CHRISTS TEMPTATION AND TRANSFIGURATION PRACTICALLY EXPLAINED AND IMPROVED In several SERMONS By the late Reverend THO. MANTON D. D. LONDON Printed in the YEAR 1685. TO THE READER THE following Discourses on Those important Subjects of the Temptation and Transfiguration of our Blessed Saviour together with the Sermons on the First Chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians from the 14th to the 21th verse Having been carefully Perused and Transcribed from the Reverend Authors own Manuscripts are now at the earnest request of divers persons that were the happy Auditors thereof offered to publick view had the Authour lived to publish these himself they had come forth into the World more exact but yet as they are now left I doubt not but they will be very acceptable to all that have discerning Minds for the peculiar Excellency contained in them Thus much was thought necessary to be said by way of Preface The Work sufficiently commending it self especially coming from such an Author as Doctor Manton THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST SERM. I. MATTH 4. 1. Then was Iesus led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be Tempted of the Devil THis Scripture giveth us the History of Christs Temptation which I shall go over by degrees In the Words Observe 1. The Parties Tempted and Tempting The Person Tempted was the Lord Iesus Christ. The Person Tempting was the Devil 2. The Occasion inducing this Combate Iesus was led up of the Spirit 3. The Time Then 4. The Place the Wilderness From the whole observe Doctrine The Lord Iesus Christ was pleased to submit himself to an extraordinary Combate with the Tempter for our good 1. I shall explain the nature and circumstances of this extraordinary Combate 2. The Reasons why Christ submitted to it 3. The good of this to us I. The circumstances of this extraordinary Combate And here 1. The Persons Combating Iesus and the Devil the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent It was designed long before Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel and now it is accomplished Here is the Prince of peace against the Prince of darkness Michael and the Dragon the Captain of our Salvation and our grand Enemy The Devil is the great Architect of wickedness as Christ is the Prince of Life and Righteousness These are the Combatants the one ruined the creation of God and the other restored and repaired it 2. The Manner of the combate It was not meerly a phantasm that Christ was thus assaulted and used No he was tempted in reality not in conceit and imagination only It seemeth to be in the Spirit though it was real As Paul was taken up into the third Heaven whether in the body or out of the body we cannot easily judge but real it was I shall more accurately discuss this question afterwards in its more proper place 3. What Moved him Or how was he brought to enter into the lists with Satan He was led by the Spirit meaning thereby the impulsion and excitation of the Holy Spirit the Spirit of God For it is said Luke 4. 1. Iesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Iordan and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness He did not voluntarily put himself upon Temptation but by Gods appointment went up from Iordan further into the Desart We Learn hence 1. That temptations come not by chance not out of the Earth nor meerly from the Devil but God ordereth them for his own Glory and our Good Satan was fain to beg leave to tempt Iob Iob 1. 12. And the Lord said unto Satan behold all that he hath is in thy power onely upon himself put not forth thine hand There is a concession with a limitation till God exposeth us to tryals the devil cannot trouble us nor touch us So Luke 22. 31. Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat Nay he could not enter into the Herd of Swine without a patent and new pass from Christ Matth. 8. 31. So the devils besought him saying If thou cast us out suffer us to go away into the Herd of Swine This cruel spirit is held in the chains of an irresistable Providence that he cannot molest any creature of God without his permission Which is a great satisfaction to the faithful all things which concern our tryal are determined and ordered by God If we be free let us bless God for it and pray that he would not lead us into temptation if tempted when we are in Satans hands remember Satan is in Gods hand 2. Having given up our selves to God we are no longer to be at our own dispose and direction but must submit our selves to be led guided and ordered by God in all things So it was with Christ he was led by the spirit continually if he retire into the desart he is led by the Spirit Luke 4. 1. If he come back again into Galilee ver 4. Iesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee The Holy Ghost leadeth him into the conflict and when it was ended leadeth him back again Now there is a perfect likeness between a Christian and Christ he is led by the spirit off and on so we must be guided by the same Spirit in all our actions Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God 3. That we must observe our warrant and calling in all we resolve upon To put our selves upon hazards we are not called unto is to go out of our bounds to meet a temptation or to ride into the devils quarters Christ did not go of his own accord into the desart but by divine impulsion and so he came from thence We may in our place and calling venture our selves on the protection of Gods Providence upon obvious temptations God will maintain and support us in them that is to trust God but to go out of our calling is to tempt God 4. Compare the words used in Matthew and Mark chap. 1. 12. And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the Wilderness That shows that it was a forcible motion or a strong impulse such as he could not easily resist or refuse so here is freedom he was led there is Force and efficacious impression he was driven with a voluntary condescension thereunto There may be liberty of mans Will yet the victorious efficacy of Grace united together a man may be taught and drawn as Christ here was led and driven by the Spirit into the Wilderness 3. The Time 1. Presently after his Baptisme Now the Baptism of Christ agreeth with ours as to the general nature of it Baptism is our initiation into the service of God or our solemn consecration of our selves to him and it doth not only imply work but fight Rom. 6. 13. Neither yield ye your members as instruments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
