Redemption as well as undertook it I say if Christ should have left the work in the midst as his poor Disciples through their ignorance would have had him there could never have been so great a mercy extended neither to them not to any others as the coming of the Holy Spirit and therefore our Lord tells them he must go or else the Comforter will not come now the reason wherefore the Spirit is said to be sent to do so many good Offices for the Saints is not to make us think that he is an inferior Messenger but to let us know that all that joy and comfort peace and sanctification and in a word all that Grace that is extended through the Divine operation of the Holy Spirit it all comes unto us through the blood-shedding of our Lord Jesus Christ and truly my Brethren if you do but consider the work of the Spirit in the hearts of Men me thinks it is enough to convince you or any knowing men in the world that he that doth it must needs be God If a man be but an experienced man and doth but mind the great blindness that is in the mind and the hardness that is in the heart and doth but consider how the soul is in slaved under the power of sin and Sathan living in the love and service of Wickedness being alienated from the life of God being far from the fear and love of him having no delight in his Commandements but being ungodly and graceless dead in trespasses and sins and then on the other hand considers what an Estate the soul must be brought unto before it can be fit for eternal communion with God If a person do but thus mind the greatness of the work the Spirit is to do in taking away the filth and pollution of the heart and cleansing the whole man from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and the renuing of the soul in knowledg and holiness and making it meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light Now I say what man that hath Prayed and fasted and watched and used all the means he can and yet finds in what a frame his heart continueth how far from that purity and God-like-ness that one day he hopeth to enjoy but now which way could a man expect it if he that had undertaken the work were not infinite in Power Wisdom and Goodness for my part I look upon this work as the greatest of all those wonderful works that God hath done or hath promised to do and therefore it is not likely that the greatest of all works should be laid upon the shoulders of him that is less than God Again if you look Psalm 139. there you shall find that the Prophet ascribes both Omni-presence and the searching of the heart unto the Holy Spirit which plainly speaks out his being God and Rom. 9 1. you find Paul calling the Holy Ghost to bear witness of the truth of his heart sorrow for his Brethren the Israelites which plainly proves that he is God See two Texts for this 1 King 8.39 For thou even thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men the same words you have in 2 Chron. 6.30 in both which places you see it is the peculiar prerogative of the only true God to know the hearts of the sons of men and I think no man is or at least should be so weak as to think the Apostle would call him to bear witness of the truth of the heart that doth not understand and know the heart I shall name you but one Text more for this and that is Luke 1.35 And the Angel answered and said unto her the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Here you see that the Holy Spirit is called the highest and I think a title beyond this is not given any where nor cannot be given to the only true God but besides the Angel tells Mary that the Holy Ghost shall come upon her and by the power of him she should conceive and therefore this Son of hers should be called the Son of God Now therefore me thinks this should put the business beyond all dispute for if the Holy Spirit be the Father of our Lord Jesus sure he cannot be less than the only true God But it may be you will say unto me How shall all this that I have said be reconciled Can the Father be God and the Son be God and the Holy Spirit be God and yet there be but one only true God Beloved I pray you do not cast away an Opinion because it is old neither do I perswade you to receive it therefore but measure all Opinions both old and new by the measuring line of Truth the Word of God unto which I shall leave you for the tryal of this great mystery of godliness and shall commend two Texts more unto you for the reconciling of what hath been said the one is in 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mysterie of godliness God was manifest in the flesh Here me thinks the Apostle shews you how all this is reconcileable God was manifest in the flesh saith he not the Godhead of Christ without the Father and without the Spirit but God saith He was manifested in the flesh that is the God-head as it is written Iohn 10.30 I and my Father are one not only in communion as some may think but also in union and One-ness as it is plain Iohn 14 9 10 11. another Text you have in Col. 2.3 9. In whom speaking of Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg Mark it I pray you if all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg be hid in Christ then are you like to find none of them out of him but all the wisdom of the Father and of the Spirit it will be all found in Christ as it followeth here in verse 9. