his work as he professes to his Father in my Text I have manifested thy Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have brought it forth saith he into the light and set it in open view for so much that word imports By which he intimateth that his Fathers Name was like a rare and curious piece behinde a curtain like a rich treasure covered or a glorious Image vailed But now saith Christ the vail is taken off the covering is removed the curtain drawn I have exposed my Fathers Name to the veiw of all my people This Christ hath done you see and now let us consider what we are to do No question he hath brought it forth that we might see it that we might feed our eyes upon it that we might grow up in the knowledge of his Fathers Name of the dearness of his love and the sweetness of his mercy the tenderness and the abundance of his compassions unto poor lost creatures This is the Name which Jesus Christ hath manifested to us that we might be acquainted with it Now I beseech you my Beloved let us not by neglecting this discovery go about to frustrate Christ and do as much as in us lies to disappoint him of his purpose Oh let us labour that our knowledge of the Name of God may be in some sort answerable to the revelation that Jesus Christ hath made of it And that as we have since our Saviours coming in the flesh a fuller and a more compleat discovery of it then they in former ages had we may accordingly exceed and go beyond them in the knowledge of it too We may know more of God especially of his love and of his mercy to his people in his Son then they did Or if it be not so to what end is the pains that Christ hath taken to manifest his Fathers Name to us Oh let us be ashamed to come behind the Saints of the Old Testament in the knowledge of this Name who came behind us in the means of this knowledge Is it so That Jesus Christ hath made an absolute c. Then let us satisfie Vse 4 our selves with the discovery he hath made And let us not attempt or undertake to know more of the Father then he hath made known to us Indeed if Jesus Christ had fallen short in this discovery it were but reason that we should exceed and go beyond it If he had not told us all that is fit for us to know it were a congruous thing that we should strive to know more But seeing the discovery he hath made is so compleat and absolute in all respects so that there can be nothing added to it we have cause to rest in it and to content our selves with so much knowledge of the Father as he hath revealed to us Indeed there is an itch in Nature to search into those things especially concerning God which are concealed and hid from us Fain we would see his face when Christ hath manifested but his back-parts to us we would know more of his Nature of his Counsels and Decrees the order of them the measure of them the objects of them then he hath thought expedient to reveal to us We would approach too nigh to gaze we would intrude on those things which we have not seen for which we have no revelation as the Apostle speaks Col. 2.18 And this my Brethren is the evill Genius of these very times men go beyond themselves in sifting into things concerning God and beyond Christ too I mean beyond any thing that he hath manifested of his Father to them Indeed they tell us that Christ reveals it to them by his Spirit But that is not the Spirit of Christ which shews us any thing beyond what he hath written in his Word The business of the Spirit is not to bring us any other truths then those which are revealed in the Word but to clear those to us If any spirit bring us any thing crossing with or but so much as diverse from the Scripture if an Angel dropt from Heaven teach us any other Doctrine he must not be believed but accursed To the Law and to the Testimony saith the Prophet Isa 8.20 If any man or Angel speak not according to this Word let him pretend what light he will it is because there is no light in him And therefore let us satisfie our selves with that which Christ hath manifested of his Father in his Word and in his Gospel Since his discovery is so full let us not seek to go beyond it That speech of God to Moses who whether he were curious or no was very earnest to behold his glory is observable Exod. 33.19 I will make all my good go before thee that is I will discover so much of my self to thee as shall be good for thee to know And this our Saviour Christ hath done compleatly We need no further knowledge of the Father here to make us happy to make us wise unto salvation And therefore let us rest in it And to this end I shall present you with a few Considerations It is a fruit and evidence of pride to strive to know more of the Fathers Name then Christ hath manifested to us It proceeds from a desire to be observed as having something more then ordinary in us and this hath much prevailed with many men in these times to know no more of God then Christ hath shewed us in the Scripture this is no such great matter this will never make them famous And therefore they must have their nice and curious speculations by themselves beyond any written word they must have hidden things discovered to them which other men are not acquainted with that they may be observed to be men of singular depth and extraordinary intercourse with the Spirit of Christ This the Apostle notes in those Impostors Col. 2.18 Intruding into those things which they have not seen But how comes this to pass vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind There is the cause of this intrusion And hence the Prophet David to shew that he was not proud and haughty makes this the evidence Psal 131.1 I do not exercise my self in things that are too high for me It is a grievous sin to labour to know more of God then Christ hath manifested to us It is no better then intrusion on the right of God himself such a man doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fore-alledged Text Col. 2.18 Intrudes upon anothers right enters on the possession of another Now whose possession are these secret things To whom do they belong to God saith Moses Deut. 29. ult The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and unto our children So that while we content our selves with these revealed things we are like honest-minded men that keep and use their own and love not to encroach upon their neighbours But if we be not satisfied with the things which God hath manifested
did otherwife as the Apostle testifies of them to their commendation 1 Thess 2.13 The word which ye heard of us saith the Apostle there ye received it not as the word of men though ye received it of us who are but men yet ye received it not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God Is it so that they that will give the word of God such entertainment Vse 2 as it ought to have must know c. You see then what you are to do if you desire to entertain the word aright and to receive it in such a manner as you ought to do you find perhaps much slightness and irreverence and stubbornness and disobedience in your hearts against it you cannot bring your hearts to such a temper in the reading or the hearing of it as you unfeignedly desire to do your thoughts are wandring or your hearts are unbelieving or your lusts are struggling or your corrupt and carnal reason is gainsaying while you are attending on it Something or other there is still that hinders you from a right receiving of it And this is a continual grief and burthen to you Now my Beloved I will shew you how you shall help all this at once You must come to be assured to know for certain that that which is delivered in or from the Scripture is the word of God If you have any secret unbelief of this any doubt in this particular do what you will in all respects besides and labour what you can you will never bring your selves to give the word such entertainment as it ought to have This one defect will hurt you more then all the means that you can use besides will help you And truly Satan knowing well of how great consequence it is endeavours what he can if not to overthrow us utterly at least to weaken us in this assurance And if he can but weaken us in this and make as faint in this assurance that that which is delivered in or from the Scripture is the word of God he knows he doth much work at once He weakens by proportion our Reverence our Assent Submission and Obedience with it And verily my Brethren though it may not be perceived yet this is that which lies at the bottom and is the main original of all that slightness and incredulity and obstinacy and disobedience which many of the pretious Saints of God discover in themselves in relation to the word and know not how to remedy They are not firmly and inviolably setled and confirmed in this perswasion that it is the word of God Their faith is weak in this particular and so accordingly they are weak in all those things which concern the due and right receiving of it For even as if a man believe it not to be the word of God at all he will give it no fear no faith no submission no obedience So on the other side if he believe it weakly and with many hesitations he will accordingly be weak in all these he will be on and of and up and down according to the ebbings and the flowings of his faith And therefore I beseech you my Beloved strive and labour what you can to strengthen and fortifie your selves in this perswasion which is of such concernment to you And certainly the best among us have need of Confirmation here for we are apt sometimes to waver and to have doubtful thoughts about it And they that are most free from these have yet defects and imperfections in their faith of this as well as other parts of holy truth They have not yet attained to such a pitch but they may be adding to it and go on to further measures and degrees And therefore let it be our labour and endeavour to encrease our faith in this particular and to grow up to full assurance of this inviolable principle that That which is delivered in the Scripture is verily the word of God Now that you may know this for certain I shall do two things First I shall lay down such considerations as make it credible And in the next place I shall shew you what you are to do that it may be certain to you As for the first of these my Brethren there are many things that make it very credible that whatsoever is delivered in or from the Srripture is the word of God I shall name a few of them as 1. The evident accomplishment of all the prophesies contained in it I mean of all excepting those the time of whose fulfilling is not come in It hath been Ruled long ago that De futuris contingentibus non datur determinata veritas Man cannot certainly determine of future things that are contingent He cannot do it of himself and by his own fore-sight Now this the Prophets and Apostles did as by the issue and event is manifest and therefore it appears that in their prophesies they were directed by the All-knowing and Omniscient God 2. It is made credible by the harmonious testimony of the Church in every age who have assented to it and acknowledged and received it as that which comprehendeth and containeth the divine and holy Oracles of God himself And however divers Churches have been at very sharp dissentions about divers other things yet herein they have still agreed and none of them have once so much as questioned whether the Scripture be the word of God or no. 3. It is made credible by the almost incredible consent between the Scribes and Pen-men of it who writing in such divers places tongues and seasons must needs unreconcileably have crossed and thwarted one another had they been guided by their own spirits We see how men that write upon the Scripture differ in their Expositions of it and speak directly one against another How more would the Prophets and Apostles then have jarred unless they had been all directed by the same Spirit We know in reason men would far more easily agree in Explicating Principles already made then in composing those Principles and Rules themselves if every man had liberty to frame what Axioms he thought good himself and to set them down for text And therefore certainly the Pen-men of the Scripture were guided all by one viz. the Holy Ghost himself who lead them into one Truth 4. It is made credible by the effectual and mighty working of it on the hearts and souls of men above all other writings whatsoever For however it be carried in a low and easie stile yet it commands us and prevails upon us more then all the eloquence of men and Angels could possibly do were it united all together And herein I appeal to Gods people let them consider with themselves what wonderful effects it hath wrought upon their hearts how it hath pierced in and made a separation between their very joynts and marrow how it hath even told them all that ever they have done how it hath cast them down with unutterable sorrow and then raised
duty you do to him can be accepted 4. You can hope for no pardon of sin 5. Cannot come to God with boldness 124. What meant by the only true God p. 126. viz. the whole Essence of the Godhead 3. Doctr. That the Father Son and Holy Ghost is the only true God p. 128. Reason For he only hath being of himself 2. He is the living God 3. None can do that which he doth 4. He only is Eternal 1. Vse Be stirred up to confirm your faith of this Motives 1. For then the more and better we shall walk with him 2. Serve and obey him p. 130. Direct 1. Give full assent to the Scriptures 2. Know him to be above all other Gods 3. Be resolved not doubtful of this point 4. Pray for faith in this particular p. 133. 2. Vse Obey serve and honour him as the true God p. 134. 3. Vse Let us have no other God but him only p. 135. Serve the Lord and not Idols p. 136. Times p 138. Lusts neither your own nor that of others p. 139. 2. Fear none but him 3. Trust in him alone p. 140. 4. Vse Learn from hence to be at unity among our selves 5. Learn to see our happiness of having chosen him for our God p. 141. 4. Doctr. That Christ is the Apostle or Messenger of God p. 142. Explication 1. Sent from God and from heaven How possible p. 143. 2. Into the world 3. The errand on which he was sent viz. to make peace preach peace 4. Therefore fitly qualified with 1. Authority 2. Ability Fulness of Merit to make peace p. 145. Spirit to preach peace p. 145. 1. Vse Admire the mercy of the sender 2. Of him that would be sent Void of fear and constraint p. 147 2. Be all intreated to receive and entertain him For 1. His errand is your business 2. It 's for your good and advantage 3. The Father expects you should honour his Embassadour and Son 4. He will avenge the refusers of him 5. This Messenger can prevail with God for you p. 149. Direction 1. Receive him so as to hearken to him 2. To believe in him 3. To obey him p. 150. 5. Doct. Whoever wil be glorified with God in heaven must glorifie him first on earth p. 152 Reason It is the everlasting counsel and decree of God Vse 1. Against vain expecters of future glory p. 153. 2. Vse Learn to glorifie God here 1. By a vocal declaration 2. By a real representation in what you 1. are p. 154. 2. do p. 154. Gods glory how to be our aim in all Ver. 4 1. Doctr. That Christ was ordered by his Father in the work he did in this world p. 156. Expl. Christ was so ordered in his works of Satisfaction His obedience Active p. 157. Passive p. 158. Application p. 158. As by the 1. Promulgation of the Word 2. Internal operation of the Spirit p. 159. Reas 1. Christ was the Fathers creature 2. The Fathers servant p. 160. 1. Vse Admire the humble condescension of Christ 2. Learn to be humbled in like manner and to suffer willingly p. 161. 3. Vse Some do the good others the evil which God hath not given them to do p. 162. Danger of neglecting Gods order p. 164. How Christ had finished the work before his Passion p. 165. 2. Doct. Christ did not do his work by halves but went through with it p. 166. Sufferings of Christs body Natural Mystical 1. Vse Who guilty of adding to the works of Christ 2. Let us persevere in our work and finish it Five Motives hereunto p. 169. Ver. 5 What glory Christ prayed for Doct. Christ as Man in some measure partaker of the divine glory 1. By the grace of union 2. By the grace of dispensation from the Father p. 173. 1. Vse Know the advancement of our nature in the Person of Christ 2. Their personal advancement that belong to Christ partly in 1. Fruition 2. Assured expectation 3. This should make us despise the shame of this world 2. So to walk as not to be a shame to Christ p. 174. Ver. 6 How Christ had manifested Gods Name Doct. Christ made an absolute and compleat discovery of his Father to the people 1. By his Personal appearance in the flesh 2. By his Word and Gospel 3. By his Spirit p. 178. 2. Q. Why Christ only makes this discovery R. 1. None but he is able 2. None but he is fit to make this discovery p. 180. 3. Q. Why the discovery he makes is so full and absolute R. 1. As being the faithful Prophet of his Church 2. That the discovery may be effectual 1. Vse The ignorant inexcusable 2. Learn to bless his Name for this discovery 3. Grow up in the knowledge of this Name made known p. 182. 4. Vse Be satisfied with the discovery which Christ hath made search not beyond it Pride Sin Danger vanity thereof p. 184. 5. Vse Walk worthy of this discovery i. e. Despair not under sin or misery p. 185. 2. Doct. Some the Father giveth to Christ out of the world 2. A certain number of them 3. Being once the Lords they are no longer of the world Confirm 1. The actual members of Christ are dead with Christ and of another world as are their kindred and alliance p. 190. 3. Their habitation is spiritual so is their action and traffique 1. Vse Therefore the world storms and rageth at mens being given up to Christ 2. Examin Are we given up to Christ p. 192. Marks 1. They are not conformable to this present world 2. They speak the language of another world p. 193. 3. They dearly affect their Countreymen 3. Vse Think not strange of ill usage in the world p. 194. 4. Vse Regard not the things of this world 5. Follow not a multitude to sin It s safe and honorable to be retired 6. Be not troubled at worldly troubles 3. Doct. All Christs people were first belonging to the Father p. 197. 1. The Father essentially taken 2. All belonged to God 1. By Creation 2. By Election 3. Christs people not so his as not the Fathers 1 Vse Christ will tenderly keep those that are so given him Word of God Inward and Essential p. 202. Outward and Declaratory p. 202. 4. Doct. They whom the Father gives to Christ keep his word p. 203. Christs Word is kept In the memory by retaining In the heart by believing In the affections by loving In the life by obeying with obedience Active Passive Vse Exam. Are we so given up to Christ that we keep his Word p. 205. 2. Vse Direct For helping memory 1. Be intent and fix your mind on the Word 2. Get a good understanding 3. Value the Word 4. Strengthen the memory by meditation repetition conference 5. Set instantly to practice the truth you hear 6. Pray for the Spirit to do his Office 3. Vse of Examination Do we keep Christs word by Faith Some believe none of it 2. Some but part of it
The Father loves believers as he doth Christ Reas For he loves them 1. In Christ 2. Through Christ 1. Vse Depend on him 1. Without doubting 2. By real love 3. Vse Comfort to all true believers In that 1. He will uphold them as he did Christ 2. Assist us in his service 3. Reward his own work in us 4. Hear us 5. Provide for us 3. Doctr. Christs will is even a Law with the Father Reas 1. Being the only Son 2. The Beloved 3. Never asks amiss 4. Sueth for nothing but what he deserver p. 491. Vse How to make Christ our Advocate Ver. 24 Direct 1. To prepare their hearts they must be 1. Purged 2. Humbled 3. Fixed 4. Awakened Then 2. For Matter of prayer search the promises p. 496. Manner Pray without wrath 2. Doubting 3. With much zeal 2. If we pray acted by Christs Spirit 1. There will be zeal 2. Desires spiritual 3. For spiritual things chiefly Not to be spent on lusts 4. We shall pray constantly 2. Doct. It is Christs will that they who are given him should be in heaven Reas He loves them with a love 1. Of benevolence 2. Of Complacency 3. To see his glory 3. Doct. God hath loved Christ from all Eternity Reas Being like him both as God and Man Vse Wo to them that hate Christ They hate Christ 1. Who willingly obey sin 2. Who love and hate that which Christ doth not 3. Who are friends to the Enemies of Christ Contra p. 513. 2. Vse God therefore loveth them that love Christ Christ is amiable and worthy of our love 1. In respect of his perfections p. 515. 2. In respect of our Interest and propriety in him 3. Of his great love to us 4. Of that he hath done for us 3. Vse Admire that he should so use him as he did for our sakes 1. Giving him up to the hands of sinful men and to his own wrath 2. So using him for such as we are p. 517. 4. Vse Comforts to those that belong to Christ that they are loved from everlasting 4. Doct. God is a very just and righteous God Confirmed 1. From the largeness of his Jurisdiction 2. The Immensity of his presence 3. From his inward propensity and disposition 1. Vse This should settle our minds amidst the confusions and disorders of the world 2. Vse Comfort to those that are abused and oppressed 3. Vse Come into him and become his subjects 4. Vse Terror to the ungodly 5. Vse Comfort to the righteous even in Gods Justice 6. Vse Admonition to Magistrates Perswasions to execute Justice 1. It will settle the land 2. Be amiable to God 3. Beneficial to your selves p. 526 7. Vse Meditate on Gods righteousness It will 1. help us against sin 2. Strengthen our faith in prayer p. 528. Ver. 25 Doct. Unbelievers and unsanctified persons know not God in such manner as they ought p. 531. 1. Know him not so as to delight in him 2. Nor so as to serve and obey him 3. Nor so as to know him in Christ Reason 1. Unbelieving Heathens want the means of knowledge 2. Unbelieving Christians want the Spirit to unveil 1. The understanding 2. The Gospel 3. In every unbeliever there 's something 1. Redundant to repell divine Truth 2. Wanting to receive it viz. The Spirit of God 4. They are unwilling to know God p. 535. 1. Vse The misery of unsanctified unbelievers 2. Vse Admire Gods mercy in vouchsafing us the means of knowledge p 537. 2. Doct. That Christ alone knows God immediately and others by his means p. 539. Vse None saved by his own natural knowledge 3. Doct. The most saving knowledge hath defects and imperfections standing in need of farther declaration p. 541. Reason Christ doth not shew them all at once 1. Because they are not capable 2. That he may keep them humble 1. Vse Be not proud of your knowledge 2. Vse Comforts to the humble 1. A sign that thy knowledge is right and sound 2. It 's the measure which Christ hath alloted thee 3. The time is coming when these thy defects shall be supplyed 4. We shall be rewarded according to our practice not our knowledge Ver. 26 Doct. Christ will be making farther declarations of his Fathers Name to the worlds end p. 546. 1. By his written Word and Ministers in all ages 2. By his holy Spirit p. 548. 1. Vse Believe what he hath spoken 2. Expect the execution of his promise 3. Thereunto strive with Christ in prayer p. 549. 2. Doct. The Love which is in true believers comes from God Reason For it cannot be Originally in of or from our selves yet not without means Vse If we want it have recourse to God Love is the chiefest thing 1. That comes from God p. 554. 2. That conformeth us to God p. 554. 3. Doct. Declaration of the Fathers Name is a special means to work love in them Reason 1. Beauty is a part of his Name 2. Goodness 3. Mercy 4. Love p. 557. 4. Doct. Where Love is there Christ is Reason 1. For where Love there the Spirit 2. Faith 3. God is p. 560. 1. Vse Misery of those that love not God and his children 2. Comforts to those that have love in them They have Christ and therefore 1. Have intimate Communion with him 2. Have free access to him 3. Have the confluence of all Accommodations 4. Are secure 2. Let Christ live quiet in your hearts Excellency of Christs prayer An Alphabetical Table of the Chief Heads contained In this TREATISE A ADopted children page 15 Admire the love of God and of Christ page 20 98 146 161 361 455 537 Affections of the heart testified by outward gesture page 11 Affliction should not dismay us See Tribulation page 104 195 290 291 367 Abilities of Christ page 145 Active Obedience of Christ page 157 Our Advancement in Christ page 174 The Apostle and Messenger of God is Christ 142 149 234 235 other Apostles page 407 our Affections are to keep Christs word page 204 213 Apostates from Christ page 41 210 Application of Christ page 158 441 Assurance Means and benefit thereof page 22 our Active and Passive obedience page 203 Authority grace and power of Christs words page 7. 473 Authority of Christ over all men 52 144. for the benefit and Salvation of his people page 72 73 Agreement with God and Christ necessary page 465 Agreement See Unity The benefits thereof page 303 304 All things revealed by Christ in what sense page 236 Aimiableness of Christ page 514 515 Adding to the work of Christ page 168 word of Christ page 241 Absence of Christ from the Father page 265 Ascension of Christ 266. End fruit and benefits thereof page 267 B PArtial Believers page 208 â—99 Belief See Faith Wrought by the Gospel page 443 444 Believers not free from the Law page 61 62 Believe the Trinity page 130 132 the Scriptures page 133 399 in Christ page 149 150 441 Christs word 204. 559