neither good nor profitable to put either his Sonship or the care of Gods Providence to this Tryal as if he had said I shall not require any more signs to prove my Filiation nor express any doubt of his Power and Goodness towards me as the Israelites did Exod. 17. 7. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah because of the chiding of the children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying Is the Lord among us or not To which story this prohibition of tempting God alludeth 2. He doth with advantage give us other Instructions As 1. That we must not esteem the less of Scripture though Satan and his Instruments abuse it and that nothing is more profitable to dissolve doubts and objections raised from Scripture than to compare one Scripture with another For scripture is not opposite to scripture there is a fair Agreement and Harmony between the truths therein compared and one place doth not cross another but clear and explain another One place saith he hath a great care of his People and useth the Ministry of Angels for that end and purpose but another place saith Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God they must not seek out dangers and forfeit their protection by unreasonable Presumption 2. It teacheth us that what the Scripture speaketh to all is to be esteemed as spoken to every singular Person for they are included in their Universality In Deuteronomy it is ye shall not tempt the Lord your God but Christ accommodateth it to his own purpose Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God He that is not to be tempted by a multitude is not to be tempted by any one So Psal. 27. 8. When thou saidst Seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek Gods words invite all but David maketh Application to himself 3. Christ subjects himself to the Moral Law and did apply the Precepts thereof to himself no less than to us and so is a Patern of Obedience to us that we ought to direct and order all our Actions according to the Law and Word of God Doctrine Tempting of God may be an usual but yet it is a great and heinous sin In speaking to this Point I shall shew I. What this Tempting of God is II. The Heinousness of the Sin I. What is this Tempting of God And here let me speak 1. To the Object 2. To the Act. First The Object The Lord thy God To us Christians there is but one onely true God Father Son and Holy Ghost Now sometimes we are said to tempt God and sometimes Christ and sometimes the Spirit of God 1. In Scripture we are said to tempt God as Psal. 95. 9. When your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my works We tempt God either explicitely or implicitely 1. Explicitely by plain and direct words which tend to Gods dishonour or a doubting of his Prescience Power and Providence if they have not all things given them according to their fancies and humors As Psal. 78. 18 19. They tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lusts Yea they spake against God and said Can God provide a table in the wilderness So Exod. 17. 7. Is the Lord in the midst of us or no They doubted whether Gods Presence were among them when they had continually such pregnant proofs of it The words may either bear this sense Who knows that God is present Or Now see whether God be present or takes any care of us yea or no. 2. Implicitely or by Interpretation which is a more secret way of tempting God when the Act speaketh it whatever be the intention of the Doer As those who were about to lay the burden of the Rites of Moses's Law on the new converts of the Gentiles Acts 15. 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear That is why do you not acquiesce in the Will of God apparently manifested as if ye did go about to try whether God did require any thing of his servants besides Faith in Christ His Will was clearly evident in the case by what happened to Cornelius Or as if ye would try whether God will take it well that ye should impose upon his Disciples a yoke that he approveth not 2. We are said to tempt Christ and he may be considered either as in the dayes of his Flesh or in his state of glory and with respect to his invisible presence 1. In the dayes of his Flesh he was frequently tempted by the Scribes and Pharisees who would not be satisfied in his Mission notwithstanding all the signs and wonders that he had wrought among them or else sought to accuse and disgrace him and prejudice the people against him so Matth. 16. 1. The Pharisees with the Sadducees came and tempting him desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven So Matth. 22. 18. Why tempt ye me ye hypocrites When the Pharisees and the Herodians came to question him about paying Tribute So Luk. 10. 25. A certain Lawyer stood up and tempted him c. 2. In his state of Glory and with respect to his invisible presence So the Israelites in the Wilderness tempted him before his coming in the flesh and Christians may now tempt him after his Ascension into Heaven Both are in one place 1 Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents What was their tempting of Christ in the Wilderness If he be considered as God he had a subsistence before he was incarnate of the Virgin and in this sense as they tempted God so they may be said also to tempt Christ for all the affliction shame and disgrace done to that people are called the Reproach of Christ Heb. 11. 26 27. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt So their murmuring might be called a tempting of Christ. Christ was the perpetual Head of the Church who in his own Person did lead the people and was present in the midst of them under the notion of the Angel of the Covenant The Eternal Son of God guided them in the Wilderness Exod. 23. 20 21 22 23. Behold I will send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak then I will be an enemy to thy enemies and an adversary unto thine adversaries For mine angel shall go before thee and bring thee in unto the land of the Amorites c. This Angel can be no other than Christ whose
office it is to keep us in the way and to bring us into the place which Christ hath prepared for us he it is that must be obeyed by the people of God and pardon their transgressions in him is Gods Name for he will not communicate it to any other that is not of the same substance with himself God is in him and he in the Father and his name is Iehovah our Righteousness So Exod. 33. 14. My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest My presence that is my Angel spoken of before called the angel of his presence Isa. 63. 9. In all their affliction he was afflicted and the angel of his presence saved them This Angel is called Iehovah Exod. 13. 21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud c. This Angel of Gods presence was no other than Jesus Christ the conductor of them in the Wilderness who safe-guarded them and secured them all the way from Egypt to Canaan And we Christians may also tempt Christ for the Apostle warneth us against it We tempt Christ now he is ascended into Heaven when we disobey his Lawes question his Authority doubt of his Promises after sufficient means of conviction that he is the Messias the Son of God grow weary of his Religion lothing spiritual Manna and begin to be glutted with the Gospel and are discouraged in the way to our heavenly Canaan whither we are travelling 3. The Holy Ghost is said also to be tempted Acts 5. 9. