leave the business as it were in medio in suspence they pass to other thoughts and do not fully satisfie themselves in this particular whereas a man should never rest while there is any cloud upon his faith any scruple in his conscience Ah my Beloved will you be slight in such a matter as this is of such infinite concernment whether the God which you have chosen be the right or no How can you but be slight accordingly in all the duties of his service And therefore do not give it over till you be resolved Think with your selves I must determine either on or off either one way or the other And if you be necessitated to resolve our God will carry it from all the rest They that have taken other gods have taken them upon trust they have received them from the custom of the places in which they have been born and bred And most that worship our God take him but in such a way as this is But if you sift the business well you will find cause to stick to him whom you have chosen The more you prove him and examine him the better you will like him And therefore I beseech you do not halt in this business but come to some determination and decision Do as Elijah counsels Israel Be no longer unresolved If Baal be God then follow him but if the Lord be God then follow him Rest not in opinion here but sift it to the full Bring your selves to this disjunction If any other god be true why then there is no other way but I must worship him and serve him But if our God be the right then I must stick close to him If you be at this hand that you will absolutely satisfie your selves before you leave before you give the business over as this you are bound to do you will not leave it any longer in suspence nor suffer any doubtfull thoughts within you unexamined for then they will return again on all occasions you will find that this will strengthen faith exceedingly in this particular Our God will certainly be gainer and have very great advantage by coming on the test with any other Fourthly and lastly set all the Grace and all the strength you have on work in prayer that God himself would satisfie you fully and confirm your faith in this particular That he would leave no doubt within you concerning such a principle as this is which is the very Basis of Religion the foundation that supports the Fabrick of it and beareth up the weight of all the building A man will never come to God by faith or by repentance or obedience unless he first believe that God is Heb. 11.6 And therefore struggle with the Lord about it if faith begin to waver or to fail in any measure say as the Disciples did O Lord encrease our faith Lord strengthen us Lord do not suffer us to shake in this fundamental truth for this doth shake all with it A man may get a common an acquired faith by arguments and reasons and the like it may be brought into a man by custom but that will never satisfie a man compleatly constantly unless he have infused faith and that is the immediate gift of God himself If he will shew himself to any man then he shall see and know and be assured that he is the true God But if he will hide himself he can but only grope after him Use 2 Is it so that our God is the true God and are you satisfied of this do you know him to be so then serve and glorifie him as the true God Let him have that worship and that honour and obedience which the soveraignty of a God calls for If he be not the true God then take your liberty and walk according to your own lusts and according to your own pleasures abridge your selves of nothing to which the byass of your nature carries you take no pains in holy duties hear no more pray no more But if he be indeed the true God and you dare not to deny it then live and walk as if you did believe him to be so Stifle not these principles which you cannot contradict nor lay aside Take heed of doing as the Gentiles did Rom. 1.19 c. they liked not to retain God in their knowledge they had him there but they liked not to retain him because he was a trouble to them fain they would put him out again The apprehension of a God called upon them for some duty and was a curb and a restraint from some evils And therefore they were weary of such thoughts as these and sought to chase them from their meditations To say truth they did not like them and therefore would be rid of them They knew God that they were not able to avoid but yet they glorified him not as God And truly this is just the case of many Christians They do not serve they do not glorifie and worship God according to their knowledge of him They walk not answerably to their principles and to their light in this particular They yield him to be God and yet they do not trust in him they do not live to him they do not love they do not fear him and the like They live without God in the world and they do just as they would do if there were no God at all Now I beseech you my Beloved do but consider the extream danger of such a course as this is It is the ready way to be delivered up to strong delusions and to vile affections as you may see those Gentiles were in the very same case Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God therefore God gave them up to strong delusions in their intellectuall parts that they were vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkened to vile affections in their sensual part that they committed all uncleanness and burned in their filthy lusts their hearts were like an Oven heated by the Baker they were set on fire of hell And hath it not been thus with many men in our daies they know God in a speculative and discoursive way at least they were convinced that he was the true God but they lived not according to their principles in this respect they abated of their strictness and devotion neglected duties which they had been wont exactly to perform forsook the Ordinances and the Worship of the Lord despised the Word of God glorified him not as God took carnal liberty against their knowledge and against their conscience And now how vain are they become in their imaginations how foolish in their fancies and opinions and conceits How hath God sent on many of them strong delusions to believe lyes that they might all be damned that believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness They knew the truth but they had pleasure in unrighteousness They took delight in some unrighteous way or other some secret way of wickedness or
ought not to condemn and censure him again If he chide us we ought not to chide him again But if he love us we may we must love him again Yea he expecteth that we should return him love for love for he loves to be beloved Is it the will of Jesus Christ that true believers should be one in God Vse in the Father and the Son by sweet agreement and consent Then I beseech you my Beloved comply with Jesus Christ in this particular As God and Jesus Christ agree in every thing so do you agree with them Bring your mind to the mind of God and to the will of God that you may be of one mind and one will Have you no judgement of your own as different from Gods but judge of things as God doth Let his wisdom be your wisdom his reason your reason and his determination your determination Have you no wills of your own my Brethren but let the will of God be your will let it rule and order you Let your will be so melted and resolved into the will of God that as far as it is possible God and you may have but one will That he may never cross you and you may never cross him Consent to him in every thing if he say any thing true Lord if he do any thing good Lord Yea though it be against you in your ends and in your natural desires yet say as Hezekiah to the Prophet when he received a heavy threatning Good is the word of the Lord which he hath spoken Take heed there be no difference between God and you in any thing let not him say one thing and you another will one thing and you another But say you as God says and will you as God wills that so you may be swallowed up in God and that you may be one in him And to this end I propound three things 1. If God and you agree not every way in all respects you are out and not he And therefore it is best in all things to conform your minds and wills to his His mind and his will is always right and yours if they dissent are always crooked and oblique and therefore it is best to bring your mindes and wills to his and not to think to bring his to your own The Malon when he tries the wall that he hath builded by his rule and findes them not to suit together he doth not go and cut the rule and bring it to the wall but he goes and mends the wall till he have brought it to the rule So if your minds and wills do not agree with God's the fault is not in his but yours and therefore you must bend your minds and wills till you have brought them straight like his and not endeavour to make his crooked like your own 2. If God and you agree not every way as you are irregular so you are undutiful You are his servants and you are his creatures and therefore ought in all things to be ruled by him The Masters will must be the servants will in lawful things and therefore in the Civil Law the servant is accounted in the Master and not as a distinct person And much more the Creators will must be the creatures will He gives it being both the beginning and continuance of it and he that gives being may give Law to regulate the motions and the operations of the being that he gives and may not be contested with in any particular 3. If we agree not all in God our agreement and accord among our selves is worth nothing So far it is to be approved as it doth unite in God Then it is good and right indeed when as the Father and the Son agree together so we agree with both of them in the very same things If we be of one mind and heart in things wherein the Father and the Son are not of one mind with us it were better we did differ then unite for we unite not in a right center But if as we be one among our selves so we be one in the Father and the Son this is indeed a blessed union If Brethren so dwell together in unity that all of them do dwell together in this one God this is a happy and a heavenly conjunction And therefore I beseech you my Beloved let us look to this that as we all agree so we all agree in God and Jesus Christ Let us examin still whether our consent in any thing do meet and unite with theirs Let us see what their mind and will is and let