groans unutterable The heart is but as so much dull earth till the Spirit of God inflame thee Thy praier is a body without a soul if there be words but not Gods Spirit in the heart But oh what shall we then think of most mens praiers that have nothing but custome and formality in them No wonder if these be birds without wings Messengers without feet good for nothing at all Thou saiest thy praiers and thou hast thy praiers but oh consider the Spirit of God must move upon thy heart else thou art onely a worm crawling on the ground 2. An heavenly Praier must have an heavenly heart that which pants after and delights in heavenly things but Ps 4.6 Many say Who will shew us any good Every one can pray for earthly and temporall good things for health strength peace and outward plenty but few with David Lift thou up the light of thy countenance In the Lords Praier we are first to pray for those spirituall things that relate to Gods glory before we are to ask for our temporall comforts yea while we pray for temporall mercies we are to do it in a heavenly manner for this end that we may be more instrumental to Gods glory and be brought nearer to him Difficile est erare quia difficile est desiderare said Aquinas It is a very hard thing to desire heavenly things and therefore as hard to pray for them how happy then is it when the matter praied for and the frame of the heart are both heavenly Now like Christ he is gone up to the Mount and praieth alone he is above all earthly things alone with God himself 3. That Praier is heavenly when the heart and affections are purified and sanctified fit for the enjoyment of God In praier we have an immediate approach unto and fellowship with God There cannot be greater honour vouchsafed unto a creature then to be admitted to pray to him but who is sufficient for this duty The Heathens did often presse this that God was to be worshiped prae mente but the Apostle more divinely 1 Tim. 2.8 Lifting up holy or pure hands Mat. 6. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God A sore eye with corrupt humours is not fit to look on a bright object and truly in all our praiers we should think nothing so comely as to have heavenly hearts for heavenly work If the godly mans conversation even in buying selling and all other lawfull emploiments is to be heavenly much more in praier then there should be Sabbatum mentis the rest of the Soul there should be no distractions no debasings of it by earthly affections we should have a garden readily dressed for the Spouse to walk in If Christs body was to be in a Sepulchre where none ever lay btfore how much rather will whole Christ abide in a clean heart The devil would not come into his Lodgings but because they were swept and ready garnished for him how much rather will Christ expect that the soul should be in an holy and heavenly manner fitted for to enjoy him 4. An heavenly Praier is When it stirreth and moveth the heart to more love and delight in heavenly things Praier is not to be only heavenly in its nature but in its effects By praying holily we are made more holy It 's like exercise to the body which makes it more strong and active It 's the rich Ship that brings in glorious returns from God Heavenly Praier leaveth an heavenly frame it keepeth a soul in longings after God As Moses who had been in Gods presence his face did shine with great lustre Thus the soul that is heavenly in Praier to God leaveth an excellent and spiritual lustre upon all his actions his conferences his conversation speaks the mighty glory of this praier oh what godly man may not fall down with shame and confusion to think how far short he comes of this heavenly praier Vse of Instruction in two things 1. How hard it is to pray indeed You may say of the dull Formalist that hath bare words and no heart he praieth but it is as unprofitable as a body without life Oh that the God of grace would work this in you that he would pour the Spirit of praier and supplication upon you I know nothing wherein people are more to be instructed and rectified then in this particular They have good praiers and they say good praiers as they speak but understand nothing at all about an heavenly praier 2. Why it is that after many publique and private praiers thousands of people live in the same wickednesse they did Who would not think their sinnes would make them give over praying or praying their sins how can this fire and Ice stand together The reason is they are not heavenly praiers neither private or family praiers do raise thee up like Elijahs fiery Chariot You ask and receive not because you ask amisse He doth not say you ask mala but male you do not pray for unlawfull things only you pray not in a right manner Oh then say the decay of all my godlinesse all my comforts arise from my decay in praier Pray heavenly and all will be heavenly and on the other side meer dead and customary praier leaveth a man in a destitute estate he may pray in that manner all his life and yet receive nothing at Gods hand Think and meditate of this more say the beginning of all my spirituall consumption is in my lean empty praiers SERMON II. The transcendent Excellency and Efficacy of Christs Praier in respect of the matter and nature thereof as being Mediatory his Person and Relation c. held forth as a ground of unspeakable comfort to Beleevers JOH 17.1 These words spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father THE Introduction hath already been dispatched which contained the Order and Method of Christs Praier as also his gesture We now come to the praier it self he said Father c. To open this Consider That Praier is of two sorts Either 1. Mentall which is only in the soul and spirit for God being a Spirit and omniscient knoweth all the thoughts and desires of the heart Thus Angels and the spirits of just men perfected in heaven do pray The souls under the Altar cried for an holy avenging on their enemies Rev. 6.9 Or else there is 2. a vocall Praier when our desires are manifested by outward signs of words and thus Christs praier here is a vocall praier neither may such kinde of praying be thought needlesse for we do not use words as if God needed these signs in which sence Eliah derided Baals Priests bidding them cry aloud it may be Baal was asleep or in a journey 1 King 8.27 but hereby to excite and stir up our affections for the soul and body do mutually help each other and partly because we are to glorifie God with our body and with our soul
whereby we are called If Achan do secretly steal a wedge of gold when Joshua comes to know it he shall be troubled that troubled Israel and glory shall be given to God 1 Cor. 5. They are commanded to cast out from amongst them that wicked person and if any walk disorderly 2 Thes 3.14 Note that man and have no communion with him that he may be ashamed Such are a burthen a grief to those that are truly godly David can even weep Rivers of tears because of such That place is observable Joh. 13.21 Christ was troubled in Spirit and testified and said One of you shall betray me Judas was a trouble and a grief to Christs Spirit think not then that the truly godly own such any more then Job did the â—â—res upon his body or the Israelites did the Jebusites that were thorns and goads in their side Lastly Religion it self is the more to be prized for this sheweth the authority and command it hath over mens Consciences that none do ordinarily commit hainous trespasses but they are willing to put the vail of Religion upon them certainly this is so farre from disparaging that it rather advanceth Piety as being that which hath an universall Command every where men cannot commit iniquity before they blinde their eyes with some religious arguments The Pharisees made account they did all for the glory of God But you will say how cometh it about that any prove thus scandalous in the way of Religion Is not the way of it as comfortable and as blessed as it did at first promise Hath any thing that Christ said for our encouragement to follow him proved false Hath he deceived any so that they could say The Land of Canaan was not better then their old Egypt No in no wise only This is one great cause of mens miscarriage They take not up Religion at first upon pure and sincere motives It 's not from a renewed and regenerated principle within and therefore it being not from a good and sure foundation no wonder if at last all fall to the ground Our Saviour spake often to this Point as being indeed the summe of all What is that which perswadeth thee and prevaileth with thee to follow Christ Is it from an heavenly principle to an heavenly End Go on and God will be with thee But if some other carnal or insincere motive put thee on know that when the temptation comes thou wilt prove an offence Painting will melt away when it comes near the fire The un-rooted Tree will fall to the ground when the Windes shall shake it mightily SERMON LXXII Of the Sonne of Perdition JOHN 17.12 But the Sonne of Perdition I Shall at this time finish the good Observations from so bad an instance For as through the perfidiousness of this sonne of perdition though he intended it not God wrought the greatest salvation that could be insomuch that in this sense we may call his fact an happy sinne So through a divine consideration of this sad example we may receive the greatest good and with an holy skill turn this poison into nourishment for the sins and destructions of wicked men are written for our instruction as well as the good life and mercies of the godly As Abel though dead speaks â—o Judas though damned crieth to all to take warning from him Two Observations I shall briefly dispatch at this time The first whereas you see Judas thus hopefully and forwardly beginning leaving all with the other Apostles to follow Christ and that in a contemned persecuted manner yet at last dreadfully and finally to revolt from all Observe That unlesse men are carefull at first to look to their grounds and motives why they take upon them the profession of Christs way they will never hold out but one time or other forsake and revolt from all A sure and sound beginning will ever have a blessed and happy ending but when men upon slight and insincere motives look towards Christ at first such build upon the sand and their fall will be great Our Saviour spake many Parables especially that of the foolish builder and of the stony and thorny ground for this end that men should be well advised upon what terms they at first undertake for him Hence it is that when some voluntarily profered their service and obedience to Christ Christ presently informeth them of the difficulty of that work of the contrariety of it to flesh and blood that they had better never begin then afterwards to fall off hence he so solemnly bids them to remember Lots wife Luk. 17.32 and that he who hath put his hand to the plow and looks back is not fit for the kingdome of Heaven Seeing therefore this is often to be seen though it be very sad That many who have been once zealous and hopefull for Gods way yet afterwards decline totally and are not the men they were Let us consider what it is to set rightly at first upon the owning of Christ to lay a sure foundation at first And First Then are our beginnings hopefull when the Spirit of God in the Ministry or other means of grace did work upon us When it was not meer education under good Governours when it was not the acquaintance and company we had with those that feared God but some inward experimental work of Gods grace upon our own hearts Alas let a man be never so fervent so overtopping others and even to admiration shew himself in holinesse yet if it hath not been the work of Gods Spirit effectually moving upon his heart he is but like a Land-flood which though swelling high upon much rain yet when a drought comes will be presently dried up It 's not meer nature or externall restraint from sinnes or any sudden motions in our own spirit that will ever hold out We reade 2 Chron 24.22 of Joash who in his latter age did most wickedly degenerate when yet in his former times he was very forward in repairing the Temple of God and shewed more zeal to Gods glory then the Priests did But what was the ground Jehoiada the high Priest had a great hand over him he helped him to the Kingdom and engaged him to God several wayes but when this good man was dead he becomes a Wolf and puts Zachariah Jehoiada his sonne that had been such a kinde Uncle to him to death and that meerly because he reproved them for their sinnes So that though here was some external restraining of Joash yet there was no internal renovation by Gods Spirit Now I make a sure foundation to lie in these two The Spirits work by the Ministry in an ordinary way because one is the efficient and the other the subordinate and instrumental cause Hence our conversion our regeneration and spiritual begetting anew is constantly attributed to the Word preached as the ordinary cause and the Word preached is but as a dead letter without the Spirit Oh then runne to the fountain of thy owning of
but yet how common is it for such who know and read the Word of God yet not to be reformed in their lives thereby Though they look in this glass yet they wash not those loathsome spots that are upon them conclude the Scriptures are not in their proper use to thee till they have reformed thee from such sins as thou didst formerly live in 3. The people of God though they have a spiritual life within them yet under desertions and temptations finde not the Word of God effectual for joy and consolations till God bring such texts and such promises close to their soul That we saith Paul through the Scriptures might have consolations 2 Cor. 1. And David doth often acknowledge That the word of God did comfort and revive him but let a godly man groaning under the guilt of sinne hear the sound of the Gospel a thousand times over yet he will remain like dried bones and a parched wilderness till God sanctifie it Oh how often have the people of God desired comfort and assurance read over the promises again and again gone to the Ministers of the Gospel to have oyl poured in their wounds yet not the Law but even the Gospel hath been made a dead letter till the Spirit of God doth comfort in and by it the Word then of God though instrumental yet is but instrumentall it 's not a principal Fourthly When we say it 's Instrumentall to Sanctification we are to distinguish of instrumental causes For there are Physical and Natural Instruments which work by an inherent and natural power and there are Moral Instruments which work by the sole institution and appointment of another Now the Word of God is not instrumental to Sanctification in the former but in the later way The Word doth not by any inherent vertue and efficacy in a natural manner purifie the heart but by Gods appointment and his voluntary co-operation when and where he will For if it did work thus naturally then wheresoever the Word is preached it would sanctifie it would heal As the fire whereever it is in one Countrey as well as in another it doth burn but experience doth confute this Are there not two hearing the Word of God the one is sanctified the other not At the same Sermon one is humbled made tender The other is more obstinate and hardened Whence comes all this diversity under the Word preached but because it is not a natural instrument Again If the word of God did convert and sanctifie naturally then the grace of God could not so much be amplified and magnified which yet the Scriptures do Though it be Gods goodness that the Sunne shineth the fire burneth yet we do not speak of it or call it his grace but if the Word of God ever touch and heat any mans heart if it ever reform his life this is the meer grace of God By which it appeareth That the Word of God is instrumental only by Gods institution and where he commands it to work there it works where he requireth it to break down all oppositions there it hurrieth all down before it Insomuch that sometimes the most unlikely and prophanest enemies to godliness they are changed by the Word and those that are very ingenuous and civilly disposed remain in a perverse opposition 5. When we say The Word of God is instrumentall to our Sanctification this is not to be opposed to those other causes which God hath appointed Grace is the efficient cause and Christ the meritorious cause onely this is the medium God who could convert immediately and reach home to our souls as he did to the Prophets by an immediate Revelation hath taken this way That as it 's the goodness of God in natural things though he be the first and universall cause and so could do all things immediately himself yet he hath ordained second causes who have their derived causality Thus it hath pleased God in the Government of his Church to use means and external helps the Word and Sacraments thereby to work grace when yet he could change the hearts of men immediately or communicate himself to his Church as he did once without Scriptures When therefore you hear many oppose the Scripture to the Spirit and the Ministry in the Church to Christs teaching this is absurd and tends to the division of those causes which God hath so wisely joyned together The Spirit and the Scripture must not be opposed nor Christs teaching and the Ministers for that Rule is true here Quando duorum unum est propter aliud sunt ut unum Sixthly The Word thus made known is the ordinary means both of our beginning and increase in Sanctification Two things are couched in this particular 1. It 's the ordinary means so that what God may do in extraordinary cases is not for us to dispute but ordinarily there is no other way to beget and increase grace but this Neither may we say this is dishonourable to God to binde him to one way for it hath pleased himself to appoint the communication of his grace by the Word ordinarily so that as in naturall things he will give light to the world only by the Sunne though he could do otherwise Therefore the Sunne was not made till the fourth day to shew us that God could give light to the world without a Sunne Thus it is also in spiritual things though God could otherwise communicate his graces yet he hath pleased to appoint this ordinary way So that there is no expectation of the Spirit but in the Word as the Word can no wayes avail without the Spirit and it 's the goodness of God that he hath commanded all spirits to be tried by this Rule and if not conforming to it to reject them which could not be if the voice of the Spirit could be heard any other way but in and by the Scriptures we then are bound to come to this pool if we will have the divine moving not of an Angel but of the Spirit of God As the Israelite that would escape death was to keep within his doors and those within the Ark who would enjoy Gods Protection Thus must such keep within the bounds of the Scripture who expect Gods Spirit to guide them But although we are thus bound to expect Sanctification onely in this means yet we cannot say that God hath bound himself to work these effects alwayes for though he will not ordinarily dispense his grace but in this way yet he will not alwayes accompany this way yea it 's the savour of death to many 2 Cor. 2 16. Hence in the seventh place The word of God though it be ex se and quoad institutionem an instrument of Sanctification yet to some accidentally through their corruption it becomes an instrument of greater sinfulnesse and wickednesse So that commonly there are no greater sinners under Heaven then in the Church and in the Church none greater then where the best and
to be considered And they are these 1. It lifteth a man up above his natural reason It addeth many cubits to his stature As reason directs and corrects sense as we see in Astronomy so doth faith direct and correct reason As Zacheus because of a small stature went up into a tree to see Jesus Thus the reason of a man being too low in it self must ascend up to the Scriptures that it may behold divine things so that they wholly overthrow faith and change the nature of it who made it with Abailadus of old to be imagination or with the Socinians strength of reason Certainly Julian and the Heathens of old confound Christian Religion upon this ground because it was faith it was not a science 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was Julians upbraiding now the Christians they gloried in this and Austin to confirm the Christian under many captious doubts saith thus Nomini te esse fidelem not rationalem To bring then divine truths to reasons comprehension is to put the Sunne under a bushell or to think to fit Goliahs shoe to Zacheus his foot 2. Though this faith lifts up reason yet it doth not contradict it When we say faith cometh by revelation not by reason flesh and blood cannot make such things known to us yet when once this revelation is discovered in the Scripture then reason doth wonderfully help to propugn and maintain this truth revelation must lay the foundation and then reason will build upon it so that inlightned reason and instructed reason out of the Word is of excellent use to explicate and clear divine mysteries Even as the Gold-smiths hammer is usefull to dilate and diffuse his golden mettal in many formes and this use all our learned Divines make against all Heretiques They doe by the help of reason and arguments out of the Scripture illustrate and confirm the Doctrine to be believed 3. This general nature of faith hath two excellent properties put together in one place Heb. 11.1 It 's there called The substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We shall not dispute Whether this be a definition of faith it 's enough that two differential marks are given of it And First It 's the substance of things hoped for concerning which word learned men say divers things but it may comprehend these particulars First that Faith is not an empty flying fancy for so Aristotle useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some manifestation meerly as the colours of the Rainbow or of birds feathers when the Sunne shines These have but an intentional being there is no reall solid being in them but faith is the substance of things hoped for and certainly this is greatly to be endeavoured after that thy faith be a reall substantial thing how many mens faith are but fickle fancies and uncertain notions and therefore with their dogmatical faith they are like the Apostle James his man without faith tossed up and down with every wave Jam. 1. The Apostle Ephes 4.14 saith Be not carried about with every winde of Doctrine that denoteth the levity and emptinesse of a thing Trees that are well rooted are not blowne up and down like feathers What then is the cause of instability and uncertainty of many mens Religion It 's because they have not faith wheresoever that is it is a solid substantial bottoming of the soul 2. The word substance doth imply that it makes the things hoped for though afarre off yet present to the soul and even to subsist in the soul for faith is not hindred in its actings by distance of place for that receiveth Christ enjoyeth Christ though in Heaven and he that believeth hath eternal life Hence we are said to be already translated from death to life John 5.24 because to faith these things are as sure as if they were already done Thus Paul you see him by faith speaking as confidently as if he were in Heaven already Rom 8. Who shall separate us from the love of God shall things present or things to come Shall life or death c Hence faith is called The beholding of things not seen 2 Cor. 3. Faith makes God present Heaven present Christ present as really and truly as bodily objects are present to sense and truly for want of this it is that we are so cold languishing dejected we doe not by faith make these things present if we did they would more divinely affect us and as it is the substance of things hoped for So of things feared likewise Noah by faith moved with fear prepared an Arke Heb. 11.7 Thus faith makes hell and damnation present it doth not look upon hell as a farre off but is affected as if it did see and hear those dolefull howlings in hell and so dare no more sin then if it were in hell already Oh what a mighty change would faith thus realizing things work upon us 3. The word comprehends Assurance Confidence and so indeed is hypostasis used both in Scripture and by humane Authours now this confidence of faith and assurance is seen in the knowing and assenting acts of faith as well as applicatory witnesse those resolute and confident deportments which the Martyrs had Had not they strong assurance of the truth who could endure such exquisite torments against subtil opposers And certainly the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes are more to be admired then those in the primitive times for they suffered upon undoubted and clear points which only the Heathens gain-said But now these suffered by them that acknowledged a Christ and pretended the Glory of Christ as well as they So that this heavenly confidence and satisfaction of the soul that they care not for further disputing and doubting in the matters they do believe is a great property in faith And this manifesteth there is little faith now in Religion wherein men are apt to think all Religions alike and that one may do as well as another In these dayes to have such a substantiating reallizing and confident assurance is a great wonder The next word describing the generall nature of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that doth imply First That the things believed bring an objective light with them As the object that is seen brings a visibility though faith in respect of humane reason be obscure and supernatural Arguments be inevident yet compared with the light in the Word it hath much evidence Hence the word of God is so often compared to light and that illumination which God worketh in the minde is partly faith as well as any other grace The things that are believed bring an evidence with them to the soul as the Sunne brings a visibility with it to be seen Therefore this believing is said to be by the Word set home in the demonstration of the Spirit and hence it is a man in some sense is passive