Love to God or his children page 561 M. MAgistrates to execute Justice page 525 526 Marks Of faith page 209 Of living by Christ page 84 85 Of Gods children page 24 Of being given up to Christ page 192 193 to 212 Mediator Christ page 47 52 73 101 145 250 Messengers and Ministers of Christ not to be slighted page 40 413 How they ought to use their delegated power page 76 406 408 414 Their faithfulness required page 245 246 390 Their duty page 391 Message and errand of Christ page 148 410 Manifestation of the Father by Christ page 177 Wherefore by Christ alone page 180 Memory means to strengthen it page 206 207 Meditation page 206 215 272 N. NAme of the Father declared a special means to work love in those that hear it page 556 557 Name of God is beauty mercy goodness love page 557 Name of God manifested by Christ page 176 Have recourse to it in any distress page 292 Natural knowledge insufficient page 539 540 Natural life how frail page 89 387 A blessing page 367 368 Neerness of Christ to God page 33 48 253 256 265 Neerness of believers to God page 446 to 450 453 474 562 Nobility of true Chirstians page 257 448 454 O. OBedience due to Christ page 19 69 76 150 203 Due to men also 64 to the Word page 220 Offices of Christ page 34 181 236 250 339 473 Obedience of Christ active and passive page 157 158 One God page 129 130 Omnipotent page 129 How to Obey and serve God page 130 134 God Only to be served page 134 136 138 Our Obedience ought to be total cordial constant page 220 221 228 Our Obedience active and passive page 203 Christ Ordered by the Father in his works page 156 157 c. P. MAtter and manner of Prayer page 496 497 Preparation of the heart for Prayer page 492 493 Passion of Christ page 158 165 166 433 Perfect manifestation of the Father page 180 Perfection of Christs work page 168 169 181 442 Words page 239 241 242 445 Peace of Christ page 145 Power of God doth preserve believers page 286 287 Power of Christ Legislative page 53 432 Judiciary page 53 432 Prayer the outward gesture and utterance thereof to be considered page â—10 Vocal when necessary and requisite page 14 154 Prayers of whom sure to be heard page 17 22 49 254 354 Pride page 104 296 393 Praise vocal page 154 real page 154 Propagation of the Gospel page 416 548 Preservation See Keeping page 361 Preaching of Christ page 4 159 178 546 548 Practice a help to the memory page 206 Perseverance Motives thereunto page 169 People of Christ are the Fathers page 198 255 Promises to be believed 209 who believe them not page 210 Our great Prophet is Christ page 234 236 c. Prophecies shall be accomplished page 332 c. Q VVHo Quickned by Christ page 84 85 Qualification of Christ page 144 425 Questioning proves not want of faith page 212 R. THat Christ ought and how to be Received page 149 150 Receive and entertain the Spirit page 271 272 Private Revenge condemned page 65 66 67. Sinfulness thereof ibid. Remedies and rules against Revenge page 67 68 Repetition page 206 380 Reproof page 413 Resignation to the Word page 228 S. SAnctification means thereof page 388 End of Christs Office page 434 Satisfaction of Christ page 157 Christ the Fathers Servant page 47 102 160 Scriptures to be believed and assented to page 132 444 445 Scriptures proved to be the Word of God page 230 231 Sons by Adoption page 15 Creation page 15 Sons of God 15 16 17 their comfort ib. Signs page 23 24 Spiritual desires how discerned page 498 499 Spiritual service promoted by gesture and utterance page 11 Signs of the Spirit 24 500. Of Spiritual Joy page 350 Spirit of Christ slighted page 40 270 271 Service of God 134. See Obedience Sending of Christ 142 145 c. Of Ministers page 406 425 426 Spirits operation page 159 178 206 233 548 Shame of the world page 174 To Christ page 175 Our Strength is in God not in our selves page 289 290 Sufferings of Christ glorious page 36 161 433 Society to be made choice of page 459 460 Solitude page 195 Helps and remedies against Sin page 283 284 Sins of Christians more sinful then of others page 257 456 457 Sooner and more sharply chastised ibid. How the Saints are kept from Sin page 373 374 How to follow Christ in our Spirits page 273 How we are to Seek unto God page 293 Security page 319 563 Believers ought not to be Sorrowful page 342 347 T. THreatnings have an implicit condition page 333 Threatnings to be believed 209. Comfort to the Church page 338 Thankfulnsss due to God and Christ page 81 86 182 284 423 Set Time of God the fittest page 28 Time not to be prescribed to God page 29 Time-servers condemned page 138 Titles of Christ 33 communicated to believers page 473 Temptation how we are kept from it page 372 Tribulation See Affliction Benefits thereof page 370 378 379 How we are kept from it page 373 Trial of Prophets page 237 411 True God page 128 129 133 335 Cleer Truths may be questioned and doubted page 212 Truth the whole word but especially the Gospel page 396 397 To be maintained how page 402 To be obeyed page 403 Trust in God alone page 140 237 Tryals and troubles of this life page 275 277 V. VEngeance See Revenge page 67 Unbelievers dishonour Christ page 39 Vnbelievers sin and danger page 56 208 395 531 537 Uncharitable page 58 59 Vngodly 70. See Wicked why they have prevailed page 243 Their destruction not intended by Christ page 72 77 79 Vnity of the Trinity page 128 130 173 Vnity to be studied and put in practice page 141 A matter of great difficulty and concernment page 295 c. Benefits of Vnity and means conducing page 307 308 459 466 Vnion of believers page 446 447 474 How one as God and Christ are one page 448 Defective Vnion of worldly men page 478 Vniversal Redemption page 251 328 Vnderstanding page 109 Vocal prayer page 14 Vocal praise page 154 W. VVAit Gods time Motives thereunto page 30 Will of Christ a law with the Father page 490 491 That they who are given him should be in heaven page 501 We must suffer Willingly page 161 433 Wicked men dishonour Christ page 39 Words of Christ worthy of our observation page 4 5 6 7 401 To be highly valued page 8 149 206 214 216 218 238 How kept in the heart memory c. page 203 205 To be loved and the signs thereof 213 214. Motives page 218 Word of God inward and essential outward and declaratory page 202 Gods Word must be known to be his page 224 225 Work of Christ how finished before his Passion page 165 Is full and perfect page 166 167 Worlds shame to be despised page 174 194 True believers are of another world page
mercy grant that we may be in heaven while we hear it To make way to the handling of it I shall consider three things First the transition to it Then Secondly the gesture and the carriage of our Saviour in it Thirdly the substance and the matter of it First the transition to it from the former chapter These words spake Jesus these words expressed in the long discourse before Then Secondly the gesture and the carriage of our Saviour in it he lifted up his eyes to heaven while he made it Thirdly the substance and the matter of it and it is wholly for the Church either for himself the head of the Church in reference and with relation to the Church or for the members of the Church First for himself the head of the Church he desireth glorification Father glorifie thy Son in the first verse of the chapter and this in reference and with relation to the Church as is apparent at verse 24. That they may behold his glory Then Secondly for the members of the Church he desireth confirmation and that either for the Apostles and Disciples then about him the members of the present Church Or else for those who were after to be called by their preaching the members of the Church to come In the first place he prayes for the Apostles and Disciples then about him the members of the present Church who were already called and sanctified at the sixth and following verses whom God had given him out of the world I pray for them saith he I pray not for the world In the Second place he prayes for those who were after to be called by their preaching the members of the Church that was to come ver 20. and so on to the conclusion of the Chapter Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe in me through their word So that this prayer of our Saviour Christ you see is very full It is for himself the head of the Church And it is for the Church which is his body of which alone he is the Saviour and the Intercessor It is for the present Church it is for the Church to come It is for the Apostles and the Ministers the officers and teachers of the Church And it is for the ordinary members of the Church who believe through their words So that whoever appertaineth to the Church let him live in what time he will be he of what condition or estate he will he hath a share in this prayer We must begin with the transition to it These words spake Jesus These words what words the words in the three Chapters next before all tending to establish his Apostles and Disciples which the Evangelist relates exactly for the comfort and confirmation of the Church of Christ even to the worlds end and having done with the relation he shuts it up with this These word spake Jesus and so goes onward to his supplication The point apparently suggested to us here is this DOCTRINE The words that Jesus spake are very fit to be commended to the choicest observation of his Church and people And here they are so carefully and so exactly gathered up by the Evangelist and knit together in a chain every Link of which is precious And having laid them all together he writes this under them These words spake Jesus qâ—d Take heed that you observe and mark them well they are the words not of an ordinary man but of the blessed Son of God the great Prophet of the Church These words were breathed from the lips of Jesus Christ himself and therefore see that you take notice of them and value them accordingly These words spake Jesus indeed the summ and substance of the four Evangelists is but the history of Jesus Christ of his words and of his actions and therefore Luke reduceth all that he hath written in his Gospel to these two heads Acts 1.1 The former Treatise have I made O Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach His treatise as you see consisted of these two things either that which Jesus did or else that which Jesus spake So that his sayings as you see are very memorable and remarkable being by special revelation and direction of the Spirit put in writing and so left upon record for the instruction and the consolation of his people to the worlds end You may observe what care is taken to gather up the words of Jesus as they dropt from him upon all occasions that none of them might perish and be lost by which it is apparent they were things of worth and use and fit to be preserved for posterity And it is noted to the praise of Mary that she kept his Sayings when others lost them yea she kept all his sayings and she kept them in her heart that was the Cabinet in which she put them when others valued them as things of nothing and looked upon them but as loose words And therefore she is set in opposition to them Iohn 2.5 They understood not the sayings which he spake to them but Mary kept all these sayings in her heart She laid them near her heart as choice things It was the promise of our Saviour Christ to his disciples and one of the last he made them and therefore certainly it was a precious one that if they should forget the words that he had spoken to them he would dispatch them down his spirit out of heaven and this should be one great part of his business with them to mind them of such words of his as were slipt out of their minds Ioh. 14.26 The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost shall come and he shall teach you all things and bring all things to remembrance whatsoever I have said to you By which it is apparent that the words which Jesus spake are very fit c. And this will yet appear more fully and distinctly to you if you consider but these three things First whose the words were Then what the words were Thirdly the manner how the words were spoken As for the first of these if you consider whose the words were you will discern them to be very fit to be commended to the choicest observation of the Church The author of them if you look no further will purchase them so much credit They are the words that Jesus spake as you have in my text And shall that which Jesus spake any thing which he delivered be thought unworthy of the notice of his people Why what was Jesus that the words that dropt from him must be so highly valued and esteemed My brethren if you look upon him upwards with relation to the father or if you look upon him downwards with relation to the Church you will see enough for this on all hands 1. If you look upon him upwards with relation to the father you will see reason why his words should be Commended to the choicest observation of his Church and people He is the
fathers own son But you will say wise fathers have very often weak children But Jesus Christ is so his fathers son that he partaketh with him of his wisdom it is poured out into him in abundance And therefore he is sometimes called the wisdom of the father in the abstract as see 1 Cor. 1.24 Iesus Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God And if he be so very wise you may be sure he spake wise words and wise words are worth the marking In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 And out of question what he bringeth forth is of the treasure that is hid in him 2. But in the next place if you look upon him downwards with Relation to the Church you will see further reason why the words that Jesus spake should be so exactly noted and so carefully observed As he is the fathers wisdom so he is made to us wisdom as the Apostle Paul speaks 1 Cor. 1.30 His father hath appointed him to be the great Prophet of of his Church The great preacher the greater revealer of his truth and will to men and therefore out of question he can speak well and his words are worth the marking You may be sure the father would not send out such a Prophet to the Church as were not worth the listening to No no God hath annointed me to preach faith Christ himself Luke 4.18 not appointed me to preach but annointed me to preach endued me with abilities and gifts for that office God who in former times saith the Apostle spake to the fathers by the Prophets hath in these latter dayes spoken to us by the Son He was designed you see to be the spoksman for the father to the world to tell them what his mind is and to preach the Gospel to them We that are ordinary preachers of the Gospel we that are underlings to Christ in this business must be enabled with some competent ability in this respect or else we are not fit for this work And therefore when our Saviour sent out his disciples he promised to give them wisdom and a mouth that is matter and expression Luke 21.15 wisdom within together with a mouth to utter and to bring forth that wisdom To shew that both of these must go together in a preacher of the Gospel I know there is a latitude to be admitted and allowed in this regard but yet a competent ability to speak so as the people may be edified by it is indisputably required And if the under-ministers of Christ must have such a faculty how great ability then must their Master have Who was designed to be the great Preacher the great Prophet and as the Apostle stiles him the chief Bishop of our Souls And if he had such a transcendent faculty to speak then certainly the words he spake are fit to be commended c. Then secondly if you consider as whose the words were so in the next place what the words were you will allow them to be worthy of our choicest observation What the words were that Jesus spake either for the matter of them or for the efficacy of them let us a little weigh them in their order and we shall see they both help to this business 1. The words of Jesus for the matter of them commonly were Gospel words Such were the words to which my text alludes in the three chapters next before full of nothing else my brethren but Gospel-sweetness Gospel-Promises and Gospel-consolation against approaching troubles and afflictions these were the words that Jesus spake Christ in a sense my brethren was the first and certainly the chiefest preacher of the Gospel this great Salvation at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed afterwards by them that heard him Heb. 2.3 And hence the Gospel as you know is called Christs saying John 8.51 The Law was the fathers saying God spake these words The Gospel is the Sons saying This was spoken by the Son And hence saith Christ in the fore-alledged text if a man keep my saying he shall never see Death So that the sayings and the words of Jesus are very fit to be considered For his you see are Gospel-sayings and Gospel sayings are worthy of all acceptation as the Apostle tels you 1 Tim. 1.15 Indeed Law-Sayings are not so readily attended to and entertained You know my brethren on mount Sinai at the giving of the Law there were thunderings and lightnings and terrible voices and the event and issue was the people fled and would not hear they were not able to endure the noise But Gospel-sayings on the other side allure affection and invite attention Upon mount Tabor where our Saviour was transfigured there was a shining Sun a bright cloud a gentle and a pleasing voice and the Disciples said Edificemus Domine Let us build here c. 2. And as the words of Jesus for the matter of them were gospel-Gospel-words so for the efficacy of them they were saying words and so in that respect the words that Jesus spake are very fit to be commended c. The words that I speak saith our Saviour to the Jews are spirit and life John 6.63 they are so in their operation and effect they give Spirit and they work life And who would not attend unto and entertain such words as these are His saying if it be received and kept will surely save a man from death yea from eternal death We may depend upon it he binds it with a strong asseveration which he repeats twice for the more Surety Iohn 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death Death is not visible the meaning is he shall not be annoyed and hurted by it as you have the like Expression Jer. 5.12 We shall not see sword nor famine And should not such words be commended to the Church and embraced by the Church as save from death and bring eternal life with them The setting down of which upon Record in holy Scripture and leaving them to after-times hath been the life of many souls and will be yet of many more in every age even to the worlds end If you consider in the last place as whose the words were and what the words were that Jesus spake so the manner how he spake them you will see further reason yet why they should be commended c. For this you may depend upon Never man spake like him It is the attestation that is given him John 7.46 Which coming from his enemies the officers that went to take him is of the more validity Never spake man like this man Grace was poured into his lips as the expression is Psalm 45.2 to shew us that the grace there mentioned is a gift of utterance and a faculty of speech whereof the lips are instruments They are the lips that form the words we speak and bring them forth to those that hear them and hence this gift of
utterance which the Psalmist calls a Grace is said there to be poured into the Lips of Jesus Christ There was a stream of holy eloquence continually flowing there which sometimes even drowned them that heard him He spake with power and authority his words had the command of mens affections so that he carried them where he pleased Indeed he carried them beyond themselves in wonder and astonishment to hear him speak sometimes as he did Mar. 1.22 They were astonished at his doctrine not only at the matter of it though that were admirable too but at the manner of delivery For he taught them as one that had authority and not as the Scribes And Luke informs us that all men bare him witness and gave testimony to him he was so famous and renowned for this gift of his and wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth Luke 4.22 You heard but now that grace was poured into his lips and here you see that grace was poured out of his lips God poured it in and he as freely poured it out so as the people wondred at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth Such were the words that Jesus spake and such words you will say are very fit for choicest observation and attention The gift of eloquence my brethren calls for audience especially such heavenly and Holy eloquence as Christs is And thus much shall suffice for Confirmation c. Now is it so my Brethren that the words that Jesus spake are very fit to be commended c. Vse Then let them be received with choicest observation by his Church and People Let them not undervalue any of the words that Jesus spake but let them entertain them with a very high esteem There have been some of late who have slighted those words who have been bold to call them inckie divinity a dead letter and the like And yet our Saviour Christ himself tells us The words that I speak are Spirit and Life Iohn 6.63 Oh my beloved I beseech you let every one of us be far from giving way to any mean account or slight thoughts of any words that Christ spake Let us keep up our observation our estimation our admiration of them to the very highest It 's true my Brethren we should carefully attend and duly mark all Scripture words For all the Scripture is given by inspiration of God 1 Tim. 3.16 And all the Scripture is profitable for our selves for Doctrine for Correction for Instruction to make the man of God perfect as it is added there in that place But the words that Jesus spake are the choicest part of Scripture and therefore must have choicest observation Never man and what if I should say never inspired man spake like to him they came not fully home to his measure They had the spirit indeed and so had he but he received not the Spirit by measure as they did He was annointed with that oyl above his fellows though not without them yet above them as the chief Prophet and they the under-Prophets of the Church And therefore when we read or hear or meet with any words that Christ spake let us take special notice of them let us fix and dwell upon them and let them rest and dwell in us Let the words of Christ dwell in us Richly let us have an eye to mark them an ear to hear them and a heart to keep them as Mary had of whom it is observed that she kept all his sayings in her heart How carefully did the Apostle keep that which our Saviour spake though it be no where mentioned in the Gospel and wishes other men to do so too Acts 20.35 Remember the words of the Lord Jesus how he said It is more blessed to give then to receive and so he mindeth the Corinthians in a special manner of that which Christ himself spake with his own voice not by the Ministry of others 1 Cor. 7.10 To the married I command and yet not I but the Lord not I as an Inspired Apostle but the Lord with his own mouth when he was conversant upon the earth as if the words that dropped immediately from his lips did challenge singular regard And such regard my brethren let them have from us when we meet with his prayers his sermons his sayings let us set Asterisks in the Margent and the finger of a hand to point them out to special observation Let us write under them as the Evangelist doth in my Text These words spake Jesus Its true my brethren we have not the happiness as some have had in former times to wait upon the Lips of Jesus Christ nor to hear the graciâ— words that dropt thence yet we may hear him in a sense at this Dayâ—â—e may hear him in his word and in his Gospel and there may be Partaâ— of these streams of holy Eloquence which flowed from his mouth and 〈◊〉 may hear him in his faithful Ministers concerning whom the Lord himâ—â—â—f hath said He that heareth them hears me And out of question that Injunction of the father yet takes hold upon us This is my besâ—ed Son hear him Hear him in his writing and hear him in his Messenâ—ers although you cannot hear him in his own person And therefore I beseech you let us hear him and let us hear him so as to be obedient to him Let us remember what a dreadfull curse there is gone forth against the men that will not hear this Prophet which will assuredly take hold upon them Acts 3.23 Every Soul that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people It was a dangerous thing you hear to refuse to hear Moses He that despised Moses Law was to die without mercy But it is much more dangerous to refuse to hear Christ there is a sorer punishment for such as it is added there Heb. 10.28 It went very hard with those who reâ—used the word that was spoken by Angels that is the Law that was delivered by the Ministry of Angels But if we refuse the word that was spoken by Christ that is the Gospel and do it finally there is but one way with us we are gone without recovery For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast for the execution of it and every transgression and disobedience c. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which was spoken by the Lord And therefore I beseech you let us hear this great Prophet if we hear him not we die and that without mercy too But if we hear him and obey him we shall live and that for ever The words that he speaks are spirit and life and if we keep his sayings we shall never see Death John 17.1 And lift up his eyes to heaven and said AND thus of the transition to our Saviours Supplication These words spake Iesus The manner of presenting it to God the Father or if you will the carriage of our Saviour in it comes now in
order to be handled He lifted up his eyes to heaven and said And here you have his gesture and expression His gesture first he lifted up his eyes to heaven while he made it And in the next place his expression he did not meditate or think it only but he said it his Prayer was not mental only but it was a vocal prayer He lifted up his eyes to heaven and said As for the first of these my brethren it was usual with our Saviour to pray with eyes erected and lift up to heaven as I might give you many instances out of the Scripture And out of question it proceeded from the zeal and earnestness of his affections and from the fixedness and the intention of his thoughts he being as it were withdrawn from the earth and from those lower things and wholly taken up to heaven while he prayed He was no longer here below no he was above with God while he was exercised in this duty Indeed it is observed of the Publican that he was contrary to Christ in this regard viz. in the external gesture of his body Our Saviour prayed as you have heard with eyes erected and lift up to heaven The Publican with eyes dejected and cast downward to the earth and yet this carriage also seems to be approved Luke 18.13 The Publican saies the Evangelist would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven but smote his breast saying God be mercifull to me a Sinner And truly both these gestures have their use in prayer the one to manifest a repentance the other to declare our faith The one to shew that we are cast down in our selves the other to discover that we are raysed and lifted up to God But it became not Iesus Christ to pray in such a posture as that wretched creature did because he had no sin in him and consequently no shame nothing to cast him down or hinder him from looking up with boldness and with confidence to God the Father And hence he prayed not like the Publican in a dejected way but lifted up his eyes to heaven and said That leads us to the second thing considered Christ did not meditate or think his prayer only but he said it His prayer was not mental only but it was a vocal prayer he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said Father the hour is come and so on It s true indeed that as a man may say and yet not pray he may utter good petitions and speak a form of Specious words to God and yet he may not pray indeed so as to find acceptance and success with God So on the other side a man may pray and yet yet not say that is not use the voice at all nor utter any words to God in prayer And therefore it is said of Moses that he cried to God when he was silent And the Apostle speaking of the Spirit tells us that he makes request to God sometimes with sighs and groans that are not yea that cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 So that a man may make request to God without expression as well by meaning as by speaking And therefore it is added in the following verse God knows the meaning of the Spirit that is he understands it and accepts it David prefers the meditation of his heart as well as the petitions of his mouth Psal 19. ult Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart c. And therefore in another place he saith of God Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble Psalm 10.17 So that you see that Prayer is not tyed to the expression of the tongue For even Ejaculations that are swift and sudden wishes darted from the heart to God the inward anhelations thirstings longings meditations meanings of the Soul are honoured in the Scripture with the name of prayer Such mentall prayers we have cause to think our Saviour sometimes offered to his Father when he was alone But here his prayer it should seem was vocal he uttered it aloud that his Apostles and Disciples who were about him at that time might hear it He lifted up his eyes to heaven and said Now this you see the Holy-Ghost takes special notice of as a remarkable and a memorable thing He doth not only tell us that our Saviour prayed and what his prayer was from the beginning of it to the end But he acpuaints us also with the manner and the circumstances of his prayer He shews us what his gesture was he tells us how he placed his eyes and how he used his voice in prayer These things may seem but small matters and we may look upon them as petty inconsiderable things But wherefore doth the Holy Ghost so carefully take notice of them and set them down in writing for the Church unless they be of some weight and some consideration Methinks he intimateth thus much to us DOCTRINE That there should be Consideration had not only of the matter but even of the circumstances the very gesture and the utterance of a prayer The Spirit of God you see doth not let pass such things as these no he observeth them exactly And therefore surely so should we too He sets them down for our use and there is somewhat to be learned from them For whatsoever things are written are written for our learning as the Apostle Paul speaks And therefore it is usual in the Scripture not only to express the prayers that the Saints have made and that Christ himself hath made but also to describe their outward carriage and behaviour in them which shews that there is something even in that too Sometimes our Saviour Christ is noted to cast himself prostrate upon the earth in prayer as you may see Mat. 26.39 he fell upon his face and prayed And sometimes to look up to heaven as you have it in my text So also when he raised Lazarus John 11.41 he lifted up his eyes and when he healed the deaf man he looked up to heaven Mark 7.34 Sometimes he only sigheth to himself in prayer and we hear of no expression in the sore-alleadged text He Sighed you must conceive in some petition which he then put up to God and said to the deaf man Epphatah be opened Sometimes he utters words also which are audible to others as I might give you divers instances out of his storie in the Gospel So for the Saints sometimes we find them represented sitting as holy David 2 Sam. 7.18 Sometimes standing up as Neh. 9.2 and sometimes kneeling in their Prayers as that is very usual in the Scriptures Sometimes we find them speaking words in prayer and sometimes using meditation only as David so divides his prayer in the fore-alleadged text into the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart and prayes that both may find acceptance with the Lord Psal 19. ult And all these wayes the holy Ghost takes special notice of and leaves upon record for our instruction by which he teaches
