his Promises Exod. 7. 17. Is the Lord among us or not In the wilderness of the Children of Israels tempting of God was a doubting of Gods Care and Providence and Power and Wisdom of which they had so many arguments assurances and promises from him In Numb 14. 22. Their tempting of God ten times sprang from their not believing him in all his signs which he had shewed Vers 11. among them and what that unbelief was appears by their words at the 2d verse Would God that we had died in the Vers 13. land of Egypt or would God we had died in this wilderness And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land to fall by the sword that our wives and our children should be a prey Thinking that God could not preserve them or else would not go along with but leave them to be devoured by the people of the land as you may see at the 9th verse Now if you ask why sinful men tempt God it is from unbelief sometimes it springs from presumption believing more than God has promised they hope to be saved although they live in sin they are too confident and have too much faith they are over-believing 4. What is it sinfully to tempt and try God You must know as you have heard already that man may tempt God Et in excessu in defectu both in the excess and in defect 1. They tempt God who neglect second causes and use Neglectu licitorum not means which God hath prescribed when thou expectest God alone to help thee or give thee a mercy which thou oughtest to come to by thy own labour and co-operation this is to tempt and try both the Power and the Will of God They that will not labour with their hands but put it upon God to provide for them these tempt the Lord they that will not manage their estates but put it upon God to help them they sin most grievously It is true Gods Providence doth all things yet thy Providence must work with his Providence as a servant under it In Prov. 10. 22. It is said The blessing of the Lord it maketh rich and yet at the 14th verse it is said The hand of the diligent maketh rich How stand these two together they are not opposita but subordinata not opposites but subordinate the one to the other Gods blessing makes rich as the principal cause and the diligent hand makes rich as the instrumental cause under Gods blessing there must be a wheel in the middle of a wheel the wheel of diligence in the wheel of Gods blessing there must be a hand in a hand the hand of diligence in the hand of blessing the diligent hand cannot make rich without Gods blessing and Gods blessing will not make rich without a diligent hand So they tempt God that divide the spirit from the Ordinance that look for Revelations and discoveries without Gospel-ordinances that look for grace without the Word that look for light without the candle of the Ministry that neglect Sabbaths neglect Ordinances and sit at home and say God will give them faith Ah ye true Phanaticks for Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God the word cannot work grace without the spirit the spirit ordinarily will not work grace without the word So they tempt God that look for God to subdue their sins and they do nothing God must master their lusts and unruly desires but themselves will not strive nor fast nor pray nor deny themselves nor wound their flesh As if an Army should stand in Battalia against the Enemy and not strike one stroke were not this a mad tempting of God and horrid self-murder Up sirs then and your selves fight the good fight of faith against your lusts Victory over sin is a mercy which thou must come to by thy own labour and co-operation 't is God indeed that hews down the strong oaks of our lusts but the Ax wherewith he doth it must be in our hands If ye through the spirit mortifie Rom. 8. 13. the deeds of the body ye shall live So they tempt God that will go in the way of means but not far enough many will pray against sin but not practise against sin as if a sick man should pray for his health but will take no physick for his health or he that hath a dangerous wound should pray to be healed but will apply no plaister they that pray for their children but do not educate them instruct reprove correct them they tempt God in that they do not use all the means for as Solomon saith Foolishness is bound in the heart Prov. 22. 15. of a child but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him They that argue if we are elected we shall be saved though we live as we list and if we are not elected we shall be damned though we live never so holy and endeavour never so carefully these tempt God egregiously for God electing to the end elects also to the means hence that saying Praedestinatio est praeparatio gratiae in praesenti gloriae in futuro Predestination is a preparation of grace for the present and of glory for the future And therefore whereas thou sayst If I am elected I shall be saved though I live as I list the inference is most false for then 1. Conversion and Grace should be commanded in vain and because predestination alone should bring men to heaven which is a foolish conceit I say predestination alone brings no man to Heaven it is but the first link of the chain 2. Election or Predestination carrieth the means to salvation in the Womb of it so that this conditional proposition though Paul continues a blasphemer yet by vertue of his Election he shall be saved is so far from being true that the contrary ought to be inferred if Paul be not converted 't is impossible he should be saved though elected because God who elected Paul to be saved elected him to be saved by conversion not by rebellion by faith not by unbelief And whereas thou sayst if I am not elected do what I can live I never so holy though I should believe and repent I shall be damned by reason of the infallible decree I answer There was never any such decree at all in the Divine Will of damning any man though he believed and changed his life and returned to God I tell thee there was never any such Decree at all in the Divine Will but the contrary which God would have establisht for ever as most sure and certain and promulged abroad to all men That whosoever believes shall not perish but have everlasting life and he that will have the son shall have life Oh comfort unspeakable comfort and therefore come in souls come in and take Christ ye sinners and fear not Reprobation ye shall be saved Sirs let me in short give ye a blessed word fear sin and fear not reprobation if
