worlds conviction herein will appear in these respects 1. Hereby they may be provoked to come out of their wicked condition and be made one of that number which God so loveth For will not this work naturally and genuinely upon them when they shall think Loe these that pray that walk strictly and contrary to the principles of the world are those whom God loveth in a special manner they are his favourites his delight is upon them but as for me and the company I keep God is angry with us all the day long we are the men cursed by him for us he hath appointed hell and eternal torments When any natural man shall upon these convictions argue and reason with himself How can he abide any longer in that sinfull way Oh then that God would perswade thee more of this that those whom thou malignest against whom thy heart riseth are such on whom Gods gracious love is fixed and that it is thou thy self and such as thou art that the anger of God abideth on continually this would quickly make thee another man Therefore there is not a more deadly principle thou canst swallow down then to be prejudiced in thy spirit against such who truly fear God 2. A perswasion that such only are loved by God as it would make thee to be of their number so also it would draw out thy dearest and sincerest love to them Thou wouldst presently begin to think Why should not I love those most whom God loveth Certainly they are the choisest and best objects upon whom God is pleased to cast his gracious eye then as David said My delight is to be with the Saints upon the earth Psal 16.3 Thus also it would be here when once perswaded that such are the endeared ones of God then thy affections thy heart will be to such also 3. By this perswasion upon the heart of the world that they only are loved of God hereby the world will cease to hate and persecute them to give them such ill entertainment as they do When our Saviour possesseth his Disciples with that universal hatred they shall have in the world and that the world cannot do otherwise whence is all this but because they do not know Christ nor believers neither But as they took him for an Impostor and one not worthy to live so they do judge his members to be a company of heretiques not worthy to be suffered in the world and all this malice ariseth from their blinde hearts for did they know who they were as they oppose they dared not to proceed Even as the Scripture saith If they had known Christ they would not have crucified the prince of glory 1 Cor. 2.6 So that all thy hard words and thy hard actions they arise from this thou dost not know what the godly are how accepted with God and how precious to him for this consideration would immediately make thee draw in thy arm thou wouldst see it was a foolish thing to set against such whom God loveth that it is but kicking against the pricks It 's attempting an impossible thing if thou couldst get God not to love them then indeed it were something but as long as God thus loveth them all thy endeavours against them is as vain as Balacks was against Israel No inchantment or divination can prevail As it 's an impossible thing so also it 's dangerous for seeing they are to God as the apple of his eye and he hath given such a command even to Kings that they do not touch his anointed ones How can it be that God will let all the injuries and offences done against them so dearly beloved go free Therefore perswade thy self more of this love of God to them lest thou incurre Gods forest displeasure Again It 's not only dangerous but foolish also for the more the world sets against believers the greater their rage is the more is Gods love drawn out to them So that by thy hatred they do become glorious and are more esteemed by God and receive a greater crown of glory Thus if these things be duly considered we must needs say it 's of great consequence for the world to know that believers are so highly loved by God But in the next place It 's very difficult for the world to be thus perswaded For 1. There is naturally an enmity and antipathy of the wicked against the godly and where malice is they will never believe any good of those whom they hate Insomuch that though God doth with never such a signal love demonstrate himself to them yet they will never be perswaded such are loved of God for as they are affected so they judge of God himself and because they think them worthy of all hatred and evil they conclude God doth so also Thus this distempered palate judgeth every thing bitter it tasteth 2. The love of the Father to believers is chiefly in spiritual things such as Justification Sanctification Adoption Now these things are no more apprehended by the world then curious melody by a deaf ear The Apostle speaketh to this 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. admirably shewing That the Spirit of God revealeth these spiritual things to us and that without the Spirit we cannot know the things that are
on Earth she conflicts with desires after Christ hence are those vehement Petitions Come Lord Jesus come quickly The Spirit and Bride say Come Rev. 22.17 20. If then these desires be turned into actuall enjoyments and it 's no longer Come Lord Jesus but he is come then there must needs be all matter of joy and rejoycing he that drinketh of this living water in this life shall never thirst more Joh. 4. viz. with a total thirst So as to be weary of Christ and desire some other Object how much rather will this be true in Heaven Then it 's impossible to be weary to be desirous of something else besides God for there love is joyned to the Object as fully and as nearly as possibly it can be As Philosophers say the matter of the Heavens desireth no other form whereas in sublunary things it constantly doth and all because of the actuality and perfection of that form Thus it must be with the glorified Saints in Heaven They can never be glutted never complain as they did of Manna by the constant use of it but God is as richly as delightsomely enjoyed by every Saint in Heaven to all Eternity as at the very first entrance into Heaven But you will say May not I then desire Heaven as a place of happinesse Is it hypocrisie and insincerity to desire that state of glory Must it be Christ only there The Answer is That is in the principall and first place to be desired but yet secondarily Heaven as it is our happinesse and our glory may be fought after for which many Texts might be brought Vse of Exhortation To moderate all thy desires to this life and the Comforts therein What makes Death so grievous but to part with so dear a Husband so dear a Friend so sweet Children Oh remember Christ is above all and dearer then all So that if Faith were lively in representing Christ to us we should need even patience to live as you see it was with Paul we should finde it to be to our great losse to be enjoying Friends while we might enjoy Christ But on the contrary the wicked mans misery is to be trembled at for there Christ saith Father I will that where the devil and his Angels are to be tormented to all Eternity that those also be with them SERMON CXXXV Of an humbled Christians improving in his Prayers the sweet Appellation of Father JOH 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am ETernal glory we heard our Saviour prayed for all those that should believe in him which is expressed thus indefinitely To be with Christ where he is He doth not name the place because this is it which makes heaven to be heaven that we do enjoy Christ there From this we proceed to other things considerable As 1. The Compellation Father This our Saviour useth three times as being a name denoting the most intimate and sweet relation as also causing the greatest confidence why Christ cals God Father hath been discussed already against Socinian glosses he is not a Father to Christ in the same manner as he is to believers neither did Christ use this Title to subdue and overcome