those places to express their grief by So in the self-same place in Joshua they fell down to the ground upon their faces when they prayed And so did Jesus Christ himself as you may see Mat. 26.39 Not that this gesture was peculiar to this piece of service but it was taken from the civil usage of the Country because this was their way of shewing reverence to superiors as you may see Ruth 2.10 And therefore we do well and suitably to the directions and examples of the Scripture that we take up such gestures only in our prayers as are usual in our Country to express our sorrow and dejection or else our civil reverence and respect by Those reverend gestures which we use in prayer should be most observed in publike There may more liberty be taken in private and in secret then there may in publike and open prayer both in the use of outward gesture and in the forbearance of them Some gestures may be used in private prayer which would become us ill in publike in which we should not go remarkably beyond the rest of the Assembly for fear and danger of hypocrisie And gestures on the other side may be forborn in some case in private prayer which yet in publike ought not to be so For evermore in publike as far as it is possible our gesture must be such as may express some reverence and devotion that we may honour God before the People and that our outward posture may not carry in it an appearance of a sleight esteem of God and of his service whereas in private there is greater freedom because indeed there is no need of such Caution But thirdly this must be continually heeded both in publike and in private that the gestures which we use be such as that we do not hinder but rather further the spiritual service It were far better to abate of the reverence of our gesture then the affection of our heart It were far better for a man to stand in prayer then that by the disease and trouble of the other posture he should be distracted and consequently his devotion and his heart should fall That may be allowed the weak in this regard which would not be convenient in the strong The bodily exercise be it of what kind it will is but a means to the spiritual service The end is better then the means and must be more regarded then the means I must not use the means but for the end so far as they are serviceable to the end And much less must I use the means aganist the end We must be very wary that the outward gesture especially in publike prayer do not exceed the inward affection and that we make not shew of more without then there is indeed within for if we do there is hypochrisie Such duties are not done in truth when there is more in shew and in appearance then there is in substance If either of the two be lower then the other it were far better that the outward expression were lower then the inward affection then that the inward c. It were far better that the gesture came short of the heart then that the heart c. It is not good to compass God about with lies meer shews do never please in his service This for the gesture of your bodies when you pray A word or two for your direction touching the use or the omission of the voice in prayer c. And here the first thing that I offer is Those prayers that are publike whether in the family or the assembly wherein one is the mouth of many to the Lord must of necessity be vocall so was our Saviours in my text you see he prayed with his Apostles and Disciples and therefore did no only form a prayer in his heart but expressed it with his mouth he did not only think but speak that they might hear He lifted up his eyes to heaven and said The voice is not of absolute necessity in private prayer For however men who having bodies are endued with ears and senses know not our meaning otherwise then by our words yet God who is himself a spirit knows the meaning of our spirits Sighs may find audience and acceptance with him inward and mental supplications may be in some case more fit then vocal But yet if other circumstances will permit in which your Christian prudence must direct you use your voices We shall observe it to have been the usual practise of the Saints to speak in prayer yea in private prayer as our Saviour did Mark 10.39 God made the tongue aswel as other members of the body and therefore will be served with this as well as them And so the Prophet David praised God with the best member that he had which some expound to be his tongue And therewith bless we God saith the Apostle James 3.9 It is sometimes a quickning to the heart and stirreth up the dead affections to greater fervency and zeal which by continuing in a mental supplication would be apt to languish and decay It keepeth in the heart from wandring by binding it to give exact attendance on the tongue to furnish it with matter and expression whereas in mental prayer it is more apt to slide away and run a roving unobserved Howbeit here I shall not peremptorily prescribe in certain cases to omit the voice is more expedient and therefore I shall shut up all and leave it to your Christian prudence to direct you to pitch upon that way and method of presenting your requests to God which ye will find most to conduce to the affectionate spiritual and heavenly performance of the duty And thus of the transition to our Saviours supplication together with the manner of presenting it to God the Father both his gesture and expression Proceed we now to enter on the Prayer which he makes and here I shall take notice only of these two things the Object of it and the parts of it The Object of it or the Person whom he presents it to you see is God the Father or to come a little nearer God his Father so he stiles him in the entrance of his Prayer Father the hour is come c. and the same phrase he uses all along as you shall see if you survey it from the beginning of it to the end Indeed he gives him once the attribute of Holy and once the attribute of Righteous Father but this is still the appellation that he uses and from whence he never varies If he calls him any thing he calls him Father And in this notion he considers him while he is putting up his prayer to him and therefore this you see my brethren is the first word that he uses when he sets himself to pray Father the hour is come c. I make these addresses to thee as a Father I look upon thee as a Father still while I am pouring out my prayer to thee and therefore he reviews the
you resemble God your Father Jesus Christ his eldest son is the very picture of him as we are wont to say the express of his fathers person They are so like in all respects that he that knoweth one of them cannot but know the other too The resemblance is so perfect and so absolute in all respects that in seeing one of them you see the other And hence said Christ to Philip John 14 19. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father also And truly we that are the younger sons of God though we be not so like him yet we are very much like him And therefore we are said to be renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created us Col. 3.10 And the new man is said to be renewed after God in holiness Ephes 4.24 And are you thus conformed to God do you bear his Image so that every one that sees you and observes you may judge who is your father Are you holy as God is and are you mercifull as God is and are you perfect in desire and endeavour as your Father that is in Heaven is perfect do you love your enemies do you bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you that you may shew your selves to be the children of your Father who makes his Sun to shine his rain to fall upon the evil and the good Mat. 5.44 are you freely merciful lending and doing good to those where there is nothing to be hoped for but unkindness for your good will that you may make it to appear you are the children of the highest who is kind to the unthankfull and unkinde Luk. 6.35 These are good evidences of your interest in the Father-hood of God But if you be prophane and vicious and cruel and unmerciful as the greater number are I may say to such as you are as once our Saviour to the wicked Jews You are of your Father the Devil and his works you do If God be your Father as you bear your Fathers Image see you have your Fathers Spirit The Spirit of the Father is that which the Apostle calls the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 So that if we be Sons we have this Spirit poured out upon us But you will say that every one almost pretendeth to the Spirit and it is evident that many are deceived in this particular How shall we know infallibly whether the spirit which we think we have be the spirit of the Father yea or no Why my beloved the Spirit of the Father iâ— an active Spirit where it is it leadeth men even where it will it carries them and guides them in its own way And as many as are led by this Spirit they are Sons of God Rom. 8.14 Well then thus far we are clear if we be the Sons of God as we have his spirit so we are led by his Spirit we walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The flesh calls and the spirit calls This is the way walk in it The flesh would have us follow it the spirit would have us follow it And the event is this if we be the Sons of God we leave the flesh and go after Gods Spirit We walk not after c. So then if you would know whether you be the Sons of God examine whether you be guided by his spirit yea or no And this may be discovered by the course you take and by the path in which you walk Gods Spirit guides and leads you always in the way of God which is prescribed and chalked out before you in the word of God And this is clearly and expresly taught us in that alledgement of the Covenant mentioned Exod. 36.27 I will put my Spirit upon you saith the Lord to his people And what shall this Spirit do it shall cause you to walk in my Statutes and to keep my Commandments and do them It shall not give you new directions it shall not shew you new ways and new paths other then those which are beaten out in Scripture but it shall cause you to walk in my Statutes If then you err and wander from the ways of Gods Statutes and walk on in your own ways as the Apostle speaketh of the Gentiles the way of your own hearts which of your selves you choose and follow your ways of drunkenness uncleanness prophanation of Gods holy day c. if you walk in the way of Cain a way of cruelty and malice and run greedily after the error of Balaam for a reward as Jude speaks ver 11. A way of covetousness and unlawfull gain you are not guided by the Spirit of the Father but by the spirit of the wicked one which ruleth in the children of disobedience But if you keep the ways of God the ways of truth and love and holiness and peace the way that is so evilly spoken of by lewd prophane and vitious men And are no sooner swerved from it in the least degree but you are crying to the Lord with Moses Lord shew us thy way with David I am gone astray Lord seek thy servant enquiring of your brethren to direct you and striving to get in again you are guided by the spirit of your father and may be confident that you are the sons of God If God be your Father and you be his children you are a company of singular and choice people As you are like your Father and consequently like your brethren too so you are unlike other men you dwell alone and are not like to other people And as the sons of Kings and Nobles differ from the sons of other men they have another kinde of garb and habit and behaviour Even so the Sons of God the King of Kings do manifestly differ from the children of the world The Lord hath singled them and drawn them out and put them in another way so that they are men of wonder in the world their ways are of another fashion And this declareth them to be the children of the High God he owns them only upon this condition as you may see 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Come out saith God and be ye separate and I will be a father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord God almighty Now my beloved are you thus come out and separated from the world which lies in wickedness as the Apostle speaks have you left your old haunts your old courses your old Companions and Associates with whom you ran out formerly to the same excess of riot are you accounted gazing stocks and wonders to the world because you are so different from them in all your ways And can you say in the uprightness of your hearts that this your singular and holy walking is not in shew and in hypocrisie but in sincerity and truth you may assure your selves you are the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty But if you walk according to the course and fashion of the world if
intent upon the business of saving the poor woman of Samaria to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work John 4.34 2. Jesus Christ was ordered by his Father as in his works of active so in his works of passive obedience He did what he would have him do in both these And therefore when he was about to suffer and when the nature which he had assumed was averse he came at length to this Conclusion not my will but thine be done Mat. 26.39 Father if it be possible saith he let this cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Here it is evident he did his Fathers will and not his own And therefore it is said He became obedient to the death even the death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 To shew that he submitted to it in obedience to the Father And therefore when the Article of death was come which was the complement of his passive obedience he cried out It is finished The work which I have undertaken and which the Father imposed upon me is accomplished and dispatched Just as he tels the Father in my Text when he was about to suffer I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do In this respect is that expression of our Saviour John 16.10 The Spirit saith he will convince the world of righteousness that is full and perfect righteousness wrought out by me for all my people And why so because saith he I go to my Father and ye see me no more If I had not performed the work of my obedience absolutely and compleatly if I had not done enough to satisfie the justice of my Father for the sins of all my Members and so to justifie them and to make them fully righteous you should be sure to see me again If I had not done and suffered all that I was appointed and designed to do before my going up to God the Father he would be sure to send me down again among you But now because I go and stay with him because I go to my Father and you see me no more you may be confident that all is well that I have ended all the business that my Father hath ordered me to finish and dispatch in this world So that you see my brethren Christ was ordered by his Father in his works of satisfaction whether they were works of active or whether they were works of passive obedience Christ was ordered by his Father as in his works of satisfaction so in works of application I mean in those works of his by which that satisfaction came to be applyed and so accordingly to be effectual Now this he doth I mean he makes it applicable and effectuall for he doth all in this business by working faith in the hearts of his people And faith he works First By the outward promulgation of the Word and Secondly By the inward operation of the Spirit In both of which while he was conversant upon the Earth he was ordered by his Father 1. First In his outward promulgation of the Word or in his preaching Jesus Christ was wholly ordered by his Father He appointed him precisely both to whom he should preach and what he should preach First He appointed him to whom he should preach and that was not to the Gentiles but to the people of the Jews only And hence said Christ to the woman of Canaan Mat. 15.24 I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel As he was sent by God the Father so he appointed him to whom he should go and what he should say He was the Fathers Messenger the Fathers spokesman to the world and therefore he put words into his mouth In which respect it is that God is said to speak unto us by the Son Heb. 1.2 The Son doth not speak himself he doth not speak his own thoughts as he is man and Mediator but God speaks to us by him So that he speaks his Fathers mind he publishes his Fathers will and pleasure to the world In which respect our Saviour saith my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me John 7.16 See how the Father orders him in this business Mat. 12.18 A bruised reed shall he not break and smoaking flax shall he not quench until he send forth judgement into victory And so accordingly our Saviour tels us that his Father had appointed him both that he should preach and what he should preach He hath anointed me to preach saith he Isa 61.1 to preach what good tydings to the meek to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And this order of the Fathers he obeyed and therefore it is much to be observed that he begun his publike Ministry with this The first Sermon he preached in Nazareth his own Country was upon this Text as you may see Luke 4.18 2. Secondly Jesus Christ was ordered by his Father as in that work of application of his satisfaction which is done in the external promulgation of the Word so in that work of application of it which is done by the internal operation of the Spirit He did not by his Spirit draw any to himself nor work faith in the hearts of any that so his satisfaction might be actually applyed to them but only those that were appointed to it by his Father Those whom his Father gave hm by Election whom he designed him to justifie and sanctifie and save those he saved and no others Our Saviour Christ as he was man was not to choose whom he would make partakers of his satisfaction to whom he would apply the merits of his passion no he must take such as his Father was contented to bestow upon him That place is notable to this purpose John 6.37 38. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and I will raise them up and give them everlasting life all them and only them And why so For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me My own will as I am man would carry me to justifie and save a greater number But in this I must be ordered I must remember I am come to do my Fathers will and not my own and therefore I must be contented with those whom he is pleased to allot me I am come that they might have life saith Jesus Christ John 10.10 They who why his sheep as he explains it both before and after I am the doâ—r of the sheep and I am come that they may have life And at verse 27. My sheep hear my voice and I give unto them eternal life But how comes Christ by these sheep why by his Fathers own gift And therefore it is added in the very next words My Father which gave them me is greater than all So that it is as if our Saviour Christ had said I am dispatched into
20. and so on to the conclusion of the Chapter Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall believe on me through their word I must at this time make a little entrance upon our Saviours Prayer in behalf of his Apostles and Disciples who were present with him They were very near to him they were waiting then upon him they were converted immediately by himself and called by his own word and therefore they have the precedency and the preferment in his Prayer And here we have to be considered First the preparation to it and secondly the matter of it The preparation to this Prayer of our Saviour in the behalf of his Apostles and Disciples Discovers first what he himself had done in reference to them And then what they had done in reference to him What they were both in relation to himself and to his Father And where they were viz. In such a place wherein they stood in need of his Prayers These things are interwoven and commixt and we must take them in our progress as we find them Only this would be considered that all of them are premised by our Saviour before he puts up one Petition for them to shew what cause there was why they should be remembred in his Prayers Begin we with the first thing which our Saviour mentions by way of preparation to the Prayer which he makes for his Apostles and Disciples I have manifested thy Name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world And here you may take notice with me of these two particulars First the action of our Saviour in reference to his Apostles and Disciples of which he minds his Father here I have manifested thy Name Secondly the description of the persons to whom he had made known his Fathers Name viz. the men which he had given him out of the world For opening of the former we must examine and resolve what is intended by the Fathers Name which Christ affirmeth here he had made known I have manifested thy Name Some think the meaning to be only this that he had made him known to his Apostles and Disciples under the notion of a Father They knew him as a God before and so did generally all the people of the Jews but as a Father in his Son they had no acquaintance with him Now by this Name our Saviour had discovered him to those whom he had called and sanctified he had brought them now to know him as a Father This is the title he gives him all along from the beginning of his Prayer to the end Father Holy Father Righteous Father and the like This is the name by which he represents him unto his Apostles and Disciples and under which he would have them to conceive and apprehend him as a Father to his Son and as a Father to themselves in him and this is that which he intends as some conceive in this profession I have manifested thy Name c. This is something I acknowledge yea this is very much of that which he intends but yet I think it is not all The Name of God in general is all that makes him known to men wherein soever the nature or the will of God or whatsoever else of God can be imagined or conceived is discovered and made known all this is intimated by the Name of God So that our Saviour in my Text in saying he had manifested Gods Name saith in effect that he had fully manifested and revealed his Father to his people So that there was nothing of him necessary to be known which he had concealed from them He had not hid one letter of his Name from them So that the point to be observed is this DOCTRINE That Jesus Christ hath made an absolute compleat and full discovery of his Father to his people The Name of God sometimes imports his Nature sometimes his Titles sometimes his Attributes sometimes his Ordinances and sometimes his works as I could give you instances of all these And all of these our Saviour had laid open fully to his Apostles and Disciples as he professes to his Father here I have manifested thy Name unto the men which thou hast given me out of the world And this is that which the Evangelist affirmeth of him Ioh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Observe it well it is not said he hath declared something of him but he hath declared him Declared him wholly and compleatly all that is declarable of him he hath made known to his people The protestation which he makes to his Apostles when he was about to leave them runs very much to this purpose Joh. 15.15 All that I have heard of my Father not from my Father but of my Father I have made it known to you Whatsoever I have been informed in concerning my Father at least as Mediator and as the Prophet of my Church I have discovered it to you I have been very faithful to you in the business whatsoever hath been shewn me of my Father for your instruction and your information I have not kept one whit from you I shall add no more for proof that I may have time to shew you How Jesus Christ hath made this full discovery and then why Jesus Christ hath made this full discovery of his Father to his people And in pursuance of the latter I shall examine and resolve why Jesus Christ and none but he hath made it And in the second place why the discovery he hath made is such an absolute and full discovery As for the first of these how Jesus Christ hath made such a discovery of his Father This will be necessary to be known for the distincter understanding of the point And he hath made it principally three ways by his Personal appearance in the flesh by his Word and by his Spirit 1. First by his Personal appearance in the flesh our Saviour Christ hath made some discovery of his Father Jesus Christ as he is Man and as he hath assummed our Nature is the Image and resemblance of his Father And this is that which the Apostle aims at when he saith He is the Image of the invisible God Col. 1.15 by which he intimates expresly that however God be in himself invisible yet there is some resemblance of him in the Lord Christ so that he may be seen in him It 's true indeed that Jesus Christ as God is the invisible Image of God and thus he is the very picture of the Father Heb. 1.3 But as he hath assumed our flesh he is the visible Image of God And this is clearly the Apostles meaning when he saith He is the Image of the invisible God His purpose is not to declare how Jesus Christ is the invisible Image of God the Father from Eternity but visible to us in time And hence he saith not simply who is the Image of God
