Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Thirdly Do but consider That this is the ordinary way that God leads men to mercy by God usually condemns before he justifies he breaks before he binds up he pulls down before he builds There is a time to pull down and a time to build up Eccles 3. That may be applyed to this purpose This is I say Gods ordinary way and would you have him to go out of his usual course and way If one of you should say to your Neighbour Let me come in at your window or break down your wall and then I will come in and visit you what answer think you would he make If you do not come in at the door the ordinary way do not come in to me I but some may say What will you have us to do Are we able to humble our selves True indeed when God hath first humbled us then we are able to humble our selves but you told us even now In the first work of Conversion we are meerly Passive we can do nothing towards our humiliation it is the work of the Spirit of God you have now preach'd Free-will to us To this I answer True indeed in a state of Nature we can do nothing that may please God we cannot set one foot forwards in the way to Heaven but yet let me tell you There is never an unconverted Sinner but may do a great deal more than he doth therefore I put you upon doing no more than you your selves can do and that in these five Particulars which I shall speak a little to and then have done First Though you cannot humble your selves in a state of unregeneracy yet you may suffer another to do it for you you may suffer it to be done A man for example that is to be cut of the stone though he cannot cut himself he may suffer another to cut him so a man that is sick of this desperate stony disease of the stone in the heart though he cannot take it away himself he may suffer it to be done when the Word of God ploughs up the Fallow-ground of your hearts you may hold up the Plough Heb. 13.22 You may suffer the Word of Exhortation which is tendered to you when God wounds you by the Word you may keep the wound open Carnal men when the Word hath wounded them they lick themselves whole by carnal counsels and carnal company and carnal reasonings O what a stir do men make to shake out the Arrow of Conviction resisting the Spirit of God that is stirring in the Ministry of the Word upon their hearts how many are there that come in Armour to Church they come in their Coat of Male how many harden their necks that the Word cannot pierce them Now this you must not do you must suffer the Word to rifle and ransack your hearts Let the Word smite you as he said Psal 141.5 Let the Righteous smite me Let the Word break my head or heart so it may but work upon my Soul When God rouzeth you suppose in any sickness or cutting-cross you may join with God in rouzing your selves when God smiteth you may not you smite upon your thighs as Ephraim did and say I am ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Jer. 31. In a word when God humbles you may not you humble your selves therefore in tire fear of the Lord resolve to wait upon an awakning searching Soul-piercing Ministry and bless God for that Sermon that stabs sin at the heart bless God for that Ministry that speaks most to thy Conscience you may suffer such a thing to be done though usually such a Ministry is look'd upon as a bug-Bear who preacheth nothing but fire and wrath and vengeance and damnation O blessed is that Word that wounds corruption says the Soul I have hewed them by my Prophets and slain them by the words of my mouth Hos 6.5 God would have his Word a saving Word Secondly There is never a one of you but can ponder and weigh things in your thoughts that you can do For example If you have a good price proffered for such a Commodity or such a bargain propounded to you or such a match for your Daughters you can weigh it and consider it you can consider which is the best Commodity and which is the best Match so here when the world comes and offers you present pay if you will but part with the peace of a good Conscience and comply and swim with the stream you shall never see the inside of a Prison you may have this Office and that Office this Preferment and that Preferment but now says Jesus Christ Do but keep thy integrity do but keep a good Conscience though thou suffer imprisonment the loss of all things thou shalt never lose by it for for temporal loss thou shalt have everlasting gain the Kingdom of Heaven now you can ponder and weigh things in your minds you can consider whether it is best to enjoy the World for a while to be free from Prisons and troubles so as to part with the peace of a good Conscience and lose God for ever or whether it is best to endure troubles to enjoy God and the peace of a good Conscience and to enjoy an Eternity of Blessedness it is better to endure a thousand Prisons than to lose the peace of a good Conscience and the favour of God this upon your considering and pondering you will conclude for the Devil he offers the pleasures of sin that are but for a season but says Jesus Christ You shall have pleasures at my right hand for evermore no man in his wits but would say it is better to have the pleasures that are at Gods right hand for ever than the pleasures of sin which it may be I may not enjoy one year not one month not one day So likewise there is none of you but can consider where you will lie when you are dead O says one I will lie in such a Church or in such a Church yard and cannot you consider O but where shall my Soul lie shall the Angels carry it into Abrahams bosom or shall the Devils carry it into darkness that blackness of darkness for ever Jude 13. And you can meditate on the things that concern this life every one can ponder on the things that concern his own temporal estate and concernment and certainly you may as well meditate upon the things that concern a future life you may meditate on the joys of Heaven and on the sorrows and torments of Hell and the precious blood of Jesus Christ There is a story of a man that read in a Book every day that had three Leaves a white leaf a red leaf a black leaf the white leaf of the Book that was the joys of
prayer doth not consist in the neatness of the phrase nor in the redundancy of rhetorick nor in curious oratory it consists not in outward expressions but it consists in the humility of a spirit wounded and looking up to God it consists in this God looks at this the frame of the spirit not at the outward expressions in prayer a man may by the strength of parts have an excellent gift in prayer and yet not the grace thereof If you ask me How may a man know the difference between the gift of prayer and the grace of prayer I answer briefly you may know it by these particulars First The gift of prayer vents it self in publick more than in private but now the grace of prayer vents it self more in private than in publick it will enable a man in his private closet to pour out his soul before God when there is no witness but his heavenly Father and his own conscience Secondly You shall observe the gift of prayer puffs a man up with pride but now the grace of prayer makes a man very lowly and base in his own eyes the more grace a man hath in his heart the more base he will be in his own account even in his greatest enlargements Thirdly The gift of prayer makes a man pray in the strength of his parts but now the grace of prayer makes a man pray in the strength of Jesus Christ Fourthly The gift of prayer expects an eccho of commendation from men but now the grace of prayer that expects only an approbation from God Fifthly The gift of prayer vents it self in outward expressions but the grace of prayer consists in the inward impressions upon the heart not the outward expressions of the mouth Sixthly The gift of prayer will quiet the heart for the present but it doth not purifie the heart it will quiet the heart it will stop the mouth of a chiding conscience which otherwise would be rating at us if a man neglect prayer as a gift his conscience will be unquiet but now the grace of prayer will not only quiet but purifie the conscience The second part of the answer to the objection is this The objection was this Experience seems to deny this truth that God is ready to hear and answer the prayers of his people I have a second answer and that is this God may be said to hear and answer the prayers of his people when he seems not to hear as we may seem to pray when we do not pray so God may be said to hear when he seems not to hear for example First God seems not to hear when he hears when he puts our prayers into his book and our tears