The Father loves believers as he doth Christ Reas For he loves them 1. In Christ 2. Through Christ 1. Vse Depend on him 1. Without doubting 2. By real love 3. Vse Comfort to all true believers In that 1. He will uphold them as he did Christ 2. Assist us in his service 3. Reward his own work in us 4. Hear us 5. Provide for us 3. Doctr. Christs will is even a Law with the Father Reas 1. Being the only Son 2. The Beloved 3. Never asks amiss 4. Sueth for nothing but what he deserver p. 491. Vse How to make Christ our Advocate Ver. 24 Direct 1. To prepare their hearts they must be 1. Purged 2. Humbled 3. Fixed 4. Awakened Then 2. For Matter of prayer search the promises p. 496. Manner Pray without wrath 2. Doubting 3. With much zeal 2. If we pray acted by Christs Spirit 1. There will be zeal 2. Desires spiritual 3. For spiritual things chiefly Not to be spent on lusts 4. We shall pray constantly 2. Doct. It is Christs will that they who are given him should be in heaven Reas He loves them with a love 1. Of benevolence 2. Of Complacency 3. To see his glory 3. Doct. God hath loved Christ from all Eternity Reas Being like him both as God and Man Vse Wo to them that hate Christ They hate Christ 1. Who willingly obey sin 2. Who love and hate that which Christ doth not 3. Who are friends to the Enemies of Christ Contra p. 513. 2. Vse God therefore loveth them that love Christ Christ is amiable and worthy of our love 1. In respect of his perfections p. 515. 2. In respect of our Interest and propriety in him 3. Of his great love to us 4. Of that he hath done for us 3. Vse Admire that he should so use him as he did for our sakes 1. Giving him up to the hands of sinful men and to his own wrath 2. So using him for such as we are p. 517. 4. Vse Comforts to those that belong to Christ that they are loved from everlasting 4. Doct. God is a very just and righteous God Confirmed 1. From the largeness of his Jurisdiction 2. The Immensity of his presence 3. From his inward propensity and disposition 1. Vse This should settle our minds amidst the confusions and disorders of the world 2. Vse Comfort to those that are abused and oppressed 3. Vse Come into him and become his subjects 4. Vse Terror to the ungodly 5. Vse Comfort to the righteous even in Gods Justice 6. Vse Admonition to Magistrates Perswasions to execute Justice 1. It will settle the land 2. Be amiable to God 3. Beneficial to your selves p. 526 7. Vse Meditate on Gods righteousness It will 1. help us against sin 2. Strengthen our faith in prayer p. 528. Ver. 25 Doct. Unbelievers and unsanctified persons know not God in such manner as they ought p. 531. 1. Know him not so as to delight in him 2. Nor so as to serve and obey him 3. Nor so as to know him in Christ Reason 1. Unbelieving Heathens want the means of knowledge 2. Unbelieving Christians want the Spirit to unveil 1. The understanding 2. The Gospel 3. In every unbeliever there 's something 1. Redundant to repell divine Truth 2. Wanting to receive it viz. The Spirit of God 4. They are unwilling to know God p. 535. 1. Vse The misery of unsanctified unbelievers 2. Vse Admire Gods mercy in vouchsafing us the means of knowledge p 537. 2. Doct. That Christ alone knows God immediately and others by his means p. 539. Vse None saved by his own natural knowledge 3. Doct. The most saving knowledge hath defects and imperfections standing in need of farther declaration p. 541. Reason Christ doth not shew them all at once 1. Because they are not capable 2. That he may keep them humble 1. Vse Be not proud of your knowledge 2. Vse Comforts to the humble 1. A sign that thy knowledge is right and sound 2. It 's the measure which Christ hath alloted thee 3. The time is coming when these thy defects shall be supplyed 4. We shall be rewarded according to our practice not our knowledge Ver. 26 Doct. Christ will be making farther declarations of his Fathers Name to the worlds end p. 546. 1. By his written Word and Ministers in all ages 2. By his holy Spirit p. 548. 1. Vse Believe what he hath spoken 2. Expect the execution of his promise 3. Thereunto strive with Christ in prayer p. 549. 2. Doct. The Love which is in true believers comes from God Reason For it cannot be Originally in of or from our selves yet not without means Vse If we want it have recourse to God Love is the chiefest thing 1. That comes from God p. 554. 2. That conformeth us to God p. 554. 3. Doct. Declaration of the Fathers Name is a special means to work love in them Reason 1. Beauty is a part of his Name 2. Goodness 3. Mercy 4. Love p. 557. 4. Doct. Where Love is there Christ is Reason 1. For where Love there the Spirit 2. Faith 3. God is p. 560. 1. Vse Misery of those that love not God and his children 2. Comforts to those that have love in them They have Christ and therefore 1. Have intimate Communion with him 2. Have free access to him 3. Have the confluence of all Accommodations 4. Are secure 2. Let Christ live quiet in your hearts Excellency of Christs prayer An Alphabetical Table of the Chief Heads contained In this TREATISE A ADopted children page 15 Admire the love of God and of Christ page 20 98 146 161 361 455 537 Affections of the heart testified by outward gesture page 11 Affliction should not dismay us See Tribulation page 104 195 290 291 367 Abilities of Christ page 145 Active Obedience of Christ page 157 Our Advancement in Christ page 174 The Apostle and Messenger of God is Christ 142 149 234 235 other Apostles page 407 our Affections are to keep Christs word page 204 213 Apostates from Christ page 41 210 Application of Christ page 158 441 Assurance Means and benefit thereof page 22 our Active and Passive obedience page 203 Authority grace and power of Christs words page 7. 473 Authority of Christ over all men 52 144. for the benefit and Salvation of his people page 72 73 Agreement with God and Christ necessary page 465 Agreement See Unity The benefits thereof page 303 304 All things revealed by Christ in what sense page 236 Aimiableness of Christ page 514 515 Adding to the work of Christ page 168 word of Christ page 241 Absence of Christ from the Father page 265 Ascension of Christ 266. End fruit and benefits thereof page 267 B PArtial Believers page 208 â—99 Belief See Faith Wrought by the Gospel page 443 444 Believers not free from the Law page 61 62 Believe the Trinity page 130 132 the Scriptures page 133 399 in Christ page 149 150 441 Christs word 204. 559
God saith he my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psal 57.7 There hath been much talk of late concerning fixing arms but surely this of fixing hearts is the most necessary business 4. That our hearts may be prepared they must be awakened they are naturally dead and dull and sleepy especially at sometimes by means of some corporal or spiritual distemper They cannot watch to prayer one hour and though the spirit is ready yet the flesh is weak And therefore we must quicken them and rouse them up from drowsiness before we set about the duty and while we are in the performance of it we must call upon our hearts as Deborah Judg. 5.12 Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a song And as David on his Harp Awake Harp so we awake heart I my self will awake early Psal 108.2 You see in brief the Rule of Christ in reference to preparation Now let us see what he prescribes both for the matter the manner and the end of prayer As for the matter of your prayers you must search the promises You are to pray for nothing but only what you have a promise for not what you have a mind to but what you have a promise for It is the business and the work of prayer to put the promises of God in suit not our desires but his promises And therefore we must study promises if we would know how to make prayers or how to judge of prayers after we have made them If they agree not with the promises they are but rash and inconsiderate desires they are the sacrifice of fools as they are called Eccles 5.1 And God will never look after them nor shew respect to them as Elibu teaches us Job 35.13 Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it As for the manner of our prayers the rule of Christ is very large here and so accordingly directions might be copious both how to form our supplications which we are about to tender and having tendred them how to resolve whether they have been according to the will of Christ or no. I shall but touch upon the principal 1. It is in the will of Christ that we pray without wrath for so is the express direction 1 Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that men may pray every-where lifting up pure hands without wrath We must not come to God with hearts distracted and disturbed with passion but with composed meek and quiet spirits It was the fault of James and John who when a certain Town of the Samaritans repelled Christ and refused to receive him would in a fit of rage and anger have prayed for fire to come down from heaven to consume them Luk. 9.54 And so when the malitious enemies of Christ have done his cause or people any great mischief it may be we are ready in a heat to call for vengeance out of heaven upon them But if we pray in such a manner we may look for such a censure as James and John had in the fore-alleadged Text Ye know not what spirit ye are of You think it may be you are zealous but you are very much mistaken you are cholerick and angry you do know not the temper and disposition of your spirits Brethren we must not go to prayer in a fit of anger and a pang of discontent as it seems Eliah did 1 King 14.4 It is enough Lord take away my life for I am not better then my Fathers And as it seems Job did Job 6.8 Oh that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for Even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let loose his hand and cut me off And as it is extreamly probable that Moses did when he conceived his burthen was too heavy for him Numb 11.10 15. For it is said he was displeased and in that angry mood he said to God Wherefore hast thou afflicted me You see he calls the Lord to coram to see how he can answer his proceedings Wherefore c. I am not able to bear all this alone And if thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee out of the way and do not let me see my wretchedness And thus it is apparent Jonah did who being crost in a punctilio in a point of honour out of a pettish childish humor will go die God must take away his life We must not come to God in such a temper to empty and disgorge our choler and to vent our passions to him No Tempus mansuetudinis est tempus orationis The time of meekness is the time of prayer 2. It is the will of Christ that we pray without doubtings and this is also added in the Text before alledged 1 Tim. 2.8 Pray lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting He would have us come to God with confidence and strong assurance as it beseemeth those to do who are indeed in Covenant with him You know a houshold servant that is in Covenant with his Master cals confidently for his break-fast and his dinner and his Supper whereas a beggar or a stranger doth not so So he that is in Covenant with the Lord should come with boldness to the Throne of Grace relying formerly on the promises of God as David did I cryed and I hoped in thy Word Psal 119.147 Lord I want faith give it me I want patience let me have it I find my heart is out of order joynt it mend it unite it to thy self It is for those that are without and that are strangers to the Lord that live on nothing else but common providence to come doubtfully to God when their distresses force them to his presence But if those that are his friends and that are in Covenant with him come in such a posture to him he may justly say to such Why what 's the matter that you are so strange and that you are not bold with me as you have wont to be you shall fare neer a whit the better for coming to me after such a manner And verily my Brethren unless we draw nigh to God in faith well grounded on the promises we can have no hopes to speed in our petitions He that would ask any thing of God saith the Apostle James chap. 1.6 7 let him come in faith nothing doubting Otherwise let him not think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 3. It is the will of Christ that we pray with much zeal that our Petitions be not formal cold and drowsie prayers but that there be some heat and fervour in them You know the prayers of Gods people are compared to Incense Psal 141.2 And Incense sends up no sweet savour till the fire come to it It is the fervent prayer only that is effectual with the Lord as the Apostle teaches us Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much And hence saith David Hear me O Lord and why so I cry with my
p. 208. 3. Some believe not the threatnings Marks They that believe the threatnings quake and tremble at them 2. Take some course to avert them 4. Some believe not the promises 1. The sad and fearful 2. They that are troubled with doubts cares distractions 3. The wavering and inconstant 4. They that will suffer nothing for it Cautions 1. You are not to believe all that is presented under the title of Gods Word 2. It 's no sign of Infidelity to move questions 3. Nor to have some doubtful thoughts concerning clear truth p. 212. 3. Exam. Have we kept the Word in our affections by loving it p. 213. Marks 1. Lovers of the Word desire on all occasions to converse with it 2. Hear as often as they may 3. Exercise themselves in the reading and meditation of it 4. Endeavour to be inwardly acquainted with it 5. Will not easily quarrel with and disobey it 6. Will hardly part with it p. 216. 4. Motives to love the Word As being 1. the means of conversion 2. A light of direction 3. A Teacher to inform you 4. Means to confirm you 5. To comfort 6. To save you p. 218. 5. You must keep the word by obeying it 1. Not by partial but by a total obedience p. 220. 2. With a cordial obedience 3. Constantly to the end Directions 1. Pray God to teach you 2. Find out and mortifie the lusts that hinder you p. 223. 5. Doctr. To entertain the Word as we ought we must know for certain that it is the Word of God p. 224. Reason 1. Then we shall receive it with holy fear 2. That we may give it full credit and belief 3. That we may yield full resignation and submission 4. That we may allow it absolute and universal obedience 1. Vse See the cause of mens slighting and disobeying the Word p. 229. 2. Vse Learn how to entertain the Word aright viz. By believing that it is Gods Scriptures proved to be the Word of God 1. By the evident accomplishment of promises 2. By the joynt testimony of the Church 3. By consent of the Writers 4. By the effectual and mighty working of it on mens hearts and souls 5. By the blood of many Martyrs sealing it with their lives p. 231. 2. The Spirit of God assures us that the Scripture is Gods Word 1. By removing impediments 2. By giving grace fitting us to receive Ver. 7 Doctr. Christ hath approved himself a faithful Prophet and Messenger to his Church p. 234. Confirm 1. As having added nothing to his message 2. That he hath taken nothing from it How Christ did and did not tell them all p. 236. 1. Vse Diligently observe and hear this Prophet 2. Trust him 3. Try other Prophets p. 237. 4. Vse Not a word of his must be nelected or slighted 5. Seek no further for direction in matters of Salvation p. 239. 6. Let Ministers learn to be so faithful 1. Adding nothing as doth 1. the superstitious 2. Sceptick 3. vain-glorious Teacher p. 241. 2. Not mincing or diminishing the Word 1. Otherwise they are guilty of the blood of souls 2. Diminish their own mercy 3. Expose themselves to the ignominy and contempt of men 4. To the injuries of men Q Why ungodly men have prevailed p. 243. Ver. 8 2. Doctr. The faithfulness of Gods Messenger availeth much to commend him and his message to the people p. 244. Vse Hence so many Ministers slighted because unfaithful 2. A Minister shews himself faithful 1. In the right delivery of his message 2. To a right end Not satisfying their own passions nor aiming at their own respects 3. In a passive way 3. Doctr. The good reception of the message depends upon the peoples good opinion of the Messenger p. 247. Vse Do not rashly judge of Gods Messengers You may judge of him 1. by his entrance 2 By his ability 3. By his readiness to love Ver. 9 1. Doctr. Christ intercedes for none but his own people p. 250. Reas He is a Priest and Mediator only for them 1. Vse Christ died not for all without limitation 2. Vse The sad condition of those without the Church 3. Vse Happiness of those that belong to Christ Having union with him that is so near to God 2. Son near to you 3. That can never dye p. 253. This gives us boldness in address 2. Supports us in the sense of our imperfections 3. Assures the success of our Petitions 4. Keeps from despair under sin 2. Doctr. That all Christs people belong to God the Father Confirm As being more his by being Christs 1. For he hath none to share with him but Christ 2. His title to them being strengthned and enlarged 3. By unity 1. Vse Therefore Christs people excellent and precious 2. Walk worthy of such a relation For 1. your sins dishonour him more 2. They are sharply and sooner chastised for their sins p. 257. 2. Vse The Saints comfort 1. They shall be the more surely heard 2. God doth more dearly love them 3. God will tender their wrong either 1. Defending Or 2. Avenging them 4. God will provide for them 5. He will not lose them p. 257. Ver. 10 1. Doctr. Christ is glorified in all that belong to him Confirm For the present life he is glorified in their Grace p. 261. future he is glorified in their Glory p. 261. 1. Vse They who live to Christs dishonour are none of his 2. It should quicken and stir us up to labour 1. For grace and holiness here 2. After glory hereafter p. 263. How Christ absent from the Father p. 265. 2. Doctr. Christ as Man is gone out of this world to the immediate presence of his Father p. 266. Reas 1. That his humiliation might be recompensed with honour 2. Because he hath no more to do here 3. Hath much to do there 1. He was to triumph there over his enemies and ours 2. That he might send down his Spirit to his people 3. Intercede for them 4. To prepare a place and make heaven ready for us 5. Christ is gone that he may now virtually draw us after him 1. Vse Expect him not here till he return from heaven 2. Make much of his spiritual presence among us Therefore 1. take heed of grieving his Spirit Either by unkinde slighting or stubborn resistance 2. Take singular and mighty comfort in his Spirit 3. Receive and entertain the graces of this Spirit p. 271. 3. Vse Follow Christ in our spirits As 1. by our thoughts and meditations 2. By our affections 3. By our desires and anhelations of the Spirit p. 273. 3. Doct. The world alwayes an uncomfortable place to Christs Disciples p. 274. 1. Here they are continually exposed to many tryals and troubles 2. Vexed with the sins of others but chiefly their own 3. Banished from Christ p 273. 1. Vse Look not for joy and quietness from the world but provide for evil 2. Think it not strange 3. Love not the world nor to continue
mercy grant that we may be in heaven while we hear it To make way to the handling of it I shall consider three things First the transition to it Then Secondly the gesture and the carriage of our Saviour in it Thirdly the substance and the matter of it First the transition to it from the former chapter These words spake Jesus these words expressed in the long discourse before Then Secondly the gesture and the carriage of our Saviour in it he lifted up his eyes to heaven while he made it Thirdly the substance and the matter of it and it is wholly for the Church either for himself the head of the Church in reference and with relation to the Church or for the members of the Church First for himself the head of the Church he desireth glorification Father glorifie thy Son in the first verse of the chapter and this in reference and with relation to the Church as is apparent at verse 24. That they may behold his glory Then Secondly for the members of the Church he desireth confirmation and that either for the Apostles and Disciples then about him the members of the present Church Or else for those who were after to be called by their preaching the members of the Church to come In the first place he prayes for the Apostles and Disciples then about him the members of the present Church who were already called and sanctified at the sixth and following verses whom God had given him out of the world I pray for them saith he I pray not for the world In the Second place he prayes for those who were after to be called by their preaching the members of the Church that was to come ver 20. and so on to the conclusion of the Chapter Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe in me through their word So that this prayer of our Saviour Christ you see is very full It is for himself the head of the Church And it is for the Church which is his body of which alone he is the Saviour and the Intercessor It is for the present Church it is for the Church to come It is for the Apostles and the Ministers the officers and teachers of the Church And it is for the ordinary members of the Church who believe through their words So that whoever appertaineth to the Church let him live in what time he will be he of what condition or estate he will he hath a share in this prayer We must begin with the transition to it These words spake Jesus These words what words the words in the three Chapters next before all tending to establish his Apostles and Disciples which the Evangelist relates exactly for the comfort and confirmation of the Church of Christ even to the worlds end and having done with the relation he shuts it up with this These word spake Jesus and so goes onward to his supplication The point apparently suggested to us here is this DOCTRINE The words that Jesus spake are very fit to be commended to the choicest observation of his Church and people And here they are so carefully and so exactly gathered up by the Evangelist and knit together in a chain every Link of which is precious And having laid them all together he writes this under them These words spake Jesus qâ—d Take heed that you observe and mark them well they are the words not of an ordinary man but of the blessed Son of God the great Prophet of the Church These words were breathed from the lips of Jesus Christ himself and therefore see that you take notice of them and value them accordingly These words spake Jesus indeed the summ and substance of the four Evangelists is but the history of Jesus Christ of his words and of his actions and therefore Luke reduceth all that he hath written in his Gospel to these two heads Acts 1.1 The former Treatise have I made O Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach His treatise as you see consisted of these two things either that which Jesus did or else that which Jesus spake So that his sayings as you see are very memorable and remarkable being by special revelation and direction of the Spirit put in writing and so left upon record for the instruction and the consolation of his people to the worlds end You may observe what care is taken to gather up the words of Jesus as they dropt from him upon all occasions that none of them might perish and be lost by which it is apparent they were things of worth and use and fit to be preserved for posterity And it is noted to the praise of Mary that she kept his Sayings when others lost them yea she kept all his sayings and she kept them in her heart that was the Cabinet in which she put them when others valued them as things of nothing and looked upon them but as loose words And therefore she is set in opposition to them Iohn 2.5 They understood not the sayings which he spake to them but Mary kept all these sayings in her heart She laid them near her heart as choice things It was the promise of our Saviour Christ to his disciples and one of the last he made them and therefore certainly it was a precious one that if they should forget the words that he had spoken to them he would dispatch them down his spirit out of heaven and this should be one great part of his business with them to mind them of such words of his as were slipt out of their minds Ioh. 14.26 The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost shall come and he shall teach you all things and bring all things to remembrance whatsoever I have said to you By which it is apparent that the words which Jesus spake are very fit c. And this will yet appear more fully and distinctly to you if you consider but these three things First whose the words were Then what the words were Thirdly the manner how the words were spoken As for the first of these if you consider whose the words were you will discern them to be very fit to be commended to the choicest observation of the Church The author of them if you look no further will purchase them so much credit They are the words that Jesus spake as you have in my text And shall that which Jesus spake any thing which he delivered be thought unworthy of the notice of his people Why what was Jesus that the words that dropt from him must be so highly valued and esteemed My brethren if you look upon him upwards with relation to the father or if you look upon him downwards with relation to the Church you will see enough for this on all hands 1. If you look upon him upwards with relation to the father you will see reason why his words should be Commended to the choicest observation of his Church and people He is the