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord Namely by their Hypocrisie and Dissimulation putting it to the trial whether he could discover them in their sin yea or no they had endeavoured as much as in them lay to deceive the Spirit by keeping back part of the price that is by that practice they would put it to the trial whether the Holy Ghost yea or no could find out that cheat and fallacy It is not barely to deceive the Apostle who was full of the Holy Ghost and had a discerning spirit though to them they brought their lye no saith the Apostle ye have not lyed unto men but unto God Ver. 4. and therefore they are said to tempt the Holy Ghost whether he could find them out or no though they had so many experiences of his care and respect to the Church and all affairs belonging thereunto and so the injury was done not to the Apostles but to the Holy Ghost himself Secondly The Act. What is this Tempting of God Temptation is the proving and making Trial of a Thing or Person what he is and what he will do Thus we tempt God when we put it to the Trial whether God will be as good as his Word and doubt of the cominatory and promissory part thereof or whether he will be such an one as he is taken to be Now this is lawful or unlawful according as the Trial is made humbly and dutifully or else proudly and sinfully whether God will do such a thing as we have prescribed him And again as the trial is made necessarily or unnecessarily sinfully we are said to tempt God when we make an unnecessary experiment of his Truth Goodness and Power and Care of us having had sufficient assurance of these things before 1. There is a tempting or proving of God in a way of Duty So we are bidden Malachi 3. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now therewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windowes of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it God there submitteth to a trial upon experience though we are to believe him upon his bare word yet he will have us to wait for the good things promised and in this sense it is said The word of the Lord is a tried word he is a buckler to all them that trust in him Psal. 18. 30. All those that build any hope upon it and wait to see what the Lord will do will find that God will stand to his Word This is a constant duty to observe Gods Truth and Faithfulness To suspend our belief till the event is distrust but to wait observing what God will do as to the event is an unquestionable Duty 2. There is an allowed trying of God in some cases I cannot say it is a Duty because it is only warrantable by Gods special indulgence and dispensation and I cannot say it is a sin because of Gods gracious condescension to his People Iudges 6. 39. And Gideon said unto God Let not thine anger be hot against me and I will speak but this once Let me prove I pray thee but this once with the fleece let it be now dry only upon the fleece and upon all the ground let there be dew The request was not of distrust and malice but of infirmity and from a weak Faith not out of Infidelity to tempt God but out of Humility being sensible of his own weakness he desired this help for the further confirmation of his Faith concerning his calling to this work as an Instrument authorized and the issue and success of it and also to assure others who followed him To this head I refer Thomas his proof and trial Ioh. 20. 25. Except I see in his hand the print of the nailes and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Here was weakness in Thomas to suspend his Faith upon such a condition but an Apostle was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eye-witness of those things which were done especially of his Resurrection and therefore Christ meekly condescended to his request ver 27. Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing I put it among infirmities he alloweth him his trial of sense but with some rebuke To this head may be referred that of Hezekiah who when he was sick of a mortal disease and the Lord had extraordinarily promised him on his mourning that he should be recovered again he asks a sign for the confirmation of his Faith and God grants it him 2 Kings 20. 8 9. And the instance of Ahaz who when the Prophet bid him ask a sign he said Isa. 7. 12. I will not ask neither will I tempt the Lord. He believed nothing of what the Prophet had spoke and was resolved to go on in his way but he pretended a reverend and religious respect to God This kind of tempting God is tolerable being an act of condescension in God to the weakness of his People 3. There is a sinful Tempting of God and this is done two ways 1. Generally every Transgression in a general sense is a tempting of God Num. 14. 22. They have tempted me now these ten
O full of subtilty and all mischief thou child of the devil thou enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord Open Blasphemy must be abhorred and needeth not onely a Confutation but a Rebuke Besides it was an impudent demand of Satan to require Adoration from him to whom Adoration is due from every Creature to ask him to bow down before him to whom every knee must bow and therefore a bold temptation must have a peremptory Answer There is no mincing in such cases It is no way contrary to that Lenity that was in Christ and it teacheth us in such open cases of Blasphemy and downright sin not to parley with the Devil but to defie him 2. By way of Confutation for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Where observe 1. Christ answereth to the main point not to by matters He doth not dispute the devils title nor debate the reality of his promises to do this would tacitly imply a likeing of the temptation No but he disproveth the evil of the suggestion from this unclean and proud spirit A better answer could not be given unto the tempter So that herein we see the Wisdom of Christ which teacheth us to pass by impertinent matters and to speak expresly to the cause in hand in all our debates with Satan and his instruments 2. He citeth Scripture and thereby teacheth that the Word of God laid up in the heart and used pertinently will ward off the blows of every temptation This weapon Christ used all along with success and therefore it is well called the Sword of the spirit Eph. 6. 17. It is a sword and so a weapon both offensive and defensive Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart And a sword of the spirit because the spirit is the Author of it 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost he formed and fashioned this weapon for us and because its efficacy dependeth on the spirit who timously bringeth it to our remembrance and doth enliven the word and maketh it effectual Therefore it teacheth us to be much acquainted with the Lords written Word The timely calling to mind of a word in Scripture is better than all other Arguments a word forbidding or threatning such an evil Psal. 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee pressing the practice of such a duty when we are slow of heart Psal. 119. 50. Thy word hath quickned me or a word speaking encouragement to the soul exercised with such a Cross Heb. 12. 5. Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto Children my son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Psal. 119. 