any unbelieving and doubting thoughts in him or to quicken up his confidence which otherwise might fail but hereby to demonstrate the near relation between them as also his dependance upon him So that from Christs example herein we may observe That it is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think on those attributes and relations in him which may excite and stir up holy confidence and boldness When we come unto God we are to draw nigh to him as our heavenly Father whose bowels do exceed all parents affections in the world if they were put together Therefore it is our Saviour in that rule of prayer directs to that title and compellation of a Father To open this Consider First That no wicked or unregenerate man is in a state or condition fit to pray or approach unto God upon these termes If God be thy Judge thy enemy and thy adversary then it is not for thee to call him Father As God expostulates in Mal. 1.7 If I be a Father where is mine honour It 's true there is a paternity by way of creation and thus God is the Father of all but we speak onely of that paternity which is by Adoption and the Covenant of Grace Let therefore every wicked and ungodly man conclude that while he abideth so he cannot pray acceptably he may not come to God as a Father It 's blasphemy for such prophane wretches to say to God Thou art my Father The Scripture tels us That such are of their Father the Devil See then if the Devil thy father will bless thee if he will make thee happy Oh that wicked men would but consider what a wofull condition it is to lie in that they cannot pray that they cannot call God Father Thou doest but blaspheme with thy tongue all the while what God the God of wicked and prophane enemies to him No he is a Judge and a consuming fire to all such Secondly It 's of great consequence and advantage for the humbled Christian in his prayer to improve this relation of a Father To such all the sweetness out of this honey-comb To improve this Meditation till it be like fire in his bowels For 1. To the tender heart humbled for sinne it is the greatest temptation that he conflicts with to be perswaded God is his Father Such are the discoveries and experiences of his own sins and infirmities that he concludeth though other may call God Father yet he cannot Is not this the great dispute in the breast of a godly man Whether God be his Father or no Doth he not argue against it from the several corruptions that are in his soul Oh how can this and this be in me if God be my Father As also from the many sad afflictions and exercises he meeteth with more then others If God were my Father would he thus break and bruise me more then many in the world making me the Butt against which all his arrows are delivered So that you see it 's necessary to compose the spirit against this temptation which doth so naturally breed in the heart of a tender Christian Insomuch that to call God Father cordially and upon sincere grounds is a great mercy 2. It 's necessary to be perswaded of and call God Father because Satans great temptation is against this if he overthrow this all is gone if once he can tempt thee to this that God is not thy Father What horrour and what confusion yea what an hell will not presently overwhelm thee You see the devil working with this engine upon Christ himself knowing this was to set the axe to the root of the tree If thou be the Son of God do thus he would have him put that to the trial and
a high tower thinketh great towns and cities but little things thus a godly man raised up with the evidence of Gods love toward him judgeth all the world but a drop to God As the eye that hath looked on the Sun is so dazeled that it cannot behold other things Thus it was with Paul he was so affected with this that Christ loved him and gave himself for him Gal. 2.20 that he professeth he did no longer live but Christ in him It 's this apprehension that will carry us up unto the mount of Transfiguration every day It 's no wonder then if Satan be so busie to tempt us in this Point above all to unsettle us about the love of God in Christ to us for he knoweth herein lieth the strength of Sampson as it were if this be taken away any green cords will tye him he will not have strength to overcome the least temptation But as long as this love of God can be preserved and kept alive in the soul so long neither the devil or the world is able to do us any hurt so long we are like the bird flying on high that is not in danger of snares SERMON CXLV Directions how to obtain and alwayes to preserve the Knowledge and Assurance of Gods Love in our Hearts JOHN 17.26 That the Love wherewith thou lovest me may be in them THe sense of Gods love in our hearts is of such consequence that our Saviour doth conclude his prayer with it and as you have heard glorious and blessed are the effects of it I shall therefore in this last Sermon give some Directive Helps How to obtain and alwayes to preserve this Assurance and Knowledge of Gods Love to us but before we declare them it 's good to take notice of some particulars that may rightly inform our understanding in this point And First You are to know That it 's the devils great work to keep the children of God in darknesse and in continual doubtings He is the tempter not only in respect of lusts but also unbelieving and distrustfull thoughts of Gods grace and mercy That as the work of Gods Spirit is to comfort called therefore a Comforter as also to assure and witness unto us That we are the children of God yea to enable us to cry Abba Father So on the contrary Satan that unclean spirit his whole business is if he cannot tempt to sin yet to walk in a discouraged tormenting and afflicted way representing God as some terrible Judge catching at all the advantages to destroy us Now the way that the devil takes thus to deject and sadden the hearts of the godly is two-fold for either he doth thus by suggestions immediately to the soul taking the occasion when our spirits are darkned and clouded or when God for holy ends hath withdrawn his light of favour from us Or by his instruments which he raiseth up he causeth such tares of Doctrine to be sown amongst the good seed that the childe of God shall not only walk without the perswasion of Gods favour but think it is his duty and that he is obliged to reject all such comfortable thoughts for certainly this is one Doctrine of the devils amongst others in Popery that they forbid the penitent soul any assurance or certainty of Gods favour encouraging doubts as the mother of humility keeping the humbled sinner as the devils did the demoniack person among the tombs in sad and dolefull objects not discovering to him the glorious and comfortable light of the Gospel So that in Popery it 's one high point of Religion with them that no man without an extraordinary revelation can attain to a certainty of Gods love to him he may they will grant have some moral conjectures but a certain perswasion cannot be ordinarily attained But the Orthodox do abundantly confirm this truth against them Therefore I only instance in their opinion as an engine of Satan whereby he would by this temptation take off the understanding as by the former way he would unsettle the heart and affections But let our wisdom be to take the greater diligence to keep that pearl which we see Satan would so constantly rob us of Secondly Observe this That it 's possible for the sense of Gods favour and love to consist with some doubtings and sad shakings of heart about it at some times Even as the light of the Sunne may make the day yet at the same time there be some dark and gloomy clouds which though not able wholly to remove the Suns light yet do in a great measure obscure it We see it in Davids Psalms some whereof you would think were not made by the same man at the same time for happily in the beginning he had sad dejecting and expostulating thoughts with God and with