but of the invisible God In which there is a close Antithesis q. d. Having assumed our Nature he is now become the visible Image of the invisible God That God who is invisible is made visible in him And this is that which is suggested Ioh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time you may conceive it with the outward eye the Son of Man who came out of the bosome of the Father hath declared him He hath discovered him in some respect to that eye And therefore when our Saviour was incarnate it is said that God was manifested in the flesh which is the object of the eye of sense 1 Tim. 3.16 So that he that had looked upon him might have seen the Father in him In which respect it is that when Philip was so earnest to have the Father shewn him our Saviour bid him to behold himself and addeth presently He that hath seen me hath seen the Father also Joh. 14.9 This is the Vision mentioned in the Book of Iob I know that my Redeemer c. yet in my flesh I shall see God Not in my spirit or my understanding only but my flesh yea and I shall look on him not with other but with these same eyes Which can be no other way but in the glorified Body of Christ 2. Secondly Christ hath made a discovery of his Father by his Word and by his Gospel There he hath shewed him forth to men so far as it is necessary that he should be known by them And this is partly intimated in that speech of his to Philip Joh. 14.9 10. How saist thou shew us the Father Believest thou not that I am in the Father and the Father in me The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self saith Christ My manner is not to be speaking to you of my self so much as of my Father nor to advance my self so much as to set up my Father upon all occasions And how then is it that you that have so long conversed with me and have heard so much from me are yet so unacquainted with my Father If you observe the manner of our Saviours teaching and discoursing you shall find that he insisted very much on matters that concerned his Father he was always talking of him especially when he was drawing near his passion and ready to depart from his Disciples he laboured very much to make his Father better known to them And when he was about to leave them he professed that he had perfectly acquainted them with all things that concern his Father so far as they were come to his knowledge for the instruction and the information of his people Indeed the word of Christ the Gospel containeth in it all things that are necessary to be known of God the Father whether his Nature or his Will or his Son or his Spirit c. And therefore it is said that it is able of it self without addition to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 This is a perfect and a full discovery so that we need no other knowledge of the Lord to bring us to salvation then that which is revealed to us in the Scripture 3. Thirdly Christ makes a full discovery of his Father by his Spirit And this is that which is the Complement of all in this business Indeed there is a full discovery of him in the Word materially there is nothing wanting there But it is not full to us without the revelation of the Spirit Christ shews his Father there in all his glory excellency over-flowing love to his people But if the Spirit do not cure the blindness of our eyes and open them and take away the vail that is upon them we can never see him It is the Comforter the holy Ghost that teaches all things conceive it efficaciously and with success Ioh. 14.28 who comes out from the Father and makes known the Fathers Name to his people Thus we have seen how Jesus Christ makes this discovery Now let us see why Jesus Christ makes this discovery of his Father And here you may remember I propounded two things First why Jesus Christ and none but he makes this discovery And secondly why the discovery which he makes is such an absolute and full discovery 1. First as for the first of these Why Jesus Christ and none but he makes this discovery There are two weighty reasons for it For first none but he is able And next none but he is fit to make it 1. First none but Jesus Christ is able to make this full discovery of his Father For none but he is perfectly acquainted with him Alas all men are strangers to the Father the worst men absolutely and in all respects and the best in some measure And all the knowledge which any soul hath of him it hath from Jesus Christ too But now my Brethren Jesus Christ hath the full knowledge of his Father he doth not know him outwardly alone but he knows his very heart and the secrets of his bosom And therefore he is said to lodge there and so to be the only possible revealer of the Father to the world No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1.18 How is it possible for any one to make the Father known unless he know him Now this is proper and peculiar to the Son No man knows the Father but the Son that is originally primitively of himself and therefore it is added presently and he to whom the Son will reveal him Joh. 11.27 2. Secondly as none but Christ is able so none but Christ is fit to manifest his Father to his people He is the only Mediator between God and man there is but one as the Apostle tells us and that is Christ 1 Tim. 2.5 And therefore it is congruous that he should manage and transact the business all the business between God and man that all should go through his hands He is to make God friends with us and to make us friends with God the peace must be on both sides And how shall he effect the latter but by revealing and making known his Father to us in all his beauty and his glory and his excellency in himself in all the tenderness and dearness of his love to us and so to joyn our hearts to him This latter is especially the Name of God which Christ was as a Saviour to discover viz. his attributes of Love and Mercy This was the proper work of Christ indeed to manifest this Name of God all that is sweet and lovely in him to his people This may suffice to let you know why Jesus Christ and none but he makes this discovery of the Father to his people We have but one thing yet behind why the discovery that he makes is such an absolute and full discovery I give you but two reasons of it and I have done for this time he doth it
having heard the Word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience That is the Word is fruitful in them notwithstanding persecutions and afflictions So was it in the Thessalonians as the Apostle testifies of them 1 Epist 2.13 When ye received the Word of God said he ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually also worketh in you And what was this effectual operation Constancy in sharp sufferings as you may see in the next verse And yet they would not let it go though they suffered much for it That of the Prophet David is remarkable Psal 119.161 Princes have persecuted me without cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word He had rather have them against him then have the Word of God against him They threatned him if he obeyed and kept the Word The Word on the other side that threatned him if he renounced and disobeyed it Whom did he fear most why saith the Psalmist My heart standeth in awe of thy Word Though they be Princes very great men and though they threaten me and persecute me too yet I fear the Word of God more then I fear them I dare not disobey it how much soever I displease them how much soever I may suffer from them This is to keep the Word by obedience passive for it Thus much shall serve for the Explication of the point Now is it so that they whom the Father gives to Jesus Vse do keep his Word Here is a touch-stone then my Brethen by which you may try your selves whether you be given up to Christ or no. I have shewed you heretofore of how great Consequence it is for every one of us to be among the number of the men whom God makes over to his Son Christ Indeed so great that all our happiness both in the present life and that to come consists in it If God the Father bestow us not on Jesus Christ it had been infinitely better for us that we had never been born that he had never made us For we continue in the power and the possession of the Prince of this world his we are and with him must remain for ever Now my Beloved would you know whether you be yet made over to the Son of God or no Examine diligently whether you have kept the Word of God Thine they were saith Christ to God the Father and thou gavest them to me and they have kept thy Word And is it so with you my Brethren Consider it a little and proceed in the discovery according to the branches laid before in Explication of the point Have you kept it in your memories Abundance of you have read and heard much of the Word of God These many years it hath been preached to you you have had precept upon precept and line upon line here a little and there a little you have not been overlaid and dulled ouâ— with long Sermons but you had a little and a little A little on a Sabbath day and a little on a Lecture day Your lessons have been short that you might the better learn them But what have you retained of all this Indeed some of you have laid up these sayings in your hearts as Mary did you have them sure and safe there You have them ready and at hand to bring them forth on all occasions for the Direction and the Consolation of your selves and of your Brethren But for the greater number they have lost all nothing at all sticks by them The Word of God hath come to them as the Apostle says and they have let it go again I must acknowledge there is difference in the memories of men and some are subject to a natural defect so that they fail them strangely in their own affairs which are of most concernment to them But when the memories of men are sure and faithful to them in all other things but hold the Word of God no better then a Sive holds water that lets every drop go this is a very sad case It is a shrewd presumption that they are none of Christs Disciples But you will say How shall we amend this how shall we do that we may keep the Word of God in this respect I will give you two or three Directions 1. Keep your minds close to it let them not rove and wander while you hear it if they do you lose all This is the Apostles counsel to give earnest heed to be intent upon the things we hear to watch the words as they come forth out of the Preachers mouths Heb 2.1 and why so least at any time we let them slip If we would remember well there must not be the least diversion 2. Get a good understanding in the Word of God The observation of the Holy Ghost is notable for this purpose Luk 2.19 They understood not the sayings which he spake unto them But Mary kept all these sayings in her heart They kept them not because they did not understand them that which is not understood will very hardly be remembred They are our understanding hearers that carry all away while ignorant and sottish people keep nothing 3. Value the Word of God more and you shall find you will remember it the better See the necessity the excellency of it and then you will be careful how you lose it Esteem it as the Prophet David did above gold yea above fine gold He whose memory is weakest seldom forgets where he hath laid his gold 4. Strengthen memory by meditation repetition conference of what you hear If it be hard to take in holy Truths chafe them in rub them in and settle them by this means Let them be as a nail well fastned as the expression of the Wiseman is and set home with many strokes that they may not out again 5. Set instantly upon the practice of the truth delivered to you assoon as you hear it act it That which you do you will remember Mark that of the Apostle James 1.25 Not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Word The doer then is no forgetful hearer Many men remember nothing because indeed they do nothing 6. When holy truths are gone with you when they are slipt away entreat the Holy Spirit to recal them Mind him humbly of his Office and of the end for which your Saviour sent him down into this lower world to bring things to remembrance which have been taught you Joh. 14.26 JOHN 17.6 And they have kept thy Word TO pass on to the Second branch of this discovery Have you kept the Word of God in your Hearts by believing This is a degree higher and reaches further then the other Many keep it in their memories who do not keep it in their hearts Many remember it who do not believe it And yet unless we do both we can have no assurance that we belong to Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father And is it so with you
Scripture and never leave till you know the heart of it And this is that which the Apostle Paul insinuates Col. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it dwell let it be a houshold-guest let it rise and sit and walk dine and sup and lodge with you let it be familiar to you Be you as throughly acquainted with it as any man that dwells in your house with whom you have discourse and dealing every hour And truly if you strive not thus to be acquainted with the Word of God you do not love it as you ought to do 3. If you love the VVord of God you will not easily fall out with it when you find the meaning of it and perceive it is against you in something that is naturally dear to you you will not quarrel with it your hearts will not rise up in enmity against it No your dear affections to it will make you quietly and meekly to submit to it Indeed ungodly men cannot endure the VVord of God the Precepts and Commandements of it are like bonds and cords to them they lay restraint upon them they curb them and they hold them in and hence they are enraged against it They endeavour what they can to break the bonds of God asunder they are always contradicting and opposing and gainsaying and raising quarrels and disputes against the Word because they hate it But now the Saints upon the other side are very much in Love with it and hence it is that the Commandements of it are not grievous to them they agree with their spirits they are written in their hearts Or if at any time it cross them they are not angry with the Word but with themselves that their base hearts should not in every thing agree with it Yea when it is a little sharp and bitter though their stomachs rise at first yet in the issue they submit and say as Hezekiah to Isaiah Isa 39.8 Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken They find a sweet and pleasing savour even in the sowrest passage of the Word There goes a savour with their knowledge of it as the Apostle Pauls expression is 2 Cor. 2.14 Carnal men may know abundance of the Scripture more then a pretious Saint of God but here is the difference they find no savour in their knowledg of it at least no sweet and pleasing savour No it is distastful to them it doth not suit with their palates it doth not fit their humors A Drunkard knows it is a sin to be intemperate to drink himself down to a beast A wanton and lascivious person knows it is a sin to be unclean but this doctrine doth not please him and so it is in other cases whereas the Truth is sweet to those that are in Christ they look upon it as their friend and love it because it joyns with them against their lusts who are their greatest enemies whom they abhorre and whom they hate with a perfect hatred 4. If you love the VVord of God you will hardly part with it you will not let it go from you if you can keep it any way by any means And much less will you go from it I have not departed from thy judgements saith holy David to the Lord Psal 119.102 for thou hast taught me Brethren there are a sort of men who have a kind of knowledge of the Word of God but they have no love to it and hence it is that they are easily withdrawn from it as multitudes have been in these times while they that have it dear in their affections are rooted and established in the present truth as 2 Pet. 1.12 They are not carryed clean away with every new opinion and conceit as others are They cleave unto the Truths of God with full purpose of heart They are setled in their judgements and resolved in their minds This is undoubtedly the Truth of God I know it to be so I find it to be so by sensible experience in my soul and to this I mean to stick even to the loss of goods and life and all I am resolved that I will not relinquish it what ever hazard I may undergo to hold it whatever Sophisters and slie Seducers object against it 5. If you love the Word of God you will be extreamly troubled when it is slighted and abused it will vex you to the heart to see it undervalued and despised You will be ready to reply in such a case The VVord is a good friend of mine one whom I love dearly from whom I have received much comfort And I am no way able to endure it wounds me to the very soul to see it used in this fashion Beloved these are times in which the VVord of God hath suffered much from wicked and ungodly men It hath been strangely scorned and contemned and even trampled under foot It hath been usual in these days of ours for men to speak against those things that are delivered from the VVord contradicting and blaspheming Now my Beloved how have such things as these affected you and wrought upon you what tears have they drawn from you what sorrow have they wrought in you how often have they sent you over-loaden to your closets there to open all to God It is observed by the Holy Ghost that when Jehoiakim had cut the roll in pieces with a pen-knife which Jeremiah brought him from the Lord and burnt it in the fire upon the hearth they that stood by were not afraid neither did they rent their garments nor manifest their sorrrow Jer. 36.23 24. Beloved some of you have seen as high contempt as this offered to the word of God though not in the same kind And truly if you have not rent your hearts at least if you have not been inwardly afflicted in your spirits and done what you are able to the vindication of it you have shewed but little love to Gods word By these things you may try whether you have kept the word of God in your affections by loving it and so have made it to appear that you belong to Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father Now in the last place let me quicken you a little to the love of Gods word That if you love it not already you may come to love it Or if you love it you may go on to love it yet more And to this end I shall desire you to take notice of how great excellency and admirable use it is to you as I shall lay it open in a few particulars 1. Are you yet in your natural estate the word of God is the means to convert you The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Psal 19.7 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Sanctifie them saith our Saviour How By thy truth thy word is truth Joh. 17.17 That speech of Paul is apposite and full God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification
thy will for thy Law is in my heart Lord we delight to pray read hear perform religious duties it is our meat and drink to do thy will for thy Law is in our hearts It is not written in our understandings only but in our hearts and our affections and this is that which makes obedience to it pleasing and delightful to us So that if you might be free from the injunctions and directions of the Word with the servant in the Law you would not value such a libertie You would not swear and be unclean and run out into all excess of ryot if you might because your spirits have by grace an inward contrariety and antipathy against it you would not cease to pray and hear and perform religious duties if you might because your spirits have an inward sweet complacencie in these things If you thus keep the Word it is a sign that you are Christs Disciples As you must keep the Word wholly and keep it cordially so you must keep it constantly you must keep it to the end as the Prophet David speaks Psal 119.33 You must hold on in keeping it you must persist in your obedience to it even to your lives end that Christ may say at last concerning you when you depart out of this world and appear before his Father Thou hast given them to me and they have kept thy word And indeed to obey it for a time and then to throw it off again is not to keep it but to lose it Alas how many such are there among us in these latter times who for a while were very diligent and Instant in the study of the Scriptures seem'd to be very cautious and exact to frame their lives in every thing according to the word of God so that they would not vary from it in the least particular Or if they found themselves at any time in any thing to swerve from the direction of the Rule they would judge themselves for it But now the Word the rule it self is laid aside as an unnecessary and a useless thing as if it were not worthy the keeping any longer there is no care at all to walk by it when there are gross and horrid deviations from it they are not looked upon as matter of Humiliation or Contrition in the least degree I wish that such would seriously consider with themselves how Christ shall own them in the latter day how he shall plead before his Father for them that they have kept his word Now my Beloved lay these things to heart and never rest till you have gotten this Character of those that are bestowed on Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father Never satisfie your selves till you keep the Word of God in your lives by obeying it till you keep it wholly and till you keep it cordially and till you keep it constantly And then there is a blessing poured out upon you by the mouth of Christ himself Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it that is that do not hear it only but obey it And to the same effect speaks the Apostle James Jam. 1.23 If as you look into the Law the word of God and understand it so you continue in it and are doers of the work not forgetful hearers of it but doers of the work you shall be blessed in the deed And that you may attain this blessedness that follows those that are obedient to the word I shall give you some direction 1. You must seek to God to teach you though you may learn to know it as that a Castaway may do yet you can never learn to keep it any other way you shall never keep the word in the obedience of your lives unless God and Christ teach you David was very sensible of this and therefore poured out his prayer to the Lord Psal 119.33 Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keep it to the end When thou thy self hast taught me once and not before I shall walk accordingly I shall be obedient to it It is not in the power of any in the world to teach a man to frame his life in every thing according to the word unless God himself do it But if he undertake it once if he be pleased to be our Teacher all is well And this is that which the Apostle Paul insinuates Ephes 4.20 and in the following verse ye have not so learned Christ saith he viz. to say and to profess that you are Christians and yet to live prophanely and licentiously and lewdly still If so be that you have heard him and been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus Why what doth he intend what is it to be taught by him he tells us in the following verse That you put off touching the former conversation the old man and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man It is such a kind of teaching whereby we are transferred and brought to the obedience of it And therefore if you do indeed desire to have your lives conformed to the rule and Word of God seek to Christ himself to teach you 2. Be sure to set your selves to the obedience of it out of hand Procrastinations and delays will dash all It is observed of the Colossians that they obeyed the Word from the day they heard of it Col. 1.6 So you my Brethren do you grow practical from this day It may be you are now convinced of many things you think of this and that in which your practice is not answerable to the rule you have secret inward motions and it may be resolutions to amend all as David had I have said that I would keep thy Word saith he to God Psal 119.57 strike now while it is hot do as the same holy Prophet did I made haste and delayed not saith he to keep thy precepts Psal 119.60 Assoon as I resolved I made haste and set about it If you have holy resolutions wrought to practice any duty which you have hitherto neglected up and be doing presently do not permit such resolutions to grow cold and die within you least you never have them more I am perswaded there are many souls in hell who have purposed in many things to bring their practice to the Word to abandon such a sin and to set on such a duty they were resolved upon the thing but they could not do it yet and so the Lord hath cut them off and their delays have proved their ruine 2. If you will keep the Word of God in your lives by obeying it you must find out and mortifie the lusts that hinder you in this business or if you do not so you may resolve on this and that but surely it will come to nothing and therefore if you have within you any holy purposes of coming nearer to the Rule of leaving such a sin or setting upon such a duty think now what lust or what corruption there is
be justified when he speaketh and clear even when he judgeth Psal 51.4 when it is hardest to acquit him and to stoop to him So that you see my Brethren we must justifie the Lord in his reproofs and threatnings how sharp soever they may seem to be As Rehoboam and the Princes did when they were sharply menaced be the Prophet they replyed not they fretted not against him but confessed the Lord is righteous 2 Chron. 12.6 And Hezekiah when Isaiah dealt so roundly with him in the Name of God Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken 2 King 20.19 Yea God requireth this of all his people that they say Amen to every Curse of his and that they set their seal to it as you may see Deut. 27.26 This is the entertainment which we ought to give the word of God in this respect meekly and humbly to submit to it even when it seemeth to be most against us and not so much as once to mutter or repine at it Now this we shall not do unless we look upon it as the word of God Nothing but such an apprehension of it will bring the heart to such a temper and put the spirit into such a frame as this is That which comes to us under the notion of the word of man will never be so yeilded to No the heart will boyl and rage and rise against it But when it hath the stamp of God upon it it stoops the spirit to submission Such entertainment you may see it found in Eli upon this account It is the Lord when Samuel who was then a child declared to him what the Lord resolved to bring upon him and his house saith Eli it becomes me to be humble and sumit to this and not to murmur and repine against it for it is the Lord 1 Sam. 3.18 As Hezekiah Isa 38.15 What shall I say for he hath said it to me And so in every truth that is delivered to us in every precept that is laid upon us in every reprehension that is given us in every Commination that is thundred out against us if we consider with our selves whoever be the messenger it is the Lord that speaketh this it is the word of God and not of man this and only this will make us in all humility to stoop to it 4. We must know for certain that it is the word of God that we may give it such entertainment as it ought to have in point of obedience Herein the word of God is singular it must be absolutely and universally obeyed and that not only with the outward but also with the inward man It doth not only take command upon the members but even the spirit and the conscience must be subject to it And that without delay without question without exception without reservation assoon as that which is delivered to us appears to be the word of God there is no room for disputation or expostulation but obedience All that the Lord Commandeth we must do Exod. 1â— 8 if he command it we must do it This is the entertainment which we ought to give the word of God The word of man can challenge no such honour and respect from us All the commands of men are limited and are to be obeyed so far and but so far as they agree with the commands of God or else at least as they are not repugnant to them And consequently while we look on any word as that which comes from man or as that which is of man we cannot yeild it such obedience as is peculiar to the word of God But when we know once that it is of God when we are certain that he is the Author of it we shall no longer think our selves at liberty to obey or disobey No this perswasion will convince us that it is absolutely necessary to resign our selves to the obedience of this word of his who is such a Law-giver as is able either to save or to destroy and with whom every disobedience receiveth a just recompence of reward JOHN 17.7 Now they have known that all things c. Vse 1 NOw is it so that they that will give the word such entertainment c. We see the reason then my Brethren why the word is so unworthily and slightly entertained by the greater part of men why it hath no greater reverence no greater credit no more submission no more obedience then it meets withall from those that are the ordinary hearers of it Alas how is it disrespected and despise everv where how little credit doth it find with me how do their hearts and spirits rise against it when it meeteth with corruptions and crosses them in their ways and their humors how far are they from yeilding absolute obedience to it in every thing that it requires of them And what 's the cause of all this Truly the main and principal is this that they believe it not to be indeed and truth the word of God When it is read or preached to them either they call the matter into question and are in very great suspense whether it be the word of God or no or else they peremptorily resolve as Israel did It is not he Jer. 5.12 It is not God that speaks to us this is not the word of God and then no wonder though it be neglected and despised by them They hear a man and so accordingly resolve that that which is delivered to them is of man and that it hath no higher Author then the man that speaks to them And some of them will now and then express themselves Preachers may say their pleasure in a pulpit and the like And hence it is my Brethen that their respect and entertainment of it is answerable to their apprehension of it such as belongeth to the word of man and no more They regard it and believe it and obey it just as farre as they themselves please But you will say perhaps if you could hear the Lord himself speak to you Oh how would you fear before him how would you stoop to him how would you yeild obedience to his voyce But who is this that you hear a man such as your selves are whose weaknesses and failings and infirmities are known to you Oh but remember that though you have this treasure in earthen vessels yet it is a treasure still and it is of God still That all the messengers of God in their regular prescripts ought to be instead of God and instead of Christ to you That it is not they that speak but the Holy Ghost himself that speaketh by them Mat. 10.20 And therefore even as he that heareth them heareth God so on the other side he that despiseth them despiseth God himself Luk. 10.16 They were but men that preached to the Thessalonians the Apostle and his fellows so that they might have made the same objection and so have kept themselves from due and reverend entertainment of the word which they delivered But they