92. Unless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine affliction still it breaketh the strength of the temptation whatsoever it be 3. The words are cited out of the book of Deuteronomy Indeed out of that book all Christs answers are taken which sheweth us the excellency of that book It was of great esteem among the Jews and it should be so among all Christians and it will be so of all that read it attentively The Church could not have wanted it 4. The places out of which it is cited are two Deut. 6. 13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and swear by his name And again Deut. 10. 20. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and to him shalt thou cleave Christ according to the Septuagint thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only which is emphatical seemeth to be added to the Text but it is necessarily implyed in the words of Moses for his Scope was to bind the people to the fear and worship of one God None was so wicked and prophane as to deny that God was to be feared and worshipped but many might think that either the Creatures or the gods of the Gentiles might be taken into fellowship of this Reverence and Adoration him is only him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is exclusive if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were left out See the place Deut. 6. 13 14. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him and shalt swear by his name ye shall not go after other gods of the gods of the people which are round about you And in other places it is exprest as 1 Sam. 7. 3. If you prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only The devil excepts not against this Interpretation as being fully convinced and silenced by it And it is a known story that this was the cause why the Pagans would not admit the God of the Jews as revealed in the Old Testament or Christ as revealed in the New to be an object of Adoration because he would be worshipped alone all other Deities excluded The gods of the Heathens were good-fellow-gods would admit partnership as common Whores are less jealous then the marryed Wife though their Lovers went to never so many besides themselves yet to them it was all one whensoever they returned to them and brought their Gifts and Offerings 5. In this place quoted by our Saviour there is imployed a distinction of inward and outward Worship Fear is for inward Worship serve is for outward Worship and the Profession of the same Fear in Moses is expounded Worship by Christ so Mat. 15. 9. compared with Isa. 29. 13. In vain do they Worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of Men but in the Prophet it is their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men He that worshippeth feareth and reverenceth what he worshippeth or else all his worship is but a complement and empty formality So that the Fear of God is that reverence and estimation that we have of God the serving of God is the necessary effect and fruit of it for service is an open Testimony of our reverence and worship In this place you have worship and service both which are due to God onely But that you may perceive the force of our Saviours Argument and also of this precept I shall a little dilate on the word service what the Scripture intendeth thereby Satan saith bow down and worship me Christ saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Under service Prayer and Thanksgiving is comprehended Isa. 44. 17. And the residue thereof he maketh a God even his graven Image and he falleth down unto it and worshippeth it and prayeth unto it and saith deliver me for thou art my God This is one of the external acts whereby the Idolater
may well be spared If Christ who as to his Divine Nature was equal with God surely we should often come and prostrate our selves before him in this act of Holy Adoration Christ had right and title to all all was his due yet he was much in prayer how dare we go about any business without his Leave Counsel and Blessing and usurp any of his Blessings without begging them by Prayer 2. While he prayed he was Transfigured Luke 9. 29. which teacheth us two things 1. That we have the highest Communications from God in Prayer for then Christs shape was altered By Prayer the Soul hath the most familiar converse with God that possibly it can have and also by the means of this duty God hath most familiar converse with us In our Prayers to God we have experience of the Operations of the Spirit Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self helpeth us with groanings which cannot be uttered Iude 20. But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost and in Gods answering our prayer we have Experience of the comforts of the Spirit and those spiritual solaces which he secretly giveth to his People Hannah when she had prayed went away and her countenance was no more sad 1 Sam. 1. 18. In praying we put forth the groans of the Spirit in the answer God gives the joys of the Spirit Psalm 34. 5. They looked unto him and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed 2. That we should pray so as that the Heart may be raised and lifted up unto God and in some sort made like God when Christ prayed to God he is made partaker of the Divine Glory as Moses also by conversing with God his face shined Exod. 34. 29 30. This was extraordinary but sure the oftner we converse with God the more Holy and Heavenly should we grow more like him in Spirit be changed into the glory of the Lord spiritually and so we are if we be instant and earnest in Prayer if we have Communion with God there will be some Assimilation to God USE It reproveth our remiss feeble benummed souls there is no Life in Prayer no working up the Heart to God and Heaven either our Prayers are formal and cursory Iames 5. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or our Prayers are doctrinal instructive rather then warning we get lightly over duties but we should get life by Prayer this duty is not to inform the judgment but to raise the Affections that they be all in a flame or else we content our selves with a dull narrative without getting up the heart to a sight of God and Heaven or are seldom in Praises or Adoration of the Excellencies of God SERMON II. MATTH 17. 2. And he was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the Sun and his Rayment was white as the light With LUKE 9. 29. And as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered and his Raiment was white and glistring IN both these Texts compared together you may observe two things 1. The Circumstance of Time during Prayer 2. The Transfiguration it self 1. More Generally propounded he was Transfigured before them 2. More Particularly explained by the change of his face and Rayment The form of any man is most seen in his Face there was a glorious shining brightness Luke saith the fashion of his countenance was altered Matthew that his Face did shine as the Sun And in the glorious description of God in the Prophet Habakkuk it is said chap. 3. 2. And his brightness was as the light For his Garments Luke saith his Raiment was white and glistering Mark chap. 9. 