God he is a Son and God is his Father Father glorifie thy Sonne 2. From the seasonablenesse of it Now is the time Tho hour is come 3. From the finall cause he desireth not this glory for himself only but he would be glorified that he might glorifie the Father Every one of these Arguments doth deserve at least a Sermon to open the excellency of it and 1. I shall begin with the relation expressed in that compellation Father Now it is true God is the Father of Christ in a farre more transcendent way then he is ours for that is a true Rule quod Christus naturâ nos sumus gratiâ That which Christ hath by nature we have by grace Christ therefore is Son to the Father yet so that he is of the same nature with the Father having all the properties of the Godhead with him but we are Sonnes only by grace and adoption and therefore cannot call God Father in that respect as Christ doth yet because a Father to both and that we may improve this Title for comfort with him our Saviour doth put these together in a most excellent manner Joh. 10.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Go and tell my Brethren so The Apostle admireth this that he was not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 and in this Praier how wonderfull are those expressions That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Let not therefore the great distance between us and Christ trouble us in this dear relation for he is our Father as well as Christs though not in the same manner From this Argument further observe That those Praiers are successefull and are sure to speed which are poured out to God as a Father It 's this Title this relation that giveth life and efficacy to our praiers Dulce nomen Patris said he it works much both in the Father to move his bowels and in the Sonne to enlarge his affections and hopes Although that Faith whereby Christ called God Father was not like that in us which we call justifying in respect of that act for Christ did not need justification for himself because there was no sin found in him yet as faith in the generall betokens a fiduciall dependance on God and application of his favour so Christ did with faith call God Father Thus at other times we see Christ in his praiers using this compellation as the ground of his being heard and having all his requests granted him Luke 23.34 46. Joh. 11.41 Joh. 12.27 28. And that we may not think this Prerogative belongs only to him our Saviour in that Directory of praier which he hath left teacheth us to come unto him as unto a Father and this is the faith we must pray in else we are sure to be sent away empty Hence Christ Mat. 6. and Mat. 7 11. laieth all the ground of confidence and hope to speed on this because he is our Father an heavenly Father farre above all earthly Fathers Nemo tam Pater as one in another case I need not tell you that God is a Father either by Creation in which sence Paul alloweth that of the Poet We are his Offspring for this it makes not any thing to confidence in Praier for so the devils and wicked men had their being from God But 2. He is a Father by grace by adoption and reconciliation through Christ This is the relation that sweetens all This is that which makes us confident he cannot or will not deny any thing that is good to us When the Prodigal Sonne came with this Title in his mouth Father I have sinned the bowels of the Father immediatly moved and he runneth to meet him Luk. 15.18 First That every one by nature and through sinne is in a state of enmity against God God is so farre from being a Father to such that he is a Judge and an adversary to every wicked man so that it is a very rare thing and few there are who may call God Father Is God the Father of Drunkards adulterers proud and prophane persons It 's blasphemy and an high dishonour to God to think so No the Scripture telleth us of another Father to such Ye âre of your Father the devil Joh. 8.44 There are many may say Our Father which art in hell not which art in heaven This I would presse upon you that you may not blaspheme God by calling him Father when you do the works of the devil If children only and not dogs must eat the meat on the Table much more must they only be taken into the Fathers bosome The Scripture will inform you that none may presume to take this excellent Title into his mouth unlesse he shew his filiall fear and obedience Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour 1 Pet. 1.15 If ye call on the Father passe the time of your sojourning here in fear Hence it is resolved by Austin that none but a just and righteous man may pray the Lords Praier because God is not a Father to any but those that walk holily Oh that this might strike to the very heart of every ungodly man Thou hopest in thy praiers and trustest in thy praiers when yet thou hast no right to call God thy Father He owneth no such enemies as thou art for his Sonne Secondly This sweet relation of Sonship to God the Father is purchased at a dear rate by Christ He shed his precious bloud that we might be put into so happy a relation We that were afar off are made neer by him Hence it is that Christ is the Elder brother the Heir and we made coheirs with him so that we had nothing to do with God in any comfortable way we could not have praied to him but had been like the devil in hell had not Christ purchased this sure and comfortable condition for us It costs the mother much ere she be mother of a childe In sorrow she was to bring forth but Christ was a man of greater sorrow ere he could see his seed and his soul be satisfied Among Brethren what envy is there apt to be yea what murthers have been committed by one brother upon another that they might solely enjoy the dignity and great estate but how farre was Christ from this who though only beloved of the Father and heir to all glory yet grudgeth not to take in others to a copartnership well then This word Father or to be able to call God Father cost Christ dear even more then to make a world for there was but a word here were great sufferings Thirdly To be able to call God Father is so great a matter that there needeth the Spirit of Adoption to move us thereunto Gal. 4 6. He hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father Although it be easie for a presumptuous
it 's a good Rule that Divines have whereas Faith hath three acts ingredient to it 1. Knowledge 2. Assent 3. Fiducial application The Scripture describeth the whole nature of Faith sometimes by one act sometimes by another In other places it 's described by assent and most frequently by trusting but here by knowledge For whereas the Papists would make ignorance rather of the definition of faith then knowledge they shew plainly what an ignorant faith and Religion they would have people take up with In the second place there is the object which is twofold 1. The only true God 2. Jesus Christ That is both God in respect of his nature and attributes oppositely to those Heathens who worshiped Idols and 2. Jesus Christ that is opposite to the Jews who knew the true God but not Christ and withall that the knowing of the true God as a Creator by the creatures is nothing at all without the latter It must be as he is Father in Christ so that hereby is implied that the knowing of God absolutely is not saving it must be relatively in the glorious dispensation and mystery which is by Jesus Christ I shall not explain further on this only remove an Argument which the Arians and Socinians use to triumph in from this Text as their Achilles Oh say they here it 's plain That Christ is not a true God because they are distinguished God is the only true God and therefore Christ is not But this is absurd That the only true God is opposed to Idols and to the heathenish gods which were worshiped by them in which sence he is sometimes called The Holy One of Israel and not to Christ for if he were not God likewise how could eternal life be said to be both in knowing of God and Christ and that Christ is truly God take instead of many two undeniable places Rom. 9.5 Of whom after the flesh came Christ who is over all God blessed for evermore And the other which is an excellent Comment upon this place 1 Joh. 5.20 We are in him that is true even in his Sonne Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life and then addeth Keep your selves from Idols So that God the Father is the true God and Christ the Son is the true God and all other made gods are Idols This Answer is sufficient and indeed the Socinians themselves may be convinced for they grant this Rule that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solus doth not exclude the inclusa or subordinate for they acknowledge Christ to be truly God though not essentially Whereas by their Argument Christ as true God should be excluded and nothing is more ordinary then to use the word solus not to exclude what is concomitant or homogeneall but diverse as Mat. 11.16 None knoweth the Father but the Sonne where the Father himself is not excluded nor the holy Ghost for it 's said 1 Cor. 2.11 None knoweth the things of God but the Spirit Others of old made this order of the words To know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent to be the true God but this may seem too much forced Lastly Many answer that the restrictive word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not determine the Antecedent te or Patrâ—m but the true God so that the sense is not the Father alone is the onely true God but that he is the only true God and then this expression doth not exclude the Sonne or holy Ghost but because by other places it 's evident they are also the true God therefore they are necessarily included Obs That by the knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ we come to eternal life 1 Tim. 2.4 God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth Here you see the knowledge of the Truth is the way to be saved I shall not now treat upon the nature of this knowledge especially as it includeth faith but shall first handle it in the generall as it is opposite to ignorance and errour about the true God And to open this Consider 1. That all men by nature are ignorant of God in a saving true manner For although Rom. 1. it 's plain that God hath implanted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some imbred apprehension about a God so that Divines say there cannot be a natural Athiest yet this knowledge is so confused and dimmed that it is better called ignorance then knowledge Yet 2. This imbred knowledge may be actuated and perfected by the contemplation of the Creatures as Rom. 1. None that observeth such a curious Fabrick as the world is can conclude it made it self but it had some Creator Even as when a man heareth curious Musick upon some Musical Instrument every one will conclude there is some artificiall hand playing upon it that it doth not move it self Thus the Heathens have many expressions concerning a God whom they discovered no other way but by the creatures although this was accompanied with some hesitancy and doubting And their light was like that of the Moon and Stars yea not so much for it was not able to direct them in any manner acceptable to him Hence it is that the Scripture speaks of them as without God Eph. 2. and such as know not God Therefore 3. The true and right knowledge of God is only had within the Church That as God saith of his people You only of all Nations have I known so they only of all Nations have known God Hence the Samaritan Woman is said to worship she did not know what Joh. 4.22 because Salvation was only of the Jews viz. the knowledge and true revelation of it Hence is that saying of Divines Extra Ecclesiam non est salus As without the Ark every one perished For although some of the Ancients and others have been very prone to ascribe salvation even to a natural knowledge of God as if God would require no more of them Then in that condition thinking otherwise that he would reap where he had not sown yet this Text putteth out of all doubt as well as others that the knowledge of the true God and of Christ is necessary to Salvation Now whatsoever they might know of God yet it is plain they could not by the Creatures know any thing of Christ his Nature and Offices being of meer Revelation and from hence likewise it is apparent that even among the Jews though the knowledge of the Trinity and of Christ seemed more obscure and implicite yet those that were saved had some measure of the knowledge of it for saith Christ This is eternal life The way to it and those in the Old Testament went in the same way to Heaven as well as those in the new You see then our Saviour by this Proposition doth assure us that without the knowledge of God and Christ there is no eternal life and thereby that it is had only in the Church There are no flowers
sinful soul the world is the valley of death an Hospitall of diseased men and therefore thou art to rejoice at this approaching glory Hence it is that the righteous is said to have hope in his death to be blessed in his death for all his old things passe away a new place new company new happinesse new joy but yet here are cautions to the godly dying man that hath done his work 1. Not to put confidence in his works Sibi isti fidere non est fidei sed perfidia said Bernard Oh Lord All that I have done is an effect and testimony of thy grace not a merit of eternal glory Thou crownest thy gifts not my merits if I have been able to work it was of thy grace so the more I have done the more I am obliged to thee and the reason why there cannot be any hope or confidence put in the works we do is from the imperfection and insufficiency of them Enter not into judgement with thy Servant saith David Psa 143.2 I would be found not having mine own righteousnesse but that by faith in Christ saith Paul Phil. 3. 2. Therefore after all his works though it were Martyrdom it self he is to look for glory by vertue of Gods promise as a meer gift Upon this tenure thou art to plead for it The gift of God is eternal life for though we had done all yet God might deny us eternal life Though we had perfectly done all our duty yet God might annihilate us and there be at an end Therefore it 's wholly of his grace to make a promise of eternal life for by this means though he be not a debtor to us yet he is to himself he is faithful and cannot deny his own words and for this reason as it 's called a gift so sometimes a reward not as if there were any proportion between our work and this glory but because God hath appointed this as a sure consequent upon doing what is well Therefore Ambrose distinguished well of a reward there is merces liberalitatis as if an whole Kingdome should be given a man for lifting up a straw and there it merces debiti of debt and strict justice but that cannot be between the creature and the Creator much lesse the creature fallen and corrupted Vse 2. Of terrour and woe to wicked men who having done the devils work have nothing to do but to take the reward of devils The same hell the same torments that are prepared for the devil and his Angels are for thee Oh that the name of death the thoughts of death should not fill thee with all fear and amazement oh that this should not be like a sword at thy heart whose work am I doing whom have I served and now I am a dying man whose wages am I to receive Oh that thou shouldst not mourn and pray and get all others to mourn and pray for thee if God will deliver thee out of this gall and wormwood Blessed are they that die in the Lord their works follow them Cursed are they that die in their sins for their works shall follow them though your bodies are put in the grave yet your sins cannot be buried there SERMON XXIV Of vain Tautology in Prayer And what Repetitions in Prayer are such and what not Shewing also what things are absolutely necessary to a good Praier JOH 17.5 And now O Father glorifie thou me with thy own self with the glory I had before the world began IN these words have been considered the matter of the Petition described by the nature and external adjunct thereof as also the causal inference In the matter of the Petition we shall not take notice of the matter it self because handled before But 1. Whereas our Saviour within so little a space doth repeat the same Petition twice We observe That Repetition of the same matter in a Praier is not alwaies a sinful Tautology but is sometimes lawful yea useful and necessary None can think that our Saviour in whom is the Treasure of Wisedom and who is the essentiall Word of God who also giveth the gifts of praier to the Church that he himself should be straitned either for matter or words but this ingemination proceeds from some other excellent ground To open this Point Consider 1. That the same matter may be repeated either insence only but in different words or else in the very same sence and words When it 's done the former way we say a man doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the latter way unlesse there be some grave and serious cause it 's a vain Tautology for the former kinde of repetition the Psalms which are accounted like the Stars in the Scripture Firmament are very frequent in it Many verses being the ingemination of the same sence only in some different words and this we do not so commonly call a repetition of the same thing because every new word the holy Ghost hath doth represent some new notion to the understanding so that it 's like the same meat under several dishings that affords a peculiar taste or like the Philasophers matter which they say is alwaies the same though under divers forms Now our Saviour in this praier doth not only use the same matter but the same words Father glorifie thou me 2. That in our prayers which are a communion with the great God wo ought to have a diligent attention to severall things s Praier is not slightly formally and customarily to be hasted over but being a divine worship of God If ever a man would be in an heavenly holy fervent and indistracted disposition it ought to be when he sets himself to this duty Praier is like that curious oyntment to be made by the High-Priest which consisted of many choice ingredients You may call most mens praiers no more praiers then an Ape a man or a picture the person it represents For 1. We must have a diligent attention to the matter that we pray for That it be lawful good and agreeable to Gods will To ask of God any thing that is unlawful and sinful would be to make God a Patron of sinnes as he in the Poet Da mihi fallere da justum sanctumque videri Jupiter So that this made Aquinas say It was hard to know what we are to pray for because it 's hard to know what to desire Hence Rom. 8. we need the Spirit of God to enable us to know what we pray for Some Heathens have been admired for such a praier as this that they entreated the gods to give them not what they would have but what was good for them whether they desired it or not but we that are Christians are not in such darknesse we have the Word of God to direct us and his Spirit to incline us Look then that the matter thou praiest for be such as is agreeable to Gods holy will 2. We are to consider and attend
troubled at the reproach he had in the world so neither was he lifted up with the glory and honour he had here and then partly in reference to his work done on earth for on earth he did his work in heaven he expects his reward I shall not handle this peculiarly as it relates to Christ but take in all the Children of God for herein Christ and all his members are alike In the midst of their afflictions and trials they are to support themselves with hope and pour forth earnest praiers for the glory God hath prepared for them So that the Observation is That all the Children of God like Christ himself are earnestly to pray for their glory with God above all earthly honour or glory Christ praied not with such imperfections as the godly do as is in time more largely to be shewed only both he and the godly agree in the matter praied for viz. glory in the generall though Christs glory is not of the same nature with theirs This glory is the center in which the several lines of their desires and praiers are to meet This should be the cordiall in all their temptations and exercises though poor here though miserable here though despised here yet my eye is fastened upon the glory hereafter oh that our Auditors were so spirituall as to be affected with this eternal Crown of glory for none but the heavenly and truly godly man can desire to hear of this The other sort of men had rather have their barly-corn then this Pearl Their Garlick then this Manna Their husks then this fatted Calf But to open this Doctrine there are three particulars implied in it 1. The nature of this glory 2. It 's earnestly to be praied for 3. It 's to be the comfort and support of the godly in this valley of tears and death Did we not expect glory to come we should look upon our selves as most miserable But of the first The nature of this glory and that is expressed first in the Text a glory with Gods own self and that doth imply these particulars 1. That it is a glory in the hand of God to dispose and give to him whom he pleaseth You see Christ himself beggeth for this at Gods hand None can violently invade this glory or break into those heavenly mansions whether God will or no all heavenly glory is with God who is therefore called the God of glory or glorious not only because he is glorious in himself but because he is the bountifull authour and dispenser of all glory as the Sunne is the Fountain of all light so then it 's not in the power of any earthly Potentate to make men thus glorious Though Ahashuerus could make Haman and Mordecai outwardly glorious yet for this heavenly glory the greatest powers of the world need it from God as well as the poorest beggar 2. It is a glory with God because he is the object of this glory In him it is that we have all our happinesse and glory Even in this life we are forbidden to glory in riches in honours and greatnesse but let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth God 1 Cor. 1.31 and then much more in heaven it is our glory that we enjoy God So that all the happinesse excellency and glory which is said to be in heaven is reductively in this that we are made partakers of God with God and in God is only glory and seeing that glory and our utmost happinesse are all one in this Point of what great concernment is it for every one to consider what that is in which he placeth his happinesse Dost thou not think thy self happy if thou hast the good things and the great things of this world Art thou not of the Serpents breed and not the womans seed in that thou lickest up the dust of the earth It is that that all men miscarry in They do not consider what that is which if obtained would make a man happy Whereas the Scripture is plain and clear informing that it is in having God for our God and then not only happy here but happy hereafter 3. In that this glory is said to be with God it implieth that it is such which God approveth of and liketh off It 's not an appearance of glory but true reall glory The Hebrew word Canod for glory signifieth weight As the Apostle distinguisheth between Circumcision of the Letter and the Spirit which latter he saith hath its praise of God and not of men Rom. 2. ult That is glorious before God so the glory in heaven hath its praise from God What will it avail to affect glory and praise from men when God will abhorre and dishonour will despise and curse thee That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abominable before God Luk. 18. Think it not enough to live so that thy self and others do applaud thee no though they be good men for God judgeth the heart Oh then again and again say Is this glory such as God accounts of Doth the Lord say this is happinesse that I have The rich man bid his soul take his ease but did God bid him do so also 4. This phrase doth imply the glory that is in heaven as oppositely to the work we do on earth This is that all the Children of God should look after a glory in heaven This made them long for and hasten the coming of Christ this made them judge themselves but Pilgrims here and so to seek out for a better City Take we heed then that we be not in the Number of those who minde earthly things that judge nothing glorious but what seems in this world full of greatness and admiration The state of men living here is a condition of misery and calamity which made Job say that man who is born of a woman is born for sorrow as the sparks fly upwards Job 5.7 So that we may say God makes this life so bitter that the glory in heaven may be sweeter Therefore he keeps us a while in this wildernesse that Canaan may be the more prized This is the nature of this glory as implied in that phrase with thy own self but there are other properties of it also that may raise our expectations after it As 1. It 's an everlasting and eternal glory There is no dust or ashes in heaven There is no mortality or corruptibility but every thing is then made like God to abide for ever The Scripture doth often mention this incorruptible Crown and eternal glory and certainly were we heavenly and holy this would greatly enlarge our hearts but these two things are wanting that would put us highly to esteem it There are few that have a spiritual nature Few are born of God and so seek after such a glorious priviledge What careth a Swine for the pearl no more doth a natural man for this heavenly glory he cals for that which may satisfie his