into his bottle when he hath a book of remembrance for our prayers when our prayers are upon the file though for the present we do not see them answered Acts 10.4 God speaks to Cornelius there Thy prayers and alms are come up for a memorial before me Cornelius was ready to think I have prayed thus long I have lost all my labour I see no fruit no benefit of them but saith God to him Thy prayers are in remembrance they are upon the file for all that Secondly God hears when he seems not to hear namely when he is fitting us for the mercy he intends to bestow upon us God makes his people wait for a mercy as appears out of those words Isa 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth away his face from the house of Jacob and will look up And God says that he will wait that he may be gracious Isa 30.18 God waits opportunities to bestow mercies when they are most seasonable when his people are fitted for mercy A man that is about to pour in some precious oyl into a glass if he see some dirt at the bottom of the glass he stops his hand for the present says he Let the glass be washt first then I will pour in the oyl so if our hearts be once washt and fit ro receive the mercy we beg then God will bestow it Jer. 4.14 Oh Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayst be saved when we wash away our sins by repentance and are fit for mercy then God bestows it on us in the mean time he hears though he seems not to hear Thirdly God hears when he seems not to hear when he hears according to our wants though not according to our wills when he bestows upon us that which is better than that we pray for Psalm 34.10 The greedy Lions shall lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing if it be good for them they shall not want it if peace and plenty and prosperity were good for them they shall not want it but God would bestow it upon them but if they would abuse their peace and plenty and prosperity to pride and presumption then the denial of them would be a great mercy God sometimes denies that in mercy to his children which he grants in anger to wicked and ungodly men it is better a thousand times to be under the frowns of Gods favour than under the smiles of his vengeance it is better to weep with Christ than sport with Satan its better to be a corrected child than a cockered bastard If we want chastisement whereof all are partakers then are we bastards and not sons Heb. 12.8 it s better to be chastised of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world than spared with the world and condemned to all eternity A man at the first view would wonder at Gods dealing with Paul and his dealing with Satan Satan begged that he might have liberty to tempt Job God answered Satan and gives him leave Job 1 Go thy way and tempt him Paul on the other side he earnestly begged to be free from the buffetings of Satan he begged thrice that God would remove the thorn in the flesh and this was all the answer he could have for the present 2 Cor. 12 My grace is sufficient for thee Why may some say doth God answer Satan in his request about Jobs sufferings and not Paul in his request about the Devils buffeting him why was God more ready to gratify Satan in his request than Paul in his who was a chosen vessel A man would wonder at this but if you observe it well Paul was heard in that he was not heard and the Devil was not heard in that he was heard First Paul was heard in that he was not heard for he was heard to his advantage though he was not heard in the letter of his request he beg'd that the thorn in the flesh might be removed Gods answer was My grace is sufficient for thee God in giving him supporting grace under the temptation gave a fitter mercy for Paul than the removal of the temptation because God saw that Paul by reason of the multitude of his Revelations had need to be kept humble therefore
is born of God and knoweth God He that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love And in ver 12 If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us 2. We may know the Spirit of God is bestowed upon us by constancy in our profession and stedfastness in the ways of truth this is one certain mark of the Spirit of God when a man can hold fast his profession and that without wavering can keep close to the truth How did Job approve himself to be one that belonged to God My foot hath held his steps saith he his way have I kept and not declined Job 23.11 And how did David prove himself to be one of his sheep I have chosen the way of truth and I have stuck unto thy testimonies Psal 119.30 31. That is a dreadful Scripture in John 2.9 Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He speaks of transgression in Judgment in running into corrupt Opinions and he that abides not in the Doctrine of God but falls from the Truths of Christ he hath no part in God 3. By a zeal for Gods Glory his Cause his Truth especially in evil times That man that can stand up for God when others forsake him and sin againsthim that man that can be most zealous in maintaining of Gods Truth and can say with David in Psalm 69.9 The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me And Psalm 119.158 I beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy word By this may we know the Spirit of God is in us 4. By sympathy and compassion towards our Brethren that are in afflictions and misery if one member suffer all the rest of the members suffer with it when we can sigh in their sorrows and bleed in their wounds and be affected with their miseries and calamities as if they were our own By these effects we may know whether we have received the mark of Christ that is the Spirit of Christ That is the first sign if you have received the Mark of Christ Secondly If thou be a Sheep of Christ thou art returned from thy former wandrings 1 Pet. 2.25 Ye were as sheep going astray but are now returned to the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls Canst thou say there hath been a work of Conversion wrought on thy soul Once thou wast unprofitable but now art profitable once thou wert wandring in the wilderness of sin but now thou art brought home to Jesus Christ Is there a work of Conversion wrought in thy soul canst not thou say now I am not the same man I was the same woman I was Certainly if there be a returning from your ways of wandring and walking in paths of new obedience and keeping in the Fold of Christ then you are the Sheep of Christ Thirdly If thou be a Sheep of Jesus Christ thou mayst know it by thy carriage towards thy Shepherd if thou art a Sheep of Christ thou wilt know thy Shepherd thou wilt know and see so much sweetness fulness and all-sufficiency in him that thou wilt say None but Christ none but Christ thou wilt count all things but dross and dung in comparison of Christ Thirdly Thou wilt hear his voice My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me John 10.27 Now to hear the voice of Christ is to be able to discern his voice from the voice of strangers The Spouse was able to discern the voice of her Beloved Cant. 2.8 The voice of my Beloved The great work he was to do was to work out redemption for me he was to do and suffer much but all could not daunt him But he comes leaping on the mountains and skipping on the hills Then they follow him Christ sheep have not only the Ear-mark to hear his voice but also the foot-mark they follow him whithersoever he goes when Christ calls them they say Lo here we are They follow him by imitating him in his Patience Meekness Humility c. And if thou wilt study how to be like him that thou mayst be made more and more conformable to his Image by thy carriage towards thy Shepherd thou mayst know if thou art his Sheep thou wilt know him hear his voice follow him and labour to be made conformable to him A fourth mark whereby thou mayst know whether thou art a Sheep of Jesus Christ is this Thou mayst know it by thy carriage towards the Flock that is towards thy fellow Servants towards those that are the members of Jesus Christ It is observed of Sheep that they are the most profitable creatures you can name so if thou be a sheep of Jesus Christ thou wilt not be an unprofitable burthen in thy station but thou wilt be fruitful in thy place and profitable to others 1 Cor. 10.33 Even as I please all men in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved And sheep as they are profitable so they are innocent and harmless creatures they wrong they injure none so if thou be one of the sheep of Christ thou wilt be harmless Phil. 2.15 That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation The Greek word for Harmless is there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies without Horns not pushing one another if you be the sheep of Christ you will dearly love one another but if you bite and devour one another you are Dogs and not Sheep Fifthly Sheep are contented with their Pasture Oh! if thou be a sheep of Jesus Christ thou wilt bless God in any state and condition whatsoever thou art in thou wilt say If I have gotten Jesus Christ no matter how poor and low and despicable my condition on earth be Sixthly Sheep usually are united one to another they go in Flocks and Herds they do not willingly forsake one another If thou be a sheep of Christ thou wilt keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 Thou wilt not forsake the assembly of Gods Saints Heb. 10.25 Oh my Brethren you should labour to find these sneepmarks upon your souls A third Use it is for Exhortation If Jesus Christ be the blessed Shepherd as you have heard him described that hath the greatest care and love and power and reward Oh! what an invitation might this be to every one to come to Jesus Christ and to stand out no longer many perswasions have been tendered to you many hundred times and yet some of you never brought home to Jesus Christ to this day Oh that this might be that blessed day wherein Jesus Christ and some wandring sheep may be brought together Consider who calls thee it is not a Judg but a Shepherd and consider why he calls not to hurt but to heal thee not to kill but to cure thee not to
in thy name Thus if you follow this Shepherd hear and obey him then all the sweetness and marrow of this Doctrine belongs to you The Lord write these things upon our hearts and draw us nearer and nearer to him that we may say he feeds us and cloaths us and gives us eternal life So much for the first point of Doctrine drawn from the first part of that Christs Relation to his People CHRIST'S PROVISION FOR MANS DIRECTION Isaiah XL. 11. He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather his Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young 2. Doct. JEsus Christ in his carriage to his People hath a tender respect to their infirmities For the proof of this Point I shall give you but one place of Scripture and it is so full that I shall need no more Ezek. 34.19 It is spoken of our blessed Saviour says our Saviour I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick There are four sorts of Persons mentioned there that have a great deal of need of Christs care and compassion and of his tender indulgence towards them First Some there are that are lost Sheep not finally or totally lost but lost in their own apprehension in their own sense and feeling as David complains in Psalm 119.176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep Now these our Blessed Saviour will seek he will recover them by his Word and Spirit though in their own apprehensions they think themselves lost dead damned and undone yet notwithstanding he will seek them and bring them into his Fold again Secondly Others there are that are driven away and that is a further degree of Misery Satan hath not only gotten them out of the Fold but when they are got out they wander more and more they are driven more and more from Jesus Christ by Satans subtilty and his temptations Now says our Saviour those which are driven away I will bring them again Thirdly Some are in a further degree of Misery they are broken broken with discouragements they are ready to say There is no hope no mercy belongs to such sinners as they are and these are in a worse condition than the former for a sheep may be lost and driven from the Fold but if that be all he may return but if the sheep have broken a Leg though he hear the voice of the Shepherd he cannot help himself his Leg is broken and he cannot come at the call of the Shepherd So some are so broken with discouragements that though they hear the voice of Christ they are ready to say No mercy belongs to us Now says Christ these will I bind up again and restore that Comfort that will quiet their hearts and speak peace to them Fourthly Others are sick and that is yet a further degree of misery when a poor sheep doth not only wander and is driven away and hath a broken leg discouraged with temptations but hath some kind of sickness of spirit seized on him so that he saith his soul abhors all manner of meat as David describes a man in such a condition says he his soul abhors all manner of meat and they are brought to the very gates of death Psalm 107 18. This is the saddest condition of all but says Christ these are such that I will strengthen If you would know the reason why Christ hath such a tender respect to his Peoples infirmities I will give you these Three The First is drawn from that gracious Disposition that is in him He is a Saviour of a very meek mild tender and compassionate heart this appears by those Names and Titles that sets forth the sweetness of our Saviours disposition in Scripture he compares himself to a Father to a Physician to a Husband To a Father Heb. 2.13 it is the speech of Christ Behold I and the Children which God hath given me And again he compares him to a Physician Matth. 9.12 But when Jesus heard that he said unto them They that be whole need not a Physician but they that be sick So likewise to a Husband Isa 54.5 For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his name Now of whom should Children expect pity and compassion but of their Father as a Father pitieth his own Children so is the Lord merciful to them that fear him Psalm 103.13 And of whom should a Patient expect help but of the Physician And of whom should a Wife expect pity but of her Husband band who knows how to give the Wife the honour of a mild Usage because he knows she is the weaker Vessel All these Relations of a Father a Physician a Husband and of a Shepherd they are most eminently in the Lord Jesus Christ That is one reason Secondly He hath a tender respect to our infirmities because he is a Merciful High-Priest toucht with the sense of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 For we have not a high Priest which cannot be toucht with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Heb. 2.18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted As God speaks to the Jews Exod. 23.9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger seeing ye were strangers in the Land of Egypt So the Lord Christ he knows the hearts of poor tempted broken bruised souls because he himself was tempted A Father you know because he is acquainted with the distempers of his Child more than a stranger is pities his Child more than a stranger doth So the Lord Christ he knows our frame he considers our temper Psalm 103.13 24 therefore he pities us more than strangers do that do not know our tempers he considers we are but dust and as the wind that passeth away therefore he suffers not his whole displeasure to fall upon us Psal 78.38 39. That 's the second reason he pities us and hath a tender respect to our infirmities because he is a merciful High Priest toucht with the sense of our infirmities Thirdly The Lord Jesus Christ hath a tender respect to the infirmities of his people because he loves and likes and means to cherish the beginings of grace in any one of his poor children he loves grace and he likes it and cherisheth it he looks more at the good in us which he means to cherish than at the bad in us which he means to abolish the Lord Christ looks at the very buddings and blossoms of grace in the soul those beginnings of grace are precious unto him therefore he says of a little grace as a man says of a tree that has but one cluster upon it Do not cut the tree it hath a blessing in it Isa 65.8 The Lord Christ will not destroy a cluster