3. White as the Snow so as no Fuller on Earth could whiten them but Matthew white as the light which carryeth it higher the works of Nature exceed those of Art The Transfiguration that was plainly to be seen in his Face was accomplished also in other parts of his body all his body was cloathed with Majesty so as it could not be obscured and hidden by his Garments Now First I shall speak of the circumstance of Time and then of the Transfiguration it self I. Of the Time and as he prayed Now what Christ prayed for is not specified If he asked common blessings and prayed only in order to his usual solace and converse with God it shewed the success of vehemency in prayer Christ prayed at such a rate as that he was Transfigured and changed into the likeness of God in prayer 2. If he asked to be Transfigured for the confirmation of his Disciples it sheweth Gods readyness to answer fervent and earnest Prayers 1. Of the First consideration if Christs prayer were of ordinary import it teacheth us that we should pray so that the Heart may be raised and lifted unto God in prayer and in some sort made like unto God let us state this matter aright 1. It must be granted that this shining of Christs countenance as the Sun while he prayed was extraordinary and a dispensation peculiar to the Son of God so also was the shining of Moses his face while he conversed with God in the Mount Exod. 34. 29 30. and for ordinary Christians to expect the like is to put a snare upon themselves for these things are proper only to the end for which God appointed them 2. This must be also considered that the eminent and extraordinary passions and affections in the soul do discover themselves in the body especially in the Face for it is said of Stephen that when he was heightned into a great zeal for Christ Acts 6. 15. That all that sate in the Council looking stedfastly upon him saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel Angels have not Bodies or Faces but they often assume Bodies and then they appear with a glorious and bright countenance as the Angel of the Lord that appeared at the Sepulchre Mark 28. 3. His countenance was like lightning and his Raiment white as Snow Now such a glory and gladness did God put upon the countenance of his servant Stephen that he looked like an Angel something extraordinary there might be in the case but yet there was an ordinary reason for it Stephens mind was filled with such an incredible solace in the sence of Gods love that he shewed no troubledness but a mind so unconcerned and freed from all Fear and sorrow as if he had been among the Angels of God in full Glory and not among his Enemies who sought his blood and so may God raise the Hearts of his people sometimes as if they had put their heads above the Clouds and were in the midst of the Glory of the World to come among his blessed ones If that were extraordinary Solomon tells us Eccles. 8. 1. That a mans wisdom maketh his Face to shine as it gives him readiness and tranquility of mind and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those that were inspired and possessed by a Spirit therefore it must be a prayer that not only hath Understanding and Will in it but Spirit and Life in it However we are to put forth our utmost endeavour and raise the natural Spirit as far as we can 2. The second Agent is the new Nature which inclineth us to God as our chief Good and last end This also must be taken in for the Holy Ghost doth not blow as to a dead Coal the New Nature is made up of Faith Hope and Love and all these must be acted in Prayer Faith or the firm belief of Gods Being and Providence and Covenant for how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10. 14. Then Love to God or desire of the fruition of him in Heavenly Glory praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God Iude 20 21. If I do not love God and desire to enjoy him and delight in as much of God as I can get here certainly there will be no life in Prayer or no Ravishment and Transport of Soul no spirit of Desire animating our Requests and no spiritual Solace and Delight in our converse with God Hope is also necessary to fervent praying for a man coldly asketh for what he doth not hope for Hope respecteth both Means and End supplies of Grace by the way and our final Fruition of God in Glory this is called Trust in Scripture and is the great ground and encouragement of Prayer Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times pour out your souls before him Prayer is the act of a Trusting soul. Now these Graces quicken our Natural Faculties as they elevate and raise our Hearts and Minds to God and Heaven 3. The third Agent in Prayer is the Holy Spirit He is sometimes said to pray in us Rom. 8. 26. sometimes we are said to pray in him Iude 20. The Divine spirit exciteth those Graces in us which incline us to God he raiseth our Minds in the Vision and sight of God in thy Light shall we see Light Psal. 36. 9. and he raiseth our Hearts to a Desire after and Delight in God for all that spiritual solace and Joy is called Ioy in the Holy Ghost for both unutterable Groans and unspeakable Joyes are of his working Rom 8. 26. The Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered compared with 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom though we see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory Well then these work a kind of an Extasie if you would pray so as to be transported transformed in Prayer something you must do as Reasonable Creatures somthing as New Creatures and the Spirit influenceth all and causeth the Soul to follow hard after God we must put forth our utmost endeavour stir up the Gift of God in us and though we cannot command the influences of the Spirit yet he is never wanting to a serious soul as to necessary Help Pray thus and you will find as the Help of the Spirit in Prayer so the Comforts of the Spirit as the Success of Prayer 5. As there is daily and constant Prayer in which we must ever bewray a seriousness and sincerity for these daily supplies of Grace so there are extraordinary occasions because of some great Business Conflict or Temptation in those the Heart and Mind must be more then ordinarily raised and stirred In every Prayer of Christ there was not a Transfiguration and we read of our Lord Jesus that in his Agonies he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more earnestly then at other times Luk. 22. 44. and upon eminent occasions as the necessities of the Saints are greater so their Acts of Prayer are more earnest On these weighty occasions many Christians are wholly swallowed up with the thoughts of God and carried beyond themselves by their High Love to God and earnest Desires of the Spiritual Blessings they stand in need of so that they seem to be rapt into Heaven in their Admiration of God and Delight in him Application Use To Reprove our feeble remiss and benummed Requests There is no Life in our Prayers no working up of the Heart to God and Heaven no flames of Love no Transports of Soul by the Vision and sight of Faith no holy and ardent desires after God or spiritual Solace and Delight in him Reasons 1. We pray Cursorily and go about Prayer as a Customary Task for Fashions sake we come with a few cold Devotions Morning and Evening and so God is near in our Mouthes and far from our Reins Ier. 12. 