us all accord in that together For though we be not one against another if God be against us all it is a very sad case The Apostle John makes mention of love in the truth 2 Joh. 15. Love in error is not to be accounted of but to be avoided rather but love in truth is very pretious consent in error is not to be rejoyced in but consent in truth my Brethren is a comfortable thing For this is consent in God who is so often called Truth in Scripture And if we so agree and so consent we may depend upon it we have Gods agreement and consent with us and therefore let this be our great care that Jesus Christ may have his will in this business according to his prayer in my Text That they may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us JOHN 17.21 That the world may believe that thou hast sent me VVE are upon the matter of our Saviours Prayer for them who should believe in him by his Apostles word And there are two main things as I have noted formerly that he desires in their behalf First that they might be all one Then that they might be all in one place The first of these requests of his he propounds and prosecutes propounds it in the verse which we have even now insisted on That they all may be one c. And then he prosecutes it with divers arguments and reasons in this and the succeeding verses Whereof the first is taken from the furtherance that this neer unity of theirs would be to the acceptance of our Saviour in the world That the world may believe that thou hast sent me That they may all be one as c. Why so That the world may believe c. For Explication of the terms the difficulty lies especially in this viz. what sort of people our Saviour Christ intendeth by the world here For to say truth the world is taken divers ways I think more differently then any other phrase almost in Scripture Sometimes we find it used for elect and sanctified and sometimes for reprobate and unsanctified persons Sometimes we find it taken for believers and sometimes for unbelievers as I could give you instances of both these And when for unbelievers sometimes for those who believe not for the present but shall believe in after times sometimes for those who
p. 208. 3. Some believe not the threatnings Marks They that believe the threatnings quake and tremble at them 2. Take some course to avert them 4. Some believe not the promises 1. The sad and fearful 2. They that are troubled with doubts cares distractions 3. The wavering and inconstant 4. They that will suffer nothing for it Cautions 1. You are not to believe all that is presented under the title of Gods Word 2. It 's no sign of Infidelity to move questions 3. Nor to have some doubtful thoughts concerning clear truth p. 212. 3. Exam. Have we kept the Word in our affections by loving it p. 213. Marks 1. Lovers of the Word desire on all occasions to converse with it 2. Hear as often as they may 3. Exercise themselves in the reading and meditation of it 4. Endeavour to be inwardly acquainted with it 5. Will not easily quarrel with and disobey it 6. Will hardly part with it p. 216. 4. Motives to love the Word As being 1. the means of conversion 2. A light of direction 3. A Teacher to inform you 4. Means to confirm you 5. To comfort 6. To save you p. 218. 5. You must keep the word by obeying it 1. Not by partial but by a total obedience p. 220. 2. With a cordial obedience 3. Constantly to the end Directions 1. Pray God to teach you 2. Find out and mortifie the lusts that hinder you p. 223. 5. Doctr. To entertain the Word as we ought we must know for certain that it is the Word of God p. 224. Reason 1. Then we shall receive it with holy fear 2. That we may give it full credit and belief 3. That we may yield full resignation and submission 4. That we may allow it absolute and universal obedience 1. Vse See the cause of mens slighting and disobeying the Word p. 229. 2. Vse Learn how to entertain the Word aright viz. By believing that it is Gods Scriptures proved to be the Word of God 1. By the evident accomplishment of promises 2. By the joynt testimony of the Church 3. By consent of the Writers 4. By the effectual and mighty working of it on mens hearts and souls 5. By the blood of many Martyrs sealing it with their lives p. 231. 2. The Spirit of God assures us that the Scripture is Gods Word 1. By removing impediments 2. By giving grace fitting us to receive Ver. 7 Doctr. Christ hath approved himself a faithful Prophet and Messenger to his Church p. 234. Confirm 1. As having added nothing to his message 2. That he hath taken nothing from it How Christ did and did not tell them all p. 236. 1. Vse Diligently observe and hear this Prophet 2. Trust him 3. Try other Prophets p. 237. 4. Vse Not a word of his must be nelected or slighted 5. Seek no further for direction in matters of Salvation p. 239. 6. Let Ministers learn to be so faithful 1. Adding nothing as doth 1. the superstitious 2. Sceptick 3. vain-glorious Teacher p. 241. 2. Not mincing or diminishing the Word 1. Otherwise they are guilty of the blood of souls 2. Diminish their own mercy 3. Expose themselves to the ignominy and contempt of men 4. To the injuries of men Q Why ungodly men have prevailed p. 243. Ver. 8 2. Doctr. The faithfulness of Gods Messenger availeth much to commend him and his message to the people p. 244. Vse Hence so many Ministers slighted because unfaithful 2. A Minister shews himself faithful 1. In the right delivery of his message 2. To a right end Not satisfying their own passions nor aiming at their own respects 3. In a passive way 3. Doctr. The good reception of the message depends upon the peoples good opinion of the Messenger p. 247. Vse Do not rashly judge of Gods Messengers You may judge of him 1. by his entrance 2 By his ability 3. By his readiness to love Ver. 9 1. Doctr. Christ intercedes for none but his own people p. 250. Reas He is a Priest and Mediator only for them 1. Vse Christ died not for all without limitation 2. Vse The sad condition of those without the Church 3. Vse Happiness of those that belong to Christ Having union with him that is so near to God 2. Son near to you 3. That can never dye p. 253. This gives us boldness in address 2. Supports us in the sense of our imperfections 3. Assures the success of our Petitions 4. Keeps from despair under sin 2. Doctr. That all Christs people belong to God the Father Confirm As being more his by being Christs 1. For he hath none to share with him but Christ 2. His title to them being strengthned and enlarged 3. By unity 1. Vse Therefore Christs people excellent and precious 2. Walk worthy of such a relation For 1. your sins dishonour him more 2. They are sharply and sooner chastised for their sins p. 257. 2. Vse The Saints comfort 1. They shall be the more surely heard 2. God doth more dearly love them 3. God will tender their wrong either 1. Defending Or 2. Avenging them 4. God will provide for them 5. He will not lose them p. 257. Ver. 10 1. Doctr. Christ is glorified in all that belong to him Confirm For the present life he is glorified in their Grace p. 261. future he is glorified in their Glory p. 261. 1. Vse They who live to Christs dishonour are none of his 2. It should quicken and stir us up to labour 1. For grace and holiness here 2. After glory hereafter p. 263. How Christ absent from the Father p. 265. 2. Doctr. Christ as Man is gone out of this world to the immediate presence of his Father p. 266. Reas 1. That his humiliation might be recompensed with honour 2. Because he hath no more to do here 3. Hath much to do there 1. He was to triumph there over his enemies and ours 2. That he might send down his Spirit to his people 3. Intercede for them 4. To prepare a place and make heaven ready for us 5. Christ is gone that he may now virtually draw us after him 1. Vse Expect him not here till he return from heaven 2. Make much of his spiritual presence among us Therefore 1. take heed of grieving his Spirit Either by unkinde slighting or stubborn resistance 2. Take singular and mighty comfort in his Spirit 3. Receive and entertain the graces of this Spirit p. 271. 3. Vse Follow Christ in our spirits As 1. by our thoughts and meditations 2. By our affections 3. By our desires and anhelations of the Spirit p. 273. 3. Doct. The world alwayes an uncomfortable place to Christs Disciples p. 274. 1. Here they are continually exposed to many tryals and troubles 2. Vexed with the sins of others but chiefly their own 3. Banished from Christ p 273. 1. Vse Look not for joy and quietness from the world but provide for evil 2. Think it not strange 3. Love not the world nor to continue
to another So his Disciples p. 383. 1. Vse Exam. 1. Strangers to this world are not conformable thereunto 2. Love those of the other world 3. Have another language 2. Vse No wonder that they are made a gazing stock 3. Vse Live like heavenly Citizens 4. Vse Regard not this world nor vanities thereof p. 386 5. Vse Do not desire or phansie long continuance here 6. Vse Why should we be unwilling to part from hence p. 387. 2 Doct. The Word of God is the ordinary means of Sanctification Explicat 1. The work is begun 1. Preparatively by the Law 2. Really by the Gospel p. 389. 2. So it is carryed on 1. Vse Let Ministers be instant and diligent in preaching 1. Though the fruit of their endeavours be not always manifest 2. Though they want success they must labour still 3. So they shall not want recompence 4. The Elect are thereby brought to heaven 391. 2. Vse Let people be perswaded to hear the Word 3. Vse People thrive not in grace because they wait not on this Ordinance 4. Attend upon the Word 5. Vse That ye may profit by the Word Remove 1. Pride 2. Unbelief 3. Strong Passion 4. Prejudice against the Teacher 5. Labour to digest it 6. Use earnest prayer Ver. 17 Doct. The Word of God especially the Gospel is the Truth 1. The Word of God is all Truth 2. The Gospel is the Truth p. 396. Gospel-Truth the most excellent 1. Christ being the most precious subject thereof 2. The most delightful Subject 2. For the maner of revelation most perspicuous 3 For the confirmation 4. For the operation 1. Works grace 2. Infuseth life p. 398. 1. Vse The whole Word to be believed 2. Vse Let us give it the preferment 1. In our Inquisition 2. In our Acceptation p. 401. 