his soul also and yet ere the Psalm be ended he is able to break out in comfortable perswasions and assurances of Gods love Insomuch that as Paul findes Rom. 7. in respect of grace a daily combate so also in respect of certainty about Gods love we believe and yet crave help for our unbelief and the word used by the Apostle 1 John 3.19 We assure our hearts is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we perswade our hearts implying that our hearts have many objections and cavils so that this assurance comes by perswasion even as the Greek word to comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used also to exhort because this consolation is hardly received into the soul there must be argument upon argument exhortation upon exhortation ere it will be satisfied Do not therefore expect that which yet some vainly boast of thou shouldst alwayes walk in such predominant assurance of Gods love that there should not any time arise the least cloud or fear in thy soul no such a blessed estate will only be in heaven Thirdly Consider that the sense of Gods love may consist with a feeling of a spiritual combate within us between the flesh and the spirit For this assurance of Gods favour doth not arise from a total absence of all sinne that there is now no corruption in us at all but from Gods gracious favour in Christ pardoning those reliques of corruption within us It 's not therefore the perfection of grace within us that our sense of Gods love is built upon but the promise and truth of God in his Word the not attending to this hath made Gods children labour under heavy and sad burdens of minde Oh they feel much corruption in themselves they daily finde stirrings of sinne within them by which means they are tempted to many doubts about Gods love towards them But this is their infirmity for did not Paul in a very grievous manner complain of the body of sinne within him that he found evil present with him when he would do good that he was a captive even sold under sinne and yet for all this he saith I thank God through Jesus Christ and concludeth That there is no
condemnation to him yea for all this apprehension of sinne in himself in the next Chapter what a glorious Chariot of confidence is Pauls soul lifted up to heaven in Doth he not challenge any adversary in the world to separate him from this love of God Do not therefore make the sense of sinne and the sense of Gods favour immediately opposite These Cautions being laid down let us take notice of the Helps and means to get and keep this favour of God in the sense of it upon our souls And 1. Be much in cherishing and nourishing the holy Spirit of God which useth to breathe and work in thy soul For seeing it 's plain that by Gods Spirit we are comforted and that it only doth seal and witness unto us Gods love that it's Gods Spirit which raiseth up the soul to call God Father That man can never have assurance that grieveth this Spirit that by any sinne chaseth it away As Spira rebelling against the light of Gods Spirit of whom yet judicious Divines give a charitable censure used this expression If I could but feel one drop of divine clemency and could but in the least manner perceive God to be propitious to me for even the very least would be enough I would not refuse to endure a thousand years or more in hell torments Oh therefore fix that Exhortation upon thy heart Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed c. So that the most compendious way to walk in this light of Gods favour is to be much in prayer for the Spirit of God for as that only can subdue corruptions which are too strong for us Those primitive Christians which did rejoyce in tribulations and were endowed with joy unspeakable and full of glory it was because they were also at the same time full of the holy Ghost If thou be lead by the Spirit and walk in the Spirit thou shalt have the comforts of the Spirit Hence those great learned men who oppose this assurance they go no higher then Aristotles school and seem to know no further then the efficacy of moral vertues Thus they make not the Sun but the Moon to rule the day 2. Wouldst thou enjoy this sense of Gods favour Then take heed of all sinne especially such as waste the conscience and make a great gulf between thee and Gods favour It 's the constant Doctrine of the Scripture that Gods anger is because of sin that sin only withholds all good from us So that it 's impossible to keep the sense of Gods love and wallow in sin at the same time Mat. 5. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God The eye diseased with corrupt humours cannot behold any comfortable object so neither is a man polluted with sin in a fit capacity for Gods love for those who thus taste of Gods goodness they are his favourites they are admitted into his secret presence Now as a great Monarch would not endure that a man in noisome and loathsom apparel and with the plague-sores upon him should be admitted into near familiarity with him so neither will God bid a prophane person draw nigh unto him Gods favour and a presumption in sinne cannot consist together When David had plunged himself into those foul sins you see what darkness did cover him immediately he complaineth for want of joy that God had hid his face that his bones were broken and what was it but sin that did throw his soul into this hot fiery furnace 3. Meditate much on Evangelical Truths and the Gospel-Doctrine that is delivered in Scripture For as it is the Law of God as revealed in the Scripture that makes a mans sin to appear out of measure sinful by that pure glass he seeth himself more monstrous and deformed a thousand times then ever he apprehended himself so by diligent inspection into and consideration of the glorious things of the Gospel we see a more easie and more probable way for assurance of Gods love then otherwise we would It 's not therefore the duty of Gods people to be only poring upon their sins to be alwayes applying the Law to themselves but they are also to behold the glorious riches of Gods grace in the Gospel Though Paul was often cast down with the sense of his sin judging himself the chiefest of all sinners and less then the least of all Saints yet this doth not drive him from Christ but rather the more to him hence none speaks so vigorously and cordially about Christ as Paul doth According to those objects we often meditate upon we are apt to be affected and even transformed into them If therefore we desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ crucified if we daily possesse our selves with the unspeakable love of Christ in dying for us if we often are caught up into this Paradise as it were this love like fire will cause sweet meltings and liquefactions of the soul and if the cold hard iron can by the fire be even assimulated unto it so that its natural coldness and untractableness is removed it doth not so much appear iron as fire no wonder if the gracious love of God plentifully poured out upon the soul doth make the soul full of unspeakable joy and consolations in the sense of it As therefore Abraham would not consider the dead womb of Sarah but the power and promise of God so neither do thou only consider the guilt and evil of thy soul but also the glorious promises and unsearchable riches of grace manifested in the Gospel The Apostle speaketh notably to this 2 Cor. 3.17 18. We all beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord viz. revealed in Christ by the Gospel are changed from glory to glory from grace to grace by the Spirit of God that as in heaven the beatifical vision of God doth fill the soul with all purity and joy Thus the beholding of him by faith as manifested in the Gospel doth produce lively and cordial refreshments of soul by the sense of his love 4. Consider that the apprehension and discovery of Gods love to thee is far more noble and comfortable then the discovery of thy love to God Thou mayest take far more joy in the sense of Gods love to thee then of thy love to God for Gods love to thee is the fountain and womb of all the mercies thou enjoyest were it not for Gods love to thee thy love to him would not advantage thee at all Again when thou discoverest thy love to God thou findest it clogged with many imperfections it may sad and grieve thee because of the defects adhering thereunto as well as encourage and comfort thee But the love of God apprehended is infinite and perfect there are no imperfections at all Gods love cannot be bettered and made a more noble and full love to thee Again thou needest Gods love but he doth not need thine he commands thee to love him not that he wants thy love