in any injury or provocation that is offered to us and to tell us strange things let us smother and suppress them let us consider that and think on that which may provoke to love and not to malice and revenge Is it so that all mankind is under the authority c. Then surely we Vse 6 have all great reason to comply with him and to endeavour what we can to please him to the utmost of our power You know it is the fashion of the world to do what they are able to keep in with those who are in place and under whose authority and power they are How will they bend and stoop and yield and bring themselves to any thing almost to please such men beloved we are all under the power of Jesus Christ under his Legislative power and under his judiciary power He gives us Law now he will pass sentence on us according to his Law hereafter if we be disobedient and rebellious and therefore we have reason to keep in with him to kiss the Son to do him homage lest he be angry and we perish We labour saith the Apostle that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him And why so For we must all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ as it is added in the next words 2 Corinth 5.10 The time is coming when he is to sit upon us and to judge us and to dispose of us for ever either in heaven or in hell and therefore it concerns us infinitely to please him in the mean time that he may be propitious to us when that time comes We pitty such a malefactor who being shortly to be tried before an earthly Judge upon a point of life or death doth rather take a course to anger and provoke him then appease him and yet so desperately foolish are a multitude of men who strive not to approve themselves to Christ nor to be accepted of him before whose judgment-seat they must appear to be acquitted or condemned And so according to his doom to live or die and that for ever Oh but think upon that last and dreadful day remember at whose mercy you must stand and so endeavour to demean your selves that whether you be present in the body or whether you be absent from the body that both in life and death and judgement you may be accepted of him Vse 7 Is it so that all mankind is under the Judiciary power of Christ that he hath power to pass the sentence and to execute the sentence on them this serveth then for matchless terrour to the wicked and for incomparable comfort to the godly a word or two to each of these c. How can the thought of this but strike amazement and astonishment to the hearts of wicked men What mercy can they look for at his hands whom have they peirced through whose grace they despised whose Law and Gospel they have disobeyed whose Spirit they have grieved and despighted whose blood they have trodd upon Oh what a fearful thing it is that they should be in the power of Jesus Christ that he and none but he should judge them Did John fall down at the presence of an angel did Faelix tremble before Paul when he did but discourse of Judgement Did the Officers and Souldiers of the Jews fall backwards at the voyce of Christ and that while he was in a state and condition of abasure What will ungodly wretches do when he shall come in Majesty and glory to pass sentence on them when he shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels c. what can they look for in that day but eternal condemnation And how can this but infinitely cheer the Saints to think that they are in the power of Jesus Christ who is their Brother their Mediator their Redeemer that he who shed his blood for them and none but he shall judge them too How will they lift up their heads to see him comming with the clouds to judge the world Oh how will they be ravished to behold their Saviour whom they have loved so dearly all their lives but never had the happiness to see till now for whose appearance they have longed thirsted prayed waited c. How will they melt upon him think you when they see him This is he that died for me that shed his blood for me they would look through him if they could and how can they expect but that he that died for them should absolve them and acquit them Assuredly my brethren he that hath power over all flesh will never hate and destroy his own flesh nor condemn his own members No it is well for them that this power is in Christs hands for now they may be confident that he will save them that he will give eternal life to them And thus far of the first particular considered in the words the thing it self with which our Saviour is invested and endued and this you see is power over all flesh The second follows now in order to be handled The means by which he comes to be invested with it viz by free donation from his Father He hath this power because his Father gave it him As thou hast given him power over all flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as thou hast given He saith not As thy Son hath taken power over all flesh as he hath entred on it and assumed it to himself But as thou hast invested and endued him with it By which he shews apparently that he comes to it by his fathers act and by his Fathers guift and not by his own intrusion as thou hast given him power over all flesh So that hence I might observe That Jesus Christ did not intrude himself on the authority with which he is invested over all flesh but was admitted to it freely by his Father He did not take this honour to himself as the expression is though in another case Heb. 5.4 but it was put upon him See Psal 2.6 Note 3. But this I do but point at in my passage by Proceed we to the third and last Particular considered in the words viz. the end for which he is invested with this vast authority That he may give eternal life to as many as God hath given him So that you see my Brethren here is giving upon all hands The Father gives the Son that the Son may give to others The Father gives to him power that he may give to others life First Let us look upon this end in general before we take it into parts And here let us consider whether this be the only end for which the Father gives the Son power whether he have no other aim in putting this authority upon him over all flesh but only that he may bestow eternal life upon his own people what need he have so large authority for this end Authority over all flesh that he may give eternal life to some flesh to the least part of flesh to as many as
will never own them for his servants who prefer the favour and respects of men above him Mark what the Apostle saith Gal. 1.10 If I yet please men if I seek to please them so that I regard not though I anger and displease the Lord Christ If I yet please men in such a manner in such a way as this I cannot be the servant of Christ If God be the only true God then as you must serve him and none but him so you must fear him and none but him Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself saith the Prophet Isaiah 8.13 and let him be your fear and dread The Prophet speaks it there exclusively let him be your fear and none else To which effect is our Saviours admonition Luke 12. Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear fear him that after he hath killed hath power to cast you into hell I say unto you fear him And therefore we are often rated in the Scripture for our fear of men and creatures as Isa 51.12 13. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die and of the Son of man that shall be made as grass And truly we are very weak in this respect abundance of us We are exceedingly afraid sometimes how men will use us if we fall into their hands and if they come to have us in their power we cannot eate we cannot sleep we are so infinitely troubled and perplexed This violent and raging passion eats out all the comfort of our lives And in the mean time we neglect the Lord who is to be feared as the Prophet David speaks Why you will say then May we not in any case fear creatures No my Beloved not in any case make them the ultimate terminative object of our fears Fear them we may as instruments of Gods anger and then indeed we fear God in them But to fear them for themselves as if they could do evil to us of themselves is even to set them up in Gods stead Indeed if they could do us any mischief without God and which he could not fence us from we had great reason then to fear them and not him But seeing of themselves they cannot strike us and when they do they are but rods in Gods hand we should not eye the rod so much as the hand that strikes with it God would not call for all our fear if any creature could do us any damage without him But seeing he alone is able of himself to save and to destroy I say unto you fear him and none but him If God be the only true God then trust in him and none but him look not to other gods as the expression of the Prophet is Hosea 3.1 put not your trust and confidence in them For that from which deliverance is expected by us that is the thing to which we look and on which our eye is fixed I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence my help cometh Psalm 121.1 Now this we may not do from any creature For as it cannot hurt us on the one side so neither can it save us on the other no this is proper to the only true God I am the Lord saith he and there is no God besides me a just God and a Saviour And therefore addeth presently Look unto me and be you saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and none else And therefore let not any of our hearts depart from God at any time and step out to other Saviours Let us not make flesh our arm nor place our confidence in earthly Saviours It s that which we are very apt to do as it is manifest by this that we are so disquieted and troubled in the want and so secure in the enjoyment of these things that our very hearts and spirits do even come and go with them But what are they in Gods stead as once the King of Israel said 2 Kings 5.7 that they should save us and procure our peace Oh my Beloved be exceeding tender how you give his glory to another how you attribute this to any means how you expect deliverance from it If God be the only true God let nothing share together with him in your faith and confidence but let him have this part of worship appropriated to him to put your whole trust in him Use 4 Is it so that our God is the only true God is there no other true God but him only this then should teach us who have chosen him to be our God to be at unity among our selves It s true indeed my Brethren there are many persons in the Godhead but yet there is but one God And therefore we though we be many persons should labour to be one as he is one The argument is the Apostles who presseth us to unity upon the very same ground Eph. 4.3 endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace And this is used as one inducement among the rest to urge it and enforce it on us because there is but one God one only true God as you may see in the sixth verse of that Chapter Indeed if there were many Gods I mean many true Gods there were a manifest and just occasion of division It were but reasonable that there should be rents and breaches among the worshippers of these Gods That every one should vehemently contend for the God whom he fears But if there be but one onely true God whom all of us do serve and worship we may the better be at unity among our selves Yea we should strive the more to be at one to keep our selves in unity that we may be the better like God And this is that which Christ desireth in behalf of his Disciples in the 11. verse of this Chapter Holy father keep through thy own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are By which he intimates expresly that it is a thing very much to be desired that the worshippers of God should be like God in unity Not like in all respects for so it is impossible that they should be but as God is one in Essence so they should be one in heart and in affection Oh let us labour for this Oneness that we may be in this like God Let there be no separations and divisions but let the Lords Jerusalem be like a City that is at unity within it self And truly there was never greater need to set on this Exhortation than now when God hath suffered such a spirit of division to possess his own people and when the worshippers of the only true God are of so many minds and draw so many waies and have such vehement and such hot contentions and disputes among themselves that they are no way to be pacified and appeased So that the Church had never greater reason to
intent upon the business of saving the poor woman of Samaria to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work John 4.34 2. Jesus Christ was ordered by his Father as in his works of active so in his works of passive obedience He did what he would have him do in both these And therefore when he was about to suffer and when the nature which he had assumed was averse he came at length to this Conclusion not my will but thine be done Mat. 26.39 Father if it be possible saith he let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Here it is evident he did his Fathers will and not his own And therefore it is said He became obedient to the death even the death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 To shew that he submitted to it in obedience to the Father And therefore when the Article of death was come which was the complement of his passive obedience he cried out It is finished The work which I have undertaken and which the Father imposed upon me is accomplished and dispatched Just as he tels the Father in my Text when he was about to suffer I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do In this respect is that expression of our Saviour John 16.10 The Spirit saith he will convince the world of righteousness that is full and perfect righteousness wrought out by me for all my people And why so because saith he I go to my Father and ye see me no more If I had not performed the work of my obedience absolutely and compleatly if I had not done enough to satisfie the justice of my Father for the sins of all my Members and so to justifie them and to make them fully righteous you should be sure to see me again If I had not done and suffered all that I was appointed and designed to do before my going up to God the Father he would be sure to send me down again among you But now because I go and stay with him because I go to my Father and you see me no more you may be confident that all is well that I have ended all the business that my Father hath ordered me to finish and dispatch in this world So that you see my brethren Christ was ordered by his Father in his works of satisfaction whether they were works of active or whether they were works of passive obedience Christ was ordered by his Father as in his works of satisfaction so in works of application I mean in those works of his by which that satisfaction came to be applyed and so accordingly to be effectual Now this he doth I mean he makes it applicable and effectuall for he doth all in this business by working faith in the hearts of his people And faith he works First By the outward promulgation of the Word and Secondly By the inward operation of the Spirit In both of which while he was conversant upon the Earth he was ordered by his Father 1. First In his outward promulgation of the Word or in his preaching Jesus Christ was wholly ordered by his Father He appointed him precisely both to whom he should preach and what he should preach First He appointed him to whom he should preach and that was not to the Gentiles but to the people of the Jews only And hence said Christ to the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.24 I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel As he was sent by God the Father so he appointed him to whom he should go and what he should say He was the Fathers Messenger the Fathers spokesman to the world and therefore he put words into his mouth In which respect it is that God is said to speak unto us by the Son Heb. 1.2 The Son doth not speak himself he doth not speak his own thoughts as he is man and Mediator but God speaks to us by him So that he speaks his Fathers mind he publishes his Fathers will and pleasure to the world In which respect our Saviour saith my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me John 7.16 See how the Father orders him in this business Mat. 12.18 A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench until he send forth judgement into victory And so accordingly our Saviour tels us that his Father had appointed him both that he should preach and what he should preach He hath anointed me to preach saith he Isa 61.1 to preach what good tydings to the meek to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And this order of the Fathers he obeyed and therefore it is much to be observed that he begun his publike Ministry with this The first Sermon he preached in Nazareth his own Country was upon this Text as you may see Luke 4.18 2. Secondly Jesus Christ was ordered by his Father as in that work of application of his satisfaction which is done in the external promulgation of the Word so in that work of application of it which is done by the internal operation of the Spirit He did not by his Spirit draw any to himself nor work faith in the hearts of any that so his satisfaction might be actually applyed to them but only those that were appointed to it by his Father Those whom his Father gave hm by Election whom he designed him to justifie and sanctifie and save those he saved and no others Our Saviour Christ as he was man was not to choose whom he would make partakers of his satisfaction to whom he would apply the merits of his passion no he must take such as his Father was contented to bestow upon him That place is notable to this purpose John 6.37 38. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and I will raise them up and give them everlasting life all them and only them And why so For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me My own will as I am man would carry me to justifie and save a greater number But in this I must be ordered I must remember I am come to do my Fathers will and not my own and therefore I must be contented with those whom he is pleased to allot me I am come that they might have life saith Jesus Christ John 10.10 They who why his sheep as he explains it both before and after I am the doâ—r of the sheep and I am come that they may have life And at verse 27. My sheep hear my voice and I give unto them eternal life But how comes Christ by these sheep why by his Fathers own gift And therefore it is added in the very next words My Father which gave them me is greater than all So that it is as if our Saviour Christ had said I am dispatched into