them up again with joy unspeakable and glorious How it hath altered them and changed them and turned them clean about and made them to renounce their pleasures and delights their wills their reasons their desires yea to deny themselves that they might walk by this Rule 5. The blood of many Martyrs gives testimony to the Scripture that it is the word of God who but for this divine and saving Truth and by his power and might whose Truth it is would hardly have endured the rage and fury of the flames the violence of the tormentors We read indeed that divers Hereticks have suffered exquisite and horrid tortures for their gross opinions and conceits as we have many instances in Church story But it is to be considered that they did it for the Scripture though falsely and corruptly apprehended and applyed Where hath been the Jew or Turk who for his Talmud or his Alchoran which are the Scriptures they receive and use hath put himself into the hands of the Tormentors These and such things as these do make it in it self extremely credible that that which is delivered in the Scripture is the word of God But yet they may not so take hold upon us to convince us notwithstanding they may not chase our scruples all away nor clear up all doubts unless some further thing be done to make it credited by us and to make us know for certain that it is the word of God This is the proper and peculiar work of Gods Spirit The self same Spirit which delivered it to the Apostles and the Prophets who were the Scribes and Pen-men of the Scripture and made them know that it was the word of God which they delivered must satisfie us and convince us also that it is the word of God which we receive No other means will do without this but this and this alone will do it This is an absolute and satisfying testimony of it self which carries all before it and puts the matter out of question where it comes Other things may make it credible but this and this alone will make it clearly and demonstratively sure to us that it is in deed and truth the word of God Now if you ask me how the Holy Spirit doth this great work which nothing else besides can do I answer that it doth it principally two ways First by removing those impediments which hinder this assurance And secondly by giving us those gifts and graces which make us able to receive it First by removing those impediments that hinder this assurance There is a double hinderance or impediment in every man by nature First ignorance whereby our eyes are closed as it were The word hath light enough my Brethren in and of it self to shew it self to us to manifest it self to us as it is indeed but we are blind and cannot see it The second hinderance is corruption by means of which although we see it we cannot of our selves but hate it and dislike it and reject it These two the Holy Spirit cureth and removeth by a double remedy The first illumination restoring our decayed understandings to some degrees and measures of their first light opening our eyes that we may see the wonders of the word and so be satisfied that it is the word of God The next Sanctification infusing into our desires and our affections some degrees and measures of their first holiness And by this work of Gods Spirit opening the eyes of our blind minds that we may understand the Scriptures and see those admirable rays and beams of divine and heavenly light that shine in them And also rectifying our corrupt affections that we may love them and embrace them we come to be assured that the Scripture is indeed and truth the word of God So that you see the Spirit works not this assurance in us by adding any thing to Gods word by curing any failing or defect in it but only by bringing it into the light and representing it unto us as indeed it is The Spirit doth not make it credible for it is so in it self abundantly beyond all possibility even of the best addition but it makes it so to us by curing and removing the impediments and supplying the defects which are in us by means of which we cannot apprehend it as it is And I mention this the rather because some have been apt to say of late the Word without the Spirit is no more to them then any other Book or any other piece of writing Now if their meaning be to blame themselves in this and to import that their corruption and their ignorance is such that unless the Spirit help them they cannot come to understand it or look upon it as better then another Book it may receive a pretty fair construction But if their intention be to undervalue and abase the Scripture as if the proper and innate and real worth thereof depended wholly on the Spirits revelation it is a horrid derogation from the pretious Word of God It 's true indeed without the Spirit it may be no more to us then any other book such is the darkness and prophaness of our hearts but yet it is more in it self whether the Spirit shew it us or no. The Spirit in this work of his doth not make it in it self to be the Word of God but only to appear so It makes no alteration in the Word but in our selves When first it tells us and assures us that it is the Word of God it was clearly so before or else it certifies us of a falsehood and untruth only it was not apprehended and believed to be so This is indeed the Spirits work to make us know for certain that it is the Word of God it is not to be done without it And therefore that we may attain to this perswasion we must do these two things 1. We must cry to God to send down his Holy Spirit to give in this assurance to us To set his seal and testimony to it that it is the Word of God and so to put the matter out of all question to satisfie us without any further scruple that all that is delivered in it is of God 2. We must take in and cherish all the light that from the Spirit shines upon the soul Sometimes a beam breaks in upon us on a sudden it makes us see and know for certain that it is the Word of God so that all doubt is banished quite in that particular But we neglect it and permit our thoughts to be misled to other things before we fix and settle upon this perswasion and so our assurance fails and our doubts return again The Spirit offers clear illumination and conviction and we take no notice of it and therefore it is just it should be withdrawn again And thus far of our Saviours declaration of his Apostles and Disciples due and ready entertainment of the Word which he delivered together with the ground of it as it is
be known by them Answ I mean as yet in the Condition they were in at that time All things which he heard from God the Father with this intent that they should hear them and be made acquainted with them he had imparted to them to the very utmost so that he had been faithful in the business There is no doubt our Saviour Christ as man had many things revealed to him from his Father which he instilled not into his Disciples for he was perfect in regard of knowledge and they were not so nor could be so in this world But whatsoever was communicated to him as the Mediator and the Prophet of the Church in that behalf and for the information and behoof of his people all this he manifested and made known to them again as far as the estate which they were in would bear it and their condition did require it And this he clearly intimateth in the fore-alleadged place I have yet many things to say to you but ye cannot bear them now And to what end should Christ say that which he knew they could not yet bear why should he lay a burthen on them which was too heavy for their shoulders But if he had said all before how had he many things to say yet He had said all that was to be said before all that his Father had appointed him to say and he had many things to say that were not to be said yet because they were not suitable to the condition they were in at that time But did our Saviour say them afterwards or if he had many things to say and did not say them how was he such a faithful messenger as I have shewn from his Father to his people For clearing this we must distinguish of our Saviours sayings something he was to say to his Apostles and Disciples with his own immediate voyce while he was conversant upon the earth Other things he was to say by his Spirit afterwards and he was very faithfull both ways 1. What things he was to say to his Apostles and Disciples with his own immediate voyce he said all those things He kept nothing back from them He taught them lesson after lesson still as they could learn And so he carryed them along as long as he remained among them So that he might have said at any time while he was with them I have made known all to you all that you are yet to know And whereas he affirmeth in the cited place I have yet many things to say to you if they were such as he was himself to speak to utter to them with his own mouth there is no question to be made he spake them afterwards before he left them and ascended to his Father And it is manifest that after he was risen he conversed with them forty days talking of mysterious things speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom Act. 1.7 The Kingdom which had been set up in the hearts of a few poor despised ones before but was now to be erected in the Church These and such things as these they could not hear till now and therefore though our Saviour had these things to say yet he said them not till now And now he said them that he might be faithful and that he might discharge the trust that was reposed in him by his Father 2. But there were other things which he was not to say to his Apostles and Disciples by his own immediate voyce while he was conversant among them but by his Spirit afterward when he had left them And these he said accordingly by that Spirit And this is chiefly aimed at and is the main intention of the fore-alleadged Text I have yet many things to say to you but you cannot bear them yet But what then did he say them afterwards Yes he said them afterwards by his Spirit and what the Spirit said he said And therefore it is added presently Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear viz. of me that shall he speak He shall receive of me and shall shew it unto you While Christ was conversant with his Apostles in the flesh they were capable of nothing in a manner It was but little they could bear then and therefore there was little to be shewed to them But when he was ascended once their hearts were presently enlarged to a capacity of greater measures and degrees of knowledge And Christ was now accordingly to shew them and the Church by them much more by his Spirit which he performed with all fidelity as the event hath manifested and declared The point you see is fully cleared Christ hath approved himself a faithful Messenger from his Father to his people For he hath added nothing to his message and he hath taken nothing from it All the words his Father gave him to deliver by himself and by his own immediate voyce he hath delivered All that he gave him to deliver by his Spirit all these he hath delivered too and so he hath been absolutely and exactly faithful every way Hath Christ approved himself a faithful Prophet to the Church a Vse 1 faithful Messenger c. Hath he not failed in speaking any thing that he should have concealed or in concealing any thing he should have spoken hath he not spoken so much as a word too little or a word too much This then may serve to teach us divers things As 1. To hear this Prophet and diligently to observe and mark all that he speaks to us He hath no loose words no vain expressions nothing too little or too much in that which he delivered to us and therefore it must be the better noted and the more valued The words of men yea the exactest of them are sometimes defective and sometimes redundant The words of Christ are not so I speak not this that you should do as some of the Church of Corinth did I am for Paul saith one I am for Cephas said another I am for neither of them said a third I am for Christ only That which Christ himself said I will hear and I will read but I will hear no other man I would not have you hear Christ so as to hear none but him But I would have you hear Christ so as to hear none like him for never man spake like this man And therefore when we meet with his words let us take special notice of them let us fix and dwell upon them and let them rest and dwell in us Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly Let us have an eye to mark them an ear to hear them and a heart to keep them as Mary had of whom it is recorded that she kept all his sayings in her heart How carefully did the Apostle keep that which our Saviour spake though it be no where mentioned in the Gospel and wishes other men to do so too Act.
20.35 Remember the words of the Lord Jesus how he said It is more blessed to give then to receive And so he mindeth the Corinthians of that whith Christ himself spake To the marryed I command and yet not I but the Lord 1 Cor. 7.10 As intimating that the words which dropped from his lips did challenge singular regard from them And such regard my Brethren let them have from us when we meet with his Prayers his Sermons his Sayings let us hear this Prophet and hear him so to be obedient to him It was a dangerous thing you know to refuse to hear Moses he that despised Moses Law was to die without mercy But it is much more dangerous to refuse to hear Christ There is a sorer punishment for such Heb 10.28 It went very hard with those who refused the word that was spoken by Angels But if we refuse the word that was spoken by Christ and do it finally there is but one way with us we are gone without recovery For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast for the execution of it and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which was spoken by the Lord If we hear him not we die and that without mercy too But if we hear him and obey him we shall live and that for ever The words that he spake are spirit and life And if a man keep his sayings he shall never see death 2. This should teach us in the second place to trust him since he is such a faithful Messenger that he varies not a word we may well rely upon him and believe him to the utmost His words are all heavenly all of God he hath given us those words that are given him of the Father all those and none but those and why then should we not depend upon them for our direction for our Consolation and trust him perfectly in all cases 3. To try other Prophets by this Prophet other Messengers by this Messenger and so accordingly to embrace them or reject them Other men that come from God really or in pretence may speak more or speak less then he hath put into their mouths Christ hath said neither more nor less and therefore let us always try their Messages by his Message if they agree with his let us embrace them but if they disagree let us reject them JOHN 17.8 I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me ANd thus far of the General Application Proceed we now a little more particularly and distinctly to apply the divers branches of the point in order Vse 1 Hath Christ himself approved himself a faithful Messenger from his Father to his people in this respect that he hath added nothing to his Message That he hath not delivered so much as a word more Then surely not a word of his must be neglected by us nor slightly passed over without the most exact examination All the words of Jesus Christ have weight in them and therefore they must all be weighed by them that handle them or read or hear them Every word that he delivered comes from heaven it is given him of his Father as you have it in my Text. And do you think his Father would give down from heaven so much as one vain word to be delivered by him to his Church and people And if there be not one superfluous word in his Message then certainly there is not one to be unadvisedly and lightly passed over by us And therefore let it be our care to pry into and study every word of Jesus Christ which he hath left upon record in Scripture to sift it and to scan it to the very utmost to seek to God by earnest prayer to open and unfold it to us that nothing in it as far as it is possible may scape us unobserved And truly my Beloved this deserves the more to be considered by us because we know not what we lose sometimes by our neglect in this particular by slight and careless handling reading or hearing of the words of Christ Oh the inestimable hidden worth that is wrapt up sometimes in one of his expressions and we take no notice of it Either we are ignorant of the Original the Language and the Tongue in which he speaks and so cannot or else we are negligent and idle and remiss and so do not dive in it It is not to be imagined what a world of light and information in deep and mysterious things of sweet direction of precious Consolation we lose by this means And therefore when we labour to expound the Scripture when we read or when we hear it let us not look upon a sentence or a verse in gross and so indeavour to find out the general intent and drift and meaning of it but let us scan and study every word Were there any loose expressions as there are in other writings that carry nothing of solidity and weight in them we might very well omit them and not spend our thoughts upon them But there is not a word to spare in that which Jesus Christ delivers from his Father to his people nothing but what is necessary to express some matter of importance and concernment to us and therefore let us value it and fist it well that we may know the mind of God and the mind of Christ in it Hath Christ approved himself a faithful Messenger from his Father to Vse 2 his people in this respect that he hath taken nothing from his message Then let us seek no further for direction in matters that concern salvation but let us satisfie our selves with that which Christ hath brought us from his Father Indeed if he were any way defective there were some colourable reason then why we should labour to supply him as the Papists do with their Traditions and unwritten Verities and so botch up as well as we are able that which he hath left unperfect But since he hath delivered to us all that his Father put into his mouth and hath not kept a word back Oh let us rest in the discovery he hath made as that which of it self is able to make us wise unto Salvation Let us beware of itching after novelties and hearkning after new and strange discoveries such as Christ hath never made as many do in these days Oh let not any of us who have heard and learned Christ turn away from wholesome doctrine and be turned after fables as the Apostle Paul speaks Let us not leave the Living Fountain and go to broken Cisterns that will hold no water But let us stick to Jesus Christ and satisfie our selves with that which he hath taught us in the Scripture as comprehending in it all that is necessary to salvation But here to clear my self a little that I may not be mistaken I acknowledge that many necessary things are not expresly delivered to us by our Saviour from his Father and
was desirous to be gone and to return to him that sent him And therefore this he urgeth very hard when he enrreats his Father to receive him to him self I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Joh. 17.4 q. d. If I had not done the work for which thou hast dispatched me down into this lower world I should be willing to continue here But I have gone through with it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have made an end of it so that I have no more to do in this world and therefore I beseech thee let me come away to thee Jesus Christ as he is man is gone c. because as he hath no more to Reason 3 do here so he hath very much to do there and therefore is gone thither where his business lies He is called his Fathers servant very often in the Scripture And truly my Brethren he is a diligent and faithful one assoon as he hath done his work in one place away goes he unto another he doth not love to stay and idle there where he hath no work to do but where his business and employment is there is the place that he desires to be And hence it is my Brethren that he went away into the other world because he had much work to do there But you will ask me what that work was I answer 1. He was to triumph there over his Enemies and ours This was a necessary and important business and it was not to be done compleatly here in this world at least not till and in the very act of his departure and this is that which the Apostle pointeth at Ephes 4.8 When he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive He did it not before or after but in that article of time when he ascended when he returned to his own Countrey then he led his Captives with him Even as those Conquerers of old among the Romans when they returned back to Rome after some glorious victory were wont to bring their Captives with them which they had taken in the wars and to lead them by their Chariots in a victorious and triumphant way So Jesus Christ when he had conquered Sin and Death and Hell and was returning out of this world to the immediate presence of his Father to the Country whence he came he did it in a glorious and triumphant way He did not steal away out of the world as if he had ashamed of that which he had done or suffered there as if he had been overcome No he went away triumphing as one that having absolutely conquered and beaten all that stood against him brings along his prisoners with him 2. Jesus Christ is gone away c. that he might send down his Spirit to his people That was another work he had to do the Spirit was not to come down till he came up and therefore he ascended that the Spirit might descend abundantly upon his people And this is that of which he mindeth his Apostles and Disciples when he was about to leave them Joh. 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away and why so For if I do not go away the Comforter the Holy Spirit will not come While I am with you in the flesh you are so taken up with carnal and fleshly apprehensions of me that you are made incapable of great degrees measures of the Spirit And therefore I must even go away from you that I may send the Spirit to you And so accordingly he did as the Prophet David takes notice Psal 68.18 He ascended upon high and he received gifts for men gifts to bestow on men that the Lord God might dwell among them A strange expression he ascended from them to this end that he might remain and dwell among them Yes he ascended from them in his body that he might dwell among them by his Spirit or by those gifts which he received for men in the preceding words Well then you see he is departed from us not to forsake us but to dwell among us He hath withdrawn the presence of his Body that he might dwell among us by the presence of his Spirit According to that sweet and pretious promise made to his Disciples when he was ready to depart from them Mat. 20.28 Behold I am with you always c. 3. Jesus Christ gone away c. that he might intercede for his people Why you will tell me so he might and so he did while he was resident in this world he offered up strong cries to God and that not for himself alone but for his Church and members too Yea the Chapter we are handling is the Prayer of our Saviour in the behalf of his people so that he might have interceded for them by vocal supplication had he remained still in this world and had he never gone hence Yea but he could not then have interceded for them by personal appearance as he doth now And therefore he is gone to heaven that he may appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 And is it not a comfort to us to consider that we have such a choise and pretious friend there That we have such an Advocate in Court continually at all times and in all causes That he is always by his Father in his Body and his humane Nature wherein he suffered for his people You know he bare our sins in his body on the tree and in that crucified body he appeareth in the presence of his Father So that he is at hand on all occasions to shew his Father all his wounds and all his scars all the prints and all the marks of his bitter bloody sufferings Oh Father may he say when there is any thing in agitation for his people any supplication for them or any accusation laid against them remember what I have endured for them in this flesh of mine what I have suffered for them in this body here before thee look upon these wounds and scars and for my sake be gratious to them do not deny them their Petitions do not reject them for their unallowed and bewailed imperfections 4. Jesus Christ is gone away c. to make heaven ready for us that so we may be presently admitted when we come And this our Saviour Christ himself who best knows yeelds as the reason of his departure from his Apostles and Disciples when he was about to leave them saith he I go to prepare a place for you Joh. 14.2 when our Saviour Christ entred heaven and passed into the immediate presence of his Father he took possession of it in our name and stead and left it open after him to all his Members He hath in this respect prepared it for us that he hath made it ready to receive us And when we are ready too he will come and receive us to himself that where he is there may we be also as it is added in the fore-alleadged place Joh. 14.3 5. Jesus Christ is gone away
c. that in the mean time till he take us up to him to heaven personally he may draw us up to heaven virtually That till we follow him in person we may follow him in heart and in affection that may set them on the things that are above where Christ also fits on the right hand of God If Christ were still among us in the body and in a visible and fleshly way you are not able to imagine how much it would detain us here We should not care much to look higher then the place where Christ is But now he is departed from us into heaven this draws up our affections after him who is so infinitely dear pretious to us for where the treasure is there will the heart be also This makes us to desire with the Apostle to be with him to be dissolved and to be with Christ This makes us keep him company though at a distance It makes us heavenly in our discourses meditations conversations as the Apostle was Phil. 3.30 Our conversation is in heaven from whence we look for the Saviour even the Lord Jesus Christ JOHN 17.11 And now I am no more in the world IS it so that Jesus Christ as he is man is gone away out of this Vse 1 lower world c. Then let us not expect to see him here till he return again from heaven It 's true he shall so come again from heaven as the Apostles saw him going into heaven as you may see Act. 1.11 He shall come down again in a remarkable observable and visible way Behold he cometh with the clouds and every eye shall see him Apoc. 1.7 And in the mean time my Beloved the heavens must contain him or confine him as to his bodily or fleshly presence he must be comprehended there Act. 3.21 I say then as our Saviour Christ himself upon the like occasion Mat. 24.4 Take heed that no man deceive you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ And though it seem so gross a business that there can be no danger in it yet it is added presently and they shall deceive many so that there may be need of this Caveat And therefore I beseech you my Brethren lay it up against the time of trial come if it ever come upon you For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets as the true Christs tell us Mat. 24.24 insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. And therefore if they say unto you Lo here is Christ or there believe them not If they say he is in the Desert go not forth he is in the secret chambers believe it not as Christ addes in that place If a seducing spirit tell you Christ is in such or such a place such or such a one is Christ as some have been so grossly impudent in these times believe him not If a Papist or Ubiquitary tell you Lo here is Christ lo he is corporally present in the Sacrament the bread is really and truly chang'd into his body believe him not No my Beloved do you depend on that which Christ himself affirmeth in my Text and now I am no more in the world as to my bodily and fleshly presence untill you see him come again as the Apostles saw him go away for every eye shall see him when he comes be confident he is not here in this world I say as Christ in the fore-alleadged place Take heed I have foretold you Vse 2 Is it so that Jesus Christ as he is man is gone away c. and that he hath withdrawn his corporal and fleshly presence from us Then let us make the more of the presence of his Spirit by which he is still among us If he be absent from us one way it is good reason that we should the more improve his presence with us in another The chief comfort of the soul consisteth in Communion with the Lord Christ in having fellowship with him Now Christ as he is man is ascended into heaven and so in that respect he is no more in the world We cannot yet go up to him though we would gladly die and be dissolved that we might be with Christ yet it cannot yet be But which way then shall we enjoy Communion with him Why my Beloved because we are not able to go up to him the Spirit will do so much for us that he will bring him down to us and thus though he be absent from us in the body yet he is present with us in the Spirit and will be to the worlds end according to his own promise Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you always to the end of the world They are the last words of the Chapter and the last words of the Book and there is nothing added but Amen Let it be so and sure it is a sweet close Well then my Brethren let our work and business be to consider with our selves how we may the more enjoy him in the Spirit because we can no longer now enjoy him in the body How we may make the most of that we have And I shall give you the best advise that I am able in this great business If you desire to make the most of the presence of your Saviour in the Spirit now he is absent from you in the body you must be infinitely cautious that you do not grieve that Spirit by which he is present with you If you grieve and trouble him he will withdraw and hide himself from you and then Christ is wholly gone both in the Body and the Spirit too you do not sensibly enjoy him neither one way nor the other and so are in a very sad case Since the presence of the Spirit is all that you enjoy of Christ so that if he be gone my Brethren all is gone you must be very wary that you do not vex the Spirit and cause him to depart from you But you will ask me Which way do we vex and grieve the Spirit we would know it that so we might be careful to avoid it I might speak much of this Subject and draw out my discourse into abundance of particulars but I will say it in a word you grieve the Spirit when you deal unkindly with him any away This is the specal thing that grieves friends when one of them deals unkindely with another and so it is between the Spirit and the soul He comes to us from Christ in much love and much kindness to supply his absence from us and we are unkind to him and this grieves him out of measure Now we are unkind to him especially two ways and that is either when we slight him or resist him 1. When we slight him this is a very great unkindness and that which friends can very ill bear He makes tenders of himself and we take no notice of him he stands knocking at our doors or rather Jesus Christ by him and we let him knock still He would be