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God head bodily I know not how you can have more express and plain words all the fulness of the Father and of the Spirit if that be the fulness of the God-head you see dwells in Christ that is it hath such a real union an One-ness with the humane nature of the Lord Jesus that in Act. 20.28 his Blood is there called the Blood of God I shall leave these Texts of Scriptures to your serious consideration and proceed no further at this time but leave the Application till the Afternoon THE FIFTH EXERCISE John 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I Have in the morning from these words as you know opened the Doctrine of the God-head unto you a work which I have not been forward in nor should I have medled with it being a work of an high nature and requireth the
easily he is tempted finding his own heart alwayes ready to betray him into the Tempters hands this is indeed enough to work amazing thoughts and to drive a person to utter despair if it were not for that ground of hope we have in Jesus Christ but here is a strong ground of considence in this that Christ hath undertaken to save men from sin and to subdue it and that he hath provided weapons to pull down Sathans strongest holds and to bring under every lust though never so strong and high so that there shall not be an imagination or a thought but Christ can and will conquer and bring into subjection by the power of his Spirit yea his business into the world was to purge the Conscience from dead works and to cleanse and purifie the soul from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and to purge us from our very Idols Now therefore consider how great the goodness of God is to put this work into the hands of Christ alass if it had been left in our hands it would never have been done but he hath undertaken it himself and therefore it will prosper Again another end of our Lord Jesus his coming into the world is to comunicate the graces of his Spirit to all that come to him for them John 1.16 and Luke 11.13 How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him saith the Text here you see upon what terms you may obtain the Holy Spirit it is but going to Christ to ask it he hath promised it and he cannot deny it for he is truth it self and cannot deny himself it is impossible Again Jesus Christ came to bring life and immortality to light through the Gospel 1 Tim. 1.10 Mark it I pray you his coming hath brought life and immortality that is as much as to say he hath brought an immortal crown of life and glory yea may some poor soul say it is a good portion indeed if a man knew which way to come to inherit it but alass I do not know which way I can come by this blessed inheritance that is answered in the next words he hath brought it to light through the Gospel that is as much as if he should say he came also to bring a Gospel that should bring light with it unto the understandings and souls of men Beloved it is not promised to men whether they attend to the Gospel or no therefore deceive not your own hearts but if you do attend on the Gospel and take its direction it will bring that light into thy soul that will bring thee to see how to come to enjoy this blessed inheritance there be many precious promises of the like nature in the Scriptures look Prov. 2.6 first verses and do but consider them there is a plain promise that if you use the same diligence in praying and seeking for this spiritual riches as men use to do for temporal Riches you shall be sure to find it and the ground of this is because that out of the mouth of the Lord cometh knowledg and understanding it is not therefore because a man makes diligent search and so deserveth it no nor yet because it lyeth either in his diligence or the Ordinances unavoidably but because the grace and love of God is such that he sent Jesus Christ for that very end that whosoever would be but perswaded to wait upon him in the use of the means appointed by him for that end and purpose should not miss of that grace and sweet advantage to his poor soul another end of his coming is to tread down Sathan under our feet so that although he be full of subtilty and craft and strength and makes use of all the means and instruments he can yet shall he never be too hard for that soul that comes to Christ for Refuge no although the poor soul be laden with ignorance lust hardness of heart and unbelief too and never so many sinful and soul-destroying diseases if he do but come to Christ in good earnest and desire him to deliver him he wil certainly do it nay if when Christ knocks at the door of a sinners heart to bid him stand up from the dead and he will deliver him out of the paw of the Devil if then I say you shut not Christ out of door and bid him depart from thee and tell him thou desirest not the knowledg of his wayes I say again if thou deal not thus with him it is the proper work for which Christ came to seek out lost sinners and to save them and therefore he will not be wanting