that you may understand I lay down these two Propositions 1. God hath instituted means for the obtaining of supernatural grace 2. Where God gives grace in the use of means he gives it freely to whom God gives not grace he denies it justly 1. God hath instituted means for the obtaining of supernatural grace For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God The Lord hath set the stamp of Institution upon means wherein he will be found as hearing the word And when they heard this they were pricked at the heart Reading the Word Prayer and Meditation 2. Where God gives grace in the use of means he doth it freely and to whom God gives not grace he denieth it justly 1. Where God gives grace in the use of means he gives it freely Whether it be in the outward means or the inward preparatory work for he is not tyed by the means to us Some say Facienti quod in se est Deus dabit Gratiam ulteriorem To him that doth what he can do more shall be given him but though God should sometimes or always answer man in this kind where do we find that he hath bound himself by Promise to do so Now I must shew you That where God gives not grace he doth it justly Under the Gospel where God denieth grace he never doth it but justly God observes a distributive Justice in it For the Saints through grace use the means to gain more grace and Sinners they refuse all grace For 1. In the Church salvation according to Gods Promise is offered to all 2. In the Church the administration of grace is so high as that it is sufficient to convince all 3. Sinners perish and go without grace through their own fault For 1. They neglect the means of the Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven 2. They despise the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven And this reason Christ renders of it at the 13th verse Therefore spake I to them in parables because they seeing see not and hearing they hear not neither do they understand As if he had said such Minds as they bring to hear such Sermons do I bring to them cloath'd with parables and obscurities They that will not understand things that are manifest to them I wrap up my Sermons in clouds and darkness They have eyes to see my manifest signs and miracles yet being blinded with envy they will not see what they see They have ears and hear the truth that is irresutable and yet in hearing they will not hear i. e. they will not receive it neither do they understand that is it is so clear that they may but they will not understand To speak more particularly 1. Some will hear the Word but not mind it so as to understand it their punishment is That as they will go no further with God so God will go no further with them but denieth unto them the spirit of Illumination leaves them blind as he found Math 13. 19. them and suffers Satan to take the word from them 2. Some receive the word so far as to understand it but are not willing to do it they cannot digest the holiness of it their lusts and its purity cannot stand together their punishment is That God will not make it further effectual to promote their spiritual happiness though they may receive the spirit of Illumination yet not of Conversion 3. Some receive the word so far into their hearts as to delight in it and to do something commanded and obey it in some degree They proceed to Profession and several measures thereof but advance not to sincerity and perfection their punishment is That the spirit of Sanctification and Adoption is denied unto them and for fear of Adversity or love of the World they deny the truth in a day of tryal Thus when we say The Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is given to some and not given to others to those to whom it is given it is given freely to those to whom it is not given it is denied justly For this denial is a punishment and therefore just sinners deserve it that it should be so The elect can speak of underserved-grace and the reprobate of deserved punishment God is so just that he doth not condemn any but for sin so gracious that he doth not condemn all that do sin Though God will save miserable men without their merits because he is good yet he will not damn any without their demerits because he is just But to give you a clearer Prospect of this Truth that the Divine Knowledg of the Mysteries of Heaven is given to some not to others Observe First Sometimes God makes choice of an Alien an Heathen before his own people in Covenant with him As you may see in Jeremiah 38. 7 8. verses He gives an Ethiopian Jerem. 38. 7 8. grace which he gave not to many a Jew Ebedmelech was an Ethiopian yet a Saint a black Ethiopian but a white Saint V None speaks for the Prophet but he an Ethiopian saves the Prophet whom the Jews did persecute Where observe 1. How God picks one out of a whole Nation God makes choice of Ebedmelech above all the Nation of the Ethiopians The whole Nation of his Countrey-men lay under the black Vail of darkness and ignorance while he knew the Mysteries of Heaven 2. The wonder of Gods Providence how it brings about the Salvation of a person whom he means to save God brings Ebedmelech out of his own Countrey to make him a Saint how he came thither to live in the King of Judah's Court there 's no mention of it but this we know that he was brought thither upon the Wing of Providence to know God and to be saved 3. God gives grace to Ebedmelech and makes choice of him before many of his own people in Covenant with him Secondly He prefers the Servant before the Master All the Phil. 4. 22. saints salute you chiefly they that are of Caesars houshold This Caesar was Nero in whose palace Saint Paul's bonds were made Phil. 1. 13. manifest So that some of his Servants were made Christians who afterwards proved Martyrs namely Evellius and Torpetes if we may believe the Roman Martyrology here the Vassal receives the Gospel which the Emperor doth not The servants are made lambs while their Lord and Master remains a Lyon for so is he stiled in 2 Tim. 4. 17. Thirdly God prefers the poor before the rich a poor Lazarus before a rich Dives he drops his golden showres of grace upon a low shrub and over-looks the tall Cedar The truth of it is Dives was poor Lazarus was rich Lazarus had more gold in his Soul than Dives had in his Purse Hath not God chosen the poor in this world rich in faith Jam. 2. 5. i. e. to be rich in Faith and heirs of the Kingdom As we Jam. 2. 5. read it Hath not God chosen the poor in this world
and grace for grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. one grace for another The latter for the former for having mentioned the fulness of Christ he saith That not one but many graces are drawn and derived from him not one but many graces the first whereof is the cause of the second the second of the third and the third of the fourth and so along always the latter is given for the former till all the gifts of grace being compleated beatitude it self is at last perfected Not as if more grace were given for the right use of grace for that were to take us off from Christ to our selves whereas 't is the Apostles scope to fix us wholly on Christ but the Condition and Nature of Saving-grace which is such Vt prima Trahat alteram that the first draws the second they are as it were so concatenated as one Ring in a chain draws another and for the former that is given the latter is given that is God because he hath given the one will give the other such is the Order and Method he observes he give grace for grace that is where he finds one grace he gives another and where he finds some he gives more Or Grace for Grace i. e. Gratiam super Gratiam grace upon grace i. e. abundance of grace having scarce received one but presently receive another and after that another which Musculus saith the Hebrews express 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle shews it in Rom. 8. 