be perswaded to do another thing In this case thou hast sinful and dishonourable thoughts of God Thou thinkest of him as a man like thy own self and the ground why such apprehensions are ungodly and unbeseeming the Majesty of God is because he is immutable and unchangeable in his nature There is no ground of change or alteration in him because there is no ignorance in his understanding he foreknoweth all things no mutability in hiâ— will therefore thy praiers though they are necessary and usefull yet they have no such influence upon God as to change his minde or to make him of unwilling willing 3. There are some things so absolutely promised that do not suppose any condition of Praier on our parts As the initiall workings of grace The beginningâ— of our conversion especially that promise Zech. 12 that God will pour on us the Spirit of praier and supplication The fullfilling of this promise cannot be by way of praier for it 's a promise to enable us to pray and so we could not make it self to be a condition for it self Indeed we may pray for the Spirit of praier but that is to be understood in regard of a further measure of this Spirit As we may exercise Faith in the promise for a further degree of Faith we may beleeve that God thereby may encrease our faith and make it more strong Thus the promise of sending Christ into the world and giving him to be a Saviour to his people doth not suppose our praier but rather praier is a gift from this We therefore pray viz. acceptably because we are united to Christ and have his Spirit dwelling in us Thus God also in the conversion of his people cometh in with his grace upon them before they desire or seek after him at least in a right manner I was found of those that sought me not said Christ Isa 65.1 Therefore this is not to be understood universally of every good thing that God hath promsed but for the most part of those things which do suppose us already godly and put into a capacity and spirituall ability of praier Then God will not do for us till we seek unto him As the Mother doth not expect the childe that cannot yet speak should ask for such a thing at her hands 5. God hath required Praier as a constant duty to be performed by all notwithstanding any purposes or promises made by him I say as a constant duty required of all and therefore that is an unjustifiable position of some That it 's not lawfull or a duty for wicked men to pray But when our Saviour speaks so universally Ask and ye shall have and Gods wrath is to be poured upon the Families of the earth because they call not upon God It 's plain it 's their sin that they do not pray and although God will not hear the Praier of sinners but it 's an abomination to God yet for all that it 's their duty to pray not indeed to pray sinfully not to keep up their sins and their praiers together but to empty themselves of their poison to lay aside their superfluity of naughtinesse and so to come with pure hearts and pure hands to God as David I will wash my hands in innocency so will I compasse thy Altar Psa 26.6 It 's therefore a duty enjoyned all and that indispensably to pray unto God Again I say It 's a constant duty required of all not as if there were to be no intermission but when the time and season doth require it as they are called constant Sacrifices which were offered every day though not all the day long and this overthroweth that opinion of some who think it no duty to pray unlesse when they feel some motion or impulse of the Spirit of God upon them so that if they are a day a moneth a year without this they will not pray This is not according to the Rule Again it 's a constant duty required of all Therefore it 's a presumptuous conceit of those who apprehend themselves above Petitions They will do nothing but sing praises to God and give him thanks as if they were Angels in heaven but as for Petitions and Confessions they are so perfect they are above them Why do not such men refuse to eat and drink saying they have such perfect bodies they need no sustenance Doth not Christ himself here importunately and fervently put up his Petitions to the Father 5. Though God will not perform the good things he promiseth without our praiers yet our Praiers are not meritorious They deserve not at Gods hand Though we cannot have the promised blessing without Praier yet not for our Praier Therefore it 's not only arrogant but an irrationall doctrine in Popery to assert Praier to be a meritorious work Doth the beggar deserve an alms because he asketh Who would not rather say that praier is a plain profession of our beggery emptinesse and utter impotency Thereby we proclaim that of our selves we are not able to procure the least mercy Therefore when we come to God take heed of trusting in Praier of idolizing thy duties It 's a sin we are prone too but as they say of clothes Pride of them is an extreme vanity because the very putting them on should put us in minde of our sin that made nakednesse a shame so our very praier should make us abhorre our selves and set up God as the only fountain of all hope and comfort if we could help our selves why pray we to him 6. Therefore it 's disputed whether God doth require Praier for the mercies sake or give the mercy for Praiers sake As for example God hath promised encrease of grace sanctification of all afflictions if we rightly pray to him Now the Question is whether he giveth this mercy for praier sake or not rather because he will give such a mercy therefore he enableth us to pray and certainly this latter way is the truth God gives us not the mercy because we pray but because he will vouchsafe such a mercy therefore he quickneth us up to pray The mercy is not referred to praier but praier to the mercy Therefore 7. As long as God keeps up our heart in a praying way so long there is hope of the accomplishment of the mercy we pray for Thou preparest the heart and hearest with the ear saith David Psa 10.17 Not but that in some temporal mercies the soul may be kept long in a praying waiting frame and yet the mercy it self be never given us but then it will be with us as with Paul My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12. So that still God is good to thee though thou hast not that thou praiest for if a praying frame of heart be on thee on the other side it 's an heavy defection not to be able or willing to pray I speak not of a tempted Christian who praieth even while he saith he doth not he cannot pray but of those
thus it is alwaies any errour any false way is more pleasing to corrupt men then the truth and hence it hath many followers People will run out to see to gaze and hear some new thing If a man be a dwarf or a gyant every one will run to see him but not the man of ordinary stature Vse Is this the end of the Ministry of all our labour and preaching to bring you to the saving knowledge of God Oh then may we not take up the Prophets complaint That we labour in vain the bellows is burnt the lead is consumed but the reprobate silver is not purged away Jer. 6.27 Do not many Families and persons proclaim they know not God for in this it is seen that they call not upon God there are no Family-duties no worshiping of him whereas our houses should be like the Temple of the Lord they are slies of sin rather Christ is to come in flaming vengeance against those that know not God May not the Ministers of God cry with Isaiah Isa 6.5 Wo be to us we dwell among men of polluted lips and lives It 's a Wo to dwell there Isaiah was much affected with it SERMON XXXI That Gods People are not of though in this world Wherein is also shewed the vast difference between them and the men of the world JOH 17.5 I have manifested thy Name to those that thou gavest me out of the world THE next thing considerable is The description of the Subject about which Christ did thus imploy himself and they are set out 1. From their original descent and heavenly rise These God hath given Christ but of this we have already treated and shall say more before we come to the end of the Chapter it being often repeated 2. From the term from which they are given out of the world They are given to Christ out of the world The Scripture in this Chapter makes a distinction of being in the world and of the world The people of God even as Christ himself and his Kingdom are in the world but they are not of the world As a Stranger in a forreign Countrey he is in that Countrey but not of it he hath not the nature the Language nor doth he accustome himself to the fashion of that place Thus it is with the godly Though they are born and so live in the world yet their natures and affections and conversations are not worldly As the Fowls that were at first created out of the water yet did not continue there but flew up to heaven and continue for the most part there As clouds though of the earth yet are carried about after the motions of the heavens They are not then given out of the world so as if every good man were presently upon his godlinesse removed out of this earth to heaven but in respect of their nature affections and conversation localiter they are not but in respect of heart and affections in which sence Paul said he was crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6.14 Now you must know that the word world hath several significations in Scriptures Est mundus cujus Deus est creator est mundus cujus Deus est redemptor est mundus cujus Satan est seductor Sometimes it is taken for the whole Fabrick and Vniverse with the parts thereof as when the world is said to be made by God and Christ a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 Sometimes it 's taken for the greater part of the world as they said all the world did run after Christ or the world said to be taxed by Augustus Luk. 2.1 Sometimes for the power riches pleasures and glory of the world but then most commonly fot the wicked men of the world Thus often by John The world hath not known thee if ye were of the world the world would love you and now wicked men are called the world because their whole heart and desires are fixed on worldly things No worms no Moles delighting more in earthly things then they do and therefore they are the Serpents seed which live on the dust of the earth And then they are called the world because they are the farre greater visible and more flourishing part of the world Alas take these that are godly and they are but a despicable and contemptible handful to those that ruffle it in the world Obs That the people of God they are called out of the world He that is truly godly is no more a man of this world as we say of a dying man he is not for this world his heart his thoughts his desires are quite taken off Thus the godly are said to be dead and crucified to the world Gal. 6.14 They have not those carnal worldly affections and dispositions as formerly and from hence the people of God are called Ecclesia the Church as much as persons called out of the world not bodily but in respect of their souls and hence the world and the Church is opposed 1 Cor. 5.10 The Fornicators of this world in opposition to the Church so that by this we see there is none in the Church of God but they should have renounced the waies customes and sinnes of the world To be a Christian and yet of the world is a contradiction as if we should say a black Sun yet how is the garden of God made a Wildernesse how is the Church become the world So much prophanesse wickednesse and carnal living as there is so much of the world there is Oh that men did consider what an holy obligation their Christianity brings upon them Art thou a Christian and yet the drunkard of the world the fornicator of the world the proud the earthly of the world this ought not to be no more then the Angel a worm no more then a Starre a clod of earth The Apostle cals those of the world without What have we to do to judge those that are without 1 Cor. 5 ult but those of the Church within Oh but how many â—â—eâ— within according to Christs Rule ought to be turned out of Christs sheepfold To illustrate this necessary Truth let us observe those demonstrations or discoveries whereby it may appear that the godly are not of the world And first This makes it manifest because they have not the Spirit of the world but of God 1 Cor. 2.12 Now what is the Spirit of the world even a judgement and wisedom to discern only worldly things to see the necessity of them the excellency of them To be wholly affected with them To meditate on them day and night But the godly they have received the Spirit of God whereby they savour and discern spiritual things They have hearts alwaies depending upon God and they have hearts wholly fixed and placed upon God They see incomparable excellency in heavenly things above all earthly They say with David My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to God at all times
Psa 119.20 They cry out As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so do our souls after thee O God Psa 41.1 Thus when God calleth a man out of the world he giveth him another Spirit even an heavenly heart he was a beast before now he is like an Angel He did formerly no more understand or discern spiritual things then the deaf ear doth melodious sounds They were a wearisomnesse a burden to him but now they are his delight Secondly They are not of this world because they walk not after the rudiments or elements of the world Col. 2.8 20. The Apostle there sheweth how inconsistent such a life is with an heavenly life When we are risen with Christ Now what are those Elements of the world Even all such principles of Religion as men by humane and carnall wisedom take up to worship God by He cals them Elements or principles because the Jews made their traditionall worship the very foundation and beginning of all as if godlinesse were not able to consist it and Elements of the world because men by humane wisedom without the Scripture do presse them and do not walk by the light of Gods Word This then is an excellent discovery that we are not of the world when in the matters of Religion especially in our worship of God and the way of our justification we are not carried by the principles of a worldly Religion but by divine direction when we do not worship God according to custome to universality and such rudiments of the world as most do The Pagan the Papist discovers a very worldly Spirit in his Religion being able to say no more for it then Heathens have done and so in the matters of justification They say but very little more then Aristotle and the Philosophers of the world have done about righteousnesse whereas the righteousnesse and grace of the Gospel is wholly different from such principles manifest then by thy adoration of the fulnesse of the Scripture and sufficiency thereof that thy religion thy worship thy hopes of salvation are not meerly upon worldly principles and not supernaturall Thirdly The godly man is discovered not to be of the world by his constant life and conversation He doth not live as one that takes this world for his home They declare by their words and actions they seek for another Countrey Heb. 11. As the Israelites were to manifest the Wildernesse was not a place for them to abide in but Canaan Hence Rom. 12.1 They are not conformed to the fashion of this world They are as Pilgrims and Strangers They are in the world as bright Stars in a dark night so that this doth necessarily imply a singularity and exactnesse in the godly mans life comparatively to the world Men of the world are proud earthly bruitish running into all pleasures and following all excesse of riot but they dare not do so so that there cannot be a surer symptome that thou art still of the world then by speaking doing and living as most in the world do 2 Pet. 3.6 Even those that have but a common bare profession of the Christian faith are said to escape the pollutions of the world Though Godlinesse should not have a deep impression on you though it should not go to the root and bottome yet if it hath made any impression at all if it hath gone but to the skin if you have heard of it but by the ear onely it should make thee avoid such pollutions Jam. 1.17 What saith the Apostle James Pure Religion is to keep a man unspotted from the world Pure Religion There is a generation of devils rather then men that mock and deride at purity Thus the Apostle saith there must be a pure Religion and this pure Religion is to keep us unspotted from the world That doth imply the world to be some lothsome noisome dunghill that a man cannot be in it but he is ready to get soil and filth upon him how many trust to sin come and do as we do will you be so pure but whether will you beleeve the Word of God or the devil tempting by such beastly Instruments Fourthly He is discovered not to be off the world because he is principally taken up with heavenly priviledges Jam. 4.4 The friendship of this world is enmity against God and 1 Joh. 2.15 If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him It 's as impossible a man that is godly should be of the world in this sence as it is for Doves to be Moles they cannot live by digging into the earth Hence the godly man is said to be born of God he is said to be heavenly to be from above to he risen with Christ to sit in heavenly places to have his Conversation in heaven These are the noble descriptions of the godly man so that though they use the world and discharge their Relations therein yet they are not overcome by the world They have the world the world hath not them Oh how close may this discovery be for there are many who escape the pollutions of the world and yet are worldly The third kinde of hearers did not only cast off all prophanesse but made some great progresse in obedience to the Word but the love of the world and the cares about it choaked all Did not Judas appear as eminently for Christ as any at first but the love of the world discovered his rottennesse Did not Demas get approbation and that by Paul himself yet at last he did cleave to this present world so that not only prophanesse but immoderate earthly and worldly affections These are inconsistent with the power of grace The world is not only the prophaness thereof but the immoderate and excessive affections to the lawful things of the world Our Saviour doth not say He that loveth his sins or his lusts more then me but he that loveth his Father wife or life it self more then me is not worthy of me Mat. 10.37 See then the difficulty of grace and tremble under it Thou hast with much ado quit thy former sins but do not the inordinate affections about lawful things still ensnare thee Dost thou buy as if thou boughtst not Dost thou marry as if thou marriedst not 1 Cor. 7. Art thou rich as if thou wert not That is thou usest these things as comforts against thy necessities not as Masters over thy affections Fifthly In this it 's apparent they are not of the world because the world hateth them and is wholly opposite to them Joh 17.14 Because they are not of the world therefore that hateth them If they were of the world the world would love his own and 1 Joh. 4.5 They that are of the world speak of the world and the world heareth them There cannot be a better discovery then this The world knoweth his own Let a man be a wise worldly man that matters not religion that regards not the power of godlinesse nor strictnesse
the Earth earthly And then 3. If it be taken for the wickednesse of it Then Christ was never so of the world Therefore here is a difference between Christ and his Disciples for though they were not now of the world yet once they were plunged in sinne and corrupted through pollutions as others were but Christ never was of the world in this sence Therefore in the last place the particle of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not of equality as if the Disciples were in every respect not of the world as Christ was but in some resemblance only The words thus explained two Doctrines arise Doct. 1 First The not being of the world is that which makes wicked men hate the Godly If there were sutablensse of Naturee and Manners then like would agree with like Hence 1 Joh 3.12 when the Apostle instanced in Cains murther of his Brother because his own works were evil he saith v. â—3 Marvell not if the world hate you Never wonder at that but rather if it should not hate you Our Saviour speaks notably of this to his Brethren Joh. 7.5 7. For they did not beleeve in him though so greatly acquainted with him and saw his Miracles The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil It cannot hate you No wicked man can hate another viz. in respect of fundamental principles as a Godly man is hated It 's true wicked men may be at deadly fewd one with another but it is not from contrary principles of nature but from matter of profit and injuries or wrongs done As the Dogge doth not hate another yet for bones and other matters they will be ready to kill one another Though therefore Herod and Pilate cannot endure one another yet that opposition was upon carnal Interests it was not like that hatred which was to Christ Therefore when such Earthly Interests are removed they can heartily embrace one another but the wicked man can never love the Godly till his Nature he changed till he become godly also as the wolf can never love a sheep unlesse he be made a sheep To open this Let us Consider What it is not to be of the world And first It consists in Doctrine to be beleeved Such are not of the world who receive those hevenly Truths that the world cannot reach unto yea that it scorneth and derideth When Peter made that Solemn Confession That Christ was the Son of the Living God It was told him Flesh and bloud had not revealed this to him Mat. 16.16 There is a worldly Religion worldly Doctrines such as are sutable to the principles and Interests of the world and these are readily embraced The world loveth such Preachers and such Doctrines 1 Joh. 4. 4. The Apostle John speaking of the Antichristian Spirit that was coming into the world saith of such Teachers They are of the world therefore the world heareth them but we are of God and he that is not of God heareth us not Therefore there is a remarkable opposition 1 Cor. 2 12. between the Spirit of the world and the Spirit of God For by this only we come to know the things that God hath given us Then therefore are we not of the world when God shall so enlighten our mindes by Faith That we do assuredly beleeve those Truths God hath revealed in his Word that neither our corrupt Reasons nor our Education to the contrary nor the Opinions of the most men and great men in the world shall make us go contrary and certainly the Lives of men are so worldly because their Understanding is so We receive our Religion not as it 's revealed of God but as we can any waies turn it to our corrupt ends 2. Not to be of the world is to be Regenerated and born again To have another Nature then what we come with into the world another not substantially but qualitatively whereby we are said 1 Pet. 1.4 to be partakers of the divine Nature So that though at first made of the dust yet now we fly up to Heaven as the vapours though arising out of the Earth yet ascend up to Heaven and follow the motions thereof Joh. 3. and 2 Cor. 5.17 A man must be born again or from above and he is made a new Creature Old things are past away This is to be above the world not of the world and indeed seeing the Soul is not naturally of the world being created by God why shouldst thou voluntarily debase it and make it a Servant to every worldly Object to love the world To delight in the world To be ensnared by the world Oh pray for this Divine Nature beg for Regeneration for till this be done thou art all over earthly a worm is as good as thou art Thy Love thy heart thy thoughts thy all is nothing but earth 3. Not to be of the world is to have an Heavenly Conversation To live as one whose heart is with Christ already in Heaven It 's not enough to be once regenerated but the progresse of our Lives is to be spent on Heavenly motives and Considerations As the Fowls of the Heaven though they light upon the Ground to eat their meat yet immediatly fly up again Thus it is with the godly though they take the lawful comforts of this world yet their hearts are presently off ascending to God Thus the Apostle Our Conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3 20. And because we are risen with Christ we set our affections upon things above Col. 3.1 2. See our Lord Christ he was not of the world Did he not manifest it by his conversation when he made it his meat and drink to doe his Fathers Will when he was alwaies either praying to God or preaching to the people Oh then do thou endeavour after this life Though thou art in thy Family in thy Trade in thy Calling yet be not of the world because the choicest part of thy self is from God Thou canst say what are all these to the favour of God They are good to use but not to enjoy They are good sawce but not good meat a good Inne but not a good home 4. Not to be of the world is to partake of other joys other comforts then the world knoweth of and so to be exercised with other Temptations then the world understands with other joys Therefore it 's said It hath not entred into the heart of man to conceive of this 1 Cor. 2.9 It 's called Joy unspeakable in the holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1.8 David acknowledged God had put more joy in his heart then worldly men could have in all their abundance Psa 4. Alas what is thy carnal mirth and delight to that admirable and unspeakable joy which the godly finde in God This is a joy that will hold in tribulations and death it self when in such a Drought the wicked mans stream is quite dried up his temptations also are such as the world
be risen with Christ seek those things that are above and set your affections upon them Oh this is a great matter when not only our minde and tongue but our affections are set on things above The Affections are like wings to the bird like fire among the Elements it assimilates and turneth every thing into fire Thus where the beleever affectionately remembers he is not of the world he cryeth out as the Maid ready to be ravished under all inordinate and worldly thoughts What do you come to overwhelm me for He runneth away as Joseph from his Mistresse how can I do this and sinne against God The Apostle speaks in the Name of all Beleevers Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven Thus as the Sunne in Heaven though the Beams of it shine upon Dunghils and noisome Jakes yet it 's not defiled So the Godly though they live in a noisome sinful and wicked world yet they are not stained therewith because their Conversation is in Heaven and as the Bird as long as she soars on high is out of all danger from the snares and gins of the Fowler Thus the Childe of God as long as his thoughts and his affections are kept above and are out of reach they receive no defilement from these things below Oh then let the Beleever remember he is not of this world and this will inflame him it will be a fiery Chariot to carry him up into Heaven But because to be heavenly-minded is a general and particular things do most inform and affect Singularia sunt quae pungunt Let us branch it out in particulars and shew you wherein a Godly man remembring he is not of the world doth expresse his heavenly Conversation and that emptieth it self into these streams First He mortifieth and moderateth his heart and affections even to lawfull things 1 Cor. 7. The time is short Those that marry must be as if they married not Grace doth alter the pallat of Nature so that like old Barzillai they take not that delight which once they had in the comforts of the world Nature is content with few things but Grace with the one necessary thing which is God himself If then thy heart be like a water overrunning the banks and so be muddied stop thy self and remember thou art not of this world and therefore thou darest not over-love or over-desire or go beyond thy bounds Thou hast indeed these mercies but as if thou hadst them not Truly this is an excellent discovery of an heavenly heart when this Ivy doth not so cleave to thee as to consume thee When thou canst so eat drink and enjoy all earthly and worldly Comforts that yet thou do not distemper and disease thy soul Secondly An Heavenly Heart is in these worldly things when they are made but the secondary and the lesse principall They are the Stars not the Sun This our Saviour makes a fundamentall qualification to every Disciple He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me Matth. 10.37 The Godly man therefore hath Christ lying nearest to his heart There must be nothing above him equall to him as David expresseth this predominancy often Whom have I in Heaven but thee And My Soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thee at all times And God was his Portion The Light of his Countenance was better then Life and all Earthly Comfort If therefore thou remembrest thou art not of this world Earthly things shall be admitted only to the Court of the Temple not to thy heart which is the Holy of Holies They are kept at the bottome of the Hill not suffered to come up to the Mount There is no man if not truly regenerated though never so great in parts and expressions of Religion that giveth Christ the better part of his Soul That gives the Superiority to him As in the Sacrifices of old all the fat was to be burnt unto God Oh then awaken thy self in this matter if thou art not of the world then God and Christ are in the uppermost room of thy heart They are more unto thee then ten thousand Creatures To say thou arâ— no prophane person no wicked person is a poor and a small matter But art thou one to whom Christ is more then Wealth then honour and all Greatnesse Thirdly The man that remembers he is not of the world dareth not sinne against God to obtain the greatest advantages here below This doth necessarily follow from the former For if once he be so heavenly as to love God and Christ better then all then he will do nothing that he may lose them He will not be so foolish as to take Dirt and to lose Gold Hence those Hearers that had the Cares of the world choaking the good Seed and those Apostates that fell off in Persecution all these did serve Mammon and not God for when it comes to this here is an offer and choice either I must lose God or this worldly advantage If thou wilt take the present world and leave Christ this cannot stand with an Heavenly heart I do not speak of some particular passages for the Flesh sometimes overcometh the Spirit but of an habituall and constant course Therefore it was a full discovery that Moses was not of the world when he chose the Reproaches of Christ rather then all the Treasures of Egypt This an earthly heart would never have done Fourthly The man that remembers he is not of the world desires not neither rejoyceth in worldly things any further then thereby he is made more serviceable to God and instrumental te his glory All these earthly things they are Talents and we are called Stewards Now the Steward looks not upon the money and Rents he receiveth as his he rejoyceth not in them as his own He is to improve all for the best to his Masters use Thus the heavenly Christian doth This Health This Life These parts These Comforts they are none of mine I am but a Steward I must give an account what improvement I have made of them This is a notable discovery of thy heavenlinesse when thou art thus affected Fifthly He that Considers he is not of this world his Heavenly-mindednesse is discovered in that though he be in the midst of all these businesses yet he labours to keep his heart holy and fervent His Shop doth not dead his heart his worldly affairs do not dull the Edge of his Spirit but he can delight in God call him Father be fervent and effectuall in Duties Not but that the most Heavenly man which is findes and complaineth of much deadnesse and dullnesse They can be affected with worldly things but not Heavenly onely they are sensible and complain of this dead heart That as they mourn over a dead Friend a dead Childe so they do over a dead heart onely herein they strive and labour that no worldly thing may any whit abate their Affections to God That they