heed of spiritual wantonesse and luxury to make the Bible the argument of thy opinions or notions thereby to get applause and esteem No thou are to prize it for the spiritual effects of it That it cureth thee of thy blindenesse spiritualizeth thee against thy carnality quickens thee against thy formality 2. We are to prize it for the necessity of it because that containeth the words of eternal life we cannot think a thought or step a step without the guidance of it This is able to make thee wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 A man cannot have any wise thought or purpose towards heaven but by this This made Job as you heard prize it more then his necessary food for the soul needeth this bread of life as much as the body doth material bread If we set up any other principle to walk by but this we run our selves into the mouth of hell 3. For the usefulnesse of it The Scripture is profitable for instruction exhortation and to make a man perfect for every good work 2 Tim. 3. There is no sin to be avoided no duty to be done but the Word of God will direct thee therein There is no temptation so subtle but this will discover it If at any time thou art unprepared and indisposed for such or such a duty thou hast no heart to pray no spirit to beleeve on the promise Come to this and it will quicken thee for it's eyesalve to thy blindenesse It 's an hammer against thy corruptions It 's fire to consume thy drosse It 's oyl for thy wounds It 's a Catholicon an universal Shop of all spiritual medicines The rich man the poor man the husband the wife all may learn from hence what to do 4. The preciousnesse and dignity of it The Word of God is full of heavenly and supernatural excellency especially the Gospel or the will of God revealed for the salvation of man Oh how welcome must these glad tidings be to the troubled sinner that hath received the sentence of condemnation upon his soul Christ with his benefits discovered are the onely treasure to a tender broken heart The Scriptures they are the Mine wherein this treasure is to be found They are the Field wherein this pearl is hid To you that beleeve Christ is precious 1 Pet. 2.7 and it must needs be so for he is the Mediatour between God and them he hath fulnesse for all their wants and necessities He is made wisedome righteousnesse and sanctification 1 Cor. 1. It 's not what they are but what Christ is Lastly They keep the Word who persevere in it notwithstanding all the temptations and difficulties It 's both against the flesh and the devil for any man to keep Christs Word and how many have begun well but at last have given over to their great destruction Therefore John saith If ye continue in my word and Mat. 13. The good ground is said to hold fast the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifieth so to hold as that many are striving to take it out of our hearts again and they are said to bring forth fruit in patience because there is great contrariety and opposition unto Gods Word if possible the fowls of the air will take away this seed as soon as it is sown The Apostle James speaks of a forgetful hearer Jam. 1.24 and therefore would have us abide looking into the glasse of the Word Oh take we heed that we be not in the number of those whose latter end is worse then the beginning Take heed it be not said They are turned out or gone from us because they were not of us Vse of Instruction what they may judge of themselves who though living long under the means of grace finde the Word hath no place in their hearts their lives their conversation proclaim to all that they care not for Gods Word Oh what a sad Symptome is this of thy obstinate incurable condition oh men to be mourned over as dead and buried in the grave of sin If ye were of God you would hear his Word It 's said of many they did not hear the Word of God because it was of the Lord to destroy them O take heed this be not true of thee Vse of Exhortation to the godly keep close to Gods Word let your thoughts your affections your actions be according to that you never wound your consciences you never bring woe to your selves you never are at a distance from God but when you go astray from this rule Keep to this as in an Ark be in all your relations by it live by it die by it you are like a tree planted by the water-side while attending to this and if you keep the Word of God Gods Word will keep you 1. In the hour of temptation that you sin not 2. At the hour of death that you sink not It will be a tree of life to you that we through the Scriptures might have consolation The Word that was your rule will now be your comfort it will speak nothing but consolation to thee It will be more then all friends all comforters whatsoever 3. It is everlasting it will abide for ever the consolations of it will be eternal SERMON XXXIV Of Growth in Grace The Duty Necessity and Glory of it JOH 17.7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee OUR Saviour doth still relate those commendable considerations that were in his Disciples that thereby God should hear his praier for them It was not for worldly wicked sinners but such as knew and obeyed him that he praied for This is the more to endear them to God Now as before he had commended them for their obedience so here for their faith in him as a Mediatour and this faith is necessary to all Christian obedience For without it a man by his Legal righteousnesse becomes a confident presumer trusting in his works that he doth or else despaireth Seeing it impossible that ever he should attain to such a righteousnesse that is required Therefore when we have done all and got up to the very pinacle of grace we are in matter of Justification to leave our obedience and fly to faith so then we have the disciples Faith in Christ as a Mediatour described and commended 1. By one main particular act which doth synecdochically contain the whole They have known By the next Verse it appeareth that beleeving and knowing are all one 2. There is the Object of their faith which is twofold 1. All things that the Father had given Christ 2. That they were of him the sence is They knew whatsoever Christ had it was given him of the Father and that he had these things from him to be a Mediatour Here then you see what an acceptable thing it is to God to beleeve in Christ as sent by him The poor humbled sinner he trembleth and doubteth whether he may come to this Mediatour or no
Motto which Solomon puts upon all these fading things here below shall likewise be set upon thy Religion and devotion Vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexatien of spirit It 's the promise that a godly man embraceth that he looketh after for even in holy actions truly so it 's not thy performance thy grace but the promise that bears thee out Therefore we are all said to be Children of the Promise Gal. 4.28 and heirs of the Promise and 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these Promises let us cleanse our selves If then thou art never so zealous though thou shouldst give thy body to the sire and have not a promise it would profit thee nothing Shouldst thou give away all thou hast Shouldst thou endure all hardship yet if thou hast no promise to this action thou art but a tinkling Cymbal Oh then let the people of God in all their acts of obedience minde the command for the lawfulnesse of them and the promise for the encouragement therunto if no command then no promise God will not water that plant or give encrease to it which he hath not planted And for this end Austin and others did condemn all those famous moral actions of the heathens as glittering sinnes because they had no promise belonging to them of Eternall life As they did them upon humane inferiour motived not supreme and divine so their recompence was but the cockleshels of this world not that weight of glory in heaven Thirdly Obedience must have a command because of the great corruption and pollution which is upon mans understanding so that it 's impossible it should ever choose or do that which is acceptable to God Rom. 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God And the Heathens even those that were judged most learned yet were darkned in their Imagination Rom. 1. They became vain and the Apostle cals it their foolish hearts It is therefore a most absurd and insufferable indignity offered unto God for thee to take upon thee how thou wilt worship him how thou wilt serve him and for this it is that the Scripture so often complaineth that they went after the imagination of their own hearts So that by this you may judge of what little consequence those excuses are which some make for superstition That they were done out of pious Intentions and a fervent zeal for although such things may in some respects excuse a tanto yet not a toto Hence Vzziah though out of a good intention stopping the Ark not according to Gods order is stricken dead Paul persecuting the Church of God though out of zeal for he thought he was bound to do what he did yet was not thereby excused from being a blasphemer a persecutor and the greatest of sinners Nothing is to be added to Gods precepts Etiamsi vel bonum nobis videtur said Ambrose So that the right understanding of our deep pollution may justly make us afraid of any thing which is ours and hath not Gods command The Apostle Col. 3.2 condemneth even those things because not of God which yet had a shew of humility and great mortification Fourthly Obedience must have a command from the fulness and sufficiency of the Scripture It 's a perfect Rule Whosoever walketh according to this Rule Gal. 6.16 and David commends it for a Lanthorn and Light to his feet Psal 119. So that if our obedience might run out in such things where there is no word for it the Word would not be an adequate Rule It would be too narrow and then if once you grant a Rule besides that you go in infinitum yea we fall into manifest contradictions for how many times doth one mans spirit think that best which is contrary to another mans How comes that opposition in matter of Religion but that the word is not made the Rule but either there are reasons or lusts or temporal interests so that it 's necessary we have the Word for obedience else the Enthusiastical Revelations and Popish Traditions they will both pleade a good Title for acceptableness with God Lastly An Obedience must have a command because else we can never bear up our hearts in all the discouragements we meet with in doing Gods work What hardened the Prophets so that their foreheads were like brasse and iron but only this that they knew God had commended them and they went upon his message Shall Absalom use such an argument to the man when he had killed Ammon Be of good courage I have bid thee How much rather then when God commands 1 Cor. 15. Be stedfast immoveable in the work of the Lord knowing your labour was not in vain Let all the world oppose us when we know it's Gods command our hearts need not shrink within us Thus the Apostles Whether it 's better to obey God or man judge ye Act. 5.29 Vse 1. of Instruction Of how terrible and dreadful a judgement are they worthy of who are so farre from being obedient to Gods command that they live in open and professed disobedience to it if the most devotionall and Religious actions are refused by God for want of a command what shall become of those which are in plain opposition to it Such are all the works of the flesh Such are the works of most men when thou hast been wallowing in the mire of sin to which of Gods commands hast thou been obedient Nay sinne hath its command the devil hath his commands and thou givest up thy self a Servant to them Oh that the eyes of men shall not yet be opened nor their hearts yet mollified who is thy Father thy Master thy Lord Is it not the devil When God commands thee who is the Lord of Hosts who promiseth heaven and an eternal reward that God who hath all sharp arrows of vengeance in his quiver to shoot immediatly into thy heart That God though commanding thee thou refusest and the devil while he bids thee go and fullfill this lust and that lust immediatly thou goest That devil who deludes and deceiveth thee who is the known Enemy of thy soul and will be thy cruell tormentor to all Eternity Oh then lay it closer to heart I am under command either of God or the devil I am an obedient Servant to one or the other and thy works they quickly manifest it Vse 2 Vse 2. of Direction to people That they would be like those noble Bereans examine the ground of their faith and obedience Do not offer a Sacrifice without eyes Blinde obedience is contrary to that command offer up your selves a reasonable Sacrifice or a Sacrifice according to the Word as some expound Rom. 12 1. There are dangerous Syrens that would inâ—ice you out of this way we are apt to judge that a duty that most do not which God commands we think a multitude will dispense against a precept when yet Gods expresse charge is Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Exod. 23.2 The very heathen could
is so well-pleasing to God that we should believe in Christ our Mediatour It 's accepted of as well as our Repentance or love or any other obedience And 1. Because hereby God is exalted and magnified in his glory We cannot glorifie God more otherwise Now then if God aimed at his glory in the Creation of the world but much more in the redemption of his Children There is not a way to exalt his glory more then by beleeving Thus Abraham in that of his concerning a Seed which did relate to Christ it 's said he staggered not but gave glory to God Rom. 4.20 The glory of his power of his goodnesse he regarded not the dead womb nor any other difficulties Thus it is here when thou seest sinne against thee the Law against thee Justice against thee and that every thing hath a dead womb yea a damned womb for thee to overlook all in Christ is an high degree to glorifie God Oh then ckeck thy unbeleeving thoughts Say Is there any way in the world whereby I can glorifie God like to the relying on Christ and leaning upon his grace So much dishonour as despair casteth on God so much glory faith attributeth to him resist then all the buzzing temptations of Satan and say What shall I not glorifie God What shall I not give God honour 2. The acceptablenesse of it doth appear in the frequent and constant commands that Christ giveth about it It 's true he commands Repentance Love Self-deniall but above all he requireth faith The question he propounded to most that came to him was Do ye beleeve This is so great a duty in Christianity that the Heathens abhorred our Religion as irrational saying It 's only beleeved with them whereupon they called them in scorn Beleevers But this is the grand and primary duty Heb. 11.1 There is no coming to God without this and Eternal life is said to be in this Above all take the Shield of faith Eph. 6.16 If then we see the Scripture so constantly enjoyning this above all yea and threatning with damnation if we do not beleeve How is it that the godly stand aloof of and still are not resolved whether they should beleeve or not Thou dost not so about Repentance Thou never questionest whether thou shouldst grieve or mourn for thy sins Thou wouldst think it high wickedness to do so Why then shouldst thou doubt whether being burthened with sin thou shouldst seek ease by faith in him Is not the command as indispensable for one as the other 3. It 's acceptable Because hereby Christ as a Mediator is improved for all these glorious ends he was appointed by God and thereby Christ is also glorified What shall such unsearchable riches of grace as are bound up in Christ be buried Shall there not be daily acknowledgements of him Now consider that if by Faith thou dost not receive him thou declarest Christ lived in vain and died in vain by what reason thou dost not beleeve for one effect thou must not for another and so for all Thus it will be as if there had never been such a person as Christ We may in some sence call it thy Antichristian unbelief He that denieth Christ to be come in the flesh is Antichrist 2 Joh. 7 Doth not thy unbelief deny him For the denying of his office is by consequence the denying of his person Thy unbelief doth that practically which the damnable heresies of Socinians do doctrinally make as if Christ were not a Mediatour and such who had satisfied the wrath of God for us Oh then know it 's not all thy sins do so immediatly oppose Christ as a Mediatour as thy unbelief doth which makes Divines say that in some sence only unbelief damneth beeause that rejecteth the Mediatour refuseth the Saviour so that as we say It 's not the disease but the neglect of the medicine that kils 4. It 's very acceptable to God because It 's the most evacuating grace It emptieth us wholly of our selves God he delights in humility now nothing humbleth us and takes us off all our seeming worth like faith in Christ for therefore I wholly trust in him for righteousnesse because I have none of my own If I had any rags that could cover my nakednesse I would not be ashamed but now being all over impure and unclean my Faith makes me catch hold on him Thus Paul he counted all things dung or drosse Phil. 3. because of the righteousnesse which is by Faith in Christ Seeing then Faith gives all to God and Christ makes us miserable wretched and hopelesse in our selves No wonder if God doe so accept of it Consider therefore how it debaseth thee and carrieth thee off every thing that is thine and then thou wilt say this is the grace God loveth this makes me nothing and God all in all 5. Faith in Christ must needs be acceptable because hereby we bring a righteousnesse into Gods presence which doth best please him which satisfieth him to the utmost for Christ is made our Righteousnesse and the end of the Law to us he became sin that we might become the Righteousnesse of God through him 2 Cor. 5. ul Now then if we by Faith can bring the Righteousnesse of Christ in all our duties and performances we must needs please him This is to bring Benjamin with us Oh what satisfying Reasons doth Faith in the Mediatour bring O Lord It is not my Righteousnesse nor the Righteousnesse of Adam nor the Righteousnesse of Angels but of Christ who is infinite that I bring before thee O Lord doth not Christ please thee better then I can O Lord is not this obedience better then my Repentance Oh then that we should not be more sollicitous to beleeve in every duty in every approach to God for that brings Christ that presents not our persons or duties but Christ Thus Paul he would be found in Christ not having his own righteousnâ—sse Phil. 3.9 Ye know not how righteous God is nor the Law nor what God requireth that do not thus press to beleeve Other grounds of this excellent Evangelical Point I defer and come to the Vse which is of Direction to the people of God Oh what joyful comfortable and blessed lives might you live if acquainted with this Truth Art thou dejected filled with unbelieving thoughts it 's from thy ignorance of this Truth You would be more filial and Evangelical were you possessed with this Truth more The Devil labours to keep you off as Saul did Jonathan and the people from eating honey whereas if they had not forborn it their enemies had been quite vanquished he keepeth thee from this honey he knoweth if thou wert beleeving no sin or temptation could stand before thee Heb. 5.13 The babe Christian is said to be unskilful in the word of Righteousnesse what is that he knoweth not Christ and the righteousnesse by him Therefore the Spirit of God is said to convince the world of Righteousnesse Joh. 16.8 O
mine because now made his God in which sence the Apostle said all things are yours 1 Cor. 1. and I have all things Phil. 4. yet in regard of Gods essentiall Attributes his Omnisciency Omnipotency c. None but the Sonne and the holy Ghost who are God can truly say so Now that our Saviour meaneth all in this sence appeareth by a parallell place Joh 16 15. all things that the Father hath are mine Mark the aggravation he doth not say some things but all things then that the Father hath in the present tense Now God hath nothing but essentially he hath wisedom he hath life but he hath it essentially not as creatures who have it accidentally Therefore notable is that expression Joh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given the Son to have life in himself No creature hath life in that sence 3. He saith All things are mine he doth not say shall be mine when I am glorified when ascended into Heaven but even in that very state of humiliation Lastly He saith All that the Father hath In calling him a Father he acknowledgeth a personal distinction which cuts off the Sophistry of the Socinians If Christ hath all things the Father hath then he is the Father No the very compellation supposeth a relative distinction though there be an essential Vnity Thus you see the Text vindicated and it 's our duty diligently to vindicate those Texts that assert Christs Deity so much oppugned for if Tertullian said Omnis sermo adaptandus est contra Idololatriam much more against this blasphemous heresie Obs That our Lord Christ hath all things the Father hath Even the things he praieth for viz. glory he saith He had it with the Father before the world began Let us unfold this Doctrine for it will be of great use both doctrinally and practically And 1. The Lord Christ hath the same Name and Titles that God the Father hath Even that Name which they call the incommunicable Name Jehovah and that is never given directly to any creature yet that is attributed to Christ Heb. 1.10 Thou O Jehovah hast founded the Heavens and the Earth That spoken by the Psalmist the Apostle doth expresly apply to Christ himself and although some observe that in the New commonly the Father is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 1 Cor. 8. We have one God the Father of all and we have one Lord yet Christ is often called God Rom. 9.11 He is called God blessed for evermore And 2 John This is the true God And 1 Tim. 3.26 God manifested in the flesh So that he is called God as well as Lord Now then this argueth Christs Deity that he hath the same Titles with God Magistrates indeed are called gods and Moses is said to be a God to Pharaoh but not absolutely as Christ is but respectively for such an end and purpose viz. to direct and govern For the Name of God is God as Rabbins say God is his Name and his Name is God If it be a capitall crime amongst men to give the Titles of the Supream power to those that have it not or to deny it to those to whom it belong◠Take heed then thou beest not found in the number of those that thinkest it robbery what Christ himself did not to make him equall with God 2. He hath the nature and essence of God the Father so that he is equall with him Mark that reason Ioh. 16.15 He shall receive of mine and shew you all things For all the Father hath is mine The holy Ghost was to receive of his wisedom and power because all the Father had was his which as it necessarily proveth the holy Spirit to be God that doth search the deep things of God so also Christ to be of the same divine nature and thus the Jews understood him when they charged him with blasphemy that he being man should make himself God or equal to God 3. He hath all the essential properties of God he is immortal eternal infinite omniscient omnipotent For he knew what was in mens hearts and needed none should tell him 1 Joh. 2. ult Eternal for he created all things and in the beginning was with God 1 Ioh. 1. called therefore Alpha and Omega Omnipotent in that the Creation of all things out of nothing is attributed to him and the wonderful Miracles he wrought not as the Apostles in a Petitionary manner but mandatory and authoritatively in his own Name do fully evince this so that there is no glorious attribute of God but the Lord Christ hath the same and that not in kinde but in number The very same numericall wisedom and holinesse 4. Christ doth all the works the Father doth I and my Father work hitherto Joh. 5.17 The Son doth nothing but what he seeth the Father doth Joh. 5.19 Doth the Father create so doth Christ Doth the Father conserve and govern all things so doth Christ bear up all things by the power of his word Heb. 1. Did the Father send the Prophets in the Old Testament so which i◠greatly to be considered did Christ 1 Pet. 1.11 The Spirit of Christ is said to be in the Prophets which yet were long befere Christ was born of the Virgin Therefore Christ had a subsistency as God before and did work as God Therefore the Israelites 1 Cor. 10. are said to tempt Christ in the Wildernesse And Moses preferred the reproaches of Christ before Egypts Treasures Heb. 11. so also doth the Father regenerate give the holy Spirit sanctifie our natures all these things Christ also doth 5. The Son and the Father have the same will and the same purposes This all the Socinians would have But the samenesse of will and minde floweth from the Identity of the nature Indeed when he praieth for his Disciples in this Chapter that they may be one as thou and I are one It 's not a sicut of equality but similitude not as if they were to be one essentially as the Father and the Son is but that intimate Union of the Father and Son is made the Rule as when it 's said Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Mat. 5. ult that cannot be understood of an equality The Rule hath alwaies more perfection in it then the thing regulated by it Hence it is that Christ is called the express character of the Father Heb. 1. What Christ wils what he purposeth we may conclude the Father doth so also so that this consideration may abundantly take away that doubt which may arise That although Christ be thus ready to work out our redemption yet will the Father accept of it he is not obliged to take a Surety in our room he will see the Law satisfied in our own persons but Christ removeth this when he saith Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for my Sheep Joh. 10. The