to do it again he came to be a fellow-feeler of our infirmities that he might know what it is to suffer adversity and to be tempted to the end he might be a merciful High Priest and might minister that help comfort and strength which would be needful upon all occasion therefore you may be sure that whatever your souls distress is whether it be sin sorrow temptation or of what kind soever there is help for you in Christ if you do not neglect it or refuse it but you must know also that Christ came to command sinners to Repent and Beleeve and obey him and if you shall for the love of pleasure or profit wilfully refuse the offers of his Grace you must know he came with Authority to execute judgement in all such cases and thus much for this present THE SEVENTH EXERCISE John 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent YOu know that in the morning I came to speak to this third general head of Doctrine in the Text namely the sending of Jesus Christ and I have shewed you who sent him and from whence he came and what he was sent to do all that I shall now add to that I have said already is only this that as the Father hath sent him to take upon him these three great Offices King Priest and Prophet so he hath furnished him with power and ability to do all the work that doth belong unto these Offices therefore you need not fear to cast your burthen upon the Lord for God hath laid help upon one that is mighty Psalm 89.19 Isai 63.1 one strong enough to break down the power of all your enemies sin lust snare temptation or whatever else lies in the way of your peace he is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Heb. 7 25. Now the reason of this wherefore it was necessary for Christ to be sent of the Father for the doing of this great work is this such is the helplesness of poor fallen man he is so dead in Trespasses and sins and in so miserable and lost a condition that nothing but the free Grace of God in Christ can possibly help him for he in himself is so utterly unworthy of any mercy that there is no other way to
MEANES TO PREVENT PERISHING OR THE USEFULNESSE OF The Saving Knowledge OF GOD. Discovered in these Particulars I. The blessed tendency the Knowledg of God hath to bring Men to Salvation II. The One-ness of the Father Son and Spirit III. The excellency of Christs Person IV. The excellent nature of Eternal Life By W S. a Servant of the Lord Jesus Hos 4.6 My people are destroyed for lack of Knowledge LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Fr. Smith in Flying-Horse Court in Fleet-street 1658. To the READER Courteous Reader THese following lines are brought to thy view through the desire of some that heard them Preached and could not be satisfied till others had a taste of them as well as themselves It grieves me for thy sake that a subject of this worth hath not been brought forth by some better abilities but seeing it is my lot to be the instrument of its birth I must present a few requests to thee And the first is this that thou wouldst consider the usefulness of these most precious truths how much they will contribute toward the attainment of thine eternal peace Knowledge in general is justified of all her Sons to be of excellent worth but amongst all Knowledge the knowledg of God in Jesus Christ must be confess'd to be a jewel of the choicest worth it is the Corner Stone of all Religion and piety that tends to set thy judgement right in all other points and an excellent guide to the right interpretation of the holy Scriptures It hath likewise a great command over the Conscience and hath a blessed tendence to keep thee from prophaneness unrighteousness and negligence when once thou comest to know God in Christ thou canst not well through despair want incouragement to serve God nor yet through presumption take the boldness to wander from his Commandements but this Grace is such a help to keep thy heart and life in an upright frame that without very much wilfulness thou canst not well go out of thy way to happiness And likewise the knowledge of the worth of Eternal Life tends much to draw thy mind from Eartly vanities to those things that be above A second desire I have to thee is this That thou wilt lay aside that overliness and formality of Spirit wherewith Books of this nature are oftentimes read as if they were things that concerned us not but be so faithful to thy Souls interest as to read this without prejudice partiality and slightness of spirit lay up these truths in thine heart and bring forth the fruit of them and doubtless they will make thy conversation to shine to the praise of the Grace of God in this life and also make thee a meet heir of that glorious inheritance prepared for all them that love the appearing of our Lord Jesus Thirdly I beseech thee if thou meetest with Edification and Comfort as I trust thou wilt in the reading of this Book when thine heart is warm present a request to the Throne of Grace for the Author thereof that he may never be so unhappy as to carve all these sweet dainties away to others from himself but that he may be through Grace inabled to take his own share of them for his saving advantage So commending my poor yet