a Command yet withall sheweth the difficulty of it and whence it doth come to pass that the children of God sensible of their sins are so hardly brought to Beleeve As also why ungodly men think it so easie a thing SERM. XXXIX Further sheweth how acceptable it is to God to beleeve in Christ the Mediatour and setteth forth the dangerous nature of Trusting in our own Righteousness SERM. XL. Further setteth forth the Excellency and Necessity of pressing the Doctrine of Faith in Christ the Mediatour and of our being affected with it and invites the greatest sinners to come unto him for Salvation SERM. XLI JOHN 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine Of praying both for the Godly and the wicked with the Reasons and Motives thereof SERM. XLII The Excellency and Efficacy of Christs Mediatory prayer set forth in many Aggravations of it for the Consolation of the Godly SERM. XLIII Of the Extent of Christs Mediatory Prayer and of his Death That he praied and died not for all and every one of mankinde but only for the Elect and that the Scripture expressions of Christs dying for all are to be understood indefinitely and not universally SERM. XLIV Reasons why the Scripture speaks thus universally about Christs death when yet but some were intended Also what Benefits Reprobates have by Christ with some Arguments further proving the point of Christs dying not for every man but some SERM. XLV The Application of the former Subject setting forth the Necessity of Faith and Repentance as to the interesting us in Christ The Freeness of Gods Love The Qualifications of those to whom Christs death is made advantagious and also their priviledges above all others SERM. XLVI Of Free-Grace opposite to Arminianism tending to raise the hearts of those that are Godly to Joy and Thankfulness SERM. XLVII Of Gods Propriety in his people as the ground of all the good that accrueth to them SERM. XLVIII JOHN 17.10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them The Deity of Jesus Christ cleared and defended against the Socinians SERM. XLIX Of mans glorifying of Christ and how many waies that is done SERM. L. JOHN 17.11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are Of Christs tender care of all his people in the greatest of their care and afflictions SERM. LI. Of the great danger of Gods peoples being in the world chiefly from its tempting and seducing to sin SERM. LII Of the danger Gods people are in in the world in respect of its hating and opposing of them with Reasons why the Lord makes the world such a disquieting place such a valley of tears unto his own people SERM. LIII The Exaltation of Christ improved for the Joy of all Beleevers SERM. LIV. That all Civil Governours as well as Ecclesiasticall from the meanest Master of a Family to the greatest Monarch have from Christ a spirituall charge of those that are under them and are above all things to endeavour the good of their souls SERM. LV. The great Lord-keeper of Israel from inevitable Ruine both of body and soul extolled SERM. LVI That it 's not enough to be put into a state of Grace unless by Gods power we are kept therein How farre men may acknowledge Gods help and yet with the Pelagians Arminians and Papists not give him his due Glory And also sheweth how many waies the power of God keepeth his people SERM. LVII Reasons proving the Necessity of Gods preserving his children in Grace That God keeps them by Faith Also why and how Faith keeps them rather then other Graces SERM. LVIII The greatness of the mercy of being kept sound in the Truth and the damnableness of Errour demonstrated SERM. LIX That it 's a speciall Mercy for the Ministers of the Gospel to agree in one Wherein their unity should be and the Reasons of the differences that are among them SERM. LX. The great Pattern of Unity the Nature and Property of the Unity that is between God the Father and the Sonne against the Socinians That the Ministers of God should endeavour after a perfect Unity even to be one as the Father and Sonne are Also some Rules guiding thereunto SERM. LXI JOHN 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy Name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled The great changes that even a Godly man is subject unto in respect of the having and losing those sensible supports both outward and inward which God at sometimes vouchsafeth to them Also what those sensible injoyments are and why God doth so change the condition of his people SERM. LXII Sheweth how prone men are for to know Christ after the flesh and wherein it appears SERM. LXIII Of the Saints Lord-keeper shewing how safe the Godly are kept to Salvation by Christ as a trust committed to him SERM. LXIV Of the manner of Christs keeping those that are his Of a four fold principle that is operative to the preservation of Beleevers And of the excellent effects of the Lively Meditation of this Doctrine of being kept by Christ to Salvation SERM. LXV Of the Perseverance of the Saints The Question stated SERM. LXVI Of the Perseverance of the Saints SERM. LXVII Arguments proving that every one that is in the state of Grace shall be preserved to Eternall Life SERM. LXVIII Of the sonne of perdition Shewing that some persons are wilfully set for to damn themselves though they have never so many excellent Remedies and Means to the contrary And what are the Causes that move them thereunto and Characters of such persons SERM. LXIX Of the son of perdition Shewing more Causes and Symptoms of such wretched persons that are desperately bent to damn themselves SERM. LXX Of the sonne of perdition Sheweth from the example of Judas that men may be eminent for a while in the Church of God and afterwards prove desperate Apostates SERM. LXXI Of the sonne of Perdition SERM. LXXII Of the sonne of Perdition SERM. LXXIII The great stumbling-blocks of Religion removed SERM. LXXIV Of the Scripture SERM. LXXV Of the truth of Scripture-prophesies and against Judiciall Astrology and Witchcraft shewing the vanity and wickedness thereof and of seeking to them SERM. LXXVI John 17.13 And now I come to thee and these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves The Joy of Saints handled both as a duty and priviledge as being one great end of Christs Prayer Command Promises and Ministry SERM. LXXVII Of Joy and Comfort shewing how many waies the Spirit of God works it in the hearts of his people SERM. LXXVIII The severall
God he is a Son and God is his Father Father glorifie thy Sonne 2. From the seasonablenesse of it Now is the time Tho hour is come 3. From the finall cause he desireth not this glory for himself only but he would be glorified that he might glorifie the Father Every one of these Arguments doth deserve at least a Sermon to open the excellency of it and 1. I shall begin with the relation expressed in that compellation Father Now it is true God is the Father of Christ in a farre more transcendent way then he is ours for that is a true Rule quod Christus naturâ nos sumus gratiâ That which Christ hath by nature we have by grace Christ therefore is Son to the Father yet so that he is of the same nature with the Father having all the properties of the Godhead with him but we are Sonnes only by grace and adoption and therefore cannot call God Father in that respect as Christ doth yet because a Father to both and that we may improve this Title for comfort with him our Saviour doth put these together in a most excellent manner Joh. 10.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Go and tell my Brethren so The Apostle admireth this that he was not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 and in this Praier how wonderfull are those expressions That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Let not therefore the great distance between us and Christ trouble us in this dear relation for he is our Father as well as Christs though not in the same manner From this Argument further observe That those Praiers are successefull and are sure to speed which are poured out to God as a Father It 's this Title this relation that giveth life and efficacy to our praiers Dulce nomen Patris said he it works much both in the Father to move his bowels and in the Sonne to enlarge his affections and hopes Although that Faith whereby Christ called God Father was not like that in us which we call justifying in respect of that act for Christ did not need justification for himself because there was no sin found in him yet as faith in the generall betokens a fiduciall dependance on God and application of his favour so Christ did with faith call God Father Thus at other times we see Christ in his praiers using this compellation as the ground of his being heard and having all his requests granted him Luke 23.34 46. Joh. 11.41 Joh. 12.27 28. And that we may not think this Prerogative belongs only to him our Saviour in that Directory of praier which he hath left teacheth us to come unto him as unto a Father and this is the faith we must pray in else we are sure to be sent away empty Hence Christ Mat. 6. and Mat. 7 11. laieth all the ground of confidence and hope to speed on this because he is our Father an heavenly Father farre above all earthly Fathers Nemo tam Pater as one in another case I need not tell you that God is a Father either by Creation in which sence Paul alloweth that of the Poet We are his Offspring for this it makes not any thing to confidence in Praier for so the devils and wicked men had their being from God But 2. He is a Father by grace by adoption and reconciliation through Christ This is the relation that sweetens all This is that which makes us confident he cannot or will not deny any thing that is good to us When the Prodigal Sonne came with this Title in his mouth Father I have sinned the bowels of the Father immediatly moved and he runneth to meet him Luk. 15.18 First That every one by nature and through sinne is in a state of enmity against God God is so farre from being a Father to such that he is a Judge and an adversary to every wicked man so that it is a very rare thing and few there are who may call God Father Is God the Father of Drunkards adulterers proud and prophane persons It 's blasphemy and an high dishonour to God to think so No the Scripture telleth us of another Father to such Ye âre of your Father the devil Joh. 8.44 There are many may say Our Father which art in hell not which art in heaven This I would presse upon you that you may not blaspheme God by calling him Father when you do the works of the devil If children only and not dogs must eat the meat on the Table much more must they only be taken into the Fathers bosome The Scripture will inform you that none may presume to take this excellent Title into his mouth unlesse he shew his filiall fear and obedience Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour 1 Pet. 1.15 If ye call on the Father passe the time of your sojourning here in fear Hence it is resolved by Austin that none but a just and righteous man may pray the Lords Praier because God is not a Father to any but those that walk holily Oh that this might strike to the very heart of every ungodly man Thou hopest in thy praiers and trustest in thy praiers when yet thou hast no right to call God thy Father He owneth no such enemies as thou art for his Sonne Secondly This sweet relation of Sonship to God the Father is purchased at a dear rate by Christ He shed his precious bloud that we might be put into so happy a relation We that were afar off are made neer by him Hence it is that Christ is the Elder brother the Heir and we made coheirs with him so that we had nothing to do with God in any comfortable way we could not have praied to him but had been like the devil in hell had not Christ purchased this sure and comfortable condition for us It costs the mother much ere she be mother of a childe In sorrow she was to bring forth but Christ was a man of greater sorrow ere he could see his seed and his soul be satisfied Among Brethren what envy is there apt to be yea what murthers have been committed by one brother upon another that they might solely enjoy the dignity and great estate but how farre was Christ from this who though only beloved of the Father and heir to all glory yet grudgeth not to take in others to a copartnership well then This word Father or to be able to call God Father cost Christ dear even more then to make a world for there was but a word here were great sufferings Thirdly To be able to call God Father is so great a matter that there needeth the Spirit of Adoption to move us thereunto Gal. 4 6. He hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father Although it be easie for a presumptuous
self-justifying man to call God Father yet take the afflicted mourner for sinne who is sensible of the great dishonour he puts upon God it 's the hardest thing in the world to think God is a Father to him because therefore it is so great a work God sends his Spirit into our hearts that enableth us to cry boldly vehemently and notwithstanding all opposition Abba Father Where then we would use this compellation with power and life with successe and heavenly advantage there the Spirit of God must inflame the heart there all our servile fears and tormenting doubts must be removed Now who but the Spirit of God can command these windes and waves to be still There are groans and crys great commotions of spirit ere the soul can be perswaded of Gods fatherly love These things premised let us consider in the next place what disposition and frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every one that doth fervently pray to God And 1. It cannot but raise up the heart to great confidence and hope to speed Indeed if we look to our selves to our sinnes there is nothing but matter of despair Who can think of himself and not expect that answer Depart I know you not But then when we consider this gracious relation God putteth upon himself to be a Father what humbled sinner may then be afraid O Lord thou art not only a Lord a mighty and great God but a Father also and upon this Title I pleade Fathers use to lay up for children if it were an earthly Father Mat. 7. when the childe asketh bread he would not give him a stone and thou art an heavenly Father how long then shall I ask for such consolation pray against such corruptions and meet with the contrary Is not this to give a stone for bread If then God be a Father if thou maist conclude on this then expect every thing else Now this is a great sinne in the children of God they doe not improve this relation They do not think with themselves behold I am a Father I am a Mother will my bowels let me deny my poor children if afflicted any thing that I can give them why then shall I have such low thoughts of God He that giveth the father bowels shall not he much more have bowels If it be thus with a drop shall it not be much more with the Fountain 2. The meditation of this relation will cause fervency and zeal in our Petitions The more confidence to speed the more earnestnesse as on the other side where there is no hope there is fainting and languishing he said Qui timidè rogat docet negare we may say Qui tepidè It 's the fervent praier of a righteous man that prevaileth much and confidence quickens up to fervency As men that are pulling any weight the more they feel it coming the more earnest they are in pulling This divine hope puts wings to the soul addeth legges to its journey Indeed a bold presumption that God will vouchsafe him the matter of our requests is carelesse of praier because that looketh for the end without the means but an holy confidence that God will give us the good things we want but by earnest and fervent praier that makes the godly soul more zealous and active when we are sure our labour is not in vain As the Apostle encourageth to sufferings to wait and endure patiently because in due time they shall receive a recompence if they faint not Gal. 6.9 Oh then be afraid of those cold and lukewarm formall duties thou art so often in These argue no faith no hope in thee It 's a sign thou dost not much matter or regard the issue of thy Praiers whether God grant them or not 3. This Title in the lively improvement of it will cause a filiall reverence and humility even as the childe doth his Father as you heard If I be a Father where is my honour The good ingenious childe doth not abuse his Fathers kindenesse doth not contemne his favours but consider the great distance that is between him and his Father that he is never able to satisfie his Father for Aristotle saith There cannot be any justice between a father and son seeing therefore he hath all from him he is in a reverentiall fear and honour of his father Thus it is with those who have the Spitit of Adoption their fear is accompanied with their confidence Their boldnesse and hope doth not degenerate into security and contempt of God and if at any time they grow wanton under his mercies then as God is a Father to provide for us so he is a Father to chasten as the Scripture speaks often Do not then give way to thy corruptions do not eat too much of this honey till thou surfet lest God give Physick lest he chasten thee and seem as if he were no Father David upon security and other neglects into what sad darknesse is he cast He knoweth not how to call God Father he thinketh on God and is troubled as he saith Ps 77.5 God will deal with thee upon thy rebellion as David with Absalom Command thee out of his sight and this will work upon thee as it did with Absalom who desired to die rather then to be alwaies under such displeasure and herein the people of God upon their sinnes have a greater wound and deeper gash then the wicked have It 's against a Father they have sinned so mercifull and so gracious a Father this paineth them at the very heart 4. The Meditation of this Title will breed tranquillity and quietnesse of spirit free from all sinful cares and distrustful thoughts I have a Father in heaven and it is not my care my counsell my labour can provide for me but his goodnesse meerly Mat. 5.25 26. Our Saviour doth there at large give heavenly Physick to kill these worms these moths of cares that are ready to eat into us and devour us and amongst other helps this is one Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of As we see our little Children then eat and drink and take no care for their raiment for their food but go to their Parents such a quiet and composed frame of soul would God have all his Children have If you call me Father why do ye not commit all to my wisedom to my love Can a childe order his affairs better for himself then his Father Is it not well for the childe that it is not his wisedom and care but his Father that he must trust to How quickly would he undoe all Thus may God our heavenly Father say Cast your care and burden upon me how quickly would you undo your selves ruine your selves if all were left to you your happinesse lieth in my wisedome and love to you Oh what a chearfull quiet heart would the due meditation of this cause in us It 's my Father in heaven that doth all things that governeth the whole that dispenseth all
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes applied to those powers and principalities of the Kingdome of darknesse 2. You have the extent of this power by the universality of the Object over all flesh Flesh is usuall put Synechdochically for man to denote his fragility and meannesse 3. There is the manner of the obtaining this power It is given him Before we gather our doctrine Let us Theologically explicate this Text Christ saith he hath all power given him From whence three corrupt Opinions have been by some in a seeming way established 1. The blasphemous doctrine of the Arians What Christ hath say they is given him Therefore he is Deus constitutus Deus creatus Deus datus not Deus natus how can he be of the same nature with God who hath all he hath given him in time But this is answered first If Christ speak here of his divine nature then though not as God yet as the second person he is of the Father and so not in time But from all Eternity had with his person all those divine properties communicated unto him for therefore he is called the Sonne because begotten of the Father But secondly If the Text speak not of his nature but the office or reward rather of his Mediatorship then that power and glory which is here said to be given him may well be understood of that Mediatory power and honour God vouchsafed to him and although by reason of the personal Union all honour and glory was due to him yet God had so ordered it that he should not have the manifestation of it till he had suffered and run through the whole course of his active and passive obedience Therefore many understand this power here said to be given Christ only in respect of manifestation for in Scripture-language Haec aliquid dicitur fieri quando incipit patefieri as God said This day have I begotten thee Act. 13.33 upon Christs Resurrection because then he was truly manifested to be the Sonne of God 2 Another party riseth up and squeezes bloud instead of milk Those Lutherans that are called Ubiquitarians because they hold that the humane nature of Christ is every where saying that the properties of the divine nature are communicated to the humane Thus because it 's said All power is given Christ therefore they conclude the humane nature of Christ is omnipotent omniscient omnipresent But this is to argue fallaciously from the abstract to the concrete For suppose this be an infinite power that is here spoken of it only followeth that it 's given to Christ in the concrete to be omnipotent not to his humane nature in the abstract Christ is made omnipotent his humane nature is not 3. Some Papists but not all from this expression gather that the right of all temporal dominion was here given to Christ and from hence would gather that because the Pope is Christs Vicar therefore he succeedeth him in this power and so can dispose of all Kingdoms and Nations as he pleaseth But the most learned of the Papists say This power over all flesh is restrained to the matter in hand viz. to gather and preserve his Church and at last to save it otherwise Christ would not have said to the man who desired him to divide the Inheritance Who made me a Judge Luk. 12.14 For if men had not yet if God had he had a full call to exercise such a temporall jurisdiction as Valentia the Jesuite well urgeth The Text thus vindicated let us observe this Doctrine That Christ hath power over all men There is no man so great so powerful nor no company of men nor all the men joyned together in the world can exempt themselves from that power Christ hath over them We have one or two Parallel places that confirm this Mat. 28.18 All power is given me in heaven and earth There the Subject is more large not only all flesh but all spirits Mat. 11.27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father There also the subject is more large not only all persons but all things as Heb. 2. All things are said to be made subject to him Before we come to mention what acts there are which declare this power of Christ we must lay down severall particulars to clear the nature of this power And First When it s said that Christ hath power over all men that is not to be understood restrictly or exclusively as if his dominion was only over men No you heard it was in heaven as well as earth yea and in hell also Phil. 2. Every thing under the Earth was to bow to him The devils are wholly in subjection to him We reade of his power over the unclean spirits casting them out against their wils from the possessed insomuch that they could not enter into the Swine without his permission Oh this part of Christs power that he hath conquered the devils hath them all in subjection should be no mean part of a Christians comfort for who is thy greatest Enemy Who is likeliest â—o undo thee not man but devils In their temptations how greatly are the godly in danger of being swallowed by them but Christ hath power over them he bids them go our leave of tempting and they dare not or cannot come again yea the good Angels those thousands and ten thousands of ministring spirits they are wholly at his beck No servant will sooner stir at our beck then the host of Angels will at his word Therefore Heb. 1. when Christ is coming into the world The Angels are bid to worship him So then here is a glorious power indeed which reacheth not only to men but to devils to Angels oh how happy are the Children of God who have this Christ for their Saviour that is cloathed with so much power If our eyes were opened with the Prophets Servant we should see more were with us then against us And then all things the inanimate and animate creatures are under his power The Disciples wondred at it when they said What manner of man is this whom the windes and Seas obey Mat. 8.27 So that this power of Christ is farre more comprehensive then this Text expresseth for Christ only speaks of men because he instanceth in that part of power whereby he giveth eternall life to those that beleeve and such are only men Secondly We are to know That though all power be given to Christ yet the administration and exercise of it is by his spirit called therefore the Spirit of Christ by that he convinceth by that he converteth by that he comforteth Insomuch that Christ told his Disciples It was expedient he should bodily depart from them but he would send the Comforter to them Joh. 15.26 so that not the Pope but the Spirit of God is Vicarius Christs in Christs stead Hence it is that all the same glorious and spirituall effects in the Scripture are sometimes attributed to the Father sometimes to
Such a man this world adoreth But if a man be never so wise so excellent yet if powerfully godly will not conform to the evil waies of the world this marreth all This makes him envied and hated Who art thou then that hast some desires to walk in the way to heaven but the opposition the hatred and violence that is used against that way makes thee draw back Oh foolish and deluded wretch was it not thus with Christ with his Apostles Were they not told they should be hated of all men for his Names sake There cannot be a more comfortable sign of thy grace then to have all the wicked men where thou livest either thy hypocritical Friends or thy open enemies Jerome thanked God that he was worthy to be such an one whom the world would hate The Serpents Seed cannot love the Womans Ismaell will persecute Isaac glory therefore and boast in this if the malicious wicked man hath his mouth alwaies open against thee If he be alwaies censuring and backbiting For if thou wouldest be prophane dissolute if thou wouldst be a Minister to prostitute the Ordinances of God to every prophane man thou wouldst be as good as any in the world but now it 's not for thy infirmities but thy graces they malice thee Sixthly They are not of this world because they are members of Christ and incorporated into him Now Christ himself was not of this world nor was his Kingdom of this world Joh. 18.36 he came not with any earthly worldly advantages Now the godly they are to be wholly conformed unto Christ As Christ was so are they They bear the Image of the heavenly so that what life what actions were by Christ the same they are exercised in so that if we would follow the example of Christ make him our patern as our Christianity obligeth us then should we overcome the world not only in the persecuting part of it but the inticing part of it The heart that is united to Christ findes more excellency and sweetnesse in him then in all the pleasures of the world as we see by Paul Lastly They are discovered not to be of the world because their life is a life of faith The Just shall live by Faith Rom. 1.17 We walk by faith and not by sence 2 Cor. 5.7 Now a worldly life is only by sence and carnal reason It moveth only upon sensible grounds coming as far short of faith as a beast doth of reason but the godly man he looketh into the Word of God he seeth the promises and embraceth them This life of faith is a mystery it is a Riddle yea it 's a madnesse to the world To part with all present advantages upon faith for eternal that are to come this is to them extreme folly and truly herein a godly man is discovered exceedingly Doth he not live by his sensible props but by the Promises Doth he overlook all creatures and fix his heart upon God this is more then the world doth If you ask the grounds why the people of God are out of the world though in it There are three pregnant Reasons in one verse Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world Observe first it 's an evil wicked world The whole world lieth in wickednesse saith John 1 Joh. 5.19 There is nothing but the works of sin and the devil in it therefore the devil is called the Prince of this world Joh. 16.11 because he reigneth in every mans heart Now how can those whose natures are made holy who will and love what God wils and loveth come to agree with sin how can they who are sanctified by the Spirit of God be where the devil ruleth 2. It 's the present world It 's but for the present the profits are present profits the pleasures are present pleasures whereas the godly man looketh to Eternity Dâ—mas cleaveth to the present world 2 Tim. 4.10 but Paul to the eternal world the world to come 2. Christ died that we might be delivered from it This is a pregnant reason one main reason of the death of Christ was that thou shouldst not be as the world is if the shortnesse and vanity of these things and their fading nature do not move thee let the bloud and death of Christ prevail with thee He was crucified that thou shouldst be crucified to the world he died that thou shouldst be dead to the world Vse of Exhortation To come out of the world in respect of your affections and conversations you cannot abide there no more then Lot in Sodom and be saved yet are not the greatest part of men of the Church thus of the world Oh how unworthy is this that whereas thy Christianity thy Religion engageth thee not to be of the world thy conversation proveth thou art Well as thou art of this world so shalt thou perish with the judgements of the world That lieth in darknesse and will be cast in utter darknesse this will be thy Portion and know thou must go out of the place of the world though thou wilt not out of the wickednesse of the world the world cannot will not hold thee alwaies SERMON XXXII Of the peculiar Propriety Gods People have in him and he in them JOH 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy Word THE former part of this Verse related Christs care and work to his Disciple This latter part giveth a description of them and all particulars therein are very argumentative to prevail that God should hear praier for them Now here is a threefold description of them wherein indeed is laid down divinely the Cause of mans Salvation with the effects flowing from it The two Causes are these 1. The Eternal Election and absolute purpose of God to save such Thine they were 2. The meritorious cause in and by which all the mercies they are elected to are obtained and that is Christ Thou hast given them me viz. as a Mediatour 3. The blessed effects of these causes that are hidden or at least every one may pretend to them but this is a discovering sign that excludeth many They have kept thy Word At this time I shall treat only of the first cause which indeed may be called causa causae the cause of all causes of our Salvation and that is Gods Election or gracious purpose to take some out of mankinde and to make them his in a peculiar manner For a people may be said to be Gods divers waies 1. By right of Creation and dominion which he hath thereby and so all things are his Psa 69.11 Both the reprobate and the godly are his in this sence it 's impossible but that every creature should be his because he cannot alienate his dominion and property 2. A people may be said to be his by an outward dispensation of the Covenant of grace Thus the people of the Jews are all of them called his people