cannot do any thing without God therefore we despise it and neglect it as too many do This is to oppose the Principall and the Instrument They will not do so in naturall things though man doth not live by materiall bread alone but by the Word of God yet they will not throw away that Food as needlesse unprofitable and unnecessary Why then will they do so to the immaterial food and heavenly manna of the Word The other extream is To advance it too much To set up the Instrument to the neglect of the Principall and that is when we so rest on and admire the Gifts Learning Elocution or parts of the Minister that we look not up to God and this we are prone unto Therefore the Apostle gives a large Commendation to the The ssalonians 1 Thessal 2.13 That they received the Word Not as the Word of man but as of God which effectually worketh in Beleevers John 4. It 's said of Johns Hearers That they did a while rejoyce in his light They flocked after his Ministry yet afterwards they quarelled with him and said He had a Devil Thus Ezech. 33.32 He was to the Jews a very lovely Song They loved to hear him they came thronging in great Multitudes and Companies unto him but yet they would not do any thing Vse of Instruction If the Office and Abilities of the Ministry are nothing without God then do you lift up your hearts in Prayer to God more That his Power his Voice his Strength may be seen in the Ministry When you go from the Sermon examine whether Gods power and grace come home to your hearts or no Can you say Here was more then the Ministers Study then the Ministers Gifts for Gods mighty heart-changing power did also work on me Oh the Convictions the meltings the burnings and changes of heart that were upon me It was upon my minde like Lightning It was upon my affections and Conscience like Thunder As we are to preach like the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 He doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as the Word but as the Oracles as having the Spirit of God immediately breathing upon us So should you hear and receive them as the Oracles As the Prophets received their Visions and the Word that was spoken to them It wrought a mighty change They did not seem to be the same men they were nor did the same Actions Even thus should ye return home Ye come Earthly but go home Heavenly Ye come carnall but return spirituall SERMON LXIV Of the Manner of Christs keeping those that are His. Of a four-fold Principle that is operative to the Preservation of Believers And of the excellent Effects of the lively Meditation of this Doctrine of being kept by Christ to Salvation JOHN 17.12 Those which thou hast given me I have kept c. IN the former part of the verse you heard our Saviour expressing that glorious priviledge of Protection and Preservation of his Disciples and so all that were given him in the midst of all dangers to eternal life Now our Saviour amplifieth the fidelity and diligence he used in this custody So that in the words we may observe Christs diligence and fidelity expressed I have kept them 2. The Subject Whom thou hast given me This is the fift time our Saviour repeateth it and therefore the more to be observed 3. His fidelity in preservation is illustrated by the signe or effect of it None of them is perished 4. He answers an Objection concerning Judas granting that he perished with a twofold reason He was the son of perdition and that the Scripture may be fulfilled All these particulars contain solid and substantial Divinity both Doctrinal and Practical They will serve to confute false Doctrines and reprove wicked conversations And First Let us consider the fidelity and diligence Christ useth expressed in that word I have kept them This is a new and different Greek word from the former which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint make often to answer the Hebrew word Shamar which signifieth to keep with all diligence and circumspection In the New Testament it 's many times used of a corporal violent detaining in prison as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Act 12.4 Act. 23.35 Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often for a prison Act. 16.23 24 27 37 40. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to hale to prison Act 22.19 but when it 's applied in a spiritual sense it signifieth a diligent observing of a command or more frequently a carefull preserving of our selves from sinne as Luke 12.15 1 John 5.21 And hence comes the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 23.5 They made broad their phylacteries called so because by them they were warned to take heed of sinne But in the Text it 's used for protection and preservation to everlasting happiness as John 12.25 onely we may observe the use of it in three places very fit to our matter in hand It 's applied to Shepherds diligently watching to their sheep and that in the night time Luke 2.8 and thus Homer useth it also and hereby is represented that Christ is that chief Shepherd which will keep his sheep though never so infirm or weak that no danger shall befall them 2. It 's applied to the keeping of some precious thing deposited in our hands that we are betrusted with 1 Tim. 6.20 and thus also all the godly are delivered to Christ as his charge that none be lost 3. Lastly It 's used of preserving in a safe place in the midst of dangers Thus Noah is said to be kept in the Ark 2 Pet. 2.5 which is notably true in all the godly The deluge of Gods wrath fals upon all the wicked of the world and the godly are kept safe in Christ as Noah was in the Ark whereas then our Saviour doth so often inform his Disciples that he keepeth them Observe That Christs divine protection and preservation of his people to eternal life is daily to be thought on and improved by them They are not in a transient manner to apprehend it but they are to keep this blessed truth in their hearts till it inflame them As it 's not one showr but plentifull and constant droppings that go to the root of the Tree so it 's not a thought now and then about Christs keeping of thee safe for heaven will affect thee but as Jacob to the Angel so thou art to say I will not let this truth go till it bless me and truly for this end it was that our Saviour doth so often repeat Those thou hast given me and I have kept them to confirm and increase the Disciples faith seeing they have so many strong Anakims in the way to Canaan Every man that looks only to his own strength and the dangers that are in the way would bring up an ill report of Heaven
of sinne but when it is turned into a stone and made like an adamant then it 's sensible of nothing Pharaoh though he had such wonderfull miracles wrought before him that never such things were heard of in the world before yet because his heart was hardened therefore doth he sinne presumptuously to his own ruine And thus it was with the Jews when that spirituall judgement spoken of Isa 6. was accomplished in them to have blinde eyes and hard hearts Thus all the Prophets at first and all the Apostles afterwards yea Christ himself with all his miracles did not mollifie them yea by these remedies as all incurable diseases do they grew worse and worse what motions relentings must we expect from stones Lapidi loqueris is a proverb Truly such is all preaching and the whole Ministry to men given up to a hard heart Though the Prophet when he spake to the Altar of stones crying O Altar Altar that immediatly rent yet the hearts of men are more sensless Pray therefore of all judgements not to fall into an hard heart Though thou mayest fall into hard times into hard dealings from others into many hard distresses yet as long as thou hast not an hard heart there are some hopes for thee Fourthly Inordinate and immoderate love to some lust or sinne When a man is once enslaved to some lust though he hath never so much light so much conviction yea though he have never so many afflictions upon him yet he will break thorow all to have his lust satisfied As Nero's mother said Occidat modo imperet Let him kill me so he may reign Thus let such sinnes damn me so that I may have my will and desire satisfied What made Judas though he had received so much love and kindness from Christ Yet so perfidiously betray him into the hands of those who had long sought to kill him but only he was a thief and had an immoderate love to worldly-gain It was thirty pieces that made him lose body and soul Oh it 's an heavy thing to be captivated to any one sin Thou must have such and such sins for thy darling sinne Oh this Dalilah will be thy ruine as it was to Sampson Who would have thought that Sampson a godly man as he is recorded Heb. 11. seeing what deadly enemies the Philistims were would have discovered where his strength was But this Dalilah can perswade him to his ruine And thus Herodias can prevail with Herod to kill John Baptist though he knew him to be a just man and had a reverential fear of him thy lust thy sinne thy whore thy unjust gain can make thee fall down and worship the devil without any trouble of conscience Fifthly Decayings from former expressions of holiness or quenchings and extinguishing of such motions as formerly have greatly affected us These commonly seek the Kingdom of darkness as Christ speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven by force and are violent for hell Heb. 6.4 2 Pet. 2.20 The Scripture speaks of some that have had great gifts of the holy Ghost and have escaped through the knowledge of Christ the pollutions of the world if such are intangled again they are worse then ever and there is no hope of recovery Therefore none are in such a desperate condition as those that once had greater workings of heart and hopefull movings of conscience but since are grosly apostatiz'd the prophanest men that live who never cast an eye towards heaven are in a more hopefull condition then such relapses are more dangerous in the soul then in the body Mat. 12.45 when that unclean spirit was cast out but returned again he brought seven other spirits more wicked then himself and so the last state of that man is worse then the first Look to this and tremble you who have had often checks of conscience and often wounds of heart take heed they plunge thee not into an incurable condition The water once heated if cold again is cooler then ever These frequent aguish fits will at last end in a consumption Take heed lest thou turn a derider and a persecutor of what once thou wert forward for SERMON LXIX Of the Sonne of Perdition Shewing more Causes and Symptomes of such wretched Persons that are desperately bent to damn themselves JOH 17.12 But the Sonne of Perdition THe Words have been Explained and the Doctrine gathered which was That there are some men wilfully and desperately set to damn themselves though they enjoy never such means to the contrary We gave in some Characters of such wretched persons and now proceed to instance in some more And the first in order shall be A long and constant Vnprofitablenesse under means of Grace When men have for a long time sate under the powerfull means of Grace yet are as ignorant as prophane and unreformed as formerly These men commonly are resolute in their damnation They have so often heard and heard they are so accustomed now to the remedies that they despise them and get no good by them This the Apostle affirmeth Heb. 6.8 The ground which often drinketh in rain and yet bringeth forth nothing but briars and thorns is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burnt This was the case even of the whole body of the Jews they being accustomed for many years to the threatnings of the Prophets were so farre from trembling under it that they made a scorn of it Jer. 23.33 because the Prophet Jeremy did so often tell them of the Burden of the Lord that is the heavy Sentence and Judgement of God threatned against them they did impudently and prophanely make a scorn of it Even as many hardened sinners will now adaies at the name of hell and damnation Oh then let all such who for many years together have been under the Sunne of the Gospel fear lest when we speak of a Son of Perdition it be said Thou art the man for as when the body that hath been accustomed to often Physick doth yet remain diseased it 's a great Argument of its incurablenesse Thus it is here When there are daily importunities of thee constant expostulations with thee and yet thou art averse and obdurate this may prove fatall and dreadful to thee 2. Sinful and ungodly prejudices taken up against those Prophets and Ministers of God that do in his Name admonish thee and warn thee against thy sinnes Oh when men instead of hearkening to their Counsels take occasion to slander them to oppose them these men have hastily tumbled into confusion Mat. 23. This Christ complained of O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets c. how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldst not And it was of old the Jews wickednesse to persecute and oppose all such as came from God to admonish them of their sinnes and therefore at last they crucified the Heir even Christ himself The Wise man speaks peremptorily to this Prov. 29.9 He that being often reproved hardeneth his
Snewing how many waies the Spirit of God works it in the hearts of his People JOH 17.13 These things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fullfilled in themselves IT 's Christs speciall Care and will as you have heard that his people should walk joyfully Severall Demonstrations have been thereof Christs Commands to rejoyce in his promises his Ministers are appointed for their joy In the next place This will appear true if yeu consider the works of Gods Spirit and Christs end of sending them into his Church The Spirit of God is not only to convince of sinne To sanctifie and make holy but it is also to comfort Hence he is four times called the Comforter Joh. 19.16.26 Joh. 15.26 Joh. 16.7 Even those who pleade to render the word Advocate and not a Comforter yet it comes to this at last Seeing the end of all his actions is to bring Consolation into the afflicted Soul That as the Spirit of God moved at first on the waters to make a lightsome and glorious world so he doth on the waters of the broken in heart to make as it were New Heavens and a new Earth there where was nothing but horrid confusion That as the devil is the Prince of darknesse is alwaies accusing and troubling the godly endeavouring to bring them to horrour and despair Therefore he kept the possessed party about the solitary Tombs and endeavoured that the Incestuous person should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow So on the contrary the Spirit of God is wholly to comfort to support to revive and to make glad the grieved in Spirit insomuch that the Hebrews have a Proverb Super maestum non cadet Spiritus Sanctus for this Reason say some Learned men the Prophets before they could prophesie sometimes took an Instrument of Musick to play on as Elijah Isaac would eat of Venison to refresh his Spirits before he did prophetically blesse his Children Howsoever the Spirit of God being expresly called a Comforter it 's plain that in all his operations and workings he intends solid and true joy called therefore Joy in the holy Ghost not only objectively but efficiently because it is wrought by him and indeed we need the Spirit of God to comfort us for we cannot attain to this joy by our own strength That as we need the Spirit of God to regenerate us because dead in sinne So also to comfort us because under the guilt of sinne We are like so many Judasses and Cains Naturally we are a barren wildernesse not only in respect of graces but also of Consolations Look upon many afflicted and tempted Children of God No Friends No Ministers can comfort Reade the Promises apply them never so powerfully yet they cannot be comforted till God work it in them Now the Spirit of God is a Comforter to his people several waies 1. By way of Instruction and conviction It informeth that it 's a sinne not to beleeve in Christ that it 's not humility but frowardnesse when we keep off from the Promises That as it would be self-murther not to eat or drink so it 's Soul-murther not to eat or feed on Christ which is called beleeving Joh. 6. Hence this Spirit of God is said to convince the world of sinne Joh. 16 9. And wherein or what sinne especially Even because they would not beleeve in Christ Oh this is a speciall mercy when the Spirit of God hath by the Gospel so farre convinced thee that thou seest it thy duty to beleeve to rejoyce for who is there when once feeling the burthen and weight of sinne doth not with Adam run and hide himself doth not conclude his sins are greater then he can bear It 's not for such a wretch as I am to have a drop of water to refresh me much lesse a drop of Christs bloud yea his whole bloud Hence when we come to a tempted Christian we may admire at the subtleties and strong Objections he can bring against his comfort Never did any Heretique more subtilly and pertinaciously oppose the Truth of Christ then such an one will object against the Promises So that you heard it was the tongue of the Learned Isa 50.4 that could know to speak a word in season to such wearied persons yea to this day are not the Protestant Writers conflicting with the Papists about the particular application of Christ to every Beleever asserting that it is every Christians duty to say with Paul Gal. 2. who loved me and gave himself for me Now this particular appropriation of Christ to a man is the foundation of all joy and peace And do not the Papists bring all those Objections that a tempted Christian is apt to produce Such as these Gods Promises they are indeed true I doubt not but God is able only I question my self whether I have such conditions and qualifications as are required for the Promises Again the Promises are general whosoever shall beleeve or repent shall finde mercy but my great fear is whether I do truly repent or beleeve Yet again They object as Bellarmine the heart is deceitfull how many have perswaded themselves they do repent and love God when indeed they doe not and it may be I am such an one Lastly They doubt not of Gods power they say or of his ability to pardon all their sins and to justifie worse sinners then themselves Only here is the Question whether God will or no God hath no where in his Word said Thou such an one thy sins are forgiven thee These and the like Objections which Popish Writers urge with much vehemency The tempted Christian presseth with great strength because such are in a contrary disposition to beleeving and so feel nothing but sinne in the guilt of it and Unbelief doth as much deceive and disturb the soul as Melancholy or madnesse will the fancy I have been large in this to shew what mighty and gracious work of Gods Spirit that is to instruct and convince the heart of this duty to beleeve and rejoyce to be able to say God delights not in these perplexed thoughts as he saith of these superstitious duties so these immoderate fears and dejections Who hath required these things at your hands I shall answer for unbeleeving sorrows as well as carnall mirth for those dejecting fears and unquiet troubles of soul Thou art to fear hell and damnation as well as for Licentious jollities 2. The Spirit of God doth not only inform of the duty of Comfort but also directs unto the way of comfort It doth leade into the true way of Justification Joh. 14.16 The Comforter will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance As he is the Comforter he will teach them what way to take that they may have true Consolation for as by nature it 's an ingrafted principle in all to desire happinesse Ask any man in the world and he will answer affirmatively to this Question So every man troubled and
humbled for sinne would willingly have comfort as the lame man would to walk the blinde man to see but how to have true peace with God there is the difficulty As there were above an hundred Opinions amongst the Philosophers whaâ— was the summum bonum So there are great disputations about that Righteousnesse whereby we are justified the ground of peace So that it 's an heavenly skill to be directed into the right way for comfort Heb. 6. The babe is unskilfull in the word of Righteousnesse As the young Childe though it cryeth for the breast yet knoweth not how to come at it Before the Gospel was purely preached how many false waies were observed to comfort the afflicted conscience how many Pilgrimages devotional praiers and several penitential practises were enjoyned to comfort the timerated heart through sinne but all these were like Jobs miserable Comforters Physicians of no value The souls Mountebanks that instead of healing did enflame and enrage the wounds more Therefore as to the infant new-born it 's a great matter to fall into the hands of a good Nurse for the education of it and care about it No lesse is it for people when once awakened through the guilt of sinne and deeply wounded for their iniquities to have such spiritual Physicians that can prepare them the true Gospel-cordials and direct them into the right way for Consolation This is the Art of Arts Nothing being more tender and to be handled with more câ—rumspection then a wounded Spirit These are therefore two distinct benefits to be convinced of the duty to walk comfortably and to be direâ—â—ed into the way of it for who is not here out of the way Doth not every one think to obtain comfort by working and not beleeving Do they not labour to qualifie themselves sufficiently first and then go to Christ Do we not think by works to come to Faith and not by faith to works To do enough to comfort our selves and then go to Christ for comfort This is the preposterous course that every afflicted soul doth naturally take Oh then as the wise men when they saw the Starre that directed them to Christ rejoyced with exceeding great joy so when the Spirit of God shall direct thee by the word into this supernatural way of rejoycing blesse God for thou mightst have wandred through dark and uncomfortable waies into hell it self 3. The Spirit of God is given by Christ to comfort us Causaliâ—èr that is it doth by a mighty efficacious power work joy in the soul Is bids the heart rejoyce and it will rejoyce Neither greatnesse of sins sence of unworthinesse weight of Temptations oppositions of Satan shall discourage But as it 's said in Job when he speaks peace who shall make Trouble So it 's here When God commands the heart to be quiet and to rejoyce before him who can forbid it Hence Gal. 5.22 Joy and peace are made the fruits of the Spirit It 's only the God of all Consolation and Father of all comforts that comforteth us in tribulations 2 Cer 1. So that as the Almighty insuperable power of God goeth to make a gracious heart so also it doth to give a comfortable heart That God who made Iron to swim and the waters of Jordan to go backward he also and he alone makes the heavy heart to sing for joy Oh therefore pray for this work of Gods Spirit though thou canst not of thy self rejoyce yet the Spirit of God can make thee joyfull 4. The Spirit of God is a Comforter by witnessing and sealing unto us that we are the Children of God for then we have joy in the fulnesse of it when we have assurance not only resting on Christ for Salvation but assured that we are in him Now this is the proper work of Gods Spirit to witnesse unto us Rom. 8. and to seal unto us Eph. 4 30. when the Spirit of God doth thus assure then the Oyl of joy doth overflow On the contrary many of Gods Children do therefore walk in darknesse and are like the Passengers with Paul in his Voyage tossed up and down with waves and tempests not seeing the Sun for many daies and all because they have not this sealing and witnessing unto them had they this then they could with old Simeon say Lord let thy Servant depart in peace I can live and die comfortably when he hath thus seeen the Salvation of God Hence he is called the Spirit of Adoption which being sent into the hearts of the Godly makes them to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Lastly The Spirit of God comforts them by blessing the Ordinances and making them successeful to them These are like Jonathans eating of honey like Elisha feeding himself to go a long journey The Gospel is a Gospel of comfort The Sacraments Seals of Comfort The Preaching of the Word instrumental to encrease joy Praier is an heaven to the Soul Now the Spirit of God blessing these to the godly soul doth thereby fill him with heavenly Consolations That as Christ in Praier had his countenance changed shining like the Sun and his garments with glorious Light and as Moses in his Communion with God had his face shining so as to dazle the eyes of his beholders Thus many times the children of God in these duties have soul-transfigurations and are so full of joy that they can scarcely bear it despising the pleasures of this world for such spiritual joy Thus you have heard it's Christs will we should have compleated joy in us because of the holy Ghost But in the next place if we consider Christ himself for what end he came into this world and what he hath wrought for us this makes it evident that Christ left nothing unwrought that might procure our joy for what are his three Offices but to procure our peace Did he not as Priest make an atonement for our sins Did he not as Prophet reveal the good pleasure of God about our Salvation Did he not as King subdue all our enemies Now what is the fruit of all this but joy and peace Therefore he is called our peace and the Prince of peace Isa 9. yea Is he not still our Advocate ever-living to make Intercession for us and can any other thing then honey distill from these sweet Combs Vse of Exhortation To the people of God Awe your selves with this Duty As Jonah said he did well to be angry so you think you do well to be thus immoderately grieved with Peter You bid Christ go from you because you are a sinner you pleade for your unbelief you argue for your troubles Is not this to oppose the comforting spirit of God within you Did not Judas murmure and cry but because there was no faith and holy joy therefore he became miserable 2 Cor. 7.10 you see there is a sorrow opposite to godly sorrow and that is when it is not in the manner God hath appointed There is a repentance to be repented of There
kinde of perfection to do so Mat. 5. ult Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect He cals this patience and forgiving disposition a perfection If then they rail do thou bless if they curse do thou pray this is to pour living coals upon their head as Rom. 12.10 which some understand in a good sense it will melt the man as Saul was under Davids kindness and as you see fire will at last melt iron though never so tough or others in an ill sense as if when thou hast done thy duty God will severely punish them This is the way to bring fire about their ears Take heed therefore of private revengefull thoughts these are unbeseeming a Christian God makes this his Property Vengeance is mine Deut. 32.2 Although the Heathen could say Revenge was sweeter then honey and so it is to a natural man but it 's farre sweeter then honey to a gracious heart to be able to conquer his revengefull disposition private revenge is unlawfull yet a seeking to the Magistrate for to punish offenders or to obtain right is a duty onely take heed of revengefull thoughts in the pursuing of it Fourthly Doth the world hate thee for Christs sake Then rejoyce and be exceeding glad Mat. 5 12. And that for several Reasons 1. As it followeth in that Text Great is your reward in Heaven The more vilified and debased here the more glorified and honoured in Heaven So that wicked men while they think to do thee a mischief they are instrumentall to thy great glory They make thee more happy and more glorious It 's as if a man should be angry with another and in stead of stones he throw precious pearls and diamonds at him which the man takes up and enriches himself with or as if a man threw bread at a dog in stead of being hurt by it he is glad of it and takes it up and eats it Thus it is with wicked men their reproaches their slanders and oppositions make thee more refined and blessed all these will be like so many crowns of glory set upon thy head As the waters did not drown the Ark but lifted it up nearer to Heaven 2. Rejoyce because hereby God honours and puts a glory upon thee that thou shouldst be one who shalt be reproached and vilified for him Admire the goodnesse of God herein and say with David I will be more vile still Thus the Apostles went away rejoycing they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christs Name Act. 5.41 Phil. 1.29 It 's said to be Gods gift to suffer for him To you it is given It 's a priviledge and an honour to lose any thing for Christs sake as Nazianzen said He was glad he had something to loose for Christs sake And so zealous were the primitive Christians of the glory of Martyrdom that many were so dejected because God called them not to it that they needed consolatory letters to satisfie them Though the world look upon them as disgraced and miserable yet God honours thee and this thou art to judge of as the greatest mercy and dignity that ever befell thee 3. Rejoyce because God and Christ will hereby be indeared unto thee and give thee larger supplies and provisions of comfort Nihil crus sentit in ligno quando animus est in Coelo I will be with thee in the fire and water saith God Was not Peter singing of Psalms in the prison Oh then know this is the time of Gods peculiar love of his more mercifull approaches to thee thy winter will be thy summer thy outward troubles will be accompanied with the most inward joyes This is Gods way when the world most slanders and accuseth to give the believer strongest evidences of his Justification within The godly were most enlarged in soul when they were shut into straightest prison and they had most of a bright glorious Heaven when they were plunged into a dark dungeon thy incomes will be rich when thy expences shall be great the more men frown the more will God smile on thee 4. Rejoyce because hereby is a conformity to Christ and to all the holy men that have gone before thee So in Mat. 5.12 Rejoyce because so persecuted they thâ— Prophets of old and Rom. 8. it 's made the effect of our Predestination to bâ— conformable unto Christ in these afflictions they are an effect of Predestination These troubles and reproaches God from all eternity appointed thee unto as by which he would glorifie thee They came from that spring of the great love of God which he had toward thee before thou hadst any being so that hereby thou art made like to Christ a glorious Disciple doth not beseem a crucified Saviour neither rich and adorned members become an head crowned with thorns How many have gloried in being like some great and famous men in the world How much rather is this an honour to be reproached as Christ was to be slandered as Christ was the Disciple must not expect to be above his Master 5. Rejoyce as having an opportunity of the exercise and increase of grace The horse neigheth at the battel and war-like sounds as being glad of the occasion A valiant man delights in the occasions of his activity The Pilot sheweth his skill in times of danger and tempests Know therefore that when the world hateth thee God then cals thee out to a spiritual combate thou art then become a spectacle to God he beholds what excellent graces thou wilt shew forth what faith what patience what fortitude what heavenly-mindednesse Now if ever there is a time to shew thy spiritual might and courage yea here is not only an occasion to put forth thy graces but an opportunity to discover thy unfeigned love to God and Christ to own Christ when all the people would make him a King is no trial but to stand to him when they cried away with him Crucifie him this is a good evidence God will then say Now I know thou lovest me when these many waters the world throweth on are not able to quench it though father hate though friends hate though all hate yet this doth not discourage thee in thy love of God What a comfortable evidence is this of thy true grace Nay in some sense thou dost exceed the Angels in doing Gods will for though they be zealous and active in obedience to God yet they meet not with oppositions in their service They are not subject unto the reproaches and contempts of wicked men of the world and therefore in this thou art more then an Angel Lastly Rejoyce because God might have left thee to be such a malicious enemy to godliness as thou seest they are Every time thou hearest what slanders what malicious words the wicked of the world vent against thee O bless God and say I might have been left to such a spirit I was such a devil my self once I opened my mouth against such as fear God as well as he Oh blessed be