Directions shewing how a man may prize Faith in Christ as a Mediatour 225 c. The properties of Faith 600 That Faith is knowledge 637 What knowledge Faith is not ibid. What knowledge the knowledge of Faith is 639 Reasons why Faith must be knowing ibid. The people of God are kept to salvaion through Faith 314 This is opened in two Propositions ibid. Why Faith confirms us rather then other graces ibid. That the Faith that justifieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend on Christ 542 The several kinds of Faith ibid. The object of Faith ibid. The seat of Faith ibid. The things required to justifying Faith 543 544 God inables the humble soul to believe two wayes 546 Of Faith under the notion of receiving of Christ 549 What the receiving of Christ by Faith implieth ibid. Faith hath two acts a direct and reflex 552 Arguments to prove that Faith is a particular application 553 The Doctrine of special and particular Faith doth not tend unto presumption 555 Father God is the Father of Christ in a transcendent way 13 Those prayers are successefull that are put up to God as a Father 14 We cannot call God Father but by the Spirit 15 What frame of heart this compellation Father breeds in every childe of God in seven particulars 15 c. Reasons why the title Father prevails so much with God 17 c. The Father is the original fountain of all good 53 All that the Father giveth shall come to Christ 54 Finish Christ did perfectly Finish that work the Father gave him to do 119 Some particulars about Christs Finishing his work 120 How he Finished it 121 c. The properties of the work Christ Finished 123 Flesh Flesh usually put Synecdochically for man 35 Fortune No Fortune 23 Free-will Free-will a dangerous Doctrine 125 It is no Free-will or preparatory work in man that begins either his grace or glory but the sole gift of God 668 G Gesture GEsture in prayer lifting up the eyes to Heaven 5 Ghost The knowledge of the holy Ghost necessary to salvation 100 Gift All spiritual good the godly enjoy is only the Gift of God Rules for private Christians exercising their Gifts 493 Given That none of those that are Given by God to Christ shall perish 352 Christ though God hath many things Given him of his Father 612 There is a two-fold Giving ibid. What things are Given Christ of the Father 613 Glory Christ hath a two fold Glory 24 Whether Christ did merit Glory for himself 25 Christ being invested with Glory redounds to the advantage of his Members in five particulars 25 26 The nature of this Glory Christ praied for 25 There were three degrees to it 27 This Glory of Christ doth consist in four things 27 28 Christs Glory is 1. Spiritual 2. Eternal 29 All men should be affected with Gods Glory more then their own good heavenly or earthly 31 c. Four Reasons why we are to pray for all our own comforts in reference to Gods Glory 33 34 Gods children are to pray earnestly for their Glory with God 143 1. What is implied in this 144 145 2. This Glory is earnestly to be praied for 146 3. This Glory is a cordiall against all afflictions in five particulars 146 147 The Glory that Christ hath he communicateth one way or another unto his people 605 Considerations for the understanding of it ib. Some Corollaries from this Doctrine 608 Glory is a gift 651 Glorifie To Glorifie is taken two waies in Scripture 24 It was the holy wise will of God to Glorifie Christ 25 We Glorifie Christ three waies 29 How we Glorifie God 102 As Gods people Glorifie Christ so it is well-pleasing to God 267 How many waies the people of God Glorifie Christ 267 Why it is our duty to Glorifie Christ 269 270 Grounds why Gods presence in Heaven is that which makes the happinesse of a Glorified believer 655 Glorification is of grace 253 How many waies we may Glorifie Christ 667 God God may regard one mans prayer more than another 10 God appoints times and seasons for his great works in relation to Christ 19 20 In relation to other dispensations 21 God doth all things for his own glory Vide Glory 33 God made the world for his glory ibid. The greatnesse of Gods glory 34 God is a universal good 57 God is an unmixed good 57 God is the proper and peculiar good 56 One only true God 90 Many fictitious Gods made by men 90 God is known three wayes 91 God is holy and so able to make other holy 297 God is holy several waies 297 298 If Gods people were not kept by Gods grace they would be undone in soul and body 301 God keeps all his from temporal dangers 301 Proved in four particulars ibid. Of Gods keeping all true believers from spiritual evils 303 Which appeareth in four particulars 304 It 's onely Gods property to fore knew things to come 395 God hath the dominion and immediate disposing of our being and continuance in the world 449 Propositions explaining this truth ibid. Arguments to prove the point 450 God considered absolutely and relatively Although there be three Persons yet there is but one God 583 Gods people are called out of the world 172 Vide People Godly It is the property of Godly men to have respect to all Gods word 201 Four Propositions to clear the point 201 c. Four Reasons of the point 202 Governours Governours that have a charge over others are to watch and pray for the good of those they are betrusted with 295 Proved by three Arguments ibid Motives to move to it 296 Grace Gods people must grow in Grace 188 How many wayes Gods people grow in Grace 188 189 Grounds and motives to it 190 Without Grace here there is no glory hereafter 649 There is infinite comfort to those that have true Grace though in the least degree 651 Grounds Vnlesse men be carefull to look to their Grounds in profession they will never hold out 382 H Happinesse THe greatest part of our Happinesse lies in this that we shall be with Christ and have immediate communion with the Lord. 653 Hate Hated Hatred Wicked men of the world have and will alwayes Hate those that are godly 425 There is a two-fold Hatred 426 The Causes of it ib. The Effects of it ib. The Properties of it 427 Whether every godly man be thus Hated 428 The duty of Christs Disciples under the worlds Hatred 430 Why the godly should rejoyce when they are Hated for Christs sake 431 Cautions to wicked men who Hate Christ 433 Head Christ is the Head of his Church 45 What is implied therein Vide Church 46 Heaven Of immediate communion with Christ in Heaven 654 The great end of our being in Heaven is to behold and enjoy the glory of Christ. 661 Heavenly-mindednesse Heavenly-mindednesse wherein it doth consist 454 Help How farre men may acknowledge Gods Help and yet not give the