other side dilates the heart it spreads it and it widens it and consequently doth not only make it fit for duty but it makes it large in duty It makes it to abound and to exceed in every service that is suitable to joy It carries it beyond the ordinary rate And therefore Jesus Christ would have his people to be full of joy that they may be full of fruit and that they may abound in his service Is it so that Jesus Christ would have his people full of holy Joy Vse 1 Then first it serves to censure those who seek to hinder the Joy of Christs people and to imbitter all their comfort with spitefull molestations and vexations who like the Cananites are thorns in their sides and daggers at their hearts Jesus Christ would have his people to rejoice yea to be full of Joy as their very hearts can hold but they will not suffer it but alwayes seek as much as lies in them to interrupt their comfort and to disturb their peace and joy They disturb them by their persecutions with the hand and with the tongue and which is worse they disturb them by their sins They rail at holiness and holy men blaspheme religion and the name of Christ of purpose to disquiet and to vex his people who cannot choose but mourn and weep for these things Just like the Sodomites of whom the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 2.8 who vexed the righteous soul of Lot from day to day with their filthy conversation But yet this difference we may observe they did not their prodigious villanies of purpose to disquiet Lot for ought we find What think we shall their portion be my brethren then who pass the Sodomites in villany whose wicked deeds are yet set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Is it so that Jesus Christ would have his people full of holy Joy Vse 2 Then in the second place it taxeth such among the Lords people who waste away themselves in heaviness and discontent who are so far from promoting the design of Christ in this particular that they rather strive to cross him and even waste away their hearts in pleasing sadness and affected discontent and surely there are many such among Christs own people who even give themselves over to sorrow and wilfully thrust away this Joy from them Now I beseech you my beloved consider what the will of Christ is and let him have his will in this business use all means possible to have your hearts brim-full of holy Joy And to this end I shall prescibe you some directions Be conversant and studious in the word of Christ There is the fountain of living waters whence every may draw sufficient to refresh his fainting soul in all his troubles and afflictions The statutes of the Lord are right saith David rejoycing the heart Psal 19.8 Through comfort of the Scriptures we have hope saith Paul Rom. 15.4 Philosophers indeed have taught us many wayes to fence and fortifie our hearts against sorrow But when the Lord shall set afflictions home upon the soul and put a sting into them too there is nothing in the world that can cement and cheer us but the comfort that is fetched out of the Scriture We may run in our distress to other means as Saul when he was with a melancholy humor to the minstrel but we shall find that nothing goes the right way and that we grasp at nothing but some empty succors of contentment unless we comfort our selves with these words as the Apostle Paul speaks 1 Thess 4. ult David was cut short of nothing that the world could have afforded to revive his drooping spirit yet he professeth freely that he must have fainted unless he had been staid with better comfort Vnless thy Word had been my comfort I should have perished in my affliction Psal 119.92 And in another place he cries out Remember thy Word unto thy servant upon which then hast caused me to hope this is my comfort my only comfort in my trouble Psal 119.49 50. And therefore at this Fountain let us draw if we mean to have comfort but chiefly let us wait upon the publick preaching of the Word of God which is called the Ministry of reconciliation in which there are divulged glad tidings of good things which should carry something in the power and efficacy of it to work joy For God doth commonly dispense it rather by the way of hearing them by the way of reading the Scriptures And hence saith David Make me to hear of joy and gladness that so the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce Psal 51.8 It is the Publique Ordinance it is the Publique Ordinance that is the Interpreter one of a thousand that comforts the dejected soul as you may see Job 33.23 Imploy your serious thoughts upon the meditation and survey of that delitious place where there is fulness of all joy and pleasures for evermore into which you that are Christs assoon as you are past through the veil of tears shall enter and there continue and abide for ever There is the place where you shall sigh and weep and mourn no more where all your tears will be wiped away from your eyes and surely did you think upon this joy with which you shall be filled there to over-flowing this would preserve you here from being swallowed up with over-much sorrow we rejoyce saith the Apostle How not in the fruition No in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 15.4 Indeed the Saints of God while they compass and carry their afflictions according to their present state are very pensive and disconsolate and so at once they do an injury to Christ who hath reserved such pretious comforts for them in the world to come And to themselves who have received good assurance that they shall certainly enjoy them in their season but did they walk by faith and not by sight did they not look so much upon the difficulties that they meet with in the way but on the things that are not seen the invisible pleasures of which they shall be made partakers in the end they should soon find cause enough of joy unspeakable and glorious yea even amidst the greatest tribulation of this present life you see how frolike the poor Worldling is if he have gotten a few thousand pounds and built a goodly house and bought a little earth about it and yet his title to it is so uncertain and unsound that the very following night for ought he knows the Lord may turn him out of all and take away his soul from him and make him roar in Hell before the morning But you who by the hand and seal and earnest of the Lord himself have a most certain title to that happiness and joy which neither tongue of men or Angels can express if you have but a wicked disobedient child a froward wife a sickly body or a low estate do waste away your lives in heaviness and discontent and so
you undervalue heaven and the incomparable riches of Christs mercy to your souls And whence proceedeth this but from the fleshiness of your corrupt hearts while you walk by sense only and therefore I beseech you take a little pains to make your selves conceive and understand your happiness and spend a little time upon the contemplation of the blessedness that is reserved for you in the heavens and this will draw and swallow up your present sorrows and afflictions Is it so that Jesus Christ would have his people full of holy joy you Vse 3 then who have your hearts replenished with it take heed that neither sin nor Satan steal away this Jewel from you which is the legacy that Christ bequeathed you when he was even about to leave this world But first before I press you any further in this kind this caution would be fitly interposed be sure the joy you have be Christs joy the joy which he works by his Spirit which he would have you to be full of and that you have his joy fulfilled in your selves for you must know my Brethren that as there is a kind of joy that is a fruit and effect of the Spirit as the Apostle Paul stiles it Gal. 5.22 so there is another kind that is a fruit and effect of the flesh there is a laughter that is madness a rejoycing that is not good as the Apostle hath it Jam. 4.16 And nulla est verior miseria quam falsa laetitia There is no truer misery then false joy and feigned felicity A very hypocrite may have his raptures and flashes of exceeding comfort The second ground you know received the Word of God with joy and those that followed John the Baptist rejoyced in his sight and such as after fall away may find a kind of taste and sweetness in the Word of God and in the powers of the world to come And therefore we had need to prove the joy and comfort that we have whether it be Christs joy the joy which he works in his people by his Spirit The marks to try it may be such as follow The joy of Christ which he works by his Spirit is chiefly moved with spiritual things It 's true there is a joy allowable for earthly blessings as when the Lord vouchsafes us rain and fruitful seasons and the like in doing so he fills our hearts with joy and gladness Act. 14.17 But this is as if we rejoyced not as the Apostle Paul speaks 1 Cor. 7.30 it is not worthy to be named with the joy that ariseth from the sense of the favour of God and spiritual blessings conferred on our souls Here then examine my Beloved when your joy is most when you are freed from some affliction or when you have obtained conquest over some corruption when inward grace or else when outward wealth when Corn and Wine and Oyl increaseth Alas how evidently do the greatest part of men discover the unfoundness of their joy who take abundantly more comfort in these outward things the thriving of their Trades their speeding of their pleasures and past-times then in the thriving of the means of grace or any other thing that most especially concerns Gods glory or the Churches good They make it to appear where lies the toot and Fountain of their joy and consequently of what kind it is which if they be deprived of their riches or honors their hearts like Nabal dye within them their joy is dashed and their comfort gone Whereas the Saint of Christ whose heart is filled with spiritual joy retains it in a measure in the loss of earthly things and professeth with the Prophet Habbakuk chap. 3.17 Though the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall there be any fruit in the Vine if the labour of the Olive fail and the field yeild no meat if the Flock be cut off from the fold and there be no Herd in the stall yet I will rejoyce in the Lord yea I will joy in the God of my salvation The joy of Christ which he works by his Spirit proceeds from a conscience testifying good and not from a conscience testifying nothing For our rejoycing saith the Apostle is this the testimony of our conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 There is as Barnard stiles it Conscientia mala quieta an evill conscience that is quiet which being lulled asleep by Satan saith nothing to disquiet him that owns it and so he lives as jocund and as metry for a time as he whose heart most really acquitteth him from any thing that may disturb or interrupt his joy But yet this kind of comfort beause it comes from nothing else but a Vacation in the Court of Conscience if I may call it so a respit of the accusations there is most uncertain and unfound Assoon as term begins again when Satan as he seeth occasion shall set the sins of such a man before his face when conscience shall awaken and accuse that joy and comfort will be turned into sorrow yea into such tormenting pangs of horror that no tongue is able to express But if thy joy arise from a conscience testifying good that in simplicity and sincerity of heart thou hast had thy conversation in the world this is the joy that Christ would have fulfilled in thee The joy of Christ which he works by his Spirit hath its matter within and not without the person rejoycing There be many my Beloved That have nothing in themselves whereof they have a just occasion to rejoyce and therefore seek it up and down without And from this kind of joy the Apostle Paul disswadeth as unsound Gal. 6.4 Let every man prove his own work and he shall have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another Now men are said to rejoyce in another especially in two cases As first when they compare themselves with such as are extremely vitious and prophane and finding that themselves are not so bad as many others are they cheer and comfort up themselves with this as the Pharisee did I thank thee God saith he that I am no extortioner c. I am not as other men are nor as this Publican Luk. 18.11 and yet they may be bad enough for all this And secondly when men take comfort only in the good opinion that others have conceived of them and not in any good that hath a true and real being in themselves And this St. Paul suggesteth is a false deceitful joy and therefore presseth every man to prove his own work to sift and try his own actions and if on tryal they be good indeed then he hath ground and matter to rejoyce in himself and not in another And now my Brethren are there not too many such among us who when they look on drunkards whoremongers blasphemers and men of the most infamous and vitious lives that pass them and exceed them in prophaness take joy and comfort in themselves but never prove their own works their own lives And thus while they compare
respect they are sensibly decayed and they are nothing like the men that they were in former times Fall into discourse with them alas their wonted faculty is gone either you shall find them dead and stupid as it were not having any savory word to say in any matter that concerns Religion or else they talk is so far of so barren so unprofitable that it administers no grace no benefit at all to them that hear it Follow them into their houses and there you shall observe that many holy exercises and religious houshold duties which had been formerly set up and constantly performed perhaps for divers years together are either utterly neglected or else discharged in such a cold and formal manner that there is no life in them Enquire of other men who knew them in their first beginning and they will tell you all is gone their wonted heat and zeal and forwardness is come to nothing and in them the Proverb is verifyed The Dog is turned to his own vomit and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire Vse 4 Is it so That the word of God is the ordinary means by which he sanctifieth his people not only in a way of inchoation but also in a way of augmentation Here then we see what we must do if we desire to thrive in holiness to make a daily progress and increase in grace We must attend upon the preaching of the Gospel And truly there is little hope that we should ever grow as Christians without the use of this means The tree that spreads and flourisheth and brings forth much fruit is said by David to be planted by the water side Psal 1.3 Even so the thriving and the growing Christian must be planted by the means he must be near the Word of God those waters of the Sanctuary as the Prophet calls them That saving Doctrine must drop down upon him as the rain it must distil upon him as the dew and as the smaller rain upon the herbs and as the showrs upon the grass as Moses speaks Deut. 32.2 or else he will be like in time to wither and decay and come to nothing Vse 5 Is it so That the Word of God is the ordinary means by which he sanctifieth his people not only in a way of inchoation but also in a way of augmentation Then certainly those men are in an ill condition who though they constantly enjoy the preaching of the Gospel yet do not thrive nor grow by it they hear it Sabbath after Sabbath yea and perhaps repeat it with their families and yet are not a jot the better for it any way Look at what point they were for knowledge practice and obedience many years ago at the very same they stay they are the very same men there is no alteration on them they have not gained any ground on their corruptions they are not grown a jot more constant and fervent in religious duties then in former times What is the reason that the Gospel produceth not its genuine effect in these men and that it bringeth forth no augmentation no increase of inward grace or outward obedience the fault is not in the inefficacy of the Gospel simply considered in it self but in the hardness and deadness of their hearts and as we use to say of ground that is manured and drest and watered much if it yieldeth no increase that it is very barren ground just so we may conclude of these men And certainly their case is fearful if they so continue as the Apostle shews us in the same Similitude Heb. 6.7 The earth that drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it and bringth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God But on the other side that which bringeth bryers and thorns is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned And therefore I beseech you my Beloved as increase and growth in grace is one effect in Gods Word so let it bring forth this effect in you and that it may so do I shall prescribe you some directions Remove those impediments that hinder growth and profiting by the Word of God and they are principally such as follow 1. The first is pride and loftiness of heart and spirit for when a man is puft up with a self opinion of his own sufficiency and thinks he knows as much as all the Preachers in the world can tell him how can he profit by the Gospel He is so full that when the water of the Word is poured upon him either it runneth over and is spilt upon the ground or else returneth back upon the face of him that poured it If therefore you desire to thrive by it come to hear it my Beloved with teachable and humble spirits the Lord will teach the humble his ways 2. Infidelity or unbelief for if we give no credit to the Word of God if we believe not the report of the Word of God his arm will never be revealed to us we shall not benefit nor profit by it And therefore this is yielded as the reason why the Jews were not a whit the better for the Word Heb. 4.2 The Word did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it 3. The third impediment is strong passion for as obstructions in the stomach hinder growth by bodily and outward food so vehement and head-strong passions do keep us from receiving growth and nourishment and augmentation by the Word of God You shall observe it commonly that men that have such furious and unbridled passions in them that will not be subdued by reason nor by Scripture do seldom profit by the preaching of the Gospel no it must be received with meekness if we mean to grow by it Jam. 1.12 And therefore the Apostle yields it as the reason why the Corinthians could not bear strong meat substantial solid truths their stomachs were not able to digest them they were so cloid with these obstructions 1 Cor. 3.2 4. Prejudice against the gifts or person of the Teacher this will exceedingly abate the power and hinder the success and profit of his teaching If once the heart be prepossest with jealousies and sinister thoughts and disaffection to the Minister there is but little hope of any benefit that such a man will reap by his labours These are the lets which we must labour to remove if we desire to thrive and grow by hearing of the Word of God If we desire to grow and to increase by it we must not hear it only but labour to digest it too A man shall never thrive and prosper by the meat he eats if he digest it not unless there be concoction and assimilation of it to the substance of the person that is nourished Let such a person feed as plentifully as he will there will be no augmentation So let us hear as much and as often as we will if we do not digest the Word of God the
blood of Bulls and Goats But now it is confirmed by the blood of Christ himself which is a better and a more effectual confirmation And this is that which the Apostle shews at large Heb. 9.16 and in the following verses So that the blood which ratified the Old Testament was but the shaddow and the Type of that which ratifies the new and therefore this hath the advantage of the other I must confess that the Old Testament was ratified by the death of Jesus Christ in destination for so he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world But this is ratified by the death of Christ in actual execution which is if not in it self to us at least a cleerer and a better confirmation Gospel truth excelleth for the operation of it it hath effects transcendently beyond all other truth that ever was revealed to the world I shall name but two only suggested in those two great Gospel Epithites the word of grace the word of life 1. Gospel truth works grace Not common grace and common sorrow and humiliation and repentance as the Law doth but saving grace And therefore it is called the word of grace Acts 20.32 It is so exclusively it worketh grace alone without the help and the assistance of the Law in that business Something the Law may do towards us indeed but it doth nothing in the work of grace Of his own will begat he us saith the Apostle by the word of truth that is the Gospel James 1.18 That only that is properly and strictly sanctifying truth Sanctifie them with thy truth 2. Gospel truth infuseth life and that no other truth can do The Law indeed can kill but it cannot make alive It is the Ministry of death and condemnation The Gospel only is the Ministry of life and of Salvation And therefore this exceeds the other and surpasseth it in glory as the Apostle shews at large 2 Cor. 3.6 7 c. In this respect we find the Gospel called the word of life 1 John 1.1 because it is the word that worketh life It is the quickning word that raises men from death to life to the life of grace in this world and to the life of glory in the world to come And thus I think we have sufficiently cleered the point the word of God especially the Gospel is the truth Proceed we now to make some application of it according to the divers branches of the point in order I shall but touch upon the first because I would no be prevented in the second Is it so my brethren that the word of God is all truth then certainly Vse 1 it ought all to be believed This truth on Gods part calls for faith on ours For what is faith but the belief of truth as the Apostle Paul defines it 2 Thes 2.13 He hath chosen us to Salvation through Sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth So that if the word be truth it ought to be believed by us And this our Saviour Christ insinuates in his expostulation with the Jews John 8.46 If I say truth why do you not believe me Though that which is delivered in the word of God be never so improbable never so much above corrupt reason never so impossible to a humane apprehension yet it admitteth not of doubtfull Disputation and Expostulation but rather calls for absolute belief And therefore they are deeply to be censured who give no credit to the word of truth further then their private spirits close with it who do not answer Gods truth with their faith They read it and they hear it preached but they yield no assent to it No they oppose it and dispute against it they are meer Scepticks in religion There are a multitude of such in these times They consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to godliness as the Apostle Paul speaks 1 Tim. 6.3 4. Whereas they that have ever felt the saving power of Gods word have their thoughts captivated to it and will say as the Apostle we can do nothing we can speak nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 These men upon the other side when they hear the truth of God delivered to them speak against it contradicting and blaspheming as the stubborn Jews did Acts 13.45 They do not only ask with Mary how shall this be A question not of opposition but of inquisition Luke 1.34 But even peremptorily determine they can never be And thus they belye the Lord like those of whom the Prophet speaks Jer. 5.12 This in a word for application of the former member of the point We shall now apply the latter Vse 2 Is it so that the word of God especially the Gospel is the truth Is Gospel truth excelling truth Then let us give it the preferment before any other truth both in our inquisition and our acceptation Let us dive into it most and let us value and prize it most First Let us give it the due preferment in our inquisition let us dive into it most and labour more to be acquainted with it then with any other truth Let us read those books let us hear those Preachers and let us nourish those studies which help us most to this knowledge let us make this our main endeavour to be seen in Gospel truth let us undervalue and neglect all other knowledge incomparison of this It is the dangerous mistake of the greater part of men who had rather be acquainted with the matters of the world and to be skild in secular and humane learning then in the doctrine of the Gospel How do abundance plod to dive into the secrets and depths of nature and set their wits upon the tenter-hooks to search into the mysteries of Arts and Trades how do they beat and work their brains to get abundance of experience and skill in worldly dealings and employments but take no pains at all in hearing reading meditation to dive into the mysteries of Jesus Christ Tell me my beloved have you ever among all your earnest strivings after insight either into humane knowledge or into matters of the world been half so studious and industrious to search into this Gospel truth to be acquainted with Christ Jesus who is the subject of the Gospel to know that he was born and lived and dyed for you to know him and the virtue of his resurrection not by speculation only but experience raising you up to newness of life to know that he loved you and gave himself for you Alas the hearts of a great many of you cannot choose but tell you that you have hardly ever spent a serious thought on this And the very best among us cannot choose but say that we have been too slight and careless in our enquiries into this knowledge Ah my beloved had we the spirit of the Apostle Paul or of those blessed Angels who desire to peep and pry into the Gospel truth as you may