their faith is true Faith when it is but Fancy they think their Repentance is true Repentance when it is but Worldly-sorrow they think their obedience is true Obedience when it is but Hypocrisie It may be they take Civility for Sanctity and natural parts for true Piety it may be they take Restraining-grace for Renewing-grace and so they are deceived in their spiritual Estates Thousands there are that deceive themselves in this particular Thirdly It may be demanded But how comes it to pass that it is possible for men to come near to Heaven and yet come short of Heaven For answer to this I shall give you but two Reasons First Men come near Heaven and yet come short of Heaven because they will not come up to the price I do not mean the price of merit I abhor that opinion to think that we can merit Heaven but my meaning is this they do not come up to the price of means though nothing can be done by way of merit yet much must be done in the use of means my meaning is they will not do that which Jesus Christ would have them do they will not suffer that which must be suffered they will not forsake that which must be forsaken 1. They will not do that which Jesus Christ would have them do for Example they will not walk exactly they will not renew their repentance they will not set about the work of God with all their might and mind and strength they will not work out their salvation with fear and trembling there is much to be done many duties to be done from a right principle in a right manner and to a right end 2. They will not suffer that which is to be suffered our Saviour saith If any man will come after me let him deny himself take up his cross and follow me You must be content to bear his Cross as well as to wear his Crown Now this they will not do Again They will not forsake that which must be forsaken our Saviour saith a man must part with his right-eye and right-hand any thing that stands in opposition to or that comes in competition with him Now men will not do they will not suffer they will not forsake what Christ would have them It fares with them as with a pedling Chapman who likes a Commodity well but he will not come up to the price of it men are willing to do something but they will not do so much as is required they will not proportion their labour according to their work they will not make up the hedg according to the breach This is certain many there are that come short of Heaven because they do not use the utmost of their endeavours for the prosecution of the end many come short of Heaven because of their slight endeavours in the way of heaven Luke 13 Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and shall not be able What is the reason they only seek but do not strive It is not enough for you to seek to enter in at the strait gate unless you strive and you must strive as in an Agony so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Original Secondly A second reason is this Why some men come so near Heaven and yet come short of Heaven Because of their Apostacy they begin in the spirit and end in the flesh they put their hands to the Plow and look back you did run well who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth Gal. 5.7 You do not obey it constantly you are not steady and firm in the truth but you are starting aside like a broken bow falling from the truth in their profession and in their practice of Religion These are the reasons why men come near Heaven and yet come short of Heaven And thus I have proved the Point in the three Branches of it Now what use shall we make of it The Use is this by way of Conviction Oh what terrour may this strike into the hearts of all those who are only Nominal Christians that have a name only to live and in the mean time are dead that have a form of Godliness but are as great strangers to the power of it as Pagans are to the profession of it Oh what terrour may this strike into the hearts of all you that come short of those that come short of Heaven and if you come short of those that come short of heaven what will become of you For example May a man be a frequenter of the Word of God May a man make conscience of keeping the Sabbath I mean for the external observation of it May a man be a countenancer of Religion and yet come short of Heaven then what will become of them that neglect Ordinances What will become of them to whom the Word of the Lord is a burden The word of the Lord is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it Jer. 16.10 And what will become of them that say of the service of the Lord What a weariness is it Mal. 1.13 What a weariness is it to wait on God and to hear Sermons If a man may be a Believer and yet come short of Heaven I mean a temporary Believer to believe for a while then what will become of them that believe not at all believe none of the Precepts of God to obey them nor the promises to embrace them nor the threatnings to tremble at them If a man have outward reformation and yet come short of Heaven What then will become of them that have no reformation at all that wallow in the mire of their sins What will become of Lyars and Swearers and Drunkards The Pharisees were no friends to those gross sins and yet they came short of Heaven Oh that this might awaken all those that are yet asleep in their sins that are rockt in the Devils Cradle and that do not understand their own condition May a man have natural parts and qualifications and yet come short of Heaven What will become of them that are Sots in matters of Religion that have not obtained to their A B C in Religion but are ignorant of the fundamentals of Religion May a man have some superficial tasts and beginnings of grace and give his assent to the truths of the Gospel May he receive the word of God with joy May he be moved at a Sermon and have a resolution to obey and reform many things and yet come short of Heaven then how doleful and dreadful is their condition that have no affection to nor no delight in the Word of the Lord that have no purposes of new and better obedience but they come to hear the Word out of Formality and Custom and not to get any spiritual advantage to their own souls Oh! if this were seriously thought upon it would make Sinners to look about them and to fall down at the feet of God
I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me In a word They know that Jesus Christ is their Rock their Refuge their Redeemer their Peace their Portion their All and therefore they see the infinite need they have of him and that without him they are nothing they can do nothing they are worse than nothing therefore they prize him Here is one Reason why Jesus Christ is so precious to true Believers because they see the infinite need they have of him Secondly Jesus Christ is thus precious to true Believers because they see an invaluable and unconceivable beauty in him It is true indeed to Unbelievers Jesus Christ hath no beauty in him that they should desire him as it is Isa 53.2 For be shall grow up before him as a tender Plant and as a root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him A carnal earthly minded man he says concerning Christ as they did in the place before named Cant. 5.9 What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved What is there of so much beauty in Christ that we should either eye him observe him prize him or seek him or look after him Acts 4.11 This is the Stone which was set at nought by you builders Jesus Christ is as a thing of nothing in an Unbelievers eye such a one makes no more reckoning of him with reverence be it spoken than the dirt under foot Whereas Faith you must know hath an Eagles eye it can see things afar off it sees a great deal of beauty in the Lord Jesus Christ though in respect of any of these outward accommodations there is no beauty at all in him yet discerning things with a Spiritual eye a Believer sees Christ afar off as it is said of Abraham John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad There was an eye of Faith in Abraham He saw my day and rejoyced Hence it is that believing in Christ is sometimes expressed by this Phrase of seeing Christ Act. 22.14 Ananias speaking to Paul said The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will and see that just one and shouldst hear the voice of his mouth See him that is that thou shouldst believe in him Faith therefore sees Christ sees him afar off sees him though cloathed with our flesh with our infirmities Faith looks upon Jesus Christ and does see him evidently crucified as the Apostle speaks Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Nay Faith sees a great deal of beauty in his sufferings how much more in his glory for Example Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Heb. 11.26 Why for he had respect unto the recompence of reward he had the quick-sighted eye of Faith You read in Mark 2 when the Wise men came from the East to Jerusalem to enquire after him that was born King of the Jews that is after Jesus Christ when they came to enquire of him they first came to Jerusalem and they saw Herod it may be arrayed in all his glorious Robes but we do not read that they fell down and worshipped Herod then they came to Bethlehem where they saw the Babe Jesus wrapt in Swadling-cloaths in a poor Garb it may be little better than rags yet they fall down and worship him Now what is the reason that they did not worship a magnificent glorious Herod in