Scripture and never leave till you know the heart of it And this is that which the Apostle Paul insinuates Col. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it dwell let it be a houshold-guest let it rise and sit and walk dine and sup and lodge with you let it be familiar to you Be you as throughly acquainted with it as any man that dwells in your house with whom you have discourse and dealing every hour And truly if you strive not thus to be acquainted with the Word of God you do not love it as you ought to do 3. If you love the VVord of God you will not easily fall out with it when you find the meaning of it and perceive it is against you in something that is naturally dear to you you will not quarrel with it your hearts will not rise up in enmity against it No your dear affections to it will make you quietly and meekly to submit to it Indeed ungodly men cannot endure the VVord of God the Precepts and Commandements of it are like bonds and cords to them they lay restraint upon them they curb them and they hold them in and hence they are enraged against it They endeavour what they can to break the bonds of God asunder they are always contradicting and opposing and gainsaying and raising quarrels and disputes against the Word because they hate it But now the Saints upon the other side are very much in Love with it and hence it is that the Commandements of it are not grievous to them they agree with their spirits they are written in their hearts Or if at any time it cross them they are not angry with the Word but with themselves that their base hearts should not in every thing agree with it Yea when it is a little sharp and bitter though their stomachs rise at first yet in the issue they submit and say as Hezekiah to Isaiah Isa 39.8 Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken They find a sweet and pleasing savour even in the sowrest passage of the Word There goes a savour with their knowledge of it as the Apostle Pauls expression is 2 Cor. 2.14 Carnal men may know abundance of the Scripture more then a pretious Saint of God but here is the difference they find no savour in their knowledg of it at least no sweet and pleasing savour No it is distastful to them it doth not suit with their palates it doth not fit their humors A Drunkard knows it is a sin to be intemperate to drink himself down to a beast A wanton and lascivious person knows it is a sin to be unclean but this doctrine doth not please him and so it is in other cases whereas the Truth is sweet to those that are in Christ they look upon it as their friend and love it because it joyns with them against their lusts who are their greatest enemies whom they abhorre and whom they hate with a perfect hatred 4. If you love the VVord of God you will hardly part with it you will not let it go from you if you can keep it any way by any means And much less will you go from it I have not departed from thy judgements saith holy David to the Lord Psal 119.102 for thou hast taught me Brethren there are a sort of men who have a kind of knowledge of the Word of God but they have no love to it and hence it is that they are easily withdrawn from it as multitudes have been in these times while they that have it dear in their affections are rooted and established in the present truth as 2 Pet. 1.12 They are not carryed clean away with every new opinion and conceit as others are They cleave unto the Truths of God with full purpose of heart They are setled in their judgements and resolved in their minds This is undoubtedly the Truth of God I know it to be so I find it to be so by sensible experience in my soul and to this I mean to stick even to the loss of goods and life and all I am resolved that I will not relinquish it what ever hazard I may undergo to hold it whatever Sophisters and slie Seducers object against it 5. If you love the Word of God you will be extreamly troubled when it is slighted and abused it will vex you to the heart to see it undervalued and despised You will be ready to reply in such a case The VVord is a good friend of mine one whom I love dearly from whom I have received much comfort And I am no way able to endure it wounds me to the very soul to see it used in this fashion Beloved these are times in which the VVord of God hath suffered much from wicked and ungodly men It hath been strangely scorned and contemned and even trampled under foot It hath been usual in these days of ours for men to speak against those things that are delivered from the VVord contradicting and blaspheming Now my Beloved how have such things as these affected you and wrought upon you what tears have they drawn from you what sorrow have they wrought in you how often have they sent you over-loaden to your closets there to open all to God It is observed by the Holy Ghost that when Jehoiakim had cut the roll in pieces with a pen-knife which Jeremiah brought him from the Lord and burnt it in the fire upon the hearth they that stood by were not afraid neither did they rent their garments nor manifest their sorrrow Jer. 36.23 24. Beloved some of you have seen as high contempt as this offered to the word of God though not in the same kind And truly if you have not rent your hearts at least if you have not been inwardly afflicted in your spirits and done what you are able to the vindication of it you have shewed but little love to Gods word By these things you may try whether you have kept the word of God in your affections by loving it and so have made it to appear that you belong to Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father Now in the last place let me quicken you a little to the love of Gods word That if you love it not already you may come to love it Or if you love it you may go on to love it yet more And to this end I shall desire you to take notice of how great excellency and admirable use it is to you as I shall lay it open in a few particulars 1. Are you yet in your natural estate the word of God is the means to convert you The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Psal 19.7 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Sanctifie them saith our Saviour How By thy truth thy word is truth Joh. 17.17 That speech of Paul is apposite and full God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification
be justified when he speaketh and clear even when he judgeth Psal 51.4 when it is hardest to acquit him and to stoop to him So that you see my Brethren we must justifie the Lord in his reproofs and threatnings how sharp soever they may seem to be As Rehoboam and the Princes did when they were sharply menaced be the Prophet they replyed not they fretted not against him but confessed the Lord is righteous 2 Chron. 12.6 And Hezekiah when Isaiah dealt so roundly with him in the Name of God Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken 2 King 20.19 Yea God requireth this of all his people that they say Amen to every Curse of his and that they set their seal to it as you may see Deut. 27.26 This is the entertainment which we ought to give the word of God in this respect meekly and humbly to submit to it even when it seemeth to be most against us and not so much as once to mutter or repine at it Now this we shall not do unless we look upon it as the word of God Nothing but such an apprehension of it will bring the heart to such a temper and put the spirit into such a frame as this is That which comes to us under the notion of the word of man will never be so yeilded to No the heart will boyl and rage and rise against it But when it hath the stamp of God upon it it stoops the spirit to submission Such entertainment you may see it found in Eli upon this account It is the Lord when Samuel who was then a child declared to him what the Lord resolved to bring upon him and his house saith Eli it becomes me to be humble and sumit to this and not to murmur and repine against it for it is the Lord 1 Sam. 3.18 As Hezekiah Isa 38.15 What shall I say for he hath said it to me And so in every truth that is delivered to us in every precept that is laid upon us in every reprehension that is given us in every Commination that is thundred out against us if we consider with our selves whoever be the messenger it is the Lord that speaketh this it is the word of God and not of man this and only this will make us in all humility to stoop to it 4. We must know for certain that it is the word of God that we may give it such entertainment as it ought to have in point of obedience Herein the word of God is singular it must be absolutely and universally obeyed and that not only with the outward but also with the inward man It doth not only take command upon the members but even the spirit and the conscience must be subject to it And that without delay without question without exception without reservation assoon as that which is delivered to us appears to be the word of God there is no room for disputation or expostulation but obedience All that the Lord Commandeth we must do Exod. 1â— 8 if he command it we must do it This is the entertainment which we ought to give the word of God The word of man can challenge no such honour and respect from us All the commands of men are limited and are to be obeyed so far and but so far as they agree with the commands of God or else at least as they are not repugnant to them And consequently while we look on any word as that which comes from man or as that which is of man we cannot yeild it such obedience as is peculiar to the word of God But when we know once that it is of God when we are certain that he is the Author of it we shall no longer think our selves at liberty to obey or disobey No this perswasion will convince us that it is absolutely necessary to resign our selves to the obedience of this word of his who is such a Law-giver as is able either to save or to destroy and with whom every disobedience receiveth a just recompence of reward JOHN 17.7 Now they have known that all things c. Vse 1 NOw is it so that they that will give the word such entertainment c. We see the reason then my Brethren why the word is so unworthily and slightly entertained by the greater part of men why it hath no greater reverence no greater credit no more submission no more obedience then it meets withall from those that are the ordinary hearers of it Alas how is it disrespected and despise everv where how little credit doth it find with me how do their hearts and spirits rise against it when it meeteth with corruptions and crosses them in their ways and their humors how far are they from yeilding absolute obedience to it in every thing that it requires of them And what 's the cause of all this Truly the main and principal is this that they believe it not to be indeed and truth the word of God When it is read or preached to them either they call the matter into question and are in very great suspense whether it be the word of God or no or else they peremptorily resolve as Israel did It is not he Jer. 5.12 It is not God that speaks to us this is not the word of God and then no wonder though it be neglected and despised by them They hear a man and so accordingly resolve that that which is delivered to them is of man and that it hath no higher Author then the man that speaks to them And some of them will now and then express themselves Preachers may say their pleasure in a pulpit and the like And hence it is my Brethen that their respect and entertainment of it is answerable to their apprehension of it such as belongeth to the word of man and no more They regard it and believe it and obey it just as farre as they themselves please But you will say perhaps if you could hear the Lord himself speak to you Oh how would you fear before him how would you stoop to him how would you yeild obedience to his voyce But who is this that you hear a man such as your selves are whose weaknesses and failings and infirmities are known to you Oh but remember that though you have this treasure in earthen vessels yet it is a treasure still and it is of God still That all the messengers of God in their regular prescripts ought to be instead of God and instead of Christ to you That it is not they that speak but the Holy Ghost himself that speaketh by them Mat. 10.20 And therefore even as he that heareth them heareth God so on the other side he that despiseth them despiseth God himself Luk. 10.16 They were but men that preached to the Thessalonians the Apostle and his fellows so that they might have made the same objection and so have kept themselves from due and reverend entertainment of the word which they delivered But they
them up again with joy unspeakable and glorious How it hath altered them and changed them and turned them clean about and made them to renounce their pleasures and delights their wills their reasons their desires yea to deny themselves that they might walk by this Rule 5. The blood of many Martyrs gives testimony to the Scripture that it is the word of God who but for this divine and saving Truth and by his power and might whose Truth it is would hardly have endured the rage and fury of the flames the violence of the tormentors We read indeed that divers Hereticks have suffered exquisite and horrid tortures for their gross opinions and conceits as we have many instances in Church story But it is to be considered that they did it for the Scripture though falsely and corruptly apprehended and applyed Where hath been the Jew or Turk who for his Talmud or his Alchoran which are the Scriptures they receive and use hath put himself into the hands of the Tormentors These and such things as these do make it in it self extremely credible that that which is delivered in the Scripture is the word of God But yet they may not so take hold upon us to convince us notwithstanding they may not chase our scruples all away nor clear up all doubts unless some further thing be done to make it credited by us and to make us know for certain that it is the word of God This is the proper and peculiar work of Gods Spirit The self same Spirit which delivered it to the Apostles and the Prophets who were the Scribes and Pen-men of the Scripture and made them know that it was the word of God which they delivered must satisfie us and convince us also that it is the word of God which we receive No other means will do without this but this and this alone will do it This is an absolute and satisfying testimony of it self which carries all before it and puts the matter out of question where it comes Other things may make it credible but this and this alone will make it clearly and demonstratively sure to us that it is in deed and truth the word of God Now if you ask me how the Holy Spirit doth this great work which nothing else besides can do I answer that it doth it principally two ways First by removing those impediments which hinder this assurance And secondly by giving us those gifts and graces which make us able to receive it First by removing those impediments that hinder this assurance There is a double hinderance or impediment in every man by nature First ignorance whereby our eyes are closed as it were The word hath light enough my Brethren in and of it self to shew it self to us to manifest it self to us as it is indeed but we are blind and cannot see it The second hinderance is corruption by means of which although we see it we cannot of our selves but hate it and dislike it and reject it These two the Holy Spirit cureth and removeth by a double remedy The first illumination restoring our decayed understandings to some degrees and measures of their first light opening our eyes that we may see the wonders of the word and so be satisfied that it is the word of God The next Sanctification infusing into our desires and our affections some degrees and measures of their first holiness And by this work of Gods Spirit opening the eyes of our blind minds that we may understand the Scriptures and see those admirable rays and beams of divine and heavenly light that shine in them And also rectifying our corrupt affections that we may love them and embrace them we come to be assured that the Scripture is indeed and truth the word of God So that you see the Spirit works not this assurance in us by adding any thing to Gods word by curing any failing or defect in it but only by bringing it into the light and representing it unto us as indeed it is The Spirit doth not make it credible for it is so in it self abundantly beyond all possibility even of the best addition but it makes it so to us by curing and removing the impediments and supplying the defects which are in us by means of which we cannot apprehend it as it is And I mention this the rather because some have been apt to say of late the Word without the Spirit is no more to them then any other Book or any other piece of writing Now if their meaning be to blame themselves in this and to import that their corruption and their ignorance is such that unless the Spirit help them they cannot come to understand it or look upon it as better then another Book it may receive a pretty fair construction But if their intention be to undervalue and abase the Scripture as if the proper and innate and real worth thereof depended wholly on the Spirits revelation it is a horrid derogation from the pretious Word of God It 's true indeed without the Spirit it may be no more to us then any other book such is the darkness and prophaness of our hearts but yet it is more in it self whether the Spirit shew it us or no. The Spirit in this work of his doth not make it in it self to be the Word of God but only to appear so It makes no alteration in the Word but in our selves When first it tells us and assures us that it is the Word of God it was clearly so before or else it certifies us of a falsehood and untruth only it was not apprehended and believed to be so This is indeed the Spirits work to make us know for certain that it is the Word of God it is not to be done without it And therefore that we may attain to this perswasion we must do these two things 1. We must cry to God to send down his Holy Spirit to give in this assurance to us To set his seal and testimony to it that it is the Word of God and so to put the matter out of all question to satisfie us without any further scruple that all that is delivered in it is of God 2. We must take in and cherish all the light that from the Spirit shines upon the soul Sometimes a beam breaks in upon us on a sudden it makes us see and know for certain that it is the Word of God so that all doubt is banished quite in that particular But we neglect it and permit our thoughts to be misled to other things before we fix and settle upon this perswasion and so our assurance fails and our doubts return again The Spirit offers clear illumination and conviction and we take no notice of it and therefore it is just it should be withdrawn again And thus far of our Saviours declaration of his Apostles and Disciples due and ready entertainment of the Word which he delivered together with the ground of it as it is
be known by them Answ I mean as yet in the Condition they were in at that time All things which he heard from God the Father with this intent that they should hear them and be made acquainted with them he had imparted to them to the very utmost so that he had been faithful in the business There is no doubt our Saviour Christ as man had many things revealed to him from his Father which he instilled not into his Disciples for he was perfect in regard of knowledge and they were not so nor could be so in this world But whatsoever was communicated to him as the Mediator and the Prophet of the Church in that behalf and for the information and behoof of his people all this he manifested and made known to them again as far as the estate which they were in would bear it and their condition did require it And this he clearly intimateth in the fore-alleadged place I have yet many things to say to you but ye cannot bear them now And to what end should Christ say that which he knew they could not yet bear why should he lay a burthen on them which was too heavy for their shoulders But if he had said all before how had he many things to say yet He had said all that was to be said before all that his Father had appointed him to say and he had many things to say that were not to be said yet because they were not suitable to the condition they were in at that time But did our Saviour say them afterwards or if he had many things to say and did not say them how was he such a faithful messenger as I have shewn from his Father to his people For clearing this we must distinguish of our Saviours sayings something he was to say to his Apostles and Disciples with his own immediate voyce while he was conversant upon the earth Other things he was to say by his Spirit afterwards and he was very faithfull both ways 1. What things he was to say to his Apostles and Disciples with his own immediate voyce he said all those things He kept nothing back from them He taught them lesson after lesson still as they could learn And so he carryed them along as long as he remained among them So that he might have said at any time while he was with them I have made known all to you all that you are yet to know And whereas he affirmeth in the cited place I have yet many things to say to you if they were such as he was himself to speak to utter to them with his own mouth there is no question to be made he spake them afterwards before he left them and ascended to his Father And it is manifest that after he was risen he conversed with them forty days talking of mysterious things speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom Act. 1.7 The Kingdom which had been set up in the hearts of a few poor despised ones before but was now to be erected in the Church These and such things as these they could not hear till now and therefore though our Saviour had these things to say yet he said them not till now And now he said them that he might be faithful and that he might discharge the trust that was reposed in him by his Father 2. But there were other things which he was not to say to his Apostles and Disciples by his own immediate voyce while he was conversant among them but by his Spirit afterward when he had left them And these he said accordingly by that Spirit And this is chiefly aimed at and is the main intention of the fore-alleadged Text I have yet many things to say to you but you cannot bear them yet But what then did he say them afterwards Yes he said them afterwards by his Spirit and what the Spirit said he said And therefore it is added presently Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear viz. of me that shall he speak He shall receive of me and shall shew it unto you While Christ was conversant with his Apostles in the flesh they were capable of nothing in a manner It was but little they could bear then and therefore there was little to be shewed to them But when he was ascended once their hearts were presently enlarged to a capacity of greater measures and degrees of knowledge And Christ was now accordingly to shew them and the Church by them much more by his Spirit which he performed with all fidelity as the event hath manifested and declared The point you see is fully cleared Christ hath approved himself a faithful Messenger from his Father to his people For he hath added nothing to his message and he hath taken nothing from it All the words his Father gave him to deliver by himself and by his own immediate voyce he hath delivered All that he gave him to deliver by his Spirit all these he hath delivered too and so he hath been absolutely and exactly faithful every way Hath Christ approved himself a faithful Prophet to the Church a Vse 1 faithful Messenger c. Hath he not failed in speaking any thing that he should have concealed or in concealing any thing he should have spoken hath he not spoken so much as a word too little or a word too much This then may serve to teach us divers things As 1. To hear this Prophet and diligently to observe and mark all that he speaks to us He hath no loose words no vain expressions nothing too little or too much in that which he delivered to us and therefore it must be the better noted and the more valued The words of men yea the exactest of them are sometimes defective and sometimes redundant The words of Christ are not so I speak not this that you should do as some of the Church of Corinth did I am for Paul saith one I am for Cephas said another I am for neither of them said a third I am for Christ only That which Christ himself said I will hear and I will read but I will hear no other man I would not have you hear Christ so as to hear none but him But I would have you hear Christ so as to hear none like him for never man spake like this man And therefore when we meet with his words let us take special notice of them let us fix and dwell upon them and let them rest and dwell in us Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly Let us have an eye to mark them an ear to hear them and a heart to keep them as Mary had of whom it is recorded that she kept all his sayings in her heart How carefully did the Apostle keep that which our Saviour spake though it be no where mentioned in the Gospel and wishes other men to do so too Act.