30. From the fulness of Christ we have received the grace of our Calling and upon our calling the grace of Pardon and Justification here 's grace upon grace and upon our Justification the grace of Adoption and Sanctification here 's grace upon grace and upon our Adoption the grace of Glory and Salvation still grace upon grace as the Apostle expresseth it in Ephes 1. 3 4 c. We shall now give you the Reasons of the Point why it is that where there are beginnings of true grace though never so weak God makes rich additions of more grace And Reas 1. Because grace in a Saint is God's own child the infant grace is the Spirits little babe begot in the Womb of the soul by the Spirit the soul is the Mother of it and the Spirit is the Father of it Now you know a Father is very tender of his young babe he takes it up in his Arms and looks upon it he reads his own Image in it and puts it in his bosom he handles it as gently as ever he can and preserves it from the least harm So when the Infant-grace is born in the soul the Spirit is very tender of his young babe he makes wondrous much of it and is as Preservative of its life as ever he can As you may see in Paul he had been in sore pangs of Travel three days and three nights together and the child Grace was newly born and see what care the Spirit had of it said he to Annanias Arise do not stay saith he but Acts 9. 11. arise and go into the street which is called Straight and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth The child Grace as soon as it was born began to cry and the Spirit presently takes care of it 1. The Spirit when the soul is brought to bed and safely delivered of her Man-child Grace sets the little babe to nurse and provides suck for it and gives it the Breasts of the Ordinances as the Apostle saith And I brethren could not speak 1 Cor. 3. 1 1 Pet. 2. 2. unto you as unto spiritual but as unto babes in Christ I have fed you with milk And in 1 Pet. 2 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby A babe when 't is new-born must have milk which is the most nutritive food in the world so must the little new creature when it is born it must have milk and therefore the Spirit provides it for him The Ordinances are the Breasts and the Ministers are the Nurses which give it suck As the Apostle saith We were gentle among you even as a nurse cherisheth 1 Thes 2. 7. her children 2. The Spirit dades his little child Grace and teacheth it to go As God saith When Israel was a child I loved him Hos 11. 1. Verse 3. and called my son out of Egypt I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their arms And therefore are we said to be led by the spirit and to walk Rom. 8. 14. in the spirit 3. The Spirit teacheth his little child Grace to speak as a Father you know takes up his little one upon his knee and teacheth him to Articulate words and to call Dad so doth the Holy Spirit teach the child Grace to cry Abba Gal. 4. 6 Father Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Reas 2. Where there are beginnings of true grace God makes rich Additions of more grace because such is the Lords noble Nature that he loves to be giving To give is an Act Dare honestum quid est Recipere utile Dans exercet Actum Monestum Accipere utilem Agit ille hic patitur potius for a Prince rather for a God poor men receive rich men give Subjects receive Princes give Creatures receive the Creator gives The more noble and eminent natures are the more they give and the less they receive The heavenly bodies glance their light and dart their influences upon the Earth below but receive nothing from the Earth To give is an Act of perfection to receive is a note of imperfection were we not imperfect we need not be receiving He that gives imitates God who gives and receives not again because he wants not any thing And therefore it was a saying of Christ It is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20. 35. It is a part of Gods Beatitude that he is all things and hath all things to give that he can give and not be beholden to receive that he is an overflowing Sea always pouring out his gifts and golden streams upon the Creature When he hath given thee grace he hath more grace still to give And being a God and not man he gives continually to give he makes his continued Act He 'l never cease giving to his Saints not only in this life but in the life to come he will be giving out unto his Saints eternally As the Sun is always giving out its heat and virtue to the World so will God be always giving out his sweetness to his Saints throughout Eternity So that he that hath grace shall have more grace he that hath it in the bud and in the beginning shall have it in the perfection fear not poor creature if thou art always wanting God will be always giving and being a God
we all fell so in Christs standing we all stand the Lord Jesus having stood they cannot fall because by virtue of his standing they have the eternal Presence of the Holy Ghost I say the ground is Christs standing for though there are many reasons why the Saints shall not fall from Christ as the immutable love of God the Covenant of Grace the spirit of Grace and the Intercession of Jesus Christ yet all these are bottomed upon Christs standing and fulfiling the first Covenant For therefore is the Covenant of grace unchangeable and the federal love of God to us in that Covenant immutable and the dwelling of the spirit eternal and the sealing of the spirit indelible because built upon the unchangeable Priesthood of Jesus Christ such a Priest as stood and finished the work so stood as to satisfie Justice and vanquish Satan And the Intercession of Jesus Christ in Heaven for us is built upon the standing and perseverance of Jesus Christ had not Christ stood his Intercession had not now been standing had he fell that had fell to the ground also had he fell the Holy Ghost had not been given Hence it is that the Covenant of grace reigns to life Rom. 5. 21. eternal Hence it is that they who receive Christ shall be sure to Vers 27. reign with him Hence it is that our Justification by Christ is not a tottering or fallible Justification that may be lost but a Justification Vers 18. unto life In a word hence it is that the Spirit when he comes he comes to dwell and abide in Believers Rom. 8. 11. He is called the spirit that abides for ever And now I am returned where I began Saints your perseverance is certain in it self though not perhaps to you because in Jesus Christ you have not only the graces of Christ but the spirit of Christ the spirit dwelling and abiding in you 1. The spirit knits the soul to the Lord and never suffers that Love-knot to be untied again This knot the spirit makes is stronger than the Gordian-knot which cannot only not be loosed but cannot be cut asunder The Gordian-knot Alexander the Great when he could not loose it cut it asunder but this knot whereby the Saints are tyed to Christ 't is such a knot as can neither be untied nor cut asunder 2. When the poor soul is careless of himself the spirit keeps him he sleeps and the spirit sits by him The wise virgins took a nap as well as the foolish they fell into a sleep of carnal security but the spirit watcht by them and awaked them 3. When the poor soul is weak the spirit helps him 4. When the froward soul offers to run from the Lord the Spirit follows him Jonah run from God but the Spirit follows