all his Robes but they worship a poor contemptible Babe in Swadling-cloaths surely this was because they had a spiritual eye of Faith they looked on Christ with an eye of Faith therefore in his Infancy they saw greatness in his meanness they saw Majesty and more Glory in Christ in his Rags than in Herod in his Robes Thirdly Christ is thus precious to true Believers because they do not only see the need they have of him and a great deal of beauty in him but they do receive very rich and invaluable benefits by him for the present First They receive many temporal mercies by him all their temporal comforts come streaming to them in the blood of Jesus Christ Christ is the Heir of all things and all things are Believers by Christ All things are yours says the Apostle so far as you are Christs 1 Cor. 3.22 Secondly As they receive temporal mercies so they receive many spiritual Priviledges Graces and comforts by him They receive spiritual Priviledges as Justification Sanctification and Adoption First Justification Oh what a Priviledg is this that through Jesus Christ God should look upon Believers not as Sinners but as Saints for God to say of them Thou art all fair my Beloved there is no spot in thee in respect of Justification there is no spot in thee though their Sanctification be imperfect Cant. 4.7 Believers have the blood of Jesus Christ to take away all their guilt not only the guilt contracted in their unregenerate estate but the guilt contracted in the estate of grace Alas says a Believer when I have done a Duty used a comfort filled my Relations in the best manner I can what would become of me if I had not a Saviour a Mediator to take away the iniquity of my holy Offerings But now this is a priviledg better worth than the Gold of Ophir nay better worth than the whole World namely by Jesus Christ and believing in him We are justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.39 Secondly And as they receive the priviledg of Justification so Believers receive the priviledg of Sanctification by him for Christ is not only made to us Wisdom by his Word and Righteousness by his Merit but Sanctification also by his Spirit 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made not only a pattern of holiness to us but the principle of holiness Believers are strong in his Strength and wise by his Wisdom and holy by his Holiness and meek by his Meekness they have the Image of Jesus Christ stampt upon their Souls they know him in some measure in the power of his death killing and crucifying the old man together with the affections and lusts thereof they know him in the power of his Resurrection raising them up to a holy and Heavenly Conversation Thus I say they receive the priviledg of Sanctification by Jesus Christ Thirdly And then they receive the Priviledg of Adoption too as he is the Natural Son of God Believers being united to him they are partakers of his Son-ship they are made the Sons and Daughters of God by Adoption And I will be a Father to you and you shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. ult Secondly And so Believers receive spiritual grace from him Look as the Oyl that was
Heaven the red leaf that was the blood of Jesus Christ the black leaf that was the torments of Hell You may look into Hell by contemplation and meditation that you may prevent Hell to all Eternity you may meditate upon the blood of Christ and steep as it were your souls in it by meditation it may be it may soften them It is said of the Goats blood when nothing can soften an Adamant the blood of Goats can the blood of Christ that can soften your hard hearts when nothing else can Thirdly A third thing you can do you can sorrow more and mourn more than you do there is none of you but can sorrow and mourn for outward losses loss of Friends as Husband and Wife or Child perhaps for the loss of a Horse what canst thou mourn for the loss of a Child and canst thou not mourn for the loss of a Soul when one Soul is worth all the Kingdoms in the World If any of you have lost a good Bargain or mist a good Market you can grieve for this O methinks you should mourn for this how many Market days have I lost for my Soul I have burnt out many a precious light and spent out my precious time and can you not mourn for the loss of such a Bargain as this is Suppose one of you should be sent for before a mighty Monarch and should be impeach'd of high Treason before him how would you tremble to appear before so mighty a King that hath power in his hands to cut you off instantly O you and I must appear before the great Judg of Heaven and Earth the King of Kings that knows all the sins and Treasons that ever we have committed and you should bless God if you are cast into fear and thereby be brought to mourn and grieve and sorrow for your sins Job 23.16 For God maketh my heart soft and the Almighty troubleth me that is soft by troubling of me Fourthly There is never a one of you but may leave gross and scandalous sins which I prove thus you can do it for fear of men and you may do it much more for fear of God A prophane Swearer if he be in the company of a Godly grave Minister he can refrain his mouth from vile talk he can forbear his Oaths and blasphemous Speeches and obscene expressions An Adulterer if a boy be but in the Room of seven years old he will forbear to act his uncleanness until the boy be out of the Room If you can forbear gross sins for fear of men much more can you do it for fear of God If a boy can say his Lesson with a Rod certainly he can do it without a Rod if you can abstain from gross sins for fear certainly you can do it without You read of the hypocritical Pharisee he abstained from gross sins Luke 18 God I thank thee saith he I am not as other men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers c. Fifthly Though it is true a man in a state of Nature is dead in trespasses and sin yet then at that time he may do many good works works morally good works materially good he may fast and pray and give Alms therefore it is that Daniel speaks to Nebuchadnezzar Break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Dan. 4.27 Certainly the Prophet Daniel would never have spoken so to him if it had not been in his power to do it The Apostle speaking of the Gentiles though they wanted the knowledg of the Law and had not the Law saith he Yet they did by Nature the things contained in the Law they were a Law to themselves which shews that the works of the Law are written in their hearts Rom. 2.13 14. They that are in an unregenerate estate they may pray they may make Conscience of praying in their Families though they cannot pray as they should yet they may pray as they are able they may fall down at the feet of God and say Lord I am a poor sinful wretch I cannot please thee praying or not praying thou hast promised to give the spirit of prayer to them that ask it Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him Say Lord give me thy Spirit to break my hard heart take any way with me so my proud heart may be humbled and hard heart broken that I may welcom Jesus Christ to my Soul that I may believe in him and cast my Soul upon him So that Beloved I put you upon no more than you are able to do you may suffer the word of Exhortation you can ponder and weigh the Word in your own hearts you may sorrow and mourn for sin you may abstain from gross sins and you may do those works that are morally good do what you can do men are not damned because they can do no better but because they will do no better Matth. 23 O Jerusalem Jerusalem I would have gathered thee as a Hen her Chickens under her wings but ye would not If there were no will there would be no Hell saith St. Austin Do what you can set upon works of Holiness and Piety strive and put forth your strength to the uttermost endeavour of your Souls to get your hearts humbled to see sin and to sigh for it to grieve and groan for it lay your conditions to heart be feelingly apprehensive of that wrath that sin hath kindled of that Justice that sin hath provoked of that Mercy that sin hath abused of that vengeance and anger that sin hath deserved to be inflicted O were we but thus humbled we should have cause to bless God to all Eternity I shall close with one word to those that have been under a spirit of bondage that have been convinced awakened as this Jaylor was that have had their broken bones that have felt the burden of sin and it may be lie under that burden at this day O be you comforted it s better to be broken here than hereafter it is better to be convinced here than convinced hereafter it is better to be humbled here than for God to humble the Soul in Hell to all Eternity God will make thy Valley of Achor a Door of Hope Hos 2.15 Thou that art humbled now shalt be exalted and thou that mournest now shalt be comforted CHRIST THE Bread of Life John VI. 35. And Jesus said unto them I am the Bread of Life he that cometh unto me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst THis Chapter contains in it that admirable and Heavenly Sermon of our Saviour concerning the Bread of Life wherein you may take notice of three parts First The occasion of this Sermon that was the Peoples following of him because they did eat of the Loaves and were filled Verse 26. Secondly The Sermon it self and that is