3. Vse The gospel-Gospel-truth must be accordingly maintained 1. By our Arguments and Reasons 2. By our sufferings 3. Must be obeyed The disobedient reproved Ver. 18 Doct. The Apostles and Ministers of Christ are sent by him Cant. Not only by him But 1. By the Father and Holy Spirit 2. By the Church p. 407 1. Vse They blamed who take this honour upon themselves 2. Vse Therefore the Pastors power but ministerial 3. They must deliver his message p. 410. for his Ends. p. 410. 4. Vse Let the Church prove those that pretend to the Ministery Whether furnished with competent Ability 1. Of Knowledge 2. Of Utterance 3. Whether furnished with propensity and readiness to use their gift 4. Whether qualified with Sincerity p. 412. 5. Vse Entertain his Ministers 1. With double honour 2. Give them audience 6. Vse Bear with their plainess and sharpness of Reproof p. 413. 2. Doct. Ministers Commission not restrained to any Nation or Countrey Reas 1. His Kingdom to be erected 2. Churches to be planted over all the world p. 416. 1. Vse Ministers justified in their propagating the Church in America Promote it with our Prayers 2. Vse Matter of joy and thanksgiving p. 423. 3. Doct. The resemblance of Christs Mission with that of the Apostles The similitude and dissimilitude of their sending In regard of 1. their Authority and Power 2. In regard of Qualification 3. In relation to the Message 4. To the end for which they were sent p. 426. Ver. 19 1. Doct. Christ did willingly set himself a part to be an Offering and a Sacrifice to the Father Reason There was no power able to overcome him p. 432. 1. Vse As the greater was his love so should be our praise 2. Let us learn as willingly to offer up our selves and all we have p. 433. 2. Doct. Christ did offer himself for our Sanctification Reason His Design being not only to preserve and justifie but to save us too and glorifie himself in us 1. Vse Abuse not this grace 2. Be stirred up to strive after holiness 3. A terror to ungratious wretches 3. Doct. Christs Intercession extended to those that shall believe Vse This should encourage us to pray for the unconverted p. 438. 4. Doct. Christ the object of true believers faith Expl. How the Word 2. God 3. Heaven and Salvation the objects of faith p. 440. 1. Vse Be not satisfied with a general assent unto the Word 1. Endeavour to know Christ aright 2. Believe that Christ is such a one 3. Embrace this truth in the heart 2. Vse Hence appears the imperfection of inherent righteousness 3. The perfection of imputed righteousness and Justification 4. Relie on Christs for salvation p. 442 Ver. 20 Doct. The Gospel the instrumental means of faith Expl. The Law prepareth not worketh faith 1. Vse The sad condition of those that want the Gospel 2. Vse Revelations and new discoveries no ground of faith 3. Let unbelievers duly hear the Gospel p. 445. 2. Doct. It is the will of Christ that his Disciples should be one among themselves and one in God Though distant they are one 1. As having one Spirit 2 One faith 3. One heart and affection God and Christ are one 1. By Hypostatical union 2. By dear affection 3. By unexpressible agreement and consent So the Disciples are one in both 1. By mystical union c. 1. Vse Know the glorious priviledge of Christs Disciples It implying 1. Intimate Communion with God 2. Special interest in him 3. It imports great acquaintance with them both 1. They know God more immediately then others do 2. More distinctly p. 452. 3. That they have more easie and familiar access to him 4. More immediate injoyment of all comforts and content 5. The best safety 2. Vse Admire Gods goodness pleased so highly to advance and honour us 3. Vse Walk worthy of such an honour For 1. This aggravates sin committed in him 2. Makes it specially observed by him 3. To be more severely chastised p. 457. 3. Vse Let true believers use this their interest in all exigencies and strâ—ights 4. Let those without God not molest and hurt believers p. 58. 5. Vse Let true believers be knit to God and Christ in love Direct 1. Pray earnestly for it 2. Increase your knowledge of God 3. Have daily more Communion with him 4. Put away the love of worldly things 5. Frequent the company of those that love God 6. Vse Agree with God and Christ in all respects every way Else you are 1. Irregular 2. Undutiful 3. Agreement among our selves is nothing worth Ver. 21 World what it signifies Doct. Unity of Christs Disciples makes the world have better thoughts of their Master p. 466. Vse Divisions of the Church make Christ the Gospel and Religion to be undervalued and little set by Ver. 22 1. Doct. Christ communicates his glory to true believers 1. His Titles 2. Sitting at the right hand 3. Authority and power 4. His three Offices 5. Gifts p. 473. Ver. 23 Christ in believers and God in him for the union of all Doct. This is the perfection of believers union p. 477. Vse The defective union of worldly men 2. Doct.
could not be the least addition to him any way The meaning is that he had manifested and declared him to be glorious that he had shewed him in his glory to the world And this is that which he expresses clearly in the following verse saith he I have made known thy name to the men which thou hast given me And this he tels him he had done on earth It was done in heaven before the glory of the Lord was fully and immediately manifested there And now saith Christ it is done in earth too I have glorified thee on earth And hereupon he looks his Father should glorifie him with himself in heaven as it is added in the following words So that the point to be observed is this DOCTRINE Who ever will be glorified with God in heaven must glorifie him first on Earth Our Saviour Christ himself you see can have it on no other terms And therefore he desires it only upon this account saith he to God the Father I have glorified thee on Earth and now O Father glorifie me with thy self in heaven According to his first desire in his beginning of his prayer Father glorifie thy Son q. d. I should not look for any glory from thee unless I had brought glory to thee I should be far from any expectation that thou shouldst glorifie me with thy self in heaven unless I were assured in my self that I had glorified thee here upon the earth But seeing I have done the former I pray thee Father do the latter since I have glorified thee let me be glorified by thee And as it was with Christ the Head so it must be in some degree with all the Members No glory to be had in heaven till they have glorified God on earth It s true they merit not the glory they receive from God by that which they bring to God as Christ did but yet the one is not to be attained without the other They that bring God no glory in the present world shall have no glory from him in the world to come The Lord indeed will render glory to every man that worketh good and so glorifieth him as the Apostle shews Rom. 2.10 But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness and so dishonour God in their lives and conversations he will render nothing else but shame and ignominy and confusion They shall be raised to everlasting contempt Dan. 12.2 and be made spectacles of shame to men and Angels Reas 1 And the ground is evident because so is the everlasting Counsel and Decree of God which is not to be altered or reversed Those whom he chuses for himself whom he predestinateth to be glorified with him in the world to come those he predestinateth also to bring glory to him in this present world As he predestinateth such to the inheritance above who is abundantly and out of measure glorious so he predestinates them also that they should be to the praise of his glory as the Apostle shews you Eph. 1.11 12. That he may manifest the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory so that you see as he prepares them unto glory as he appoints them to be glorified themselves so he prepares them and appoints them to bring glory to himself Rom. 9.23 To shew forth the praises of him that hath called them to his Kingdom and glory 1 Pet. 2.9 Thy people shall be all righteous saith the Lord of his Church Isa 60.21 The branch of my planting the work of my hands that I may be glorified Not only that they may be glorified but that I may be glorified too And if this be the purpose and decree of God will he not see it executed and fulfilled in all respects as well with reference to his glory as with reference to theirs shall his Counsel be accomplished in the one and not in the other do you imagine that the Lord will be put off in such a fashion that he will be disappointed of his end and of his purpose in such a business as this is No no assuredly if he predestinate men that they may be to the praise of his glory as well as that they may be glorified by him to his praise and to his glory they shall be And if they be not so at all it is apparent they are not predestinated by him and consequently they shall have no glory from him Now is it so my Brethren that whoever will be glorified with God Vse 1 in heaven must glorifie him first on earth This then may serve to shew the vanity of their conceit and apprehension who look for glory in the world to come and yet they bring the Lord no glory here It is the miserable folly and delusion of the greater part of men there is not one of us almost but thinks that God will glorifie him with himself hereafter He is an extraordinary man that doth not feed himself with this fancy And yet those very persons many of them who are strong in this opinion take no care to honour God in any of their ways nor to bring him any glory why my beloved how can you think now to be glorified with him Jesus Christ his own Son the darling of his own bosom could not have glory with him upon these terms He did not once so much as look for it Had he not glorified his Father here in this world he would not have expected that he should have glorified him with himself in heaven ye see he seeks it and desires it only upon this account And what now do you think to speed better with the Father then Jesus Christ his own Son do you imagine that you shall have glory from him though you bring no glory to him when Christ himself did not could not obtain it upon such terms as these are do you look in this regard to be preferred before Christ to have the better of God himself Ah my beloved do not gull your souls with this delusion I beseech you think upon it you who by your lewd and vitious conversations dishonour God continually you who lie in wickedness and wallow in uncleanness whose lives are full of nothing but prophaneness who are conscious to your selves that God hath not a whit of glory brought him by you unless ungodliness and sin will do it To whom a man may truly say as the Apostle doth to some Rom. 2.24 The name of God is blasphemed by your means do you expect that God should glorifie you with himself in heaven when you have done nothing else but dishonoured him on earth believe it he will be so far from this that seeing he hath not been glorified by you he will be glorified upon you He made you for his glory and glory he will have either one way or another he will not lose a farthing by you And if he be not glorified by your holy conversation he will be glorified in