see many of the Christian Teachers and disciples were led away in this as appeareth by the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians What a great task hath the Apostle to take all off from works and the obedience to the Law and to give all to Christ They would give part to Christ and part to their works but not all to Christ so that it 's a very hard thing to pull this weed out of our breast We see all Popery and Socinianisme goeth this way also To doe something that they may be justified thereby 3. Thus they cannot think that it 's so acceptable to beleeve in a Mediatour because it 's chiefly their comfort and their good thereby so that they look upon it as self-seeking and immoderately desiring their own good and peace not as any waies tending to the glory of God But we shall shew you that Faith in the Mediatour doth not only bring comfort and joy to us but admirable glory to God even more then Martyrdom or the highest expressions of Obedience Do not therefore tempt thy self and be a Satan to thy own peace What though thy comfort thy salvation bound up in beleeving yet if God will be honoured and glorified this way Thou art rather joyfully to receive his grace then frowardly to dispute against it so that if this beleeving be a self-seeking it 's such as God would have thee to do and as he that will not eat or drink is guilty of bodily murder so he that will not beleeve on Christ which is called eating and drinking is guilty of soul-murder 4 This is strange and difficult to the godly a long while because our justification and acceptation by him is wholly of supernatural Revelation It 's like the doctrine of the Trinity or of Christs Incarnation As humane reason would never assent to such a Truth were it not for divine Revelation that overpowers all so that all our sins are pardoned through Faith in Christs bloud is likewise of meer divine manifestation For see what nature doth incline us unto in all the heathens when they had sinned so as their Conscience condemned them they went to some solemn sacrifice or other extraordinary work thinking thereby to pacifie the wrath of God Adam was created in a state of Righteousnesse and so by his Obedience of works he was to be justified And upon his fall it became impossible that any should be justified by what he did unlesse sinne could justifie a man Therefore when God discovered a Christ and Justification by faith in him This is new doctrine from heaven Neither Men or Angels could have found out such a way so that it 's no wonder if man be thus averse to this Faith in the Promise because it 's a way that neither the state of Integrity or of man fallen was acquainted with insomuch that a godly man in the sence of his sins must bring such a faith in the Mediatour as he doth in other mysterious supernatural objects of Faith and his heart saith It 's unlikely such a sinner such an offender should finde mercy say O my Soul Are not the other supernaturall Points of Religion that I beleeve very unlikely also and incredible to flesh and bloud Lastly Therefore this seemeth hard to the godly broken hearted sinner because though Faith in a Mediatour be a duty yet it 's not to every one that live that wallow in their sins Christ is not a Mediator whether men repent or not repent You are not to think that it is all one godlinesse or no godlinesse If then such only may beleeve in a Mediatour as do truly and sincerely repent of sinne This will be hard to finde out for there are Ahabs tears and Judas's tears for sinne and indeed upon this depends all In this the godly are so much plunged Christ indeed bids those Come that are heavy laden that hunger and thirst after him But I have great cause to question my self whether I doe thus or not In the second place Why is it so that Prophane and ungodly men think it so easie to beleeve in Christ And they say they do it with all their heart when it 's plain by the Scripture they are not such to whom those glorious things of the Gospel do belong And 1. They think it so easie because they take presumption for faith They think they beleeve when they presume Now to presume is easie because it 's a work of the flesh it 's sutable to our corruptions that the Jews though they committed all lewdnesse yet the Prophet complaineth they would come and lean themselves upon the Lord and trust in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord c. That is not faith which most of the world have It 's presumption it 's carnal-confidence such as those had who said Lord have not we prophesied in thy Name Such as the foolish Virgins had Mat. 25. Such as Paul had before his Conversion when he said He was alive Rom. 7. Oh then tremble at that security and confidence thou hast Thou maist be sure it 's a sinne and of the devil it 's so easie whereas Faith is very difficult 2. They look upon Faith in Christ as easie because they divide the Object they take some things of Christ not whole Christ They think it 's only beleeving on him as a Saviour for pardon of sinne They do not choose him as a Lord to whom in all obedience they resign themselves This is indeed the rock that splits many tell them of beleeving in Christ and they think that is only to rest for salvation They attend not that it 's the receiving of Christ for all the ends and purposes God sent him into the world Now one main end besides our justification and salvation is our Sanctification To redeem to himself a people zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 To communicate his Spirit for to make holy as well as his merit to make happy Lastly They think it easie because they never think on any qualifications which are required in those who partake of Christ It 's true there are the Antecedent Conditions of merit or worth Let that Popery be abandoned but yet the Scripture tels who and what kinde of persons they are that must claim an Interest in Christ They are blessed that hunger and thirst for such shall be satisfied Mat. 5. Every one that is athirst is to Come Rev. 22.17 Repent that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3.19 Now prophane secure people they never think of these qualifications They say God is merciful They say Christ is a Saviour but then they never consider of whom They think not that many are called but few chosen They love not those places The way to heaven is a narrow and straight way Not all that say Lord Lord shall finde the gate of heaven opened to them If they thought seriously of these things it would cause an holy trembling in them These things premised Let us consider Why it
Though we be washed yet still we need our feet should be washed Thus Paul Rom. 7. and Gal. 6. Seeing therefore in every duty there is such a combat and constict between grace and sinne There is drosse as well as Gold It behoveth us to renounce all and to say Only Christ Only Christ SERMON XL. Further setteth forth the Excellency and Necessity of pressing the Doctrine of Faith in Christ the Mediatour and of our being affected with it And invites the greatest Sinners to come unto him for Salvation JOH 17.8 And have known surely that I came out from thee and they have beleeved that thou didss send me MArvell not if I am the third time upon this Subject for we see our Saviour doth again and again commend this Faith in his Disciples and certainly this is the Summe of the Gospel the marrow and quintessence of Christianity By this we differ from Jews Pagans and Turks yea by this we are separated from Papists Socinians and other Hereticks None of them allowing this imputed Righteousnesse by a Mediatour which by Faith is to be received Therefore I shall proceed in exalting and pressing this Faith in a Mediator that at last we may come to have a spirituall and sound understanding herein For here are two great stones to be rolled out of the way 1. Ignorance or misbeleef in this Point There are very few that have been Orthodox here There are most in the world that have an erroneous perswasion in this matter under the guilt of sinne they do not fly only to Christ as a Mediatour They say Lo here is Christ and Lo there is Christ They have something else they put a confidence in and therefore what the Lord saith in another case is also true here He will reject their confidence Jer. 2.37 Never were the people of Israel more prone to lean on Egipt and Assyria for outward help rather then on the Lord only then we are in a spiritual manner ready to rest upon some spirituall prop besides the Lord Christ so that ignorant people they know nothing of this and knowing people are hardly perswaded of the truth of it A second stone to be rolled out of the way is that senselesnesse and unsavourinesse on mens hearts though it should be granted that they know and rightly beleeve in this matter for indeed none can prize or be affected with this Subject but such a spirituall heart that is sensible of his spiritual disease and the spiritual Remedy They must be Children of the Adoption They must be Evangelical hearers such as have been in a spirituall Transfiguration with Christ on the Mount as it were That are refreshed with these Truths It 's not every hearer It 's not every one that cometh to the Assemblies that can say How welcome are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of the Gospel Therefore we desire your hearts as well as your heads your tender affections as well as solid understandings This is a Truth that must be eaten you will not feel the sweetnesse of it till it be in your belly Now there are very good grounds why we should be thus insisting upon this Subject For 1. It 's the main scope and end of the whole Scripture If you ask why the Word of God was written the Answer is That the chief principal end was that man being convinced of his sinne and of the utter impotency of any righteousnesse in himself or other Creatures should fly unto Christs Righteousnesse as the onely Sanctuary Thus John These things are written that beleeving you might have eternal life All the Administrations in the Old Testament were Types of Christ as the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews doth at large open their meaning It was not their Sacrifices but Christ It was not the bloud of Rams and Goats but Christs bloud Hence it 's said that Moses and the Prophets bear witnesse of Christ It 's true the Scripture hath many other subordinate ends but the chief is to direct us to Christ to make us see that nothing in the world can pacifie God for our sinnes but Christ Oh then how necessary must that be which all the Penmen of the Scripture aimed at Moses David all the Prophets They looked at this Messias And the New Testament is wholly spent in describing his person and his Office or the end of his coming into the world Oh then whatsoever thou maist be ignorant of or negligent in yet give thy self to the studying meditating and beleeving of this Subject 2. The great work of the Spirit of God in the Ministry is to convince of this Righteousnesse It is to make us see that all humane Righteousnesse all moral duties no nor the graces God bestoweth on his people are the Righteousnesse God looks for Joh. 16.9 10. The Spirit of God is there said to reprove or convince the world of sinne especially of that great sinne of Unbelief and then of Righteousnesse which Christ procureth by going to his Father Observe that It 's the work of Gods Spirit thus to convince So that all Moral Philosophy and the wisest directions of the most civil men will leave us in a Wildernesse They cannot tell us what is true Righteousnesse and how we come to be accepted of by God Therefore this is revealed by the Gospel only If we would know what is that Righteousnesse which we may trust to which may be as a Skreen between Gods justice and us Neither Aristotle nor Plato among the Heathens no nor Bellarmine and Suarez among the Papists will inform us rightly Because in the matter of Justification and the doctrine of Righteousnesse they have too much consulted with Aristotle as if the Scripture spake of such a Righteousnesse as the Heathens do No this tels us It 's a Righteousnesse of Christ imputed to us without works this it doth again and again Seeing then all natural reason would never perswade us herein it must necessarily be the Spirit of God that will convince us in this and therefore though you hear ten thousand Sermons of this Subject your hearts will never be convinced of your own sinfulnesse and Christs Righteousnesse till you are overpowerd by Gods Spirit Oh then pray to God that he would make thy heart readily to yield to it yea and rejoyce in it 3. The end of the Law and the preaching of that is wholly for this end to discover Christ the Mediatour Those that would not have the Law preached cannot have Christ preached truly and effectually for Rom. 10.4 Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse Can the end be obtained without the means It 's the Schoolmaster to bring to Christ The disease must be discovered are we will seek out for a Physician The heart must be wounded ere we shall desire oyl The Law then is to be preached in the exact purity of it and in the condemning power of it That so when we see our selves wholly undone in that Court
thou forsaken me If the green Tree burn thus what shall the dry do For thee therefore to think by thy tears and Repentance to expiate thy sinne is wholly to mistake the necessity of Christ a Mediatour This is to put an Atlas his burthen upon a Pigmies shoulder See what the weight of sin did upon Cain and Judas though they would have given a world yet they could not obtain the lest drop of water to ease their spirits but like Dives were tormented in hell while here on earth Oh then that wicked men would consider more they lay load upon load but who at last shall take it off Thou thinkest not that though sin for the present be sweet yet it hath an eternal sting with it What wilt thou do when at last thou shalt cry out with Cain My sinne is greater then I can bear Lastly The last and utmost step of Gods mercy to us is glorification and making of us happy for ever When he hath done this there remaineth no more to be done and even this Crown of Glory is put upon our heads because of grace Rom. 6.23 The gift of God is Eternal Life And Tit. 2. We are saved by grace not by works The Apostle doth in that place with exact diligence shut them out from any share in our Salvation Now that all this from the first to the last even salvation it self is of grace will appear 1. From the imperfection that cleaveth to the best things we do Insomuch that they need grace to pardon so farre are they from having any worth in them for heaven This made the Apostle Paul account all that he had and did dung and drosse for the Righteousnesse of Christ This made David pray that God would not enter into judgement or be strict to mark what is done amisse When we have done all we must say we are unprofitable Servants how much more when we come farre short of all 2. If we consider the transcendant dignity of that glory God will bestow on us It must needs be solely of grace For the Apostle tels us The eye hath not seen it nor the ear heard it nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive of is 1 Cor. 2.9 It 's no lesse then enjoying God himself The immediate fruition of himself is the only happinesse we shall have Now what comparison is there between our graces and God himself Again the Transcendency is seen in the duration Suppose our graces were present yet are they but for a season They are transient expressions Whereas our happinesse doth endure for ever 3. If we are enabled to do any good thing we are so farre from deserving at Gods hand That we are the more obliged to him and ought to be the more thankfull Coronat dona sua non merita nostra The more thou art enabled to repent or beleeve the more thankfull art thou to be to the grace of God Thus all is of grace But you will say Is not heaven called a reward At the day of Judgement doth not God pronounce a blessing because of the good works they have done Are they not called Blessed that die in the Lord because their works follow them Rev. 14.13 All this is true but this proveth no more then that an holy life and godly works they are via Regni not causa Regnandi as Bernard long since If we do not strive and labour we shall never have this Crown If we use not violence we shall never get this Kingdom So that grace doth not encourage to sinne or maintain slothfulnesse but we as the Apostle urgeth Phil. 2. are encouraged to work out our salvation because that it's God who giveth us to will and to doe Vse 1 Vse of Instruction to the godly Are they wholly the gift of God in Christ Is all from the grace of God then let the people of God walk humbly and thankfully Oh it 's a close secret sinne to have self-dependance self-confidence and yet there is no sinne hath greater enmity to the Gospel of Christ then this Neither do thou think to divide the matter between grace and thy duties as the Papists make our hope to be coming partly from our merits and partly from the grace of God What shall David Shall Paul such eminent Cedars in Lebanon fear their own selves and dost thou a low shrub boast of thy self Herein commonly is the difference between a true godly man and a civil vertuous man the one hath a secret hope in himself but the other looks for and expects grace as meerly from God as if he never had done a good work in his life Vse 2 Vse 2. Let this grace of God quicken thee to all life and zeal for God Grace is like fire to melt thee If mans kindenesse worketh upon a good nature how much rather should Gods kindenesse upon a sanctified and a renewed nature SERMON XLVII Of Gods Propriety in his People as the Ground of all the Good that accrueth to them JOH 17.9 For they are thine THis is the third and last description which our Saviour useth of those who are the objects of his praier viz. The propriety that God hath in them They are his own I have handled this Point formerly but then I did it under an absolute notion shewing you how many waies the people of God were his People but I shall now treat on it relatively as it 's an Argument used by our Saviour why he should be heard in his praier for his Disciples And certainly here is much of strength in it They are thine I pray not for thy Enemies nor for strangers but such as are near thee that are of thy own houshold such upon whom already thou hast placed thy love and delight so that our Saviour makes the propriety God hath in his Disciples and so in all beleevers to be the ground of his praier for them And indeed this must needs be very effectual for the Apostle argueth If any man provide not for his own 1 Tim. 1.0 he is worse then an Infidell If then God doth so greatly abhor him who takes not care for his own Shall not the Lord himself provide for his Thus Ephes 1.29 the Apostle urging the duty of Husbands to Wives argueth from propriety Their own Wives and no man ever hated his own flesh Now then God takes this relation of an Husband to his people and because they are his therefore he will hear their praier and vouchsafe all good to them Propriety is so great a matter that Aristotle makes it the cause of all the labour and trading that is in the world insomuch that he saith If all things were common the world would be filled with idle persons but because it 's their own ground their own wealth their own riches therefore they are so diligent to encrease in these things None regard the air the light of the Sun because it 's common to all Whereas if they could be
seeing that Christ by his Death hath purchased justification for us this ought to cause great peace and joy in our hearts as Paul said Blessed be God who causeth us to triumph through Jesus Christ And why so because as afflictions so Consolations by Christ abound much more 2 Cor. 1.3 Oh then let the people of God who are apt to be dejected and cast down to walk in a discouraged manner to have their hearts pierced through with many thorny cares Remember what Christ hath done for them and how acceptable it is to him that we should walk comfortably and thankfully Is it not a dishonour to the Master for the servant to be dejected and grieved Doth it not proclaim to others that they account his service an hard uncomfortable condition Thus when men leave their former wicked courses and give up their names to Christ but after that are troubled grieved and have no comfort or encouragement These reproach the Lord Christ as if the world could give better comforts then Christ as if we had done for the worse by forsaking the devils service and resigning our selves up to the Lords Oh then consider that as in gross prophanesse and unrighteous waies there is a scandal to Religion so in all discouraged and uncomfortable dejections refusing to be comforted thou art a dishonour unto the Lord Christ as if he could not give manna to us in the wildernesse of this world Thus you see how many waies Christ may be glorified Now let us consider why it 's our duty thus to glorifie Christ First Because Gods purpose from Eternity was to put infinite glory on Christ God suffered Adam to fall and in him all mankinde to be lost that so the glory of Christ sent into the world for an atonement and a Mediator might breed amazement to all yea some Divines have said that the first Decree which God made was to glorifie Christ and that therefore he had been incarnated though man had not fallen Therefore say they all our Predestination Justification and Salvation it 's not so much for us as in order to Christ Howsoever that there is a Church a people of God that they shall have such priviledges of glory the end of all is that hereby Christ should be honoured Joh 5.23 Christ was sent into the world that he who honoureth the Father should also honour the Son 2. The end of Gods Spirit in appointing a ministry and giving gifts to them as also accompanying of them with his spiritual presence is to glorifie Christ We are appointed for the work of the Ministry for to glorifie Christ and all your hearing ought to be for that end Joh. 16.15 He shall take of mine and glorifie me and Ioh. 14. he shall convince the world of sin and righteousness in reference to Christ We see here what is the utmost end in preaching and hearing even that Christ may be glorified Insomuch that there is no greater pest to the soul of man then for the Ministers thereof to be given up to vain glory to seek their own glory from men for hereby Christ will not be exalted Oh it 's farre better for them to have it said Christ is glorified in our Ministry then that men give glory to us Lastly Christ will in time glorifie his therefore they may well glorifie Christ For what is our drop to his Ocean What is our glow-worm to his Sun It 's well he will accept of it we are of such polluted lips Vse of Instruction to live both doctrinally and really to the honour and glory of Christ doctrinally when we beleeve all such opinions as magnifie Christ the contrary whereunto Popery doth abound in This made the worthy Reformers first think of departing from that Church Christ was rob'd of his glory he had not that honour which did belong to him And then really by an heavenly holy and unspotted conversation Oh the patience and mercy of Christ that he should suffer the earth to bear so many prophane wretches that are a reproach to him and all Christianity Did the Disciples call for fire because the Samaritans would not receive Christ how would their zeal have kindled to see so many crucifie the Lord Christ again You glorifie the devil and exalt the waies of sin but in time you will feel how dear this will cost you SERMON L. Of Christs tender care of all his People in the greatest of their dangers and afflictions JOH 17.11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee THis Eleventh Verse begins a new and special Reason why Christ is to be heard in his Praier for his Disciples Whereas the former Arguments some of them were taken from the person of the Father some from the person of the Apostles themselves some from the Person of Christ In this Verse the Person of the Apostles and Christ are conjoyned together Now the efficacy and force of the Argument lieth 1. From the Condition of Christ 2. From the Condition of the Apostles The present condition of Christ is described thus I am no more in the world 2. Of the Apostles But these are in the world Let us explain the words that relate to Christs condition and then see the pith of the Argument For the first Christ may be said to be in the world two waies Either 1. Invisibly in respect of his divine nature and operations Thus Christ cannot go out of the world no more then God who is every where and in this sence he told his Disciples he would be with them to the end of the world Mat. 26. Or 2. Visibly and corporally in respect of his humane nature and thus he was to be with them no more so that this is a strong place against Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation Though they would gladly evade the dint of it But why doth Christ say I am no more in the world in the present tense seeing while and when he said it he was in the world I answer This Apostle as is observed by the Learned of all doth most abound with Hebraisms and with them it 's ordinary to use a participle of the present tense for the future as might be shewed And besides our Saviour was very shortly to go out of the world by his sufferings and it 's ordinary with all to speak of a thing as done which is immediately to be done as Heb. 11. Abraham is said by faith to offer up his Son Isaac when yet he did not offer him up but was prepared for to do it immediately Lastly Observe the difference between being in the world and of the world When our Saviour saith I am no more in the world it supposeth he had been in it but now he never was of the world as he saith v. 16. For to be of the world is to partake of the wickednesse and ungodlinesse which reigneth there The whole world lieth in wickednesse And therefore Christ could not