entertained by us and we will not entertain him or if we do it is in such a careless and in such a slight way as if he were not worthy to be looked upon The evil spirit comes and he hath all the welcome that the house can make he finds it swept and garnished the Holy Spirit comes and he is set behind doors He offers holy motions to us he stirs us up to read to pray to humble and afflict our souls to meditate of holy things and we neglect them as if they were not worth the hearkning to He offers sweet and pretious comforts to us and we forsake our own mercy we hanker after other pleasures and delights the comforts of the Spirit will not rellish with us our souls loath this light bread we must have fleshly satisfactions and refreshments spiritual will not serve the turn Brethren this is no good usage the Holy Spirit grieves at this He thinks as well he may he hath deserved better at our hands then this is I have brought down Christ to them and so have comforted and cheered them thinks he and now they slight and grieve me 2. And as we deal unkindly with him when we slight him so we deal more unkindly with him when we oppose him and resist him when we set our selves against him I know the Spirit of grace is irresistible in some respect but yet ad luctam he may be resisted though he cannot ad victoriam and so he is sometimes even by the Lords own people Even they have flesh within them that lusts against this Spirit as the Apostle Paul speaks That doth not slight it and neglect it only but lust against it The Spirit will have this or that done no saith the flesh it shall not the Spirit shall not be obeyed the Spirit will have such a lust cast out that is always crossing him and thwarting with him No saith the flesh it shall not goe The Spirit would have us set about such or such a holy duty the flesh opposes and resists the motion and we are well content it may be at present that it should do so and so we sit still and let all alone say the Spirit what he will Brethren the Spirit takes it very ill to be thus used by us it makes him sad that these whom he hath done so much for should make him such a recompence and that he should be wounded thus in the house of his friends That they should keep and favour fellows there and make them houshold-guests that go to thrust him out of doors when he comes to lodge with them I beseech you think upon it and give him better entertainment that so he may take pleasure to be with you If you desire to make the most of the presence of your Saviour in the Spirit now he is absent from you in the body as you must not grieve him so you must take singular and extraordinary comfort in him for he is sent down as a Comforter you know in Christs absence and therefore this is the special use that you are to make of him It is sad that Christ is gone but it is comfortable that the Spirit is come down from heaven to supply his place and therefore let us see that we take comfort in it Ah my Beloved is not this a sweet and welcome Office of the Spirit to represent Christ to us and so pretious and so sweet a friend as Christ is when he comes in and tells us Christ is gone up indeed to heaven and he will fetch you after him ere it be long that where he is there may you be also And in the mean time he hath taken care of you and he hath sent me down of purpose to be instead of him to you and he would have you look upon me as if he himself were with you Ah my Beloved should not our hearts even leap within us at such news as this Doth not the Spirit comfort us should it not be a ravishing and a reviving thing to us when he comes in Christs stead and supplies Christs room and Christs place Doth not our Saviour Christ himself propound it oftentimes to his Apostles and Disciples for their comfort when they were in heaviness and when their hearts were even about to break within them come be not troubled that I am about to leave you I will send you another Comforter that shall abide with you for ever Joh. 14.16 I have been a comfort to you I confess but I will send you another Comforter one that shall comfort you as much as I have done and one that shall stick to you and shall not leave you as I am about to do but shall abide with you for ever I will not leave you comfortless as Christ adds in the 18. verse No which way will you help it might they say How can we but be comfortless when Christ is gone why this way I will help it might our Saviour say I will come to you and be with you by my Spirit And though the world can never see me while my body is withdrawn and I am only present with you by my Spirit yet you have eyes to see me present with you this way and while you have this presence with you I hope you have no reason to complain that you are left without comfort So that the Spirit is a comforter you see by representing Christ to us yea it is a greater comfort that the Spirit is with us then if Christ himself were with us It is a greater comfort that Christ is present with us by his Spirit then if he should be present with us by his body then the comfort were more narrow but now it is more large then the comfort were more outward but now it is more inward then the comfort were more fleshly but now it is more spiritual and therefore let us take in this comfort If you desire to make the most of the presence of your Saviour in the Spirit now he is absent from you in the body as you must take in the comforts so you must take in the graces of the Spirit for even as Christ is present with you by the comforts so he is present with you by the graces of the Spirit By these he dwells among us though he be in heaven in the body as the Psalmist intimates Psal 68.18 When he ascended up on high he received gifts for men the gifts and graces of the Spirit to bestow on men that the Lord God might dwell among them by those gifts and those graces And therefore the Apostle prays for the Ephesians that Christ might dwell in their hearts by faith one of the principal of those graces Ephes 3.17 Well then my Brethren when Jesus Christ makes tenders of himself to you by these graces let him come in and dwell with you Make the more of this way of his residence and habitation with you because you cannot have him in the other When he offers any
grace consider with your selves Now Jesus Christ draws nigh to me he that is above in heaven and with relation to his bodily and fleshly presence is no more in this world is in another way coming into my soul And therefore do not shut the doors against him but bid him very welcome when he comes when he offers more knowledge faith love hope patience let not these offers be refused Remember when you take in these you take in Christ with them in the presence of his Spirit So much as you enjoy of these so much you enjoy of Christ and therefore seek and value every saving grace the more and be the readier to receive and entertain it because it brings Christ with it Is it so that Jesus Christ as he is man is gone away c. Then let us Vse 3 also go away out of the world to him that we may be where he is I say as Christ to his Disciples in another case Arise let us go hence Jesus Christ is gone you hear and why then do we stay behind him why do we tarry here when Christ is gone It 's true we cannot go to him in the body but yet as Christ though he be absent from us in the body yet he is present with us by his Spirit so we upon the other side though we be absent from him in the body let us be present with him in the Spirit and as he comes from heaven to us by his Spirit though his body stay there so let us go from earth to heaven to our Saviour in our spirits though our bodies stay here But you will ask me How may this be done or how may we be present with our Saviour in our Spirits I Answer 1. We may be present with him in the thoughts and meditations of the Spirit These are the proper actings of the soul the inner man and if our thoughts be much upon him we are in this respect much with him And therefore I beseech you my Beloved let us feed our selves continually with sweet and pretious thoughts of Jesus Christ though we be here below and must continue so till Christ be pleased to take us to himself yet let our minds ascend to heaven and let our thoughts and meditations be where Christ is Oh let us think upon him in the day and in the night upon our beds when we are still and have nothing to distract us then let our hearts be filled with sweet soliloquies with ravishing and transporting thoughts of Christ that we may speak to him as David did Psal 104.34 How pretious are the thoughts of thee O Lord How great is the sum of them It passes my Arithmetique to cast them up 2. Let us be present with our Saviour in the affections of the Spirit let our spirits cleave to him though we be absent from him in the body Where Jesus Christ our treasure is there let our hearts be also That as Elisha said to Gehazi once Went not my heart with thee when at that very time he was sitting in his house and Gehazi was abroad 2 King 5.26 So we may say to Jesus Christ though in another way However we be absent from thee in the body yet is not our heart with thee as the Apostle to the Thessalonians We Brethren being taken from you in presence not in heart 1 Thes 2.17 so we to Jesus Christ Oh Lord though we be separated from thee in our bodies we are not separated from thee in our hearts They are continually with thee nor shall they be divided from thee 3. Let us be present with our Saviour in the desires and anhelations of the Spirit let them be always mounting up where he is he is gone and in the mean time till he come again to us let us long to go to him Oh let us build no Tabernacles on the Tabor of this world since our Saviour is not here But let us look upon our selves as banished men as the Apostle did knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 and so let us groan earnestly to get to Christ as he did Let us be always breathing gasping fainting after Jesus Christ and putting out our heads to see when he will come and receive us to himself that where he is there may we be also And thus far of the first particular suggested in the words the departure of our Saviour out of this lower world to the immediate presence of his Father And now I am no more in the world but I come to thee The second follows now in order to be handled and that is his Disciples stay behind him But these are in the world and are where they are like to be and where they are to tarry and remain when I am gone The world in which our Saviour Christs Apostles and Disciples were and were to stay must be conceived to be the very same which Christ himself was now about to leave and from which he was ready to depart viz. this lower world beneath heaven that from which he was to go in that were his Disciples and Apostles to remain And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world the self same world in which I am to be no more But why is this alleadged by our Saviour to his Father here that the Apostles and Disciples were to stay in this world apparently to shew what cause he had to mention them in his Petitions and to commend them to the special care and mercy and protection of his Father As in the words that are immediately annexed Holy Father keep them through thy own Name q. d. I am even now about to leave them and to leave them in the world and thou knowest what a place the world is how troublesome unpleasing and vexatious it hath continually been to my Disciples and therefore I beseech thee Father keep them have a special eye upon them who are to stay behind me in such a place as this is So that the point apparently suggested here is this DOCTRINE The world hath alwayes been and is an evil and uncomfortable place to Christs Disciples It is a sad and doleful place to live in and hence our Saviour seeemeth to bewail the case of his Apostles and Disciples in my Text These are in the world saith he as if he should have added and that is but an ill place Now that I may the better clear it and evince it to you I shall shew in what respects the world is such an evil and uncomfortable place to Christs Disciples It is in this respect an evil and uncomfortable place to Christs Disciples that it is a place of suffering In which they are continually to be exposed to many tryals and to many troubles Though they be in the world yet they are not of the world and therefore they are hated by the world as Jesus Christ himself informeth his Disciples John 15.19 If ye were of
he did so he had his reasons in his own breast and in his own bosom Only this is probable that he did it that he might be an Example and a president to us that we might learn of him to do as he did That when we are approaching to the Throne of Grace we might be very much possessed with deep and serious contemplations of the holiness of God I shall adde no more for proof but hasten to the Application Now is it so that even as God is holy in himself so Jesus Christ came Vse 1 to him as a holy God and looked c. Then let us learn of Jesus Christ how to behave our selves when we are making our addresses to the Majesty of God and pouring out prayers to him We are exhorted very often in the Scripture to be followers of Christ and so to walk and act as we have him for an Example In all his imitable ways and actions his practice ought to be a rule to us And therefore let us labour to conform our selves to Jesus Christ in this particular when we are drawing nigh to God in prayer let our thoughts be taken up with meditations of his holiness let them work much upon this attribute of his Indeed the Saints of the Old Testament when they set God upon his Throne and clothe him with his Majesty and glory as they use to do in the beginnings of their prayers do seem to take more notice of other attributes of God of his power of his dreadfulness his righteousness his faithfulness his truth his mercy then his holiness But under the New Testament you know God hath been served worshipped in a more spiritual way and here we have the High Priest of our profession Jesus Christ the most unparalleld and matchless pattern teaching us by his example to exercise our thoughts upon the holiness of God when we are making our approaches to him And therefore when at any time we set our selves to pray let us endevour to affect our selves and to be taken up with deep considerations of this attribute of his Let our most working apprehensions fix upon his holiness and make a deep impression of it in our hearts that we may carry it along throughout from the beginning of our supplications to the end It will be singularly useful to us as I shall shew you in a few particulars 1. It will help exceedingly to frame our hearts to put them into such a posture as the Lord delights in It 's true the meditation of other of the attributes of God hath its work upon our spirits when we are drawing nigh unto him But this me thinks hath somewhat proper and peculiar to it self further and beyond the rest It 's true the apprehension of the Mercy of the Lord will make us to have comfortable cheerful hearts the apprehension of his truth and faithfulness will make us to have bold couragious hearts the apprehension of his power and greatness will make us to have trembling and awful hearts But now the apprehension of his holiness will make us to have holy hearts that so we may be like him whom we are making our addresses to And holiness alone comprises all that hath been said and much more our cheerfulness our confidence our reverence in prayer are all but parts of holiness A holy frame of heart involves and comprehendeth in it all this and more besides then we are able to express Indeed what ever God takes pleasure in as to the temper of his people when they are pouring out their prayers to him is all contained under holiness Let them come with holy hearts and all is well and this they shall the better do if they consider with what an infinitely holy God they have to do Oh this will raise the heart if it be duly weighed to such a sweet and pretious frame that it will be no longer earthly it will be fit to have Communion with the holy God And therefore David presses the Consideration of this attribute of God in those whom he exhorts to worship him by way of preparation to that great business Psal 99.9 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy hill for the Lord our God is holy 2. The meditation of the holiness of God will quicken us and stir us up as far as it is possible to cleanse our selves from every sin when we are making our approaches to him For sin my Brethren is against his holiness yea in directest opposition And therefore it is known by the name of filthiness and uncleanness in the Scripture Not only whoredom and adultery and fornication and sins of that kind are unclean as they are called uncleanness in the abstract but sin is generally so as you may see that place for instance 2 Cor. 7.1 And hence it is my Brethren that it is so odious to the Lord there being nothing in the world so contrary and so opposite to him and to his Nature as sin is No man in the world hates any thing no mans heart abhors and loaths and rises against any thing as the Lords against sin By reason of his pureness and his holiness he cannot brook it Hab. 1.13 he is not able to endure it He seems me thinks to shut his eyes and to cry out to his people Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate And therefore when men will not hold but commit it the infinitely holy God is vexed and troubled out of all measure so he is represented in the Scripture Isa 63.10 They rebelled against him saith the Prophet and they vexed his holy Spirit Because he was so holy he was vext the more at sin which was so filthy And truly my Beloved if we did seriously consider the holiness of God when we are about to pray we would not dare to bring this filthy thing into his presence which is so contrary to this attribute of his and consequently is so odious and detestable to him At least we would endeavour to the utmost of our power to cleanse our selves from all the filthiness of flesh and spirit to wash our hands and hearts in Innocency with holy David and so to compass Gods Atar to offer up the Incense of our prayers to him Oh we would shake and quiver every joint to think of coming to the Holy God in the midst of our pollutions unpurged and unhumbled for We would consider with our selves What will the Lord say to me when he sees me in his presence so defiled How will he look on such a filthy and abominable wretch as I am how is it possible but he should hide his eyes from me when he perceives the hands that I spread forth before him are so full of gore and blood how can he choose but loath me and abhor me Do I expect to find favour in his eyes and come before him with that which he so abhors as if I meant to vex him and provoke him And therefore if we ever look to speed
what to do for then perhaps the Lord will shut the doors against you and leave you helpless in your troubles And truly it is just with God that they that seek not to him till they be driven out of all their shifts should be neglected by him when they come 2. Humbly or else the Name of God will not be a refuge to you You may come to him for shelter but he will not receive you into his protection No he will resist the proud he will keep them out of doors he will leave them succourless in their distresses They were so proud and their stomachs were so high in prosperous times that they looked not after God God was not in all their thoughts Psal 10.4 And therefore now when they come running to him because they know not how to live without him the Lord will look as little after them let them do what they will for God But on the other side my Brethren there are many sweet and pretious promises of mercy protection to the humble person 3. Heartily with all the heart and all the soul for so is the direction Deut. 4.29 you must not seek him feignedly with half a heart with a divided spirit for if you do you may expect such entertainment as is threatned to those dissembling wretches mentioned Prov. 1.28 They shall call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me and you may look to speed as hollow-hearted Israel did Hos 5.6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord and shall not find him 4. Reformedly in a way of Reformation and amendment It is in vain for a prophane and filthy person so continuing to run to the name of God in his distresses He must not look for any shelter there he shall not come neer God for God will be sanctified in all that come near him He that cannot endure to look upon prophaness with his eye will not shrowd it with his wing But to the Saints to holy persons the Lord will be a sure refuge The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Prov. 18.10 the righteous runneth into it and is safe 5. Constantly we must hold out in seeking God and that not only in the act but also in the power and vigor of it And as the Spouse though she were long delaid and though she met with many difficulties and disheartnings yet she continued seeking still She followed Christ through every lane and every street and never left till she had found him So we must follow God my Brethren through all the Ordinances all the means all the wayes that lead to him and though he fly away and hide himself we must not faint and languish but continue and hold out till we have found him Vse 4 Is it so that they that belong to Christ are kept c. If then we have been kept in any dangers or distresses let us look up to this Name let us not rest in the external means and secondary causes of our succour or deliverance but let us look beyond them and above them to the name of God Let us see this Name of his engraven and enstampt upon them as the Prophet counsels Mich. 6.9 The man of wisdom shall see thy Name and when we see it let us acknowledge it to be the fountain of our help the cause of all our succour and deliverance Let us confess that God according to our Saviours Prayer in my Text hath kept us through his own Name And let his Name have all the glory And thus far of the means by which our Saviour here desires that his Disciples and Apostles might be kept his Fathers Name Holy Father keep through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me The End for which he prays they might be kept comes now in order to be handled That they may be one as we are A strange expression if we look upon it with a superficial view That the Disciples of our Saviour may be one in some respects is very easie to imagine But how they should be one as God the Father and the Son are one who are so one that they are the very same the same essence for so the union is identical though they be not the same person this is hard to be conceived yet this is the expression of our Saviour to his Father in my Text That they be one as we are Which that you may the better understand my Brethren you must know that as in Scripture is many times a note of similitude and not of equality It intimates the truth and the reality of that wherein the likeness stands and not the measure and degree I might give many instances wherein that particle is so taken you may see that place for instance Luk. 6.36 Be you merciful as your Father also is merciful It is impossible for any man to be merciful as God if you look to the degree For as the Heavens are higher then the Earth so are his ways and thoughts above ours in reference to mercy and forgiveness But yet we may be merciful as God is really and truly so although not so in such a measure We may be merciful as he though not as merciful as he So in my Text our Saviour prays in the behalf of his Apostles and Disciples to his Father that they may be one saith he as we are as thee and I are The meaning is not that they may be one as neerly that is impossible but that they may be one as truly as we are Not that they may be one by a substantial and identical but by a real union as we are Not that they many be one in all respects but that they may be one in some respects as we are But you will ask me then what those respects are I will shew you in a Word God and Christ the Father and the Son are two persons And yet though they be two persons they agree in every thing Though they be divers yet they never differ No they do continually minde the same things they will and nill the same things they love and hate the same things There is an unexpressible agreement and consent between them every way even so it is exceedingly to be desired that the Disciples of our Saviour though they be many persons yet they may be of one mind and one heart and one affection That they may agree in all things that there may be no difference no divisions no jars no strifes no rents among them but that they may in this respect be one even as the Father and Son are And this you see is the great thing for which our Saviour is a suitor to his Father in behalf of his Apostles and Disciples that they might be at unity among themselves This is the end for which he prays they may be kept by the Almighty power of God himself that as far as it is possible for men
