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
make it an opposition to Legall Customs For whereas the Priests of the Old Testament being to enter into the Sanctuary did not only first wash their hands and their feet but put on glorious Garments Thus say they Christ prayed that those Apostles whom he was commissionating to preach the Gospel over the whole world might be though not externally sanctified yet internally by a more plentifull and copious enjoyment of the holy Ghost But this is too much restrictive Others there are that understand it finally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sanctifi◠them to the Truth that they may be fitted and furnished to publish it Others by truth understand Christ who is the essentiall Truth but the words following demonstrate what is meant by Truth even The word of God So that our Saviours purpose is to informe what is that saving Medium and instituted Organ of our Sanctification even The word of God From hence observe That the word of God made known to us is the instrument of God to our Sanctification It 's by this waters side that a godly man being like a tree planted doth bring forth much fruit Are any lusts too strong for thee Are any corruptions too powerfull This is a two-edged sword to be the death of them Art thou dull cold and lukewarm in matters of Religion This is the fire to inflame thee Art thou fainting and dejected with divers temptations This is the Apothecaries-shop that hath all kinde of refreshments for thee no disease but may be cured no doubt but may be answered Hence the Scripture is commended unto us 2 Tim. 3.16 for that which is profitable to instruction correction so as to make a man of God much more a private Christian perfect and thorowly furnished to every good work But this Point deserveth some Explication First We say the Word of God made known unto us is thus an instrument and this bringeth in the necessity of Officers in the Church who by their Gifts and Ministry are to interpret and publish the Word of God to us For if the Scriptures be kept in the Originall Tongue they are unknown to most people and so are like a Candle under a Bushell or like a Fountain sealed up God therefore who hath appointed his Word as a Rule hath also given gifts to men that there may be such who shall divide this Word aright and give his children fit meat in their due season So that if a man ignorant of the Tongues should have a Bible in Hebrew and Greek What good could he get by it till translated and interpreted This is like a veil upon the Scripture and therefore doth as much hinder our understanding as if we had a veil upon our hearts Hence it hath been the good Providence of God to raise up such able and willing men who have been ready to translate the Scripture into all kinde of Languages that so every Nation might have it in their known Tongue We say therefore the Word of God made known to us is thus powerfull Secondly We say it 's Instrumentall Now there is a two-fold Instrument as to our purpose both which meeting together the Word produceth it's compleat effects There is Gods Instrument that which he hath appointed on his part And then There is that which is Instrumentall on our part and that is Faith As in the fore-mentioned place of 2 Timothy 3.16 The Scriptures are able to make thee wise to salvation through faith So that as Christ who is the essentiall Word of God dwels in our hearts by faith Thus the Scriptures the revealed Word of God become effectuall to us by believing The Word did not profit the Israelites because not mingled with faith Heb. 4.6 So that as the Word of God is a necessary instrument on Gods part Thus faith is a necessary instrument on mans part Whensoever God causeth his Word to be published be thou ready to prepare a believing heart This is that which diffuseth the Word through the whole soul The Word is Bread but it 's faith that eats it and digests it No Sermon can ever doe thee the least good unlesse Faith write it down in thy heart Goe home believing such places of Scripture and this will antidote against sinne If humane Faith can turne a man wholly upside downe How much more may divine Faith Thirdly We say it 's Instrumentall therefore the Word of God preached is not the principall or the efficient No though we have ten thousand Teachers and they all like Angels yet truth could never sanctifie us unlesse God give a blessing to it and therefore you see here Christ prayeth to God that he would sanctifie them by his truth intimating That though they understood it never so clearly and remembred it never so firmly yet if God blesse it not to this sanctifying use they are like a Rock under much rain that never brings forth any fruit and in three particulars we must necessarily acknowledge Gods efficiency First Though men be never so expert and diligent in the Scripture yet if God blesse them not with a seeing eye and a spirituall understanding in stead of being sanctified by the Word they are through mis-interpretations corrupted Doth not the Apostle Peter tell of some who through their ignorance did wrest the Scripture to their perdition 2 Pet. 3.16 There are many Heretiques and erroneous persons who are full of Scripture will alledge many places of Gods Word but putting their corrupt glosses upon it it 's no more Gods truth but mans errour and therefore are not sanctified by it in which sense Luther called the Bible The Heretiques book because they would all confidently boast they grounded their opinions upon that Book when indeed it was upon their own corruptions Oh then besides frequent knowledge and excellent memory of the Scripture know a further thing is requisite even the Spirit of God to lead thee by this Rule into the truth else it is with the Scripture as it was with that pillar in the wilderness it was light to the Israelites to guide them but darkness to the Egyptians 2. The Word of God is not blessed to sanctifie our affections and reform our corruptions unlesse God come in as the principal cause As the Prophets servant could do no good in raising the dead childe till the Prophet his Master came so though thou take up the Scripture reade such a place an hundred times over against that very sinne thou livest in yet it doth not sanctifie till God set it home upon thee Nicodemus was grosly ignorant about the work of Regeneration yet no doubt being a Master in Israel he had often read that promise That God would take away an heart of stone and give an heart of flesh and doth not sad experience tell us of many that have great knowledge in Scripture yet they live prophanely and grosly It 's true such men are to look for greater condemnation then others