opinion But you will interpose and ask me then What are not private Christians to imploy their gifts for the common benefit Yes to the very utmost my Beloved As every man hath received the gift so let him minister the same one to the other as good stewards of the manifold graces of God 1 Pet. 4.16 Their gift they have received to profit withal and that not themselves alone but others also But still within their own sphere within compass of their own calling They may and ought as they are able to teach c. as the Apostle speaks Col. 2.12 in a way of conference and this lies as a duty on them all in some degree For this is no Evangelical counsel but an Evangelical precept it is not permitted only but required But none of them may take upon him to be the publick Teacher of the whole without a due Vocation and Ordination thereunto How shall they preach except they be sent saith the Apostle Rom. 11.15 How shall they do it lawfully He doth not say except they be gifted but except they be sent Qualification is not enough without mission he must not go forth of himself but must be sent forth by Christ Is it so That the Apostles and Ministers of Christ are sent by him Vse 2 This then may serve to let us see how far the power and the authority of Ministers extends in binding and in loosing and in proclaming either war or peace They do it but as servants in a ministerial way and by a delegated power and in the execution of it they must exactly keep them by the rule and the directions which they have received from him that sent them They may not act according to their own discretion and as it seemeth good to them but must proceed in every thing according to the orders and instructions of their Master Or if they swerve a jot from these they stray beyond the bounds of their Commission and their authority is void So that the power of Ministers in this regard is Ministerial and declarative Yet this I add because they do it by Commission from the Lord and as Messengers of Christ it comes from them by reason of his Ordinance with more assurance to the Conscience then from any private person Vse 3 Is it so that the Apostles c. This then may serve to mind them what their duty is and I shall give it you in two words 1. They must do his work and deliver his message the errand which he sends them in They must not bring their own devices to the people their own fancies and conceits the issue of their own brains the froth of their own spirits as many do in these times No they must speak the words of Christ and speak them fully and compleatly They must fulfill the word of God as the Apostle speaks Col. 1.25 They must without respect or fear deliver all their Masters message to any man to whom he sends them how great soever he may be They must not out of base and servile dread of any suppress or mince their errand in the least degree or deal so mannerly with men that they become unfaithfull to the Lord Christ No they must seriously consider that though themselves be mean and despicable persons yet they are Ministers and Messengers of Christ himself who is higher then the highest among men And therefore as the Noble Roman said non ita memor sum dignitatis vestrae ut obliviscar me esse consulem So they must say when they are dealing with the great ones of the world I am not mindfull of dignity so far as to forget that I am the Embassador and Messenger of Jesus Christ They must be bold and resolute with this assurance that he that sendeth them will bear them out according to his many pretious promises which he hath made for their encouragement to faithfulness in his service 2. And as they must deliver Christs errand and not their own so for Christs ends and not their own they must not seek their own profit or their own honour but the honour of their Master As Christ who was the Fathers messenger glorified not himself as the Apostle speaks but him that sent him Heb. 5.5 so they that are the messengers of Christ must not glorifie themselves but Christ that sent them They must act for him and wooe for him and win the souls of men to him Their work must be to set him up and to advance him that he may appear They must with John the Baptist be contented to decrease to wither in their reputation and esteem so Christ may be in the increasing hand They must not endeavour to take such a course in the work of the Ministry that they may seem witty and learned and eloquent that men may admire them and applaud their abilities but that they may admire Christ that the thoughts and affections of men may be carried to him They must not preach themselves but the Lord Jesus Christ as the Apostle did 2 Cor. 4 5. Vse 4 Is it so that Apostles Ministers c. Then let the Church be here directed and advised to prove those that pretend they are the Ministers of Jesus Christ whether they be sent by Christ or no. The Church of Ephesus is much commended for her care and diligence in this regard Apoc. 2.2 I know thy works saith Christ there and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil c. And thou hast tried them who say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyers They said they were the Messengers of Christ and that they were sent by Christ for that 's the meaning of the word Apostle but indeed they were not The Church did not give them credit till she tried them and so discovered them to be impostors and deceivers And truly there are many such in these times who say they come from Jesus Christ when indeed he never sent them They are Messengers of Satan and not of Christ and therefore it concerns the Church to prove them well who come with these pretences and to sift them to the bottome that they may know not the speech of these men only but the power as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 4 19. And here you are not only to consider whether they have obtained the election and ordination of the Church or no for many reach to this who are never sent by Christ But there are other things to be observed I shall lay them down in order They that are sent by Jesus Christ are furnished with competent ability at least for the delivery of their message You must not think that Christ will send by the hand of a fool No if there be a Messenger of Christ he is one of a thousand for gifts and abilities In the time of the Law when he raised up Prophets what spirit what power what understanding was there in them And is his hand shortned
now my beloved in the dayes of the Gospel He is ascended up on high on purpose to give gifts unto men for the work of the Ministry Ephes 4.12 He makes able Ministers of the New Testament 2 Cor. 3.6 If he make them they are able and if they be not able they are none of his making Now this ability consists especially in two things 1. Ability of knowledge The Messenger of Christ is to deliver to the people the mind of Christ the mysteries the depth the secrets of the Gospel Such depths as the Angels desired to pry into but could not find the bottom of them And therefore Jesus Christ endueth them with more then ordinary understanding in these things They may not upon pain of being guilty of the blood conceal the very Counsel of God they must be able to evince the truth and to convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 To cleer the doubts of the erroneous and satisfie the scruples of the tender conscience They must be filled with knowledge their lips must be a store-house of it and at their mouths it must be sought for by the people Mal. 2.7 They must be ready upon all occasion to drop down the balm of Gilead the sweet and pretious comforts of the Gospel into the sores of those whom God hath wounded To speak even to the hearts of Gods people to utter a word in due season to which alone is required the tongue of the Learned Isa 50.4 To preach Christ and to deliver his errand with all wisdom Col. 1.28 And therefore whomsoever Christ sends he fitteth them accordingly in some measure He gives them that which the Apostles calls understanding in the mysterie of Christ Ephes 3.4 and makes them Scribes taught to the Kingdom of Heaven 2. Ability of utterance Behold I give you wisdom and a mouth said Christ to his Apostles Luke 21.15 So when he sendeth forth his Messengers he doth not only give them wisdom and understanding in the message that he sends them in but he gives them a mouth too to utter and communicate that wisdom to the people Or else what doth their wisdom and their knowledge serve for as Messengers or Ministers unless they have a mouth to bring it forth and to declare it to the people I do not say that all the messengers of Christ must have voluble tongues and fluent expressions There was among the Prophets a stammering Moses as well as a smooth and eloquent Aaron A plaâ—â— blunt Amos for the Countrey as well as a Rhetorical Isaiah for the Court among Gospel Ministers there was a chief speaker Acts 14.12 But yet however all that are sent by Jesus Christ have in a measure that which the Apostle calls a door of utterance Col. 4.3 a faculty to speak to edification The Priest of Old must have knowledge in his lips as well as in his head as Mal. 2.7 And the reason is annexed because he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts And you know a Messenger or an Embassador must not be dumb but able in some handsome terms to utter and express the errant of his Master And this is intended when the Apostle speaking of a Minister saith he must be apt to teach 1 Tim. 3.2 They that are sent by Jesus Christ as they are furnished with ability both of knowledge and of utterance so they are qualified with propensity And this is that which the Apostle calls a ready mind to feed the flock 1 Pet. 5.2 and a good will to deal to the people the Gospel of Christ 1 Thes 2.8 Suppose he have ablility yet if he have no mind to use it for the benefit and profit of the Church of Christ no zeal to stir up the gift that is in him but is remiss and idle and prefers his ease and pleasure before the bringing in of souls to Christ it is a shrewd presumption that Jesus Christ did never send him But if he can be well content to spend himself and to be spent for the salvation of the peoples souls if as John Baptist he be a burning and a shining light wasting himself and burning out that he may give the people light If he account it as his Master did his meat and drink to do the will of him that sent him John 8.34 so that he is not in his Element unless he be about his Ministerial work If he resolve with the Apostle this will I do if God permit and think no peril nor no pains too great that he may finish his course with joy and the Ministry which he hath received it is very probable that such a one is of Christs own sending They that are sent by Jesus Christ are qualified with sincerity I do not mean sincerity as Christians but as Messengers of Christ in the delivery of their message without addition or substraction In doctrine shewing uncorruptness gravity sincerity sound speech that cannot be condemned Tit. 2.7 And this is that which Paul himself professes he had done 2 Cor. 2.17 We saith he are not as many that corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity and in the sight of God speak we in Christ The Steward and the Messenger of Christ as he is wise so he is faithfull a faithfull and a wise steward He doth not for his own ends adulterate the Message of his Master or coin a Message from him which he never sent him in And hereby you shall know him from another that was never sent by Christ As Christ speaks of false Prophets by their fruits you shall know them Mat. 17.16 that is by their fruits as Prophets not as men Not by the fruits of their persons but the fruits of their doctrine The same may be applied to the false Messengers of Christ by their fruits you shall know them If the doctrine which they teach and the message which they bring be not the same which they have received from Christ if they speak not the words of Christ but fancies and devices of their own if they deliver that which is against Christ against the Word and Spirit and Ordinances of the Lord Christ which tends to looseness and licentiousness as many do in these times believe it they are none of Christs sending Is it so that Apostles and Ministers c. then certainly they ought to be Vse 5 received by you and so received as those that come from such a one as Christ is As Christ should be well entertained because the Father hath sent him so the Ministers of Christ should be well entertained because he hath sent them Oh how welcome should we bid them who come from such a dear pretious friend as Christ is How beautifull and lovely should their very feet their uncomliest parts be What are you come from Jesus Christ indeed hath he sent you are you come from our Master our Husband our Head You are very welcome to us And here to be a little more distinct the welcome entertainment we should give them consists
fruitfull and have more encrease of children then she that sometimes had an husband Oh let us magnifie the grace of Iesus Christ let us adore the infiniteness of his mercy that he hath cast us on these happy times wherein he takes such care of poor Gentiles wherein he sends to them and wherein he looks after them as if they were some rich purchase Ah my beloved did we follow this mercy as far as we could reach it in our thoughts we should at length finding no end or bottom in it cry out with the Apostle Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and goodness of Christ c. JOHN 17.18 Even so have I also sent them into the world DOCTRINE 3. There is a great similitude between the Fathers sending Christ into the world and Christs sending his Apostles and Ministers into the world THis is apparently suggested here in the particle as and the particle also As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world My sending them is much like thy sending me So he compares them each with other in another place almost in the same words Iohn 20.21 As my Father hath sent me so send I you The thing is plain enough that so it was in some respects But wherein and in what respects this likeness stood will need to be explained with much Caution Because as there was great likeness between the Fathers sending Christ and Christs sending his Apostles and Ministers into the world so there was a great unlikeness too As the similitude was great so certainly the dissimilitude was great too And therefore while I shew the likness I will shew you the unlikeness both of them at one veiw That you may see the one the better for the other As God the Father sent the Son with authority and power so Jesus Christ sends his Apostles and Ministers with authority and power too as God gives him power so he gives them power And therefore having said to his Apostles All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 he adds immediately in the very next words Go ye therefore and teach all Nations and baptize them q. d. because I have received such ample power my self therefore I give you this Commission by which I put a part of this authority and power on you Go forth and exercise it over all the world And this is that which the Apostle calls the power which Christ hath given him 2 Cor. 13.10 To intimate that he received his power and his authority by way of delegation from the Lord Christ as Christ received his power and his authority as he is man and Mediator by way of delegation from the Father and as the Father gives the Son a Key of power as you may see in that remarkable place Isa 22.22 The Key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder that is upon the shoulder of Eliakim who was in that respect a figure and a Type of Christ and he shall open and none shall shut and he shall shut and none shall open so Christ gives Keyes of power to his Apostles and his Ministers as you may see exemplified in Peter Mat. 16.19 I will give thee saith Christ the Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven viz. either in the preaching of the word or in the regular administration of the censures of the Church Here is a great Similitude you see between the power with which the Father sendeth Christ and the power with which Christ sendeth his Apostles and his Ministers into the world As Christ hath power to shut and open from the Father so have they from Jesus Christ as Christ hath power to bind and loose from God the Father so have they from Jesus Christ As Christ hath power to remit sins and to retain them from the Father so have they from Christ and therefore having said to his Apostles As my Father hath sent me so send I you he adds immediately in the next verse save one Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted and whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained But yet as the similitude is great in this respect so is the dissimilitude The power which Jesus Christ received from God the Father is an universal power All power is given to me saith our Saviour both in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.19 And in another place he minds his Father That he had given him power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 But now that power which the Apostles and the Ministers of Christ received from him is more particular and more confined Jesus Christ hath all power all sorts and all degrees of power they have but some power some sorts and some measures The power which Jesus Christ receives from God the Father is a Kingly power he sets him up as King upon his holy hill of Sion and so accordingly he crowns him The power which they receive from Christ is but a Ministerial power Christ hath a Legislative power to make laws while they have but a Legis-narrative or Declaratory power to publish laws Christ doth jus dare and they do but jus dicere Christ binds and looses shuts and opens remitteth and retaineth sins authoritatively as a Soveraign Lord they do it but declaratively as his Ministers and servants There is a great similitude between the Fathers sending Christ c. in regard of qualification as Christ receives an unction from the Father to his Office so they received an unction from the Son to their Office as Christ is qualified with the Spirit so are they Let us compare them each with other and we shall see it very clear The Prophet speaking in the Person of our Saviour saith The Spirit of the Lord is upon me he hath anointed me to preach Isa 61.1 And so accordingly when he first began to preach he took this very Text to preach upon as you may see Luk. 4.18 Behold my servant saith the Lord whom I uphold Isa 42.1 and mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him and that to qualifie him for his Office as is apparent in the following words for it is added presently That he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles A bruised reed shall he not break c. And this is that which is suggested in the Prophesie Isa 11.2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him and it shall rest upon him in those graces and endowments that fit him for the places to which he is designed And hence it is immediately annexed The Spirit of wisdom and of understanding the Spirit of counsel and of might the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. So then you see the Father as he sends Christ so he endues him with the Spirit to fit him for the business that he sends him
rigid Ministry must prepare the way for Christ He must be like a Pioner to go before to bring down every high exalted thought to make the Mountains levell with the Vallies The Law must bite and sting men with the curses and the terrors of it and so work inclinations in them to look up to Jesus Christ who is the brazen Serpents Antitype erected in the Gospel And this is all the Law can do it can but fit a man for Jesus Christ and prepare a man for faith which is indeed and properly effected in him by the Gospel This is the royall and triumphant Chariot in which the Son of God comes riding gloriously into the soul and so dwelleth there by faith as the Apostle Paul speaks Eph. 3.17 And hence the Gospel hath the name of faith in Scripture as you may see that place for instance Gal. 1.23 because it worketh faith in the hearts of Gods people Is it the Gospel word that makes believers Then surely they are in Vse 1 an infinitely sad Condition who want the Gospel who want it wilfully as the Jews do and have done many hundred years They have it but they put it from them as the Apostle speaks They receive the Prophets words but they receive not the Apostles words And how then should they believe through their word And there are others in the world who want it necessarily or of necessity and through the just severity and righteous judgement of the Lord upon them Many persons many Nations are in this lamentable case to this day They have no Gospel and so no means at all to work faith in them without which there is no salvation No they are shut up under unbelief as the Apostle speaks Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded them in that condition There they are and there is no coming out the door of wrath is shut upon them whose miserable case in bowels of compassion we have cause to pitty though they pitty not themselves Is it the Gospel word that makes believers then certainly it is no Vse 2 other word that is the means or ground of faith We have a company of men in our times that believe strange things that bottom faith upon a strange foundation Revelations and discoveries of a spirit that hath no commerce at all no agreement with the Gospel let the Apostles word be what it will if they have another word from that which they conceive to be the spirit of God they believe that and not this whereas the spirit that brings men any other Gospel then that which the Apostles taught though he come from heaven it self ought not to be believed but accursed And yet alas how confident have many been in their assent to such discoveries as have been clear against the Gospel and against the Apostles words Ah my beloved this is not revelation but delusion this is not faith but unbelief Our Saviour speaking in my Text of all that should believe from that time in which he prayed to the end of the world describes them to be such as should believe through the Apostles word Not through any other word but that of the Apostles only that which they preached and that which they writ which they have left recorded in the Scripture If any man believe through any other word or any other revelation that accordeth not with this he is none of Christs beleivers none of them which he owns none of them for which he prayes I pray for them that shall believe on me through their word For them and none but them He that believes through any other word you see is out of Christs prayer Vse 3 Is it the Apostles word the Gospels word that makes believers you then that are as yet without faith be hence prevailed withall to hear it and to attend upon it This is that which the creature can do I mean by general influence of common Providence without any supernatural grace and therefore this do you do It is the word of faith as I have shewed you formerly and when the Lord is pleased to concurr with it it worketh faith in those that hear it It s true you are not able to convert your selves or to believe in Jesus Christ but the Apostles word the Gospel is a fit instrument for this purpose Faith comes by hearing and therefore hear that you may believe You that are strangers to the life of faith be you entreated and prevailed withall to put your selves under the powerfull preaching of the Gospel as the Apostle speaks be swift to hear lay hold on every opportunity to be partakers of this holy Ordinance and then perhaps it may in time become a word of faith to you Wait diligently on the doors of Wisdoms house listen attentively to them that teach you Apostolical doctrine and who knows but you may yet believe through their word And thus of Christs description of the persons for whom he here becomes a Suitor to his Father Them which shall believe on me through their word Proceed we to the matter of the prayer which he makes for these persons And there are two main things that he desires in their hehalf First that they may be one next that they may be in one place together The first of these he proposes in the verse that I have read and prosecutes in the succeeding verses 1. He proposes it in the verse that I have read that they may all be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us 2. And then he prosecutes this Suit of his with divers arguments and reasons to ver 24. as God permitting we shall see hereafter In the proposal of this Suit of his you may observe that it is both expessed and amplified First it is nakedly expressed in plain terms that they may all be one Secondly then it is amplified by a Similitude in which our Saviour shews how he would have them to be one as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us A strange expression if you look upon it with a superficial view That the Disciples of our Saviour may be one in some respects is very easie to imagine But how they should be one as God the Father and the Son are one how they should be in God and Christ as they are in one another is very hard to be conceived Yet this is the expression of our Saviour to his Father in my Text That they may all be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us For clearing this beloved you must know that as in Scripture many times is a note of similitude not of equality It intimates the truth and the reality of that wherein likeness stands and not the measure and degree I might give many instances wherein that Particle is so taken See Luke 6.36 Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull It is impossible for any man