faithful Labours to thy serious consideration and to the blessing of the great God of Heaven and Earth I remain thine in the Lord Jesus W. S. MEANES TO PREVENT PERISHING THE FIRST EXERCISE John 17.3 And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent IN the words immediately going before you may observe that our Lord Jesus is a speaking by way of acknowledgment unto his Father of that authority and power that he had given him over all Flesh And in particular to give eternal life to a certain number there specified Which words I shall not speak further to now having opened them the last time I spake unto you In the words now read unto you you are to consider in what sence the knowledg of God and of Christ is Eternal Life I shall apply my self to this only at this time and not stand to shew you what is here meant by Eternal Life having done it so lately nor yet stand to shew you in what sence the Father sent Christ nor what to do nor wherefore he is said to be the only true God But I shall leave all this till another time and come to this particular only at this time to consider how the knowledg of God and of Christ is Eternal Life First then let us consider whether the meaning of the words be this That the persons that know the Father and Jesus Christ do indeed possess Eternal Life Or Secondly Whether they that know God and Christ are thereby assured of Eternal Life Or Thirdly Whether those that know the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ have thereby a very excellent means that hath a very gracious tendency in it to bring the persons in whom this knowledg is to Eternal Life Now I shall not stand to oppose the two former Expositions nor undertake to say that in no sence or degree they might be granted to be true yet the latter I take to be the meaning of the words namely this That the knowledg of God and of Jesus Christ is a means of Eternal Life Beloved I pray you observe it when the Scripture saith the knowledg of God is eternal life less than this cannot be in it that it is a means thereof Now therefore I pray you observe this general Conclusion from the words Doct. 1. That the knowledg of God and of his Son Jesus Christ is a glorious means of Eternal Life that hath a very gracious tendency in it to bring persons in whom this knowledg is to that happy enjoyment I shall name you two or three Texts more that speak the same language the first is in the 9 of Ier. 23 24. verses Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome nor the mighty in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that gloryeth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me Mark it beloved let not the wise man glory in his wisdom and yet wisdom is a most excellent gift that might better be gloried in then riches or strenth or any gift of that like nature and yet the spirit of God grants no liberty to glory in it but in this saith the Lord let him glory that he understandeth and knoweth me Now if in this you may so freely glory by the allowance of the Holy Spirit and yet neither in gifts nor parts surely this knowledg is of a most excellent tendency to bring much advantage and good to the Soul Another text you shall find in the 1 of Cor. the 1.21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
there is one and but one Eternal Infinite Unchangeable and Invisible God from whom all things were are for evermore who is alone to be feared and obeyed and to be worshipped in spirit and in truth and to be had in especial reverence of all that come about him But I shall say no more to this trusting none of you will deny it but shall come in the next place to shew you that what is Attributed unto the true God and that which in a proper sence is only meet to be ascribed unto him is also ascribed both unto the Lord Jesus and also to the Holy Spirit Now therefore for the first of these you shall see how pregnant and plainly the Scriptures do acknowledg the Lord Jesus to be God and do give as much honour unto him as is or as can be given to the Father look Isai 6.9 the words are these For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders Here you see plainly that this is spoken of the Lord Jesus and can be applyed to no other Now you shall see what is there further said of him and what Names and Titles are Attributed to him in the following words and his Name shall be called wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace now tell me I pray you what ever was or can be ascribed to the Father more than this to call him The mighty God what can be in that word less than this the acknowledging of him to be the Author and Fountain of might and power likewise to call him The everlasting Father what can it signifie less than his being the first cause of all things and he that by himself alone and his own might and power hath produced them and brought them forth Again look Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty I pray you think of it for my part I cannot see that in these termes beginning and ending first and last as it follows in verse 11. there can be less than the magnifying of himself to be the first cause of all things and the upholder of them to all Eternity