my Brethren Do you believe the Word of God Do your hearts say Amen to every particle and tittle of it If God should come and put the question to you concerning those particulars of holy Truths which seem most hard to be believed most difficult to be accomplished as once our Saviour did to Martha when he had said I am the Resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Believest thou this Joh. 11.26 Can you return the same answer yea Lord I believe as she did May not the same be charged on abundance of you which God so sharply reprehends in Israel Psal 106.24 They believed not his Word and hearkned not to the voyce of the Lord. Are there not multitudes among us who give no credit to the Word at all who when they hear the truths of God delivered to them do not enquire with Nicodemus only How can these things be but even peremptorily determine they can never be And here because they are of many sorts who do not keep the Word of God in their hearts by believing I will set them in their ranks and proceed with them in order Some there are who question all the Word of God throughout from the beginning of it to the end do not believe one word of it Either they throw it off as false and vain without Consideration in a rash and wilde way or else they soberly resolve the Scripture to be nothing else but the invention and device of Politick and subtile heads to keep fools in awe withal And so they say upon deliberation as David in his haste and in his passion All men are lyars the very Pen-men of the Word of Truth it self The Prophets the Apostles all are lyars As that blasphemous Pope who stiled the Gospel the Fable of Christ These men are flat Atheists what ever their professions be We want not some in these times who are so bold as to declare themselves in this particular and openly to renounce the Word of God And certainly however other men conceal themselves for shame yet there are more of this opinion then we are aware of They do not say with their tongues perhaps but yet with Davids fool they say it in their hearts the Scripture is not Gods Word yea there is no God at all to be Author of the Scripture Others there are who though they do not question all the Scripture yet they do not believe it all they give not absolute belief to every part and parcel of it And since the Word hath in it precepts promises and threatnings and there are some that question one and some another of them we will proceed with them distinctly and in order 1. Some there are who do not give assent to the Divine Authority of all the Precepts of the Word of God Some deny some certain Precepts ' and Commandements by themselves apart The Papists they deny the second Precept Vasques acknowledges that this Commandement interdicts not only the adoring of an Image under the notion of a God but also the adoring of the true God in an Image And further he confesses that they do the very thing that is condemned in this Commandement What then because it will not be obeyed it must be cancelled and repealed and not admitted to have any place among the Moral precepts of the Law of God It was saith he a positive and Ceremonial Law and therefore ceases now in our days And thus they make the Commandement of the Lord of no effect through their tradition Others deny the fourth Commandement and affirm that is also vanished with the Ceremonials that it belongeth not to Christians save only in regard of Moral equity in which respect the Moral and Judicial Laws belong to us also And yet the Lord you see hath placed it in the middle of the Decalogue and hedged it in on every side with other precepts that it might be the safer from the violence of those who seek to raze it out of the Tables But that which these men do by parcels and retail there are another sort who do in gross and as it were by whole sale cast off all the Precepts and Commandements of the Law of God together affirming they are all abolished not only in regard of irritation malediction condemnation but even in regard of obligation And thus with those in Davids time they make void the Law of God These men cannot pray to God as David doth Psal 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have believed thy Commandements And verily if all that are bestowed on Jesus Christ do keep the Word of God in the heart by believing they that renounce it thus seem to be in an ill Condition and they have reason to consider well whether they be given up to Christ or no. Others there are who give no credit or belief to the threatnings of the Word who when they hear them thundered out against them say it is not be with Israel neither shall we see Sword nor Famine Jer 5.12 And are there not a multitude of this opinion For tell me my Beloved when you that know your selves to be unclean livers have heard that dreadful commination Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge when you that are so glewed to the world that nothing can divide you from it have heard that flaming sentence That no covetous person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of God when you that wallow in your filthiness you that are lyers swearers drunkards enemies of all goodness have heard that nothing that is filthy or unclean shall come within the new Jerusalem that without shall be lyars and dogs that bark and snarl and snap at holiness that such shall have their portion in the lake c. have you believed these threatnings have you assented to the truth of them Alas my Brethren it is Evident you have not For 1. First If you believe the threatnings you will quake and tremble at them This disposition is observed in the Saints of God in Scripture that as they had believing so they had tender trembling hearts in relation to his threatnings Such a heart had good Josiah his heart was tender when he heard the words that is the threatning words of God his words against Jerusalem 2 King 22.19 not to it to instruct nor for it to comfort but against it to affright Such a heart had holy David Psal 119.12 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements He speaks not of his Judgements actually inflicted for they are felt but of his judgements threatned only and hanging in the Commination for they ate feared I am afraid of thy judgements Of such a temper was the Prophet Hab. 3.16 when I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voyce c. And such a disposition they discovered of whom the Propeht Ezra speaks ch 9. ver 4. they
did endure And so it will do any of us in the like case This is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith 1 Joh. 5.4 And therefore when we are so quickly overcome and brought to choose sin rather then affliction it is a sign we want faith By this you see there are too many who do not keep the Word of God in their hearts by believing Now I beseech you my Beloved as you would have this assurance that you are of the number of those that belong to Christ by the donation of the Father keep his words if you observe your Faith to waver or to fail in any point abase and judge your selves for it And that you may the better know how far to judge and how far to acquit your selves in this particular I shall give you some Cautions 1. You are not bound to credit every thing that is presented to you under the name and title of the Word of God To give a suddain and inconsiderate assent to all that the best Minister delivers to you because he teaches it and you are well perswaded of the man You may nay more then so you ought to try before you trust in this case Prove every thing saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5.21 and then hold fast that which is good It is observed of the Bereans that they were not so servilly addicted and engaged to any Teachers how excellent soever their endowments were as to receive upon their credit any thing that they delivered No their manner was to search the Scriptures whether things were so Act. 17.11 And yet it is notable that they are said to have received the Word of God with all readiness of mind for all this The Lord requires no greater readiness of mind then this in entertaining or believing any thing that is delivered in his Name that is to take it upon some trial 2. It is no sign of infidelity to move some questions with an aym at satisfaction concerning things delivered either in or from the Word If it be done with holy reverence and with an humble and sincere desire of satisfaction and instruction it is a very good course So did the blessed Virgin make a question concerning what the Angel had delivered to her Luke 1.34 A question not of opposition but of inquisition How shall these things be This way of making doubts and questions it seems was used in the Jewish Church and Christ approved it by his Example Luk. 2.46 47. So it is said of the Apostle Paul that he reasoned with the Jews out of the Scriptures Act. 17.2 And if such reasonings were more in use not reasonings against the Word but out of the Word there would assuredly be more faith then there is at this day 3. Nay though it be a sign of weakness it is no sign of utter infidelity to have some doubtful thoughts arising in our hearts concerning the most clear and pregnant Truths that are revealed in the Word of God David had such thoughts as these and yet he was a good man though this indeed were no part of his goodness Psal 89.19 37 38. There you have first the Lords assurance that he will establish David and protect him And at last he comes to swear that he will not lye to David his Throne shall endure for ever c. And yet observe how David faileth in the very next words but thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast made void the Covenant of thy servant This was his great infirmity and yet you see it was not incompatible with