15 16 463 Acts. 17 23 91 17 27 585 20 27 424 26 22 388 Romans 1 21 92 1 17 174 6 19 206 9 5 99 10 2 77 12 1 456 12 10 431 1 Corinthians 1 14 115 1 2 516 2 17 424 3 8 563 6 20 257 6 7 587 8 4 5 90 8 2 94 11 19 389 15 22 44 15 47 435 2 Corinthians 2 15 348 4 6 606 5 16 334 11 20 17 Galatians 1 4 175 3 28 524 4 16 430 6 17 126 Ephesians 2 2 189 2 3 363 4 1 3 4 571 5 2 502 Philippians 2 10 28 2 2 407 2 15 514 3 1 401 3 20 454 3 9 549 4 18 502 Colossians 1 16 150 2 20 45 2 20 171 2 5 596 2 9 629 2 19 635 3 1 454 1 Thessalonians 2 13 478 2 Thessalonians 1 3 189 3 2 254 1 Timothy 1 16 532 4 16 484 5 10 424 6 20 424 6 2 526 2 Timothy 1 9 149 1 9 533 3 16 390 3 15 479 Hebrews 2 7 46 4 9 126 5 14 633 10 29 464 11 26 32 11 24 18 11 3 155 13 18 151 James 2 11 201 4 3 7 4 6 153 5 16 141 1 Peter 1 3 146 1 5 307 1 23 24 479 2 20 554 2 7 686 4 18 355 4 12 389 4 14 15   16. 421 2 Peter 1 6 273 3 17 316 3 12 456 1 John 2 20 513 2 2 278 2 19 360 3 8 344 3 19 552 5 16 230 3 John  2 460 Jude  3 316 Revelation 3 4 364 21 27 364 22 12 464 FINIS * Of the reason why Christ imposed on some new names see Casauâ— ad Annal. Exerc. 13. In his Apology pag. 8. To all Instructions and Consolations Praier is necessary for their good effect Reasons I. On Gods part 1. God is the sole fountain and authour of all grace 2. That all the praise may redound to him 3. Because God in anger many times doth blast the Word to men for their sins II. From the nature of Preaching and what kinde of cause the Word is of conversion 1. The Word converts not necessarily 2. Nor as a natural cause 3. It s efficacy is only by Gods Institution according to his command and good pleasure III. Because of mans inability to what is good Vse Doct. That all our praiers should come from a spiritual and heavenly heart The requisites to spiritual praier 1. The Spirits enabling and moving the soul to this duty 2. An heavenly heart 3. When the heart and affections are purified and made fit for the enjoyment of God 4. Heavenly praier moveth the heart to more love and delight in heavenly things Vse Why we should pray with the tongue In vocal praier there must be a threefold attention How Christ being God could pray Doct. That all the godly are under the benefit of Christs Mediatory praier I. The matter of Christs praier for his Children 1. All grace 2. Pardon of sin 3. 4. Glorification II. The nature of his praier by way of Mediation III. The dignity of the Person praying IV. His relation to God the Father Whether Christ was heard in every thing he praied for or no. V. Christs praier had all the qualifications requisite to acceptation VI. A condition or medium of good things Why Praier is needfull notwithstanding Gods knowledge and unchangeableness VII Christs praier sanctifieth our praiers Doct. Those praiers successefull that are put up to God as a Father To open this Consider 1. All by nature are in a state of enmity against God 2. The state of Sonship is purchased by Christ 3. We cannot call God Father but by the Spirit of Adoption What frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every childe of God Why the Title Father so much prevails with God Vse Doct. That God doth appoint times and seasons for his great works I. In relation to Christ II. Gods other dispensations 1. A time is set for the Reformation of his Church 2. God lets wicked men have their time 3. A set time for judgement 4. The hour of every mans death is set 5. There is a remarkable set time of grace wherein God may be found 6. The times of the Churches troubles and deliverances are set Vse How Christ who is God can be glorified Whether Christ did merit glory for himself Doct. It was the holy and wise will of God to glorifie Christ Christs being invested with glory redounds to the advantage of his members 1. It 's a demonstration of his conquest over all our enemies 2. Because of rhat near relation that is between us 3. His glorification a cause of ours 4. In his glorified estaâ—e he is pleading for us 5. It encourageth us to lift up our hearts to heaven The nature of this glory which Christ praied for There were three degrees to it Wherein this glory of Christ doth consist Doct. We should desire comforts and advantages chiefly that God may be glorified I. Christ did so 1. In his humiliation 2. In his exaltation II. Much more should all men be affected more with Gods glory then their own good The goods of a godly man 1. Heavenly 2. Earthly The principles constituent of such a gracious disposition 1. He must be born again that can do it 2. He must have great love to God 3. And be mortified to the world Reasons 1. God doth all things for his own glory 2. From the nature of Gods glory and all earthly comforts respectively 3. Because of the greatnesse of Gods glory and the value of it 4. Else we are guilty of spirituall Idolatry Vse The Text vindicated against 1. The Arians 2. The Ubiquitarian Lutherans 3. Papists Doct. Observe these particulars to clear the nature of Christs power I. Christs dominion universal II. The administration of Christs power is by his Spirit III. Of Christs dominion over the consciences of men IV. The chief effects of Christs power are spirituall V. It is infinite power VI. It is arbitrary in the use of it In what particulars Christs dominion appears 1. In appointing a Ministry for the conversion of souls 2. In giving successe to the means of grace III. Enlightning the Understanding IV. V. The Fountain of Grace VI. The giver of glory VII Forgive and pardon sin VII The great Law-giver IX And supporter and comforter of his people X. The Judge of the world XI And the subduer of his and his Churches enemies Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse of Consolation Doct. That not all but some of mankinde are given by God the Father to Christ to be redeemed by him How warily the doctrine of predestination should be preached The Doctrine repeated Corollaries from hence I. From the Father giving 1. The Father is the original Fountain of all good 2. That the Father expects the salvation of those he hath given to Christ 3. No cause to doubt of Gods accepting of Christs Mediation 4. All that the Father gives to Christ shall
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes applied to those powers and principalities of the Kingdome of darknesse 2. You have the extent of this power by the universality of the Object over all flesh Flesh is usuall put Synechdochically for man to denote his fragility and meannesse 3. There is the manner of the obtaining this power It is given him Before we gather our doctrine Let us Theologically explicate this Text Christ saith he hath all power given him From whence three corrupt Opinions have been by some in a seeming way established 1. The blasphemous doctrine of the Arians What Christ hath say they is given him Therefore he is Deus constitutus Deus creatus Deus datus not Deus natus how can he be of the same nature with God who hath all he hath given him in time But this is answered first If Christ speak here of his divine nature then though not as God yet as the second person he is of the Father and so not in time But from all Eternity had with his person all those divine properties communicated unto him for therefore he is called the Sonne because begotten of the Father But secondly If the Text speak not of his nature but the office or reward rather of his Mediatorship then that power and glory which is here said to be given him may well be understood of that Mediatory power and honour God vouchsafed to him and although by reason of the personal Union all honour and glory was due to him yet God had so ordered it that he should not have the manifestation of it till he had suffered and run through the whole course of his active and passive obedience Therefore many understand this power here said to be given Christ only in respect of manifestation for in Scripture-language Haec aliquid dicitur fieri quando incipit patefieri as God said This day have I begotten thee Act. 13.33 upon Christs Resurrection because then he was truly manifested to be the Sonne of God 2 Another party riseth up and squeezes bloud instead of milk Those Lutherans that are called Ubiquitarians because they hold that the humane nature of Christ is every where saying that the properties of the divine nature are communicated to the humane Thus because it 's said All power is given Christ therefore they conclude the humane nature of Christ is omnipotent omniscient omnipresent But this is to argue fallaciously from the abstract to the concrete For suppose this be an infinite