him into the Sea and into the Whales belly and there he prayeth and looks again toward the holy Temple Is not this your wonder 5. When the unkind soul grieves the spirit yet the spirit still keeps the house and will not depart from him and so not suffer the soul wholly to depart from the Lord When David sinned and defiled himself he grieved the spirit he polluted the house and yet the spirit would not leave the house the spirit stai'd to keep grace alive in the embers and to blow it again into a new flame at Nathans Sermon Vse 10. You to whom God hath given grace the beginnings of grace here 's a great deal of work for you to do 1. Give the Lord the Honour of his grace And now the Lord knows I know not to whom I speak The Lord knows who are his Some that make the least appearance may have the greatest grace and some that cast the greatest lustre may have no grace a slight Impression upon the soul among men goeth for grace But you that have searched your hearts and found the pearl there give the Lord the Honour of his grace that ever he should plant such a flower in your bosoms For the last end of all the Elect is to admire and honour the riches of Gods grace Eph. 1. 5 6. Beloved This is Heavens work Oh! learn this song before you go thither which none learn but the redeemed and sealed Rev. 14. 3. of the Lord. The Lord in all his dealings with his people seeks lastly to bring about the glory of his grace 1. He leaves them a long time in their graves of sin before he gives them the resurrection of grace that they live like other men wallow in sin as other men which is strange that he that loved them so long should leave them so long to be as bad as any yet this he doth because it makes for the praise of his grace Eph. 2. 2 4 7 8 verses And this doth so confound Gods People that they wish not only Heaven but Earth and Ages to come may record this love 2. Out of men fallen he picks out usually the poorest and the vilest The younger Brother most despised and least respected in a Family and leaves the elder Jacob have I loved Rom. 9. 11 13. 1. Cor. 1. 26. Esau have I hated This is strange that the Lord should chuse thus but this he doth to blur the Glory of all the World 3. The Lord leaves many wants in his People under which they sit sighing and sometime very long Sometimes he takes away those feelings those enlargements they had hides his face from them that if ever he returns in love his grace may be the sweeter and last the longer 4. Sometimes he refuseth to hear their Prayers that when he doth answer them at last his free-grace may be adored and cryed up 5. Sometimes he humbleth them with vexing sins and pricking distempers and it is to advance grace 2. Cor. 12. 7 9. 6. In a word you shall find the Lord so strangely carrying on matters as if he did not love nor care for his people against the hair and grain of their desires and when all comes to winding up 't is to advance grace All a mans good days and bad days all Gods frowns and smiles all the Lords food and physick all God cares for works and plots for 't is to do his people no more hurt than this To advance his grace in them and by them All his hewings and hammerings of you his knocking you a pieces and new melting and new casting of you 't is that you may be vessels of his glorious grace that you may be able to live in the Air of Gods grace to suck in and breathe out grace and let all the powers of Hell seek to blur it yet grace shall conquer Who would not be under grace Oh poor creature Satan is tempting sin vexing yet grace must reign 2. Act for Jesus Christ Do the work of Christ and finish it Christ gives grace because he hath given work for grace to do Christ sets up a work in you that he may do work by you
not suffer his servants to loiter and sit idle Hast thou been afflicted and tried and tempted thou wilt be so again God will not give over with thee and therefore expect a perpetual series of temptations Vse 4. Think not the worse of the state of grace because of trials and temptations Be not discouraged in it It is God the gracious God that tempts Abraham and will tempt and try his Saints and these temptations the Devil makes use of to work your hearts back again When ye were in your natural condition then your heart was quiet your conscience quiet and the devil quiet and your friends quiet and did not speak evil of you and the world quiet and did not hate you nor trouble you But now you begin to look toward Jesus Christ now conscience condemns now the Devil accuseth now your friends your former friends they speak evil of you the world abuseth you your neighbours scorn and molest you I appeal to thee man or woman in thine own soul Dost thou not think that thy former condition was an ungodly condition Yes I confess yes and yet then thou wast quiet then conscience quiet then friends quiet then Satan quiet but now conscience accuseth and now Satan accuseth and the world accuseth and friends speak evil Oh say then my condition is now far better when I was bad and my condition was dangerous then all was quiet and therefore my condition now with trials and temptations is far better When I was going to hell all was quiet when I was like to be lost then all was quiet and therefore I will not change states with my self for all the world I would not be in my former lost condition with all my quietness for a thousand worlds I will prize my condition of faith and grace with trials and troubles infinitely above my former condition come what will come Gods Wormwood is better than the Devils Honey Well then be not discouraged 't was God that did and doth try his Saints Vse 5. Compose and frame your hearts for hard services store up strength for great and strong encounters God hath difficult work for his people to do it may be Saint he hath employed thee hitherto but in easie service and thou thinkest it will be always so but thou art mistaken You know not what dear Isaac what precious jewel God will have thee part with and sacrifice to him And therefore be up at work labour hard for grace to fit you for hard services The little Bee when 't is season with her is upon the wing of Diligence she is out in the morning goes to every flower brings in to her hive and stores up for winter and wilt not thou do so Shall the Bee the little Ant be wiser than thou art have they souls to save and yet they provide for nature and lay up for difficulties Awake then awake shall those silly creatures be at work and wilt thou loiter Go to the Ant thou sluggard consider her ways and be wise Many of you I fear will miscarry in your trials and temptations through your present loiterings It hath been honey-moon with many of you whilst others have been chastned every morning and you think it will be so still and this undoes you you think God will put you to no harder work than he hath done and so you overthrow your selves There 's never a person in this Congregation knows what day of difficulty and temptation is coming over him not one of you knows what hot service God hath yet for you Little did Abraham think a day before to hear that command from God Go and sacrifice thy Son thy only Son Isaac Little dost thou know how soon God will say to thee Be sick be afflicted and