at this time to prove the Verity of the Scriptures I am only to shew in what sence and wherein it is true and the nature of this Truth We take it for a principle granted by Christians that the Word of God is true and although Learned men have by unanswerable Arguments demonstrated the Truth of the Scriptures yet that was to Heathens and Pagans or that were not Beleevers of it It is true the work is necessary also to those that are Christians to make their faith more solid certain and clear and the rather because there are some wretched men rose up of late that cry down the Scriptures and that pretend to be above them yea that bid us prove the Scriptures to be Gods Word but I am not to deal with such at this time Certainly every good Christian having received this principle into him doth finde such authority and Divine Majesty coming from the Word that he doth no more desire Arguments to prove the Scripture to be the Word of God then he would have another Sunne to see this Sunne-shine Austin long agoe speaks of such a disposition with great Indignation O Lord Thou hast taught me to abhorre all such who say Vnde scis hos Libros esse Canonicos This then being laid down as a sure Foundation Let us proceed to shew in how many particulars Gods Word is true And First It 's Truth in regard of the Efficient Cause God and Christ who are the Authour of it so that the Scripture can no more lye then God or Christ could The Scriptures then are the Truth of him who is the Supream Truth So that as Truth it self cannot be false so neither can Gods Word Humane Truth is Truth but yet because every man may erre Therefore we cannot have such a Faith in it Cui non potest subesse falsum but when we come unto Gods Word and his Truth it is impossible that there should he any Errour Secondly It is the Rule of all Truth That as God is the primum principium essendi of giving being to all Truth so the Scripture is the primum principium cognoscendi the first principle to teach and inform us The Scripture then is true because all Divine Truth floweth from that and every thing is true so farre as it is commensurated according to that Rule Whatsoever men say whatsoever Reason saith whatsoever Traditions and Customes say yet if against Scripture away with all This is the Standard of all Truth all Truth I say necessary to Salvation It is the Christians Metaphysicks Ethicks and Politiques the Rule of all Speculative and Practicall Truth To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this it is because there is no light in them Isaiah 8.20 Therefore it is so often called a Light unto our Feet If this principle were kept too Neither Superstitious Traditions on the one hand nor subtle Delusions of pretended Revelations on the other hand could ever have molested or troubled the Church Thirdly It 's true materially that is all the matter contained therein is true The Historical part The Dogmatical part The morall part The predicting part all contain un-erring Truth in them Whatsoever Doctrine is there revealed it is to be received without any further disputing or asking How can it be so The first Truth hath said it therefore the Understanding must submit If it be made clear Thus saith the Lord then all must yeeld and so for the Threatnings of it whatsoever God saith against the wicked man all the evil that is there said to come upon him doubt not of the Truth of it though for the while a wicked man may live in all ease and jollity It is not so much a Threatning as the Truth of it that makes it so dreadfull what were the Names of Hell and Damnation of a Day of Judgement if there were not Truth in them and thus the promissory part is full of Truth Though a Godly man be cast down with many Temptations weaknesses and Discouragements yet the Truth of Gods Promises should be a Pillar of Marble to him and a brazen wall He may sooner fear the falling of the Heavens and the removing of the Earth out of its place then doubt in the least of the Truth thereof Hence Gods Word is said to be like Silver seven times refined So that there is no errour no drosse or falshood mixed with it It it true in the matter of the Scripture in the Historicall part especially there are some appearing Contradictions and to some Learned men they have been insoluble but this ariseth from the weaknesse of our Understanding not from the Scripture it self As there is no defect in the Sunne because the Owles Eye cannot stedfastly look upon it yea as God himself So the Scriptures because they have most Truth in them so are most intelligible if there were capacious Subjects as the Sunne is Maximè visibilis if there were a fit Eye to behold it Fourthly It is true in respect of the Adjunct or quality of it Truth is an affection cleaving to a Proposition and thus the Word of God is true qualitatively yea the Truth of the Scripture is affirmed by all to be more firm and strong though not so evident then any thing in the world Those things we receive by Reason or by Sence are nothing so true and firm as those that we receive by Faith It is said indeed that all Truth consists in indivisibili and so nothing can be truer then another This is graeted in respect of Truth it self But then if you do regard the Foundation or the Cause of Truth so is one more certain then another Thus all the Truths of Faith are transcendant to those of Reason and Sence We are more securely to rest in what God saith then in what we know or feel and the reason is because the Truth of these latter things is founded only upon a Creature but of the former upon a Creator upon God himself Oh that we did thus beleeve Gods word what manner of persons should we be who could terrifie the Godly who could trouble their Spirits if this were received And for the wicked with what Fear and Trembling would he go up and down Oh the Scripture is true that speaks against such sins that discovers my wickedness it is so true I cannot deny it Fifthly It is true Instrumentally Because the Spirit of God directs us into all Truth and this is chiefly the intendment here The Scripture is in Gods hand and by the Spirits working leadeth us into all Truth we are all in darknesse till the Scripture like the Sunne doth arise Man liveth in Errours he is nothing but a Lye till the Scripture inform but though the Scripture doth shine yet as the Sunne cannot make a blinde man to see so neither doth the Scripture of it self till God give a Seeing Eye The Scripture works onely Objectively but the