power that is here spoken of it only followeth that it 's given to Christ in the concrete to be omnipotent not to his humane nature in the abstract Christ is made omnipotent his humane nature is not 3. Some Papists but not all from this expression gather that the right of all temporal dominion was here given to Christ and from hence would gather that because the Pope is Christs Vicar therefore he succeedeth him in this power and so can dispose of all Kingdoms and Nations as he pleaseth But the most learned of the Papists say This power over all flesh is restrained to the matter in hand viz. to gather and preserve his Church and at last to save it otherwise Christ would not have said to the man who desired him to divide the Inheritance Who made me a Judge Luk. 12.14 For if men had not yet if God had he had a full call to exercise such a temporall jurisdiction as Valentia the Jesuite well urgeth The Text thus vindicated let us observe this Doctrine That Christ hath power over all men There is no man so great so powerful nor no company of men nor all the men joyned together in the world can exempt themselves from that power Christ hath over them We have one or two Parallel places that confirm this Mat. 28.18 All power is given me in heaven and earth There the Subject is more large not only all flesh but all spirits Mat. 11.27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father There also the subject is more large not only all persons but all things as Heb. 2. All things are said to be made subject to him Before we come to mention what acts there are which declare this power of Christ we must lay down severall particulars to clear the nature of this power And First When it s said that Christ hath power over all men that is not to be understood restrictly or exclusively as if his dominion was only over men No you heard it was in heaven as well as earth yea and in hell also Phil. 2. Every thing under the Earth was to bow to him The devils are wholly in subjection to him We reade of his power over the unclean spirits casting them out against their wils from the possessed insomuch that they could not enter into the Swine without his permission Oh this part of Christs power that he hath conquered the devils hath them all in subjection should be no mean part of a Christians comfort for who is thy greatest Enemy Who is likeliest â—o undo thee not man but devils In their temptations how greatly are the godly in danger of being swallowed by them but Christ hath power over them he bids them go our leave of tempting and they dare not or cannot come again yea the good Angels those thousands and ten thousands of ministring spirits they are wholly at his beck No servant will sooner stir at our beck then the host of Angels will at his word Therefore Heb. 1. when Christ is coming into the world The Angels are bid to worship him So then here is a glorious power indeed which reacheth not only to men but to devils to Angels oh how happy are the Children of God who have this Christ for their Saviour that is cloathed with so much power If our eyes were opened with the Prophets Servant we should see more were with us then against us And then all things the inanimate and animate creatures are under his power The Disciples wondred at it when they said What manner of man is this whom the windes and Seas obey Mat. 8.27 So that this power of Christ is farre more comprehensive then this Text expresseth for Christ only speaks of men because he instanceth in that part of power whereby he giveth eternall life to those that beleeve and such are only men Secondly We are to know That though all power be given to Christ yet the administration and exercise of it is by his spirit called therefore the Spirit of Christ by that he convinceth by that he converteth by that he comforteth Insomuch that Christ told his Disciples It was expedient he should bodily depart from them but he would send the Comforter to them Joh. 15.26 so that not the Pope but the Spirit of God is Vicarius Christs in Christs stead Hence it is that all the same glorious and spirituall effects in the Scripture are sometimes attributed to the Father sometimes to
Christ and sometimes to the holy Ghost in their peculiar appropriation Christ by his Spirit is to be expected and praied for as the authour of all that grace and comfort we stand in need of 3. Although the power of Christ extend to the bodies and externals of men yet that which in the Text is considerable is that it reacheth to the hearts and consciences of men And this is more then any temporall power can do He bids Matthew the Publican Follow him and he leaveth all to follow him He casts an eye upon Peter and he presently goeth out and weepeth bitterly It 's upon the spirits and consciences of men this power of Christ is most conversant It 's by this their mindes are enlightned their hearts changed their lusts subdued and they made new creatures which made him say he was the life the truth and the way Joh. 14.6 he is all things efficiently for our salvation so that the great things we are to expect from this power is convictions of conscience and conversions of heart If the blindnesse of thy minde if the hardnesse of thy heart be too heavy a stone for thee to remove then lift up thy eyes to Christ Say O Lord thou hast power over all flesh Thou canst subdue and conquer every mans heart No man no Angel can do this Therefore take thou the sole glory in doing of it Fourthly As it 's the heart of a man this power reacheth to so the main and chiefest effects of this power are spiritual and such as tend to salvation To give faith to give repentance to men When I am lifted up said Christ I will draw all unto me Joh. 12.32 Though Christ as God made the world all things are supported and born up by him Heb. 1. yet these things are not so considerable as what is done to mans salvation Therefore he makes the great end of his coming into the world to save that which is lost he came to dissolve the works of the devil His Titles that he hath are in reference to heavenly advantages He is called Jesus because he saveth his people from their sins and Christ because furnished with all fitnesse and fullnesse to be a Saviour The Jews indeed they looked for a Messias that should deliver them out of the captivity and bondage they were in They hoped for such a power over all flesh that should restore them to their ancient temporall glory But this carnal prejudice was their undoing Fifthly This power must needs be infinite for although it doth not follow that because he hath power over all flesh that therefore he is omnipotent and infinite yet if you do regard the end why he hath all this power it must necessarily be infinite for it 's to gather and save a people out of the world to justifie their persons to sanctifie their natures It 's to judge all men at the last day Now how can he be judge of all mens lives yea their secret and heart sinnes if he have not infinite knowledge and although the humane nature of Christ be not capable of infinity and omnisciency yet the person that is the Judge must be so qualified This infinite power which Christ hath on one side proclaimeth unspeakable terrour to Christs enemies and on the other side ineffable joy to his friends Sixthly This power is arbitrary in the use of it He opens this mans heart and leaveth another shut he cureth this blinde eye and leaveth another in darknesse Mat. 11.27 When Christ had acknowled that soveraign arbitrary power of God in revealing the Mysteries of salvation to babes and hiding them from the wise of the world he addeth All things are delivered me of my Father No man knoweth the Father but he to whom the Sonne will reveal him So then this gracious power of Christ is not indifferently exercised upon all To some Christ revealeth the will of God effectually to others not There were many Publicans besides Matthew yet to him Christ makes known