be of the world in this sence For the Apostles after their call neither any converted persons are thus of the world though they be in it locally The words thus explained Consider the efficacy of Christs argument I pray for these and commend them to thy care and protection because I am going out of the world I shall not be corporally present with them I was a comfort to them and preserver of them but now I commend them to thy hands Thus we see the admirable care and love Christ shewed to his Disciples he seems to be more mindeful of them then his own self All his thoughts about his own sufferings did not so affect him but that still he could remember his own Disciples that it may go well with them Obs That the greater the dangers are Christs people are kept in the greater is Christs care and love to them It was likely to be worse with the Disciples then ever therefore it 's said their hearts were troubled Joh. 14. when he spake of leaving of them for what can the Chickens do when the hen is killed What can the Sheep do when the Shepherd is smitten Now because they were fallen into such a condition our Saviour doth in amore special manner commend their Estate to God we do not reade that formerly he did in such a peculiar manner give them up to God because their danger and temptations were not so great as were likely to be This is a Truth worthy of all acceptation by the godly They are dismaied when they see their afflictions rise higher never considering that the love and care that Christ hath to them doth also encrease Ioh. 13.1 when Christ saw the time of his departure was come having loved his own he loved them to the end more then ever he discovered his love partly by condescending to wash their feet and partly by instituting the Sacrament as a remembrance of his death for them So that as they say of all motions they are swiftest towards the end Thus Christ loving his Disciples from his heart upon pure grounds he loved them most of all at his latter end as the clock runs fastest at the last stroak But it 's good to open this Box of Oyntment that the sweet smell thereof may comfort and refresh us And first Christ never cals his people to any danger and temptations but as he removeth some mercies from them so he makes a supply otherwise If they are in greater streights and difficulties then before So if they do observe they shall finde some mercies they had not before Christ will not let thee be a loser by any thing he doth to thee Neither will he be in thy debt if he takes away any mercy he will recompence it otherwise So that still his love is as great if not greater See this notably Joh. 14.1 2 3. Let not your hearts be troubled viz. at the sad things I have told you of my departure and the rage of the world For I go away to prepare a mansion place for you It 's expedient I should go away you shall not be the worse for it Therefore v. 18. I will not leave you comfortlesse or Orphans I will send the Spirit of God to comfort you and abide with you Thus you see though Christ removed his corporal presence from them yet he gave them a spirituall presence If then the Spirit of God can be a Comforter to supply the room of Christs corporal presence how much more of a husband or father If God take any of these away pray that he would send his Spirit the Comforter and if that can be better then Christs bodily presence much more then than ten thousand Fathers or Husbands Oh then let not the Children of God deject themselves either with the condition they are in or they fear may be in If such and such things fall out what would become of me Oh remember it 's Christs way when he takes away one mercy to make it up otherwise again Secondly Christs love and care appeareth in that if he call to greater dangers and afflictions he will then give more strength then ever to bear them and more comfort then ever even to rejoyce in them If then thy afflictions are more then ever what art thou the worse If thy strength be greater then ever God will not lay a Giants burthen upon a childes back But if he prepare a Giants burthen for thee he will enable thee with a Giants strength Thus these Apostles because they were to encounter with the rage and madnesse of the whole world Therefore did the Spirit of God come in an extraordinary manner upon them They were commanded to stay at Jerusalem till they were endowed with power from above Luk. 24.49 Thus before also when our Saviour told them They should be hated before Kings and Governours for his Names sake he addeth It shall be given them in that day to know what to speak in that day Oh then when thy dejected heart saith What shall I do if the Lord bring this and that sad trouble upon me If this or that temptation come upon me it will grinde me to powder Oh remember it shall be given thee in that day If with Job he deprive thee of thy Estate and Goods and Children at once it shall be given thee in that day to bear it Do not then measure or compare a great affliction with that little strength thou hast at present No if God make the waters to encrease he will provide an Ark for thee the Apostles could not work miracles when they would as they could not cast out some kinde of devils but when they were called to it and their miraculous faith was increated then they could do it Thus it is here If God should give thee no more faith no more patience no more heavenly-mindednesse then thou hast at the present Thou wert never able to bear such mountains and loads of trouble that happily God may bring on thee but God proportions thy strengtht to â—hy afflictions as our Saviour said Mat. 9.17 New Wine is not put into old bottles They must not fast while the Bridegroom was with them but the time was coming when they should fast As God encreaseth their strength so he doth also their comfort he gives them more joy and consolation then they ever had as the Disciples had the Comforter promised them after his departure and accordingly we reade that under all the persecutions and miseries they endured they were filled with joy and they went away rejoycing so true is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.4 Who comforteth us in all our Tribulations that as our sufferings abound so our consolations also abound This we see abundantly fulfilled in all the holy Martyrs and Confessors was not their dungeon a Paradise to them Were not live Coals beds of Roses Did they not rejoyce and sing Psalms Now how came all this about The more their miseries were the
was afraid to fall into the hands of such men and David in many Psalmes complaineth of this more then any thing That there were men who had teeth like Lyons and a tongue like a sharp Razor So true is that Homo homini Lupus homo homini Daemon Because therefore this is such a strong Tempest ready to shake the tallest Cedar Our Saviour again and again bids them expect it for it 's a great-quieting of the heart to be able to say This is no more then I looked for I thank God I am one that the world hateth I should suspect my self if wicked men loved me our Saviour therefore tels them they shall have trouble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such trouble as squeezeth and oppresseth tribulation a word that comes from a Thorn or Thistle that pricketh or else from the Flail that beateth out the Corn This you must look for but then mark the cordial Be of good comfort I have overcome the world You are sure of Victory before you begin to fight· To Consider this more exactly Let us take notice of the several waies whereby a Godly man fals into trouble in this world and it ariseth from many Springs 1. Seeing that the most holy and godly that are have many imperfections and divers sins therefore God he brings many troubles on them God in the first place he troubleth them though his troublings be like the troubling of the Pool it 's in mercy and that healing might be vouchsafed Thus God troubled David and made him encounter with grievous calamities because of sin Thus whom God loveth he chasteneth Heb. 12.6 This is Gods judging of us that we might not be condemned with the world And certainly it is this that so deeply wounds the Godly that wicked mens tongues are but Gods Instruments of his displeasure as David when Shimei railed on him The Lord hath bid him saith he 2 Sam. 13. But besides those troubles which come mediately from God by Instruments there are immediate exercises which are more difficultly born then any outward troubles Thus God troubled Job when he complained The arrows of the Almighty stuck fast in him Job 6.4 Thus David often complaineth God doth hide his face from him and he was troubled These are temptations the carnal man is ignorant of he was never in these deeps where there is no trouble like this If it were Plague Famine Diseases the Soul could bear them but a wounded Spirit who can bear Prov. 28.14 So that herein the world is a place of trouble and misery that God many times exerciseth his own people for their sinnes leaveth them in darknesse yea in an hell that they are weary abroad and weary at home Whereas when once arrived in heaven there shall be no more night but bright day alwaies 2. The trouble of Gods people in this world ariseth from Satan He is their professed Enemy and so creates them all the misery he can that because he cannot torment them in hell he will do what he can in this world Thus Peter compareth him to a Roaring Lion 2 Pet. 5.8 How can a man but be troubled to be in the danger of many Legions of these unclean Spirits Eph. 6. We are said to wrestle with these Principalities and Powers in darknesse This our Saviour meant in part when he told Peter Luk. 22.13 That Satan had desired to sift them as Wheat In sifting there is a commotion and a great agitation Thus the devil intended not the separating of the Chaff from the Wheat but to trouble and to confound them that so they might the easier sinne Was not Paul exceedingly troubled when 2 Cor. 12. he complaineth of the bufferinge of Satan against which he praied often so that there is scarce any godly man but the devil doth immediatly cause trouble in his Soul by sad temptations heavy suggestions he comes and takes the good Seed away as soon as it is sown his Temptations are like so many Egyptian Frogs alwaies croaking and troubling the Believer that he cannot pray cannot beleeve in a promise cannot walk in faith and peace as he ought to do The devil makes it a troublesome world 3. The godly mans trouble ariseth from the wicked and prophane in the world And this is the proper meaning of the Text This is the world that hateth them viz. the ungodly and wicked men which are the greatest part in the world This therefore the godly must make account of Think it no strange thing to have wicked men malice thee deride and trouble thee David though a King yet Drunkards would make Songs of him Psa 69.11 Christ though never any walked so holily and unblameably as he did yet they slandered him and said He had â—n Devil Mat. 12. The whole Nation cried Crucifie him Crucifie him and they would have Barrabas a Murderer spared before him Now our Saviour tels us that the Servant must not expect to be above his Master Joh. 13 16 If they abused derided and reproached Christ thinking he was not worthy to live Dost thou think to escape Did ever any Wolf or Lyon love the Sheep Can the Serpent but have enmity to a man Will not Cain kill Abel Ishmael persecute Isaac No darknesse cannot agree with light nor Christ with Belial The Sheeps bloud is sweetest and they finde a kinde of sweetnesse in their scofts and malicious plots against thee Let the godly then not give place to any discouragement for a moment Let the world rage revile oppose thus must thou enter into Glory Wicked mens tongues are like those Dogges tongues that licked Lazarus whole Their reproaches their malicious words will help to make thee more Godly and make thee walk so watchfully that thou mayest put them to shame which thus speak evil and disgracefully of thee 4. The Godly mans trouble in this world ariseth not only from professed wicked men and open enemies but many times even from those who really or apparently look towards the same Heaven with them And this is the worst trouble that can come from men Some are only Friends in shew and it 's no wonder if they at last appear without their vizor David makes sad complaint of his familiar friend with whom he took sweet counsell that this man should rise against him Psa 41.9 and Paul also complaineth of the perill he was in by false Brethren 1 Cor. 11.26 So that this is no new thing even for those who professe the same Christian way and that in a most intimate manner yet to become Enemies and Adversaries to those that truly fear God was not Christ betrayed by Judas one of his own Company that had left all to become his Disciple yea not only from apparent and seeming Friends but even from those who doe truly look towards Heaven yet there is many times great trouble created by them Was there not a Paroxysme between Paul and Barnabas Did not the Corinthians go to Law and
fall out casually but by the wise ordering providence of God 3. This may be brought in to prevent any such errour as might be gathered from our Saviours words as if some of the Elect persons might perish No saith our Saviour he was none of them The Scripture a long while agoe had pronounced fearful curses against him Now to understand this Consider these things First That the Scriptures which do most palpably thus foretell Judas his perdition are Psa 41.10 applied Joh. 13.8 Psa 69.26 Psa 109.8 applied Act. 1.20 Here you see are clear evident places containing a Prediction of what would befal Judas David speaks by way of bitter Imprecation against his implacable and crafty Enemies who set against God and his cause in him and this was a Type of Judas Indeed Junius relateth this passage in the Text not only to Judas his perdition but also to all those severall places of Scripture which speak of Christ and his office in saving of his people but that seemeth not so accomodated to the Context 2. These words are not spoken to take off the cause of perdition from Judas and to lay it upon the Scripture or Gods prevision but only as you heard to prevent the offence the Disciples might take Therefore Calvin saith well that the Scriptures meer prediction is not the cause of an Event Neither did Judas perish because the Scripture said so Indeed no predictions whether divine or humane as Astronomicall politicall c. are the causes of any Event Things are not therefore because foretold but they are foretold because future This is true of prediction or prevision meerly as so not including preordination in it Hence 3. The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is taken two waies in Scripture sometimes denoting a cause Sometimes an Event only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Learned instance in many places Now here they make it to signifie the Event only that the sence amounts to thus much when Judas had betraied his Master and perished in that wickednesse then were those places of Scripture fulfilled The Scriptures did not force or compell him but when he had accomplished his impieties then was the Scripture fullfilled Indeed Tolet makes it to be causall and Maldonate causall apparently but not really Jansenius grants it may be causall not in respect of Judas his sinne but the end why God permitted all this Lastly Though Gods prevision and the Scriptures prediction be not simply the cause of any thing future yet because Gods prevision is never without his pre-ordination and that though wicked men are justly damned for their sins yet all these things fall not out without some antecedent Decrees of God Therefore we must understand this place as taking in Judas his Reprobation also Obs That so many contrary things to a Beleevers Expectation may fall out in matters of Religion that did not the Scripture foretell them we should be greatly offended This hypocrisie of Iudas was so hainous and monstrous that had not Christ forewarned them out of the Scripture it had been enough to make them stagger and reel To think there was no such thing as Truth of Grace and Uprightnesse To cry out as he did observing the deceitful waies of the world O Vertue I thought thou hadst been some reall thing but now I finde thee to be a meer sound of words c. What if one of the Apostles be thus false then surely there is no Truth or Religion in the world It hath alwaies been thus in the Church of God such passages have fallen out beyond a godly mans expectation that sometimes with David they have been ready to say It 's a vain thing to be godly they have doubted about God and his Word and all hath been because they have not diligently considered that this is no more then the Scripture hath spoken of Let us Consider some particulars so hardly concocted without Scripture-Information And first That the way of Christ should have so much opposition and persecution in the world Did not a man Consider that every Page almost of the Scripture foretels this it would be enough to dishearten him Mat. 10. â—3 there and in many other places Christ foretels their portion in this world They shall be haâ—ed that is the highest degree of mens spirits against them which rests in nothing but the utter destruction of those that are hated Joh. 15.18 There also are serious Informations against this offence that might be taken at Christs way and indeed by that passage it is a Sect that is every where spoken against Act. 26.22 It seemeth many were disheartened it was enough to keep a man off if it were said None in the world likes this you will be the Object of every mans scorn and derision and is it not the great Temptation still in Heavens way that so many troubles do abide those that will live godly They cannot bend and turn their Consciences as the world would have them They must oppose and discountenance sinne though it be never so advantagious and by this contrariety of their works to the works of the world therefore it is they are so much hated Now these things are hardly born a man had need again and again go to the Scripture and inform himself saying This is no more then I reade daily then I am to look for Hence 1 Pet. 4 12. Think it not strange concerning the fiery Triall as if some strange thing happened to you Though the afflictions be never so fierce so terrible yet do not think this any strange matter Say Christianus sum as he did homo nihil Christiani alienum â— me pâ—to I am a Christian and think nothing that may befall a Christian is strange to me Oh thus we would think that the way to heaven should be a pleasant smooth and delight some way That whenever we are in Christs way there should be no Hils or Dales no troublesome passages but we finde the clean contrary and this is a stumbling block to us as David said such things were to him till he went into the Sanctuary of God 2. This is a stumbling block in Religion That some of those who are eminent in the profession of Christ should yet degenerate and turn Hypocrites Heretiques and Apostates Oh these are sad Temptations and cause many weak ones to fall when such pillars prove rotten This was Judasses Case in the Text Better he had never been born even in this respect as well as others that hereby Religion was wounded the souls of many endangered and the Adversaries of Christ more confirmed and made obdurate in their wicked waies Therefore the Scripture foretels such sad things for Heresies that they should break out in the preaching of the Gospel that such Tares should grow up as well as the wheat is again and again spoken of 2 Pet 2.1 2 3. False Teachers shall arise that shall bring in damnable Heresies and though
praier is not like that when he went by himself and praied so earnestly about the passing away of the Cup which the Evangelist could never have related what it was had not Christ revealed it Some there are that because the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the original have concluded that therfore this was not mentioned by our Saviour as a prayer nor is it to be understood but as a Sermon or Doctrinal Information Thus because it 's said vers 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he spake Chrysostom saith it 's not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a Prayer but a Sermon and so Cajetan thinketh it to be an informatory discourse But Christs gesture of lifting up his eyes to heaven and his express words calling it a prayer vers 9 15 20. do clearly confute that Neither are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite but subordinate A prayer that is publick may be doctrinally edifying the Auditor and therefore both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used of Zachariah's prayer or eucharistical song Luke 1.64 67. as also of Christs prayer John 11.41 And this word might well be used by our Saviour in this Petition because it was not a private prayer nor meerly petitionary but concionatory and informing the Disciples of many excellent passages whereof one is expressed in the end That their joy might be fulfilled So then one main reason why Christ did at this time so publickly and solemnly pray for his Disciples it was to fill them with comfort That they might for ever remember these words before his death Christ knew they must conflict with great difficulties therefore he provides sutable consolations Observe That it 's Christs special will and care that his people should walk comfortably As Ahashuerus did not like to see Nehemiah look sadly so neither doth Christ will that his people should walk with dejections and discouragements but abound in an heavenly and unspeakable joy It 's a dishonour to a Prince to have sighing subjects Therefore in Nero's time to weep or sigh was a capital crime and it reflects upon a Master to have his servant walk with discontent Thus it 's a dishonour to Christ and to his Gospel when those that fear God walk without hope or faith still complaining that their souls are disquieted and cast down within them A Christians joy is so greatly aimed at that the summe of those valedictory Sermons and large farewell discourses Christ makes to his Disciples was to establish them therein John 15.11 These things have I spoken that your joy might remain that it might be full It 's not only joy but a constant full joy he requireth that it might remain The people of God are not to think it enough to have joy sometimes though they are to bless God for any degree in the least continuance but they are to keep this fire alwayes upon the altar of their hearts whatsoever may not continue with them yet their joy must Though we cannot finde thee alwayes thriving alwayes healthfull yet we should see thee alwayes joyfull we should never finde a Christian without this let his conditions and temptations be never so sad and then it must be a full joy not a light flash but such as shall fill up thy heart that shall soak to the root of thy soul that no ordinary thing can remove thee from it This point is of great concernment unto the godly who commonly think themselves Benonies and will not be called Naomi but Marah that with Rachel refuse to be comforted that as some wicked men will not hear of the threatning but put farre from them the evil day so they stop their ears against the promise and put the good day of Gods grace out of their minde Now although I should first shew the nature of Christs joy what it is and how it is to be fulfilled in believers yet I must first dispatch Christs end in this prayer and all other his dispensations viz. That the joy of the godly may be filled in them So that you are to look upon it both as a duty and as a priviledge Not to live comfortably is a sinne as well as not to live holily and take heed of quenching Gods Spirit as it is a Comforter as well as it is a sanctifier For that it is a main intent of Christ to have you cloathed with the garments of joy will appear by these particulars First This solemn and remarkable prayer which our Saviour did make with so much fulness of heart was for this end to fill them with joy Though Christ praid for impetration of the benefits mentioned in this prayer yet the end why he spake this prayer so solemnly in the ears of the world was that it might be a perpetual standing stock of comfort to the godly Therefore the Apostle John because the other Evangelists pretermitted this prayer and much of his farewell Sermons is very large and exact in the description of it so that the Spirit of God thought it not enough to have it vocally pronounced but also to be committed to writing that so all the generations to come might take comfort from this prayer If therefore the godly man consider what Christ here prayeth for and who it is that doth pray The dignity of his person the certainty of being heard if there were no other Scripture remaining but this there would be ground enough of joy For the things which usually sad the hearts of Gods children are either from within or without from without are all the oppositions and cruel usages they meet with in the world by wicked men These are thorns and goads in their sides These are wolves to the sheep and where they cannot suck their blood yet they are briars and thorns to tear and rend their wool off Now our Saviours prayer is sufficient to turn this water into wine he makes us to gather grapes even of these thorns He sheweth this is matter of joy and not sorrow for those sadding thoughts which arise from within us which indeed are the heaviest as because of their corruptions which are strong in them their proud earthly and unbelieving hearts as also their proneness and danger to apostatize one time or other to suffer shipwrack Our Saviour doth expresly provide cordials against these faintings The petitions are so direct and compleat against such decayes that thou mayest afore-hand with Paul triumph and challenge any creature in the world to hinder thee of the Crown of Glory Oh then in the midst of all thy perplexed thoughts within remember this prayer of Christ Look not upon it as once spoken by Christ and so passing away but know it is as efficacious and powerfull in operation as ever length of time hath not diminished from the vertue of it if Christ were now upon earth and in thy closet or chamber praying with thee it ought not more to
refresh and comfort thee then when once in the flesh poured out by him yea some have thought that the expression Heb. 5. of Christs prayer and supplication with strong cries and agonies hath reference to this prayer though his tears and agonies are not mentioned Howsoever Christ alwayes praid with such zeal and fervency that he was sure to be heard See then if the want of any thing which may discourage thee may not be provided for in this prayer and shall Christ do it for this end that thou mayest alwayes have comfort And yet art thou dejected What shall Christ die in vain and pray in vain So certainly whilest thou walkest thus uncomfortably it 's as if Christ had done none of these things or else had done them in vain Secondly Christs care and will that the godly should live comfortably appeareth in those many commands for to rejoyce So that there is no command for any holy duty or to avoid any sinne more frequently enjoyned then to walk with joy and gladness of heart the people of God they doubt whether they may rejoyce they think such barren and unprofitable wretches as they are may not apply comforts They think this childrens bread doth not belong to such dogs as they are Oh but remember how indispensable and peremptory the command of God is that thou shouldst walk joyfully before him Phil. 3.1 Finally my brethren Rejoyce in the Lord When he had exhorted to many duties before he keepeth this sweet wine to the last Finally I have no more to say this is the summe of all do such and such duties but still remember to rejoyce Oh to pray dejectedly to do holy duties but with a sad heart this is to marre all As in alms so in all other duties God loveth chearfulnesse but he saith Rejoyce in the Lord Thy joy must be in heavenly objects and from spirituall motives from Evangelical priviledges some joy in their honours some in their pleasures some in their lusts as the swine delights in mire and mud but the joy of Gods people is in and through Christ Therefore he saith That my joy may be fulfilled in them not the joy of the world or the flesh Hence vers 3. it 's made the sure character of a Christian indeed who hath more then the outward form of religion that he rejoyceth in Christ Jesus But as if once speaking were not enough see how the same Apostle doubleth it Cap. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord alway and again I say Rejoyce Certainly there is something in it that the Apostle ingeminateth it Again I say Rejoyce he knew how hardly the people of God are brought to rejoyce How can they that are thus afflicted that have so many exercises bid them Rejoyce you may as well bid an heavy log flie up into the air Alas they are so oppressed and hardened in heart that they can no more rejoyce then a stone speak But the Apostle will hear none of these excuses I say it again Rejoyce and that alwayes let your condition your temptations be what they will let the times be what they will yet rejoyce alwayes so 1 Thess 5.16 Rejoyce evermâ—re Do not think it arbitrary or left to thy choice to walk joyfully No awe thy heart with the command that as thou darest not lie steal commit adultery because God commands the contrary so neither darest thou walk with distrust unbelief and discouragement because Gods word is against it Thirdly Christ hath provided for the Christians comfort not only by commands but also by promises The Scriptures are like a pleasant garden full of the sweet flowers of the promises therefore called 1 Pet. 1.4 Precious promises you may observe that the promises run through the heart of the Scripture as those four rivers did paradise to water and refresh it Hence it 's said That we through the Scriptures might have consolation and comfort Rom. 15 4. Hence David in all his tribulations found the word of God sweeter then the honey or the honey-comb There cannot be any strait any grief but there is a peculiar promise against it so that if at any time thou art disconsolate either publick or private afflictions lie sore upon thee remember the promises encourage thy self from them Oh walk not as if this world were such a wilderness that God had provided no fountains to refresh the barren soul As it was a custom amongst the Jews to give a cup of wine to the condemned person to refresh and comfort his spirits Therefore it was the height of malice in the Jews when in stead of such a cup they gave Christ gall to drink Thus God hath also appointed in his word so many precious and glorious promises for his children in every condition and the devil on the other side he would give them gall to drink If then thou wouldst live with heavenly joy let the promises be thy meditation day and night Fourthly Christ hath provided for the comfortable life of his people by appointing a Ministry in his Church among other ends for this to comfort the afflicted soul and to pour oyl into the hearts of such as are wounded They are to be sons of consolation like Barnabas to the children of sorrow for their sins so that it 's one of the greatest parts and work of the Ministry to publish glad tidings and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord to such as groan under the burden and prison of their sins Christ himself accounted of this in his Ministry above all other things Isa 50 4. He hath given me the tongue of the learned to know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary Oh it 's not every one that can deal with a tender conscience we must have an Eagles eye and a soft hand so that our work is not only to convert the prophane to build up the converted but to be daily comforting and exhorting the afflicted in soul And ô that there were many upon whom we might dispense this part of our Office You are apt to say Ministers preach nothing but damnation they will not comfort such as lie a dying Oh there is nothing more desired by them then to meet with such humbled souls to whom they might milk out the breasts of consolation To such they say as in the Canticles Eat ô friends yea drink abundantly but it would be a woe to us if we should tender these comforts to wicked and impenitent men There is a notable place to this purpose Ezek. 13.22 where God threatens the wicked Ministers because they strengthned the heart of the wicked in promising of him life and made the heart of the righteous sad When therefore we have to do with the contrite heart we with-hold no comfort from him as the Apostles style themselves 2 Cor. 1.24 Helpers of the believers joy So that in this is our study and labour seen as well as in Doctrine and reproof SERMON LXXVII Of Joy and Comfort