2. Oh take heed of this nothing breeds slightness and hardness of Heart so much as Perfunctory Praying The Rule is continue instant in Prayer Rom. 12. 12. and it is said of the Saints that they served God instantly day and night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 26. 7. that they might come to the Blessed Hope with the united Service of all their Powers and Faculties 2. Our Prayers are Doctrinal and Instructive rather than Affectionate and Warming We get Light by other Duties but we should get Life by Prayer this Duty is not to inform the Judgment but to raise the Affections that they may be all Flame other duties are feeding duties but this is a spending duty an egression of the Soul after God Psal. 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee A Man may better spend two hours in Hearing than half an hour in Praying if the Heart be employed in it as it ought to be in the fight of God and an earnest desire after him The Prayers in scripture are all supplications or doxologies there is no excursion into Doctrines and Instructions 3. Else we are lamenting sin and spend the time in confessing sin which also hath its use in the seasons thereof but are seldom in Praises or Adorations of the Excellencies of God and the wonderful Mysteries of his Love in our Redemption by Jesus Christ yet it is said Psal. 22. 3. Oh Lord that inhabitest the praises of Israel These are the things that do most ravish the heart and raise it in the Contemplation of that glorious God to whom we speak and fill us with the Extasies of Love that we may be more like him Holy Wise and Good as he is Holy Wise and Good 4. We think a dry Narrative to be enough that is the fruit of a humane spirit or a meer product of Memory and Invention is a sufficient Prayer without acting Faith Hope or Love in it or those spiritual and heavenly desires which are the Life of Prayer Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear The Ardency of Humble Addresses is Gods own Gift and he will never reject and despise those requests that by his own spirit and appointment are direct and brought to him But what
thou hast loved me and ver 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them that is by the gift of the Spirit and Everlasting Glory Though Christ was the beloved Son yet his state was but mean and despicable in the world he was afflicted a man of sorrows pursued to the Death even a shameful painful accursed Death yet all this while he was full of the Holy Ghost of his Graces Comforts and afterwards received to Glory and so will he love us At this rate and Tenour his love bindeth him not to give us worldly greatness but if we have the Spirit and may be welcomed to Heaven at the last we have that which is the true discovery of Gods Love So he manifested his Love to the onely begotten Son and therefore the adopted children should be contented with this Love if by the Spirit they may be inabled to continue with Patience in well-doing till they receive Eternal Glory and Happiness 3. The next thing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom I am well pleased This is to be interpreted of Christ as Mediator or God Incarnate for this was twice spoken at Christs Baptisme Mar. 3. 17. and now at his Transfiguration both imply his Mediatorship For his Baptisme had the notion of a Dedication he did then present himself to God as a Mediator for us to be the Servant of his Decree as we in Baptisme dedicate our selves to fulfil the Precepts which belong to us and as we are concerned to promote his Glory in the World Christ presented himself as a Mediator that is as a Prophet to acquaint us with the way of Salvation as a Priest to pay a perfect Ransom for us as a King to give us all things and defend and maintain all those who submit to his Government till their Glory be perfected and they attain unto their final Estate of Bliss and Happiness Now then God from Heaven declared himself well pleased and now again when Christ had made some Progress in the Work confirmeth it for the assurance of the World This then must be Interpreted 1. As to Christ. 2. As to those who have benefit by him and interest in him 1. As to Christ. He was well-pleased Partly as to the Design the Reparation of Lost Mankind Partly as to the Terms by which it should be brought about Partly as to the Execution and Management of it by Christ. 1. As to the Design God was well-pleased that lapsed Mankind should be restored at the first God was pleased with his Creation Exod. 31. 17. on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed that is recreated in the View of his Works as the effects of his Wisdom Power and Goodness And Psal. 104. 31. The Lord shall rejoyce in his works The Lord saw all to be good in the beginning and working not to be repented of This was Gods Rest and Sabbath to take delight in his Works When he looked on it altogether behold it was exceeding good but afterwards Man the ungrateful part of the Creation though the Masterpiece of it in this visible and lower world fell from God his Creator and preferred the Creature before him to his Loss and Ruine then God was so far displeased that he had Reason to wish the destruction of Mankind it is said Gen. 6. 6. That it repented God that he had made man That is he was displeased with us estranged from us no more contented with us than a man is in what he repenteth of For properly God cannot repent but this is an Expression to show how odious we were grown to him Psal. 14. 2 3. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and did seek after God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Alas there is a lamentable appearance of Mankind to Gods sight now nothing good to be found in them an universal Defection both in Piety and Humanity But then Christ undertook the Reparation of Mankind and the Design was pleasing to God that he might not lose the glory of his Creation and all flesh be utterly destroyed Col. 1. 19 20. It pleased the father that in him should all fulness dwell and having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things to himself The restoring of fallen Man to Friendship with God and all things tending to it were highly pleasing to God namely that Jesus Christ the second Person in the Trinity should become a Mediator for that end he had a great Affection and liking to this thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the same word used here the thing is highly pleasing to God that the Breach should be made up that man who had lost the Image Favour and Fellowship with God should be again restored by renewing his Heart reconciling his Person and admitting him again into Communion with God who was was so justly provoked by him God stood in no need of our Friendship nor could any loss come to him by our Hatred and Enmity onely it pleased the Father to take this way Isa. 53. 