grace It may befall a Saint to have such unbelieving thoughts as these provided that he pray against them strive against them and be humbled for them As David was when he had motions to distrust the Providence of God to question this great truth of God as Psal 73. this did so trouble him that at vers 21. he saith his very heart was grieved and he was pricked in his reins because he was so foolish and so ignorant And while it is thus with us we need not thereupon to doubt our interest in Jesus Christ But if we entertain such thoughts as these and bid them welcome when they come c. if we never pray nor strive against our unbelief nor grow up into any certainty in matters of Religion If we resolvedly reject the Word of God either in part or in the whole this is a very sad case If I speak the truth saith Christ why do you not believe me Joh. 8.46 And mark what follows presently ye therefore hear me not that is believe me not because ye are not of my sheep as I said unto you So that it is a formidable thing you see not to believe the Word of Christ It shews that men are none of Christs And therefore let us give assent to the whole Word of God the precepts promises and threatnings that Christ may own us that he may say concerning us to God the Father Thine they were and thou gavest them to me And thus we have dispatched the first and second branch of the discovery Proceed we to the third Have you kept the Word of God in your affections by loving it it is somewhat to remember it it is more to give assent and credit to it but it is most of all to love and delight in it And yet unless you reach to this you can have no assurance that you belong to Jesus Christ and that you are bestowed upon him by the Father The very Devils know the Word of God and think upon it and believe it too they are convinced of the truth of it and yet they are so far from loving it or taking any pleasure in it that they tremble at it They perceive it is against them they look upon it as an Enemy that speaks sad things to them and so they are afraid of it They fear it with a slavish fear and slavish fear casteth out love To say the truth the more they credit it the less they love it and the more they tremble at it And so it is in some degree with wicked and ungodly men They give assent to the letter of the Scripture they believe it to be true but they have no affection to it because it is no friend to them and their courses It crosses them in every thing they have a mind to and therefore they are at enmity with it and their hearts rise up against it they receive the knowledge and in some sort the belief but they do not receive the love of the Truth But you my Brethren must go further yet if you will clear your interest in Jesus Christ you must go beyond Devils yea you must go beyond the best of carnal and unsanctified men you must not satisfie your selves with this that you know the Word of God that you have it in your mindes that you are able to discourse of it that you believe it to be true in all particulars But more then so your
be justified when he speaketh and clear even when he judgeth Psal 51.4 when it is hardest to acquit him and to stoop to him So that you see my Brethren we must justifie the Lord in his reproofs and threatnings how sharp soever they may seem to be As Rehoboam and the Princes did when they were sharply menaced be the Prophet they replyed not they fretted not against him but confessed the Lord is righteous 2 Chron. 12.6 And Hezekiah when Isaiah dealt so roundly with him in the Name of God Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken 2 King 20.19 Yea God requireth this of all his people that they say Amen to every Curse of his and that they set their seal to it as you may see Deut. 27.26 This is the entertainment which we ought to give the word of God in this respect meekly and humbly to submit to it even when it seemeth to be most against us and not so much as once to mutter or repine at it Now this we shall not do unless we look upon it as the word of God Nothing but such an apprehension of it will bring the heart to such a temper and put the spirit into such a frame as this is That which comes to us under the notion of the word of man will never be so yeilded to No the heart will boyl and rage and rise against it But when it hath the stamp of God upon it it stoops the spirit to submission Such entertainment you may see it found in Eli upon this account It is the Lord when Samuel who was then a child declared to him what the Lord resolved to bring upon him and his house saith Eli it becomes me to be humble and sumit to this and not to murmur and repine against it for it is the Lord 1 Sam. 3.18 As Hezekiah Isa 38.15 What shall I say for he hath said it to me And so in every truth that is delivered to us in every precept that is laid upon us in every reprehension that is given us in every Commination that is thundred out against us if we consider with our selves whoever be the messenger it is the Lord that speaketh this it is the word of God and not of man this and only this will make us in all humility to stoop to it 4. We must know for certain that it is the word of God that we may give it such entertainment as it ought to have in point of obedience Herein the word of God is singular it must be absolutely and universally obeyed and that not only with the outward but also with the inward man It doth not only take command upon the members but even the spirit and the conscience must be subject to it And that without delay without question without exception without reservation assoon as that which is delivered to us appears to be the word of God there is no room for disputation or expostulation but obedience All that the Lord Commandeth we must do Exod. 1â— 8 if he command it we must do it This is the entertainment which we ought to give the word of God The word of man can challenge no such honour and respect from us All the commands of men are limited and are to be obeyed so far and but so far as they agree with the commands of God or else at least as they are not repugnant to them And consequently while we look on any word as that which comes from man or as that which is of man we cannot yeild it such obedience as is peculiar to the word of God But when we know once that it is of God when we are certain that he is the Author of it we shall no longer think our selves at liberty to obey or disobey No this perswasion will convince us that it is absolutely necessary to resign our selves to the obedience of this word of his who is such a Law-giver as is able either to save or to destroy and with whom every disobedience receiveth a just recompence of reward JOHN 17.7 Now they have known that all things c. Vse 1 NOw is it so that they that will give the word such entertainment c. We see the reason then my Brethren why the word is so unworthily and slightly entertained by the greater part of men why it hath no greater reverence no greater credit no more submission no more obedience then it meets withall from those that are the ordinary hearers of it Alas how is it disrespected and despise everv where how little credit doth it find with me how do their hearts and spirits rise against it when it meeteth with corruptions and crosses them in their ways and their humors how far are they from yeilding absolute obedience to it in every thing that it requires of them And what 's the cause of all this Truly the main and principal is this that they believe it not to be indeed and truth the word of God When it is read or preached to them either they call the matter into question and are in very great suspense whether it be the word of God or no or else they peremptorily resolve as Israel did It is not he Jer. 5.12 It is not God that speaks to us this is not the word of God and then no wonder though it be neglected and despised by them They hear a man and so accordingly resolve that that which is delivered to them is of man and that it hath no higher Author then the man that speaks to them And some of them will now and then express themselves Preachers may say their pleasure in a pulpit and the like And hence it is my Brethen that their respect and entertainment of it is answerable to their apprehension of it such as belongeth to the word of man and no more They regard it and believe it and obey it just as farre as they themselves please But you will say perhaps if you could hear the Lord himself speak to you Oh how would you fear before him how would you stoop to him how would you yeild obedience to his voyce But who is this that you hear a man such as your selves are whose weaknesses and failings and infirmities are known to you Oh but remember that though you have this treasure in earthen vessels yet it is a treasure still and it is of God still That all the messengers of God in their regular prescripts ought to be instead of God and instead of Christ to you That it is not they that speak but the Holy Ghost himself that speaketh by them Mat. 10.20 And therefore even as he that heareth them heareth God so on the other side he that despiseth them despiseth God himself Luk. 10.16 They were but men that preached to the Thessalonians the Apostle and his fellows so that they might have made the same objection and so have kept themselves from due and reverend entertainment of the word which they delivered But they