themselves Proceed we to the clearing of the second It is a matter of high concernment for Christs disciples to be at nearest unity among themselves As of wondrous difficulty so of very great concernment It is the first thing that our Saviour begs in the behalf of his Apostles and Disciples that they might be one And prayes his Father to effect it by his own almighty power Holy Father keep them through thy own name that they may be one as we are By which he shews that as it is a hard thing so it is a choise thing a thing of special consequence worthy the putting forth of the almighty power of God about it And therefore the Apostle Paul would have us strain our selves to get it and preserve it to do as much as lies in us even to the utmost as much as it is possible for men to do to set all our abilities and all our faculties a work to procure and keep peace Rom. 12.18 And to this end having perswaded the Colossians to adorn themselves with mercy kindness humbleness of mind and with the habits and the acts of meekness and long-suffering as with glorious robes he perswadeth them at length to put on love which is an uniting grace a bond of perfectness the uppermost garment as it were and so the largest fairest richest and most pretious piece of the new cloathing of a Christian And therefore puts a special Emphasis upon his exhortation to it Above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness which will unite and join you perfectly together They are not graces of the meanest rank that Paul commends to the Colossians in the former verses Yet having run through all of them and being come at length to this uniting grace as to the top and chief of all he sets the finger of a hand against it to point it out as supereminent Above all these things put on charity which is the bond of perfectness How is the Prophet David carried out beyond himself and even ravished in the contemplation of this pretious unity among the Saints and therefore calleth others to join in admiration with him Psal 133.1 Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity The admirable and surpassing excellency of it is represented to us in the Scripture many wayes If God will promise any special mercy to the Church it shall be this Isa 11.6 The Wolf and Lamb shall dwell together the Leopard shall lye down with the Kid and the Lyon with the Calf and a little Child shall lead them And great shall be the peace of thy Children Isa 54.13 If he will give them any choice blessing The Lord will bless his people with peace Psal 29.11 If we will pray for any favour worth striving for it must be for Church-peace and unity among the Saints Pray ye for the peace of Jerusalem Psalm 112.7 that it may be like a City that is at unity within it self And therefore the Apostle is so earnest for it as it were for life and death The God of peace give you peace alwayes and by all means By which he intimateth that as it is a thing of wondrous difficulty so of great concernment for Christs Disciples to be at unity among themselves And this I shall lay open to you in a few paaticulars It is of great concernment to the growth of Christs Disciples and to their thriving in their spiritual estate It is observed of the Church Acts 4.32 that they were of one heart and one soul And that which follows presently is this great grace was upon them all It seems they were in the increasing and the thriving hand by this means Where there is great peace among the Saints there is great grace too Much union brings forth much communion and much Communion brings forth much holiness and much grace When Christians walk on in a sweet and amicable way they cannot choose but grow exceedingly But when dissentions make them to reserve themselves this is extremely prejudicial to the increase in holiness which otherwise would be among them That place of the Apostle is very notable to this purpose Col. 2 19. And not holding the head from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together encreaseth with the increase of God being knit together it maketh increase It is of great concernment as to the growth of Christs Disciples so also to their comfort that they be at nearest unity among themselves it is a notable expression of the Apostle Paul to this purpose Col. 2.2 That their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love There is the mercy wished them that their hearts might be comforted and then the requisite condition and qualification to make them capable of this comfort being knit together in love Much union much comfort little union little comfort no union no comfort Indeed it is a pleasant thing for Brethren to live together in unity but it is a bitter thing to live in discord and dissention it eats out all the joy and comfort of a man and fills his spirit with vexation When men are over head and ears in Controversies and Contentions especially Saints with Saints it makes their lives unquiet and uncomfortable to them You shall observe how restless such men are who are embroyled in troubles and who are deep in Controversies and Contentions they cannot eat they cannot sleep they cannot talk they can do nothing cheerfully and freely they are so clogged and cumbred with their own impatient and perplexed thoughts Listen to them and you shall hear them ever and anon complaining that every one is vexing them and troubling and molesting them so that they cannot live in peace Their wives their children and their servants cannot be at quiet for them they are in such a pelting humor upon every light occasion Their families are like the middle Region of the air continually rent and torn with storms and thunders and tempestuous stirs which rise at first of a thing of nothing a thin invisible fume drawn up from the earth And all this comes to pass by the dissentions that they have with others which takes away the meekness of their spirits and with that their quiet too And therefore you shall find a meek and quiet spirit joyned together and made the chief adorning of a Christian 1 Pet. 2.4 Whose adorning let it be that of the hidden man of the heart even the adorning of a meek and quiet spirit It it be meek it will be quiet if enraged it will be troubled it will be like the Sea that cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt It is of so great concernment as to the growth and comfort of Christs Disciples that they be at unity c. so also to their keeping in with God himself they must have peace among themselves if they will have peace with God if they be angry one with another God
and nourish discords and dissentions For these if we will give them entertainment will set our hearts on fire of hell And therefore when our thoughts begin to work apace in any injury or provocation that is offered to us and to tell us strange things that it is not to be born and that it may not be endured let us smother and suppress them let us not give place to them no not for an hour no not for a moment It is observed of Abraham that when the fowls came down upon his sacrifice he drove them away Gen. 15.11 so when such foul and noisome thoughts as these offer to pitch upon our heart let them have no footing there no let us watch them narrowly that we may suddenly chase them away And let us follow the advice of the Apostle Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke to love Let us consider that and think on that which may stir us up to love let our imaginations work and dwell upon such thoughts as these and not those which lead on to Contestation and Dissention As we should chase away the thoughts so we should avoid the persons that make and nourish breaches and divisions It is the Apostles Counsel that we should mark them that cause divisions and offences and avoid them Rom. 16.17 Mark them not to join with them but to decline them and avoid them Brethren you shall observe that there are some of all hands whose work it is to make peace and to compose breaches And there are others on the other side who are as busie as it is possible for men to be to make rents and separations and divisions And it is our unhappiness that these dividers work goes onward faster then the others Indeed it is an easie thing for one to rip faster then two or three can sow Alas how many are there in these wrangling times who are continually medling and who make this their work and business to see how they can set men one against another how they can blow the coals of discord and kindle them into a flame how they can heighten the contention and the animosity that is too high already among those who are in name at least and in profession Christs Disciples Now I beseech you my beloved as the Apostle doth the Romans in the fore-alledged Scripture Mark these men let them be of what side they will if they be of this spirit do you set a mark upon them that you may know them another time and that you decline them and avoid them It is a bitter imprecation of the Apostle Pauls Gal. 2.12 I wish they were cut off that trouble you Truly I wish that they who are the troublers of our Sions peace the main and unwearied sticklers in our Church-divisions who would not have things come to an accord and a friendly composition for ends which they best know I wish they were cut off from all communion with the Saints That all the people of the Lord on all sides would look aloof upon them and avoid them as the pests of this Nation And certainly if all men would avoid them and keep off from them they would have the less work and we should have the less trouble If we would be at nearest unity among our selves we must be furnished with abundance of that wisdom which cometh from above as the Apostle cals it James 3.17 For that is gentle peaceable easie to be be entreated full of mercy and good fruits Contentious persons may applaud their own wits and think themselves extreamly wise and subtil in making good the quarrels which they undertake But what saith the Apostle ver 14. if you have bitter strife and envy in your hearts glory not lye not against the truth This wisdom descendeth not from above And if it come not from above from heaven it cometh from beneath from earth from hell it is earthly sensual devilish What ever mens abilities or parts or reaches are if they be alwayes quarrelling and falling out as many are it is apparent that they want this blessed wisdom To say the truth my brethren it is want of wit that is much of the cause of all this Anger resteth in the bosom of fools and so the wise man tells us that every fool will be medling Prov. 20.3 It is an honor for a man to cease from strife but every fool will be medling It is the property of every fool to do so You have a sort of men my Brethren that will be at the end of every quarrel If there be any difference or strife near them they will be sure to have a finger in the pie they will never sit out Now would you know what kind of men these are They are a company of fools a company of busie medling fools and were it not for such Idiots we might have much more peace then we have at this day If men were ballasted with wisdom they would not be a tempering and a making variance as they do And if indignities and wrongs were offered to them they would easily digest them and possess their souls in patience and therefore let us labour after this wisdom and let us follow the advise and counsel of our Saviour Mar. 9 50. Have salt in your selves and have peace one with another First let us have the salt of wisedom in our selves and then we shall have unity and peace with others If we would be one and if we would have peace the blessing we must be under the commanding and the ruling power of peace the vertue It must sit upon the throne in our hearts as the Apostle Paul exhorts Col. 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Brethren when you are any way exasperated or provoked so that your passions rise or swell and are ready to break out into intemperate words or actions when you are hardly able to contain your selves then let the ruling power of peace appear by stilling and composing all again And let this holy disposition be so strong within you that neither pride nor wrath nor malice nor any other lust may be able to controll it There is a story that the Swevians had a Law among them that in a fray where swords were drawn if a woman or a child did cry but peace a great way of they were bound to end the quarrel or else he died that struck the next stroke after peace was named So if your passions be at war within you to use the Apostles phrase if they be up in arms and you do but think of peace or any friend perswade to peace let all be husht and quiet presently and let that passion die let it be crucified that dares to stir when peace is mentioned So let the peace of God rule in our hearts let it triumph in all and over all our provocations that we may bear them all with an unmoved and undisturbed spirit Let us be earnest with the Lord in prayer that he would make
of joy when he promised him you know to his Apostles and Disciples they were full of sorrow and he did this as an antidote against it Come be not troubled saith our Saviour I will send you another Comforter that shall abide with you for ever John 14.16 I have been a Comforter to you I confess but seeing I am ready to depart from you I will not leave you comfortless no I will send you another Comforter one that shall comfort you as much as I have done and one that shall stick to you too and shall not leave you as I am about to do but shall abide with you for ever So that you see one special end of Christ in sending down the Holy Ghost into the hearts of his people is to comfort them and cheer them to be to them not only a spirit of Sanctification but a spirit of Consolation and so discovers that he hath a great regard to the joy of his people Christ gives deliverance to his people that they may be full of joy He hath divers other ends why he becomes a Saviour to them in the day of their distress but this is not the least of all that he may put new joy into their hearts and a new Song into their mouths When he appears to the salvation of his people in doing so he appeareth to their joy as you may see Isa 66.5 That is the End and Drift of his Appearance Christ hath purchased Heaven for his people that they might be full of ioy For Heaven as it is a place of the heigth of holiness so it is a place of the heigth of happiness Here indeed we are in Bochim in a place of weeping we go through a vale of tears and digg up Wells but they are of salt water the rain also fills the pools But when we are arrived at Heaven we shall weep no more but all our tears shall be wiped from our eyes We shall not have a wrinkle in our faces nor a tear upon our cheeks nor a sad thought upon our hearts but all shall be smooth and clear and sweet and that for ever Then we shall be full of joy Christs joy shall be fulfilled in us yea we shall have the fulness of joy Psalm 16. ult Indeed full joy importeth nothing but enough to fill us so much as we are capable of as is commensurate to our capacity as we are able to receive But on the other side the fulness of joy importeth all the measures and degrees of it So that there can be nothing added to it there is nothing wanting to it to make it absolute in all respects It is not to be raised higher any way And this hath Christ prepared and purchased for us By these things it is evident that Jesus Christ would have his people to be full of holy joy But wherefore will he have it to be so Why would he have his people to be full of holy joy Out of self-respect he would have it to be so because by reason of the Reason 1 neerness of his union with his people he hath a kind of share in their comfort As his joy is their joy according to his own expression in my text that they may have my ioy fulfilled in themselves So upon the other side their joy is his joy And as there is a social glory of the head and of the members as the School-expression is as Christ is glorified in the glory of his people 2 Thes 1.12 so there is a social joy of the head and of the members Christ rejoyceth in the joy of his people The Comfort of the members redoundeth also to the Comfort of the head As Christ delights in the prosperity so in the joy of his people When they are joyfull he rejoyceth over them with joy and joyeth over them with singing as his own expression is Zeph. 3.17 Reason 2 Christ would have his people to be full of holy joy to recompence them for their sorrow They are described to be such as mourn Mat. 5.4 That uses to be first with them they use to begin there But then they do not use to end there And therefore it is added presently for they shall be comforted Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted And Christ would have their comfort to be answerable to their sorrow That as his sufferings have abounded in them their consolation also may abound by him as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 1.5 Indeed they go forth weeping bearing pretious seed as you may see Psal 126.6 They sow in showry weather in a weeping time In such a time did David sow the seed of true repentance for his sin he wept so much that he made his bed to swimm and watered his Couch with his tears In such a time did Peter sow the same see in a time of bitter weeping Mat. 26. ult But then the harvest makes them ample recompence for all the dark and sad and showry weather in the sowing time They come again with joy and they bring their sheaves with them They scatter it by grains but they gather it by sheaves they have twenty thirty forty yea an hundred fold for one So that if any now should ask me You say that Christ would have his people to rejoyce but what would he not have them mourn too Yes he would have them mourn but in order to rejoycing Sorrow is an unperfect passion and is not for it self but for some higher use as all the rest of the declining passions or affections are As hatred is for love and fear for confidence so sorrow also is for joy unto which it is subservient As lancing is not for it self but for ease and remedy and as a potion is not properly for sickness though it cause it for a season but for health so sorrow is for joy and joy is the end of sorrow in the Saints And Christ intends it to be so You shall be sorrowfull saith Christ to his Disciples but your sorrow shall be turned into Joy John 16.20 He gives to them that mourn in Zion beauty for ashes the oil of gladness for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61.3 The ransom'd of the Lord go out lamenting but they return to Zion with Songs and everlasting Joy upon their heads Isa 35. ult Reason 3 Christ would have his people to be full of holy joy that they may be large in duty Sorrow is a kind of straightning the heart a sad heart is a straigthned heart it is shut up it cannot pray it cannot praise it can do nothing with enlargement And therefore the Apostle calleth mourning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a contraction of the heart 2 Cor. 2.4 And I appeal for this to those whose spirits are opprest with sadness and dejection whether it do not make them indisposed to duty unfit to hear unfit to pray and in a word unfit for any part of Christs service But holy joy upon the
you undervalue heaven and the incomparable riches of Christs mercy to your souls And whence proceedeth this but from the fleshiness of your corrupt hearts while you walk by sense only and therefore I beseech you take a little pains to make your selves conceive and understand your happiness and spend a little time upon the contemplation of the blessedness that is reserved for you in the heavens and this will draw and swallow up your present sorrows and afflictions Is it so that Jesus Christ would have his people full of holy joy you Vse 3 then who have your hearts replenished with it take heed that neither sin nor Satan steal away this Jewel from you which is the legacy that Christ bequeathed you when he was even about to leave this world But first before I press you any further in this kind this caution would be fitly interposed be sure the joy you have be Christs joy the joy which he works by his Spirit which he would have you to be full of and that you have his joy fulfilled in your selves for you must know my Brethren that as there is a kind of joy that is a fruit and effect of the Spirit as the Apostle Paul stiles it Gal. 5.22 so there is another kind that is a fruit and effect of the flesh there is a laughter that is madness a rejoycing that is not good as the Apostle hath it Jam. 4.16 And nulla est verior miseria quam falsa laetitia There is no truer misery then false joy and feigned felicity A very hypocrite may have his raptures and flashes of exceeding comfort The second ground you know received the Word of God with joy and those that followed John the Baptist rejoyced in his sight and such as after fall away may find a kind of taste and sweetness in the Word of God and in the powers of the world to come And therefore we had need to prove the joy and comfort that we have whether it be Christs joy the joy which he works in his people by his Spirit The marks to try it may be such as follow The joy of Christ which he works by his Spirit is chiefly moved with spiritual things It 's true there is a joy allowable for earthly blessings as when the Lord vouchsafes us rain and fruitful seasons and the like in doing so he fills our hearts with joy and gladness Act. 14.17 But this is as if we rejoyced not as the Apostle Paul speaks 1 Cor. 7.30 it is not worthy to be named with the joy that ariseth from the sense of the favour of God and spiritual blessings conferred on our souls Here then examine my Beloved when your joy is most when you are freed from some affliction or when you have obtained conquest over some corruption when inward grace or else when outward wealth when Corn and Wine and Oyl increaseth Alas how evidently do the greatest part of men discover the unfoundness of their joy who take abundantly more comfort in these outward things the thriving of their Trades their speeding of their pleasures and past-times then in the thriving of the means of grace or any other thing that most especially concerns Gods glory or the Churches good They make it to appear where lies the toot and Fountain of their joy and consequently of what kind it is which if they be deprived of their riches or honors their hearts like Nabal dye within them their joy is dashed and their comfort gone Whereas the Saint of Christ whose heart is filled with spiritual joy retains it in a measure in the loss of earthly things and professeth with the Prophet Habbakuk chap. 3.17 Though the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall there be any fruit in the Vine if the labour of the Olive fail and the field yeild no meat if the Flock be cut off from the fold and there be no Herd in the stall yet I will rejoyce in the Lord yea I will joy in the God of my salvation The joy of Christ which he works by his Spirit proceeds from a conscience testifying good and not from a conscience testifying nothing For our rejoycing saith the Apostle is this the testimony of our conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 There is as Barnard stiles it Conscientia mala quieta an evill conscience that is quiet which being lulled asleep by Satan saith nothing to disquiet him that owns it and so he lives as jocund and as metry for a time as he whose heart most really acquitteth him from any thing that may disturb or interrupt his joy But yet this kind of comfort beause it comes from nothing else but a Vacation in the Court of Conscience if I may call it so a respit of the accusations there is most uncertain and unfound Assoon as term begins again when Satan as he seeth occasion shall set the sins of such a man before his face when conscience shall awaken and accuse that joy and comfort will be turned into sorrow yea into such tormenting pangs of horror that no tongue is able to express But if thy joy arise from a conscience testifying good that in simplicity and sincerity of heart thou hast had thy conversation in the world this is the joy that Christ would have fulfilled in thee The joy of Christ which he works by his Spirit hath its matter within and not without the person rejoycing There be many my Beloved That have nothing in themselves whereof they have a just occasion to rejoyce and therefore seek it up and down without And from this kind of joy the Apostle Paul disswadeth as unsound Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work and he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another Now men are said to rejoyce in another especially in two cases As first when they compare themselves with such as are extremely vitious and prophane and finding that themselves are not so bad as many others are they cheer and comfort up themselves with this as the Pharisee did I thank thee God saith he that I am no extortioner c. I am not as other men are nor as this Publican Luk. 18.11 and yet they may be bad enough for all this And secondly when men take comfort only in the good opinion that others have conceived of them and not in any good that hath a true and real being in themselves And this St. Paul suggesteth is a false deceitful joy and therefore presseth every man to prove his own work to sift and try his own actions and if on tryal they be good indeed then he hath ground and matter to rejoyce in himself and not in another And now my Brethren are there not too many such among us who when they look on drunkards whoremongers blasphemers and men of the most infamous and vitious lives that pass them and exceed them in prophaness take joy and comfort in themselves but never prove their own works their own lives And thus while they compare