God that hath changed my blackmore-skin that hath given me another heart when Paul met with wretched adversaries that blasphemed him and the Gospel he preached No doubt but he reflected upon himself I was such a mad blasphemer once I persecuted the godly once I delighted in cruel vexings of them heretofore And now how great is Gods goodnesse to me that he hath had mercy on me If thou blessest God that he made thee not a Serpent a Toad or that thou wert not a natural fool or a mad man How much rather that he hath not given thee up to such a vile malicious disposition The next thing is to give Cautions and Arguments of admonition to the wicked who thus hate Christ and his Disciples And First Let them know it 's a causless hatred yea it 's an hatred where the greatest love and delight should be And that upon two grounds For 1. They are such who would bring them to everlasting salvation if they were not prejudiced their exemplary life is it not a light shining before you that beholding their godly holy and pure conversation you may be thereby wone to glorifie God The counsels admonitions and spiritual help they would vouchsafe to thee should make thee prize them more then all outward comforts Do ye love such as can make you rich preferre you to places of honour supply your necessities Oh how welcome should such be to you that would give you many an helping lift to Heaven Why then is thy hatred so causless Is it because they desire thy salvation Is it because they pray for thee they mourn in secret for so David professed Rivers of waters ranne down his eyes because men kept not Gods Law Wert thou not a stone and adamant these things would turn thy heart towards him 2. They are such for whose sake thou enjoyest many blessings It 's because of them the ship thou art in is not drowned God keepeth up the world in reference to them therefore the hedges are kept because of the Corn in the ground The innocent deliver the Island for Lot's sake Sodom was spared a long season These stand in the gap when Gods overflowing tempest would carry all before it Secondly Consider that thou dost not hurt them yea thou increasest that which makes them so hatefull to thee For by this means they walk more closely with God they separate themselves from the world It 's a mercy to them they have this hatred otherwise they might comply too much and ensnare their souls and symbolize with mens wickedness Now how absurd is thy hatred by that thou makest them more holy and so advancest that which is so abominable to thee Thou art to them as a fyle to the rusty iron thou art to them as Lazarus dogs tongues were to lick his sores whole thou art Gods scullion to wipe and keep his vessel clean who would not think thou shouldst rather do as that persecutour that would not let him die saying he envied him the honour of a Martyr Thy very hatred should make thee leave hating and opposing because hereby thou makest the godly man more glorious and happy Thirdly Consider hereby thou hurtest thy self and not them As the dog that bites the stone for rage or a man that shoots an arrow at a brazen wall and that recoileth back and kils the Archer thy hatred thy cursings will fall back upon thy head It 's not the godly man only but thy self and thy own soul thou hatest See whether those many curses and miseries thou hast be not the fruit of thy hatred thou art a tormentor and troubler to thy self Though Achan troubled Israel yet he troubled himself and his own house also Fourthly Remember that it 's a devilish thing thou art more wicked then a man useth to be Not to obey or yeeld thy self up to godlinesse is a grievous sin but to oppose is a devilish thing Thou dost the work of the devil if he were incarnate he would speak and do as thou dost 5. Remember the woful and heavy judgements which remarkably follow such men Who ever hardened himself against the Lord and prospered This Christ meant when he said he that stumbled at this stone should fall but upon whom this stone shall fall he should be beaten in pieces Christ will fall on such that oppose him and they shall not have the least mercy Vse Doth the world hate Gods people then admire the goodness and power of God that keeps up a poor Church in the midst of such violence that preserveth a few Lambs among so many Wolves Bears and Lions in such a Wildernesse as they are in We justly admire Gods power in putting bounds to the sea that it overfloweth not the Land much more admirable was that goodness of God in preserving the Israelites when the waters were on every side Oh how much more is God to be praised that keeps his people with any safety any liberty Should wicked men have their will food and raiment and life would be thought too good for thee SERMON LXXXIV Of Conformity to Christ in not being of the world And in his Sufferings JOH 17.14 Because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world THE Last particular considerable in this Verse is the exemplarity of Christ or the Disciples conformity unto Christ They are not of the world as I am not of the world Which words are repeated in the 16. verse and therefore have some weighty and great matter contained in them In the words we are to take notice 1. What it is to be of the world 2. How Christ was not 3. The similitude between Christ and his Disciples herein To be of the world is to partake of the manners life and conversation of the world to have the spirit of the world in a man and this is oppsite to the Spirit of God and to all heavenly things so that both the inward inclination and outward conversation is wholly worldly as our Saviour saith he that is of the earth is earthy That as bodies in whom the element of the Earth is predominant doe naturally fall downward so that soul which is thus principled and habituated in a worldly manner doth minde only earthly things this is to be of the world To be in the world is another thing Our Saviour and the Disciples were in the world but not of it A man may be in the water for some good end but the fish are properly of the water because that is their Element and they have a watery Constitution 2. Christ is said Not to be of the world Now that is a higher degree then the Disciples can be for Christ as God is no waies of the world and then take him as man yet being conceived by the holy Ghost he was not of the world in a natural way 1 Cor. 15.47 The Second Adam is the Lord from Heaven opposed to the first Adam who is said to be of
most powerfull means of grace are It was thus with the Jews Col. 6. who enjoyed besides the ordinary Ministry of their Priests the instructions of extraordinary Prophets and yet the truth of God did not sanctifie them But go saith God to the Prophet make their eyes blinde and their hearts hard and this our Saviour did apply to their posterity also who enjoyed Christ himself and saw all the wonderfull miracles he did This is a dreadfull and terrible thing to consider of when in stead of sanctifying God shall say Harden them blinde them and make them more wicked by the truth It 's not the Word worketh thus of it self but wicked hearers through their unbelief and unprofitableness provoke God to give them up to believe a lie and for the abuse of heavenly light they are given up to vile affections To many cursed sins which is a greater judgment then to be cast into the mouth of wilde beasts for they will only devoure the body but these will damn the soul Vse of Direction to all the people of God whose burden and grief it is that they have no more holiness who cry out like the horsleech It 's not enough and their souls refuse all comfort because they cannot climb up this hill to Heaven faster let such be directed to take the right way How willingly is the earthly man ready to hear how he may get more wealth and the languishing man how he may get more health and strength Why then shouldst not thou rejoyce to know which is the way to purifie the heart more Few know the divine efficacy of Gods Word but such who set themselves to get the vertue of it And that this may be instrumentall to your Sanctification In the first place Remember faith without which it can do no more good then excellent medicines if they be not applied set faith a work and then the word of God will powerfully work upon thee It 's with thee as thou believest Believe and those high mountains of lusts shall be thrown down 2. Bring an humble tender and trembling heart at the teaching of it Such an heart King Josias had and he is commended for it yea Ezra 9.4 it 's the character of the godly to tremble at his Word The hard heart no more then the hard Rock can receive the seed sown into it 3. It 's not enough to receive the Word of God at first but keep it there The Apostle Peter cals it the ingraffed Word the Word that turneth us into the nature of it that we are walking Bibles as great Schollers are called walking Libraries David said He had hid Gods word in his heart This is the leaven that will diffuse it self 4. Rest not in the bare hearing but joyn earnest and fervent prayer that the Spirit of God may teach inwardly while the Word doth outwardly Vse 2. Of Instruction How terrible a thing it is to see men grow more wicked and ungodly by how much the more plentifully they enjoy the Word that the Word should work contrary to it's nature upon thee that this light should put out thy eyes that this life should bring thee to death Oh the rivers of water that should run out of our eyes for this matter and yet is there any more common judgment then this Oh bewail and cry out for fear of it Lord every thing I take doth me more hurt SERMON XCII Of the Truth of the Scriptures JOH 17.17 Thy Word is Truth THis is a Description or Explication of what was meant by Truth Thy Word is Truth which is a Proposition Wherein you have 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate The Subject is described by its Name and Nature with the propriety thereof Thy Word The Word of God is sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's called Gods Word because spoken by him and that two waies Either 1. Immediately when God himself spake as unto the Patriarchs of old Or 2. Mediately when he inspired the holy Prophets and made them to publish his Word It 's called at other times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Scripture is given by Inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 So Search the Scriptures and in many other places This is a Description of Gods Word from the accidentall form of it as it is put into writing Sometimes God did govern his Church by his Word as revealed only Thus it was with the Church at first In this latter Age he guides it by the Scriptures only There is no other Word of God but what is written In Christs time there was both for there were the Books of the Old Testament and they were Gods written Word and what Christ while on the Earth did with his own mouth speak to the Church that was the Revealed Word and Will of God We reade not that Christ wrote any thing but once upon the Ground and what that was though there are many and severall Conjectures yet none can certainly tell But what Christ spake and did the Evangelists afterwards being guided infallibly by the divine Spirit of God did commit to Writing Object If then you ask What Word of God it is our Saviour doth here mean I answer Both the Word that was written the Scripâ—ures that were the Oracles of God committed to the Jews and that Word which he did manifest to his Disciples of which he had spoken ver 6. Some indeed by Word understand Christ and it 's true that Christ is the Essential Word of God and so also the Essential Truth but the Context doth evidence it that he speaks of the Revealed and Preached Word Now this is called Gods Word because whether immediately delivered by God or commanded to be written It 's still Gods Word Speaking and Writing are but accidentall to it It 's the same Essentiall Word as it is the same man though he alter his Garment and the same wine though put in divers Vessels The Word of God written ought with as much Faith and Reverence to be received as if God did immediately speak it from Heaven and though it seem incredible yet our Saviour confirmeth it Luke 16.31 that he who doth not beleeve the Scriptures the Word of God written would not beleeve though there were miraculous waies of publishing it In the next place we have the Predicate its Truth Interpreters judge this to be taken out of the Psalm 119.151 They are therefore said to be Truth not true in the Abstract to shew the Fulnesse and Universality of Truth in them Obs That the Word of God is Truth This Doctrine if beleeved may work wonderfull changes in the mindes and lives of men for Certainly the Foundation of all Heresie and Impiety is because Gods Word is not received as true In the Scripture it is often called the Word of Truth Colos 1.5 2 Timoth. 2.15 James 1.18 And sometimes Truth in the Abstract 1 Peter 1.22 2 Peter 2.2 To Open this Consider That it 's not my purpose
at this time to prove the Verity of the Scriptures I am only to shew in what sence and wherein it is true and the nature of this Truth We take it for a principle granted by Christians that the Word of God is true and although Learned men have by unanswerable Arguments demonstrated the Truth of the Scriptures yet that was to Heathens and Pagans or that were not Beleevers of it It is true the work is necessary also to those that are Christians to make their faith more solid certain and clear and the rather because there are some wretched men rose up of late that cry down the Scriptures and that pretend to be above them yea that bid us prove the Scriptures to be Gods Word but I am not to deal with such at this time Certainly every good Christian having received this principle into him doth finde such authority and Divine Majesty coming from the Word that he doth no more desire Arguments to prove the Scripture to be the Word of God then he would have another Sunne to see this Sunne-shine Austin long agoe speaks of such a disposition with great Indignation O Lord Thou hast taught me to abhorre all such who say Vnde scis hos Libros esse Canonicos This then being laid down as a sure Foundation Let us proceed to shew in how many particulars Gods Word is true And First It 's Truth in regard of the Efficient Cause God and Christ who are the Authour of it so that the Scripture can no more lye then God or Christ could The Scriptures then are the Truth of him who is the Supream Truth So that as Truth it self cannot be false so neither can Gods Word Humane Truth is Truth but yet because every man may erre Therefore we cannot have such a Faith in it Cui non potest subesse falsum but when we come unto Gods Word and his Truth it is impossible that there should he any Errour Secondly It is the Rule of all Truth That as God is the primum principium essendi of giving being to all Truth so the Scripture is the primum principium cognoscendi the first principle to teach and inform us The Scripture then is true because all Divine Truth floweth from that and every thing is true so farre as it is commensurated according to that Rule Whatsoever men say whatsoever Reason saith whatsoever Traditions and Customes say yet if against Scripture away with all This is the Standard of all Truth all Truth I say necessary to Salvation It is the Christians Metaphysicks Ethicks and Politiques the Rule of all Speculative and Practicall Truth To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this it is because there is no light in them Isaiah 8.20 Therefore it is so often called a Light unto our Feet If this principle were kept too Neither Superstitious Traditions on the one hand nor subtle Delusions of pretended Revelations on the other hand could ever have molested or troubled the Church Thirdly It 's true materially that is all the matter contained therein is true The Historical part The Dogmatical part The morall part The predicting part all contain un-erring Truth in them Whatsoever Doctrine is there revealed it is to be received without any further disputing or asking How can it be so The first Truth hath said it therefore the Understanding must submit If it be made clear Thus saith the Lord then all must yeeld and so for the Threatnings of it whatsoever God saith against the wicked man all the evil that is there said to come upon him doubt not of the Truth of it though for the while a wicked man may live in all ease and jollity It is not so much a Threatning as the Truth of it that makes it so dreadfull what were the Names of Hell and Damnation of a Day of Judgement if there were not Truth in them and thus the promissory part is full of Truth Though a Godly man be cast down with many Temptations weaknesses and Discouragements yet the Truth of Gods Promises should be a Pillar of Marble to him and a brazen wall He may sooner fear the falling of the Heavens and the removing of the Earth out of its place then doubt in the least of the Truth thereof Hence Gods Word is said to be like Silver seven times refined So that there is no errour no drosse or falshood mixed with it It it true in the matter of the Scripture in the Historicall part especially there are some appearing Contradictions and to some Learned men they have been insoluble but this ariseth from the weaknesse of our Understanding not from the Scripture it self As there is no defect in the Sunne because the Owles Eye cannot stedfastly look upon it yea as God himself So the Scriptures because they have most Truth in them so are most intelligible if there were capacious Subjects as the Sunne is Maximè visibilis if there were a fit Eye to behold it Fourthly It is true in respect of the Adjunct or quality of it Truth is an affection cleaving to a Proposition and thus the Word of God is true qualitatively yea the Truth of the Scripture is affirmed by all to be more firm and strong though not so evident then any thing in the world Those things we receive by Reason or by Sence are nothing so true and firm as those that we receive by Faith It is said indeed that all Truth consists in indivisibili and so nothing can be truer then another This is graeted in respect of Truth it self But then if you do regard the Foundation or the Cause of Truth so is one more certain then another Thus all the Truths of Faith are transcendant to those of Reason and Sence We are more securely to rest in what God saith then in what we know or feel and the reason is because the Truth of these latter things is founded only upon a Creature but of the former upon a Creator upon God himself Oh that we did thus beleeve Gods word what manner of persons should we be who could terrifie the Godly who could trouble their Spirits if this were received And for the wicked with what Fear and Trembling would he go up and down Oh the Scripture is true that speaks against such sins that discovers my wickedness it is so true I cannot deny it Fifthly It is true Instrumentally Because the Spirit of God directs us into all Truth and this is chiefly the intendment here The Scripture is in Gods hand and by the Spirits working leadeth us into all Truth we are all in darknesse till the Scripture like the Sunne doth arise Man liveth in Errours he is nothing but a Lye till the Scripture inform but though the Scripture doth shine yet as the Sunne cannot make a blinde man to see so neither doth the Scripture of it self till God give a Seeing Eye The Scripture works onely Objectively but the
riches his honours his greatness his parts his morality doth not free him from this impurity so that he ought to abhor himself as a monster as a toad This is the foundation of all our misery that we doe not look upon our selves as so many vile carkasses as so many dead dogs Till this be laid as the first principle Christ is not prized Sanctification is not sought after Oh therefore stand like the leprous person afarre off and cry out I am unclean unclean Thou wouldst be ashamed as Adam was to come with this nakednesse and filthinesse upon thee into Gods presence 2. Being unsanctified doth imply That even the holy things we are imployed about do not sanctifie us but we rather pollute them Hag. 2. He that was unclean though he touched the holy things though he ranne to the Temple and the Altar yet he was not thereby sanctified but he rather polluted them and thus while a man is unsanctified those very duties prayers and ordinances he doth runne unto will condemn him as appeareth Isa 1. by that severe expostulation with them that abounded in their Sacrifices yet did not wash them or make them clean 3. There is implied an utter unfitnesse and indisposition to any good work as on the other side a vessel sanctified was meet for his masters use So that till we be sanctified by Christs blood we have no fitnesse for any holy duty iron can as well swim and logs flie as a natural man be prepared to do that which is holy and supernatural Thirdly That our Sanctification is here attributed to Christs Sanctification of himself we see 1. That the initials and beginnings of Sanctification are wholly from him Some have endeavoured to make the very Heathens partakers of some kinde of sanctification making a pietas pagana as well as Christiana but they are to fear lest that might be applied to them which Bernard did to Abailardus Dum sudat Platonem facere Christianum scriptum facit Ethnicum There is no sanctification but where Christ is and Christ and his body cannot be separated as the gold onely in the Temple was sanctified and this is good to lay us low and to make us admiring of the grace of Christ How is it thou art sanctified and others remain prophane polluted like bruit beasts who hath made this difference Who infused this holy nature into thee Wast thou not as loathsom as wallowing in the filth of thy lusts as others till Christs blood did cleanse thee 2. Not only the initials but progressives and consummatives in Sanctification are to be attributed to his Sanctification Therefore you heard him called the finisher as well as the authour of our faith and the Disciples though already sanctified yet are still more and more to be sanctified It 's true here is a difference between our first Sanctification and the increase of it at first we were wholly passive Christ found us dead in our sinnes and wallowing in our blood but afterwards he findes us alive onely needing his continual exciting and quickening grace Therefore Paul though converted yet still lives a life of faith in Christ we need Christ all the day long How unholy earthly dull and lumpish is thy heart if Christ did not constantly sanctifie it Fourthly This Sanctification purchased by Christ must be in truth and integrity so Christ addeth sanctified in the truth that is truly in opposition to those legal and ceremonial sanctifications which did only cleanse the body but not reach to the soul Although in the New Testament we have no such external bodily Sanctification yet still there is an outward Sanctification and an inward both coming by Christ and one separable from the other Thus you heard the apostate is said to be sanctified by the blood of Christ which was not indeed and truly so for then he would not have totally fallen off but in respect of the external administration Hence 1 Cor. 1.2 the whole Church of Corinth though afterwards reproved for many sinfull practices yet are called sanctified and that partly because of the external dispensation of the Ordinances which they enjoyed So that there is a Sanctification external and a Sanctification internall External is when by our Baptisme and Christian profession We acknowledge our selves separated from the world to live unto God but internal is when we are so indeed How shall we call the prophane ungodly person a sanctified one Look to the truth of Sanctification here mentioned in the Text. Now the truth of it lieth 1. In the manner of working of it The Spirit of God by the Word doth thus sanctifie therefore some understand this in the Text by the truth as formerly our Saviour prayed God himself is the onely Authour of Sanctification We cannot make our selves holy no more then we can make our selves men yet God works not in the order of grace immediately no more then in the order of nature where he makes use of second causes Thus in the working of grace he appointeth second means as the Ministry and Ordinances and therefore Paul 1 Cor. 3. saith They were Ministers by whom the Corinthians did beleeve and there is no better discovery of true Sanctification then to examine the manner and way how thou hast received it for if the Spirit of God by the Word hath wrought it in thee then fear not this is of a more noble and supernatural being then what morality or principles of civility can incline unto thee As Christ himself was in his bodily nature conceived by the holy Ghost in an extraordinary manner Thus is every one sanctified in an higher and more sublime way then all the moral and prudential dictates of nature can carry us unto Oh then prove thy self what hath the Spirit of God and his Word done unto thee That was not more wonderfull in those who had a prophetical Spirit then in such who are sanctified To enable men to speak with strange Tongues is not more admirable then to give a man a strange heart to what he had once and strange in respect of others 2. It 's true Sanctification when it hath the universality and integrity of all parts which is the whole Image of God as Paul prayeth 1 Thess 5. I pray God ye be sanctified throughout in spirit soul and body This work of Sanctification it 's an entire compleat harmonical compages of all holinesse take any part of it away and you dissolve the whole fabrick It 's true Sanctification though it have not perfect and compleat degrees but not true if it want any essential parts and therefore called the Image of God which cannot be one grace no more then a man can be a man in one part and a beast in another but the Systeme of all 3. It 's true Sanctification in the permanency and continuance of it Perseverance doth not make Sanctification to be true but the truth of Sanctification makes it persevere Perseverance is an effect not a cause of