and the manifester of himself in them to be even from eternity the only true God for if there had been any other either before him or together with him from Eternity then could he not be called the first and for this word the Almighty it is so full a word to express the Godhead by that I cannot tell where you can find a fuller for if in him be all might then no part of this Almightiness can be found in any other and so much this word the Almighty must needs signifie now if you compare this with vers 17 18. you will clearly see that all this the Lord Jesus speaks of himself and therefore he cannot be less than God Again if you please to look Phil. 2.6 there you will find the Apostle saying that he thought it not robbery to be equal with God but if he had not been truly God indeed it could not have been less than robbery either so to speak or so to think for it is impossible for any created Being that is the Off-spring of God to reckon it self equal with God without committing those most horrible great sins of Pride and Blasphemy and therefore it is most evident that he that thinks it no Robbery to be equal with God cannot be less than God himself and if you please to look in the first Epistle of John chap. 5. Verse 20. there you shall find the name of the True God ascribed to Jefus Christ but no where in all the Scriptures shall you find that the name of the true God is used in a figurative sence but he to whom this honour is given must needs be the most high God Further in John 20.28 there you shall find Thomas acknowledging of him to be both his Lord and his God but if it had not been a Title fully due unto the Lord Jesus both he and Thomas had greatly failed the one in giving and the other in taking this great glory to himself Now I shall come in the next place to shew you that the Holy Spirit also is God and that that which is ascribed unto him in the Scriptures could not be ascribed to him if he were not God First consider what Names and Titles the Holy Spirit taketh unto himself Isai 57.15 Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is holy Mark it spray you for any Man to call himself by the Name of the most High and lofty One that is inferior to the most High it is impossible or to ascribe to himself Eternity or the Name of the Holy One that is not the most High and Eternal God it cannot be but this is spoken by the Spirit and that of himself as you may see by that which follows in the next words I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Here you see by the gracious work and Office here undertaken who it is that speaks for it is granted of all men that it is the proper work and office of the Spirit to be the Sanctifier and comforter of the people of God and that it is he which doth refresh and revive and comfort the hearts of poor humble contrite sinners but if men should deny it yet the Scriptures do clearly witness it I will name you but one Text for this Iohn 14.16 17 18. there Christ tells his Disciples That he will pray the Father to send them this Comforter this holy Spirit that should abide with them for ever and dwell both in them and with them and they should not be left comfortless whence you see plainly that the in-dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the heart is that which doth support and comfort and revive it and he that doth this gracious work for and in the souls of Gods poor people is that high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity which must needs be the only true God But some men may say how can the Holy Spirit be God seeing Christ saith that he will pray the Father to send him and when he comes he shall not speak of himself can he be the Messenger of the Father or of Christ to bring their minds unto the understandings of men and yet be the same true and only God For answer unto this you must know that all the mercy that is or that can be extended unto the sons of Men comes unto them through the mediation of the Lord Jesus and therefore it was necessary that Christ should dye and rise and ascend yea I must tell you if Christ had not gone on and finished the work of
best abilities that these times do afford but only for these reasons I have now done it First I find some such motions flying abroad both in discourse and in print about this subject which in my judgement savours not well Secondly I do not find able men men of knowledg such as I would be glad to provoke to this work so forward to bring forth light as others to bring forth darkness and if they have it is more than I know Thirdly the matter I have spoken to fell in my way and I thought I might do well and it was my duty to bring forth my Mite in such a time as this wherein I find so many casting vails over the Name of Christ and of the Holy Spirit now therefore I do beseech you seriously to consider of that which hath been said unto you take heed of looking upon our Lord Jesus as a meer Creature lest your Faith fail you in the day of Temptation if the work of Redemption be but considered how great it is what a price must be laid down before this work could be done and that Law which in that condition in which man once stood would have been his life now he