Snewing how many waies the Spirit of God works it in the hearts of his People JOH 17.13 These things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fullfilled in themselves IT 's Christs speciall Care and will as you have heard that his people should walk joyfully Severall Demonstrations have been thereof Christs Commands to rejoyce in his promises his Ministers are appointed for their joy In the next place This will appear true if yeu consider the works of Gods Spirit and Christs end of sending them into his Church The Spirit of God is not only to convince of sinne To sanctifie and make holy but it is also to comfort Hence he is four times called the Comforter Joh. 19.16.26 Joh. 15.26 Joh. 16.7 Even those who pleade to render the word Advocate and not a Comforter yet it comes to this at last Seeing the end of all his actions is to bring Consolation into the afflicted Soul That as the Spirit of God moved at first on the waters to make a lightsome and glorious world so he doth on the waters of the broken in heart to make as it were New Heavens and a new Earth there where was nothing but horrid confusion That as the devil is the Prince of darknesse is alwaies accusing and troubling the godly endeavouring to bring them to horrour and despair Therefore he kept the possessed party about the solitary Tombs and endeavoured that the Incestuous person should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow So on the contrary the Spirit of God is wholly to comfort to support to revive and to make glad the grieved in Spirit insomuch that the Hebrews have a Proverb Super maestum non cadet Spiritus Sanctus for this Reason say some Learned men the Prophets before they could prophesie sometimes took an Instrument of Musick to play on as Elijah Isaac would eat of Venison to refresh his Spirits before he did prophetically blesse his Children Howsoever the Spirit of God being expresly called a Comforter it 's plain that in all his operations and workings he intends solid and true joy called therefore Joy in the holy Ghost not only objectively but efficiently because it is wrought by him and indeed we need the Spirit of God to comfort us for we cannot attain to this joy by our own strength That as we need the Spirit of God to regenerate us because dead in sinne So also to comfort us because under the guilt of sinne We are like so many Judasses and Cains Naturally we are a barren wildernesse not only in respect of graces but also of Consolations Look upon many afflicted and tempted Children of God No Friends No Ministers can comfort Reade the Promises apply them never so powerfully yet they cannot be comforted till God work it in them Now the Spirit of God is a Comforter to his people several waies 1. By way of Instruction and conviction It informeth that it 's a sinne not to beleeve in Christ that it 's not humility but frowardnesse when we keep off from the Promises That as it would be self-murther not to eat or drink so it 's Soul-murther not to eat or feed on Christ which is called beleeving Joh. 6. Hence this Spirit of God is said to convince the world of sinne Joh. 16 9. And wherein or what sinne especially Even because they would not beleeve in Christ Oh this is a speciall mercy when the Spirit of God hath by the Gospel so farre convinced thee that thou seest it thy duty to beleeve to rejoyce for who is there when once feeling the burthen and weight of sinne doth not with Adam run and hide himself doth not conclude his sins are greater then he can bear It 's not for such a wretch as I am to have a drop of water to refresh me much lesse a drop of Christs bloud yea his whole bloud Hence when we come to a tempted Christian we may admire at the subtleties and strong Objections he can bring against his comfort Never did any Heretique more subtilly and pertinaciously oppose the Truth of Christ then such an one will object against the Promises So that you heard it was the tongue of the Learned Isa 50.4 that could know to speak a word in season to such wearied persons yea to this day are not the Protestant Writers conflicting with the Papists about the particular application of Christ to every Beleever asserting that it is every Christians duty to say with Paul Gal. 2. who loved me and gave himself for me Now this particular appropriation of Christ to a man is the foundation of all joy and peace And do not the Papists bring all those Objections that a tempted Christian is apt to produce Such as these Gods Promises they are indeed true I doubt not but God is able only I question my self whether I have such conditions and qualifications as are required for the Promises Again the Promises are general whosoever shall beleeve or repent shall finde mercy but my great fear is whether I do truly repent or beleeve Yet again They object as Bellarmine the heart is deceitfull how many have perswaded themselves they do repent and love God when indeed they doe not and it may be I am such an one Lastly They doubt not of Gods power they say or of his ability to pardon all their sins and to justifie worse sinners then themselves Only here is the Question whether God will or no God hath no where in his Word said Thou such an one thy sins are forgiven thee These and the like Objections which Popish Writers urge with much vehemency The tempted Christian presseth with great strength because such are in a contrary disposition to beleeving and so feel nothing but sinne in the guilt of it and Unbelief doth as much deceive and disturb the soul as Melancholy or madnesse will the fancy I have been large in this to shew what mighty and gracious work of Gods Spirit that is to instruct and convince the heart of this duty to beleeve and rejoyce to be able to say God delights not in these perplexed thoughts as he saith of these superstitious duties so these immoderate fears and dejections Who hath required these things at your hands I shall answer for unbeleeving sorrows as well as carnall mirth for those dejecting fears and unquiet troubles of soul Thou art to fear hell and damnation as well as for Licentious jollities 2. The Spirit of God doth not only inform of the duty of Comfort but also directs unto the way of comfort It doth leade into the true way of Justification Joh. 14.16 The Comforter will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance As he is the Comforter he will teach them what way to take that they may have true Consolation for as by nature it 's an ingrafted principle in all to desire happinesse Ask any man in the world and he will answer affirmatively to this Question So every man troubled and
is a grief thou must be grieved for how many sad thoughts and tears will require more sad thoughts and tears Vse of Instruction on the contrary It 's Christs special will that all who live wickedly should have no comfort Wo to ye that laugh and there is no peace to the wicked Isa 57.21 SERMON LXXVIII The severall Sorts of Joy and the Nature of Spirituall Joy Shewing also how farre it transcends and differs from Worldly Joy JOHN 17.13 That they might have my Joy fulfilled in themselves THese words are the finall cause of Christs solemn prayer for his Disciples Wherein you have The Benefit it self described and the Manner of possessing of it The Benefit it self is My Joy This may be understood Actively and Passively Actively for that joy which Christ might take from his Disciples being preserved in purity of Doctrine and Unity amongst themselves Thus some understand it and parallel a like place Phil. 2 2· where Paul bids them fulfill his joy which was the joy he would take by seeing their happy agreement but because it 's said in the Text That this joy may be fulfilled in the Disciples themselves Therefore it is more consonant to understand it passively of that joy which the Disciples took in him and the benefits flowing from him So that it may be called Christs joy both effectively because he is the Authour and giver of it as also objectively because it is in him in divine and holy things not in the world much lesse in the pleasures of sin Now the Manner of possessing is that it may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled up that they might have a good measure of joy overflowing he would have every part of the soul filled with it and every kinde of joy yea degree of it some superficiall joy for the degree of it or some transient joy for the continuance of it doth not answer our Saviours prayer it must be filled up Lastly Here is the Subject recipient of it in themselves This say some is spoken oppositely to worldly joy to such as men take in the pleasures of the world these are but in the face in the countenance they are not cordial and hearty Observ 1. That there is a joy in Christ which his people are to have fulfilled in them As they are to be filled with grace so with consolations and one floweth from the other though not naturally It 's of great concernment to treat of this joy because the people of God look upon it as a thing above their reach They are convinced of repentance of humiliation but not of walking joyfully There is a three-fold Joy 1. A Naturall Joy which is an implanted affection in a man and of it self simply considered is not a sin 2. There is a Sinnefull Joy which runneth into two streams either when the Object is wholly unlawfull when it 's a forbidden Tree and we may not eat of it And thus to rejoyce in our evil doings to take delight in the wayes of wickednesse this is a wicked joy that will end in tormenting sorrow and it argueth a wretched distemper of the soul otherwise it would finde sinne to be terrible and bitter but through the corrupted constitution of the heart it comes about that they delight in sinne as distempered stomacks do in coales ashes or such drosse Again there is a sinnefull joy when the Object matter is lawfull but then we exceed in the measure in the bounds or limits we over-joy The water runnes over the bank and then it gets soyl and it 's as hard to rejoyce in these things and to sinne not as it is to be angry and sinne not 3. There is a gracious and an heavenly Joy when the soul delights it self in God and Christ in all heavenly Objects For though to wicked men these things are a burden yet to an heavenly heart they are the most connaturall Object They are the proper center of the soul as David often professeth his joy in the Lord It 's of this we are to speak of only we must inform you something of joy in the generall The Philosophers speak of a three-fold affection sutable to one another There is Love which is carried out to an Object that is good simply considered There is Desire which moveth to some good thing but absent and not yet obtained And then there is Joy which ariseth from the obtaining and possessing of it And answerable to these there are Divine Graces and supernatural works of Gods Spirit in the soul There is the Love of God which next to Faith is of the greatest glory and activity in the soul 2. There are Desires and earnest longings after God to which hunger and thirst a promise is made of being fully satisfied 3. There is Joy which ariseth from the enjoyment of God onely you must know there is Gaudium viae a joy we have while in the way to Heaven which admits of much increase and meeteth with much opposition and there is Gaudium Patriae a joy in Heaven where the soul will then be so filled that it cannot receive any more To know the nature of this Joy Consider First That the efficient cause of it is onely God The Spirit of God is called the Comforter as you heard because he alone poureth it into the heart as the Heavens onely give rain and it 's called Gal 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit which doth imply that it comes solely by Gods Spirit and that there is excellent sweetnesse in it Lusts are called the workes of the flesh but this with other Graces The fruit of the Spirit Hence it is that as in respect of Regeneration the Spirit bloweth where it listeth So also in respect of Consolation How many of Gods children walk with much consolation and abound in much joy And others again go bowed down and greatly tempted not obtaining comfort though they would give a world for it So that as the Husbandman cannot have rain when he would nor the Merchant winde when he would neither can the godly have comfort when they would as appeareth by David praying so earnestly for the Joy he had lost It 's the fruit of the Spirit Therefore joy doth not flow from Graces exercised as by a natural resultancy as heat doth from the fire and light from the Sunne but by Gods voluntary dispensation of it The Schoolmen use to say That a man doth not merit that is their proud phrase by rejoycing in God or good things but by his Love which was antecedent and from which joy they say floweth by a naturall necessity But the Scripture makes these two Love and Joy two distinct works of Gods Spirit and that they are separable experience confirmeth it for many men that are high in Grace are low in Comfort As the tall Mountains have few flowers on them or Mines of Gold little grasse covering them Secondly To this Christian Joy is required a knowledge of God and faith in him as revealed
done It was a mystery to Nicodemus a master of Israel but it 's not only a mystery to natural men it 's that which they hated they cannot abide For Solomon saith Every mans way is clean in his own eyes Prov. 16.2 To come then to people and tell them you are all out of the way to Heaven There is nothing good in you unlesse you be new creatures even all new you cannot be saved new hearts new affections new thoughts Will not this be a two-edged sword in their hearts Shall they leave their former course Shall not they speed as well as others This is a Doctrine not to be born this is durus Sermo when indeed they are duri auditores and so let not the Word have that penetrating power it would 2. As it 's opposite to their natures so to their lives and conversations Ephes 2. Paul there describes what kinde of men the Ephesians were and that it might not be thought their peculiar wickednesse he saith They walked after the course of this world and therefore Rom. 12. The command is not to be conformed to the fashion of this world Can flesh and blood then endure that the Ministers of God should damn to hell The lives the manners the daily customs and practises that generally men live in When Moses did but in a fair way reprove two Israelites that were quarrelling how frowardly did they answer Who made thee a Judge over us Exod. 2.14 And so the Sodomites to Lot they judged it all Lordliness and domineering and is not the same stubbornnesse still reigning every where All reproofs all denunciations out of Gods Word are judged to be the pride the lordlinesse or the malice of the Minister Wonder not then if the faithfull preaching of Gods word meeteth with such violent opposition for they perswade a life a way directly contrary to what the world delights in 3. It 's opposite to that way of worship which men take up by natural reasonings The Prophets did not only reprove for morall impieties but Idolatry and superstitious Worship Who hath required these things at your hands And our Saviour his Doctrine was salt to the Pharisees it corroded and fretted their sore hearts he layeth the axe of his Ministry to the root of all their superstition and proveth that to be abominable which they did so highly advance before men Insomuch that Christs first coming into the world because of his severe Doctrine and reprehensions is Mal. 3. described to be as terrible as the day of Judgement Who shall abide the day of his coming And why Because he shall sit as a refiner to purge the house of Levi. Austin did much complain what a difficult matter it was to take off people from their superstitions and vain customs Veh tibi torrens moris humani quis resistet Certainly such will say no lesse to powerfull and faithfull Ministers then the devils to Christ Why art thou come to torment us before our time Again fourthly The preaching of the Word must be opposed because the powerfull obedience thereunto brings all calamity and persecution They shall be hated as well as the word is hated Now to be troubled reproached and despised is contrary to mens temper who loveth applause and glory Hence some though they are said to believe John 2. yet would not confesse Christ because they loved the praise of men more then of God And our Saviour saith How can ye beleeve who seek glory one of another Pride and love to be esteemed of in the world doth disdain all good preaching 5. The Word preached meeteth with opposition because the instruments are men subject to infirmities especially if faithfull So that though they do not hate them for their infirmities yea the more prophane and dissolute the Minister is they like it the better yet because the Apostle saith We have this treasure in earthen vessels they are men and not Angels therefore they quarrel and oppose Paul himself though an Apostle and giving mighty demonstrations of Gods Spirit in him yet he was despised and slandered though not so guilty of humane infirmities and that because he was faithfull Am I become an enemy because I tell you the truth Gal. 3. Oh this is it because we preach the truth because we meet with mens corruptions and cannot bear sin This is that which raiseth up malice Lastly The world hath not received the Spirit of God and therefore all the glorious and wise things of Christ are but foolishnesse and uselesse to them They have not that spiritual annointing they are not taught of God Hence it is that they rage and revile those things they know not or understand Therefore till God give them eye-salve and seeing eyes no other thing can be expected Vse of Instruction Wonder not if in all ages this be true the Word is purely preached and obeyed by some therefore the world hateth and rageth For what will a Tyger and a Wolf lay aside their natures Will the Devil cease to be a Devil But wo be to those that make Christ the foundation-stone to be a stone of stumbling and offence Woe to thee that findest light made darkness and life death to thee SERMON LXXXI Of Suffering for Christs Cause And how it engageth God to take care of such as so suffer Also the Duty of Ministers about Preaching Gods Truth JOH 17.14 I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them c. A Second Observation may be That when the People of God suffer not for any Faults of their own but because they own God and professe his Truth This is a great obliging of God to take care of them For our Saviours Petition is founded upon this equitable and just Consideration The world hateth them But why Not for any wickednesse or injuries they have done but meerly because they have beleeved in thy Word If so be they had opposed and rejected the Word of God and had ordered their lives according to the course of this world They would have been the worlds darlings all men would have spoken well of them but now it was for Gods sake and his Gospels sake that they were thus maligned so that if we be hated in the world upon Christs account and because of Gods Interest we are sure to have his special care and protection To open this doctrine Consider these things First That it 's possible for those who acknowledge Christ to be hated and persecuted in the world not for their Christianity but for their other grosse impieties and if so then they cannot take that joy or expect that protection which God doth promise to his Therefore the Apostle Peter speaks excellently to this 1 Pet. 4.14 15 16. where having shewed how happy yea and how gâ—orious a thing it is to be reproached for Christs Name because the Spirit of Glory resteth upon them The world scorneth and despiseth them in their low estate but the Spirit of Glory resteth
kinde of perfection to do so Mat. 5. ult Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect He cals this patience and forgiving disposition a perfection If then they rail do thou bless if they curse do thou pray this is to pour living coals upon their head as Rom. 12.10 which some understand in a good sense it will melt the man as Saul was under Davids kindness and as you see fire will at last melt iron though never so tough or others in an ill sense as if when thou hast done thy duty God will severely punish them This is the way to bring fire about their ears Take heed therefore of private revengefull thoughts these are unbeseeming a Christian God makes this his Property Vengeance is mine Deut. 32.2 Although the Heathen could say Revenge was sweeter then honey and so it is to a natural man but it 's farre sweeter then honey to a gracious heart to be able to conquer his revengefull disposition private revenge is unlawfull yet a seeking to the Magistrate for to punish offenders or to obtain right is a duty onely take heed of revengefull thoughts in the pursuing of it Fourthly Doth the world hate thee for Christs sake Then rejoyce and be exceeding glad Mat. 5 12. And that for several Reasons 1. As it followeth in that Text Great is your reward in Heaven The more vilified and debased here the more glorified and honoured in Heaven So that wicked men while they think to do thee a mischief they are instrumentall to thy great glory They make thee more happy and more glorious It 's as if a man should be angry with another and in stead of stones he throw precious pearls and diamonds at him which the man takes up and enriches himself with or as if a man threw bread at a dog in stead of being hurt by it he is glad of it and takes it up and eats it Thus it is with wicked men their reproaches their slanders and oppositions make thee more refined and blessed all these will be like so many crowns of glory set upon thy head As the waters did not drown the Ark but lifted it up nearer to Heaven 2. Rejoyce because hereby God honours and puts a glory upon thee that thou shouldst be one who shalt be reproached and vilified for him Admire the goodnesse of God herein and say with David I will be more vile still Thus the Apostles went away rejoycing they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christs Name Act. 5.41 Phil. 1.29 It 's said to be Gods gift to suffer for him To you it is given It 's a priviledge and an honour to lose any thing for Christs sake as Nazianzen said He was glad he had something to loose for Christs sake And so zealous were the primitive Christians of the glory of Martyrdom that many were so dejected because God called them not to it that they needed consolatory letters to satisfie them Though the world look upon them as disgraced and miserable yet God honours thee and this thou art to judge of as the greatest mercy and dignity that ever befell thee 3. Rejoyce because God and Christ will hereby be indeared unto thee and give thee larger supplies and provisions of comfort Nihil crus sentit in ligno quando animus est in Coelo I will be with thee in the fire and water saith God Was not Peter singing of Psalms in the prison Oh then know this is the time of Gods peculiar love of his more mercifull approaches to thee thy winter will be thy summer thy outward troubles will be accompanied with the most inward joyes This is Gods way when the world most slanders and accuseth to give the believer strongest evidences of his Justification within The godly were most enlarged in soul when they were shut into straightest prison and they had most of a bright glorious Heaven when they were plunged into a dark dungeon thy incomes will be rich when thy expences shall be great the more men frown the more will God smile on thee 4. Rejoyce because hereby is a conformity to Christ and to all the holy men that have gone before thee So in Mat. 5.12 Rejoyce because so persecuted they thâ— Prophets of old and Rom. 8. it 's made the effect of our Predestination to bâ— conformable unto Christ in these afflictions they are an effect of Predestination These troubles and reproaches God from all eternity appointed thee unto as by which he would glorifie thee They came from that spring of the great love of God which he had toward thee before thou hadst any being so that hereby thou art made like to Christ a glorious Disciple doth not beseem a crucified Saviour neither rich and adorned members become an head crowned with thorns How many have gloried in being like some great and famous men in the world How much rather is this an honour to be reproached as Christ was to be slandered as Christ was the Disciple must not expect to be above his Master 5. Rejoyce as having an opportunity of the exercise and increase of grace The horse neigheth at the battel and war-like sounds as being glad of the occasion A valiant man delights in the occasions of his activity The Pilot sheweth his skill in times of danger and tempests Know therefore that when the world hateth thee God then cals thee out to a spiritual combate thou art then become a spectacle to God he beholds what excellent graces thou wilt shew forth what faith what patience what fortitude what heavenly-mindednesse Now if ever there is a time to shew thy spiritual might and courage yea here is not only an occasion to put forth thy graces but an opportunity to discover thy unfeigned love to God and Christ to own Christ when all the people would make him a King is no trial but to stand to him when they cried away with him Crucifie him this is a good evidence God will then say Now I know thou lovest me when these many waters the world throweth on are not able to quench it though father hate though friends hate though all hate yet this doth not discourage thee in thy love of God What a comfortable evidence is this of thy true grace Nay in some sense thou dost exceed the Angels in doing Gods will for though they be zealous and active in obedience to God yet they meet not with oppositions in their service They are not subject unto the reproaches and contempts of wicked men of the world and therefore in this thou art more then an Angel Lastly Rejoyce because God might have left thee to be such a malicious enemy to godliness as thou seest they are Every time thou hearest what slanders what malicious words the wicked of the world vent against thee O bless God and say I might have been left to such a spirit I was such a devil my self once I opened my mouth against such as fear God as well as he Oh blessed be
God that hath changed my blackmore-skin that hath given me another heart when Paul met with wretched adversaries that blasphemed him and the Gospel he preached No doubt but he reflected upon himself I was such a mad blasphemer once I persecuted the godly once I delighted in cruel vexings of them heretofore And now how great is Gods goodnesse to me that he hath had mercy on me If thou blessest God that he made thee not a Serpent a Toad or that thou wert not a natural fool or a mad man How much rather that he hath not given thee up to such a vile malicious disposition The next thing is to give Cautions and Arguments of admonition to the wicked who thus hate Christ and his Disciples And First Let them know it 's a causless hatred yea it 's an hatred where the greatest love and delight should be And that upon two grounds For 1. They are such who would bring them to everlasting salvation if they were not prejudiced their exemplary life is it not a light shining before you that beholding their godly holy and pure conversation you may be thereby wone to glorifie God The counsels admonitions and spiritual help they would vouchsafe to thee should make thee prize them more then all outward comforts Do ye love such as can make you rich preferre you to places of honour supply your necessities Oh how welcome should such be to you that would give you many an helping lift to Heaven Why then is thy hatred so causless Is it because they desire thy salvation Is it because they pray for thee they mourn in secret for so David professed Rivers of waters ranne down his eyes because men kept not Gods Law Wert thou not a stone and adamant these things would turn thy heart towards him 2. They are such for whose sake thou enjoyest many blessings It 's because of them the ship thou art in is not drowned God keepeth up the world in reference to them therefore the hedges are kept because of the Corn in the ground The innocent deliver the Island for Lot's sake Sodom was spared a long season These stand in the gap when Gods overflowing tempest would carry all before it Secondly Consider that thou dost not hurt them yea thou increasest that which makes them so hatefull to thee For by this means they walk more closely with God they separate themselves from the world It 's a mercy to them they have this hatred otherwise they might comply too much and ensnare their souls and symbolize with mens wickedness Now how absurd is thy hatred by that thou makest them more holy and so advancest that which is so abominable to thee Thou art to them as a fyle to the rusty iron thou art to them as Lazarus dogs tongues were to lick his sores whole thou art Gods scullion to wipe and keep his vessel clean who would not think thou shouldst rather do as that persecutour that would not let him die saying he envied him the honour of a Martyr Thy very hatred should make thee leave hating and opposing because hereby thou makest the godly man more glorious and happy Thirdly Consider hereby thou hurtest thy self and not them As the dog that bites the stone for rage or a man that shoots an arrow at a brazen wall and that recoileth back and kils the Archer thy hatred thy cursings will fall back upon thy head It 's not the godly man only but thy self and thy own soul thou hatest See whether those many curses and miseries thou hast be not the fruit of thy hatred thou art a tormentor and troubler to thy self Though Achan troubled Israel yet he troubled himself and his own house also Fourthly Remember that it 's a devilish thing thou art more wicked then a man useth to be Not to obey or yeeld thy self up to godlinesse is a grievous sin but to oppose is a devilish thing Thou dost the work of the devil if he were incarnate he would speak and do as thou dost 5. Remember the woful and heavy judgements which remarkably follow such men Who ever hardened himself against the Lord and prospered This Christ meant when he said he that stumbled at this stone should fall but upon whom this stone shall fall he should be beaten in pieces Christ will fall on such that oppose him and they shall not have the least mercy Vse Doth the world hate Gods people then admire the goodness and power of God that keeps up a poor Church in the midst of such violence that preserveth a few Lambs among so many Wolves Bears and Lions in such a Wildernesse as they are in We justly admire Gods power in putting bounds to the sea that it overfloweth not the Land much more admirable was that goodness of God in preserving the Israelites when the waters were on every side Oh how much more is God to be praised that keeps his people with any safety any liberty Should wicked men have their will food and raiment and life would be thought too good for thee SERMON LXXXIV Of Conformity to Christ in not being of the world And in his Sufferings JOH 17.14 Because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world THE Last particular considerable in this Verse is the exemplarity of Christ or the Disciples conformity unto Christ They are not of the world as I am not of the world Which words are repeated in the 16. verse and therefore have some weighty and great matter contained in them In the words we are to take notice 1. What it is to be of the world 2. How Christ was not 3. The similitude between Christ and his Disciples herein To be of the world is to partake of the manners life and conversation of the world to have the spirit of the world in a man and this is oppsite to the Spirit of God and to all heavenly things so that both the inward inclination and outward conversation is wholly worldly as our Saviour saith he that is of the earth is earthy That as bodies in whom the element of the Earth is predominant doe naturally fall downward so that soul which is thus principled and habituated in a worldly manner doth minde only earthly things this is to be of the world To be in the world is another thing Our Saviour and the Disciples were in the world but not of it A man may be in the water for some good end but the fish are properly of the water because that is their Element and they have a watery Constitution 2. Christ is said Not to be of the world Now that is a higher degree then the Disciples can be for Christ as God is no waies of the world and then take him as man yet being conceived by the holy Ghost he was not of the world in a natural way 1 Cor. 15.47 The Second Adam is the Lord from Heaven opposed to the first Adam who is said to be of