necessary to a testimony or a witness that it declare the truth and nothing else Or else how shall it be depended and relyed upon and so how shall the Scripture be the Word of Faith as it is called unless it be the Word of Truth How shall this testimony challenge faith from us unless it utter truth to us How shall it be believed if it be not wholly true and therefore truth is frequently ascribed to it as a witness The testimonies of the Lord are sure saith David Psal 19.7 That which they tell hath been and that which they foretell shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled Vse 1 And this by way of use and application may serve for terror in the first place unto those against whom there is any thing foretold in Scripture in a way of Commination for it shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled How should they tremble for fear of God and how should they be afraid of his judgements though only hanging in the threatning How should their hearts dissolve within them when they hear his threatning words denounc't against them How should the Adulterer tremble when he hears that flaming Commination Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge how should the drunkard tremble when he hears those dreadful woes that are denounced to drunkards up and down the Prophets everywhere How should the wretched worldling tremble when he hears that dreadfull threatning that no covetous person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God How should the lier and the dogg that barks and snarls and snaps at holiness and the unclean wretch tremble when they hear that such shall have their everlasting portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone And so for other sinners against whom there are heavy things foretold in Scripture how should they shake and quiver when they read and hear them But alas there are abundance who steel and fortifie their hearts against them who give no credit to the threatnings of the word as if they were but bruta fulmina but empty cracks who when they hear them thundred out against them say with Israel Jer. 5.12 It is not he neither shall evil come upon us nor shall we see sword or famine Oh my beloved do not belye the Lord in this fashion do not delude your own souls Believe it Judgement is towards you as the Expression is Hosea 5.1 although it be not actually upon you The wrath of God commeth it is a comming still and in the end depend upon it it will come home What do you think that if you do such things you shall escape the vengeance of God No be assured that if you persevere without repentance you shall feel it with a witness There is not any thing denounced against you in the Scripture but shall be fulfilled upon you to the utmost And Secondly it serves for sweet and pretious comfort to the Vse 2 Church since all the good that is foretold in Scripture shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled You that are members of the Church look over all the Book of God collect together all the promises contained in it from the beginning of it to the end consider all the choice and pretious mercies that are contained in those promises and satisfie your souls with a certain expectation of them all There is not one of all those promises shall fall unaccomplished to the ground or fail of execution in the Lords time And therefore look on all the good things promised there as sure mercies so they are called the sure mercies of David which shall not fail you when the season comes And when you meet with any thing that specially concerns you in such a case or such a condition that might be a support and comfort to you in affliction and the like Oh give not way to one unbelieving thought do not forsake your own mercies Remember it is the word of the Lord which as the Angel said shall be fulfilled in its season And so for any good thing that is foretold in Scripture to the Church as there are glorious things you know foretold concerning it in after times that God will raise it to an admirable state of glory and felicity which while the world continues shall not be overthrown again Let us not make any question but they shall absolutely and compleatly be accomplished and fulfilled And therefore let us strengthen and confirm our hearts in the assured expectation of it and let us put those promises in suit in our Petitions as Isaiah in the same case Chap. 62.1 And let us stand upon our watch-towers waiting for the execution of them Let us account it our especial happiness that we live under promises that shall surely be accomplished though they should be never fulfilled in our time Let us embrace them as the Fathers did yea though they be afar off Oh let us hugg them and take especial joy and comfort in them And though the Lord should take us hence before he bring them into act and execution yet let us cheer our hearts with the apprehension of the happiness and glory that shall be upon the Church after we are dead and gone And so dye with our arms full of promises and our hearts full of faith and our souls full of comfort Vse 3 To pass on to a third use Since this is so that whatsoever is foretold in Scripture shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled whatsoever is foretold in a way of Commination or in a way of Consolation by way of threatning or by way of promise Let us endeavour to believe both and act our faith upon them Let us work up our hearts to give a firm and full assent to all the threatnings and to all the promises though that which is delivered in the Scripture either way be never so improbable never so much against corrupt reason never so impossible to a humane apprehension Let us depend upon it that the word of God shall be fulfilled to the very utmost Let us imitate the faith of the antient Saints of God as I shall give you some examples of it in reference to both of these both to the threatnings and the promises of Scripture As for the threatnings That which the Lord denounced to Noah that he might publish it to all the world that he would utterly destroy all flesh from off the earth and by a flood of water too was as improbable as any thing almost could be as like to be derided by the wise men of the world Yet Noah being warned of God believed it and so accordingly prepared the Ark as you may see Heb. 11.7 And so that Commination by the Prophet Jonah was almost incredible that Nineveh so flourishing so glorious and so great a City should be destroyed in forty dayes and yet it is observed to the praise of Nineveh that they believed God that is the word of God his threatning message sent them by the Prophet Jonah 3.5 So for the promises of
truth saith our Saviour in my text It is thine and therefore truth For he that is the author of it he is the God of truth as the Prophet David stiles him Psal 31.5 Observe it well he doth not say he is the true God in himself and in his nature but he is the God of truth in his discoveries and revelations of himself to men All that comes from him is truth He is the faithfull and the true witness Apoc. 3.14 Not only true and faithfull as a God but true and faithfull as a witness And his word is his witness not his ordinary saying only but his witness to confirm us and assure us of that which is delivered to us to work and strengthen faith in us And therefore it is called the Testimony or the witness of the Lord I think no less then twenty times in Scripture Now for the second branch the Gospell is the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in a specialty above the rest of holy Scripture Thy word is truth saith our Saviour in my Text that is thy sanctifying word which is the Gospell Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth The Law as far as I am able to remember is nowhere called distinctly by it self the word of truth but the Gospel commonly not in my Text alone but elswhere often Indeed the Psalmist prayes to God Take not thy word of truth away out of my mouth but he intends the promises for which he hoped as you may see in that place Psalm 119.43 And all the promises you know are Gospel they are in Christ yea and in Christ Amen But on the other side the Law is mentioned as in some respect contradistinct to truth The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ 1 John 17. And yet you must not apprehend the Gospel to be truer then the Law or any parts of Scripture If it be truer they are absolutely false But it delivers truth of greater excellency then the rest of Scripture doth as will appear if you consider either the subject matter of it or the Revelation of it or the Confirmation of it or the Operation of it Gospel truth excelleth for the matter of it Christ is the subject matter of the Gospel and therefore it is called the word of Christ Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly not of Christ the Author only but of Christ the subject matter and herein it surpasses and transcends not all other Books only that handle other arguments but even all other parts and parcels of the Book of God it self For Christ is the most pretious and delicious matter He is the richest and the sweetest subject in the world 1. Christ the Subject of the Gospel is the most rich and pretious subject He is the wealth and treasure of the faithfull soul there is in him an endless Myne and infinite Mass of inestimable riches And therefore the Apostle having spoken of the riches of the glory of the Gospel adds in the words immediately anexed which riches is Christ in you Col. 1.27 In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 A treasure is much but treasures are more But when all the treasures that are in the world shall be gathered together and laid in a heap there must needs be vast and riches And this transported the Apostle Paul and swallowed up his thoughts and words as unable to conceive it or express it yea even ravished him beyond himself that he was entrusted to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 He found no end no bottome of them he could not reach the heigth and depth and length and breadth of those treasures they had such immense and endless dimensions 2. Christ the subject of the Gospel is the sweetest and most delicious subject in the world It was the only thing that weakned the delight that Austin took in reading of a certain work of Cicero's because he could not find the name of Christ in it That is a pleasant name indeed to every true believing soul and wheresoever that is found or whatsoever writing hath that high and holy person for the subject of it whom to know is life eternal should be read with full delight and high pleasure And therefore that which treats of Jesus Christ is stiled Gospel good news and good tydings yea good tydings of great joy It tells us of a Jesus a Saviour a deliverer out of bondage to sin and Sathan and damnation out of the most sad and miserable thraldom in the world and this is infinitely sweet Oh with what melting self-consuming wishes and desires doth the poor distressed Captive long to hear of a Redeemer how welcome is this news to him and such a one is Jesus Christ to us and therefore it is sweet to hear of him And as the Gospel tells us of deliverance out of bondage so of admission to such incomparable priviledges here to such unutterable happiness hereafter as cannot choose but melt the heart with ravishing delight that hath assurance of a share in them As Gospel truth excelleth for the subject matter of it Jesus Christ so for the manner of