God saith he my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Psal 57.7 There hath been much talk of late concerning fixing arms but surely this of fixing hearts is the most necessary business 4. That our hearts may be prepared they must be awakened they are naturally dead and dull and sleepy especially at sometimes by means of some corporal or spiritual distemper They cannot watch to prayer one hour and though the spirit is ready yet the flesh is weak And therefore we must quicken them and rouse them up from drowsiness before we set about the duty and while we are in the performance of it we must call upon our hearts as Deborah Judg. 5.12 Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a song And as David on his Harp Awake Harp so we awake heart I my self will awake early Psal 108.2 You see in brief the Rule of Christ in reference to preparation Now let us see what he prescribes both for the matter the manner and the end of prayer As for the matter of your prayers you must search the promises You are to pray for nothing but only what you have a promise for not what you have a mind to but what you have a promise for It is the business and the work of prayer to put the promises of God in suit not our desires but his promises And therefore we must study promises if we would know how to make prayers or how to judge of prayers after we have made them If they agree not with the promises they are but rash and inconsiderate desires they are the sacrifice of fools as they are called Eccles 5.1 And God will never look after them nor shew respect to them as Elibu teaches us Job 35.13 Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it As for the manner of our prayers the rule of Christ is very large here and so accordingly directions might be copious both how to form our supplications which we are about to tender and having tendred them how to resolve whether they have been according to the will of Christ or no. I shall but touch upon the principal 1. It is in the will of Christ that we pray without wrath for so is the express direction 1 Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that men may pray every-where lifting up pure hands without wrath We must not come to God with hearts distracted and disturbed with passion but with composed meek and quiet spirits It was the fault of James and John who when a certain Town of the Samaritans repelled Christ and refused to receive him would in a fit of rage and anger have prayed for fire to come down from heaven to consume them Luk. 9.54 And so when the malitious enemies of Christ have done his cause or people any great mischief it may be we are ready in a heat to call for vengeance out of heaven upon them But if we pray in such a manner we may look for such a censure as James and John had in the fore-alleadged Text Ye know not what spirit ye are of You think it may be you are zealous but you are very much mistaken you are cholerick and angry you do know not the temper and disposition of your spirits Brethren we must not go to prayer in a fit of anger and a pang of discontent as it seems Eliah did 1 King 14.4 It is enough Lord take away my life for I am not better then my Fathers And as it seems Job did Job 6.8 Oh that I might have my request and that God would grant me the thing that I long for Even that it would please God to destroy me that he would let loose his hand and cut me off And as it is extreamly probable that Moses did when he conceived his burthen was too heavy for him Numb 11.10 15. For it is said he was displeased and in that angry mood he said to God Wherefore hast thou afflicted me You see he calls the Lord to coram to see how he can answer his proceedings Wherefore c. I am not able to bear all this alone And if thou deal thus with me kill me I pray thee out of the way and do not let me see my wretchedness And thus it is apparent Jonah did who being crost in a punctilio in a point of honour out of a pettish childish humor will go die God must take away his life We must not come to God in such a temper to empty and disgorge our choler and to vent our passions to him No Tempus mansuetudinis est tempus orationis The time of meekness is the time of prayer 2. It is the will of Christ that we pray without doubtings and this is also added in the Text before alledged 1 Tim. 2.8 Pray lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting He would have us come to God with confidence and strong assurance as it beseemeth those to do who are indeed in Covenant with him You know a houshold servant that is in Covenant with his Master cals confidently for his break-fast and his dinner and his Supper whereas a beggar or a stranger doth not so So he that is in Covenant with the Lord should come with boldness to the Throne of Grace relying formerly on the promises of God as David did I cryed and I hoped in thy Word Psal 119.147 Lord I want faith give it me I want patience let me have it I find my heart is out of order joynt it mend it unite it to thy self It is for those that are without and that are strangers to the Lord that live on nothing else but common providence to come doubtfully to God when their distresses force them to his presence But if those that are his friends and that are in Covenant with him come in such a posture to him he may justly say to such Why what 's the matter that you are so strange and that you are not bold with me as you have wont to be you shall fare neer a whit the better for coming to me after such a manner And verily my Brethren unless we draw nigh to God in faith well grounded on the promises we can have no hopes to speed in our petitions He that would ask any thing of God saith the Apostle James chap. 1.6 7 let him come in faith nothing doubting Otherwise let him not think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 3. It is the will of Christ that we pray with much zeal that our Petitions be not formal cold and drowsie prayers but that there be some heat and fervour in them You know the prayers of Gods people are compared to Incense Psal 141.2 And Incense sends up no sweet savour till the fire come to it It is the fervent prayer only that is effectual with the Lord as the Apostle teaches us Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much And hence saith David Hear me O Lord and why so I cry with my
and the like and you receive them at the hands of God he gives you the desire of your hearts in these things Well now consider with your selves what use you put them to when you have gotten them and what bills you bring in What so much health and so much strength bestowed upon the prosecution of your worldly and ambitious projects and designs so much means and so much time upon riot and excess Item so much upon your pride and so much upon your lusts and so much upon the satisfaction of your malice and revenge so much upon Hawks and Hounds and Whores but nothing upon God his Cause or his poor distressed servants Are these the bills that you bring in to God and will you own them in the latter day Brethren by your layings out you may discover to what intent you have prayed for outward blessings whether to consume them on your Lusts or no And if that hath been your end the spirit hath not been your principle in these petitions If we act by Christs spirit we keep a constant course in prayer We do not pray by fits and starts as Job observeth of the Hyppocrite who hath not Christs spirit Job 27.10 Will he delight in the Almighty will be alwayes call on God No he will be on and off in this duty Our spirits are unconstant and unstable my beloved but Christs spirit is 〈◊〉 not so And hence it is that they that pray by their own spirits are so uncertain in the duty many times Sometimes their spirits stir them up to pray and sometimes they do not Though there be differences in this too for some mens spirits naturally are more ready and more fixed then others are And there may be other things as fear and strong conviction and the like that may hold some certain men almost to a continued practice of the outward duty yet it is very rare that he is constant who acts by his own spirit But now my brethren he that acts by Christs spirit is a steady man in prayer he can appeal to God as David doth Psal 40.9 I have not restrained my Lips Oh Lord thou knowest Christs spirit dwells in him he doth not sojourn in him for a time but he dwells in him as in his fixed and his setled habitation and he dwells in him as a spirit of supplication So the spirit of Christ is called Zech. 12.10 And hence it is that he is alwayes putting him upon the duty upon all occasions so that he is constant in it Christs spirit is at home still though ours be wandring many times even to the other end of all the earth And though Christs spirit seem to be given sometimes as a spirit of consolation yet then he will be present as a spirit of supplication He will set a Saint to prayer even when he seems most indisposed and averse he will not suffer him to lay it by and wholly to neglect the duty as is observable in David I said that I am cut off from before thine eyes saith he Psal 31.22 Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my prayer Even then I prayed to thee when I was in that temper so in another place from the end of the earth will I cry unto thee even when my heart is overwhelmed Psal 61.2 And whence proceedeth this my brethren surely these prayers of all others flow from Christs spirit as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 8.20 The spirit helpeth our infirmities We know not what to pray for as we ought but then the spirit it self makes intercession for us with sighs and groans that cannot be exprest If we act by Christs spirit we come to God as to a Father we cry Abba Father to him as you have it Gal. 4.6 Because ye are Sons saith the Apostle God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts And what doth that spirit there you have it in the next verse crying Abba Father So that Christs spirit if he act in us makes us address our selves to God as to a Father And that my brethren carries two things in it This spirit makes us come to God with the expectations of Children and with the affections of Children 1. If Christs spirit act in us he makes us come to God in prayer with Child-like expectations Expecting from him all the mercy pitty and compassion which a Child can look for from his own Father He makes us to approach the throne of grace with great assurance of audience and acceptance and success there commonly he doth this 2. But yet I must confess An hypocrite may sometimes have these expectations and a child of God may want them The Jews had Child-like expectations Jer. 3.4 they cryed to God Thou art my Father and wilt not thou that art my Father pitty me and help me sure thou wilt and yet they had no Child-like affections no care at all to please God and therefore it is added in the next words that they said and did as evill as they could But now my brethren he that acts by Christs spirit as he hath Child-like expectations so he hath Child-like affections or if at any time he want his Child-like expectations yet still he hath his Child-like affections Though he be in such a case that he is verily perswaded for the present that God will neither own him nor regard him nor look upon him as a Son yet he loves God still He hath a Childs heart to God even when he thinks that God hath not a Fathers heart to him Though he seem to frown upon him and to hide his face and to turn away his prayers yet he hath dear affections to the Lord notwithstanding all this And this appears by the trouble he is in at God displeasure it grieves him so that he is sick of love as the poor Church was Cant. 2.5 when Christ withdrew himself a while this was her grief I sought him whom my soul loveth I will go into the City and seek him whom my soul loveth I said unto the watchmen Did ye see him whom my soul loveth And so when God withdraws himself from such a one as is endued with his spirit the very soul of such a person loves him still when he is very much afraid that he shall never find God more that God will never shew him favour more when he hath lost his Child-like expectations yet still he maintains his Child-like affections JOHN 17.24 That they also whom thou hast given me be with me c. AND thus far of the manner of our Saviours prayer Proceed we to the matter of it And here we have the persons that he prayes for those whom thou hast given me And then the thing that he desires in the behalf of those persons that they also may be with me where I am As for the persons whom our Saviour prayes for you see they are described here by the Fathers giving them to Jesus Christ Let them be what they will in all considerations and
of this Chapter This shall suffice for clearing of the Observation That unbelievers and unsanctified persons know not God At least they know him not in such a manner and with such a kind of knowledge as they ought to do in that they know him not with an affective knowledge they know him not with an effective knowledge and they know him not in Christ But what may be the causes why the unbelieving world is so ignorant Reason 1 of God I shall lay them open to you both with relation to the unbelieving world Heathen and with relation to the unbelieving world Christian Christian I mean in name though not in truth First for the unbelieving world Heathen it is no wonder that they know not God for they have no means to know him in such a manner as is necessary to salvation It s true that even they have means to know him in a common way as the Apostle shews and proves Rom. 1.19 20. That which may be known conceive it naturally known of God is manifest to them that is the Heathen for God hath shewed it even to them There is an Image and resemblance of him stampt upon the Creatures There are apparent characters and footsteps and impressions of the Godhead of his power and wisdom set upon every thing which he hath made which may be looked upon by every eye How doth his glory shine my brethren in the rare and admirable structure of the world the glorious frame of Heaven and earth And hence it is that David saith The Heavens declare the glory of God c. Psal 19.1 Indeed he tells us afterwards the Law of the Lord is perfect The word of God and that alone is a compleat and perfect help to bring us to the knowledge of God But yet there is some declaration of him in the Creatures the Heavens declare the glory of God And this means the Heathens have The Creatures catechise them and instruct them in the knowledge of a God as Job shewes Chap. 12.7 Ask now the Beasts and they shall teach thee the Fowls and they shall tell thee speak to the Earth and it shall teach thee and Fishes of the Sea shall declare to thee Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of God hath wrought this And therefore the Apostle tells us that even they the Heathen knew God Rom. 1.21 But now they have no means to know him savingly in Christ And this is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent This knowledge is not written in the Creature Book and they have not the Scripture Book and how then should they come to it It s true that God is written in the Creature Book but not a word of Christ there God is written in the Heart Book but not a word of Christ there neither The Law is written in the heart by nature but there are no impressions of the Gospel which is the word of Christ Col. 3.16 And hence it is that all the Nations of the world have groped after God and found him too as Acts 17.27 Let a man run from East to West let him ransake all Nations and where he findeth any men there he shall find some notice of God But now my Brethren among which of all these Nations who never had the book of Scriptures shall you find any notice of a Christ any incling of a Saviour or Redeemer No Christ is not so much as named among them They have no glimpse no crevice to give them any light of God in Christ So that it is no wonder though the unbelieving world Pagan know him not in this manner for they have no means to know him Reason 2 But now the unbelieving world Christian hath the means of this knowledge and why then do not they know God true they have the outward means but they want the inward means They have the outward revelation of the word but they have not the inward revelation of the spirit And without this it is impossible for any man to know God And therefore the Apostle prays for the Ephesians that God would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him Chap. 1.17 By which he intimates that without spirit-revelation they could never come to know him Now this spirit-revelation or unveiling consists in the removal of a double Veil the Veil that lies upon the faculty and the Veil that lies upon the Object 1. In the spirit-revelation which is the only means of knowing God there must be the removal of the Veil that lies upon the faculty the understanding The sence must be unveiled you know or else we cannot see an object though it be before us For what can a blindfolded person see And so it is in this case for every unbelieving person is blindfolded as it were the God of this world hath blinded his eyes The Veil is on their heart that is their understanding 2 Cor. 3 15. And this Veil the Holy Ghost must take away as in the cited place or else though God be by a man as certainly he is not far from every one of us he will not see him But when once this is removed then revelata ac detecta facie as Beza reads it Then we with open and uncovered face behold the glory of the Lord. 2. In that spirit-revelation which is the only means of knowing God there must be the removal of the Veil that lies upon the Object as of the Veil that lies upon the understanding so of the Veil that lies upon the Gospel where God is represented to us in a saving way For you must know my brethren that the Gospel is a veiled and a covered thing it hath a Curtain drawn before it It is a mysterie a secret thing Nay it is not only secret in it self but it is also kept secret Nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that is the term that the Apostle uses Col. 1.26 Not simply dark or mystical but hid on purpose de industria as Theophilacta observes Among the Jews it was covered with a veil of types and figures and dark expressions And to this day it is hid from natural and carnal men 2 Cor. 4.3 So that however God in Christ be cleerly manifested there let them do what they are able still there is something between them and God that hides him from them that they cannot see him And that is the first reason why unbelieving Christians know not God because they want the inward means of this knowledge viz. spirit-revelation And as they want the inward means of finding out this knowledge when it is closely hidden and covered from them so they want inward capability of receiving this knowledge when it is openly proposed and tendred to them They are so far from being able to go forth to fetch it from abroad that they cannot entertain it when it is brought home to them They have not of
the world There will be some elect continually to be brought in by this means Some to be added to the Church some to be joyned to the body mystical untill the dispensation of the fullness of time which the Apostle mentions Eph. 1.10 when all things shall be gathered into one which are in heaven and which are on earth So that you see my brethren Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers Name to other Nations and to other persons But how will he make these further declarations Brethren he will not do it in his own person or by his own immediate voyce But he will do it other wayes 1. By his written word and Ministers in all ages for that which they declare in his name and by authority from him Jesus Christ himself declares To this end Christ hath set some in the Church some Ministers of all sorts as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 12.28 And that is out of all dispute in the universal Church which is not limited to any Countrey or to any age That so there might be continually some in all Churches and in all ages to publish what is to be manifested of his Father And hence said Christ to his Apostles Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you to the end of the world They were not to continue for their own parts by many hundred years so long And therefore it must also stretch to those who were to follow them in the office and the work of Gospel preaching till it be published universally to all Nations in the outward promulgation and in the inward and effectual revelation to all persons to whom it is appointed so to be revealed Which was not done you know by the Apostles it was but begun by them and must be carrried on till it be finished by other Ministers to the end of the world And therefore when our Saviour Christ ascended and consequently could no longer teach his Church immediately in his own person he gave gifts unto men such gifts as he never gave before And he gave some Apostles Prophets Evangelists Some temporary some perpetual for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry How long Till we all come all that are chosen whether Jews or Gentiles in the unity of the Faith unto a perfect man So that the Ministry shall be continued till all be gathered into Christ that shall be gathered and that is till the end of the world 2. Christ makes these further declarations of his Fathers name in every age by his spirit As he declares it outwardly to other persons by his word so he declares it inwardly to other persons by his spirit to his elect in every age to the end of the world And therefore when our Saviour Christ withdrew his corporal and fleshly presence he sent his spirit down to teach his people to lead them into all truth And by that spirit he declares his Fathers name and will do to the worlds end And he assured his Apostles in the place even now alledged Mat. 28.20 when he was even about to leave them as to his fleshly presence with them Lo I am with you alwayes viz. by my spirit to the end of the world That is with you and such as you are with you and your Successors still in every age as long as the world endureth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations and my spirit shall be with you So that what you teach all without he shall teach my elect within powerfully and with success till the last man be gathered in And then shall the end come Is it so that Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers name to other Nations and to other persons to the end of the world Vse Then let us seriously consider what our dutie is in reference to this work which will be beautifull and glorious beyond all comparison and what Christ expects of us If he will do as he hath said let us examine what we are to do and what duty lyeth upon us relating to it in the mean time And here I shall propound a few things 1. Let us give him so much credit as to believe what he hath spoken And though it seem improbable that Christ should manifest his Fathers name to all Nations That all the Countreyes in the world should come to know him and to be acquainted with him yet seeing Christ hath undertaken it and bound himself by faithfull promise to his Father that as he hath declared his name already so he will be continually making further declarations of it to other persons and to other Nations let us say Amen to it As Mary sometimes when she had staggerd at the difficulty of the Promise at length recovered out of that fit of unbelief and set the seal of faith to it Be it according to thy word 2. Let our hearts be full of hope in reference to this business Since Christ hath undertaken it let us expect the execution of it Our Saviours words my brethren are a promise to the Father what he will do in after times for his people Saith he I will declare thy name to them And therefore as it is our duty to believe the promise so to expect the good things promised To be continually in a waiting frame looking and harkning after the accomplishment of this eximious work of his spying if we can see the day break and the Fathers name shine forth to other Nations who never had a glimsp of it by any Gospel Revelation till in the end from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same his name be great among the Gentiles according to that Prophesie relating to these latter times and ages of the world Mal. 1.11 3. Let us strive with Christ in prayer that he would make good the word that he hath spoken to the Father before so many witnesses Oh my beloved when ye look on many Heathen Nations that yet are overwhelmed in ignorance and Egyptian darkness that yet know nothing of the Fathers name when you look on many Christians in profession that yet are even in as bad a case as they some of which it may be have relation to your selves go to Jesus Christ and say O Lord thou hast professed that thou wilt declare thy Fathers name to other persons and to other Nations to the end of the world Lord there are such Nations there are such persons who yet are strangers to the Father who know no more of God in Christ then the very beasts that perish O be intreated to declare thy Fathers name to them Lord manifest the Father to them that they may know him to salvation 4. Let our hearts be full of joy while we are looking forward to the accomplishment of this work O let it chear our spirits under all the sinking damps and deep discouragements that are upon them in relation to the Church to think in what a blessed state and glorious
of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereto that is to which sanctification and belief he hath called you by our Gospel 2 Thes 2.13 14. 2. Are you wandering from the way as who hath not his deviations The word of God is a light to guide you it is a Lanthorn to your feet as David speaks Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel Psal 73.14 q. d. although thou do not lead me by the pillar of a cloud and fire as once thou didst thy people in the Desert although thou goest not with me in a visible appearance yet thou hast left me such exact directions such wholesome Counsel in thy word that if I follow that exactly it is impossible I should miscarry 3. Are you ignorant the word of God is a teacher to inform you It giveth understanding to the simple Psal 119.130 And makes them wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 There is no knowledge indispensably required to salvation nothing of necessary faith or practice either to be believed or done but is abundantly revealed in the Scripture 4. Are you infirm and weak in grace The word of God is a means to confirm you This was the Instrument by which the Apostles confirmed the Churches Act. 15.4 And as it is the usual means by which the grace of God is begotten in the heart in which respect we find it stiled The word of grace because it works it Acts 20.32 so it is the instrument by which it is confirmed and encreased We grow by sucking the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.2 And we are built up by it to Salvation 5. Are you in any deep distress The word of God is the means to comfort you Through-comfort of the Scriptures we have hope Rom. 15.4 And David to the same purpose Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in my affliction Psal 119.92 And in another place cries out Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope this is my comfort in my affliction for thy Word hath quickned me Psal 119.49 50. 6. Are you lost as we are all of us by nature The word of God is the means to save you this is the saving doctrine Act. 11.14 The word of life Phil. 2.16 the word that brings men to life and glory The Gentiles saith the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians Ephes 3.6 came to be fellow-heirs and partakers of the promise by the Gospel To sum up all we have cause to love the word to have it dear in our affections for it is the word that guides us it is the word that informs us it is the word that confirms us it is the word that comforts us it is the word that saves us that is the power of God unto salvation with which agrees the Apostles valediction to the Elders of Ephesus Act 20.32 wherewith I take my leave of you at this time I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified JOHN 17.6 And they have kept thy Word WE have been long upon this use of trial and discovery whether we be given up to Christ or no by the donation of the Father Three branches of it we have now dispatcht and are arrived at the fourth and last which God assisting we shall finish at this time Have we kept the word of God as in our minds by remembring and in our hearts by believing and in our affections by loving so in our lives by obeying For all of these as you have heard are comprehended under this expression And this indeed my Brethren as it is the last so it is the heigth the upshot and the sum of all to keep the word of God in the life by obeying Many there are that remember much of it that give assent and credit to it yea that pretend a great deal of affection to the word of God and are indeed much taken with many things that are delivered in it and yet they fail in this which is the main business they do not give themselves up to the practice and obedience of it They leave the rule of God and are a way and rule unto themselves And this was Herods temper right he heard the word of God gladly he took some kind of pleasure in it and therefore out of doubt had some affection to it but when it came to practice and obedience there he failed He did but many things at most he did not all that was delivered to him from the word of God and this was that which marred all and made all the rest worth nothing And so the second ground the stony places in the parable Matth. 13.20 they received the Word of God and that with joy and there must be some love where there is delight and joy and yet no fruit at all follows as you may see in that place And truly there are many such among us who find some taste in the good Word of God as the Apostle speaks Heb. 6.5 There is a pleasing relish in it which they are delighted with as there is something in the Word that may content a palate that is meerly carnal but they make it not their rule in their lives and conversation They sit before the Preacher as the people sits and listen with affection to his words perhaps they are a pleasant sound to them but their hearts are far from stooping to the obedience of the Word no they are for their covetousness their uncleanness and their lusts still Now I beseech you my Beloved see how it is with you in this regard If you will have this sweet assurance in your selves that you are given up to Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father you must keep the Word of God in your lives by obeying it you must not rest in this that you have as you conceive some love to it and that you take some kind of pleasure and delight in it for this a carnal wretch a reprobate may do but you must yeild obedience to it you must be ruled and ordered by it in your ways the Word of God must be a guide to you When you have any thing to do you must not think what is agreeable to your wills humors interests ends and so act accordingly But you must seriously consider with your selves what is agreeable to the direction of the Word of God and to the rule which he hath there prescribed to you and to that you must conform how unsutable soever it may be to your desires or to your aims Thus you must keep the Word of God if you will clear your interest in Jesus Christ in your lives by obeying it And here that you may not be mistaken and deceive your selves I shall desire you to take notice of a few things You must keep it wholly and entirely you must not keep some parts and parcels of the Word of God and leave