will do to the worlds end For certainly he is not less regardfull of them now in Heaven which is the most proper place of acting the second part of his Mediatorship which consists in intercession then he was upon the earth So that whatever our Condition be how sad or sorrowfull soever if we would know our Saviours intercession what it is for us in heaven we may survey this counterpane thereof on earth which is recorded for this very end That we may have an exemplar and a pattern of it continually lying by us in the Scripture to have recourse unto and to fetch overflowing comforts from in all cases Now to cleer this a little further to you I shall proceed to shew you in a few particulars that the perfect knowledge of our Saviours intercession is one especial means to fill his people full of holy joy It is a means to comfort them exceedingly in reference to all the oppositions of their enemies whether without them or within them Do you not think it was a comfort to the Host of Israel when they had got a Champion to stand up for them against the daring insolencies of Goliah who had so long defied the armies of the living God It made them even shout for joy And so it is a comfort to the poor soul when he hath been long contending with the world which sets upon him mightily with all its blandishments and its allurements on the one side and with its threats and persecutions on the other side and with the Devil who furiously assaults him with his fiery darts and his violent temptations and with his own corruptions and his lusts that warr against the soul as the Apostle speaks And when he is about to faint and sink away he considers with himself Why though I have all these against me yet I have Jesus Christ for me and he is pleading-hard on my behalf that I may not have the worst in these Encounters but that I may be more then a Conqueror I seem to hear him saying to me These enemies of thine have desired to winnow thee and to destroy thee but I have prayed for thee that thy faith may not fail Thy courage and thy strength may fail a little but thy faith shall never fail When Christ was here upon the earth he earnestly besought his Father for me that he would keep me through his own name and what he did on earth I know he doth in heaven much more and he cannot be denyed So that I am as safe as the Almighty power of God can make me Oh what a matchless comfort and encouragement is this The poor perplexed soul but now was tossing on the boystrous waters of violent temptations and of raging passions and of furious lusts and even ready to be cast away But now as David speaks the soul is glad because it is at rest and it is brought to the desired haven Ah my beloved when a man who is mightily assaulted by corruptions and temptations and persecutions and afflictions and when the stones and buffets are about his soul can look up as Stephen did Acts 7.56 and see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God this cannot choose but fill him full of comfort Nay sayes the soul If thou art there pleading for me to the Father and standing up in my defence I know it is impossible that I should perish or miscarry The knowledge of our Saviours Intercession for his people is a means to comfort them in reference to all the accusations that are laid against us at the barr of Gods justice The Law comes in with a black bill against us layes very heavy things to our charge and taxes us with many grievous violations of it which we are no way able to deny Sathan for his part is the grand accuser of the brethren and he objecteth heynous things against us and layes it on with full load And then our consciences perhaps accuse us as fast as any of the other two They are not able to gainsay the allegations either of Sathan or the Law but are forced to acknowledge that all the curses that are written in the Book of God are very justly due to us What shall we do or how shall we keep up our hearts from sinking into utter desperation in such a case as this is As for our parts we have nothing to alledge in or of or from our selves why the sentence of the Law should not be pronounced against us But this is that which fills us full of Comfort that Jesus Christ hath enough to say for us and that he sits in heaven for this very end to make intercession for us when any thing comes in against us there to appear in our behalf and to plead our cause If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father saith the Apostle 1 John 2.2 and he is the propitiation for our sins We have such an Advocate as is a propitiation So that when Sathan and when sin accuses and makes a dreadfull noise against us he can wipe all off again with one word Saith he This person hath offended I confess but what of that There is a full propitiation made it is well known that I have done it and what hath any one to say to this man If he have out-sinned my satisfaction even let him be condemned But if not let him be acquitted or what do I sit here for How can this choose but ravish and transport the soul into an Extasie of joy and make it to triumph with the Apostle Rom. 8.33 Who can lay anything to my charge who is he that condemneth Let me but see the man that durst to do it So that no marvail though our Saviour Christ be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the forecited place which signifieth both a Comforter and Advocate To shew that Jesus Christ doth comfort us exceedingly by undertaking for us as an Advocate and pleading for us with the Father The knowledge of our Saviours Intercession for his people is a means to comfort them in reference to the many weaknesses and imperfections of our own prayers Oh how are we dejected and cast down sometimes when we are dull and flat and cold and speechless in our addresses to the Majesty of God When we are so deserted and our hearts are so shut up that as Hezekiah once we cannot speak in prayer but only chatter like a Swallow Isa 38.14 when we know not what to say nor what to plead we are so barren when we are destitute of matter and expression this puts us many times into a very sad condition and overwhelms our hearts with sorrow As David once complained in such a case Psal 77.3 I remembred God saith he I was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed But now my brethren is it not a matter of exceeding comfort to consider that we have an Intercessor to help us out with all this That he puts in
truth thy word is truth And here we have two things to be considered A Supplication and an Explication First We have here our Saviours Supplication to his Father in behalf of his Apostles and Disciples Sanctifie them through thy truth And then we have this Explication in which he shews what he intends by truth viz. the word of God Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth Begin we with the Supplication in which you may take notice with me of these two particulars First the thing desired Sanctification Sanctifie them saith our Saviour And then the outward instrumental means by which he prayes they may be sanctified the truth of God that is the word as he explains it afterwards Sanctifie them through thy truth Both yeild us our this Observation DOCTRINE The word of God is the ordinary Means by which he Sanctifies his people It is the instrument in Gods hands by which he doth this great work He sanctifies them he is the God of all grace he calleth and he makes perfect stablisheth strengthneth settleth them But he doth it by this means according to our Saviours prayer here Sanctifie them through thy truth And here I shall distinctly cleer these two things First that the word of God is the ordinary Means by which he sanctifies his people in a way of inchoation by which he begins that work in them by which he converteth them regenerates them and makes them to become new creatures And this we find abundantly exemplified in the times of the Apostle how mightily the word of God prevailed to the Conversion of their hearers and to the working of unfeigned faith and grace in them You may behold three thousand sinners wrought upon by one Sermon Acts 2.41 And yet again as if these had been a few five thousand by another Sermon Acts 4.4 And hence it is my brethren that the word is called the word of grace because it works grace in Gods people But whether this be the work of the Law or of the Gospel whether one or both of them be the ordinary means by which God sanctifies his people will need to be a little further opened and resolved And I shall shew you from the Scripture that both of them are instruments in Gods hand by which he sanctifies his people 1. God sanctifies his people preparatively by the Law The Law converts and worketh grace by way of preparation It shews a man his sin and his trangression it emptieth him of all opinion of himself it humbles him and layes him low in apprehension of his own unworthiness And so indeed it makes him fit to entertain the grace of God for he will give his grace unto the humble John Baptists rough and rigid preaching of the Law you know my brethren must prepare the way for Christ He must be like a Pioner to go before him to bring down every high exalted thought to make the Mountains levell with the Valleyes He must be like a Harbinger to ride before and take up room for Jesus Christ to write his name upon the heart This heart is taken up for Christ To cause these everlasting doors to be set open to him when he comes And when the heart is thus prepared thus emptied and thus opened once then it is fit for Jesus Christ with all the graces of his spirit to enter in and dwell there And this is all that God doth by the Law he sanctifieth men by way of preparation and predisposition only But 2. The means by which he sanctifieth them indeed and works the truth and the reality of saving grace in them is the preaching of the Gospel and therefore the Apostle puts the question to the renewed Galathians Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you saith he received ye the spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith q. d. for this I appeal to you I put the matter to your consciences whether the saving graces of the spirit were not first wrote in you by the hearing of faith that is by hearing the doctrine of faith which is the Gospel And hence the Gospel is sometimes called the grace of God as you may see that place for instance Titus 2.11 and that not formaliter for so the Gospel is not neither can it be the grace of God neither that grace which is in God I mean his free and undeserved favour nor yet that grace which is communicated and dispensed from him to us I mean the gifts of his spirit whether they be such as appertain to edification or sanctification but effective as the School-men speak the Gospel is the grace of God because the grace of God is the effect and issue of the Gospel The Gospel is the instrumental means of grace and holiness which it effecteth under God and worketh in the hearts of his people And under this expression it is set in opposition to the Law For as the Law doth not reveal the grace of God in Jesus Christ the Mediator and Redeemer as the Gospel doth so neither doth it work the grace of God I mean the saving gifts of his spirit and therefore it is called the Ministration of the Letter and not the Ministration of the Spirit because there goes no spirit with it Or if it carry any of the spirit with it it is the spirit of fear and bondage and legal humiliation and not the spirit of adoption and sanctification But on the other side the Gospel carries spirit in the ministration of it which it conveyes into the heart of those that hear it and embrace it as they ought to do It operateth and begetteth the endowments of the spirit and worketh grace and sanctification And as the word of God is the ordinary means by which he begins the work of Sanctification So it is the means also by which he carries on the same work to further measures and degrees They were sanctified already for whom our Saviour makes this prayer in my text the work was begun in them they were his own Apostles and Disciples and yet for them he prays sanctifie them with thy Truth q. d. Sanctifie them yet more fully make them yet more gratious and more humble and more holy by a more full discovery of the Truth revealed in thy Word to them Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth Indeed the Word my Brethren as it is incorruptible seed by which men are regenerate and born again to God as the Apostle shews 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible but incorruptible seed by the Word of God so it is milk which nourishes and makes them thrive and grow while they are but babes in Christ and it is also strong meat on which they feed until they come ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ This for clearing of the point proceed we to the Application Vse 1 Is it so That the Word of God is
respect they are sensibly decayed and they are nothing like the men that they were in former times Fall into discourse with them alas their wonted faculty is gone either you shall find them dead and stupid as it were not having any savory word to say in any matter that concerns Religion or else they talk is so far of so barren so unprofitable that it administers no grace no benefit at all to them that hear it Follow them into their houses and there you shall observe that many holy exercises and religious houshold duties which had been formerly set up and constantly performed perhaps for divers years together are either utterly neglected or else discharged in such a cold and formal manner that there is no life in them Enquire of other men who knew them in their first beginning and they will tell you all is gone their wonted heat and zeal and forwardness is come to nothing and in them the Proverb is verifyed The Dog is turned to his own vomit and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Vse 4 Is it so That the word of God is the ordinary means by which he sanctifieth his people not only in a way of inchoation but also in a way of augmentation Here then we see what we must do if we desire to thrive in holiness to make a daily progress and increase in grace We must attend upon the preaching of the Gospel And truly there is little hope that we should ever grow as Christians without the use of this means The tree that spreads and flourisheth and brings forth much fruit is said by David to be planted by the water side Psal 1.3 Even so the thriving and the growing Christian must be planted by the means he must be near the Word of God those waters of the Sanctuary as the Prophet calls them That saving Doctrine must drop down upon him as the rain it must distil upon him as the dew and as the smaller rain upon the herbs and as the showrs upon the grass as Moses speaks Deut. 32.2 or else he will be like in time to wither and decay and come to nothing Vse 5 Is it so That the Word of God is the ordinary means by which he sanctifieth his people not only in a way of inchoation but also in a way of augmentation Then certainly those men are in an ill condition who though they constantly enjoy the preaching of the Gospel yet do not thrive nor grow by it they hear it Sabbath after Sabbath yea and perhaps repeat it with their families and yet are not a jot the better for it any way Look at what point they were for knowledge practice and obedience many years ago at the very same they stay they are the very same men there is no alteration on them they have not gained any ground on their corruptions they are not grown a jot more constant and fervent in religious duties then in former times What is the reason that the Gospel produceth not its genuine effect in these men and that it bringeth forth no augmentation no increase of inward grace or outward obedience the fault is not in the inefficacy of the Gospel simply considered in it self but in the hardness and deadness of their hearts and as we use to say of ground that is manured and drest and watered much if it yieldeth no increase that it is very barren ground just so we may conclude of these men And certainly their case is fearful if they so continue as the Apostle shews us in the same Similitude Heb. 6.7 The earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But on the other side that which bringeth bryers and thorns is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned And therefore I beseech you my Beloved as increase and growth in grace is one effect in Gods Word so let it bring forth this effect in you and that it may so do I shall prescribe you some directions Remove those impediments that hinder growth and profiting by the Word of God and they are principally such as follow 1. The first is pride and loftiness of heart and spirit for when a man is puft up with a self opinion of his own sufficiency and thinks he knows as much as all the Preachers in the world can tell him how can he profit by the Gospel He is so full that when the water of the Word is poured upon him either it runneth over and is spilt upon the ground or else returneth back upon the face of him that poured it If therefore you desire to thrive by it come to hear it my Beloved with teachable and humble spirits the Lord will teach the humble his ways 2. Infidelity or unbelief for if we give no credit to the Word of God if we believe not the report of the Word of God his arm will never be revealed to us we shall not benefit nor profit by it And therefore this is yielded as the reason why the Jews were not a whit the better for the Word Heb. 4.2 The Word did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it 3. The third impediment is strong passion for as obstructions in the stomach hinder growth by bodily and outward food so vehement and head-strong passions do keep us from receiving growth and nourishment and augmentation by the Word of God You shall observe it commonly that men that have such furious and unbridled passions in them that will not be subdued by reason nor by Scripture do seldom profit by the preaching of the Gospel no it must be received with meekness if we mean to grow by it Jam. 1.12 And therefore the Apostle yields it as the reason why the Corinthians could not bear strong meat substantial solid truths their stomachs were not able to digest them they were so cloid with these obstructions 1 Cor. 3.2 4. Prejudice against the gifts or person of the Teacher this will exceedingly abate the power and hinder the success and profit of his teaching If once the heart be prepossest with jealousies and sinister thoughts and disaffection to the Minister there is but little hope of any benefit that such a man will reap by his labours These are the lets which we must labour to remove if we desire to thrive and grow by hearing of the Word of God If we desire to grow and to increase by it we must not hear it only but labour to digest it too A man shall never thrive and prosper by the meat he eats if he digest it not unless there be concoction and assimilation of it to the substance of the person that is nourished Let such a person feed as plentifully as he will there will be no augmentation So let us hear as much and as often as we will if we do not digest the Word of God the