10. For it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands 2. He is pleased with the Terms God who is the Supream Governour of the world and the offended Party stood upon these Terms that the Honour of his governing Justice should be secured and the Repentance and Reformation of man carried on Strictly these must be done or else man must lye under his Eternal Displeasure if one be done and not the other no Reconciliation can ensue Now that God is highly pleased with the satisfaction and compensation made to his governing Justice Heb. 10. 6 7. In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure Then said I lo I come to do thy will O God Ver. 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all God rejected all other sacrifices but was fully satisfied with this as enough to expiate the sin of Man Christ delighted to give it and God delighted to accept of it He paid a perfect ransom for us besides or above which he craved no more but rested fully content in it for the other the Renovation of Mans Nature to put him into a capacity to serve and please God for God would not admit us to Priviledges without change of heart and disposition Acts 5. 31. God exalted him to be a prince and saviour to give repentance and remission of sins In short God is so satisfied with these Terms that 1. He seeketh no farther amends for all their wrongs Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to
blessed Mediator working greater miracles than ever did Moses so he is called our Rabbi or Master Mar. 23. 8. One is your master even Christ and ye are brethren The supream Authority the original hight is in Christ We are not Leaders and Teachers but Fellow Disciples so Heb. 3. 1. Consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Iesus Christ. Again he is called the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. Christ with a great condescension took upon him the office of his Fathers Ambassador to the Church to promote the Covenant of Reconciliation between God and Man and make offers of it in preaching the Gospel and he it is that doth by this Spirit perswade the Elect and doth make his Covenant sure to them Once more he is called Amen the faithful and true witness Rev. 3. 14. there can be no prejudice against his Testimony he can never deceive nor be deceived it is so it will be so as he hath said Amen is his Name 2. By the Properties of his Office he hath 3 things to qualifie him for this high Office 1. Absolute supream Authority and therefore we must hear him and hearken to him This is usually made the ground and reason of the Gospel invitation to invite sinners to submit themselves to seek after God in this way As Matth. 11. 27 28. All things are delivered unto me of my father and no man knoweth the son but the father neither knoweth any man the father save the son and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden c. There is no true knowing of God but by Christ and the Gospel Revelation which he hath established therefore here must we seek rest for our souls So Ioh. 3. 35 36. The father loveth the son and hath put all things into his hands He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the son hath not seen life but the wrath of God abideth on him First his Mediatorial Authority is acknowledged and then Faith and Obedience to the Gospel is called for for to the sentence of the Son of God we must stand or fall So when Christ instituted and sent abroad his Messengers to invite the World to the Obedience of the Gospel Matth. 28. 18 19 20. All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you He hath absolute and supream Authority to gather his Church to appoint Ministers and Ordinances to bestow the Spirit to open and close Heaven and Hell as he pleaseth to dispose of all affairs in the World for the furtherance of the Gospel and to enjoyn the whole World obedience to his Commands and to embrace this Doctrine 2. All manner of sufficiency and power of God to execute this Office Ioh. 3. 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure to him The former Prophets had the Spirit in a limited measure bestowed on them by God for such particular purposes as best pleased him Therefore all their prophesies begin Thus saith the Lord as having for every particular Message and Errand new Revelation but on Christ the Spirit descended once for all and commanded the belief of all and obedience to all that he should say Therefore it is said Col. 2. 3. In him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge He is Ignorant of none of those things which are to be known and practised in order to our eternal salvation they are deposited with him to be dispensed to us 3. There is in him a powerful efficacy As he hath absolute Authority to teach in his own name and fulness of sufficiency to make known the Mind of God to us so he hath power to make his Doctrine Effectual As when he dealt with his Disciples after he had opened the Scriptures he opened their Understandings Luk. 24. 25. so he opened the heart of Lydia Acts 16. 14. He can teach so as to draw Ioh. 6. 44 45. He can excite the drowsie Mind change and turn the Rebellious Will cure the distempered Affections make us to be what he perswadeth us to be There is no such Teacher as Christ who doth not only give us our Lesson but an heart to Learn therefore to him we must submit hear nothing against him but all from him II. About Hearing him that must be explained also First What it is to Hear It being our great duty and the respect bespoken for him In the hearing of words there are 3 things considerable the sound that cometh to the Ear the understanding of the Sense and Meaning and the assent or consent of the Mind Of the first the Beasts are capable for they have Ears to hear the sound of words uttered The second is common to all Men for they can sense such intelligible words as they hear The third belongeth to Disciples who are swayed by their Masters Authority So that Hear him is not to hear as Beasts nor barely to hear as Men but to hear as Disciples to believe him to obey him to believe his Doctrines and Promises and to obey his Precepts For his Authority is absolute and what he doth say doth warrant our Faith and command our practice and obedience I gather this partly from the word Hear which not only signifies Attention and Belief but Obedience as 1 Sam. 15. 22. To obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of rams Where to obey and hearken are put as words of the same import and signification Partly from the Matter of Christs Revelation he hath revealed not onely Doctrines to inform the Mind but Precepts to reform the Heart and Practice If we assent to the doctrine but do not obey the precepts we do not hear him Therefore to hear him is to yield obedience to what he shall teach you and when Christ cometh to take an account of the entertainment of the Gospel he shall come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. Partly too from the intimate connexion there is between his Prophetical and Regal Office Christ is so a Prophet that he is also a Soveraign and doth not onely give us Counsel and Direction but a Law which we are to observe under the highest penalties If the Gospel were an arbitrary direction which we might observe or not observe without any great danger to our selves surely it were folly to despise good Counsel but it hath the force of a new Law from the great King and Law-giver of the World therefore it must not onely be believed but obeyed Heb. 5. 8. He that is the chief prophet of the church is also the king of saints