the revelation of it The trurh in the Old Testament was covered with a Vail not of Types and Shaddows only but of dark expressions too so that it was obscure and hid But now it is unvailed as it were and therefore the Apostle tells us that we behold it now with open face 2 Cor. 3.18 There is nothing now to hide it The truth of the Old Testament is likened to the glimmering twilight in the dawning of the day or to the faint and dimmer twinkling of a star But Gospel truth is likened to the shining of the Sun at noon-day And therefore we that live under Gospel-revelation are called the Children of the light and of the day 1 Thes 5.5 And the Apostle tells us that now the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared Tit. 2.11 It is a Metaphor in which the Gospel is resembled to a glorious Light that having been obscured and masked awhile even as the Sun when it is overcast and mufled with a dark and gloomy cloud at length shines forth with admirable brightness and shewes it self with darling splendor to the world Though it were hid from ages and from generations yet it is now made manifest unto the Saints Col. 1.26 Gospel truth excelleth for the confirmation of it It is better ratified then other truth Truth may not be believed you know it may not gain assent from those that hear it for want of solid and substantial confirmation But Gospel truth hath this preheminency that it is now established to the very utmost by the death of Christ himself He hath sealed it with his blood and therefore we have reason to believe it Indeed the truth of the Old Testament was ratified and confirmed yea it was confirmed in blood But this was but the
blood of Bulls and Goats But now it is confirmed by the blood of Christ himself which is a better and a more effectual confirmation And this is that which the Apostle shews at large Heb. 9.16 and in the following verses So that the blood which ratified the Old Testament was but the shaddow and the Type of that which ratifies the new and therefore this hath the advantage of the other I must confess that the Old Testament was ratified by the death of Jesus Christ in destination for so he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world But this is ratified by the death of Christ in actual execution which is if not in it self to us at least a cleerer and a better confirmation Gospel truth excelleth for the operation of it it hath effects transcendently beyond all other truth that ever was revealed to the world I shall name but two only suggested in those two great Gospel Epithites the word of grace the word of life 1. Gospel truth works grace Not common grace and common sorrow and humiliation and repentance as the Law doth but saving grace And therefore it is called the word of grace Acts 20.32 It is so exclusively it worketh grace alone without the help and the assistance of the Law in that business Something the Law may do towards us indeed but it doth nothing in the work of grace Of his own will begat he us saith the Apostle by the word of truth that is the Gospel James 1.18 That only that is properly and strictly sanctifying truth Sanctifie them with thy truth 2. Gospel truth infuseth life and that no other truth can do The Law indeed can kill but it cannot make alive It is the Ministry of death and condemnation The Gospel only is the Ministry of life and of Salvation And therefore this exceeds the other and surpasseth it in glory as the Apostle shews at large 2 Cor. 3.6 7 c. In this respect we find the Gospel called the word of life 1 John 1.1 because it is the word that worketh life It is the quickning word that raises men from death to life to the life of grace in this world and to the life of glory in the world to come And thus I think we have sufficiently cleered the point the word of God especially the Gospel is the truth Proceed we now to make some application of it according to the divers branches of the point in order I shall but touch upon the first because I would no be prevented in the second Is it so my brethren that the word of God is all truth then certainly Vse 1 it ought all to be believed This truth on Gods part calls for faith on ours For what is faith but the belief of truth as the Apostle Paul defines it 2 Thes 2.13 He hath chosen us to Salvation through Sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth So that if the word be truth it ought to be believed by us And this our Saviour Christ insinuates in his expostulation with the Jews John 8.46 If I say truth why do you not believe me Though that which is delivered in the word of God be never so improbable never so much above corrupt reason never so impossible to a humane apprehension yet it admitteth not of doubtfull Disputation and Expostulation but rather calls for absolute belief And therefore they are deeply to be censured who give no credit to the word of truth further then their private spirits close with it who do not answer Gods truth with their faith They read it and they hear it preached but they yield no assent to it No they oppose it and dispute against it they are meer Scepticks in religion There are a multitude of such in these times They consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to godliness as the Apostle Paul speaks 1 Tim. 6.3 4. Whereas they that have ever felt the saving power of Gods word have their thoughts captivated to it and will say as the Apostle we can do nothing we can speak nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 These men upon the other side when they hear the truth of God delivered to them speak against it contradicting and blaspheming as the stubborn Jews did Acts 13.45 They do not only ask with Mary how shall this be A question not of opposition but of inquisition Luke 1.34 But even peremptorily determine they can never be And thus they belye the Lord like those of whom the Prophet speaks Jer. 5.12 This in a word for application of the former member of the point We shall now apply the latter Vse 2 Is it so that the word of God especially the Gospel is the truth Is Gospel truth excelling truth Then let us give it the preferment before any other truth both in our inquisition and our acceptation Let us dive into it most and let us value and prize it most First Let us give it the due preferment in our inquisition let us dive into it most and labour more to be acquainted with it then with any other truth Let us read those books let us hear those Preachers and let us nourish those studies which help us most to this knowledge let us make this our main endeavour to be seen in Gospel truth let us undervalue and neglect all other knowledge incomparison of this It is the dangerous mistake of the greater part of men who had rather be acquainted with the matters of the world and to be skild in secular and humane learning then in the doctrine of the Gospel How do abundance plod to dive into the secrets and depths of nature and set their wits upon the tenter-hooks to search into the mysteries of Arts and Trades how do they beat and work their brains to get abundance of experience and skill in worldly dealings and employments but take no pains at all in hearing reading meditation to dive into the mysteries of Jesus Christ Tell me my beloved have you ever among all your earnest strivings after insight either into humane knowledge or into matters of the world been half so studious and industrious to search into this Gospel truth to be acquainted with Christ Jesus who is the subject of the Gospel to know that he was born and lived and dyed for you to know him and the virtue of his resurrection not by speculation only but experience raising you up to newness of life to know that he loved you and gave himself for you Alas the hearts of a great many of you cannot choose but tell you that you have hardly ever spent a serious thought on this And the very best among us cannot choose but say that we have been too slight and careless in our enquiries into this knowledge Ah my beloved had we the spirit of the Apostle Paul or of those blessed Angels who desire to peep and pry into the Gospel truth as you may
his Priesthood must of necessity be co-extended and so for whomsoever he is a Priest to sacrifice for them also he is a Priest to intercede as he hath offered up himself for them so he hath offered up his prayers for them and will do to the worlds end Use And this to give you but a touch of Application may serve to hearten us exceedingly when we are are putting up our prayers for them who are as yet without the pale who have as yet no faith or grace at all in them It may be they are neer to us Parents Children Husbands Wives and we are often carried out in prayer for them that God would yet shew mercy to them that he would yet prevail upon them and cause them to come in to Jesus Christ That he would break their stubborn lusts and work unfeigned faith in them And while we are breathing out our souls to God in such a way as this is we are surpized with distrustful thoughts that we shall never speed in this request of ours God will never be entreated and so upon a sodain our affections cool our hearts grow dead and flat within us In such a case as this is it may be some encouragement and comfort to consider that Jesus Christ for ought we know hath prayed and may be praying to the Father for the very same person though for the present he believe not yet he may be such an one as shall believe as is appointed to believe in after-times And then he is as you have heard within the compass of our Saviours Intercession so that the prayers that we make for him are seconded by Christ in heaven While we are asking such a child or such a friend of God it may be Christ is asking him or her of God too according to the Covenant of the Father with the Son Ask of me and I will give thee And therefore let us not grow cold or faint in such a suit as this is but let us follow and pursue it to the utmost Let us not cease to pray for such a person let us not cast him out of our prayers whom Jesus Christ hath not cast out of his I pray saith he for such as shall believe and this for ought we know may be one of that number And thus far of the first particular by which our Saviour Christ describeth those for whom he prays viz. the time of their believing They are not such as did believe when Christ put up this supplication for them to the Father but such as should believe in after-times Proceed we