all in matter of Sanctification he comprehends all in love John 13.34 A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another A new Commandment not but that the duty was old onely envy and malice had so prevailed amongst the Jews that to love was a new thing as if it had not been a duty required before In John's Epistles it's called both new and old 1 John 2.8 And then again new because there are new motives and a new patern Love one another as I have loved you There was never such a Patern and President before so that it 's not every kinde of love and unity which will give content but that which is in the highest degree of unity it's added vers 35. By this shall all men know ye ' are my Disciples if ye love one another not if ye work miracles if ye cast out devils but if you cast out discord and variance and therefore there is not a greater scandal to Religion and holines then when those that do believe are as the Levites Concubine that was cut into many peeces Again Ch. 15.12 This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you This is Christs Commandment as if there were nothing else he required but this and as if this were not enough at verse 17. These things I command you that ye love one another as if he should have said If bare information will not do it if instruction will not do it I lay my command and charge upon you Secondly This Vnity and Love is a special means to bring the world to believe the truth and receive Christ So that what the preaching of the Word and Gifts yea miracles use to do that unity and agreement may do This is twice affirmed to be the consequent of unity vers 21. vers 23. That the world may believe thou hast sent me It 's a special way to convince all the enemies of the truth Thus Chap. 13.35 Men shall know ye are my Disciples if ye love one another and do we not see by experience That Papists Heretiques and all prophane men are confirmed in their wickednesse by nothing more then the differences and opinions of such who are godly Do they not by books and otherwise in derision say One Sect saith that hath the Spirit of God another saith that hath and yet both are contrary one to another Can the Spirit of God be contrary to it self Can it be a Spirit of truth in one and a Spirit of falshood in others Now although this be no good argument because the Spirit of God is communicated but in measure to the godly they know but in part and so they love but in part many errours and divisions we are prone unto yet this is a very great stumbling block and therefore woe be to that godly man who by his pride self-conceit or erroneous Doctrine shall bring such a scandal to Religion what if many perish in hell because of thy froward spirit It is true there ought to be zeal against errours and corruptions though in the godly You see when Peter did not walk right Paul resisted him to the face and would not give place to him or other false teachers no not for an hour Gal. 2.5 Mark that No not for an hour Some think let them alone they will recover themselves they will do no hurt truth needs not be afraid yet Paul was afraid that an hours forbearance might do hurt Therefore he addeth That the truth of the Gospel might continue amongst you as if an hours forbearance might hinder the continuance of truth so that we are to use Scripture-zeal and Scripture-means to convince even those that are godly when erring in Doctrine Therefore the Scripture doth not commend an unity and love so as to let all errours and prophanenesse alone but in that which is good unity in that which is truth and holinesse is that which Christ meaneth here in his prayer and where this is it 's very potent to winne all gain-sayers It 's admirable to mollifie the hearts of the opposers Hence it 's so often reported of the primitive Christians That they were daily with one accord together Therefore the Evangelist Luke records it at least five times so that if nothing else should make thee tender about causing any breaches in the Church of God this should thou dost as much as lieth in thee to hinder any man that knoweth thee ever to believe and to be converted Thirdly This Vnity is promised as a special part of the Covenant of Grace That very Covenant which promiseth to write the Law of God in our hearts and to put his fear in our inward parts that also promiseth unity at the same time Jer. 32.39 I will be their God and they shall be my people I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever Insomuch that it 's one main branch in the Covenant of Grace So Zech 14.9 In that day there shall be one Lord and his name one The meaning is They shall not worship many gods or serve in different wayes of worship but they shall be one To this purpose Ezekiel prophesieth Chap. 37.16 22. which is not to be limited to the Jews only but also to all the believing Gentiles Oh then in these times of differences and breaches amongst the godly What should we runne unto What should we plead in prayer but these promises O Lord to be thus divided to have Altar against Altar Church against Church Prophet against Prophet Is this to have one heart and one way But you may say If God hath thus promised it and Christ hath prayed for it who was heard of the Father in every thing How comes it about that the contrary appeareth This is to be answered in it's time Fourthly Vnity is necessary because hereby a serviceable and beneficiall helping of one another in spiritual things is preserved The people of God are compared to living stones built up together while the stones keep in the building they bear one another but if once removed it fals down They are compared to members in the body while they are joyned together There is a mutual ministration to each other but when divided from the body no part can receive any nourishment Thus it is here while the people of God are in union Oh the wonderfull help they are to one another they provoke one another they stirre up one anothers graces but take these coals from one another and then the fire goeth out And this may be the reason why our Saviour doth not mention the Sanctification and holinesse of believers but their unity because this is a special means to preserve and increase holinesse Two are better then one because of heat and of help saith the Wise-man Eccles 4.10 and so it 's in this work of Grace two are better then one to warm one another How may thy zeal help against anothers lukewarmnesse