from vers 27 to ver 59. Thirdly You have the issue or consequence of the Sermon some believed and some revolted some murmured and some marvelled The Text that I have now read unto you is part of the Sermon it self wherein our Lord and Saviour because of the stupidity and incredulity of his Auditors doth again and again both press and prove this Heavenly Doctrine that he himself was the Bread of Life I am says he the Bread of Life he that cometh to me shall not hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst In which Text you may take notice of these two parts First An undeniable Proposition I am the Bread of Life Secondly A comfortable Inference upon that Proposition He that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall nevtr thirst I shall begin with the first the evident and undeniable Proposition I am the Bread of Life which words must not be understood literally as if our Saviour was such Corporal Bread as could be chewed in the mouth and digested in the stomach as the Capernaites did fondly conceive when they said How can this man give us his flesh to eat this was as gross a conceit as Nicodemus's who askt If he should go into his Mothers womb again and be born But the words must be understood in a Metaphorical sense That as Bread strengthens the body and revives the spirit and supports the nature of a man and enables him to perform natural actions with more vigour and vivacity so likewise the Lord Jesus Christ strengthens the Soul and revives the spirit and supports us in our spiritual life and helps us to perform spiritual duties in a spiritual manner therefore he saith I am the Bread of Life He is not only bread but the bread of life because it is he that gives us spiritual life here and preserves that life and will hereafter give to us Eternal lise in Glory and therefore he is called The Bread of Life So then the Doctrine I would commend to you from hence is this Doct. The Lord Jesus Christ is that living bread that gives Spiritual and Eternal life to all those that have a part and interest in him This is a Truth so unquestionable that it is no less than six times repeated in this one Chapter And for the better Confirmation of it it may be demanded First Wherein doth our Saviour resemble bread Secondly And how doth it appear that our Saviour is better than bread I shall speak briefly to them both First Wherein doth our Saviour resemble bread I will name but three particulars though I know more might be reckoned up First Bread you know it is prepared food the Corn must be threshed and winnowed and ground in a Mill and baked in an Oven before it can be bread for us to eat So the Lord Jesus Christ he was threshed as I may say by afflictions and tribulations He was a man of sorrows and he was winnowed by temptations he was baked and scorch'd as it were in the Oven of his Fathers wrath for it was he that trod the Winepress of his Fathers wrath alone for us and all this was done before he could be made fit Bread that is a fit Saviour for our Souls Secondly Bread you hnow it is common food it is common to the poor as well as to the rich for the foolish as well as the wise the poor have bread if they have any thing so the Lord Jesus Christ he is a common Saviour common for all ranks and conditions of men for high and low and rich and poor noble and ignoble all are beholding to Jesus Christ here There is neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond nor Free but Christ is all and in all Col. 3.11 Thirdly Bread you know it is the principal food it is the stay and support of a mans life therefore it is called The staff of bread Isa 3.1 So the Lord Jesus Christ he is the principal portion of the Souls of all Believers He is the choicest of ten thousand Cant. 5.10 We may better want any thing than bread The Lord Jesus Christ is as I may say not only the food of our Souls but the Soul of our Souls and the Life of our Lives Secondly It may be demanded But wherein doth Jesus Christ excel this corporal bread I answer in these four respects First Corporal bread though it doth help to preserve life yet it cannot give life but now the Lord Jesus Christ is he that gives spiritual Life he begins it and begets it in his People Ephes 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins And hence it is that the Lord Jesus Christ is called the second Adam The first man Adam was made a living Soul the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 And in John 5.21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom be will Secondly Bread doth satisfie but one appetite namely hunger never was it known that bread could satisfie thirst but now the Lord Jesus Christ he can satisfie all the desires of the Soul and supply all the wants of the Soul he is both the bread of life and the water of life nay not only bread and water but he is cloathing to the Soul as it is in Rom. 13. ult Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ So that he is both Food and Spiritual Cloathing Thirdly Bread though it satisfie your hunger for the present yet it cannot so take away your hunger that you shall hunger no more if it satisfie hunger to day you will be hungry again to morrow But now the Lord Jesus Christ doth so satisfie the hunger of our Souls that we shall never hunger nor thirst more for so the Text tells you He that comes to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst Fourthly Corporal bread you know is perishing and doth but nourish a perishing life John 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth But now the Lord Jesus Christ is not perishing bread but that bread that endures for ever and that life that he gives is not a perishing life neither John 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world So you see the Point opened Let me briefly apply it because I principally aim at the second part of the Text the comfortable-Inference But for the improvement of this Point First By way of Information and then by way of Exhortation First By way of Information there are three Doctrinal Inferences from the Point thus opened that may be thence deduced First If the Lord Jesus Christ be that living bread that gives Spiritual and Eternal life to them that believe in him then you may learn this
Eph. 2.8 and you cannot of your selves believe So Saint Peter he bid Simon Magus pray that his sins may be forgiven him and yet notwithstanding no man is able of himself to pray in an acceptable manner saith the Apostle We know not how to pray as we ought but the Spirit helps our infirmities Rom. 28.6 But the Arminians they stretch the Objection yet a little further and argue thus Object If God commands us to do what we are not able to perform then this is cruelty in God and they give you an instance For example say they If you tie a mans hands and bid him work or cut off his legs ard bid him walk this is a great deal of cruelty so say they If God bid us do his will and we have no freedom nor ability to do his will then this is cruelty in God To this I answer It is true indeed if God should tie our hands or cut off our legs then this Objection would be of some weight but God doth not do so God at first made man upright he gave us ability to do his will but if we have lost that ability we cannot blame God but our selves our destruction is from our selves our inability to do Duty is from our selves Secondly I answer Natural and unregenerate men though they cannot work grace in their own hearts yet they may do something in a tendency to grace they may wait on the means of grace they may hear as they are able and pray as they are able and do Duties as they are able they may wait upon God as they did in Acts 2 when they cryed out Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved 1 Cor. 14.24 25. They may come to the Assemblies of Gods Saints as that ignorant and Unbeliever did though for the present he was in a state of ignorance