terrified in conscience how soon he may withdraw his face give thee up to doubtings and terrors little dost thou know how soon God may say unto thee as he did to Moses Go up to mount Nebo and dye Oh then store up strength for great and hard services and temptations Vse 6. Expose not your selves unto temptations It is said here in the Text that God did tempt Abraham Abraham did not seek temptation but God did tempt Abraham to seek temptation is a sin but when God tempts us it is a way to honour When we expose our selves to temptation a thousand to one but we fall and break a limb an arm or a leg but when God tempts us if we seek to him and keep to his rules we may expect a blessing Christ teacheth us to pray Lord lead us not into temptation but surely we are not to lead our selves into temptation 1. Ye heard that to a lawful temptation he that tempts and trieth must have jus tendandi a right and authority to tempt God being our Lord and the supream Rector having absolute government over us hath an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Authority to tempt us and try our graces but we are not our own we are his and not our own we are not at our own command nor in our own power we may not do what we will with our selves and therefore we may not offer our selves to temptation 2. When God tempts us and leads us out into the field of Trial we may expect his help and presence his assistance goes along with his temptations But when we tempt our selves and put our selves to trials and troubles we can expect no success nor look for Gods Assistance because we are out of Gods way let him that brings us in bring us off again If God bring us into temptation he will bring us off but if we bring our selves into temptation we must bring our selves off again Vse 7. Saints look upon your daily afflictions as your temptations 1. They are sent from God upon you as your temptations to try you and refine you Observe then with what humility you receive them for they are sent to try your humility observe with what patience and meekness you bear them for they come to try your patience observe into what nutriment you concoct them for you must feed upon them and eat them to kill corrupt humours and to breed good blood and spirits I say observe then what fruits they bring forth for though they are not joyous but grievious for the present Heb. 12. 11. yet afterward they yield or God looks they should yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby God will come to you as the Master did to the fig-tree to seek fruit on you I must tell you God expects as much fruit from your temptations as from your mercies Gods Eye is upon you he looks what you are doing 2. Afflictions per accidens through our corruptions are great temptations to sin and therefore you had need observe your selves strictly under your daily afflictions I say they are great temptations to sin for though it be said of Christ that he was in all points tempted like as we are
therefore bear them with willingness and patience 2 Cor. 4. 16. gain if he tempts you by losses your loss is your gain your wants will be your riches your outward poverty will be your spiritual wealth what you lose one way you 'l get another what you lose in the flesh you 'l get in the spirit Though the outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day saith Blessed Paul the soul grows new as the body by pressures grows old Afflictions may make thy outward face look withered and aged but thine inward man grows young and vigorous by them It is good for me saith David that I have been afflicted Now then bring your heart to this and bear all the temptations of the Lord with willingness and patience Vse 10. See God on the top of every trial or temptation God saith the Text did tempt Abraham you will say God tempted Abraham by word of mouth by an express command Is God wont to tempt and try men thus in these days I answer no you heard that God doth tempt and try men two manner of ways 1. Immediately by himself thus he tempted Abraham thus was Christ led by the Spirit to be tempted in the wilderness 2. Mediately by means and instruments by Satan sometimes by wicked men other times yea by Saints also sometimes as the Lord Christ was tempted by Peter when he spake of his sufferings Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto Matth. 16. 22. Job 2. 9. thee And Job was tempted by his own dear wife Curse God and dye And this is the Order of God at this day you see the means the instruments of temptation but though God be not seen yet he stands upon the top of every temptation no wheel moves in the world but by the direction and counsel of the first mover There is a concatenation of causes and God is at the upper end of the chain and nothing can be done by any link of the chain of second causes without the first cause In the fourth to the Hebrews there it is said that Jesus Christ Vers 15. was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Mark it his Temptations were in all points like ours Temptations may be taken 1. For sufferings Or 2. For temptation to sin as having a power or causality moving us thereunto As for Christs sufferings they were exactly like unto ours To that end he took a Body and Soul and in his state of humiliation lay actually under them and felt them As for temptation to sin that is inward and outward Inwardly indeed he was not tempted but outwardly he was by men and devils more than ever man was and was tempted to the same kind of sins at least some of them which we being tempted to commit yet he never sinned Now the Apostle tells you there that he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities We have not an High priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities Nay because he was tempted like as we are he cannot but be touched with the feeling of our infirmities that is he cannot but be inwardly affected with the sense of our temptations Sirs your temptations touch him the temptations that you feel touch him his very bowels are full of the feeling of your infirmities he is acted with mercy and compassion towards you and he would have man to know it That which is the object of his compassion is our infirmities that is sins of the soul and pains of the body but chiefly sin infirmity here is sin and punishment sin and suffering which makes our case very miserable Some will think that Christ is not touched with the feeling of my sins others will think Christ is not touched with the feeling of my sorrows but ye are mistaken poor souls ye are mistaken saith the Apostle we have an High priest that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities with the sense and feeling of both of your sin and guilt of your sorrows and sufferings Whatever troubles you troubles Christ and the reason why he is so sensible of our sad conditions is because he was tempted in all points like unto us Christ as God is infinitely merciful but he became man tempted man that he might be sensible of our infirmities with our own humane affections that he might pity man with the affections of a man with such affections as we are wont to pity one another and therefore he was not only man but a tempted man because experimental knowledg and practical