these things Hence when Israel did see her vanity by false confidences in the creatures see what God saith of her Hos 13.4 Thou shalt know no God but me for there is no Saviour beside me and Hos 8.2 Israel shall cry unto me My God we know thee Though therefore knowledge be better then the greatest duties performed out of ignorant devotion the same Hosea 6 6. God there desireth knowledge more then burnt offerings yet this is but a lame imperfect knowledge if it breed not dependance on God as on our heavenly and gracious Father The other branch of dependance is on Christ for Justification and Salvation that is the beleeving on him which our Saviour so often promiseth eternall life to Oh when our knowledge of Christ and the fulnesse and sufficiency of a Mediator makes us to cast all our burden on him and to have free accesse to the Throne of Grace by his bloud this is precious knowledge This is that excellency of knowledge Paul Phil. 3. counted all things dung unto comparatively See then what trust and dependance doth the knowledge of God cause in thee for all thy knowledge art thou not as full of cares distractions and diffidence as if God did not rule as if Christ were not the Mediatour as if there were no promises in Gods Word 6. Then is our knowledge saving when it makes us glorifie God as God giving the praise of all things to him Rom. 1. This the Apostle taxeth the Gentiles withall that though they had a knowledge of God by the creatures yet they did not glorifie him according to this knowledge but they made sensible Images of him and worshipped wood and stone the work of mens hands They did not glorifie him as God there is a great deal in that To glorifie God as God is so to honour him as to give him the best and the supremacy in all things When our hearts are as much upon the creature as God or when we would serve God and Mamon this is not to glorifie God as God When we do any thing not principally and chiefly for God we do not honour him as a God These are the inward effects of knowledge Now there are outward effects which will necessarily follow true and saving knowledge even as the beams of the Sunne do the Sunne though they are not called externall as opposite to internall no they both go together for they that know God know him to be a Spirit and that he must be worshipped in Spirit and truth that all outward duties done without the heart are but a meer hypocrisie so that these outward effects are to be taken as streams coming from a full and precious fountain within and they are such as these 1. The true knowledge of God doth make a man effectually purge himself from all filthy and noisome lusts To say we know God and yet give our selves to sin is a lye and it argueth no truth in us 1· John 3.6 He that commits sin hath not known or seen God which is the reason why the Prophets attribute all the ungodlinesse in a Land to the not knowing of God So our Saviour tels the Pharisees that all their wickednesse was because they did not know him and his Father and in this Chapter Christ saith The world hath not known thee but these have known thee Ephes 4. If ye have been taught as the truth is in Jesus and ye have not so learned Christ What is this when we have so learned Christ as to put off the old man with the lusts thereof Never then boast of thy knowledge and thy parts what mortification of sinne what cleansing from thy filth doth it cause in thee if thy Christian knowledge doth not work a Christian life but thou art bruitish and dissolute in thy life tremble at thy estate for thou art out of the way to heaven 1 Pet. 2.20 some are said to have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of God yet these did it externally only They were swine though washed not sheep but thou dost not come thus farre though thou hast the knowledge of God yet thou wallowest in thy mire and lickest up thy vomit Thy condemnation will be the greater because thou knowest thy Masters will and dost it not What sentence then shall we passe upon all the carnall and wicked waies of most men they know well enough they understand well enough but because this knowledge hath no efficacy upon their lives therefore they go in the broad way to hell 2. Saving knowledge as it causeth an avoiding of sinne so a ready and willing obedience unto the commands of God And for this sake all disobedient and rebellious sinners are said in the Scripture not to know God They are excellently put together 1 Thess 1.8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God nor obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ What obedience then and conformity to Gods Law doth thy knowledge work in thee this God looketh at he careth not for thy head or thy tongue if he have not thy heart thy hands and thy whole life If so be the Apostle say that he which doubteth whether such a thing be sinne he is damned if he do it Rom. 14. how damnable is that mans condition who knoweth and is assured that he sinneth and yet wilfully persists in it So that our knowledge is not to be carried only to truths to what is to be beleeved and there to sit down No but Rom. 12.2 we are to be transformed in our minde that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God We are to consider what is that which is acceptable and well-pleasing to God and when we know it we must readily fullfill it Oh that men of knowledge and parts would think of these things Dost thou that which is well-pleasing to God Doth God accept of such a life as thine Is there not a plain contrariety and opposition between Gods will and thy lusts A man of great knowledge and also great impiety were he not puffed up with self-flattery would easily see the opposition between his life and Gods Word the one is strict his life is dissolute the one calleth to avoid not only sinne but the appearance of it but thy life plungeth thee both into sinne and the occasions of it Oh consider all thy knowledge and understanding helps thee no more then the devils knowledge doth them they are not able to love or delight in God and his will 3. The knowledge of God will make a man keep a good conscience in all things it will make him take heed of sinne in secret as well as publique it will make him do duties in secret as well as openly for whosoever is not afraid to sinne in secret whosoever neglects private duties and holinesse this man knoweth not God he doth not understand that he is omnipresent that his eye is every where beholding all things that