A wicked wretch may touch another man indeed and yet never touch God because he is without God there is no union between God and him But whosoever touches him that is in God must touch God in touching him And hence saith the Lord himself Zac. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye In touching you he toucheth me and that in the most tender place the very apple of mine eye And do you think that God will ever suffer such audacious boldness as this is That he will quietly sit still and let ungodly wretches thrust their fingers into his eyes and pluck the very apples of his eyes out of his head Take this and take all If true believers be in God you then that are out of God endeavour Vse 3 to keep in with them In any case make them your friends and keep them so and do not fall at any difference or odds with them You know not what you lose when you lose their love and their friendship A friend in place they say is worth something And certainly they are in place that are in God the best place that can be And therefore it is good for those that are without and live abroad to have some friends in this place you may fare the better for them and they may do you a good turn and a good office there when time serves Wicked men have had advantage oftentimes by the friendship of believers Moses did a good turn for Pharaoh more then once when he knew not what to do and when he could not help himself Alas poor miserable man he was an alien he lived without God in the world and therefore sends for Moses still who was in God to speak a word for him and he was ready to sollicite hard in his behalf and divers times prevailed for mercy till in the end his heart was hardned to his utter ruine And therefore if you love your selves make much of such friends as these are And thus far of the application of the first branch of the Explication of the point I shall be briefer on the other two Is it the will of Jesus Christ that true believers should be one in God Vse in the Father and himself by dear affection You then that are believers let your hearts be knit to God and Jesus Christ by this indissoluble bond Let love make you all one And as the Father and the Son are one among themselves so be you one in them by love Let your affections to them be so high as to unite you to the Father and the Son And even as dear affection joyns you to your fellow-Saints that you are knit in love as the Apostle Pauls expression is so let it joyn you much more to the Father and the Son for they are infinitely more to be beloved Oh let your hearts no longer live in creature comforts and in creature satisfactions which do so often fail you and deceive you but let them live in God by inexpressable and choice love There live and there rest and there dwell and there nestle as it were in the bosome of the Father and the Son Mark that expression of the Apostle John 1.4.16 God is love and he that dwelleth in Love dewelleth in God and God in him God is love essentially for whatsoever is attributed to God is God And he is the Original and fountain of the love that is Communicated to the Creature All the Love with which we love him or the Creature regularly comes from him It is a ray of the divinity a beam of God a part of the divine nature And seeing God is love in the sence before expressed essentially originally it follows thence as the Apostle John infers that he that dwells in love must dwell in God He that dwells that is continues and abides in love to fellow Saints and fellow-members dwels in God But he that dwells in love to God himself dwells in God much more And therefore I beseech you let your hearts set up their rest in love to God and Jesus Christ there let them fix and dwell let not your love be scattered up and down among the creatures as it is but let it be united all in God and let it joyn and unite you all to God that nothing in the world may ever separate you or divide you from him Brethren you may be the losers by Love of other things or other friends For after your affections and your hearts are set upon them they may forsake you and be unfaithfull and unkind to you And besides you must bestow some pains and travail and expence on those who are indeed beloved by you Or else it is but a dissembling feigned love for love where it is sound and real is very bountiful and very active And hence it is my brethren that there is so little true affection in the world The love of men is for the greater part in complement in shew and in appearance only they will do nothing they will part with nothing for those whom they are pleased to call their friends as they must do if they love in deed and truth But now in loving God my brethren though I acknowledge you must part with all for him yet you shall be no losers by it Though you forgo your friends your houses and estates and all for him you shall have him instead of all Yea you shall not have him only but you shall be in him by this means And therefore I beseech you my beloved grow up into this uniting grace in these divided and distracted times which will not only make you one among your selves but one in God But you will ask me how may this be done I will give you some directions 1. Let prayer struggle for it at the throne of grace It cannot choose but be a pleasing lovely suit indeed to be importunate with God to make us love him and to draw up our hearts to him A man would think that such a sweet request as this should not be turned off with a denial It s true that prayer is the great Catholicon and universal means in all cases But yet it is expedient in a special manner to the attainment and enlargement of this grace of love which is a special gift of the spirit It is the great work of the spirit of God to make us love God and to endear our hearts to him I know that Hope and Patience c. are graces of the Spirit but Love is a prime grace It is a grace of the first magnitude and therefore placed first by the Apostle in that Catalogue of his Gal. 5.22 The Love of God is shed abroad into our hearts saith the Apostle Rom. 5.5 how so by the Holy Ghost that he hath given us And in another place he tells the Saints Ye are taught of God saith he to love one another 1 Thes 4.1 None in the world can teach you this but God only And if none but he
whole heart Psal 119.145 so runs the promise of the Lord to his people Jer. 29.13 Ye shall seek and find me when ye search for me with your whole heart And thus you see in brief what Christ prescribeth for the manner of your prayers Now in the last place for the end of prayer that must be his glory we must aim at his ends and not our own If we seek any thing my Brethren meerly for our own ends to advance our own credits or our own profit we have no aim at all but self in our Petitions If we would have gifts and graces for no other ends but this that we may be applauded and observed if we would have wealth and riches in the world for no other end but this that we may strut and swagger and satisfie our own lusts and so accordingly we may conceive of other things we have cause enough to doubt that Jesus Christ will leave us in such suits as these are yea though we be his own people But if we would have nothing from the Father but in reference to Christ and to his glory if we would have grace and if we would have outward things that we may serve him the better that we may honour him the more we have good grounds to hope that Jesus Christ will second us in such requests as these are Now he will tell the Father There is such a suit of such a member such a Saint of mine I pray thee hearken to it and dispatch it out of hand for it concerneth me aswell as him Fain he would have more grace but I assure thee for I know his heart it is not to be proud or to be lifted up himself but to lift up me with it and to glorifie my name Poor soul he never thinks he gloryfieth me enough and therefore he would have more strength from thee to do it Thou seest how I am interessed in this suit of his and therefore I beseech thee do not put him off but answer him for my sake It is thy great design to glorifie me in the world and if thou wilt but give this Saint of mine more grace he will give me more glory Come let me set thy Treasure open and give him out a large share for I my self shall be a gainer by it And thus far I have shewed you how we may have Jesus Christ to be our Advocate in our Petitions We must walk by his Rule and pray according to his Will as I have laid it open to you both in relation to the Preparation and the Supplication both for the matter manner and the end If thus we do we may be confident of the good word of Christ for us But what if we fail in this I answer in a word and so an end If we fail in the matter of our prayer if that be not according to the will of Christ such a Petition and request as this we may resolve upon is laid by If we fail in the manner of our prayer either it is a total failing or a gradual failing If it be a total failing if we pray without faith without any faith at all without zeal and the like farewell to the success of such petitions If it be but a partial failing and that failing strived against and prayed against the case is very different By Evangelical allay we do what we desire to do in Gods gracious acceptation We pray in faith if we desire to pray in faith we pray with zeal if we desire to pray with zeal We pray according to the Will of Christ if we desire to pray according to the Will of Christ as to the manner of our prayers And if we pray according to his Will but in such a sense as this Christ intercedes and God hears Our Advocate strikes in with us and begs his Father to regard the matter and not the manner of our prayers He is an Intercessor for us to his Father in reference to both these both to the thing desired and the manner of desiring that he would give the one and that he would forgive the other And thus far of the first sort of directions how to judge whether in the Petitions that we make we walk by the Rule of Christ or no. Proceed we to the second sort how to determine whither we act by the Spirit of Christ or no. If in our prayers we act by Christs Spirit there are some measures and degrees of fervency and zeal in them The Holy Ghost is frequently compared to fire in Scripture He shall baptize you saith John the Baptist speaking of our Saviour with the Holy Ghost and with fire that is with the Holy Spirit which is not like water only but like fire too in those that are baptized with it so that where the Spirit is there is an holy heat in those that are partakers of it which shews it self in prayer as in other duties They are fervent in spirit serving the Lord. And though their heat may be allaid and cooled sometimes by outward means like water cast on this fire yet still there is an inward striving and disposition to be fervent The Holy Ghost within them is like fire to this incense I mean the incense of their prayers And though it may be smothered sometimes that it cannot flame or burn up either by afflictions or temptations or desertions yet it is never utterly extinguished in the Saints Although there be not flames perhaps yet there are coals continually on the Altars of their hearts which though they may be raked in the ashes now and then yet at some other times they burn amain Their hearts are hot within them and the fire kindles If we act by Christs Spirit our prayers are not purely natural but spiritual desires For you must know my Brethren that a man may pray yea he may think that he is much assisted by the Spirit in his prayers when all proceeds from his own Spirit and all his prayers may be nothing else but meerly natural desires As when a man perceives himself to be in great distress and sees no way or means to be delivered from it and is convinced and satisfied that God can save him notwithstanding this extremity of danger In such a case these suppositions being made he may enlarge himself to God in prayer and yet he may be stirred and quickned to it by nothing but his own Spirit which is naturally carryed to the use of any means which it conceives may be effectual to such an end as this is So that this man for all his earnestness may not act by Christs Spirit but his own as it is very manifest those wretches did who when they saw themselves invironed round about with dangers and thought that none but God could help them cryed vehemently to the Lord Exod. 14.10 and yet in the succeeding verse it appeareth what they were They shew themselves in their own colours But when a man is carryed high in prayer upon
such grounds and reasons as his spirit naturally is not likely to suggest because they do not any way concern him as a natural man as when upon the apprehension of some great dishonour that will come to God if such a thing should be denyed a man is much enlarged and quickned in his prayers yea when his prayers are against his natural desires when he is earnest with the Lord in secret to help him to pluck out a right eye or to cut off a right hand to mortifie and curse and kill those lusts and those corruptions which naturally are extreamly dear to him and that upon such grounds and motives wherein there is no self respect When he shall seriously and sincerely beg the Lord to give but a little wealth a little honour if he perceive that more will do him spiritual hurt that it will puff him up and make him proud as Agur did Give me not riches feed me with food convenient for me left I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord this man is like to act by Christs Spirit If we act by Christs Spirit in our prayers we strive most for spiritual things What do you think the Spirit of Christ will make us long more after earth and earthly things then Christ himself that it will make us more importunate for wealth then grace more earnest after temporal and worldly blessings then after those spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus as the Apostle calls them Ephes 1.3 Is it a likely thing my Brethren that the Spirit should make us struggle more for bodily and outward things then for those things that are more agreeable and suitable to it more near to its own nature I make no question David acted by the Spirit in that Petition and request of his Psal 4.6 There be many that will say Who will shew us any good you must conceive it any temporal or worldly good many that look after this But this is that which I desire saith he Lord lift upon me the light of thy countenance and when thou hast done this Thou hast put gladness in my heart much more then in the hearts of worldly men when their corn and wine increaseth If we act by christs-Christs-Spirit we pray for temporal and worldly things in reference to spiritual ends They that have the Spirit of Christ and they that are devoid of it do both pray for earthly blessings For there are promises of these as well as of the other But now the difference lies in this both aim not at the same ends He that hath the Spirit of Christ desires these outwards blessings moderately with submission that he may serve God with them that he may promote his ends that he may be the abler instrument to help his Church to support his people to advance his glory to appear for his cause Even these desires of his are spiritual although not for the matter of them at least for the end of them But now my brethren on the other side he that hath not Christs spirit desires these outward blessings that he may consume them on his Lusts as the Apostle speaks Jam. 4.3 Ye ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lusts That you may make provision for the flesh with it and that it may be oyle to nourish and to feed the sinfull flames that are within you And thus it is my brethren with a multitude of men they pray to God for some thing to bestow upon their sensual appetite to serve their carnal turns to satisfie their brutish and voluptuous pleasures and desires They would be in place and power that they may raise their names and families that they may swell and swagger over their inferiours that they may plague their enemies and pleasure those that are observant of them They would have wealth and riches in abundance that they may swimm in full delights and fare delitiously every day Agur measures the conveniency or inconveniency of his outward state as it would fit him more or less for Gods service Not poverty least I deny thee not riches left I forget thee But these men measure it by nothing but their sensual appetite and so their prayers serve their lusts and they would have God himself to serve them too if they could prevail with him And are such desires as these like to be raised by the spirit of Christ what will the spirit stir men up to pray for any thing to nourish and maintain the flesh the carnall part which is the spirits enemy The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh for those two are contrary one to another And will the spirit notwithstanding strive for that which shall uphold and feed those lusts against which the spirit lusteth Believe it brethren they that pray for any blessings to maintain their lusts with them their pride intemperance c. do not act by Christs spirit Object But you will ask me then How shall we know whether we pray for blessings to consume them on our Lusts how shall we discern that I shall give you some discoveries 1. If you will observe deal impartially and freely with your selves you shall know it by your thoughts The end is first in the intention and last in execution and therefore certainly the heart works much upon it Now my beloved consider what runneth often in your thoughts when you are sick and pray for health and continuance of your lives are your aimes as Davids were that you may praise and glorifie the Lord among the living Psal 6.5 as Hezekiahs were Loth he was to die poor man but wherefore was he so averse from death The grave cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate Isa 38.18 Or do you feed your minds with nothing but pre-apprehensions of the carnal pleasure and delight and satifaction you shall have when you recover So when you pray for outward things do you entertain your spirits with pleasing dreams of honour and ambition by this you may discover what your aims are 2. You shall discern it by the manner of your prayers whether you pray for blessings to consume them on your lusts or no. If so you will be absolute and peremptory in your prayers Carnal desires will make the spirit of a man impetuous and impatient of denial He that aims at satisfaction of his lusts will not be at Gods disposal there will be no sweet submission to the will of God No he must have this or that and he cannot bear a check as Rachel must have children or she dies when once the heart is set on any thing that serves to feed a sensual appetite whether it be the lust of the flesh or the lust of the eye it is violently bent and it must not be denyed 3. You shall discover it by the effect I mean the use of those external blessings which you pray for you pray for health you pray for riches
and the like and you receive them at the hands of God he gives you the desire of your hearts in these things Well now consider with your selves what use you put them to when you have gotten them and what bills you bring in What so much health and so much strength bestowed upon the prosecution of your worldly and ambitious projects and designs so much means and so much time upon riot and excess Item so much upon your pride and so much upon your lusts and so much upon the satisfaction of your malice and revenge so much upon Hawks and Hounds and Whores but nothing upon God his Cause or his poor distressed servants Are these the bills that you bring in to God and will you own them in the latter day Brethren by your layings out you may discover to what intent you have prayed for outward blessings whether to consume them on your Lusts or no And if that hath been your end the spirit hath not been your principle in these petitions If we act by Christs spirit we keep a constant course in prayer We do not pray by fits and starts as Job observeth of the Hyppocrite who hath not Christs spirit Job 27.10 Will he delight in the Almighty will be alwayes call on God No he will be on and off in this duty Our spirits are unconstant and unstable my beloved but Christs spirit is 〈◊〉 not so And hence it is that they that pray by their own spirits are so uncertain in the duty many times Sometimes their spirits stir them up to pray and sometimes they do not Though there be differences in this too for some mens spirits naturally are more ready and more fixed then others are And there may be other things as fear and strong conviction and the like that may hold some certain men almost to a continued practice of the outward duty yet it is very rare that he is constant who acts by his own spirit But now my brethren he that acts by Christs spirit is a steady man in prayer he can appeal to God as David doth Psal 40.9 I have not restrained my Lips Oh Lord thou knowest Christs spirit dwells in him he doth not sojourn in him for a time but he dwells in him as in his fixed and his setled habitation and he dwells in him as a spirit of supplication So the spirit of Christ is called Zech. 12.10 And hence it is that he is alwayes putting him upon the duty upon all occasions so that he is constant in it Christs spirit is at home still though ours be wandring many times even to the other end of all the earth And though Christs spirit seem to be given sometimes as a spirit of consolation yet then he will be present as a spirit of supplication He will set a Saint to prayer even when he seems most indisposed and averse he will not suffer him to lay it by and wholly to neglect the duty as is observable in David I said that I am cut off from before thine eyes saith he Psal 31.22 Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my prayer Even then I prayed to thee when I was in that temper so in another place from the end of the earth will I cry unto thee even when my heart is overwhelmed Psal 61.2 And whence proceedeth this my brethren surely these prayers of all others flow from Christs spirit as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 8.20 The spirit helpeth our infirmities We know not what to pray for as we ought but then the spirit it self makes intercession for us with sighs and groans that cannot be exprest If we act by Christs spirit we come to God as to a Father we cry Abba Father to him as you have it Gal. 4.6 Because ye are Sons saith the Apostle God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts And what doth that spirit there you have it in the next verse crying Abba Father So that Christs spirit if he act in us makes us address our selves to God as to a Father And that my brethren carries two things in it This spirit makes us come to God with the expectations of Children and with the affections of Children 1. If Christs spirit act in us he makes us come to God in prayer with Child-like expectations Expecting from him all the mercy pitty and compassion which a Child can look for from his own Father He makes us to approach the throne of grace with great assurance of audience and acceptance and success there commonly he doth this 2. But yet I must confess An hypocrite may sometimes have these expectations and a child of God may want them The Jews had Child-like expectations Jer. 3.4 they cryed to God Thou art my Father and wilt not thou that art my Father pitty me and help me sure thou wilt and yet they had no Child-like affections no care at all to please God and therefore it is added in the next words that they said and did as evill as they could But now my brethren he that acts by Christs spirit as he hath Child-like expectations so he hath Child-like affections or if at any time he want his Child-like expectations yet still he hath his Child-like affections Though he be in such a case that he is verily perswaded for the present that God will neither own him nor regard him nor look upon him as a Son yet he loves God still He hath a Childs heart to God even when he thinks that God hath not a Fathers heart to him Though he seem to frown upon him and to hide his face and to turn away his prayers yet he hath dear affections to the Lord notwithstanding all this And this appears by the trouble he is in at God displeasure it grieves him so that he is sick of love as the poor Church was Cant. 2.5 when Christ withdrew himself a while this was her grief I sought him whom my soul loveth I will go into the City and seek him whom my soul loveth I said unto the watchmen Did ye see him whom my soul loveth And so when God withdraws himself from such a one as is endued with his spirit the very soul of such a person loves him still when he is very much afraid that he shall never find God more that God will never shew him favour more when he hath lost his Child-like expectations yet still he maintains his Child-like affections JOHN 17.24 That they also whom thou hast given me be with me c. AND thus far of the manner of our Saviours prayer Proceed we to the matter of it And here we have the persons that he prayes for those whom thou hast given me And then the thing that he desires in the behalf of those persons that they also may be with me where I am As for the persons whom our Saviour prayes for you see they are described here by the Fathers giving them to Jesus Christ Let them be what they will in all considerations and