and unbelief yet by hearing the Word preached he was convinced and converted Men are not damned for Can-nots but for Will-nots men are not damned because they can do no better but because they will do no better Thirdly I answer Though we do not work with God yet God will not work without us God saves no man against his will God carries no man to Heaven as a Sack is carried to the Market on Horse-back but God saves a man by bowing and bending his will and of unwilling making him willing Saint Austin saith Qui sine auxilio tuo te Creavit contra voluntatem tuam te non salvabit He that made thee without thee will not save thee without thee Fourthly I answer this Objection of the Arminians thus When our Saviour saith He that doth the will of my Father he shall know of the Doctrine and he supposeth that such a man hath grace in his heart that doth enable him to do the will of God Though it is true an unregenerate man hath no freedom of will to do good yet this is a certain truth that the regenerate so far as they are regenerate have freedom of will to do good Now for the Use and Application of this Point briefly First By way of Information If the Disciples of Christ are or should be Doers of Gods will then it follows he that would be a true Disciple of Christ must be a self-denying Christian it was that I proved to you at large in many Sermons upon Luke 9.23 He that will be a true Christian must be a self-denyer but why so it appears plainly If the Disciple of Christ must be a Doer of Gods will then First He must not do his own will but he must deny himself in that he must not walk in his own way he must not live by his own rule he must not prosecute his own ends but he must do all according to the will of his Lord and Master Secondly If he must do Gods will then he must not fulfil the will of the flesh and of the mind Ephes 2.3 They that are Christs Disciples have crucified the flesh together with the affections and lusts of it Gal. 5.24 Thirdly If he must do Gods will then he must not do the will of men he must not seek to please men Gal. 1.10 Or do I seek to please men for if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Fourthly If he must make the will of God his Rule then he must not make Providence his Rule nor the impulse of the Spirit as they are usually called First He must not make Providence his Rule 1 Sam. 26.7 8 9 David he had opportunity of killing Saul who was his deadly enemy Saul was now asleep in the Cave he might have said Surely here is the Providence of God he hath put my enemy into my hand but David would not make Providence his Rule because he had not a Warrant from the Word of God to do any such thing I would have you to remember this Rule To follow Providence without the Word is dangerous to follow it against the Word is damnable but to follow Providence with the Word that is safe and warrantable Neither must the impulse of the Spirit be the Rule of your walking David had so strong impulse on his Spirit to destroy Nabal and his Family for his churlishness to his Soldiers being in distress because he would not spare them necessaries when he sent unto him that he said God do so to me and more also if I leave any of Nabals Family and not cut off all that pisseth against the Wall 1 Sam. 25. But upon the good counsel of Abigail Nabals Wife he recollected himself and saw that it was not the will of God that he should do so but he blessed God that he had diverted him from his purpose Secondly Learn another Lesson by way of Inserence and that is this The life of true Religion consists not in saying but in doing it consists not in profession but in practice When a man hath the Word of life in his mouth and the life of the Word in his Conversation then he is a Christian indeed It 's not the talking but the walking Christian not he that talks of the way to Heaven and that talks of Christianity but he that walks in the way that leads to Eternal life This will prove you to be Christians of a right stamp Thirdly Learn this Lesson That the will of God is the perfect Rule of Righteousness A thing is therefore good because God wills it for God cannot will any thing that is not good all his ways are equal though our ways are unequal all his paths are righteousness therefore whatever God commands it must therefore needs be good because he wills it Fourthly Learn this Lesson If Christians must be Doers of Gods will then it follows that whosoever is proud stubborn and disobedient willingly resisting the Commands of God such certainly cannot be the Disciples of Christ they that fulfil their own wills and they that walk in their own ways and after their own wills
Saviour Jesus Christ These two go together if you grow in grace certainly you shall grow in knowledg if you grow in obedience certainly your obedience shall encrease your knowledg in the mysteries of God For the Explication of the Doctrine two Queries there are that would be satisfied First How or in what respect our obedience shall encrease our knowledg Secondly How it comes to pass or what reason can be rendred why the obedient Christian shall know more of Gods will For the first How or in what respect our obedience shall encrease our knowledg He that obeys the will of God shall know more of his will How shall he know more I answer The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased in three respects First In regard of its Subject Secondly In regard of its Object Thirdly In regard of the Manner of it First The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased in the Subject of it or the Seat of it where it is placed as I may call it now the Seat of knowledg is the mind of man the intellectual part of man his intellectual faculty shall be enlarged by his obedience it shall be made more capable of receiving Heavenly truths than it was before God will enlarge that mans understanding whereas before he was but a Babe in knowledg and understanding now he shall be a grown man whereas before he could not digest Milk now he shall be able to digest strong Meat whereas before he was but faint and feeble in knowledg now he shall be strong like David Zech. 12.8 In that day shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David Secondly The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased and enlarged in the Object of it the Object I call those matters or things that are to be known such a one shall know more truths more mysteries of Godliness more of Gods secrets he shall have more manifestations of the Spirit of God revealed to him more discoveries of Truth from day to day it is that which God hath promised Isa 11.9 The Earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea The Prophet speaks of a larger measure of knowledg and further discoveries of truths than was wont to be made Thirdly The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased in regard of the Manner of knowledg he shall know the Truths of God in a better manner than he was wont to do How is that you will say I answer and shall give you an instance in five particulars First He shall know truths more inwardly Secondly He shall know truths more experimentally Thirdly He shall know truths more transformingly Fourthly He shall know truths more powerfully Fifthly He shall know truths more satisfyingly First An obedient Christian shall know truths more inwardly more feelingly than he was wont to do not only have a bare apprehension but such a knowledg as shall take an impression upon his heart and therefore this inward knowledg is compared to seeing and to tasting and to smelling First It is compared to Seeing Eph. 3.8 9 Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ and to make all men see not only know but see what is the fellowship of the mysterie which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who Created all things by Jesus Chuist The Italian Translation renders it that all men may see what was the dispensation of the Mysterie which was hid from the beginning of the World which God was pleased to hide in himself from the beginning of the World that all men may see I quote that Scripture to prove that inward Knowledg is compared to Seeing and Seeing is more than a bare Report according to that of Job Job 42.15 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee I abhor my self in dust and ashes Secondly This inward Knowledg is compared to Tasting 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Tasting is more than Knowing and Tasting is more than Seeing If all the Orators in the World should describe what the sweetness of Honey is they could not do it so well as a man