several waies faith helpeth to keep us Vse of Exhortation to the godly above all keepings to keep faith up The Just is to live by faith and we are to walk by faith and all the while we do so we stand immovable upon a Rock If thou growest secure or revolting if thou beginnest to decay all is because thy faith weakens The streams must dry up when the Fountain doth If the branches wither there is some defect in the Root Vse 2. of Instruction That it 's no wonder if wicked men grow worse and worse if they stumble and fall and never rise more if they become like the Blackmore and Leopard that cannot change their skins for they have no true lively faith in God and so have not whereby to be staid up Till God make a wonderful change in them expect no other but he that is filthy will be more filthy still SERMON LVIII The Greatness of the Mercy of being kept sound in the Truth And the Damnableness of Errour demonstrated JOHN 17.11 Keep through thy own Name those whom thou hast given me WE are now come to the last Interpretation which is part of the compleat sense here intended in this phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is to take Name for that pure and sound Doctrine whereby God in a saving manner is known Thus Name is used at the 6th verse I have manifested thy Name which is explained by the word they had kept And then the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is taken properly Keep in thy Name in thy Truth and Word which I have manifested to them For there is a two-fold keeping of Gods Word Obedientially by conforming our lives to it and Doctrinally by preserving the truth of it In this sense Timothy is exhorted to keep 2 Tim. 1.14 the good thing committed to his trust gold he hath received he must look this be not debased by erroneous dross Observe That it 's a special mercy to be kept in the truth and pure faith we have received Faith and Unity our Saviour prayeth for agreement in errour is not true peace and faith without Unity will like a live-coal quickly die of it self alone In these times of Errours and Heresies this Doctrine hath more than ordinary usefulness in it and therefore diligently attend to the grounds why it 's a special mercy to be kept sound in the faith and that we are more to rejoyce that our souls are kept from deceitfull errours than our bodies from infectious diseases And First It 's a special mercy because of the frequent and diligent Exhortations given to all that they fall not from the truth that they make not shipwrack of their faith 2 Pet. 3.17 The Apostle having spoken before that some wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction he bids even the godly beware a word used in matter of great concernment and where there is great danger lest they also be lead aside Therefore errour is not the way to Heaven and the Errour of the wicked it is called Wickedness is shewed in corrupt Doctrines as well as in prophane lives so as to fall from their stedfastness if you begin to shake to doubt it 's a sinne we must not fall from our stedfastness There is a notable place also Jude vers 3. when the Apostle gave himself diligently to write of salvation what doth he pitch upon to strive for the true Faith and he doth not barely write but exhorts his affections as well as his judgement are set on work and it 's not simply to believe or keep the faith but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be in an agony as they that are in a fight or race The faith should be as dear to us as our lives and the word implies a difficulty to keep it because of violent enemies to take away this live childe and put a dead one in the room Lastly you have the character of this faith it was once delivered so that new Revelations are not to be expected But we are to enquire What was once delivered Thus you see a Christian must not be cold and lukewarm in the truths of God but he must with all his soul imploy himself about it Secondly True Doctrine is a special mercy because one main end of the Scripture is to inform and keep us therein As God made the Sunne a fountain of all light and the Starres shine with a borrowed light from it so hath God put all spiritual light into the Scriptures and with this Sunne both Pastour and people are to be cloathed The Scripture is not only a rule of our life but of our faith principally 2 Tim. 3.16 The Apostle there reckoning up the admirable use and end of the Scriptures puts this in the first place That it is profitable for Doctrine How then dare a man say it 's no matter what Religion I am of all the doctrinal Disputes are but Scholastical Subtilties Is not this to blaspheme the perfection of the Scripture and is it not horrible ingratitude to God who giveth his Church the Scriptures as the most glorious Jewel it can enjoy This was the Jews priviledge to them were committed the Oracles of God Rom. 9. Thirdly It 's a special mercy to be kept in the truth because the Lord hath appointed Officers in the Church for this end among others to preserve and propagate the truth If it be then of such esteem with God ought it not to be also with us And wherein doth Gods regard to his truth more appear than in ordaining Officers in his Church whose main work and imployment should be to disseminate this pure seed wheresoever they come Ephes 4.14 There we have Offices given to the Church and one end is that believers be not tossed up and down with every winde of doctrine And though Timothy as some expound that place had prophesies concerning him what a glorious instrument he would be in the Church of God yet Paul doth again and again exhort him to keep the same doctrine he had delivered to him 1 Tim. 9.20 O Timothy keep that which is committed to thee That compellation is insinuating and argueth much affection in Paul and there is a reason even in the very expression of faith he cals it depositum as Aristotle observeth it 's a greater sinne to imbezil or alter that than any thing we have borrowed because this is committed to our Justice but a depositum to our faithfulness The Depositor doth rest upon us as trusty men So that by this all the Ministers of God are to be awakened Christian faith and doctrine is committed to you as the preservers of it The Priests lips are to preserve knowledge and the people are to require it at their hands The Apostle 2 Tim. 1.14 as if verbum sapienti sat est were not true in this matter doth again re-minde him to keep the good thing committed to him See with what esteem he speaks of the true Doctrine
Reformed Church by all which we see the necessity of Christs Praier for Unity There being such corruptions in our hearts and Satan so busie to make differences and dissentions That though Legions of Devils can agree to be in one man yet he will not suffer two Doctors to agree in one Church 2. The Unity that the Officers of Gods Church ought to have consists in these things 1. Vnity of Faith That they beleeve the same doctrine called therefore Eph. 4 5. One Faith And 1 Cor. 3. There is no other Foundation but one even the Lord Christ And indeed this must be the ground of all other Unity when the Papists would make Unity a note of the true Church We say Unity without true Doctrine is but a Faction a Conspiracy The Turks have Unity The Jews have Unity but yet because they have not the true Doctrine it 's not true peace and concord So that true Doctrine that is the Soul the fountain and the root of all 2. A second Unity is in the same Confession and acknowledgement of Faith and that in the samâ— words and truly this is very desirable not