wished to true Believers then to be with Christ in heaven To be in heaven where they shall be absolutely and compleatly holy and happy where they shall never sin and where they shall never suffer any more where holiness and happiness shall be both perfect where there is fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore and to be with Christ there of whose immediate prefence true believers are inavoidably debarred as long as they remain in this world While they are at home in the body they are absent from the Lord as 2 Cor. 5.6 But when they come to heaven they shall be with him they shall have the compleat and full fruition and enjoyment of him which is the greatest happiness that can be To be with Christ is best of all 1 Phil. 23. To be with Saints on Earth is good though they be imperfect here and though by reason of their imperfections they be the less delightfull and the less beneficial to us To be with Saints in heaven is better because they are perfect there There are the spirits of just men made perfect But to be with Christ there is best of all This is so good that there is nothing better there is no higher happiness attainable by any creature And therefore Christ would have his people to enjoy it to be in heaven where himself is because he loves them with a love of benevolence 2. Jesus Christ would have his people to be in heaven where himself is because he loves them with a love of complacency because he takes delight in them and friends that delight in one another think it not sufficient to be present each with other by the presence of their hearts and spirits No if it be possible they will be present each with other in their bodies too as you may see in Jonathan and David what shifts they made to come together So Jesus Christ who loves his people out of measure is not content that he is with them in his spirit and that they are again with him in their spirits No this is not enough but he must have their bodies with him too he must enjoy their company in heaven or else it is not well there Christ is not fully satisfied till he enjoy the sweet Society of his beloved Saints in heaven with whom he hath such intimate and dear acquaintance while they are here upon earth And hence he beggs his Father for them to bring them to the same place where himself is as if he could not live in heaven without them Father I will that c. 2. There is a second reason added in the Text which I shall handle Reason 2 only under that consideration Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me where I am And why so might the Father ask him Why that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me as it is added in the next words That they may see the lustre which I sparkle with The glory of Christs humane nature in heaven is exceeding great The Evangelist who saw it through the dimm spectacles of humane frailty endeavours as he can to set it forth Saith he his Countenance was as the Sun that shineth in his strength Apoc. 1.16 But this was but a short resemblance Our Saviour Christ who knew it better carries it a little higher The Son of man saith he shall come in the glory of the Father Mat. 16.27 In comparison of whose incomparable lustre and transcendent brightness the Sun it self is but a shaddow Now Christ would have his people be in heaven where himself is that they may see this glory which he sh nes withall But why would he have them see it what shall they gain by it 1. While they see it they cannot but exceedingly rejoyce in it It cannot but transport them even to an extasie of joy to see him whom they love so infinitely sparkle forth with such dazling raies of glory Oh will the poor believer say This is my head my husband whom my soul loveth that is become so out of measure glorious There was a time when he was black and when there was no form nor beauty in him when wretched men made him vile and ignominious and when they hid their faces as if they were ashamed of him But now he shines forth as the Sun that hath been masked with a gloomy cloud This is he that died for me that shed his blood for me that loved me and gave himself for me Oh how my heart is ravished to behold his glory 2. While they behold it as they shall rejoyce in it so they shall partake of it And that especially two wayes both by union and reflection First they shall partake of it by union for being one with Jesus Christ they cannot choose but share together with him in his glory And as the glory of the members redoundeth to the glory of the head in which respect it is that the Apostle saith that Christ shall be admired in all them that believe So on the other side the glory of the head redoundeth much more to the glory of the members Secondly And as they shall partake hereof by union so also by reflection when they see Christ while they behold the glory of the Lord they shall be transformed into the same image from glory to glory Their vile bodies shall be conformed to his glorious body Phil. 3.21 And while they see him as he is they shall be like him as the Apostle John insinuates 1 Epist 3.2 They shall bear the very image of the heavenly Adam 1 Cor. 15.48 And as the face of Moses shined when he had been with God upon the Mount so when we come to be with Christ in heaven and to behold his glory there we shall reflect it back again and so shall shine together with him in the same glory And this is another reason why Christ will have his people to be with him that they may see his glory and seeing may partake of it both by union and reflection Use Now to descend to application Is it the will of Christ c. Here then you see the singular and extraordinary happiness of Christs people If they were alwayes to remain to set up their perpetual abode in this world it would be very sad with them It is a vale of tears a most uncomfortable place especially to Christs people in which they are not like to have a quiet hour almost as long as they remain in it But now the comfort is that it is the will of Christ that they that are bestowed upon him by his Father shall not alwayes stay here that he will have them come to heaven where himself is That he will not alwayes leave them in this vale of tears but he will one day bring them to a place of joy there to enjoy himself for ever to keep no longer at a distance from him but to be with him where he is To be with Christ in any
the world There will be some elect continually to be brought in by this means Some to be added to the Church some to be joyned to the body mystical untill the dispensation of the fullness of time which the Apostle mentions Eph. 1.10 when all things shall be gathered into one which are in heaven and which are on earth So that you see my brethren Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers Name to other Nations and to other persons But how will he make these further declarations Brethren he will not do it in his own person or by his own immediate voyce But he will do it other wayes 1. By his written word and Ministers in all ages for that which they declare in his name and by authority from him Jesus Christ himself declares To this end Christ hath set some in the Church some Ministers of all sorts as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 12.28 And that is out of all dispute in the universal Church which is not limited to any Countrey or to any age That so there might be continually some in all Churches and in all ages to publish what is to be manifested of his Father And hence said Christ to his Apostles Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you to the end of the world They were not to continue for their own parts by many hundred years so long And therefore it must also stretch to those who were to follow them in the office and the work of Gospel preaching till it be published universally to all Nations in the outward promulgation and in the inward and effectual revelation to all persons to whom it is appointed so to be revealed Which was not done you know by the Apostles it was but begun by them and must be carrried on till it be finished by other Ministers to the end of the world And therefore when our Saviour Christ ascended and consequently could no longer teach his Church immediately in his own person he gave gifts unto men such gifts as he never gave before And he gave some Apostles Prophets Evangelists Some temporary some perpetual for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry How long Till we all come all that are chosen whether Jews or Gentiles in the unity of the Faith unto a perfect man So that the Ministry shall be continued till all be gathered into Christ that shall be gathered and that is till the end of the world 2. Christ makes these further declarations of his Fathers name in every age by his spirit As he declares it outwardly to other persons by his word so he declares it inwardly to other persons by his spirit to his elect in every age to the end of the world And therefore when our Saviour Christ withdrew his corporal and fleshly presence he sent his spirit down to teach his people to lead them into all truth And by that spirit he declares his Fathers name and will do to the worlds end And he assured his Apostles in the place even now alledged Mat. 28.20 when he was even about to leave them as to his fleshly presence with them Lo I am with you alwayes viz. by my spirit to the end of the world That is with you and such as you are with you and your Successors still in every age as long as the world endureth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations and my spirit shall be with you So that what you teach all without he shall teach my elect within powerfully and with success till the last man be gathered in And then shall the end come Is it so that Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers name to other Nations and to other persons to the end of the world Vse Then let us seriously consider what our dutie is in reference to this work which will be beautifull and glorious beyond all comparison and what Christ expects of us If he will do as he hath said let us examine what we are to do and what duty lyeth upon us relating to it in the mean time And here I shall propound a few things 1. Let us give him so much credit as to believe what he hath spoken And though it seem improbable that Christ should manifest his Fathers name to all Nations That all the Countreyes in the world should come to know him and to be acquainted with him yet seeing Christ hath undertaken it and bound himself by faithfull promise to his Father that as he hath declared his name already so he will be continually making further declarations of it to other persons and to other Nations let us say Amen to it As Mary sometimes when she had staggerd at the difficulty of the Promise at length recovered out of that fit of unbelief and set the seal of faith to it Be it according to thy word 2. Let our hearts be full of hope in reference to this business Since Christ hath undertaken it let us expect the execution of it Our Saviours words my brethren are a promise to the Father what he will do in after times for his people Saith he I will declare thy name to them And therefore as it is our duty to believe the promise so to expect the good things promised To be continually in a waiting frame looking and harkning after the accomplishment of this eximious work of his spying if we can see the day break and the Fathers name shine forth to other Nations who never had a glimsp of it by any Gospel Revelation till in the end from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same his name be great among the Gentiles according to that Prophesie relating to these latter times and ages of the world Mal. 1.11 3. Let us strive with Christ in prayer that he would make good the word that he hath spoken to the Father before so many witnesses Oh my beloved when ye look on many Heathen Nations that yet are overwhelmed in ignorance and Egyptian darkness that yet know nothing of the Fathers name when you look on many Christians in profession that yet are even in as bad a case as they some of which it may be have relation to your selves go to Jesus Christ and say O Lord thou hast professed that thou wilt declare thy Fathers name to other persons and to other Nations to the end of the world Lord there are such Nations there are such persons who yet are strangers to the Father who know no more of God in Christ then the very beasts that perish O be intreated to declare thy Fathers name to them Lord manifest the Father to them that they may know him to salvation 4. Let our hearts be full of joy while we are looking forward to the accomplishment of this work O let it chear our spirits under all the sinking damps and deep discouragements that are upon them in relation to the Church to think in what a blessed state and glorious
other saving graces are it comes down from the Father of lights as the Apostle James speaks Chap. 1.17 And as the stars shine with a borrowed Luster even so do believers too If there be this or any other brightness in them it is a beam of the divinity a streak and ray of the divine glory They shine because their light is come viz. from God and the glory of the Lord is risen upon them Isa 60.1 And in a word this is a stream of his fountain which runs down from God to us All our fresh springs are in him as the Prophet David speaks Psal 87.7 and consequently all our streams of living waters are from him First the springs of our streams are in him and then the streams of his springs are in us The love wherewith he loveth is in us So that God doth not only teach us love as the Apostle saith ye are taught of God to love 1 Thes 4.9 but more then so he gives us love He doth not only teach it as a Master but he bestows it as a Donour and Dispenser Yea as a Donour of himself to us for when he gives us love he gives us down himself in some measure And therefore by this love he is said to dwell in us Mark that Expression of the Apostle John 1. Epist 4.10 God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him God is love properly essentially for whatsoever is attributed to God is God and he is the Original and Fountain of that love that is communicated to the Creature and by this love he dwells in us So that whoever hath this love in him hath God in him God in the beam as we are wont to say The room that hath the beam in it hath the Sun in it That place of the Apostle John is full 1 Epist 4.7 Love is of God saith he and every one that loves is born of God while he participates in this of Gods nature even as the Son is made partaker of the nature of the Father The Point you see is fully proved The love which is in true believers comes from God Reason And it must needs be so because it is not neither can it be originally in or of or from our selves The heart of man is naturally averse yea even abhorrent from the Love of God And therefore in the state of nature men are said to hate God Rom. 1.30 as in divers other places of the Scripture Indeed it seems to be a little strange that men should naturally hate the chiefest good And true it is that nothing apprehended and presented under the notion reason and the name of goodness can be hated and abhorred But yet the chief good looked upon as evil either in it self or else to him that so conceives and apprehends it may under such a notion be so far from being loved as that indeed it may be hated And thus it is with all unsanctified men So that of our selves you see it is impossible to have the love of God in us But whence must we have it then if we be partakers of it The Apostle clearly shews us Jam. 1.17 Every good and perfect gift is from above From above what 's that why it cometh down from the Father of lights that is from God who is the fountain of it And if every gift be from him every good and perfect gift then surely love which is in some respect the choicest of all other guifts as the Apostle shewes at large is from him too The love which is in true believers comes from God But yet this Caution let me interpose before I come to application You must not apprehend the love which is in true believers to come immediately from God without the use of second means as some have seemed to infer from that place of the Apostle 1 Thess 4.9 As touching love you need not that I write to you for you your selves are taught of God to love As if his meaning were I need not teach it you at all I need not strive to work it and beget it in you by my preaching for you are taught immediately of God himself Whereas indeed he speaks comparatively not as though they had no need at all of his instruction but not such need as many other men who were not taught of God to love As such expressions are very usual in the Scripture which in shew are universal yet to be understood ex parte and in comparison as that for instance John 9.4 If ye were blind ye should have no sin saith Christ none in comparison not simply none But as for love that it is mediately wrought by means as by the preaching of the Gospel is very manifest by this that the Apostles Paul and John especially do so frequently and earnestly perswade and press to it which they need not to have done if God did work it in the hearts of his people immediately by the teaching of his spirit Indeed my brethren every saving grace flows clearly from the upper spring but yet there are some pipes that carry and convey it down to us as the Word and Ordinances and the like And he that lives above them lives above grace too And therefore in my text our Saviour makes his declaration of his Father name by himself and his Apostles and their Successors in the Church the means of working love in the hearts of his people I have declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them Now is it so my brethren that the love which is in true believers comes Vse 1 from God Here then we are directed where to go and to whom to have recourse for this grace If any man lack wisdom saith the Apostle let him ask it of God And so say I in this case If any man want love to God or to his Brethren let him ask it of God Let him go to God the Fountain and the spring of it and beseech him earnestly to give it down to poor creatures If we find our hearts are cold and dull and flat if they be not inflamed with the love of God let us entreat him to kindle them at his fire Let us begg him that the love which is in him may be in us Let us pray with the Apostle The Lord direct our hearts unto the love of God 2 Thess 3.5 They cannot find the way themselves the way of peace and so the way of love they have not known Now the good Lord himself direct them and guide them into that way It cannot choose but be a pleasing and a lovely suit indeed to be importunate with God to make us love him and to endear our hearts to him A man would think that such a sweet request as this should not be turned off with a denial And that we may the rather struggle in it I shall propound two things 1. Love as it comes from
God so it is in some respect the chiefest thing that comes from God It is a grace of the first magnitude and therefore it is placed first by the Apostle in that Catalogue of his Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the spirit is love and then joy and other graces It is an excelling gift and therefore the Apostle Paul to shew the matchless worth and the surpassing value of it admits a kind of Solaecism in his discourse and makes it better then the best of gifts 1 Cor. 12. ult Covet saith he and covet earnestly the best gifts And then immediately annexeth a discourse of love and touching that he saith I shew unto you a more excellent way Indeed it is of greater latitude then other graces it runs through every precept of the Law of God For love is the fulfilling of the Law and that no other grace is It is of greater power then other graces for it sets them all on work And hence the acts of other graces are frequently ascribed to love as 1 Cor. 13.4 c she hopeth she believeth c. It is of greater permanency then other graces then faith or hope And other graces without love are nothing as the Apostle shews at large in that Chapter 2. And as love is the chiefest thing that comes from God so it is the chiefest thing that conformeth us to God It makes us like him more then other graces do God is not said in Scripture to be faith or hope or patience but he is said in Scripture to be Love If we believe God doth not so if we hope God doth not so if we suffer quietly God doth not so Indeed he suffer not at all either by way of passion or compassion But if we love my brethren so doth God In this we do as God himself doth And therefore we may pray for this my brethren in another way then we may pray for other graces according to the pattern in my Text. We cannot pray to God Lord grant us that the faith which is in thee may be in us Lord grant us that the hope which is in thee may be in us But we may pray Lord grant us that the love which is in thee may be in us That the love wherewith thou lovest may be given down to us Vse 2 Is it so that the love which is in true believers comes from God If then we have the love of God in us let us remember whence it came and to whom the glory of it ought to be returned We can hate God of our selves but we can never love him of our selves So that if there be any spark of the love of God in us we may be confident that it was kindled at his fire And therefore let it be continually working upward upward still yea let it never leave ascending till it have joyned it self unto that infinite and endless flame from which it issued and proceeded JOHN 17.26 That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be c. DOCTRINE 2. The Declaration of the Fathers Name to men is one especial means to work the grace of love in them IT is to this end that our Saviour makes it known as you may see expresly in my Text I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it Why so to what end That the love wherewith thou hast loved me that very property may be in them That as it is in thee it may be wrought in them also And out of doubt the means our Saviour pitches on are useful and available to his ends Indeed men come to know the Father by the discovery of his name to them for so his name is all that makes him known to men And that which worketh knowledge of him doth mediately work love to him So that if the discovery of his name do make men know him as that is very manifest it doth make them love him too That which one affirms of Learning may be applyed to God Non habet Inimicum nisi ignorantem Whosoever knows him clearly loves him truly Indeed while we are unacquainted with him the admirable worth and beauty and excellency that is in him every way doth not take a whit upon us The Philosopher will tell us that the mind must be informed and convinced of the goodness of a thing before the heart will cleave to it or the affections close with it And hence it is that carnal and unsanctified persons love not God because they know him not Or if they know him any way it is not under such a notion as renders him desirable or lovely to them Perhaps they know him as a Judge or an avenger they cannot know him as a Saviour and Redeemer And this is the real cause why the triumphant Saints in Heaven love him more then the Saints Militant on earth because they have a fuller clearer and distincter knowledge of him We see him darkly in a glass they face to face And this is the reason also why we love not God with such a high affection here as we shall do hereafter because we know him not so well we have not such distinct and full discoveries of his name as then we shall attain to So then you see in general that the discovery of the Fathers name to men is one especial means to work the grace of love in them To clear it yet a little further to you I shall shew you particularly and distinctly that there are divers things in Gods name which being manifested and declared unto men are means to win their hearts to him and so to work love in them As The beauty of the Lord is a part of his name and beauty being manifested and discovered is a means to win love It is a great attractive of affection Now herein God excells my brethren in this respect he is incomparably out of measure lovely The greatest beauty in the world is holiness so it is often called as 1 Chron. 16.19 Psal 29.2 To shew that holiness hath beauty in it yea it is called Beauties in the plural number The beauties of holiness Psal 110.3 to intimate that holiness is full of beauty and that it over-matches all the beauties in the world if all of them were put together And therefore this is made in Scripture the greatest beauty of the creature as Sin is the deformity so Grace and Holiness is the beauty of the Soul it adorns the inner man And therefore the Apostle Peter exhorteth Christian women to adorn the hidden man of the heart with this 1 Pet. 3.4 Even with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is of great price in the sight of God And hence it is that holiness is likened to the fairest things to Robes and Gems and Crowns and Gold and Jewels and the like Now God is matchless in this kind of beauty He is holiness it self yea he is infinitely holy And therefore holiness is called the Image of God The holiness that is in men is but