to beleeve though it might be matter of comfort and priviledge yet it was not of duty But O how graciously hath God taught thee otherwise Now thou ar◠as much afraid not to lay hold on Christ as to commit any other sin Thou art as consciencious in believing every promise as in conforming to every command Thou darest no longer listen to doubts and fears to Satans Temptations in this matter then thou darest to the lusts and pleasures of sin 2. The Spirit of God doth instruct us in this That thus to beleeve and rest on Christ is to perform or to do that to which Justification is promised He that believeth is passed from death to life and still Remission of sins is said to be received by Faith and we are justified by Faith Rom. 5. So that when the Soul doth rest on Christ he performeth that to which Christ with all his benefits are promised Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternnl Life So that the humbled sinner having his eyes thus opened he seeth it the greatest madnesse and folly that can be not to receive Christ and to rest on him Why thus he argueth I cannot he justified I cannot partake of Christ till I do believe so that to believe is as necessary in an instrumental way as Christ in a meritorious way Shall the diseased Patient question whether he shall take that medicine which will certainly heal him Shall the hungry man doubt whether he may receive that alms which will preserve his Life Thus the humbled sinner is convinced that as he must not murther his own body wilfully by refusing to eat meat so he must not his own soul by a wilful rejecting of the promise 3. The Spirit of God instructs him in this also That by beleeving he doth not only bring comfort and salvation to his soul but in a most eminent manner doth also glorifie God As Abraham by that remarkable act of Faith is said to give Glory to God Rom. 4.20 The tempted Soul is apt to think Why should I believe this is but to seek my self This is because I would have comfort whatever becometh of Gods Glory Oh but saith the believer when thus awakened if I could perform all the Commandments of God if I could love God so as to give my body to be burnt for his Name yet I could not glorifie God so much as by believing for this acknowledgeth God in Christ wherein God is more to be admired then in the creation and government of the world Lastly He is enabled to see the folly and unprofitablenesse of Vnbelief If he go not to Christ where can Salvation be had he is sure to be damned by keeping from Christ Therefore with those Lepers he is resolved not to perish but to go to God though he seem an Enemy to him And then 2. God worketh faith in us effectively as you heard by strengthening the heart of a man fiducially to repose on Christ if other graces as love and patience do not grow of themselves in mans heart much lesse doth Faith which is so supernatural every way SERMON CIX Of Justifying Faith JOHN 17.20 But for them also who shall believe in me through their word WE are treating upon the Doctrine of Justifying Faith and certainly we may say It 's good to be on this Mount of Transfiguration and having declared that method Gods Spirit leads an humbled soul into when it 's enabled to believe We proceed to further particulars instructive in this business The ultimate and last act of justifying faith was a fiducial resting upon Christ for all spiritual benefits But to understand this further Consider that the Scripture expression of it is very emphatical and denoteth several notions in it as when it expresseth it by receiving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word often applied to faith in this act it receiveth Christ Joh. 1.12 it receiveth the promise it receiveth forgivenesse of sins Act. 26.18 so that in this justifying act of faith we are to conceive a precious treasure offered by the grace of God even Christ himself and faith as the hand receiving of it and this expression is full of excellent matter for it teacheth 1. That we in this act of Justification or laying hold on Christ have nothing of our own All our righteousness is without us we are to receive it offered we have nothing inherent This Paul knew experimentally Phil. 3. when he would be found not in his own righteousness but that which is by faith His own mark that Any thing we may call our own we must not be found in and that is our own which is not only so effectivé by our own procuring and labour or merit but subjectivé which is inherent in us though it be wrought by the grace of God as the Just is said to live by his faith Hab. 2.4 It 's his faith subjectively though Gods effectively This word then receiving doth carry every man humbled Evangelically wholly out of himself and as was said to the woman looking into the Sepulchre Why look you for him he is not here he is risen So it may be said Why art thou searching and digging into thine own heart Thy works or graces these are not the object of faith It 's above thee It 's without thee though by faith applied to thee Even as the poor cripple that desired to be healed looked upon Christ expecting help from him he knew he had nothing in himself or as the indigent beggar looks without him and stretcheth out his hand to receive food or money So is it with the humbled sinner Oh then be directed here why doth God make thy own heart thy own wayes so bitter to thee Is it not because thou shouldst seek out for a Christ and look for a righteousnesse without thee 2. This word receiving implieth That we are wholly passive in our Justification That we are not justified by doing any thing or offering any thing to God but receiving from him Even as some Philosophers say Intelligere and sentire are passions Though we express them actively yet the soul therein is passive So when by believing a man is justified we are not to consider what he brings to God or doth for God but what he receiveth from him This is a fundamental principle to be grounded in it 's a mercy of mercies to be directed in the agonies of thy soul to the right way of believing to know the way to this City of refuge If a manslayer pursued by the avenger had not known the way to the City of refuge what danger had he been in It 's like the childe not coming the right way in it's birth now naturally we all think by doing to partake of Christ not receiving which made the Apostle so industriously assert this That it 's not to him that worketh but to him that believeth
appeareth evidently Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God yea vers 14. there is a chain of faith and hearing and preaching inviolably put together We may bring a second witnesse to confirm this 1 Cor. 3.5 Who is Paul or Apollo but Ministers by whom you beleeve Where you see to be instruments of faith is not only limited to Paul the Apostle but is extended to other ordinary Officers in the Church even all that water as well as plant The Apostles planted the ordinary Ministers they water I shall not at this time prove a distinct calling of Ministers from people that hath been done already I shall only shew the perpetual usefulness and necessity of a Ministry for spiritual ends as long as there will be a Church upon the earth and the rather because Socinians and Seekers though they grant There was once an extraordinary Ministry in the planting of the Church yet they say it was only temporal for a season even as miracles were and that where the Scripture is made common there needeth no Ministry Therefore to inform herein consider these Propositions First That God hath appointed a Ministry in his Church not from necessity but a voluntary liberty condescending herein to our capacity God did once govern his Church as in the Patriarchs time by immediate revelations and apparitions and thus he could still do if he pleased It 's not therefore from necessity but meer bounty that he hath appointed such a way of spiritualizing people God doth not need the parts or gifts or piety of any men in the world and certainly if God hath appointed second causes in nature which work from a necessary principle within not necessarily but freely much lesse did he in these things which are of a supernatural constitution Secondly It 's to be affirmed That in the first plantation of Christs Church there were some things extraordinary but that doth not inferre every thing thus appointed was extraordinary The Office of the Apostles who had a Commission to go over the world and had an universal Authority being furnished to that end with infallible assistance was extraordinary Christ seedeth his Church spiritually as he did once the bodies of men miraculously first he took bread himself then he gave bread to his Disciples and they gave it to the people Thus Christ he preached the word of life and then he commanded the Apostles to preach who instituted others in their room The Office then of Apostles and Prophets with the gift of miracles were extraordinary in the first constituting of the Church but then ordinary Officers were afterwards required As with the people of Israel while in the wilderness God made miraculous provision for them but when once setled in Canaan then their Manna and other miraculous provision failed them And if you say How shall we know what is an extraordinary Office and what is an ordinary Office seeing the Apostle Eph. 4.11 12. reckons them up altogether I answer It 's true the Apostle there mentioneth extraordinary and ordinary Officers because he is to speak of the whole fruit of Christs Ascension to his Church and so because Apostles were a great and principal part of Christs gift to his Church and the influence of their labours upon the Church to the end of the world and therefore they are called the foundation Rev. 21.14 Hence they are mentioned as well as the ordinary only the difference between these two may appear in the qualifications of either for to an Apostle was required gifts of miracles an universal Commission and Authority infallibility of assistance c. but to the ordinary Elders there is no such thing required but what may be in an ordinary manner attained unto Thirdly When we say A Ministry is appointed for spiritual ends it 's good to know in particular what they are And 1. You see it 's in the Text To work Faith And therefore faith is said to come by hearing The ear that is the organ of learning and knowledge as also of faith It 's observed by a learned man That though we reade of godly persons that could not see or speak yet of none that could not hear because that was the instrument of faith yet this is not so to be urged as if a godly man might not be made deaf only it 's a sad affliction because by hearing faith is begotten and increased What enemies then are such to their souls who care not for hearing who give over hearing come now and then it may be for sinful ends whereas by hearing the Word preached God hath appointed to give thee faith Art thou not then such an atheistical or prophane man because thou doest no more regard this hearing of Gods word preached Be swift to hear said the Apostle James 1.19 2. The Ministry is appointed for the conversion and regeneration of men who naturally are dead in sinne and averse to God It was a subject the Prophets often preached upon to return every one from his evil way to God and John Baptist yea Christ himself also preached repentance as well as faith Hence Jam. 1. God is said Of his own will to beget us by his Word and so it s called the washing of regeneration through the word Tit. 3.5 That as the Spirit of God at first by moving on the waters prepared and produced living creatures Thus God by the Ordinances cals those who are like Lazarus dead in their sins to come out of the grave and live There is a resurrection of souls by the Prophets when they lift up their voice like a trumpet as well as there will be of bodies by the trump of an Archangel and indeed this is the proper effect of the Ministry No moral Philosophy hath attained to the inward change of mens hearts As Eliah when he threw his mantle on Elisha he left his Oxen and followed him Thus when God by the Word preached doth lay hold on the heart of a man he is a new creature minde new heart new affections new all is made new Thus while Peter was preaching there were three thousand converted So that to take the preaching of the Word away is worse then to take the Sun out of the heavens that is but an instrument of heat and life bodily this spiritually 3. The Ministry is for edification as Eph. 4.14 For the perfecting of the Saints and till we come to a full stature in Christ So that the Ministry and Ordinances shall not be abolished till we come into heaven the Sacrament is till he come and he will be with the Ministers till the end of the world and certainly the godly man findes much need of a Ministry to quicken comfort and direct his soul craveth and calleth for this as much as his body doth for food and raiment So that those who argue against a Ministry demonstrate they finde no experimental benefit of it upon their own souls 4. God hath appointed it to propagate
the Platonists who speak of three principles the Minde the Word and the Spirit yet they made these three distinct Essences and cannot be applied to this mystery though it may be they had these confused notions from some ancient tradition of the Hebrews In the Old Testament this mystery was believed and received Therefore good and solid Arguments may be fetcht thence to prove this Doctrine yet in the New Testament Christ who is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word doth more expresly reveal it so that in those who do believe the Scriptures yet obstinately and blasphemously not only deny but deride the Doctrine of the Trinity it is a very high sin and blasphemy 2. Although the Scripture reveal unto us three Persons yet this is not to be understood as if thereby were constituted many Gods There were Hereticks called Tritheita that made three Gods of these three Persons Now this is clear that though the Scripture acknowledge three Persons yet it doth as plainly declare there is but one God Therefore though every Person be God yet there are not three Gods Therefore when the Father is called the alone God this is not to exclude the other Persons from being God but any other made god The Heathenish Idols were not gods nor will God give this glory to any creature 3. This Doctrine therefore of the Trinity is purely an object of faith and cannot be demonstrated by reason The Schoolmen do well declare That the same things in Divinity may be demonstrated by reason and believed by faith as that there is a God this may be known both wayes so that though faith and science cannot have the same formal motive yet they may be conversant about the same object we know there is a God by demonstrations of reason we believe by authority and testimony from Scripture But now this truth about the Persons in the Divine Nature is only to be believed It cannot be demonstrated by reason Indeed when once this revelation is made then it is not hard to finde out such reasons and consequences grounded on Scripture that may serve to answer all the objections of any adversaries for nothing revealed to be believed is contrary to reason though it may be above it Therefore when Scripture hath laid the foundation then reason may make a superstruction yet we must take this Caution although reason be allowed to be a servant to faith we must look she grow not imperious as Hagar to Sarah for then we are to cast her out of doors then the Rule is Mulier ista ratio taceat in Ecclesiâ This Doctrine therefore is to be adored with humble believing and not to be searcht into by curious or furious rashness and certainly the devil is very ready to tempt in this point sometimes he prevaileth to seduce in this point as appeareth by the multitude of Arians of old and Socinians of late sometimes he cannot seduce yet he doth shake and disturb the mindes of the godly exceedingly by suggestions so that their temptations about dogmatical faith sometimes are as grievous as about justifying faith But now although we have a two fold light the light of reason and the light of faith and the latter ought to correct direct the former yet such is our corruption that we make the light of reason to correct the light of faith as if we should make the Sun to borrow its light from the stars But these two lights are as superiour and inferior so that although nothing can be false by the light of reason which is true by the light of faith yet the light of faith comprehends many things which the light of reason cannot as nothing can be false to sense and true to reason yet reason can comprehend many things which sense cannot Therefore when the light of the Moon which is reason is very dim and staggering let the light of faith like that of the Sun fully enlighten and confirm thee In the next place Let us proceed to the peculiar characteristical properties for though the Father and Sonne have the same common Nature and Essence yet a different subsistence So that though they are one God yet not one Person It 's a known Rule In Christ there is aliud and aliud another nature and another nature but not alius alius another Person and another person but in the Trinity there is not aliud aliud but alius alius As for the use of the word Trinity Person c. though not Scripture words yet the sense being there it 's lawfull for distinction and explication sake to use them though the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying a Person be a Scripture word and there is the conjugate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence we may make the abstract as Paul from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning therefore the relation of the Father there are these things 1. In that he is called the Father and Christ the Sonne it 's implied that he is the first Person in the holy Trinity and the Sonne the second only when he is called the first you must not understand it in dignity and perfection for the Father hath no absolute perfection which the Sonne hath not for seeing both have the nature of God therefore one cannot have greater perfection then another The Father is not more wise more powerfull more holy then the Son Nor is he the first Person in respect of duration as if the Father was God before the Son for seeing he was from all eternity Father therefore he had also this Son from eternity as the Sun was never without its beams Indeed the Orthodox do well deride and justly the Socinians That whereas they confess the Father from all eternity and the Son a made or constituted God in time that they thereby introduce an old God and a young God not indeed as these words denote infirmities but as old is taken for ancient and young for that which is new And certainly if there was a time when Christ was not the Son of God then he became to be so in time but he is called the first Person in order for so the Scripture represents an order to our conceptions in this glorious mystery as appeareth by the form of Baptism whereby we are baptized first into the name of the Father and then of the Sonne The Father then is the first Person and the Son the second not in respect of dignity or duration but order 2. When God the Father is said to be the Father of Christ his Son It is not in a large sense as he is called Father sometimes but in a proper peculiar and incommunicable sense for therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only begotten Son of God and indeed we see plainly the unity of the Father separated from the unity of believers in this Text That they may be one as thou in
seed was sowne the Devil superseminated his Tares In a wildernesse or a place of weeds he would not have been so diligent Therefore breaches and divisions because they are a kinde or part of afflictions and troubles may sooner accompany the true Church then outward unity and prosperity Lastly We grant That if the Church of God were fully perfected both in respect of knowledge and holinesse it would alwayes have unity As we see in Heaven where there is no difference at all but because we know in part we are godly in part therefore these breaches may be made upon us Discord then and division may be in an imperfect Church but not a perfect Therefore our Saviours prayer will have it's accomplishment only in Heaven Let us now proceed to shew Why unity is such an attractive and a divine loadstone to bring others unto the faith And First Because it 's ingraffed in a man to cleave to such a way of Religion as will abide and continue Have any Nations changed their god saith the Prophet Jeremy 2.11 You see the States-man argued on this ground that they should not oppose the Christians for if that Religion were of God it would stand Act. 5.39 Now this is a clear axiom confirmed also by our Saviour That no Kingdome divided against it self can stand Luk. 11.17 By that Argument our Saviour proveth he could not cast out Devils by the help of the Devils for then the Devil would overthrow his owne Kingdome Divisions then and differences must needs be a stumbling block for who will go into that house which hath it's chiefest parts falling from one another Who would venture in that ship which is full of leaks Do not all say let them alone they will destroy one another there needs no outward force to ruine them they will consume themselves at last Secondly Divisions must needs put a stop to the progresse of truth because God is acknowledged by all to be a God of peace and of order The Apostle useth this consideration to restrain those confusions and disorderly customs the Christians had in their publique Assemblies 1 Cor. 14. If then God be a God of peace and order how can any man think his truth and people are there where all disorder and confusion is It 's Babel and not Jerusalem that in the building thereof men were so confounded that they understood not the language of one another Jam. 3.16 Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Now every one is apt to argue certainly if this were the way of God if these were the people of God there would not be such confusion amongst them God that made this great world in such excellent order would much more make his Church his choicest plant more beautifull Thirdly Divisions do retard the Gospel Because men who have any wayes heard of the holy Ghost that he alone it is who leadeth into all truth will quickly conclude that this Spirit cannot be against it self And this is the more observable because every party doth pretend to the Spirit of God which is the cause of that command 1 John 3.1 To try the Spirits and not to believe every spirit that is Doctrine pretended to be of the Spirit if then all parties do plead Gods Spirit and it's teaching they are the more confirmed in their unbelief when they see contrary spirits of contrary doctrines and that with great zeal condemning each other Thus we have shewed you what a world of hurt divisions amongst the godly do insomuch that it is a wonderfull work of God that any are brought off from their former vain conversation when the spirit of division hath so sadly reigned amongst us Wonder not if conversion be so rare a thing if so few come in cordially to own Christ for sad offences are made by these differences and such as cause them do as much as in them lieth that never any more one soul may be brought into Heavens way In the next place Let us consider what are those proper sins that divisions amongst the godly are apt to breed in the world And The first is Atheism and irreligion to be perswaded that there is no such thing as a true Religion but that such things are the fancies and imaginations of men No doubt but thousands are confirmed in their atheistical way they will believe there is no God at all no Religion better then another for they see the world cannot agree about it 2. It breedeth stiffnesse and obstinacy in their former erroneous and superstitious wayes No doubt this keepeth multitudes hardened in their Popish wayes and many silly people they will keep to their old way and why because there are so many wayes and every one hath a Religion for himself therefore they will stay where they are they know not whither they may stumble at last They think to go out of their old wayes is to go out of their old wits likewise at the same time Lastly It 's apt to breed ficklenesse inconstancy and scepticism Are there not many called Seekers that think there is now no Church since the Apostles times and therefore are in their souls what Cain in his body vagabonds about the earth and whence is all this The bitter root of this was diversity of opinions which they entertain one after another which at last makes them quite without any bottom at all Vse of Instruction to every Christian again and again to take heed of causing divisions in the Church of God Be afraid by any opinion or practice to make an unnecessary rent for doest thou not as much as lieth in thee to hinder all others from coming to the Kingdom of Heaven Will not this be a sad aggravation when men damned in hell shall plead Lord I was coming even I was hopefully inclining to such things but this man and that man by his division stopt me he made me a proselyte to some pernicious way while I was going to Christ Had not such a man been in the way I had never been seduced Certainly if our Saviour pronounce such a woe to those by whom offences come how sore will it fall upon those who make these offences in the highest nature Vse 2. To take heed that these divisions prove not a snare to thee bewail dividing times but look they do not divide thee and God thee and truth but do thou 1. Walk humbly renouncing thy own strength for it 's God not thy self must preserve thee 2. Pray much for the Spirit of God to give thee that unction and senses exercised to discern between good and evil 3. Take heed of fomenting differences and making the wounds wider but with the good Samaritan bring oil not salt to the wounds Lastly Let this make thee long for Heaven where the strifes of brethren will then cease SERMON CXX A Consideration of Faith in its Generall Nature as Dogmaticall or Historicall carried out to Scripture-Truths because of Divine Authority
Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit Acts 18.27 Some have thought that we may by humane strength come to beleeve divine truths as we may by our industry attain to philosophicall knowledge but this is to be ignorant of mans weaknesse and Gods power It 's true men may in an humane way comprehend the sense and meaning of the Scripture but to give a divine assent to it that is the gift of God For every good and perfect gift whereof this faith is a principal one cometh from the Father of lights James 1. Did not many learned Heathens Porphyrius Celsus Julian and others know what was asserted in the Scripture yet they did not believe but contemn it And certainly we are bound to acknowledge it a great mercy of God to have dogmatical faith For why are so many Heretiques left to themselves Some deny the Natures one or the other of Christ some his Person some his Offices and shouldst not thou doe thus if left to thy self Nay Is not a godly man sometimes sadly tempted about his dogmatical faith that he doubteth of a God or about the truths of the Scripture Certainly it 's a speciall mercy thus to be inabled to believe and it is good to be observed one reason why faith must needs be of God which is because the nature of it lieth more in the firmness of the act then in the certainty of the subject It 's not so much the object without as something within makes a man believe Gods Spirit doth more work in corroborating the heart then revealing the object Hence though the Doctrine be revealed to some yet they do not believe when at another time though they have but the same measure of light and the same argument propounded they do believe and why is all this but because Gods work in the believer is more ex parte subjecti then objecti Therefore it 's horrible debasing of Gods grace in working faith to make it no more then the revealing of the object for then man by his own power doth believe as when a man brings a candle in the room then a man seeth by his own power who could not before for God doth not only propound the object but enlightens the understanding and boweth the heart to believe 2. God works faith in us not absolutely or by the creatures the beholding and seeing of them but by the word Thus Rom. 10. Preaching hearing and believing are chained together We are then in and by the Word to expect this work of God not to flie to the creatures making them equal to Gods word for begetting faith or to enthusiasmes and private revelations but to the word of God which gives light to the simple but as the Word is an instrument of begetting faith so faith is afterwards an instrument of improving the Word for the Word doth not profit in the increase and benefit thereof unlesse there be Faith Thus as the Spirit of God doth at first work Faith and yet by Faith we are made further partakers of Gods Spirit So the Word doth at first produce Faith in us which when wrought doth againe improve the Word for further edification and growth in grace 3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit but contrary and opposite unto the way of believing of heavenly Truth And by this it 's plain Faith is the gift of God because man hath not only an unfitnesse but a contrary repugnancy to the things of God Therefore 1 Cor. 4.14 the natural man is said not to receive the things of God neither can be both the act and the power is denied to him Therefore when Peter made that Confession of faith Thou art the Son of God Christ tels him Flesh and bloud had not revealed that to him Mat. 16.17 Therefore the Pharisees though they heard so much of Christ and saw all his Miracles yet they derided and opposed Christ They did not hear his Word because they were not of God as Christ told them Job 8.47 Know then as in respect of grosse sinne thou wouldst be like a Cain a Judas if God did not keep thee so also in respect of doctrine thou wouldst be the vilest Atheist or the most blasphemous heretique that ever was if God did not enlighten and confirm thee 4. Though God work faith thus yet it may be without a Sanctification of the inward man For seeing Faith as it's dogmatical carrying a man only to the Contents of the Scripture as they are true is seated in the understanding no wonder if thereby a man be enlightned only but not regenerated Hence we reade of some who did beleeve Joh. 2. yet they loved the praise of men more then of God That light in their minde did not serve to produce supernatural life and heat in the heart It was not a faith that did purifie the heart which is called the Faith of the Elect Tit. 1.1 because only appropriated to them The whole Epistle of James is on purpose to shew such a Faith that is not accompanied with holy works although therefore we say a true lively Faith can never be separated from sanctification yet men may be enlightned only in their mindes and perswaded of the truth in their hearts without any effectual change upon them It 's not enough to have such a faith as may make a man a true Protestant or orthodox so as to be neither Papist nor heretique for all this is but a cure of thy minde and with illumination may consist grievous pollutions Yet 5. Where there is but a bare dogmaticall Faith enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God there must needs be some kinde of pious disposition and tractablenesse of the heart For seeing the nature of faith lyeth in assenting to a Testimony and that of God there cannot be but some flexiblenesse of the heart to submit thereunto If indeed the Christian Religion were like the Arts and Sciences then there was no submission of the understanding required seeing it assents upon reason which is a sutable and connaturall argument to the minde as food is to the appetite of hunger But because these things are received for authority sake and have a supereminency to our naturall understanding Therefore it must be captivated Thus the Apostle excellently expresseth it 2 Cor. 10.5 the word doth bring into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ a man before he believeth hath many proud thoughts many subtle thoughts many obstinate thoughts but Faith brings these down and submits because God saith so Now this cannot be done without some yeelding and flexiblenesse Hence the Schoolmen do determine that in faith and they acknowledge none besides miraculous but dogmaticall There is a pia affectio some pious and affectionate disposition to him for whose authority we do beleeve So that this dogmatical faith even in unregenerated persons is not like that of the devils for though the Apostle James saith They believe and tremble Jam. 2.19 yet their
Faith is not wrought by the Spirit of God neither is it upon divine motions but experience and manifest conviction They feel in part the torments of hell and therefore it 's experimentally evident to them that there is a God who is also just and terrible in his vengeance But the historical faith in an unsanctified man as it is the gift of God so it works some inclining disposition to God yea in the temporary believer who goeth beyond a meer dogmatist it works as appeareth Mat. 3. Some reformation and some joy so that the word makes some hopeful ingresse into him though at last it passe away as our lives even as a tale that is told having no setled continuance 6. This historical faith as it is wrought efficiently by the Spirit of God so the motive of it is Divine Authority and Revelation That as by the light of the Sun we see the Sunne so by God we come to know every thing of God This divine motive of faith is freely acknowledged to be in the Thessalonians by the Apostle 1 Thess 2.13 They received the word not as the word of man but as the word of God Hence the Prophets begin with Thus saith the Lord and Paul discovers himself to be called by God So that every thing hath but a weak ineffectual operation till it hath a maker a divine stamp upon the soul Oh when we once believe a threatning as it is Gods when we once believe a promise as it is Gods it must bear down all before thee What if the world come What if Satan come What if thy companions come telling thee this and this Oh but saith the believing soul God that cannot lie saith the contrary And truly herein is discovered that in Religion we have but an humane faith yea not so much for an humane faith will make great changes in our life when yet our divine faith doth not If a man tels thee of such danger of such evil in the way doth it not presently make thee turn out of that path But now when Gods word tels thee there is death and damnation in such paths that doth not at all move thee SERMON CXXI Of Dogmaticall Faith the Properties of and Contraries to it JOHN 17.21 That the world may believe thou hast sent me WE are discovering the nature of faith in the General as it is carried out to Scripture-truth because of Divine Authority We are to adde more particulars to clear this And First Though this Faith be not a peculiar saving grace yet it is a common grace of Gods Spirit It 's a common grace of God to be inabled to believe How many Pharisees and Jews saw the miracles of Christ as well as the Apostles yet did not believe so much as a Simon Magus did It 's the grace of God that makes a man to have a sound minde in Religion witnesse the many heresies and blasphemies divers are fallen into yet it 's a common grace not peculiar common I call it not in that sense as some plead for an universal grace which indeed is no grace but because an unregenerate man may have it as well as a regenerate so that no man may conclude this is enough for his salvation that he doth believe such and such principles of Religion unlesse also he hath that peculiar effectual purifying work of faith upon his soul As therefore those extraordinary gifts of Gods Spirit to work miracles to cast out Devils were common to such who yet were workers of iniquity Thus it is with this ordinary gift of Historical faith many men may believe the truth of those things the goodnesse whereof they never felt upon their hearts And many may maintain the Doctrine of Regeneration orthodoxly who never felt the power of it experimentally upon their own souls There is a faith that is common to the elect all the children of God have the like precious faith Tit. 1.1 in regard of the essentials yet there is a faith common to elect and reprobate so that no man may conclude his salvation because he is no Jew no Pagan no Papist Secondly Although this dogmatical Faith be common to the regenerate and unregenerate yet it 's the foundation of our conversion and in the regenerate when improued doth wonderfully provoke the increase of grace And this is good to be observed for though we make it not saving faith yet it is the foundation of saving faith He can never believe on Christ for his Mediatour that doth not believe Christ to be a Mediatour Therefore the Apostle describing the general nature of faith saith Heb. 11. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that serve him No spiritual building can be made without this foundation as it is thus the foundation so if improved it doth wonderfully promote justifying faith The general acts of faith if vigorously prosecuted do mightily strengthen the peculiar and proper acts of it The more strongly we believe Christ to be a Mediatour the more will this help that he be so to me and therefore it 's observed that our Saviour put them so often upon the trial of their very historical faith Dost thou believe that I am able and doest thou believe that I am the Messias Partly because that was the great Question then Whether that individual Person was the Messias or no and partly because if it was believed that he was the Saviour then there was no such cause of doubt Whether he would be a Saviour to them that truly sought to him Insomuch that it may be questioned Whether it be a greater act to believe Christ to be a Mediatour or to believe him a Mediatour to me Although indeed there are more Objections against the latter for there are not only Objections against the truth but against the application of it because of the many sins and infirmities which I perceive in my self yet we would think the harder task were then over when the soul could believe such great things and transcendent to humane reason for when a man believeth that Christ is both God and man united in one Person whose office is to redeem the oppressed sinner may not then he conclude easily that he will redeem him For which is greater to believe such a Person God and man or that this Person whose Office it is to save will save thee Howsoever if we do not make comparisons between these acts of faith yet certainly the more strong and powerfull thy acts of faith are about the truths of Christ the more will they conduce to apply him to thee Even as in man the more vivid his senses are which do accompany his common nature with a beast the more strong and quick are his rational acts likewise So that this Dogmatical faith is the root as it were which if not thriving those peculiar acts of faith will wither Distinct III Thirdly The general properties of this faith are
from the world to God yet that which is here primarily intended is the perfection and consummation of them in unity which though it will not be compleat till in heaven yet it is inchoate and begun in this life Obs That the Father and Christs being in believers is the cause of that perfect and consummate unity which they ought to have of themselves There could be no union in the body if the Head did not unite it All believers union doth first flow from Christ as their Head and Mediator Insomuch that whatsoever unity they may have which doth not first arise from this spring is humane and carnall To open this let us consider What is implied in their being made perfect in one And First Here is implied sincerity and uprightnesse That their unity be from a pure heart and unfeigned faith This is often the use of the word perfect as opposed to that which is false and counterfeit many are said to walk with a perfect heart because they did not walk with an heart and an heart by dissimulation so that it 's a perfection of essence and parts not of degrees and this indeed is greatly to be urged that as all the other things in the godly be sincere so their unity that they be joyned together from spiritual principles and by spiritual means It was the Heathens Position That amicitia could onely be inter bonos that whatsoever friendship was from bono utili or jacundo and not honesto it did not deserve the name of friendship Now how much more is this true in that unity amongst the godly which hath for it's cause and original Christ himself and for it's patern such an unity that the Father and Sonne have To be perfect then in unity is to have sincere hearts one towards another as the Apostle Rom. 12. Let love be without dissimulation Let there be no water to debase this wine let not this fair fruit be rotten at the core Secondly To be perfect in Vnity doth imply not onely sincerity but integrity of all those substantials and essentials wherein this onenesse doth consist You have heard that the Unity of believers doth empty it self into two great streams one of Faith in respect of Doctrine The other of Charity in respect of life and affections Therefore if any of these be wanting the Unity is dissolved if love be pretended but yet there is no divine truth this is conspiracy not unity and if faith be pretended but not love as yet we have no signe of the true Disciples of Christ Let then the Church of God look it hath these two pillars like Jachin and Boaz to bear it up All Unity without Truth is like a stately building upon sand and Truth without love is like a foundation without superstruction pray that the Spirit of God would lead into all truth for the former and would also work those sanctifying fruits of it love peace meekness c for the latter Thirdly The word perfect in one doth imply an increase and daily progresse in the way of Vnity For though the Church of Christ be his Body yet it 's a growing body it 's not come to it's full stature no not in this life There are further degrees to be attained Ephes 4.13 We are to grow to a perfect man in Christ Jesus and thus we reade of many called perfect as 1 Cor. 2.6 Heb. 5.14 not in an absolute sense but comparatively because they are carried on to further degrees of grace then others We are not then to think that any Church will have such perfect Unity in this life but that it may be more perfected In the best constituted Churches there are several imperfections there is much weakness many carnal affections which are apt to discompose the beautifull frame of the Church Fourthly It doth imply That they are perfected in those means which are appointed by God for this Vnity For seeing the means are wholly for the end the end can never be better enjoyned then formerly if the means be not better improved so that if the Church of God be perfected more in one it must more faithfully improve the means of unity and they are especially two 1. The preaching of the Word of God For as by that at first the Church is called out of the world so by that also it 's kept up in it's purity and unity The Word of God preached is the onely means appointed to remove ignorance and mortifie corruptions which are the rares that hinder the good seed As the envious man soweth these so the Spirit of Christ by the Word worketh the clean contrary Hence Ephes 4. the Ministry is appointed as a means to bring us to this perfect stature farre be it therefore from them to make divisions and rents in the Church of God whose great office and imployment is to proclaim peace The good shepherd will not suffer his sheep so to fight with one another as thereby to be destroyed 2. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper that is a special means to preserve Vnity yea and to perfect it The Apostle 1 Cor. 10. speaketh fully to this For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread So Eph. 4. one Baptisme is brought as an ingagement to unity Therefore the more graciously and perfectly these Ordinances are received the more is this unity confirmed and established and therefore those primitive Christians who had one soul and one heart were constant also in their breaking of bread whereby their mutual love was strongly preserved Bellarmine not unfitly speaks of a six-fold Unity in the Church The first is Ratione principii of God who calleth though as he saith this makes the Church not so much una as sub uno one as under one 2. Ratione ultimi finis the salvation to which it 's called and this makes the Church not so much one as ad unum 3. Ratione Mediorum in respect of the means of Faith and Sacraments and thus the Church is rather by one then one 4. In respect of the holy Ghost as a separated Governour 5. In respect of Christ as an internal and conjoyned Head 6. In respect of the connexion of the Members amongst themselves and in these two last respects it 's properly one Lastly This Vnity will be wholly perfected in Heaven Then will all partition walls be destroyed Then shall it no more be said I am of Paul and I am of Apollo but God will be all in all Therefore as this life is a place like Hadadrimmon a valley of tears bewailing corruptions and sinnes amongst us so also the divisions and breaches that are upon us But in Heaven all opinions all different wayes will cease So that although this unity for the main of it be attained in this life yet in the life to come there it will be totally compleated Thus it is here perfect because the endeavours and breathings of the godly should be
after that heavenly unity to have it with the Church here in grace as it shall be with the Church hereafter in glory And certainly if this were not accomplished in Heaven then there would not be all tears wiped away nor would the reproach of Jerusalem cease Thus you have heard what it is that makes this unity of believers consummate and perfect Now let us consider What is the cause of this and that we shall finde to be no humane strength or outward wisdome and policy but the lively communication of grace inabling thereunto by Christ himself Though the Papist pleades That the acknowledgement of one visible Head in the Church is the onely means to preserve unity yet experience sheweth the falsenesse of it The divisions and breaches of the godly like those of Reuben have made sad workings of heart and many have come running in with their water to quench this fire Several Antidotes have been prescribed against this corruption but yet when all is done It 's the onely power of Jesus Christ as Head of his Church that workes this sweet Harmony It 's true indeed many rules and pacificall means are commended by wise and godly men to make an unity but these work onely morally and swasorily that which doth as it were physically and really worke it is the Lord Christ himselfe as the fountain of this unity And the reason is because this unity among believers is not onely externall but internall and spirituall Now no man can worke this unity in the hearts of the godly any more then he can worke purity and holinesse Therefore we see in the Text That because Christ is in us and the Father in Christ therefore are the godly perfected in one so that it requireth a Divine Supernaturall power to make the godly at heavenly accord even as it doth to make them godly Hence it is that in this prayer Christ commendeth it to God to work it as being beyond all humane power to effect it Now Christs being in a believer is a cause of these things in reference to their unity First He is thereby a cause of the Vnity it self For we told you This unity though externall yet is chiefly spirituall and internall viz. The harmonious knitting and joyning of all the Members of Christ together in him their Head Now this being wholly spirituall none can effect it but God alone for naturally we are dis-joyned from God and full of contrariety to him Therefore to be made a member of Christ and implanted into him cannot be by any other but the Spirit of God As those dry bones in Ezekiel could not of themselves gather together nor can a Cyen graft it self into a stock Thus it is here till the Spirit of God joyne us to Christ we are enemies and adversaries unto him That power therefore which gives grace that onely unites As in the naturall body the same cause which makes a member makes it also a united member Insomuch that in all the fractions and divisions we see amongst the godly we ought to have our eyes up more to God to consider that power which makes them holy must unite them and indeed to make them gracious and holy is the greater work yea unity would flow by a necessary resultancy from our membership in Christ but that still our corruptions are too strong and apt to disturb all Secondly Christs being in us is not onely the cause of our Vnity but also of the harmonious sutable proportion to each other We have an admirable description of this harmonious sutablenesse in the unity of Christs body Colos 2.19 Ephes 4.15 16. For the first It 's a Text full of rich and glorious matter and to understand it consider What it is that the Apostle makes the cause why those false Teachers did advance the worship of Angels introduce humane traditions and all to set up other means and wayes of Justification then the Scripture hath appointed It is saith he because they hold not the Head So that every Christian in the matter of all spirituall concernments is still to look up to Christ as the Head and not to let him goe and this he amplifieth from a two-fold precious effect of this Head The first respects the union of beleevers to Christ and so the body is said by joynts to receive nourishment that as the body hath it's nourishment suppeditated by those natural helpes so hath every Christian from Christ Now the joynt that suppeditates these spirituall helps is chiefly the Spirit of God So Romans 8.9 If any man have net the Spirit of Christ he is none of his So that as that is not a member truely united to the Head which is not informed with the same forme the Head is so neither is that Christian really united to Christ which wants the Spirit of Christ Now the Spirit of Christ is here said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To administer nourishment The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signifie to supply all those ornaments which were necessary to such as kept their sacred dancings and festivities but here it signifieth the supply of those things that are necessary for our spirituall end and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added amplifieth it denoting the full plentifull and abundant supply it giveth So that you see it 's Christs Spirit not ours which doth thus inable us The second benefit flowing from Christ our Head is of the Members themselves They by bands are knit together Now the band here is chiefly also the Spirit of God though gifts and graces doe ordinarily unite So the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.13 For we all by one Spirit are baptized into one body So that the Spirit of God which is in Christ doth also work in all beleevers inflaming and exciting to such graces whereby they have intimate communion one with another Now from these two benefits conjoyned we have the admirable fruit thereof that the body groweth with the increase of God The spirituall growth of Christians as in the body is called The increase of God partly because God onely is the efficient and cause of it partly formally because the nature of this increase is divine and heavenly partly finally because it is to the glory and honour of God So that by all this we see Every true member of Christ is a thriving and growing member and that harmoniously according to it's respective nature and all this comes wholly by the Spirit of Christ so that an unity in the harmonious increase of it depends solely upon him By this Explication the other fore-mentioned Text may also be discovered Lastly Christs being in us is the cause of the perpetuity and constancy of that Vnity the godly have This Union in Christs body can never be dissolved As the Personall Union of Christ could never be divided so neither the mysticall Therefore our sound Divines doe well from Christs in-dwelling in us propugne and assert the perseverance of the Saints Vse of Instruction