only to hold the same doctrinal Points but the same words also for new words bring in new Doctrines Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 pressing for Unity doth not only exhort them to be of the same minde and judgement but to speak the same thing 2 Tim. 1.13 Timothy is exhorted to hold fast the form of sound words Though they be but words and a Form yet he must hold them fast and this made the ancient Church so tenacious of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because by that all heretical Opinions were excluded It 's a remarkable expression Luk. 1. God is said to speak by the month of all the holy Prophets Though they were many yet it 's mouth not mouths They had all but one mouth and spake the same thing Thus it ought to be but one mouth of all the Ministers of the Gospel to beleeve We are to know what all Teacheth by what one Teacheth 3. There must be Vnity of affection and hearts as Act. 1. In the beginning of the Churches encrease their Unity of affection is greatly commended ver 14. They continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So also Act. 2.1.46 especially Act. 4.32 The multitude of Beleevers were of one heart and of one soul Though a multitude yet they had but one soul one heart Thus you see what kinde of Unity there ought to be among the Ministers of the Gospel In the next place let us Consider the Grounds why it 's such a mercy to have Unity amongst Church-Officers 1. Because fortitude and strength is in Vnity Vis unita fortior A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand saith our Saviour When one peice of the Wall divides from the other it foretels ruine As that Heathen to his Sonnes giving them a Quiver of Arrows intimating thereby as long as they agreed they were invincible All the united power of the Church is little enough against their common enemies and shall they weaken themselves 2. As Unity strengthens so it opposeth the Enemy more successefully which is the devil and all his Instruments What is there that the Popish adversary doth more insult with then to upbraid with the divers Sects that are among the Protestants for although we can retort and tell them of their divisions and that in fundamental Points yet it is our shame and grief that such a charge is in some measure true though not in that height the Adversaries do revile for none of the Reformed differ in Fundamentals As for the Socinians though they do vehemently oppose Popery yet we take not them to be of the Reformed Church who overthrow the Foundations of our Christian Religion But this is certain The Protestant differences give advantage to the Papists thereby they gain upon unsetled persons Look you say they they have no certainty among themselves They know not where to stay The Lutheran spirit judgeth the Calvinisticall diabolicall And thus unconstant inconsiderate persons look upon this as a great Argument against the Truth whereas even in the Apostles times the Church of God had sad divisions amongst themselves as 1 Cor. 3. Oh then let us bewail the corruption of the best that they should be so far transported with passion as to neglect the Truths of God by giving advantage to the common adversary 3. Unity is of great consequence amongst the Ministers of the Gospel because their divisions breed divisions amongst the people The differences of Teachers breed irreconcilable distractions amongst people as if the Heavens should be confused in their motions it would distract and destroy sublunary things We see in the Church of Corinth when the Teachers were divided what divisions also were there amongst the people some for Paul and some for Apollo 4. Pray to God for Unity among Church-Officers because their Controversies bring a main neglect of the chief work of their Ministery which is to come out and to build up souls in heavens way This is the end why God hath called us now when we fall out with one another and set up Opinion against Opinion The work of the Ministry is much retarded Hence the Apostle enjoyneth Timothy to fly such disputations and quarellings as are unprofitable because they fret away godlinesse and are like thorns and nettles among the Corn hindring the growth thereof 5. Unity is to be desired because this agreeth with their office and call They preach the Gospel of peace and God is the God of peace Christ is the Prince of peace and Col. 3. he is our peace reconciling all things Why then should the Ministers tongue be a tongue of war as if they were Priests to Bellona rather then the Ministers of the Gospel So that if all these grounds be considered we may well pray with our Saviour Lord make the Ministers of the Gospel as one man for divâ—sions as Jerom said are amicorum dispendia inimicorum compendia and publica divinae irae incendia In the next place what are the Causes you may say that may make the Ministers of the Gospel thus to dissent And 1. In the general It 's corruption and sin which lurketh in the hearts of all So that it 's more to be wished for then expected for to have Jerusalem a City compact within it self Never expect in this world to see such a time wherein the Ministers of the Gospel shall have one Faith one heart one mouth This is reserved for Heaven where there will be no difference of Calvinists and Lutherans of several forms of Church-government The Church of God hath alwaies been on fire only as when an house is on fire some cry for water some for Ladders some to pull down the House so some have cried for more moderate means some for fierce and vehement 2. Corrupt affections of pride ambition and covetousness These things are charged upon the false Teachers
From whence this Doctrine floweth That now there is no corporal or visible improvement of Christ but spiritual only We are apt now with Thomas to ask for the wounds and prints of the nails We are not now to expect any visible or corporal refreshments by him but what we have must be in a way of faith Heb. 11.1 Faith is the Evidence of things not not seen This the Apostle presseth 2 Cor. 5.16 Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him no more Whatsoever corporal helps and comforts whatsoever visible supports once they had yet now they attend not to any such things any more Christ himself is not now known after the flesh but after the spirit To open this Consider 1. That there was a time when the Apostles and Beleevers had not only a spiritual enjoyment of Christ by Faith but also a visible and corporal one viz. in that time when Christ was familiarly conversant with them in the flesh Then they saw Christ face to face and rejoyced in him as one friend with another Now this in it self could not be but unspeakable comfort with our own eyes to see Christ with our own ears to hear him speak and with our own handâ— to handle that Word of Life as 1 Joh. 1.1 Luk. 10 24. Our Saviour himself cals them blessed even because they lived in that age wherein they might corporally see him Many Kings and Prophets have desired to see and hear the things you do Prophets though they had immediate Revelations and Visions from God and so were called Seers yet they desired to see Christ in his bodily presence And Kings though they had the temporal glory of the world to behold yet they desired to see Christ in the flesh No wonder then if it were one of the three things Austin so desired that he might have lived in those times when Christ was here upon the Earth Do but judge within your selves Would you not go many miles if it were certain Christ were in such a place teaching and working Miracles Now the Disciples by Christs visible presence had many advantages when they were in any outward streights he provided for them though he sent them without any money upon his work yet they confessed they lacked nothing all that while When they were discouraged with their wicked Adversaries he comforted their hearts When they were in any temporal danger as when the Ship was tossed with Tempests he saved them and which is above all he was a visible Doctor and Teacher unto them so that there was nothing in Religion they doubted of but he could infallibly direct them in It 's that which the Papists so much pleade for that there must be a visible infallible Head in the Church who is to decide matter of faith otherwise there cannot be any certainty but one will pretend to the Truth as well as another Now the Apostles had such a visible Head of the Church to direct them though we have none now but the Spirit of God by the Word doth direct and guide such as walk humbly Oh what a Treasure was this That an Apostle could not have one doubt upon his heart any scruple in his Conscience any doubt about any Text in the Old Testament but he had an infallible Prophet to go to who could teach him all things Thus there was a time of outward visible enjoying of Christ But 2. This outward visible enjoying of Christ was not of any advantage at all if there had not been also a spiritual beleeving on him It was not the seeing the hearing the living with him made a man happy but the spiritual receiving of him as a Mediatour Did not Iudas live with him in this kinde was not he as a familiar Friend with him yet for all that he was a Sonne of Perdition Hence our Saviour upon all occasions took them off from attending to such visible advantages as Luke 11.27 when they cried out Blessed is the womb that bare Christ and the paps that gave him suck He corrected this and said Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and do it So that the very Mother of Christ was more blessed in conceiving Christ in her heart by Faith then conceiving him in her womb So Mar. 3.35 when they told him his Mother and Brethren were to seek him he answered Whosoever doth the will of God the same is my Mother and Brother So that now all such corporall considerations are to vanish and spirituall Arguments are to take place Even as when Christ left his Disciples bodily then the Spirit of God came powerfully upon them If then we would duely improve Christ as a Mediatour we are to be a spirituall people our hearts desires and aims must be wholly spirituall But this is too great a lesson for any natural man he cannot make any use of Christ but after a fleshly carnal manner one way or other The life of Faith is as much above them as reason is above a Beast The natural man cannot receive them because spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Therefore wicked men are called sensuall and are compared to brute beasts which are wholly carried out by sence We will instance in some particulars by which it's apparent that we are prone to know Christ after a corporal manner As 1. All those doctrinal Opinions in Popery about visible Images and Crucifixes to represent God and Christ what are these but even to desire Christ to be here bodily with us still And because this cannot be therefore we have a Crucifix we keep some bodily representation of him This the Papists commend as of special use to stir up devotion Hence some of them make the same kinde of worship to be given to a Crucifix as to Christ himself Thus Christ is wholly neglected spiritually he is not propounded as a Mediatour to Faith but as a pleasing picture to the sence And thus also though God be a Spirit and he would not appear to the Israelites in any similitude that they might not make any Image of him yet how prone were they to make similitudes of God and is this only among Papists Are not the common people so ignorant and superstitious as to be doting upon such visible Objects Even as little Children love to play with Babies 2. Our pronenesse to know Christ after a corporal manner is seen in the Doctrine of Transubstantiation where the Papists hold the Bread and Wine to be really turned into the body and bloud of Christ that it 's no longer bread or Wine but Christs body and bloud Therefore they look not up to Christ in heaven by Faith but to Christ in the Sacrament as if his corporal being there were all in all Insomuch that all the affection and devotion they put forth in a Sacrament is wholly visible and carnal They worship it as if the body of Christ were there They set it up to be seen that all may bodily fall down and
they do to his Name they would Therefore the people of God may strongly and comfortably urge that it 's not their good their peace is the quarrell but because of something of God in them as the Basilisk hateth the picture of a man because it hateth a man himself 2. God hath put such a naturall storge into all Creatures that what is their own they will defend The Hen will save its own little ones and venture for them The Mother will save her own childe Now shall God put such a property in all Creatures to save their own to protect their own and shall not God much more Yea God maketh his affections to be more tender then a mothers such may forget even her sucking Infant Isa 49.15 but God will not yea doth not God shew his care in providing for all Creatures because they are his Creatures who feeds the young Ravens who preserveth the Sparrows Life Is not all by Gods Providence Oh then what specal care will he shew to his spiritual Creature which cost farre more then even the natural Creature did It would be a dishonour to God if he should not take care of such We see amongst men it 's counted matter of honour to remember them that have suffered for their sakes What said David to the Priest that escaped Sauls sword when so many were bloudily