himself and not to others Many Pharisees besides Paul that were not so bitter and violent against the Name of Christ yet Christ makes him feel this glorious power on his heart and others not These things laid as Foundations Let us consider some of the remarkable particulars wherein Christs dominion over all flesh and especially the Church doth so appear that so we may take heed how we neglect him And First This is a remarkable Instance of his power to appoint a Ministery for the conversion and saving of peoples souls Whatsoever thy thoughts may be about the nullity or uselesnesse of it yet this is a clear effect of his power Mat. 28. when he said All power was given him in heaven and earth then he giveth his Apostles Commission to go teach and baptize all Nations Observe the reason why Christ beginneth with this Preface All power is given me c. and therefore Go and baptize Because it 's of high concernment to encourage and imbolden the Ministers of God to consider whose Servants they are whose work they go about They come from him who is able to defend them against the whole world how easily might the Apostles be dejected with the greatnesse of the work and their utter unfitnesse What are such poor and despicable men as they are to set against the lives and manners of the whole world but he that hath all power in heaven and earth bid them Go preach Go baptize and thus Eph. 4.11 The Ministry is there made the great and noble work Christ did upon his Ascension to heaven so that to oppose Christs Ministery to set against this is to set against Christ himself It 's not their power but Christs power thou wouldest destroy Secondly This power goeth further then to appoint a meer Ministery he blesseth it he giveth successe he makes it to bring forth much fruit This makes the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians so much exalt Christ and advance him While one cried up this Teacher another that he bid them remember that all the Pauls and Apolloes in the Word though never so eminent were but Ministers by whom they did beleeve yea Col. 3.19 those that did so much admire and set up Angels who easily may be thought to do more then the best Ministers yet Paul throweth all such doctrine down to the ground and bids them hold the head Christ from whence all parts of the body receive their nourishment Oh this cannot be pressed enough on you Many are not so prophane to despise the Ministery to cry down Ordinances though there be such in the world but then they are without Christ in the Ministery without Christ in the Ordinances As the Apostle spake of some without God in the world So these are without Christ in the Church It 's not the Ministery or Ordinances but Christ in them and by them which communicateth vertue and efficacy Thirdly Christs power is seen in convincing
yea if a godly man were to desire a way for to put him out of all doubts between God and his soul what better way could he require then this 4. In beleeving there is a receiving and a participation of all that Christ hath and hence receiving and beleeving is put for one another It 's also metaphorically expressed by eating and drinking Joh 6. That as by those actions we receive meat and it becometh our very substance so it is here by beleeving in him Christ is made ours even all that he hath is ours Thus by Faith we are said to be branches partaking of the fatnesse of the Olive Rom. 11. Oh then how excellent is this act of Faith which is the hand to put on all the glorious robes of Christ upon our soul It being not enough to know there is a Christ so qualified unlesse he become ours 5. This beleeving works an holy confidence and boldnesse at the Throne of grace It makes our praiers and duties full of fervency and alacrity Eph. 3.12 We come with boldnesse through Faith We see the Scepter is held out and so we may readily enter in and Heb. 4.16 Let us come with boldnesse to the Throne of grace Oh how much should the broken hearted sinner live in the Meditation of these things God opens the way by his grace and thou shuttest it by thy unbelief Through Christ the way to heaven is made a broad way and thy doubtings make it narrow When Christ cals Peter to come to him though upon the waters it 's not presumption but disobedience if Peter refuse 6. This is accompanied with large and vast thoughts of Christ This file their hearts and mouths with Christ as you see the Apostle Paul in every verse almost affectionately mentioning him Phil. 3. with what disdain doth he renounce and throw away all things in comparison of Christ The excellency of the knowledge of Christ and at another time He would know nothing but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 He that doth thus beleeve in Christ so manifested cannot but have his soul and all within him taken up this way Though there be many speak of Christ and talk of Christ yet none hath him indeed and none do truely esteem him but such persons as these Is then Christ dearer and closer to thy heart then all earthly comforts and delights Canst thou say the thoughts of Christ are sweet the meditations about him are my meat and drink all the day long this is precious Lastly This purifieth the heart and makes us an holy heavenly people If we be risen with Christ we set our affections on things above Col. 3.1 2. and he that hath this hope purifieth himself as God is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 Act. 15 9. As the Sun brings heat and light where it is so where faith is it makes the heat active and operative as Heb. 11. This is the beholding of God as in a glasse whereby we are transformed into his Image from grace to grace Beleeving gets spirituall strength even as eating and drinking doth bodily Therefore while thou abatest in thy faith thou dost not only lose thy comfort but thy spiritual strength If thou cease to beleeve not only doubts and fears but even lusts and sinnes will prevail over thee Thus you see what it is to beleeve in Christ thus manifested Now the grounds why it 's the duty of Gods people thus to know and beleeve are 1. Because Christ would otherwise be in vain he would not be of that use and improvement God hath appointed him for If the childe will not suck the breasts are filled in vain If the Prodigal will not eat the fatted Calf is in vain provided The Fountain runneth in vain if none will drink of it Oh then consider this if I do not by faith thus receive Christ I do as much as lieth in me make Christ of none effect I do as much as lieth in me make as if there had never been such a person as Christ If then the Apostle makes those false Teachers in such a dangerous estate that by corrupt opinions did make Christ to die in vain and his Crosse of none effect no lesse provoking must thy sin of unbelief be It takes Christ out of the world R. 2 2. We are thus to beleeve in Christ because in and through him God doth magnifie his glory His attributes of grace mercy and unspeakable bounty are exalted through Christ If then we do not thus receive Christ we deprive God of all this intended glory The Creation of the world and all the mercifull wondrous works God hath done for his Church were not intended to exalt God as Christ in all his benefits and therefore if it be so great a sin not to give God the glory in them how inexcusable will it be to fail in this R. 3 3. The insufficiency of all other things to satisfie the broken and troubled heart may justly make the godly fly to this So the disciples being to acknowledge Christ as the Mediatour they say Whither should we go thou hast the words of Eternal life If they run to their duties to their graces these are too weak to lean upon They are as Noahs Dove that findes the waters covering all the Mountains and highest Trees Seeing then we must have something to fix all our hopes and affections upon and all other things will fail how unwise are the godly if they keep a moment from Christ R. 4 