either men slight sin and make light of it or sinners are apt to sorrow above measure as the incestuous Corinthian 2 Cor. 2. 17. Lest perhaps such an one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow And the Apostle sheweth there that these were the enterprizes of Satan Some men are careless of Gods interest in the World or else heated into the activity of a bitter Zeal Some are of a scrupulous Spirit that they make Conscience of all things and the devil hurrieth them into a large Atheistical Spirit that they make conscience of nothing How often have we known a fond scrupulosity to end in a prophane Licentiousness when they have been wearyed out of that kind of frame of Spirit Some are dead and heartless like Gallio care for none of these things fight Christ fight Antichrist 't is all one to them and usually they are such as formerly have been heated with a blind and bold madness As Peter at first refused to have his feet washed by Christ and then would have head hands feet and all washed Ioh. 13. 8 9. being out in both What sad work is there made in the Church of God by Solifidians and Nullifidians heretofore 't was all Faith and Free-Grace misapplied and misunderstood and now it is all Morality and Vertue while Christ is neglected and the mystery of the Gospel little set by or valued It is ever the devils policy to work upon the humour of people If they will reform the Church it shall be to a degree of separation and condemning all Churches and Christians that are not of their mode if they be for uniting Christs unquestionable interests must be trodden under foot and all care of Truth and Reformation must be laid aside If he can destroy Religion and Godliness no otherway he will be religious and godly himself but it is either as to private Christians to set them upon overdoing that he may make them weary of the service of Christ or as to the publick by crying up some unnecessary things which Christ never commanded If men be troubled with sin and see a necessity of the Gospel and prize the comforts of it the Gospel must be overgospelled or else it will not serve their turns and that over-gospel must be carried to such a length as to destroy the very Gospel and Free Grace it self The devil first tempted the World to despise the poor Fishermen that preached the Gospel but the World being convinced by the power of the Holy Ghost and gained to the Faith then he sought by Riches and Grandeur to debase the Gospel so that he hath got as much or more by the worldly glory he puts upon Christs Messengers as by Persecution Then when that is discovered the devil will turn Reformer and what Reformation is that the very necessary support and maintainance of Ministers must be taken away All over-doing in Gods work is undoing If Christ will trust the devil will perswade him to trust even to the degree of tempting God 5. Observe That the Devil himself may pretend Scripture to put a varnish upon his evil designs For here he seeketh to foil Christ with his own weapons Which serveth to prevent a double extream 1. One is not to be frighted with the mere noise and sound of Scriptures which men bring to countenance their errors See whether they be not wrested and misapplyed for the devil may quote Scripture but he perverts the meaning of it And usually it is so by his Instruments as that Pope who would prove a double power to be in himself Temporal and Spiritual by that Scripture Ecce duo gladii Behold here are two Swords Luk. 22. 38. It is easie to rehearse the words of Scripture and therefore not the bare words but the meaning must be regarded 2. The other extream is this Let none vilifie the Scriptures because pleaded by Satan for so he might as well vilifie Human Reason which is pleaded for all the Errors in the World or Law because it is urged sometimes to justifie a bad Cause For it is not Scripture that is not a Nose of Wax as Papists say It is a great proof of the Authority and honour of Scriptures that Satan and his greatest Instruments do place their greatest hopes of prevailing by perverting and misapplying of it 6. Observe That God hath given his Angels a special charge about his people to keep them from harm Here I shall show 1. That it is so 2. Why it is so First That it is so is evident by the Scripture which every where shews us that Angels are the first Instruments of his Providence which he maketh use of in guarding his faithful servants Heb. 1. 14. The Apostle saith Are they not all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them that shall be the heirs of salvation Their work and employment is to attend us at Gods direction not to be worshipped and served by us by any devotion They are ministring spirits not ours but Christs he that serveth hath a Master whom he serveth and by whom he is sent forth their work and employment is to attend us indeed but at the command and direction of their own Master they are not at our beck to go and come at our pleasure neither do they go and come at their inclination but at the Commission of God Their work is appointed by him they serve us as their Masters Children at his Command and Will and whom do they serve the heirs of salvation They are described Titus 3. 7. That being justified by grace we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal Life They are not Ministers of conversion and sanctification to this Ministry Christ hath called Men not Angels but in preserving the converted the Angels have an hand Therefore it is notable they are sometimes called Gods Angels Psal. 103. 21. Bless the Lord all ye his hosts ye ministers of his that do his pleasure sometimes their Angels Matth. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do alwayes behold the face of my father which is in heaven But whether every one hath an Angel-Guardian is a curious Question Sometimes one Angel serveth many Persons Psal. 34. 7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them And sometimes many Angels are about one person 2 King 6. 17. And behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots round about Elisha And here in the Text quoted by satan He shall give his angels charge concerning thee There is not mention made of one but many Angels and the Angels in general are said to be ministring spirits When souldiers are said to watch for a City it is not meant that every Citizen hath a Souldier to watch for him The onely place which seemeth to countenance that Opinion is Acts 12. 15. Then said they it is his Angel But if Peter