sense is the most effectual Hearken then you tempted souls how deeply is Christ touched with the feeling of your infirmities who was himself a tempted man as ye are he was in all points tempted like unto us This is that wonderful way which God by his profound Wisdom contrived to make his mercy greater and in some sort more than infinite he would have a kind of knowledg of mans infirmities which as God and Infinite he could never have AN ACCOUNT OF MANS TEMPTATIONS Psalm LXXIX 41. Yea they tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel THIS Psalm is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exhortative and Instructive 1. The Psalm is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suasive and Exhortative in the first verse Give ear O my people to my law encline your ears to the words of my mouth 2. The Psalm is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Instructive and Teaching I say for their choice Instruction and gathered out of the Records of Gods Providence towards his own people the Jews at the second verse I will open my mouth in a parable I will utter dark sayings of old which we have heard and known and our Fathers have told us We will not hide them from Vers 3. 4. their children shewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wonderful works that he hath done c. And that which the Psalmist would instruct them in is to obey God and adhere to him in dependance and subjection And not to be as their Fathers a stubborn and Vers 8. rebellious generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God He warns them against Rebellion because their Ancestors and Fathers sinned at that rate and were severely punished by God Where you may observe by the way Observ That to say our Fore-fathers did thus and thus therefore so will we is no good argument Shall we be wiser than our Forefathers yes that you must or else you may smart for it The Holy Ghost here tells them that they must not be as their Fathers no sirs you must be better than your Forefathers the Light of the Gospel should make you far better and time should make you better and experience should make you better the example of Fore-fathers is not to be followed except wherein they followed the Lord.
doing When Ananias and Saphira sold their Acts 5. 9. possession and kept back part of the price saith Peter How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord Whether these did purposely go about to tempt the Spirit or no is questioned if so then it was an intentional and direct tempting of the Spirit However though they did not intend it yet 't was an interpretative tempting of the Spirit that is it is called a tempting of the Spirit and taken to be such because it was such a fact as they could do no more who had intended to tempt the Spirit But how was the Spirit of God tempted in this Act of theirs The act did tend though it may be they did not intend it I say the act did tend to this to make a tryal whether the Spirit knew their fraud or not and knowing of it whether he would punish it Their act spake in this language as if themselves had said Can it be that the Spirit should know or find out our deceit And so the meaning of Peters words How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord is this How is it that ye have Deodat in loc agreed together to make a prophane tryal whether he knew your fraud or no As if by this secret and fraudulent conveyance you would try or make an experience whether the spirit were privy to your deceit or no. Thus Sirs when men sin in secret they tempt Gods Knowledg it may be not of set-purpose but their actions tend to it Is Gods eye upon us can we not sin but God must know it can we be no-where out of his Presence Their actions behind the curtain put God to the tryal whether he seeth them or no. Hypoorites tempt Gods Knowledg they do as it were make a tryal whether the beams of his Knowledg reach the dark center of their hearts and his eyes read their cunning ends and self-designs to play the Hypocrites and carry on private Interests under the veil of profession what is it but to try whether they cannot hide their plots from God But oh fools for doth the influence of the Sun and Stars pierce down into the deep bosom of the earth and there beget mettals and minerals and shall not Gods Knowledg much more reach the heart of man The Lord knows the thoughts Psal 94. 11. of man that they are vanity 5. They tempt God who without a call cast themselves into danger to make tryal whether God can or will deliver them Scripture teacheth us that when danger is upon us we may hope well relying on God for help but we must not cast our selves rashly into danger that God may help we may trust God in difficulties that he will help but we must not throw our selves into difficulties expecting God to help This was Satans method of tempting Christ he would have had Mat. 4. 5 6. Christ to cast himself down from the Pinacle of the Temple that is throw himself into danger and try whether God would not preserve him For it is written saith he he shall Psal 91. 11 12. give his angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone But saith Christ Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God that is by casting thy self without a call into danger for Satan though he alledged Scripture yet hides some words which shew the meaning of it The Psalmist says He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways and what are thy ways but actions agreeable to thy calling and thy duty And thus he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways that is in those courses that are appointed thee of God But these words To keep thee in all thy ways the Devil leaves them out and clips the sentence and therefore Christ tells him It is written again thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God that is by going out of our way and casting our selves into danger without a call and then say the Lord will deliver us It had been contrary to Christs way and his duty to have thrown himself down from the Pinnacle of the Temple he had gone out of his way had he done so Sirs when we go out of Gods precincts we go out of Gods protection a King undertakes the safety of his Subjects whilst they travel within due hours and keep the Kings high-way else not so hath God promised to preserve us and his Angels to take charge over us while we hold his way If a man should throw himself into a deep River where in an ordinary way he could not but be drowned and say God is able to preserve me and make me swim out you will say he is a mad-man his faith is frenzy and 't is a most horrid and prodigious tempting of God So they tempt God that engage themselves to afflictions to poverty loss of estate without a call and therefore they that suffer must be sure they have a good ground and a good cause and truth of their side else they sinfully tempt God to provide for them Hitherto I refer wilful and indiscreet marriages when persons neither of whom have any competent subsistence shall marry together they know not how to live and maintain themselves and yet say God will provide this is to tempt God they cast themselves into the disaster of irremediable poverty and into the deep gulph of