4. Our necessity may enforce us And this floweth from the forenamed insufficiency in all other things Doth not thy own heart disquiet thee Doth not the perfect Law trouble thee Doth not the devil accuse thee and shall not all this make thee seek out for that which will answer all Paul tried all other things but he found nothing like Christ and thou art the rather to improve this to the full because there is not the least ability or priviledge in Christ that thou canst spare Christ is all over bread and food There is nothing in Christ but is of special use Oh then what folly is it that thou shouldst bour to know the fulnesse of any creature for thy wants and not of Christ He is an Ocean and not one drop in him but is of admirable efficacy He is a Pearl and so the least of that must be very precious if thou continuest in fears and lusts it 's because thou dost not improve all of Chrsst It 's not enough to touch the hemme of his garment but thou must receive whole Christ Vse of Instruction That all those sinners who love their sins and will not depart from them are wholly barred from all this comfort stand aloof off and bewail thy Leprosie Christ received not that fulnesse from his Father for thee abiding and continuing in thy sins Oh miserable and wretched though they live in ease and pleasures having all things their carnal appetites desire one thing is necessary and that
thou wantest Oh that the Spirit of God would convince such of their danger their poverty and nakednesse though they think they want nothing I tell thee this good Samaritan as well as the Priest will passe by thee Christ as well as the Law speaks no comfort to thee yea the bloud of Christ speaks more terrible things then the bloud of Abel Thy condemnation will be the greater because Christ came 〈◊〉 the world because he was crucified All thy other sins have not that aggravation as thy rejecting of grace of how much sorer punishment saith the Apostle shall such an one be thought worthy Vse 2. of direction to the people of God if thou fittest mourning like Rachel and refusest to be comforted blame thy own self It 's thy ignorance and folly thy unbelief and doubts cause all this What could God have done more What could Christ have done more then they have done yet thou takest no comfort hereby Oh that thou shouldst onely aggravate thy sinne and thy unworthinesse and not be as diligent to study and finde out all the fulnesse in Christ Christ as a Mediatour ordained by God should be the Book thou art to reade alwaies not a Page not a word but thou shouldst be acquainted with it Oh bewail thy self and say how many comforts how many priviledges have I bereaved my self of I have kept my self in the dark yea in the Whales belly and thought of nothing but sin and hell and damation Oh what little cause I had to wrong my self and Christ so much Oh think Christ bids thee as the Prophet did that Woman bring as many cruses as thou canst I have Oyle enough to fill all and thou art so froward thou wilt not Oh think Christ saith to thee Was it not enough that I lived for thee I died for thee but thou wilt as much as lieth in thee make me do all this in vain Thou sittest complaining and bewailing and Christ he complains of thee Learn then at last that heavenly prudence and Evangelicall skill to make use of whole Christ and all of Christ for thy spiritual good SERMON XXXVI Of Obedience to all the Commandements of God Shewing That that only is truely Obedience And the Property of a Godly man JOH 17.8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me And they have received them c. OUR Saviour in this Verse doth more largely amplifie that to which he had in the 7th Verse spoken more briefly so that he doth still continue in narrating and commending the Disciples Obedience and Faith which are the Jachin and the Boaz the two Pillars of practicall Christianity Their obedience is commended in the former part 1. By their readinesse and willingnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have received as willingly as men do food or gold and silver They put forth their hands to take it with all delight I mean the hands of their soul viz. their affections which are both the feet and the hands of the soul 2. There is the Object Thy words Where 1. We see That is only true and proper obedience which Gods Word requireth Though we be never so diligent and industrious yet if the Word of God commands not such things it 's no obedience 2. The Universality Thy words that is collectively and universally They had an equal respect to all 3. These words are described by the Original of them The words thou gavest me So that Christ though head of the Church yet did not deliver any thing to be beleeved or obeyed but what he had received of the Father an excellent President for all the Ministers of the Gospel We see then every crum in this bread of life is nourishing and we will not lose any 1. Whereas we see that Obedience doth alwaies relate to some Word of God and that we may not of our own heads choose to do what we please in matters of Religion We observe That that only is proper and acceptable Obedience which hath the Word of God requiring it We are apt to make Religion and godlinesse that which our own humours fancie yea and sometimes our lusts do suggest Hence every one is apt to judge of another as religious and godly not by the rule of the Word but by such principles as he hath taken up for himself Thus in Popery he is judged a very pious and obedient man who is most industriously diligent in all that invented worship the Church of Rome abounded with Though there be not one iâ—â—a or tittle for it in Gods Word but as the Word of God is the rule of faith so is it of obedience Faith and the Word must accompany one another and so must obedience and the word commanding Therefore Christ tels the Pharisees their devotion it was a vain devotion because Who hath required this at your hands Mat. 18.9 See a notable expression Isa 66.3 They have chosen their own waies I also will choose their delusions You see Let a man have never such godly intentions never such pious purposes yet if he choose a way of his own in faith and obedience God is greatly displeased and therefore howsoever heresie or an heretick which is as much as a chooser of his own way be by Scripture and Ecclesiastical Writers limited to a way of faith yet the Word may be extended to any practical obedience We may say Superstition is heresie We may say drunkennesse whoredome are heresie because they are waies chosen of men to walk in contrary to Gods Word so he who would have comfort in his obedience must look to Gods command The grounds of this are First From the Supremacy and Soveraignty of God who alone is to prescribe to man his duty He is our great Lord and Master so that as it would be very absurd in a Servant to do that work which he thinketh fit and not what his Master enjoyneth no lesse is it for men to think that God will accept them in such and such waies when yet they cannot bring his Superscription and authority stampâ— upon it Hence it is that the Prophets do so often use this expression Thus saith the Lord It 's not their counsell or their commands but Gods Oh then examine thy actions thy waies thou puttest much confidence in them Thou hast much comfort from them but are they svch as God hath required Did not our Saviour at one word throw to the ground all that glistering golden Piety of the Pharisees There is no command for it This is the foundation you must lay else your building though never so glorious will have a terrible fall Secondly Obedience must have Gods command else it cannot enjoy Gods promise and blessing Whatsoever God commands he hath annexed a gracious promise thereto for our encouragement and reward Therefore it 's said In vain do they worship me There is no promise of Gospel-priviledges or salvation to such actions Now how sad a thing is it when the same