but yet how common is it for such who know and read the Word of God yet not to be reformed in their lives thereby Though they look in this glass yet they wash not those loathsome spots that are upon them conclude the Scriptures are not in their proper use to thee till they have reformed thee from such sins as thou didst formerly live in 3. The people of God though they have a spiritual life within them yet under desertions and temptations finde not the Word of God effectual for joy and consolations till God bring such texts and such promises close to their soul That we saith Paul through the Scriptures might have consolations 2 Cor. 1. And David doth often acknowledge That the word of God did comfort and revive him but let a godly man groaning under the guilt of sinne hear the sound of the Gospel a thousand times over yet he will remain like dried bones and a parched wilderness till God sanctifie it Oh how often have the people of God desired comfort and assurance read over the promises again and again gone to the Ministers of the Gospel to have oyl poured in their wounds yet not the Law but even the Gospel hath been made a dead letter till the Spirit of God doth comfort in and by it the Word then of God though instrumental yet is but instrumentall it 's not a principal Fourthly When we say it 's Instrumentall to Sanctification we are to distinguish of instrumental causes For there are Physical and Natural Instruments which work by an inherent and natural power and there are Moral Instruments which work by the sole institution and appointment of another Now the Word of God is not instrumental to Sanctification in the former but in the later way The Word doth not by any inherent vertue and efficacy in a natural manner purifie the heart but by Gods appointment and his voluntary co-operation when and where he will For if it did work thus naturally then wheresoever the Word is preached it would sanctifie it would heal As the fire whereever it is in one Countrey as well as in another it doth burn but experience doth confute this Are there not two hearing the Word of God the one is sanctified the other not At the same Sermon one is humbled made tender The other is more obstinate and hardened Whence comes all this diversity under the Word preached but because it is not a natural instrument Again If the word of God did convert and sanctifie naturally then the grace of God could not so much be amplified and magnified which yet the Scriptures do Though it be Gods goodness that the Sunne shineth the fire burneth yet we do not speak of it or call it his grace but if the Word of God ever touch and heat any mans heart if it ever reform his life this is the meer grace of God By which it appeareth That the Word of God is instrumental only by Gods institution and where he commands it to work there it works where he requireth it to break down all oppositions there it hurrieth all down before it Insomuch that sometimes the most unlikely and prophanest enemies to godliness they are changed by the Word and those that are very ingenuous and civilly disposed remain in a perverse opposition 5. When we say The Word of God is instrumentall to our Sanctification this is not to be opposed to those other causes which God hath appointed Grace is the efficient cause and Christ the meritorious cause onely this is the medium God who could convert immediately and reach home to our souls as he did to the Prophets by an immediate Revelation hath taken this way That as it 's the goodness of God in natural things though he be the first and universall cause and so could do all things immediately himself yet he hath ordained second causes who have their derived causality Thus it hath pleased God in the Government of his Church to use means and external helps the Word and Sacraments thereby to work grace when yet he could change the hearts of men immediately or communicate himself to his Church as he did once without Scriptures When therefore you hear many oppose the Scripture to the Spirit and the Ministry in the Church to Christs teaching this is absurd and tends to the division of those causes which God hath so wisely joyned together The Spirit and the Scripture must not be opposed nor Christs teaching and the Ministers for that Rule is true here Quando duorum unum est propter aliud sunt ut unum Sixthly The Word thus made known is the ordinary means both of our beginning and increase in Sanctification Two things are couched in this particular 1. It 's the ordinary means so that what God may do in extraordinary cases is not for us to dispute but ordinarily there is no other way to beget and increase grace but this Neither may we say this is dishonourable to God to binde him to one way for it hath pleased himself to appoint the communication of his grace by the Word ordinarily so that as in naturall things he will give light to the world only by the Sunne though he could do otherwise Therefore the Sunne was not made till the fourth day to shew us that God could give light to the world without a Sunne Thus it is also in spiritual things though God could otherwise communicate his graces yet he hath pleased to appoint this ordinary way So that there is no expectation of the Spirit but in the Word as the Word can no wayes avail without the Spirit and it 's the goodness of God that he hath commanded all spirits to be tried by this Rule and if not conforming to it to reject them which could not be if the voice of the Spirit could be heard any other way but in and by the Scriptures we then are bound to come to this pool if we will have the divine moving not of an Angel but of the Spirit of God As the Israelite that would escape death was to keep within his doors and those within the Ark who would enjoy Gods Protection Thus must such keep within the bounds of the Scripture who expect Gods Spirit to guide them But although we are thus bound to expect Sanctification onely in this means yet we cannot say that God hath bound himself to work these effects alwayes for though he will not ordinarily dispense his grace but in this way yet he will not alwayes accompany this way yea it 's the savour of death to many 2 Cor. 2 16. Hence in the seventh place The word of God though it be ex se and quoad institutionem an instrument of Sanctification yet to some accidentally through their corruption it becomes an instrument of greater sinfulnesse and wickednesse So that commonly there are no greater sinners under Heaven then in the Church and in the Church none greater then where the best and
state of men afterwards The former of these especially could never be discovered by natural light even Adam though created after Gods image yet needed a revelation of these We have no innate or acquired knowledge about them and though many worthy Divines have indeavoured to prove the Trinity by reason and humane similitudes yet the surest and most evident way is the Scripture so that we may say of them all which Austin speaks of one of them viz. Of Christs being God and man If you can give a reason it would not be mirabile and if an example it would not be singulare It 's true there are many things in Scripture which we know by natural reason as that there is a God but the knowledge by reason is nothing so evident and firm as that by Revelation so that the truth of God being in the chiefest parts of it supernatural It 's no wonder that the wisest Heathens became vain in their imaginations and that their greatest Religion was their highest impiety and within the Church The more men have forsaken Scripture and pleased corrupt reason in the doctrinal part and corrupt fancies in the worshipping part They have been very erroneous and absurd hence the truth of God is called a mystery and said to be revealed because mans reason could no more attain unto it then a dwarf can reach to the heavens Zacheus must get upon this Tree to see Christ Hence no others have been able to endure the glorious lustre of the Scripture because errours are natural the Scripture supernatural All heresies have runne up and down from one age to another like Cain fearing least every Text of Scripture should kill them Do not then judge of Scripture-truths by thy carnal reason The work is above thy natural understanding 6. It 's a godly holy Truth The holy Scriptures they are called and well may they be so called for nothing is a stronger argument to demonstrate the Divine Authority of Scriptures than the holiness thereof Take all the moral books in the world they do as much come short of the holiness of the Scripture as coals do of the glory of the Sunne Plutarch Seneca Epictetus these will teach you to have the clean skin of morality but not the inward life and sound vitals of holiness What transcendent holiness doth the Scripture teach us such as the men of the world know not Holiness in our natures first of all Regeneration neither the name nor the nature of it was known amongst the Heathens they knew not mans natural pollution neither did they see a necessity of such an internal renovation Again Such holy duties the Scriptures teach that not only the doctrinal but the practical part of it is a mystery to flesh and bloud such are faith in Christ love to our enemies self-denial and a readinesse to take up the Crosse Many of these duties are accounted folly and madness by wise men after the flesh It teacheth an heavenly life fellowship and communion with God to do all things from holy principles and to holy ends so that the holinesse that is in the truth of Scriptures should much affect us But oh how few reade and delight in the Scriptures because of the holinesse in them You reade them for dispute or to know the History and to be able to hold up Arguments but who is there that thinketh this the truths of Scripture are holy They are to make heavenly and pure they will forewarn of sin they quicken to grace they inflame to faith and love Oh minde this all Scripture-truth is for holiness As meat is not to be looked upon but eaten and digested 7. They are precious excellent Truths and therefore compared by David to fine gold and by Solomon preferred above all jewels Prov. 3.15 The Apostle also compareth true Doctrine to gold silver and precious stones 1 Cor. 3.12 and they are called precious promises as a precious faith 2 Pet. 1.1 4. These shew in what high degree and dignity the truths of Scripture should be with us Austin said Veritas Christianorum was incomparabiliter pulchrior Helenâ Graecorum If they did strive about her How much more ought we for the truth of God The Prophet complained of old None pleaded for the truth Isa 59 4. neither were valiant for the truth Jer. 9.3 The truths then of the Scripture should be more unto us then any earthly comforts whatsoever You see Christ makes this one main end of his coming into the world to bear witness unto the truth John 18 37. Ann thus the Martyrs they thought Gods truth more worth then their lives and how many millions have willingly endured the worst of deaths to bear witness to the truths of the Scripture So that it 's very strange how such a spirit of delusion should be upon men to make no matter of true Doctrine to think Heresies and Errours are nothing Certainly the godly Martyrs that burnt at the stake had other thoughts of it and the Scripture doth commend it as the great mercy of God unto a people Therefore God promiseth Jer. 33.6 He will reveal abundance of peace and truth and in many places truth is still joyned unto peace as if all the peace and earthly advantages in the world were nothing if we might not have the truths of God also Therefore the Apostle John told that elect Lady He had no greater joy then to see her children walking in the truth and the Spirit of God is promised as the greatest mercy we can have John 16.13 That he will guide us into all truth Natural truth is precious What pains and travel have many used to finde that out They have dispossessed themselves of their goods to finde it out yea they have been so ravished in the contemplation thereof that they have forgotten to eat their bread and have wholly neglected themselves and all pleasure Hence in their Sacrifices to Apollo whom the Heathens made God of truth they cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is sweet Truth is sweet Truth is the natural food to the soul as meat is to the body but then divine supernatural truth which doth so immediately concern our salvation and eternal happiness how precious and dear should that be to us In other things ignorance is not damnable but here to misse of the truth is to fall into destruction It profits not a man to measure the heavens and the motions thereof To understand all the Laws of Nations with their cases thereupon or with Solomon to be able to speak of the nature of all things if a man want the knowledge of Scripture-truths Lastly This truth though precious yet because it 's opposite to a corrupt heart It 's very bitter and makes most men enemies to it It 's a truth requiring holiness hatred of sinne mortification of lusts and because it 's so therefore the vain corrupt hearts of men love errours and lies or deceits by the devil and sinne rather then the
riches his honours his greatness his parts his morality doth not free him from this impurity so that he ought to abhor himself as a monster as a toad This is the foundation of all our misery that we doe not look upon our selves as so many vile carkasses as so many dead dogs Till this be laid as the first principle Christ is not prized Sanctification is not sought after Oh therefore stand like the leprous person afarre off and cry out I am unclean unclean Thou wouldst be ashamed as Adam was to come with this nakednesse and filthinesse upon thee into Gods presence 2. Being unsanctified doth imply That even the holy things we are imployed about do not sanctifie us but we rather pollute them Hag. 2. He that was unclean though he touched the holy things though he ranne to the Temple and the Altar yet he was not thereby sanctified but he rather polluted them and thus while a man is unsanctified those very duties prayers and ordinances he doth runne unto will condemn him as appeareth Isa 1. by that severe expostulation with them that abounded in their Sacrifices yet did not wash them or make them clean 3. There is implied an utter unfitnesse and indisposition to any good work as on the other side a vessel sanctified was meet for his masters use So that till we be sanctified by Christs blood we have no fitnesse for any holy duty iron can as well swim and logs flie as a natural man be prepared to do that which is holy and supernatural Thirdly That our Sanctification is here attributed to Christs Sanctification of himself we see 1. That the initials and beginnings of Sanctification are wholly from him Some have endeavoured to make the very Heathens partakers of some kinde of sanctification making a pietas pagana as well as Christiana but they are to fear lest that might be applied to them which Bernard did to Abailardus Dum sudat Platonem facere Christianum scriptum facit Ethnicum There is no sanctification but where Christ is and Christ and his body cannot be separated as the gold onely in the Temple was sanctified and this is good to lay us low and to make us admiring of the grace of Christ How is it thou art sanctified and others remain prophane polluted like bruit beasts who hath made this difference Who infused this holy nature into thee Wast thou not as loathsom as wallowing in the filth of thy lusts as others till Christs blood did cleanse thee 2. Not only the initials but progressives and consummatives in Sanctification are to be attributed to his Sanctification Therefore you heard him called the finisher as well as the authour of our faith and the Disciples though already sanctified yet are still more and more to be sanctified It 's true here is a difference between our first Sanctification and the increase of it at first we were wholly passive Christ found us dead in our sinnes and wallowing in our blood but afterwards he findes us alive onely needing his continual exciting and quickening grace Therefore Paul though converted yet still lives a life of faith in Christ we need Christ all the day long How unholy earthly dull and lumpish is thy heart if Christ did not constantly sanctifie it Fourthly This Sanctification purchased by Christ must be in truth and integrity so Christ addeth sanctified in the truth that is truly in opposition to those legal and ceremonial sanctifications which did only cleanse the body but not reach to the soul Although in the New Testament we have no such external bodily Sanctification yet still there is an outward Sanctification and an inward both coming by Christ and one separable from the other Thus you heard the apostate is said to be sanctified by the blood of Christ which was not indeed and truly so for then he would not have totally fallen off but in respect of the external administration Hence 1 Cor. 1.2 the whole Church of Corinth though afterwards reproved for many sinfull practices yet are called sanctified and that partly because of the external dispensation of the Ordinances which they enjoyed So that there is a Sanctification external and a Sanctification internall External is when by our Baptisme and Christian profession We acknowledge our selves separated from the world to live unto God but internal is when we are so indeed How shall we call the prophane ungodly person a sanctified one Look to the truth of Sanctification here mentioned in the Text. Now the truth of it lieth 1. In the manner of working of it The Spirit of God by the Word doth thus sanctifie therefore some understand this in the Text by the truth as formerly our Saviour prayed God himself is the onely Authour of Sanctification We cannot make our selves holy no more then we can make our selves men yet God works not in the order of grace immediately no more then in the order of nature where he makes use of second causes Thus in the working of grace he appointeth second means as the Ministry and Ordinances and therefore Paul 1 Cor. 3. saith They were Ministers by whom the Corinthians did beleeve and there is no better discovery of true Sanctification then to examine the manner and way how thou hast received it for if the Spirit of God by the Word hath wrought it in thee then fear not this is of a more noble and supernatural being then what morality or principles of civility can incline unto thee As Christ himself was in his bodily nature conceived by the holy Ghost in an extraordinary manner Thus is every one sanctified in an higher and more sublime way then all the moral and prudential dictates of nature can carry us unto Oh then prove thy self what hath the Spirit of God and his Word done unto thee That was not more wonderfull in those who had a prophetical Spirit then in such who are sanctified To enable men to speak with strange Tongues is not more admirable then to give a man a strange heart to what he had once and strange in respect of others 2. It 's true Sanctification when it hath the universality and integrity of all parts which is the whole Image of God as Paul prayeth 1 Thess 5. I pray God ye be sanctified throughout in spirit soul and body This work of Sanctification it 's an entire compleat harmonical compages of all holinesse take any part of it away and you dissolve the whole fabrick It 's true Sanctification though it have not perfect and compleat degrees but not true if it want any essential parts and therefore called the Image of God which cannot be one grace no more then a man can be a man in one part and a beast in another but the Systeme of all 3. It 's true Sanctification in the permanency and continuance of it Perseverance doth not make Sanctification to be true but the truth of Sanctification makes it persevere Perseverance is an effect not a cause of
and sores to appear upon that body which once was as fair as Absâ—loms body Hence the Apostles doe so much presse That all things be done in charity that they fulfill the Royall Law by loving that they doe not so much as grudge one against another This unity and peace is so glorious a thing that the Apostle 1 Thess 4.11 makes it matter of ambition Study or be ambitious to be quiet There is a great deal of carnal and worldly ambition after great things though fading and transitory but here is godly ambition here is spiritual ambition when to be a peace-maker and a peace-preserver we judge it the greatest glory God doth put upon us Eighthly This duty of Love and uniting is most imbred in the hearts of the godly it should be that which they are most perswaded of most inclined to It 's strange for thee to say God hath taught thee such and such high things and hath not taught thee love The Apostle speaks excellently 1 Thess 4.10 Concerning brotherly-love ye need not I write to you for you are taught that of God It 's a shame and a reproach to us that we need a Sermon for this Oh fear thy self thou boastest of the teachings of Gods Spirit above others and yet art not taught to love And here we see Those that thinke a Ministry needlesse and they will not hear it If nothing else may convince yet this may God hath not taught them this duty of love enough and therefore they had need of the Ministers of God to doe it But by this you see That Love and Unity should be so planted in all the godly that we need no more presse and preach this then an hungry man to eat his meat or the mother to love her childe God teacheth this duty in the chief place SERMON CXIV Of Vnity among the Godly More particulars setting forth the Excellency of it and mischiefs of Division Answering this Objection viz. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way and Christ praied for it How comes it to passe that there should be so many breaches amongst the Godly JOH 17.21 That they may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee c. WE are describing the Excellency of Union and the mischief of breaches amongst the godly we shall adde to the fore mentioned As 1. Divisions and differences they are the fruit of the flesh Whereas love peace and kindenesse they are the fruits of the Spirit so that a man cannot more demonstrate himself to be in the flesh and devoid of Gods Spirit in any thing then by a contentious dividing spirit There are some men like those old Spaniards the historian speaks of that cannot live without an enemy So these Salamanders can only be in the fire they are unquiet restless men and these like Marcion with great boldnesse and delight will cry out we will cast fire into the Church and divide it But these demonstrate of what nature they are and who is their Father even that envious one the devil who delights to sow tares amongst the wheat Gal. 6.20 21. c. you may there see two chief principles of mens actions in the world whereof the one is immediatly opposite to the other the flesh and the Spirit now it 's good to observe what the works of the one and the other are of the flesh he instanceth in hatred variance strife emulations c. all tending to break unity and of the spirit the clean contrary love peace gentleness c. all uniting If then we would know who is a godly man who hath the Spirit of God Judge of the Tree by its fruit he is full of love gentleness and meekness It 's impossible that pride arrogancy and envyings should be the fruit of Gods Spirit Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. doth thus argue If there be envyings and divisions among you are you not carnal Thus the Apostle James c. 3.13 14. speaks notably to this Who is a wise man let him shew it by a good conversation with meeknesse he divides wisedom into that which is earthly and devilish the mother of envyings and strife and the wisedome from above which is first pure and then peaceable yea verse 14. Whosoever hath the Name of Religion yet is haunted with this devil The Apostle bids him glory not and lye not against the Truth So that though a man pretend never such singular gifts such extraordinary Teachings of Gods Spirit yet if contentious he is not to glory yea he lieth against the Truth Thou saist it 's for the truth thou art thus contentious It 's for the truth thou hast made these divisions No the truths of Christ are to be maintained by the Spirit of Christ As the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God so neither doth the perversenesse of man the truths of God so far then as any in the Church of God are contentious and striving so farre they demonstrate the power of the flesh reigning in them 2. This Unity is necessary because all other things in Religion are reduced to one If therefore all things agree in unity every thing in Religion tends to this Why should not the people of God embrace it The several Unities are notably made an Argument to our purpose Eph. 4. For the Apostle at v. 1. having exhorted believers to walk worthy of their calling he instanceth in such graces as procure Vnity with all lowlinesse meekness forbearing one another See these graces are the comely worthy graces of our holy calling and you have the end of these graces v. 3. endeavouring we must make it our aim our labour our study and praier to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace hereupon he enumerates v. 4. why there should be such Unity There is one body Christ hath not many bodies no more then a man hath All the people of God are one body Now how destructive is it when one part of the body should conspire against the welfare of another Let grace do that in this mystical body which nature doth in this natural Then there is one Spirit There is but one Spirit that enlightens and sanctifieth the whole Church of God why then should there be so many contrary opinions and waies yet pretended to be of the same Spirit Indeed the Apostle saith there are diversity of gifts and operations yet the same Spirit He doth not say contrarieties and the same Spirit for that is as impossible as darkness to come from the Sun If then there be but one Spirit let not the godly give occasions to the adversaries to blaspheme saying the Calvinistical Spirit is one thing and the Lutheran spirit another Again there is one hope of our calling we are called to one Inheritance there is only one Heaven prepared for all the godly Why then should they be so different by the way when at our journeys end we must all be received into the same place of glory It
Apostles doctrine Let us sin that grace may abound Rom. 6.1 And thus the Papists deal with us and Lutherans also how often do they charge this hideous calumny and consequence upon the Protestants doctrine as if we made God the authour of sin whereas we use but the Scripture words and such expressions no nor such harsh ones neither as some of their own Popish Writers do only it's truth in them but blasphemy in us Indeed what is the evident and plain Consequence of a Doctrine that is to be accounted of as the doctrine it self As whatsoever is a clear genuine consequence from Scripture is Scripture but not every consequence We are apt to deduce Thus it is here what is evidently a consequence from any Doctrine we may charge it upon the doctrine but then we must be sure it 's the proper and natural childe not a bastard that it is the true issue not suppositions 3. Whatsoever truth God may have indeed made known to us or if in our perswasion only we are to be very careful how we publish it This hath been constant fire in the Church of God when men either have or in perswasion only some doctrine different from the current way of the Church at that time Now it 's a very hard thing thus to be with childe as it were and not to be full of pain till we have delivered it to the world Why is an obstinate broacher of damnable doctrines called an heretitk but because he chooseth his own way He invents and excogitates a doctrine of his own therefore compared to theeves and robbers that go not in by the door but climbe up some other way Now such qualifications as these are necessary 1. To question and examine thy own spirit not presently to believe thy own heart This is a firebrand in the Church when men have no modest doubtings and questionings of their own ignorance and pronesse to erre even in that thing they are so confident of how modestly doth the Apostle Paul speak 1 Cor. 7. when he determined the case about marriage I think also I have the Spirit of God and he distinguisheth between that which he had as an expresse command from the Lord and what he was inwardly directed unto wheresoever the Spirit of God leadeth into all truth there he doth likewise into all humility Thus Luthers Tunè solus sapis es is famously known though the Papists charge him falsly with contempt of all others 2. Before we publish it to the world to communicate our thoughts to those that are able wise and learned in the Church of God who have the Spirit of God and his Vnction as well as we Paul though called immediately by Christ yet went up to Jerusalem to confer with the chief pillars there and though he was thus miraculously converted yet he must go to Ananias to be further directed 1 Cor. 14.14 those that had extraordinary gifts yet were to submit themselves to others The Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets which is interpreted two waies and both pertinently to my matter 1. If the meaning be The spirit of the Prophets is subject to other Prophets they have power to judge the doctrine we publish then it will much more follow that what we have in an ordinary way is exposed to the examen of others 2. If by it we understand it thus there is no Prophet having the Spirit of God moving in them that is so extraordinarily wrought upon but he may retain those motions and vent them in an orderly way not to speak while others are speaking which seemeth to be the scope of the Apostle in that place This is very pertinent to my matter that no man can have such revelations and impulses from Gods Spirit but that he is in a divine method and good order to declare them for the unseasonable publishing of some things is like good Physick but not administred in its fit season Lastly To keep up the unity of faith this is a special means when we do highly prize and delight in the known plain truths of Christ Paul that was snatched up in the third Heavens yet desired to know nothing but Christ crucified Peter thought it not inconvenient to write the same things they knew already Certainly nothing hath more rent and torn the Church of God then affectation of singular high things To bring in some unheard and unknown Truths Oh this is the pride of mens hearts to have it said Such a man was the first that brought that nation into the world as the Jesuite of his scientia media Ego primus inveni But to be weary of the known truth is in effect to be weary of the same God the same Christ Why do we not desire a new Sun a new Earth a new world as well In the second place What will keep up unity in the Churches order and prevent Schism there For although the Scripture use the word schism in a large sence yet Ecclesiastically it is restrained to the breach of order in the Church and that hath often been when they have kept the unity of the Doctrine They did not divide from the doctrine but communion in Church-ordinances Now to keep up an intire body in this Consider 1. That if such be the corruption of the Church that thou canst not keep fellowship with her but by partaking of her sins Then before thou leavest that place take the way the Scripture commands Be sure that it be not for some lesse corruption but that which doth eat up the very vitals of Religion Do not thou leave it till God leaveth it Do not thou unchurch it till God doth 2. Let thy endeavours be in thy place to inform and heal before thou dost depart Pleade and strive with thy mother as Hos 2. because she hath committed whoredomes And then Lastly Let thy secession be unwillingly Thou art compelled to make this departure because the Enemies of all godlinesse will not suffer thee or endure thee under their power These things observed then thou art not guilty of any schism or breach but those that gave the occasion to it When those of the people of Israel would not joyn with Jeroboam in his Idolatry but separated themselves and went to Jerusalem where the pure worship was They did not make a schism but Jeroboam 2 Chro. 11.13 14 15. Thus it is with the reformed Churches The Papist cals the Protestant a thousand times over a Schismatick because he withdraweth himself from Obedience to the Pope as Head of the Church but we say ours was not a schism but a secession They were Schismaticks in falling from the primitive order and institutions in the Church insomuch that the Pope is the grandest Schismatick that ever was in the Church and further we departed not from Rome because of petty corruptions no she was a Babylon ere we left her and then we left her unwillingly They drave us out persecuting with fire and fagot so
others but for a season onely The summe then of this speech amounts to this Christ therefore prayeth that believers may be united amongst themselves because hereby a wide door is opened for the progresse of the Gospel Hereby the world may be perswaded that Christ was the true Messias because he had brought such true peace amongst his Disciples From whence observe That Vnity amongst believers is a special means to enlarge the Kingdome of Christ There is no such obstruction to the Gospel and scandal to the world keeping it off from faith in Christ as to see those who professe Christ divided and subdivided into many Sects and opinions Is it not imbred in all to think that truth cannot be contrary to it self That Christ cannot be divided That the Spirit of God is the same Spirit and therefore men do very speciously conclude certainly these men are not of Christ have not his Spirit they are so contrary to one another No wonder therefore if Christ thus earnestly pray for believers unity as being the most effectual means to propagate and preserve the Gospel which made the Apostle Rom. 16.17 when he had spent the Chapter chiefly in saluting of the Saints an expression of dear love he doth in a most fervent manner break out thus I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences and avoid them We are in a special manner to take heed of such turbulent and dividing persons The Apostle gives this general character of all such They serve not Jesus Christ but their own lusts and ends But to open this Consider First That though our Saviour presse Vnity of believers as a sign of his Disciples and a means to winne others to the Faith yet Vnity simply as so is not an inseparable note of the true Church The Papists indeed they professedly maintain this That where we see a Church in it's members all united together and that under one visible Head and Pastour there we are to conclude is the true Church and on the contrary when we see divisions and multiplicities of Sects and Opinions as they say there are almost an hundred amongst the Protestants there cannot be any true Church And indeed they have no fairer way to intangle men and to fill the hearts of people with prejudices against the truth then because of the many opinions that are amongst us But to this we answer these things First Vnity as Vnity without true Doctrine cannot be any distinctive Note of a true Church A whole Church as that of Israel may be universally corrupted so that neither the Worship or Truths of God were in any visible way received and yet in this universall corruption they were all as one man Thus the Jewes and Turks they have wonderfull unity amongst themselves yet who will conclude the Truth is amongst them Although the Heathens had multiplicity of Gods and religious wayes yet the Jewes are at great consent in the main things amongst themselves It is necessary therefore that to Unity there must be joyned true and sound Doctrine In the second place We say There is no such cause for Papists to boast of Vnity amongst themselves For our Divines doe abundantly shew That these Philistims doe not onely fight against the Israelites but even one with another Their Swords are often set one against another witnesse the Jesuites and Dominicans and that in great controversal points so also between Thomists and Scotists Now to this Bellarmine hath these answers First That their differences are not in substantial things they are only in secondary points But First So we say The Protestants truly so called for we cannot tell how to call the Socinians Christians do agree in Fundamentals so that although there be great disputes in their circa fundamentalia yet the foundation it self they fall not upon Secondly We say They have dissented in Fundamentals for is not that a principle of Religion with them Whether the Pope be above the Councell And yet there have been hot differences amongst them in this point And therefore some have asserted The Pope may be deposed by the Councel and deputed for an Heretique Now certainly with them either the Pope or a Councell is the generall Head of the Church and it 's of the necessity of salvation to be in obedience to such an Head yet they cannot agree who that is In the next place Bellarmine hath this evasion If saith he our Church have any divisions they arise from the meer malice of the Devil not for want of a remedy to keep the unity for we have a visible Judge to determine all controversies whereas saith he among Protestants their differences do arise from the very Genius of their Doctrine because they hold no visible efficacious remedy to such contentions But to this also it s answered easily That all the differences amongst the people of God come from the Devil without and corruptions within The Devil is not wholly conquered nor are our corruptions altogether vanquished and therefore it cannot be but that breaches and wounds will sometimes be made Yet in the second place We have a more sure and efficacious remedy to compose all differences then they have for they indeed alledge the Pope or a Councell as a visible Judge to end all controversies but these being men are subject to ignorance and passions and so cannot perform the Office of an infallible visible Church because not sufficiently qualified thereunto Again They have not de facto silenced all those debates that are amongst them Some of the fore-mentioned Disputes are as fervent as ever Neither hath the Pope yet interposed to decide Whether those Doctrines about scientia media and absolute predefinitions with the dependent controversies thereon be true on the Dominicans side or their adversaries Therefore thirdly We hold The Scriptures to be the infallible and unerring Rule and therefore have a proper and sufficient means to end all controversies And although it be said That many differences arise about the sense of the Scripture therefore that cannot be a Judge but the Church We reply That many controversies also may arise about the Church the Authority of it and it's infallibility and therefore they who acknowledge the Scripture the only adequate Rule of faith do thereby confesse a powerfull remedy to remove all differences Further That Vnity is not de facto alwayes a note of the Church appeareth from the opposition of Satan against the peace and quietnesse of it And therefore as it is in matter of practice peace and quietnesse is not alwayes a signe of a good conscience for our Saviour saith The Devil keepeth all things quiet while he ruleth Luke 11.21 Thus it is also in respect of Churches many times a false superstitious Church hath more plenty and ease then a true one because the Devil will not disturb his own but where the Kingdome of Christ is there the Devil doth also desire to erect his Throne Thus when the good
seed was sowne the Devil superseminated his Tares In a wildernesse or a place of weeds he would not have been so diligent Therefore breaches and divisions because they are a kinde or part of afflictions and troubles may sooner accompany the true Church then outward unity and prosperity Lastly We grant That if the Church of God were fully perfected both in respect of knowledge and holinesse it would alwayes have unity As we see in Heaven where there is no difference at all but because we know in part we are godly in part therefore these breaches may be made upon us Discord then and division may be in an imperfect Church but not a perfect Therefore our Saviours prayer will have it's accomplishment only in Heaven Let us now proceed to shew Why unity is such an attractive and a divine loadstone to bring others unto the faith And First Because it 's ingraffed in a man to cleave to such a way of Religion as will abide and continue Have any Nations changed their god saith the Prophet Jeremy 2.11 You see the States-man argued on this ground that they should not oppose the Christians for if that Religion were of God it would stand Act. 5.39 Now this is a clear axiom confirmed also by our Saviour That no Kingdome divided against it self can stand Luk. 11.17 By that Argument our Saviour proveth he could not cast out Devils by the help of the Devils for then the Devil would overthrow his owne Kingdome Divisions then and differences must needs be a stumbling block for who will go into that house which hath it's chiefest parts falling from one another Who would venture in that ship which is full of leaks Do not all say let them alone they will destroy one another there needs no outward force to ruine them they will consume themselves at last Secondly Divisions must needs put a stop to the progresse of truth because God is acknowledged by all to be a God of peace and of order The Apostle useth this consideration to restrain those confusions and disorderly customs the Christians had in their publique Assemblies 1 Cor. 14. If then God be a God of peace and order how can any man think his truth and people are there where all disorder and confusion is It 's Babel and not Jerusalem that in the building thereof men were so confounded that they understood not the language of one another Jam. 3.16 Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Now every one is apt to argue certainly if this were the way of God if these were the people of God there would not be such confusion amongst them God that made this great world in such excellent order would much more make his Church his choicest plant more beautifull Thirdly Divisions do retard the Gospel Because men who have any wayes heard of the holy Ghost that he alone it is who leadeth into all truth will quickly conclude that this Spirit cannot be against it self And this is the more observable because every party doth pretend to the Spirit of God which is the cause of that command 1 John 3.1 To try the Spirits and not to believe every spirit that is Doctrine pretended to be of the Spirit if then all parties do plead Gods Spirit and it's teaching they are the more confirmed in their unbelief when they see contrary spirits of contrary doctrines and that with great zeal condemning each other Thus we have shewed you what a world of hurt divisions amongst the godly do insomuch that it is a wonderfull work of God that any are brought off from their former vain conversation when the spirit of division hath so sadly reigned amongst us Wonder not if conversion be so rare a thing if so few come in cordially to own Christ for sad offences are made by these differences and such as cause them do as much as in them lieth that never any more one soul may be brought into Heavens way In the next place Let us consider what are those proper sins that divisions amongst the godly are apt to breed in the world And The first is Atheism and irreligion to be perswaded that there is no such thing as a true Religion but that such things are the fancies and imaginations of men No doubt but thousands are confirmed in their atheistical way they will believe there is no God at all no Religion better then another for they see the world cannot agree about it 2. It breedeth stiffnesse and obstinacy in their former erroneous and superstitious wayes No doubt this keepeth multitudes hardened in their Popish wayes and many silly people they will keep to their old way and why because there are so many wayes and every one hath a Religion for himself therefore they will stay where they are they know not whither they may stumble at last They think to go out of their old wayes is to go out of their old wits likewise at the same time Lastly It 's apt to breed ficklenesse inconstancy and scepticism Are there not many called Seekers that think there is now no Church since the Apostles times and therefore are in their souls what Cain in his body vagabonds about the earth and whence is all this The bitter root of this was diversity of opinions which they entertain one after another which at last makes them quite without any bottom at all Vse of Instruction to every Christian again and again to take heed of causing divisions in the Church of God Be afraid by any opinion or practice to make an unnecessary rent for doest thou not as much as lieth in thee to hinder all others from coming to the Kingdom of Heaven Will not this be a sad aggravation when men damned in hell shall plead Lord I was coming even I was hopefully inclining to such things but this man and that man by his division stopt me he made me a proselyte to some pernicious way while I was going to Christ Had not such a man been in the way I had never been seduced Certainly if our Saviour pronounce such a woe to those by whom offences come how sore will it fall upon those who make these offences in the highest nature Vse 2. To take heed that these divisions prove not a snare to thee bewail dividing times but look they do not divide thee and God thee and truth but do thou 1. Walk humbly renouncing thy own strength for it 's God not thy self must preserve thee 2. Pray much for the Spirit of God to give thee that unction and senses exercised to discern between good and evil 3. Take heed of fomenting differences and making the wounds wider but with the good Samaritan bring oil not salt to the wounds Lastly Let this make thee long for Heaven where the strifes of brethren will then cease SERMON CXX A Consideration of Faith in its Generall Nature as Dogmaticall or Historicall carried out to Scripture-Truths because of Divine Authority
from the world to God yet that which is here primarily intended is the perfection and consummation of them in unity which though it will not be compleat till in heaven yet it is inchoate and begun in this life Obs That the Father and Christs being in believers is the cause of that perfect and consummate unity which they ought to have of themselves There could be no union in the body if the Head did not unite it All believers union doth first flow from Christ as their Head and Mediator Insomuch that whatsoever unity they may have which doth not first arise from this spring is humane and carnall To open this let us consider What is implied in their being made perfect in one And First Here is implied sincerity and uprightnesse That their unity be from a pure heart and unfeigned faith This is often the use of the word perfect as opposed to that which is false and counterfeit many are said to walk with a perfect heart because they did not walk with an heart and an heart by dissimulation so that it 's a perfection of essence and parts not of degrees and this indeed is greatly to be urged that as all the other things in the godly be sincere so their unity that they be joyned together from spiritual principles and by spiritual means It was the Heathens Position That amicitia could onely be inter bonos that whatsoever friendship was from bono utili or jacundo and not honesto it did not deserve the name of friendship Now how much more is this true in that unity amongst the godly which hath for it's cause and original Christ himself and for it's patern such an unity that the Father and Sonne have To be perfect then in unity is to have sincere hearts one towards another as the Apostle Rom. 12. Let love be without dissimulation Let there be no water to debase this wine let not this fair fruit be rotten at the core Secondly To be perfect in Vnity doth imply not onely sincerity but integrity of all those substantials and essentials wherein this onenesse doth consist You have heard that the Unity of believers doth empty it self into two great streams one of Faith in respect of Doctrine The other of Charity in respect of life and affections Therefore if any of these be wanting the Unity is dissolved if love be pretended but yet there is no divine truth this is conspiracy not unity and if faith be pretended but not love as yet we have no signe of the true Disciples of Christ Let then the Church of God look it hath these two pillars like Jachin and Boaz to bear it up All Unity without Truth is like a stately building upon sand and Truth without love is like a foundation without superstruction pray that the Spirit of God would lead into all truth for the former and would also work those sanctifying fruits of it love peace meekness c for the latter Thirdly The word perfect in one doth imply an increase and daily progresse in the way of Vnity For though the Church of Christ be his Body yet it 's a growing body it 's not come to it's full stature no not in this life There are further degrees to be attained Ephes 4.13 We are to grow to a perfect man in Christ Jesus and thus we reade of many called perfect as 1 Cor. 2.6 Heb. 5.14 not in an absolute sense but comparatively because they are carried on to further degrees of grace then others We are not then to think that any Church will have such perfect Unity in this life but that it may be more perfected In the best constituted Churches there are several imperfections there is much weakness many carnal affections which are apt to discompose the beautifull frame of the Church Fourthly It doth imply That they are perfected in those means which are appointed by God for this Vnity For seeing the means are wholly for the end the end can never be better enjoyned then formerly if the means be not better improved so that if the Church of God be perfected more in one it must more faithfully improve the means of unity and they are especially two 1. The preaching of the Word of God For as by that at first the Church is called out of the world so by that also it 's kept up in it's purity and unity The Word of God preached is the onely means appointed to remove ignorance and mortifie corruptions which are the rares that hinder the good seed As the envious man soweth these so the Spirit of Christ by the Word worketh the clean contrary Hence Ephes 4. the Ministry is appointed as a means to bring us to this perfect stature farre be it therefore from them to make divisions and rents in the Church of God whose great office and imployment is to proclaim peace The good shepherd will not suffer his sheep so to fight with one another as thereby to be destroyed 2. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper that is a special means to preserve Vnity yea and to perfect it The Apostle 1 Cor. 10. speaketh fully to this For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread So Eph. 4. one Baptisme is brought as an ingagement to unity Therefore the more graciously and perfectly these Ordinances are received the more is this unity confirmed and established and therefore those primitive Christians who had one soul and one heart were constant also in their breaking of bread whereby their mutual love was strongly preserved Bellarmine not unfitly speaks of a six-fold Unity in the Church The first is Ratione principii of God who calleth though as he saith this makes the Church not so much una as sub uno one as under one 2. Ratione ultimi finis the salvation to which it 's called and this makes the Church not so much one as ad unum 3. Ratione Mediorum in respect of the means of Faith and Sacraments and thus the Church is rather by one then one 4. In respect of the holy Ghost as a separated Governour 5. In respect of Christ as an internal and conjoyned Head 6. In respect of the connexion of the Members amongst themselves and in these two last respects it 's properly one Lastly This Vnity will be wholly perfected in Heaven Then will all partition walls be destroyed Then shall it no more be said I am of Paul and I am of Apollo but God will be all in all Therefore as this life is a place like Hadadrimmon a valley of tears bewailing corruptions and sinnes amongst us so also the divisions and breaches that are upon us But in Heaven all opinions all different wayes will cease So that although this unity for the main of it be attained in this life yet in the life to come there it will be totally compleated Thus it is here perfect because the endeavours and breathings of the godly should be
is overflowing superabounding grace only remember that here is not only priviledge but duty also Here lieth a powerfull obligation upon us to love him with our highest and chiefest love let his glory his love be next to thy heart Oh be ashamed that thy love can burn no hotter towards him In the next place we are to consider the scope and end of our Saviour in mentioning this preheminent priviledge and it is That the world may know this love It 's not enough for believers to be thus highly loved by the Father but the world is to know and to be perswaded of it From whence observe That it 's of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are loved of God It would quicken them to many duties and restrain them from many sins if this were once fully setled in their hearts that those whom they oppose and deride are the beloved ones of God It 's true it 's of great consequence even to the godly themselves to be fully informed in this they go bowed down and very much languish because they are not so perswaded of this Hence 1 John 3 1. The Apostle cals upon the godly to attend to it Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God So that under all the hatred and opposition of the world it 's necessary that this love of God should bear up thy soul though none loveth thee yet the Father doth Thus I say it 's necessary even for believers themselves to know how greatly they are beloved but here our Saviour speaks of the worlds knowledge and the necessity of their being informed therein Now the usefulness of the worlds conviction herein will appear in these respects 1. Hereby they may be provoked to come out of their wicked condition and be made one of that number which God so loveth For will not this work naturally and genuinely upon them when they shall think Loe these that pray that walk strictly and contrary to the principles of the world are those whom God loveth in a special manner they are his favourites his delight is upon them but as for me and the company I keep God is angry with us all the day long we are the men cursed by him for us he hath appointed hell and eternal torments When any natural man shall upon these convictions argue and reason with himself How can he abide any longer in that sinfull way Oh then that God would perswade thee more of this that those whom thou malignest against whom thy heart riseth are such on whom Gods gracious love is fixed and that it is thou thy self and such as thou art that the anger of God abideth on continually this would quickly make thee another man Therefore there is not a more deadly principle thou canst swallow down then to be prejudiced in thy spirit against such who truly fear God 2. A perswasion that such only are loved by God as it would make thee to be of their number so also it would draw out thy dearest and sincerest love to them Thou wouldst presently begin to think Why should not I love those most whom God loveth Certainly they are the choisest and best objects upon whom God is pleased to cast his gracious eye then as David said My delight is to be with the Saints upon the earth Psal 16.3 Thus also it would be here when once perswaded that such are the endeared ones of God then thy affections thy heart will be to such also 3. By this perswasion upon the heart of the world that they only are loved of God hereby the world will cease to hate and persecute them to give them such ill entertainment as they do When our Saviour possesseth his Disciples with that universal hatred they shall have in the world and that the world cannot do otherwise whence is all this but because they do not know Christ nor believers neither But as they took him for an Impostor and one not worthy to live so they do judge his members to be a company of heretiques not worthy to be suffered in the world and all this malice ariseth from their blinde hearts for did they know who they were as they oppose they dared not to proceed Even as the Scripture saith If they had known Christ they would not have crucified the prince of glory 1 Cor. 2.6 So that all thy hard words and thy hard actions they arise from this thou dost not know what the godly are how accepted with God and how precious to him for this consideration would immediately make thee draw in thy arm thou wouldst see it was a foolish thing to set against such whom God loveth that it is but kicking against the pricks It 's attempting an impossible thing if thou couldst get God not to love them then indeed it were something but as long as God thus loveth them all thy endeavours against them is as vain as Balacks was against Israel No inchantment or divination can prevail As it 's an impossible thing so also it 's dangerous for seeing they are to God as the apple of his eye and he hath given such a command even to Kings that they do not touch his anointed ones How can it be that God will let all the injuries and offences done against them so dearly beloved go free Therefore perswade thy self more of this love of God to them lest thou incurre Gods forest displeasure Again It 's not only dangerous but foolish also for the more the world sets against believers the greater their rage is the more is Gods love drawn out to them So that by thy hatred they do become glorious and are more esteemed by God and receive a greater crown of glory Thus if these things be duly considered we must needs say it 's of great consequence for the world to know that believers are so highly loved by God But in the next place It 's very difficult for the world to be thus perswaded For 1. There is naturally an enmity and antipathy of the wicked against the godly and where malice is they will never believe any good of those whom they hate Insomuch that though God doth with never such a signal love demonstrate himself to them yet they will never be perswaded such are loved of God for as they are affected so they judge of God himself and because they think them worthy of all hatred and evil they conclude God doth so also Thus this distempered palate judgeth every thing bitter it tasteth 2. The love of the Father to believers is chiefly in spiritual things such as Justification Sanctification Adoption Now these things are no more apprehended by the world then curious melody by a deaf ear The Apostle speaketh to this 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. admirably shewing That the Spirit of God revealeth these spiritual things to us and that without the Spirit we cannot know the things that are