to the second thing by which he sets them forth and that is by the Spirit of this faith of theirs they should believe in Jesus Christ Neither pray I for these alone saith Christ here but for them also which shall believe on me He doth not say for them which shall believe on God or for them which shall believe the Word of God but for them which shall believe on me so that the point to be observed is this DOCTRINE That true Believers do pitch their Faith on Jesus Christ and make him the object of it Christ is the object of a true beleiving faith So he is represented in my Text you see The faithful do beleive on him It 's true indeed that faith in general which even Reprobates and Devils have looks with an equal eye on all the Book of God assenteth to the truth of all in gross But justifying faith whith is the faith whereof we speak picks out this special object Jesus Christ which is imbraced and received By him saith the Apostle Paul that is by Christ and none but him all that believe are justified from all those things from which they could not have been justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.39 The Law will never justifie us but condemn us No we are justified by faith in Christ and him alone who is revealed and manifested to us in the Gospel The Rightousness of God that is the righteousness which makes us righteous the righteousness of man will never do it No it must be the righteousness of God himself This is ours by faith in Christ as the Apostle shews Rom. 3.22 He that believeth in the Son hath life Joh. 3. ult Observe it well he saith not in the Father nor the Holy Ghost though certainly we must believe in both these But Christ is the immediate object of the faith which justifieth or of it as it justifieth He that believeth in the Son hath life the life of holiness and the life of righteousness for both of them are very clearly meant in that place Object But you will say perhaps Is not the Word of God and is not God himself and is not everlasting life the object of our faith how then is Christ as I have said and Christ alone the next and the immediate object of it Sol. To this because it is compounded as it were of divers things I must answer divers ways 1. For the Word of God that is not properly the object of the faith that justifieth but is so called by a figure because it holds forth and exhibits Christ who is indeed the proper object of this justifying faith Or secondly the Word of God although it may in some respects be called the object of faith that justifieth yet not qua justificat not as it justifieth as the School speaks It 's true that justifying faith believeth other things propounded in the Word of God But faith as it justifieth lays hold on Christ and him only not knowing any other thing here but Jesus Christ and him crucified 2. As for the second thing propounded in the Querie True it is that God the Father is the Object of our faith I mean the faith which justifyeth but not the next and the immediate Object of it Christ must be first laid hold upon and God in Christ Such trust have we through Christ in God saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.4 Even Turks and Jews and Arrians boast of faith in God you know amd yet because they apprehend not Jesus Christ they miserably lose their own souls He that denyeth and so by consequence believes not in the Son can never have the Father as you may see 1 John 2.23 He is like a man goes about to grasp a thing that is too big for him a large and smooth round-bodyed Cup it slips away out of his fingers whereas he might have held it by the handle The faith which justifies us my beloved apprehendeth Christ receiveth and layeth hold on him and then as it is added in the fore-alledged Scripture He that hath the Son hath the Father also 3. As for the third particular propounded whether salvation and eternal life be the object of our faith To say the truth salvation and eternal life is not so properly believed as hoped for Nor can it be so fitly called the object as the consequent and end of faith So the Apostle calls it 1 Pet.
1.9 Receiving the end saith he Conceive it the perfection or the reward of your faith even the salvation of your souls Salvation then you see my brethren is the end Christ is the object of our faith Use 1 Is Christ the Object of a true believers faith Then do not satisfie your selves my brethren with a general assent to sacred Revelation neither do you rest in this that you believe the word of God in gross Alas how many men that have been throughly convinced of the truth of all the Scripture are notwithstanding under everlasting Chains and darkness the Devils themselves believe and tremble They believe the word historically you must understand it and because it makes against them the greater their faith is the greater is their fear As therefore you desire to be absolved and acquitted from the guilt of all your sins which else will sink you down into the pit of Hell for ever to be invested with the righteousness of Christ without which you can never have admittance to the marriage of the Lamb nor to those joyes and pleasures at the Lords right hand for evermore lay hold on Jesus Christ and clasp the arms of faith about him Men and brethren to you is this salvation sent and we declare unto you glad tydings preaching through Christ the forgiveness of sins and that by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not have been justified by the Law of Moses We offer and exhibit Christ unto you and we beseech you to accept him that you may be saved We stand and cry Ho every one that thirsteth came to this water Now as you tender the salvation of your pretious souls let faith make out to Jesus Christ that comes towards her let her fasten on her object And that you may the better know what I perswade you to I shall shew you very briefly that there are four acts of the soul in reference to Jesus Christ wherein the essence and the being of justifying faith consists Whereof the former two are of the understanding and the two latter of the will I shall but only touch at them 1. Well then the first thing you are to do you must endeavour to know Christ aright distinct explicite knowledge of him in a measure is necessary to the being of this justifying faith And therefore knowledge is sometimes put for faith in Scripture by his knowledge or the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justifie many saith the Father of the Son Isa 53.11 And here to be a little more distinct you must know that Christ is a compleat and al-sufficient Saviour to free you from the wrath of God and to bring you to eternal life That he is offered by the Lord to you as well as any other for so the messengers of God have their Commission to make an universal tender of him to all to whom they preach without exception Go preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16.15 And what is it to preach the Gospel to them but to say as the Angel to the Shepherds Luke 2.10 11. I bring you good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And as Peter to the Jews Acts 2.39 The promise is to you and to your children yea and to all that are afar off as many as the Lord our God shall call Yea you must know that Christ is offered to you so that you are peremptorily commanded and required to believe in him Come to me saith our Saviour Mat. 11.28 i. e. Believe in me for so himself expounds the phrase as you may see John 6.35 all you that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest This is the first thing requisite to justifying faith of which Christ is the proper Object 2. The second act is the Assent and Credit of the mind to this that Christ is such a one indeed and that God offers him indeed in such a way as hath been said And that in this his gracious offer he intendeth as he saith That Christ and all his merits will be yours if you accept him This you must consent to you must say with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and in relation to this act it is that faith is called believing John 3.36 and elsewhere often in the Scripture 3. The third act is the yeelding of the Will to this external exhibition of the Son of God this blessed offer of him in the Gospel not only for the certain truth but the incomparable excellency of it when the heart accepteth of it and embraceth it and saith with the Apostle in the fore-alledged Scripture 1 Tim. 1.15 This saying as it is a faithfull one so it is worthy of all acceptation It is a faithfull saying saith the Understanding and therefore I will give assent to it It is a saying worthy of all acceptation saith the will and therefore I will close with it So the faith of the Fathers is described Heb. 11.13 in which all the three acts which we have mentioned are wrapt up together They saw the promises conceive it with the understandings eye they knew them and they understood them They were perswaded of them they gave assent to them and they received them and embraced them for both these terms are there used not the words and surface of them but Christ in them In which respect this act of faith is sometimes called receiving of Christ as see John 1.12 To as many as received him c. So that believing and receiving are all one this is the third act 4. The fourth and last act is a resting a relying and recumbency on Christ for mercy and salvation this is the great act of the soul in faith A roling of it self on Jesus Christ expecting life and happiness no other way and by no other mean but him only And this is that which is so often called believing in the Son of God believing in his name trusting in him as the Apostle Pauls expression is Ephes 1.12 or trusting to him for all the good that we expect or look for These are the four great acts of faith and Christ you see is the immediate and proper object of them all So that you easily perceive what I intend when I perswade you and exhort you to fasten on this object and to believe in Jesus Christ Object But you will say perhaps as that is now a great Objection the Creature is not able to believe it is an impotent and dead thing what can the Creature do And why do you perswade it to believe Sol. True my beloved it can do nothing and you would have it to do nothing by this Rule Keep away the means from it and when will it attain the end It hath no faith it is not able to believe but faith comes by this means by the perswasions and intreaties