cannot expect nothing from it as the case standeth but only death but all the life and pardoning Grace that now cometh to poor man comes only through the Blood of the Lord Jesus now except a man know the worth and all-sufficiency of Christ that he is perfectly able to remove all the Curses which his sins have deserved and also able to procure him all the blessings his soul stands in need of it will be very hard if not altogether impossible to rest upon him in the day of tryal and so likewise when a man shall come to see what a great work it is to change the heart of man to subdue sin and to sanctifie the soul and when he shall see the barrenness of his heart in the graces and fruits of the Spirit of Christ also and withall considers what a degree of perfection all those are brought unto that inherit Eternal life and then minds that the Spirit of God is he that hath undertaken to carry on this hard and to man this impossible work If now he be not established in the knowledg and firm belief of this that the Holy Spirit that carries on this work is the only true God I say except a man beleeve and know this he can have little ground to hope or beleeve that ever it will come to perfection but wherefore should any men be so hardly brought to beleeve this me thinks it is for want of consideration the scriptures you know speaks of the Spirit of God in some places and in other places of the Spirit of Christ should we therefore be so weak as to think that the Father hath one Spirit Christ another but now if we must needs understand that the Spirit of God the Spirit of Christ is but one Spirit wherefore should we not as well believe that God the Spirit of God are all one likewise then Beloved if the Spirit of Christ and the Father be one and God and the Spirit of God one then wherefore should we think that the Godhead of Christ and of the Father are more than one but I shall press this no further but come now to make some Use of it Vse 1. And if it be so that there is one and but one only true God who is the fountain and perfection of all Power Wisdom Truth and goodness who alone made Heaven and Earth the seas and all the Hosts of Creatures that are contained in them and on whose meet grace and love depends the happiness and well-being of all things whatsoever whos 's all seeing eye beholds all the secrets of all hearts and whose Eternal invisible unchangeable Almighty and Omni-present Being fills the whole Creation but is not contained in it who is worthy of all honour service praise and worship from all Creatures for evermore I say if this be so then let this God be our God let us have no other but him alone to be our God I shall not trouble you nor my self with that foolish Generation of men that use to picture him up and to set him forth by such vain Images as their hands can make I hope you are past this absurd and foolish practice but I pray you beware that you set up no. Idols of him in your minds Oh do not suffer any thought or imagination of him to come or to rest within your hearts that is low or carnall take heed that you do not liken him to any thing that ever your eyes have seen but let your thoughts be of him acording unto that glorious discription that his own boly records give of him let high reverence and honour love and holy fear accompany every thought that comes into your minds of his most excellent and glorious Name be sure you chuse him for your chiefest good let him be your only Diadem and the Crown which your hearts have chosen for your chiefest treasure be sure that you do not esteem love nor honour any relation or thing whatsoever as you do this most High and only true God for if you do you commit Idolatry against him who is a jealous God and will not give his glory to another and therefore beware for whatsoever any man doth set up and in heart esteeme love or honour above God or equall with him sets up another God and shall be reckoned amongst Idolaters and such as have committed spiritual whoredom against him when Christ shall come to judg every man according to his works But I shall more particularly come to shew you something of the honour that is due to this only true God in setting some of those duties before you which in especial you owe to him First then give him this honour to yeeld up your hearts unto him to love him above all things whatsoever this use Moses makes of this point Deut. 6.45 hear O Israel saith he the Lord our God is one Lord and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might Here you see what is due to God even love in the very height of it the whole heart soul might is all little enough for God no creature must come between the heart and God neither wife nor child nor pleasure nor profit for if there be any thing in the world that a man loves better than God or as well as he this is no less a sin than the setting up of another God therefore look to your hearts in these two special cases when the glory of God comes in competition either with a mans beloved relations or his beloved sins if he cannot cast them both away for the honour of his God he is unworthy of him see I pray you what our Lord Jesus saith to this point Luke 14.26 If any man come