that tasts it Now the Soul comes to tast the sweetness that is in Jesus Christ Notional knowledg is one thing and Tasting knowledg is another thing they have a feeling experimental knowledg in their own hearts That is another Thirdly This inward Knowledg is compared not only to Seeing and Tasting but it is compared to Smelling also Isa 11.3 And the Spirit of the Lord shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord So the words are read but the Hebrew phrase carries it thus and so it is in the Margin of your Bibles The Spirit of the Lord shall make him of quick scent or smell in the fear of the Lord That is a man that is once taught by the Spirit of God that is taught of God as our Saviour useth the Phrase such a man shall scent and smell and savour and breathe out nothing but holiness As our Saviour it is said of him All thy garments smell of Myrrh and Aloes and Cassia Psalm 45.8 And because of the savour of thy good Ointments thy Name is as Ointment poured forth Cant. 1.3 Look as the Ointment that was poured on our Saviours head left such a scent or smell behind it that the whole house was filled with the savour of it John 12.3 So is it in this case a man that hath once received the Spirit of God and is taught by the Spirit of God such a man shall have such a sweet savour of the knowledg of God that it shall be able to diffuse it self to others 2 Cor. 2.14 The Apostle Saint Paul blesseth God for this that he caused them to triumph in Christ and made manifest the savour of his knowledg by them in every place And our Latin word for Wisdom Sapientia it hath its derivation from this it is a savoury Knowledg So that this inward Knowledg is more than bare apprehension it is you see compared to Seeing Touching and to Smelling Secondly He shall know truths more experimentally than he did before and this is that you read of John 4.42 It is the speech of the Samaritans to the woman that had left her Water-pot and went into the City of Samaria and declared to them of the City what she had heard and seen concerning Christ Now say they we believe not for thy sayings for we have heard him our selves and know that this indeed is the Christ the Saviour of the world And thus likewise did the Disciples make a Confession of Christ John 6.69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God
the Holy Ghost may have but it is that Knowledg that is darted into the Soul by the Holy Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.9 10 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The Apostle speaks it of the Kingdom of Grace as well as of the Kingdom of Glory Man doth not know the work of the Spirit of Grace upon the heart but saith he in the words following God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God And it is the Spirit of God that is said to guide us into all truth John 16.13 That is the first thing in the Description it is a saving work of the Spirit of God Secondly It is a Knowledg whereby a Believer hath received satisfying light First A Believer hath received light The truth is none doth know the Truth aright but he that believes it therefore believing and knowing the Truth are joyned together 1 Tim. 4.3 Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the Truth Thirdly I note this whereby a Believer receiving satisfying light But what is that light may be some of you will say that may be called satisfying light I answer and shall give you an account of it in these five particulars First That is a satisfying Light that is joyned with a powerful Conviction upon the Conscience when the Spirit of God doth eonvince us of sin and of Righteousness and Judgment John 16.8 That is a satisfying Light when the Spirit of God breaks in upon the Soul with such an irresistible Light that a man cannot gainsay it or withstand it for example When the Sun is risen in the morning a man then knows it is day and if a thousand should say to the contrary he would say I know it is day Such is the light of the Spirit of God it is an irresistible light it breaks in upon the heart with that power that the heart cannot gainsay it Secondly That is a satisfying Light which settles and stablisheth a man in the present Truth that he will not be removed from it When a man is rooted in the Faith setled and stablished in Jesus Christ then he hath received a satisfying Light Thirdly That is a fatisfying Light when a man can act Faith upon that light he hath received and make bold adventures for the Truth that he hath embraced when he can act Faith upon it so did those three Worthies in Daniel 3.17 they had received such satisfying Light that God was the true God and his Worship the true Worship that they ventured a Furnace for it say they If it be so Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Furnace and he will deliver us out of thy hand O King but if not be it known unto thee O King that we will not serve thy gods nor worship thy Golden Image which thou hast set up Fourthly That is a satisfying Light which will enable a man to discern between Truth and falsehood though Errour be masked with never such fair pretences yet notwithstanding a man shall be able to discover that Errour and abhor it and though Truth be eclipsed with never so many false Glosses and Interpretations and never so much opposed yet a man can discern it and close with it and cleave to it Fifthly This is a satisfying Light that will enable a man to reconcile some seeming differences that are in the Scriptures Let me give you an instance in one or two those two places compared together Gen. 6.6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the Earth and it grieved him at his heart but in Numb 23.19 it is said God is not as man that he should lye neither the Son of man that he should repent Now a man that hath this satisfying Light he knows how to reconcile these two places thus Repentance in God is not a change of his Will but of his Work God is said to repent after the manner of men because he doth those things that man doth when he repents Let me give you another instance Saint Paul tells us Rom. 3.28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law But Saint James he tells the quite contrary James 2.25 Ye see then how by Works a man is justified and not by Faith only Now a man that hath satisfying Light he reconciles these two thus Saint Paul he speaks of justification before God and Saint James he speaks of Justification before men We are justified before God by Faith only we are justified before men by works Again they may be reconciled thus Faith doth justifie our Persons but good works doth justifie our Faith Good works are no part of our Justification but only a proof of our Justification Lastly In the Description I say this A Believer having received a satisfying Light gives up his understanding resolvedly to those Truths that are revealed to him But you will say When doth a man give up his understanding resolvedly to those Truths revealed to him I will tell you First When he is resolved to part with every sin that the Word of God disallows and condemns though it be as dear to him as his right hand or his right eye and when he can practice every Duty that the Word of God commands though it be never so difficult As for Example the duty of Mortification and Self-denyal and contempt of the World when he can purifie his heart by believing and obeying the Truth 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing you have purified your Souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit And it is said of many of the Priests that they were obedient to the Faith Acts 6.7 And St. Paul said Acts 26.19 that he was not disobedient to the Heavenly Vision Secondly A man gives up his understanding resolvedly to the truth when he can plead for the truth and not plead against it Saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 13.8 For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth Doctor Taylor the Martyr in Queen Maries days he laid down his life for this truth That it was lawful for Ministers to marry I know said he that it is not a fundamental truth but because I know it is the truth of God rather than I will part with any truth I will part with my life So then when a man can thus resolvedly give up his understanding to the truth that he will part with his life rather than part with the truth then hath he attained to this certainty of Knowledg indeed And thus you see the Description of it and have the Point opened now let me make Application of it Vse 1. If this be a certain truth That they that do the Will of God shall not only know more of Gods