even as man there should be revealed unto him all the thoughts actions and circumstances thereof concerning every man in the world that so he might fulfill the office of a Judge 4. Christ as Mediator God and man is the author and fountain of all the light which is communicated to the Church Hence it is that one of his Offices is to be the Prophet of the Church He is called the chief shepherd of our souls 1 Pet. 5 4. and being our high-Priest he was to offer up himself for us so also instruct and teach us Therefore you heard the whole world is commanded to hear him and therefore it is that he cals himself the truth and the way Joh. 14.16 So that in all matters of Religion we are still to enquire what Christ hath revealed and what he hath manifested now he doth not only reveal the truth to be believed but the duties also that are to be performed and therefore the Apostle makes it so hainous a sinne to refuse Christ speaking above Moses Heb. 12.25 Tremble then all ye wicked men who do constantly refuse Christ still speaking from heaven by his Word and Ministers to leave your sins and impieties 5. The Scripture doth often as in all actions ad extra attribute the same work of teaching and enlightning both to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Spirit So that this great work of saving knowledge is attributed indifferently to all Thus the Father James 1. is called the Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift So our Saviour alledgeth that promise They shall be all taught of God Joh. 6.45 So the holy Spirit is said to guide and lead into all truth Illumination being frequently ascribed to the Spirit and 1 Cor. 2.10 God is said there to reveal things unto us by his Spirit And lastly Christ himself is said to be the great teacher of his people as Mat. 23.10 For one is your Master even Christ Hence the Apostle magnifieth the Gospel Heb. 1. that whereas formerly God had spoken by the Prophets in these later dayes he spake by his Sonne So that the geeat sinne against the Gospel and the aggravation of all wickednesse is from hence that though this light be come into the world yet men love darknesse rather then light 6. The Lord Christ doth teach several wayes either immediately when he was upon the earth or mediately by the Apostles and the Ministers that he hath appointed in his Church Therefore he is said still to speak from heaven viz. by the Word and the Ministry so that we are not to conceive as if we had nothing of Christ now because he is ascended to heaven for what the Ministers guided by the Word of God do that is as if Christ himself spake it and you are to receive it with the like faith and obedience Hence our Saviour speaking to his Apostles saith Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me he that despiseth an Embassadour contemneth him from whom he is sent Oh that this truth may be as a two-edged Sword in thy heart What darest thou who livest in thy prophaneness if Christ himself were here upon the earth commanding thee to leave thy sins yet to persevere in them if not How is it that you refuse those who come in his name 7. Though Christ hath appointed a Ministry to teach and instruct people yet the whole efficacy and power cometh from Christ alone It 's God and Christ by the Word that can only open the understanding and give a spiritual knowledge so that conversion is so called the teaching of God John 6.45 Therefore a man must hear and learn of the Father before he can come to Christ onely Christ there addeth that this hearing and knowing of the Father comes by him So Joh. 3.26 27. when Johns Disciples said That all men come to Christ he answered A man can receive nothing except it be given him of heaven attributing it to the power of God that any come to Christ Therefore this Sun exceedeth the bodily one which giveth indeed external light but cannot give an eye to see the blinde remain blinde for all that Lastly Though Christ only do effectually give a knowing heart so that although we had the best Ministry of men and Angels yet it would do no good without his secret power and energie yet we must not from thence inferre the uselesness of the Ministry as some foolishly have done opposing the principal and subordinate For in our natural life although it be not the bread we eat but the word of blessing from Gods mouth that makes it to nourish us yet none casts away his food resolving to depend on God immediately Thus though Christ alone give the seeing eye and the understanding heart yet it 's by and in the use of the Ministry though it was God alone that did give the healing vertue to the pool of Bethesda yet the Angel must move it and every lame man must come into it else he could not be healed Hence although Jeremy prophesie of such abundance of knowledge that they shall not teach one another but be all taught of God which may seem and is brought by some to overthrow the Ministry yet the same Prophet Jer. 3.15 declareth it as a special blessing that he would give them Pastors according to his own heart which would feed them with knowledge and understanding So that Gods teaching and the Pastors teaching do not oppose one another It 's said also of Lydia that God opened her heart Act. 16.14 but to what end To attend to the words of Paul So that you must never oppose Gods work and the Ministry together In the next place Let us consider the Properties of Christs knowledge whereby he makes us also to know As 1. The Authoritative and potestative Nature of it he taught as one having authority not as the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 7.29 Hence Mat. 5. when he had related the corrupt opinions of their Doctors in the Interpretation of the Law he addeth But I say unto you opposing his Authority to them all It 's true he saith he speaks not of himself but referreth his Doctrine wholly to his Father but withall saith He and his Father are one he doth not speak of receiving his Doctrine in the same manner as Paul and other Apostles did of him by revelation 2. There is the freeness of this he teacheth whom he pleaseth There are none so froward and so contumacious but he can open their hearts and others that are of high and eminent understandings for want of him do remain blind owls Mat. 11.26 27. where our Saviour giving God thanks for manifesting the things of the Gospel to some and not to others resolving all into Gods good pleasure Even so Father for so it pleaseth thee he addeth No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him So that where
some while he was here on earth or mediately and that is by the discovering of the work of grace upon our souls whereby we gather Gods love toward us and this is the ordinary safe way that we are to take otherwise under the pretence of immediate revelations we may fall into sad delusions and this way the Scripture suggests viz. that by our love to the brethren by keeping his Commandements we may gather that we are loved of God Do not then expect as if thou shouldst hear a voice from heaven in a glorious manner as Christ did Thou art my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased but begin at the work of grace and Sanctification in thy heart by which thou maist certainly conclude of Gods love as by the Sun-beams we may conclude the Sun risen yet this must be necessarily added that we can neither discern of the work of grace in us or have such full perswasions of Gods love thereby but by the spirit of God as in Rom. 5.5 we of our selves through the sight of the imperfections of our graces would run from the presence of God only it 's the spirit of adoption given unto us which makes us have an Evangelical boldness before him Lastly This love of God perceived and felt by the godly is of a transcendent and incomprehensible nature So that if we should spend our whole life in the meditating of it yet we are never able to go to the bottom of it This is admirably expressed Eph. 3 19. that ye may know the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge from whence followeth that we are filled with the fulness of God for this love to us is the same in kinde though not in degree with that whereby he loveth Christ himself Christ and his members are comprehended in the same act of love what an unspeakable consideration is this to a poor believer Again the love of God is such that he gave his only begotten Son to the vilest and most ignominious death for them which the Apostle puts also upon it Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world and this love was to us while enemies while adversaries and it 's not to bring about a temporall mercy for us but eternal even everlasting glory and lastly this love is immutable and unchangeable God will never alter his love or cease to love such Certainly such a love is that which the heart of a man can never sufficiently comprehend must needs inflâ—me the soul there cannot be any cold Ice under this torrid Zone Therefore in the next place let us consider the great advantages that a believer hath which hath this powerful sence and feeling of Gods love within his heart And 1. It doth in a wonderful manner encourage and embolden the soul and that under the thoughts of death and the day of Judgement If so be this were to be the next moment if this voice were heard Arise and come to judgement yet the experimental feeling of Gods love would keep the heart so far from being dejected and perplexed that it would rather rejoyce a man and make him lift up his head 1 Joh. 4.17 Herein is love made perfect that is not our love but Gods love to us as the Greek intimateth that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgement That day which is so terrible to the wicked the very name of it is dreadful to them that bringeth much comfort to him who is loved of God Now what a desirable life is this who would not give the whole world to enjoy it viz. that he may walk in such powerful apprehensions of Gods favour that though death come though the day of judgement come yet his heart is not terrified within him The Apostle John speaks of Gods love perfected in us 1 Jo. 4.12 that is in respect of manifestation and discovery as Gods power is said to be perfected in our infirmities or faith to be perfected by love which sheweth that though God doth love us yet till this be manifested and discovered to us his love is not perfected to us 2. The sence and feeling of Gods love doth make us patient and contented yea even rejoycing under all tribulations the more grudgings and discontents thou art assaulted with under any exercises it 's an argument thou hast the less feeling of Gods love upon thee for if this did diffuse it self thou wouldst be more then a conquerour in all these things and certainly if Calvin said gravely from the former consideration out of the place mentioned in John That so far a man is proficient in faith as he is well composed in his heart for the expectation of the day of judgement We may also speak in this particular that so far a man hath profited in Christianity as he can from the sence of Gods favour rejoyce and be above all tribulations whatsoever This the Apostle mentioneth Rom. 5.5 the cause of all those glorious graces mentioned viz. patience and glorying in tribulations as also hope which will not make ashamed all cometh from that love of God shed abroad in their souls and Rom 8 It 's the love of God which he felt in his soul that made him triumph in so glorious a manner that he challengeth all things as not able to hinder him from this love of God 3. This sence of Gods love is a notable inflamer and quickner of the heart unto all godliness to all holy duties How dull how cold and lukewarm are all such performances that flow not from this fire within All is but formality and a meer outside in Religion till we have some apprehension of Gods love toward us yea those that are truly loved of God but yet not assured of it how heavily do they move in any holy duties how sad and divided with unbelieving thoughts how prone to yield to such temptations that because God doth not love them therefore it 's a vain thing to seek his face any longer but if once God let this love shine in upon his heart then it 's like oyl to his bones then it 's like Ezechiels spirit in the wheels then many waters cannot quench this love So that any duty performed out of the apprehension of Gods love is in some respect worth a thousand of those done without it Oh therefore labour to keep this fire alwaies upon the Altar of thy heart 2 Cor. 5.14 the Apostle there saith that the love of Christ constraineth him the word is thought to be used of those Prophets who being immediatly wrought upon by the spirit of God could not keep in what they felt but they must deliver it and thus it is with a man strongly possessed with the feeling of Gods love he cannot keep it in he is in an holy extasie and ravishment he praieth he heareth he doth all things with all his might 4 This apprehension of Gods love will make us wonderfull heavenly It will take us from all things here below As a man on
glory More properties of this glory II. The second part of the Point is that this glory is to be earnestly praied for For 1. Without seeking God will not bestow it 2. Thereby our desires after it will be more enflamed 3. III. The third part of the doctrine That this glory praied for will be a cordial against all affliction Because 1. It 's an universal Medicine 2. It 's the most sutable mercy to a gracioas heart 3. Because of the insufficiency of all other things to satisfie the heart 4. Because the way to heaven is full of briars and thorns 5. It exceeds all earthly glory 1. Earthly glory is but a puffe 2. It will not avail us at death Vse Observ That Christ had the glory he praied for with the Father before the world was That Christ had an eternal being Vse Quest Whence is it that any deny Christ to be the eternal God Answ What sins doe chiefly provoke God to give men up to strong delusions 1. Pride 2. Unfruitfulness 3 Neglect of the godly learnâ—d Ministry Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Observ That the world was not from Eternity Proved from Scripture 2. From Reason Observ That God is only and properly known by the godly Some knowledge of God may be had several waies Of true saving knowledge peculiar to the godly Though many have some kinde of knowledge of God yet the godly only do truly know him Vse Observ Why the Ministers end in Preaching should be to bring his people to the saving knowledge of God From the necessity of it Because of the nature and properties of it The several significations of the word world in Scripture Doct. That the people of God are called out of the world Demonstrations of the Point They have not the Spirit of the world The Spirit of the world what They walk not after the rudiments of the world He lives not as others do Reasons How many waies a people may be said to be Gods Doct. That the godly are Gods people in a peculiar manner Consider How many waies or upon how many Titles those that are godly are the Lords Doct. I. 1. 2. The word of his Commandements 3. The Word threatning 4. The word of Consolation II. Because it is Gods Word III. And receive it with the whole heart IV. And make it a Rule for their lives V. They that keep Gods Word have a high esteem of it 1. For the spiritual effects of it 2. Because it 's so necessary 3. And so usefull 4. The Preciousnesse and dignity of it VI. They keep the Word who persevere in it notwithstanding all temptations Doct. It 's not enough for Gods people to have grace but they must thrive and grow in it How many waies the graces of Gods people are to grow thrive I. In respect of degrees and measure II. Depth and rooting III. In the extension and kinde of all graces IV. In the means and Instruments of their graces V. By exciting others to grow VI. In solidity and fortitude Grounds and motives Vse Doct. It 's our duty to know and beleeve in Christ as the only Mediator sent by God I. What Christ had or was as Mediator was for us I. His Incarnation 2. All that he did His Miracles Obedience to the Law His sufferings The benefits of his Mediation II Christ Mediaâ—iâ—â— for us is of God the Father III. It 's the duty of all Gods people to beleeve this fulnesse in Christ for them The ingredients or concomitants of Faith 1. 2. A relying and resting of the soul upon Christs fulness 3. There is a full satisfaction of the soul in this beleeving 4. A receiving of what Christ hath 5. A holy boldnesse at the Throne of grace 6. Large and vast thoughts of Christ 8. Faith purifieth and makes holy Why it is the duty of Gods people thus to know and beleeve on Christ Vse Doct. That only is proper obedience that hath the Word of God requiring it The grounds of this are I. From the Soveraignty of God· II. Gods promise is annext only to Gods command III. Because of the pollution that is upon mans understanding IV. From the fulnesse of the Scripture V. Else obedient persons could never bear up their hearts against the discouragements they meet with in Gods work Vse Obs That it 's the property of godly men to have respect to Gods Word Proposition to clear the Point How far godly men may sail Doct. It 's a sure character of Gods people to be a willing people I. The dulnesse in Gods people is not reigning but resisted and prai'd against Reasons 1. The sense of guilt and misery 2. The sense of Gods mercy 3. The divine nature they are partakers of 4. Because they were so willing heretofore to sin 5. Because they know none but willing service is accepted 6. Because of their great reward 7. Because of the joy and comfort that attends Obedience Vse Vse 2. Obs The Ministers of the Gospel are to preach Gods Word 1. It 's their duty 2. Their greatest honour 3. It 's his comfort and safety 4. Most useful and profitable Doct. Faith in Christ as Mediatour is acceptable to God Why Gods Children are so hardly brought to beleeve Why prophane men think it so easie to beleeve in Christ Why beleeving in Christ is so acceptable to God 1. Faith in Christ the Mediatour the main scope of the Scripture 2. The work of the Spirit in the Ministry is to convince of sin 3. It s the end of the Law 4. It 's the essence and marrow of the Gospel 5. The devil in all ages hath laboured to obscure this Doctrine Vse· Quest Answ Directions shewing how a man may come to prize this doctrine Vse An Invitation of the greatest sinners to come to Christ Doct. It 's very hopeful and encouraging to pray for those that discover signs of grace in them Consider these particulars I. It 's not our duty only to pray for our selves but for others also Quest Whether it be lawful to pray for any man in particular Answ II. Yet we may not pray for Reprobates as such A twofold faith in praier III Whether we may pray in faith for others as for our selves Then our prayers are liklier of a powerful effect when we pray for the godly Of praying for ungodly men Motives there unto Doct. All Gods people are under Christs Mediatory Praier Concerning which consider The Children of God are of two sorts The Priesthood of Christ exceeds the Priesthood of the Law The aggravations of Christs praier The several acceptations of the word World World how to be taken in this place Doct. Christs Mediatory Praier and his Death is only for the Elect. Considerations to clear the Point I. There is a necessary connexion between Christs Intercession and his death II. Though Christ in his praier and death had a special regard to some of mankinde yet no man that is damned can blame any but himself III.
in believing as he is in understanding because the object doth so powerfully work on the minde that it cannot withstand it Even the Arminians could not but grant That the work of Gods Spirit upon the understanding is irresistible though not upon the will because they say that is an active faculty Secondly The Word doth imply such an evidence that doth convince and binde up the understanding that it cannot doubt or dispute any longer All evidence may not presently convince We see though erroneous persons reade never so many excellent books yet they are not actually convinced the evidence indeed is able to convince as the Sunne-beams are able objectively to make a blinde man see there is light enough if he had eyes but faith is here said to be the actual conviction of the soul to silence it that it hath no more to say according to the saying of the Schools Fides non est tantum apprehensiva sed quietativa Faith is not only apprehensive but quietative and resting of the soul that it is not learning and learning or seeking but never coming to the truth Fourthly This Faith hath unlimitednesse and universality in it's assenting The whole Word of God is the adequate Object of it and therefore whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture it believeth it doth not pick or choose believe some things and not others as they make for or against us but so farre as the Word is propounded it doth receive it Therefore such threatnings that condemn man that makes him dead in sinne and guilty of hell such threatnings that do speak terribly to such or such a sinne he is involved in though it be a troublesome and unwelcome truth to flesh and blood yet Faith makes a man to believe it Whether Faith be discursive or put forth by one simple act is disputed howsoever it cannot be denied but that there is an order in the things believed a connexion and dependance between one proposition and another though when believed faith is carried out with one uniform act because there is the same divine Authority in all Lastly The immediate opposites to Faith dogmaticall in whole or in part are these either expresse Paganisme and Heathenisme this is Negative unbelief They never so much as received these truths Or else Grosse and stupid Ignorance whereby though they say they do believe yet indeed they doe not no more then Pagans or else Heretiques who though they may hold some Fundamentall Truths yet oppose others or Apostates who having once professed do afterwards make shipwrack of their Faith Or lastly In some degree all doubts and waverings about the Truth doe oppose this divine Faith especially when set home by the Devil who many times hath as hot fiery darts about Dogmaticall Faith as justifying troubling them with doubtfull thoughts about a God and about the truth of Scriptures Now in such temptations it 's not good to hold a parlee but as Joseph to his Mistresse to runne away to have an holy pertinacy and with Paul to Peter Not to give way to any such doubt no not for a moment If Christs sheep will not hear a stranger but runne from him much more from the Devil who is the Arch heretique the Tempter as to all sinne so to all unbelief Vse Pray to God to increase and establish this Faith in thee and that especially in these dayes These are times when thy justifying Faith shall be assaulted by doubts and disconsolate fears these are times also when thy Historicall Faith may be puzzled and shaken with such heresies and cunning devices of men But oh let thy eyes and heart be up to Heaven for this substance this evidence Thou wilt then have that within which will establish thee against all errours SERMON CXXII Of the Glory which Christ communicates unto all his Disciples even in this Life And of Vnion with him as the Ground of it JOH 17.22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one OUR Saviour continueth amplifying his Prayer for the Union of Beleevers So that in this Text we may take notice of another argument or reason why the Father should make them one in him and one amongst themselves Here is a threefold Unity spoken of 1. That essentiall one of the father and the Son 2. That mysticall one of Christ as Head and Mediatour and believers 3. That charitative one of believers amongst themselves The Argument urged by our Saviour in the Text is he had given that glory to them which the Father had given him so that we may take the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causally for the glory thou gavest me I have given viz. in purpose and decree to such as shall beleeve All the difficulty is what is that glory which Christ receiving of the Father giveth to believers Some Learned men expound it of the Glory of the Apostleship and working of miracles and they make the sence to be thus The glory thou gavest me to give I have given them As Cbrist is said out of the Psalmist to receive gifts for men Now because he received them to give The Apostle Eph. 4. alledgeth it as giving gifts to men the Consequent being put for the Antecedent But this cannot be received because our Saviour is now praying for all beleevers in all successive ages and not the Apostles only Others by glory do understand immortality and that state of happinesse hereafter But to understand it aright we must know that the word glory when attributed to God is of a very large signification but more particularly when God doth by any works in a more remarkable manner declare his goodnesse wisedom omnipotency c. then he is said to give his glory Ezek. 39.21 Eze. 26.20 In the New Testament when we reade of Christs Glory we may Consider of 1. His essentiall glory which he hath as God spoken of Heb. 1. where he is called the brightnesse of his Fathers Glory 2. Of his Mediatory Glory which he had as Mediatour his humane nature being filled with all grace which glory though begun on earth yet was consummated when exalted to the right hand of God in glory 3. There were the many effects which did concomitate this essentiall and Mediatory glory some particulars whereof the Scripture mentions as all the approbation the Father gave from heaven to Christ with all his miracles doctrine and other signs of his divine nature is called Christs glory Joh. 1.14 We beheld his glory by way of wonder and admiration as the word signifieth as the glory of the only begotten Son of God Thus when Christ turned the water into wine Joh. 2.11 It 's said he manifested his glory and Joh. 11. the raising of Lazarus from the dead is called Gods glory as working of miracles So the love that the Father bestoweth on Christ is called Christs glory at 24 verse in this Chapter which may be a good Exposition of this Therefore by