on Earth she conflicts with desires after Christ hence are those vehement Petitions Come Lord Jesus come quickly The Spirit and Bride say Come Rev. 22.17 20. If then these desires be turned into actuall enjoyments and it 's no longer Come Lord Jesus but he is come then there must needs be all matter of joy and rejoycing he that drinketh of this living water in this life shall never thirst more Joh. 4. viz. with a total thirst So as to be weary of Christ and desire some other Object how much rather will this be true in Heaven Then it 's impossible to be weary to be desirous of something else besides God for there love is joyned to the Object as fully and as nearly as possibly it can be As Philosophers say the matter of the Heavens desireth no other form whereas in sublunary things it constantly doth and all because of the actuality and perfection of that form Thus it must be with the glorified Saints in Heaven They can never be glutted never complain as they did of Manna by the constant use of it but God is as richly as delightsomely enjoyed by every Saint in Heaven to all Eternity as at the very first entrance into Heaven But you will say May not I then desire Heaven as a place of happinesse Is it hypocrisie and insincerity to desire that state of glory Must it be Christ only there The Answer is That is in the principall and first place to be desired but yet secondarily Heaven as it is our happinesse and our glory may be fought after for which many Texts might be brought Vse of Exhortation To moderate all thy desires to this life and the Comforts therein What makes Death so grievous but to part with so dear a Husband so dear a Friend so sweet Children Oh remember Christ is above all and dearer then all So that if Faith were lively in representing Christ to us we should need even patience to live as you see it was with Paul we should finde it to be to our great losse to be enjoying Friends while we might enjoy Christ But on the contrary the wicked mans misery is to be trembled at for there Christ saith Father I will that where the devil and his Angels are to be tormented to all Eternity that those also be with them SERMON CXXXV Of an humbled Christians improving in his Prayers the sweet Appellation of Father JOH 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am ETernal glory we heard our Saviour prayed for all those that should believe in him which is expressed thus indefinitely To be with Christ where he is He doth not name the place because this is it which makes heaven to be heaven that we do enjoy Christ there From this we proceed to other things considerable As 1. The Compellation Father This our Saviour useth three times as being a name denoting the most intimate and sweet relation as also causing the greatest confidence why Christ cals God Father hath been discussed already against Socinian glosses he is not a Father to Christ in the same manner as he is to believers neither did Christ use this Title to subdue and overcome any unbelieving and doubting thoughts in him or to quicken up his confidence which otherwise might fail but hereby to demonstrate the near relation between them as also his dependance upon him So that from Christs example herein we may observe That it is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think on those attributes and relations in him which may excite and stir up holy confidence and boldness When we come unto God we are to draw nigh to him as our heavenly Father whose bowels do exceed all parents affections in the world if they were put together Therefore it is our Saviour in that rule of prayer directs to that title and compellation of a Father To open this Consider First That no wicked or unregenerate man is in a state or condition fit to pray or approach unto God upon these termes If God be thy Judge thy enemy and thy adversary then it is not for thee to call him Father As God expostulates in Mal. 1.7 If I be a Father where is mine honour It 's true there is a paternity by way of creation and thus God is the Father of all but we speak onely of that paternity which is by Adoption and the Covenant of Grace Let therefore every wicked and ungodly man conclude that while he abideth so he cannot pray acceptably he may not come to God as a Father It 's blasphemy for such prophane wretches to say to God Thou art my Father The Scripture tels us That such are of their Father the Devil See then if the Devil thy father will bless thee if he will make thee happy Oh that wicked men would but consider what a wofull condition it is to lie in that they cannot pray that they cannot call God Father Thou doest but blaspheme with thy tongue all the while what God the God of wicked and prophane enemies to him No he is a Judge and a consuming fire to all such Secondly It 's of great consequence and advantage for the humbled Christian in his prayer to improve this relation of a Father To such all the sweetness out of this honey-comb To improve this Meditation till it be like fire in his bowels For 1. To the tender heart humbled for sinne it is the greatest temptation that he conflicts with to be perswaded God is his Father Such are the discoveries and experiences of his own sins and infirmities that he concludeth though other may call God Father yet he cannot Is not this the great dispute in the breast of a godly man Whether God be his Father or no Doth he not argue against it from the several corruptions that are in his soul Oh how can this and this be in me if God be my Father As also from the many sad afflictions and exercises he meeteth with more then others If God were my Father would he thus break and bruise me more then many in the world making me the Butt against which all his arrows are delivered So that you see it 's necessary to compose the spirit against this temptation which doth so naturally breed in the heart of a tender Christian Insomuch that to call God Father cordially and upon sincere grounds is a great mercy 2. It 's necessary to be perswaded of and call God Father because Satans great temptation is against this if he overthrow this all is gone if once he can tempt thee to this that God is not thy Father What horrour and what confusion yea what an hell will not presently overwhelm thee You see the devil working with this engine upon Christ himself knowing this was to set the axe to the root of the tree If thou be the Son of God do thus he would have him put that to the trial and
received into his presence but it is for our good solely and certainly if the Queen of Sheba pronounced Solomons servants happy because they were alwaies in his presence how unspeakable shall the happinesse of all beleevers be who shall constantly behold and enjoy Christs glory But let us Consider more largely what was only hinted before viz. How much is comprehended in this expression of beholding Christs glory And first There is the immediate seeing and looking upon all that Majesty and Glory which God and Christ have This is often called by Divines Beatisical vision The sight of God which makes immediatly happy Now because God is an infinite and spirituall invisible Object It 's disputed whether we shall behold God by our bodily eyes That with our understanding which are the spiritual eyes of the Soul we shall behold him is acknowledged by all and clear by Scripture for then we shall see him face to face that is perfectly not as in this world And as for the beholding of God as a Spirit with our bodily eyes there are Divines that affirm it for although say they it be naturally impossible for a bodily eye to see a Spirit yet then God will in a wonderfull manner lift up the eye of the body above that which naturally it can do even as then God will make it a body without passion or heavinesse and as they say the torments in hell and the flames of fire there do by Gods power work upon the devils and the souls of men though spirits in hell But it may be a curiosity to determine this Therefore though it may be doubted whether our bodily eyes shall directly behold the glory and majesty of God yet consequentially we shall for we shall with our bodily eyes behold Christ in respect of his humane nature and body which he hath now in heaven so that the Glory which Christ as Mediatour hath in heaven is externally visible and to be beheld by the bodily eyes of a glorified Saint So that although God be a Light that no man can approach unto yet in and through Christ we may draw nigh unto this light Now this happinesse of the souls knowing and the bodies seeing of God and Christ in heaven must be unspeakable for there is an excellent consonancy and conveniency between the faculties and the objects how farre do men go to see objects of worldly glory It was Austins wish that he might have seen Rome in her temporal glory but what is all this to see Christ sitting on the right hand of God on the throne of glory 2. All our happinesse doth not lie in the meer beholding and seeing of God but in the enjoying of him as our happinesse and our good Therefore we are said to be Co-heirs with Christ and to be glorified with him yea in the Rev. 3.21 we are said to sit on the same Throne with Christ himself not but that Christ hath a prerogative in his glory and his glory is incommunicable yet in some proportion and according to our capacity we are made partakers of the same glory Therefore it 's necessary to take seeing for enjoying here and indeed it cannot be but that the immediate beholding of Christ should make men happy for he is an object filled with all sufficiency and perfection able to satiate and replenish the appetite of the soul even to the very utmost Oh therefore how easily should we mortifie our hearts as to earthly and worldly glory who would lose this heavenly glory to obtain that Let the devil shew thee all the glory of this world but know Christ in his word sheweth thee the glory of heaven and wilt thou fall down to worship the devil rather then Christ so that we do not only behold and see Christs glory without some enjoyments as Moses did see the Land of Canaan but was not admitted into it but we see the expression is Come thou faithfull Servant enter into thy Masters Joy Mat. 25.23 Not only behold it but enter into it Oh that our hearts were more affected in this 3. From the seeing and enioying of Christ there doth arise in the will infinite complacency joy and delight It 's disputed wherher happinesse be more in the acts of the understanding or the will and some conclude that it is principally in the will because that is an active appetite and predominant in a man Indeed the whole of a man Now in beholding of God the whole soul must needs be swallowed up for God is an object infinitely satisfying the knowledge and also replenishing the will so that nothing but God can satisfie the soul and this happinesse is the more encreased because God will then widen and enlarge the faculties of the soul that they shall be able to know more to love and delight more then they can do in this life Therefore our joy here is but a drop to this Ocean as we know but in part so we rejoyce and delight but in part Hence it is if God should communicate himself to us in this life as he will do in heaven we were not able to bear no more then the eye can endure the dazeling beams of the Sun it would be true that none can see God in this sence and live so that in heaven the souls of men will be enlarged to receive more of God then they can do in this life 4. From this joy and delight in beholding Christs glory their mouths will be filled with all praise and thanks-giving We reade of Angels and Saints continually praising of God in heaven so that whereas many duties will cease in heaven this of Thanks-giving will abide for ever there shall be no more the duties of humiliation and mourning the acts of patience and justifying faith will cease in heaven but the duty of praising and glorifying God will continue to all Eternity And no wonder if praise be our only work there for if upon some temporall Deliverance and particular eminent mercies the Church of God hath solemnly broken forth into all praises of him how much more in heaven when there is such an universall Deliverance from all Enemies that there will be no more tears or fears There will be no more matter of complaints either from within or without Oh then that blessed time which beleevers shall have in Heaven to all Eternity Nothing to do but with joy and gladnesse to sing forth the praises of God and that his Mercy endureth for ever Oh beloved how should this make the godly long for and desire that glory more Here they are in a Valley of Tears here they are sighing groaning exercised with one care one fear after another Thus we are groveling upon the ground while they in Heaven are full of joy and delight This should teach us to be weaned from these things 5. To the performing of all these things there is required a perfect Sanctification of all the parts and the faculties of the Soul as also a full
in Christ while the world did oppose and persecute them this did greatly commend their ftith In the words you may observe the Subiect and the Attribute The Subiect is the world This word is taken variously yea in this very Petition it 's used differently for sometimes it 's taken for the wicked perishing and damned world the reprobate world Thus he said I pray not for the world but those thou hast given me The world is there the immediate opposite to all Elected persons but sometimes it 's taken indefinitely or negatively as when he saith That the world may know thou hast sent me Now in this verse we must take the word world for the company of perishing and damned men because they are opposed to the whole kinde of saving believers In the next place you must know that though the word world be for the most part opposed to the Church or number of believers yet some may be externally in the Church yet really and indeed of the world such are all who though outwardly professing Christ and submitting to his orders are yet unregenerated and so in the state of gall and bitternesse These know not God in a saving manner though they have a barren speculative knowledge of him It may therefore fall out that many may be of the world taken indefinitely not as limited to the reprobates who yet in respect of Gods purpose shall in time become his in an effectuall manner And again many may be in the Church of God who yet in the issue will be of the perishing damned world Some that are wolvs for the present shall become sheep and some that are sheep for the present in appearance at the day of judgement will be discovered to be goats 2. You have the attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not known thee This is put for the present tense as among the Latines Novi is sometimes for it doth not only denote that this hath been the custome heretofore but that still for the present and for the future The world is full of blindenesse and darknesse and doth not comprehend the light There is the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added in the Original And the world hath hot known thee Some think that this addeth some affection and emphasis for either they expound it intensively for as much as etiam or adversatively for as much as quamvis although in both which sences the Hebrew particle Vau is used but it may be taken as a meer redundant particle which is very familiar to the Scripture-language and so it seemeth our Translators did take it who wholly omit it in the English The words thus explained observe That the world is ignorant in a saving manner of God Heaven is no more in hell then the true knowledge of God is in the heart of a wicked man In the pursuing of this I shall take the word world largely not only for that heathenish part of it who never heard of Christ but for that Christian part of it who though in the generall professe they know God yet in works do deny him and so the word shall be equipollent to every unregenerate man whether in the Church or out of the Church but because of this world there is two sorts as was hinted before One of those who though for the present have no saving knowledge of Christ yea do oppose it and rage at it as Paul for a while did and all converts once did serve divers pleasures and lusts And another of those who for a while give great and ready obedience to it but for want of a true root fall off wholly from God as Judas and many other Apostates I shall chiefly frame my discourse to the perishing wicked world though not excluding the other Bt before I go further you must take notice of what kinde of knowledge it is which we speake of and deny to the world It 's an effectuall saving knowledge for it 's plain the Heathens had some knowledge of God and unconverted Christians who will die and go to hell in their sins may have wonderful gifts and admirable knowledge with the utterance thereof in matters of religion yet have no saving knowledge So that knowledge doth not make happy unlesse it be practicall If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13 17. This premised let us proceed and 1. That the unregenerate world doth not or cannot know God may appear several waies 1. From the original pollution and pravity improved by actual wickednesse wdich is upon all till sanctified by grace Joh. 1.10 where though Christ be said to be the light of the world and the world was made by him yet it knew him not and Joh. 3.19 This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into it yet men love darknesse rather then light What a horrible and dreadful condition is this to love darknesse rather then light Hence 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lieth in wickednesse So that it 's no more wonder if the world do not know Christ then that the night is not the day that weeds are not precious flowers They are in darknesse and so cannot see and this reason doth not only prove the act they are not knowing of God but the defect of all power and ability they do not neither can they know God To which purpose the Apostle fully 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the spiritual things of God neither can he know them This removeth both the act and power Therefore at the 12. verse he cals it the spirit of the world which is opposed to the Spirit of God that only makes us know the things of God Oh then the sad condition of all unregenerate men this darknesse is not dreadfull to them they are as men that are asleep yea or blinde who have a visive faculty though actually they cannot see but as men dead in sinne yea this original pollution doth still carry the demonstration higher for it doth not only negatively or privatively remove both the act and power of the knowledge of God but doth positively incline to the hating and opposing of all knowledge both of God and Christ hence the world is said so often to hate the godly and to hate the light and the reasons given because its works are evil So that it 's but a little wickednesse comparatively in the world that it doth not know for it hateth all knowledge it rebelleth against all light and therefore the wisedom of the flesh is said to be enmity it self against God Rom. 8 7. Is it any wonder then to see wicked men carried out with bloudy malicious and irreconcilable hatred to the knowledge of God for it cannot be otherwise There is a spirit of contrariety of opposition and madness against God for if Gods truth and will be received then there corruptions and lusts can no longer stand The world cannot endure that the light of the word should make naked
all its idolatry impiety and that it is indeed wholly at the will of the devil And this suggests a 2d Demonstration that the world doth not know God because the devil is the immediate Prince of it He that is called the Prince of darknesse is likewise said to be the god of this world This is fully expressed 2 Cor. 2.4 where the god of this world is said to blinde the mindes of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them Therefore you have a notable description of the devils from the Soveraignty and power they have Eph 6.12 where they are called principalities and powers and rulers of the darknesse of this world how wofull then is the condition of the world of ungodly men who are thus made captive to the devils and are ensnared at their will That as they themselves are reserved in chains of darknesse so do they keep all their vassals they are chains of darknesse such as those who are in a dark dungeon and such as they cannot break neither have the wicked any desire to do it and therefore they never say to the devils chains as the ungodly do to Christs dominion Let us break his bonds asunder and cast his yoke away Psal 2. As long then as this strong one keeps the house for the whole world is his house no wonder if he make it like hell it self yea he makes the world by his ruling in it worse then hell in some sence for in hell he is tied up in some degree of torments but in the world he is let loose to infect and damn others though not without his torments 3. The world must needs be without all saving knowledge of God from the defect or absence of those causes which do alone cause saving knowledge So that as the world at first when it was a confused Chaos without form and void could not make a glorious light to appear upon it but that was Gods work whom the Apostle doth therefore describe as him that worketh darknesse out of light 2 Cor. 4 6. alluding to the work of grace which is now upon the world So neither is the world wallowing in its filth and thick darkness able to create the least light of saving knowledge but must for ever perish if God vouchsafe not his grace Now these causes are wanting which necessarily infer ignorance in the world Even as the absence of the Sun makes night 1. There is not the external Revelation and propounding of the doctrine to be believed unless God in much mercy send it Hence you may see that once in Judea only was the true knowledge of God and the whole world besides groped in more then Egyptian darkness and now though God hath commanded this light to shine over the whole world So that it is not limited to any one Nation yet a great part of the world still is heathenish So that they are darkned and become foolish in all their imaginations The denying of the Gospel is a greater misery then if the Sun should be denied to shine to such a people Now it 's God only that makes this light to shine in one place leaving the other in its darkness Even the Pelagians of old did acknowledge this grace of God necessary viz. a revelation and proposition of the object 2. Besides this external light the world wants that internal light of illumination without which the Gospel though never so gloriously preached is but like the Sun shining at noon day to a blinde man for this is made the work of Gods Spirit only Joh. 16.8 to reprove the world of sin and of righteousnesse Till the Spirit of God doth illuminate in both these the world doth not understand the horrible guilt and aggravation of sin the damnable estate and condition it is in thereby Neither doth it know what is that righteousnesse which only can justifie and where it is to be had so that the world even the wisest and most learned thereof are but like so many blinde moles digging constantly in the earth Neither affected with their disease or with the remedy till Gods Spirit doth wonderfully convince them and this is evidently seen in the Christian world For doth not the glorious light of the Gospel compasse men about yet they are like owles the blinder because of this light Insomuch that such blindenesse of minde is not amongst heathens as amongst impenitent and hardened Christians for besides the natural blindeness which they have common with heathens there is a judicial blindenesse that God smiteth them with for unfruitfullnesse and contempt of the Gospel Thus they are twice blinde as some are said to be twice dead Is it not matter of astonishment that a people living many years under constant and powerful preaching should yet he as brute beasts and understand nothing of their misery and the remedy Surely all this is because that judgement is come upon Israel even blindeness of minde and a veil upon their hearts 3. The world knoweth not God because it hath not that ultimate and compleat cause of all saving knowledge which is the spirit of regeneration and the work of a new creature upon their souls for till God give this heart of flesh and remove an heart of stone all the illumination and strongest convictions which men have upon them is not enough to make them know as they ought to know The Apostle Tit. 1.1 speaks of an acknowledgement of truth after godlines now that is only when a mans heart is mollified as well as his minde is enlightned It 's true the Scripture speaks of some 2 Pet. 2.20 who by the knowledge of God did escape the pollutions of the world but that was only in respect of external conversation for they were in their natures Swine still and not sheep It cannot then be that the world should know God and Christ as long as there is that corrupt enmity and spirit of rebellion and contrariety in it to what is holy Christ told Peter that it was not flesh and bloud which had revealed Mat 16.17 that glorious Confession of faith unto him If then the world be thus without the spirit of God enlightening and converting how then can it in any saving way acknowledge God Vse of Instruction Concerning the terrible condition of the perishing world whether within or without the Church yea it is most terrible to those who are the world really but the Church nominally You are shut out from the face of God and Christ You are without hope in the world Oh your greatnesse your pleasures will not avail to keep you from destruction This is Eternall life to know God and Jesus Christ This then is eternal death not to know him 2. That no knowledge of God or Christ which is not practical and saving deserveth the name of Christian knowledge The world though both by nature and supernatural revelation may know much of God yet because lying and living in
glory More properties of this glory II. The second part of the Point is that this glory is to be earnestly praied for For 1. Without seeking God will not bestow it 2. Thereby our desires after it will be more enflamed 3. III. The third part of the doctrine That this glory praied for will be a cordial against all affliction Because 1. It 's an universal Medicine 2. It 's the most sutable mercy to a gracioas heart 3. Because of the insufficiency of all other things to satisfie the heart 4. Because the way to heaven is full of briars and thorns 5. It exceeds all earthly glory 1. Earthly glory is but a puffe 2. It will not avail us at death Vse Observ That Christ had the glory he praied for with the Father before the world was That Christ had an eternal being Vse Quest Whence is it that any deny Christ to be the eternal God Answ What sins doe chiefly provoke God to give men up to strong delusions 1. Pride 2. Unfruitfulness 3 Neglect of the godly learnâ—d Ministry Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Observ That the world was not from Eternity Proved from Scripture 2. From Reason Observ That God is only and properly known by the godly Some knowledge of God may be had several waies Of true saving knowledge peculiar to the godly Though many have some kinde of knowledge of God yet the godly only do truly know him Vse Observ Why the Ministers end in Preaching should be to bring his people to the saving knowledge of God From the necessity of it Because of the nature and properties of it The several significations of the word world in Scripture Doct. That the people of God are called out of the world Demonstrations of the Point They have not the Spirit of the world The Spirit of the world what They walk not after the rudiments of the world He lives not as others do Reasons How many waies a people may be said to be Gods Doct. That the godly are Gods people in a peculiar manner Consider How many waies or upon how many Titles those that are godly are the Lords Doct. I. 1. 2. The word of his Commandements 3. The Word threatning 4. The word of Consolation II. Because it is Gods Word III. And receive it with the whole heart IV. And make it a Rule for their lives V. They that keep Gods Word have a high esteem of it 1. For the spiritual effects of it 2. Because it 's so necessary 3. And so usefull 4. The Preciousnesse and dignity of it VI. They keep the Word who persevere in it notwithstanding all temptations Doct. It 's not enough for Gods people to have grace but they must thrive and grow in it How many waies the graces of Gods people are to grow thrive I. In respect of degrees and measure II. Depth and rooting III. In the extension and kinde of all graces IV. In the means and Instruments of their graces V. By exciting others to grow VI. In solidity and fortitude Grounds and motives Vse Doct. It 's our duty to know and beleeve in Christ as the only Mediator sent by God I. What Christ had or was as Mediator was for us I. His Incarnation 2. All that he did His Miracles Obedience to the Law His sufferings The benefits of his Mediation II Christ Mediaâ—iâ—â— for us is of God the Father III. It 's the duty of all Gods people to beleeve this fulnesse in Christ for them The ingredients or concomitants of Faith 1. 2. A relying and resting of the soul upon Christs fulness 3. There is a full satisfaction of the soul in this beleeving 4. A receiving of what Christ hath 5. A holy boldnesse at the Throne of grace 6. Large and vast thoughts of Christ 8. Faith purifieth and makes holy Why it is the duty of Gods people thus to know and beleeve on Christ Vse Doct. That only is proper obedience that hath the Word of God requiring it The grounds of this are I. From the Soveraignty of God· II. Gods promise is annext only to Gods command III. Because of the pollution that is upon mans understanding IV. From the fulnesse of the Scripture V. Else obedient persons could never bear up their hearts against the discouragements they meet with in Gods work Vse Obs That it 's the property of godly men to have respect to Gods Word Proposition to clear the Point How far godly men may sail Doct. It 's a sure character of Gods people to be a willing people I. The dulnesse in Gods people is not reigning but resisted and prai'd against Reasons 1. The sense of guilt and misery 2. The sense of Gods mercy 3. The divine nature they are partakers of 4. Because they were so willing heretofore to sin 5. Because they know none but willing service is accepted 6. Because of their great reward 7. Because of the joy and comfort that attends Obedience Vse Vse 2. Obs The Ministers of the Gospel are to preach Gods Word 1. It 's their duty 2. Their greatest honour 3. It 's his comfort and safety 4. Most useful and profitable Doct. Faith in Christ as Mediatour is acceptable to God Why Gods Children are so hardly brought to beleeve Why prophane men think it so easie to beleeve in Christ Why beleeving in Christ is so acceptable to God 1. Faith in Christ the Mediatour the main scope of the Scripture 2. The work of the Spirit in the Ministry is to convince of sin 3. It s the end of the Law 4. It 's the essence and marrow of the Gospel 5. The devil in all ages hath laboured to obscure this Doctrine Vse· Quest Answ Directions shewing how a man may come to prize this doctrine Vse An Invitation of the greatest sinners to come to Christ Doct. It 's very hopeful and encouraging to pray for those that discover signs of grace in them Consider these particulars I. It 's not our duty only to pray for our selves but for others also Quest Whether it be lawful to pray for any man in particular Answ II. Yet we may not pray for Reprobates as such A twofold faith in praier III Whether we may pray in faith for others as for our selves Then our prayers are liklier of a powerful effect when we pray for the godly Of praying for ungodly men Motives there unto Doct. All Gods people are under Christs Mediatory Praier Concerning which consider The Children of God are of two sorts The Priesthood of Christ exceeds the Priesthood of the Law The aggravations of Christs praier The several acceptations of the word World World how to be taken in this place Doct. Christs Mediatory Praier and his Death is only for the Elect. Considerations to clear the Point I. There is a necessary connexion between Christs Intercession and his death II. Though Christ in his praier and death had a special regard to some of mankinde yet no man that is damned can blame any but himself III.