a thousand sorrows and temptations and yet say God will provide what is this but a sottish and sinful tempting of the Lord God So they that expose themselves to the occasions and temptations of sin saying God will keep them from sin these tempt God As servants that will venture to live in Papists houses and say God will preserve us from contagion or when servants cast themselves into a prophane family and say God I hope will not suffer me to be the worse for it or when serious christians shall make choice to tye themselves in marriage to prophane and carnal persons or when a man shall engage himself to sinful company and say Though they be naught God will keep me and take care of me all these tempt God as if a man should throw himself into the fire and say I shall not burn God will keep me or as if a man should run himself into an house where the plague is and say God will keep me from infection 6. God is tempted when we are not satisfied with his revealed will sufficiently made known to us but require further arguments and so put him to the tryal And thus we may tempt God in point of Doctrine when we will not sit down content I say with the revealed will of God when we refuse to believe that which is testified to be his Will but require more arguments thereof as of a matter still
dear Father And therefore in both his Epistles the Ink in which Paul dips his pen were his warmest Bowels to write to his beloved Timothy The design of these Epistles is various instructions teaching Timothy how he should govern the Church which he calls the house of God what Doctrines also he should Preach to the Church and several Admonitions exciting him to read and study study and read the Scriptures to execute his office with an intrepid spirit to be indefatigable in Preaching the Gospel 2 Tim. 4. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in season and out of season In a word to fear nothing in the race of his Ministry but act resolution fortitude and patience in bearing the afflictions of the Gospel In this Context where our words lye Paul would settle and corroborate Timothy ab exemplo by setting himself A causâ procatarcticâ Vers 10 11 12. an example before him But thou hast fully known my Doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering charity patience persecutions afflictions yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution In which words you have 1. An Act. And 2. The Object First Here is Timothies Act Thou hast fully known all these things in me which I hope will raise up your spirit to do the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast fully known The Object which Timothy knew so fully is expressed by Induction 1. Of Pauls Virtues 2. And of his Sufferings First His virtues Thou O Timothy hast fully known my Doctrine manner of life purpose faith long-suffering charity patience Secondly His sufferings Thou O Timothy hast fully known my persecutions afflictions 1. And they are described a circumstantia loci or ubi from the places where his afflictions and persecutions met him Which came unto me at Antioch at Iconium at Lystra what persecutions I endured 2. From the event or consequent of them But out of them Or a Contrario all the Lord delivered me 3. From the common subject of them or from the community of them they are accidentia communia common accidents yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution And therefore you must not be scared at them Timothy but resolve to have your share in them with such noble companions The words are a Proposition Categorical and Affirmative for they affirm that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Where you have 1. The Subject i. e. the persons who are spoken of and they are all that will live godly in Christ Jesus 2. The Praedicate or the thing that is spoken or said of them and that is They shall suffer persecution And the Proposition is universal also for it affirms that all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution I shall not discourse of the Praedicate or latter part of the Proposition namely the Godly's suffering of persecution for this is a common Theam and it is so true even to our sense and experience that I need not speak to it I shall therefore confine my self to the Subject or first part of the Proposition All that will live godly in Christ Jesus because I think it most concerns us to know what it is to be godly in Christ Jesus for herein the Knowledg of our eternal interests lyeth and if we can discern that we are godly in Christ Jesus we shall easily deduce our Title to Christ and a Right to eternal glory in him Now in our discourse upon this subject we must inquire First What is meant by godly Secondly Why this expression in Christ Jesus is added and what it imports all that are godly in Christ Jesus 1. What it is to be godly The words are All that will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 live godly or after a godly sort now godly presupposeth godliness as the Concret doth the Abstract for godly and godliness are Conjugata Conjugates and godly men are denominated or called so from godliness Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 godliness among other sounds it gives in Scripture speaks or signifies Religion or the true way of worship of God 2. Having now shewed you what the word godly means we come to the Addition in Christ Jesus All that will live godly in Christ Jesus For we might easily suppose that it had been enough for the Apostle to have said All that will live godly shall suffer persecution Why then doth he say or what need had he to add All that will live godly in Christ Jesus I Answer 1. This expression in Christ Jesus is added as specifica differentia a specifical difference to distingush the Christian Religion from all the rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Religious or Religion is the Genus and in Christ Jesus is the difference Constitutiva constituting the essence of true Religion putting it under such a kind and dividing it from all other Religions as from Divisiva Judaism which hates Christ and Graecism or Ethnicism which derides Christ and all salvation by him The Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom 1 Cor. 1. 22 23. but we preach Christ crucified to the Jews a stumbling-block and to the Greeks foolishness The Jews sought salvation by their legal righteousness and the Greeks by their moral virtues the Christians by Christ crucified And so the meaning is this All that will live godly or religiously in Christ Jesus that is that profess the Religion of Christ or the Christian Religion they whose Religion is Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution And so they did in those days those Primitive times when the very name of Christ was so hated by the Jews and the Doctrine of salvation by Christ in opposition to all their Gods was so impugned by the Gentiles Yet because Christian Religion requires the highest holiness and therefore carries a Divine Energy and virtue in it to supernatural actions it consists not in word only but in power No Religion sanctifies but this that is of Christ Jesus what she teacheth she infuseth into the hearts of her Children she is spirit and life because she carries Christ in her and Jesus Christ came to reform and renew the world to destroy sin and dethrone Satan and bring down Heaven upon the Earth and put God and Man into an Unity again 2. Therefore this expression in Christ Jesus speaks not only an outward profession of Christ Jesus but also an Vnion with Christ Jesus and an oneness with him So that to be godly in Christ Jesus is to be one with Christ Jesus for this is the high priviledg which Christian Religion puts upon her true Disciples that Christ dwells in them and they dwell in him This is an high Divinity they are united to Jesus Christ as the branch to the tree the graft to the stock the members to the head and if united then they must also be one with him and by reason of this unity do not only partake
received it granting him all the right that he had to dispose thereof to order it as he pleaseth that being so resigned to Jesus she may not have any thing more nor be any thing more but that he may be all have all and operate all in her This act puts the soul into a perfect denudation and makes her entirely dependent upon Christ to be led according to his will 1. Let us then acknowledg the Soveraignty of Jesus over all creatures and over us in particular Confessing that he is our King and Soveraign let us adore his Supream Authority it is life and happiness to know and to serve Jesus Christ 2. Let us submit actually to his Power not out of constraint or necessity as rebels or slaves but out of choice love and fidelity as our Prince and Jesus A Christian in this state looks upon himself only as a servant to Jesus and acts in all things only in the spirit of humility and subjection to him This state of service is proper and essential to the creature in regard of God the creature is essentially dependent and subject to the Creator It is an indispensable estate the creature may as soon cease to be as cease to depend on and be subject to the Creator It is essential also unto all Christians the first step of our entry into the Church and into Faith the first operation of grace upon our souls is to become servants to Jesus Christ This subjection is the first promise we make to God by a solemn publick profession in the Church by baptism there we devote our selves to Jesus Christ to belong to him to depend on him and we enter our selves into the state of servants and vow our selves to Jesus Christ as such So that by one and the same sacrament we are made the Children of God and received his servants and consequently we are in the house of God both as Sons and Servants yet so as that we are his Children by grace his Servants by nature The state of subjection is essential to the Creature and to the Christian so the same state is essential to the Piety of Christians and a godly life and therefore they who would establish themselves in Piety or Godliness must begin their establishment in this subjection for we must bear a relation of love and inclination to Jesus Christ as we do of purchase and necessity we are so much the more Gods and consequently the more perfect by how much we are the more abased and devested of our selves entirely depending and faithfully operating under the Power and Will of him who makes himself ours that we may be his and hath purchased us to himself at an inestimable rate In three points the soul of solid Piety and the perfection of Christianity consists 1. That we are united to Christ as our head and we his members 2. That in this Union we live by his Spirit 3. And follow his motions The soul then must resign and offer up to Christ her heart and will her understanding and power to the wisdom will and power of Jesus Christ in all matters of eternal salvation This resignation is the root and ground of all obedience and service by it we renounce all other Powers Lords Masters Teachers Redeemers and especially the Devil World and Flesh so as to account them our Enemies And seeing the person submitting is a guilty person this resignation cannot be performed without an inward acknowledgment of his own sin guilt baseness misery with godly sorrow a detestation of sin and a returning to obedience again And being guilty persons impotent and unable to help our selves in this resignation we renounce all confidence in our selves and all other things so as wholly to relye upon Gods mercy and Christs merit as without which we must perish everlastingly which so works upon us that by subjection we do gladly and willingly bind our selves to be his perpetual servants and vassals And therefore as according to law the slave is no more his own nor hath any right over any thing but is wholly left to the power and pleasure of his master so by this Obligation the Christian puts himself as nothing before Jesus Christ he gives place to all his rights of Nature and Grace to be only the subject of Christs Power and Divine Will And though we are all servants to Jesus Christ by right and purchase as we said before yet we will be such also out of good will and affection giving him a new power over us i. e. by our own voluntary consent and free choice to be so that we may be Captives to his love as well as to his Power and submit to the designs of the eternal Father who Col. 1. 13. did so graciously deliver us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of his dear son This this it is to be in Christ to be in Christ is to be in this subjection to Jesus Christ And now My Beloved we who say we have taken Christ and are in subjection to him let us weigh well what we say and consider with what sincerity and faithfulness we deal with the Son of God For seeing that we avouch that we leave our selves wholly to him in the quality of servants and make profession to have nothing which is not his and of him and that we yield up all to him even to the use of our own life and natural liberty What have we more to think of but sincerely and faithfully to accomplish what we profess What have we more to do but to make our life conformable to what we say i. e. to subject our selves in will and deed to the Greatness and Soveraignty of Jesus Christ I say in will and deed for it would avail but little to say it only with the mouth and have it in the thought if all our actions be full of our own will I say it were to little purpose to subject our selves by words to the Soveraignty of Jesus Christ to the conduct of his Spirit and motions if in the management of our life we follow the Spirit of the World and live in a continual desire to satisfie our selves and our own inclinations Let us mind this because so many deceive themselves in the godly life which they so easily profess contenting themselves with the superficies and eglect the rest Remember that he who says we must adore God in Spirit said also we must adore him in Truth 5. This expression in Christ Jesus All that will live godly in Christ Jesus speaks the end of a godly life Christ Jesus is the end of a godly life they that live in Christ Jesus do live to Christ Jesus to live in Christ Jesus is not only to live by the virtue of Jesus Christ but also to the glory of Jesus Christ to seek his praise and to have his honour in our eye the godly life is not only from Christ but for Christ And therefore they that