devoured by his Sword I have been the Cause of their death stay with me and thou shalt fare as I fare Thus will Christ say I have been the cause of all thy reproaches and miseries in the world Stay with me and I will protect you To forsake a man that hath been undone to maintain thy cause or thy credit would be great dishonour And doth it not more belong to Gods honour that such as have denied all their worldly comforts for him that he should regard them What will not God suffer any to seek him in vain and shall they suffer for him in vain Besides it would discourage all to stand for his Word Should he forsake them who would set out upon this spiritual Warre with the world upon his own charges It 's true we are to say after all is done We are unprofitable Servants and when we have suffered here we might suffer in hell hereafter but Gods Grace and goodnesse will not regard our merits but his fidelity and promise Vse of Direction to the people of God to order their Conversation so wisely and holily that if possible the hatred of the world may be for their godlinesse Let them slander reproach and pretend what they will yet do thou enjoy this comfort within O Lord it 's for my obedience to thee It 's because I own thy Commands I dare not comply with the evil waies of the world To be able to say as Christ For which of my good works dost thou stone me For what is it that thou reproachest me This is to shine as stars in a dark night Dogs may bark at the Moon but that stayeth not its course Go on in the midst of all the reproaches of the world Let thy holy life torment them let them be in a rage that they have nothing justly to charge thee with and then say with Jerome I thank God that I am worthy to be one whom the world hateth We know the worlds opposition engageth Gods protection and the Lord will account all that is done against thee as done against his own Majesty The last Doctrine In that Christ saith He had declared or given Gods Word to his Disciples Obs That the Ministers duty is to deliver only Gods Truth to his hearers Christ twice saith this I have delivered thy words and in another place My Doctrine is not mine but my Fathers which sent me Thus Paul 1 Cor. 11. That which I have received of the Lord deliver I unto you We should preach only Traditions in this sence not Popish unwritten Traditions but that doctrine which we have received Hence Paul so pathetically exhorts Timothy 1 Tim. 6.20 Keep that which is committed to thy Trust not that which he had invented not that which came out of his own heart but what was deposited in his hands Aurum accepisti aurum redde Religion is not res ingonii but doctrinae Now in this the Ministers of God are to deliver 1. His word his Truth in opposition to what is the word of man what is a lye and a falshood The false Prophets are often reproved for venting the Imaginations of their own hearts and in the New Testament some are severely taxed for bringing in damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2. Look we then that what we build be gold and silver not hay and stubble That what we preach be Wheat and not Chaff meat and not poison 2. We are to deliver it purely Some though they preach the Truth yet they defile it by their additions the Apostle Paul testifieth that he was not in the number of those 1 Cor. 2.17 who corrupt the word of God that use sophisticate and counterfeit waies to adulterate it as men do their wine and wares but as of God and in the sight of God Oh what holy trembling and fear should be upon us lest our preaching should be like Nâ—buchadnezzars Image some part of gold and silver but the rest of Iron and Clay 3. They are to deliver it universally as Paul said he had not withheld from them the whole counsell of God Act. 20. 27. To speak all that God commands not to hide or withdraw any thing either for fear or flattery The threatning part as well as the promising to vent the Prophesie though it be the burden of the Lord. 4. They are to deliver it upon an holy end or motive That the truth might be beleeved the people edified To preach Gods Word as it is our Opinion our Interest our advantage is sinfull yet how apt are we to regard a Truth as it is ours more then Gods Vse of Exhortation to people to receive the Word of God with adoration and reverence how prone are people to entertain errors or corrupt Doctrines To be more affected with the wit and words of men more then the authority and divine nature of the Word SERMON LXXXII Of Wicked mens hating the Godly the Causes Effects and Properties of it JOH 17.14 And the world hath hated them because they are not of the world THe next thing to be considered is the Argument it self used by our Saviour in this Petition Keep them by thy speciall protection why because the world hateth them And I shall take in the second Cause into the Argument Because they are not of this world For I have spoken already about these things from vers 11. I shall adde what was not then mentioned In the Argument you may take notice of the Subject or persons that do hate and they are said to be the world that is wicked men called the world because they are the greater part of it and because they
say here is a greater then a Pythagoras here Deus dixit Therefore observe the Prophets they do often repeat this Thus saith the Lord because nothing could amaze and humble their hearers so much as that God said it and indeed when once it 's received as Gods truth then the heart doth readily obey as 1 Thess 2.13 you may there see wherein the truth preached doth work in it's due and proper manner even when it 's received not as the word of man but of God Divine truth will have divine operations but when received as mans truth it hath but humane effects such as Tullies Orations or Demosthenes had upon their auditors which is like the influence of the Moon that doth not give true heat and life but the word of God works like the Sun not only in respect of penetrating light reaching into all the inwards of the soul but also vivifical heat It makes men live a spiritual and heavenly life whereas moral truths help only to an external honesty It 's true that which Ambrose said Omnis veritas est à Spiritu sancto Every truth is of the holy Ghost even natural and humane truths are But as God is the author of nature and yet of grace in a more special way so the Spirit of God is the author of all truth but in a more peculiar manner of Scripture truths Therefore all Scripture is said to be given by inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 Consider then the truths we deliver you out of Gods word are his truth Thus saith the Lord against the heretical person Thus saith the Lord against the prophane person Oh if it were only men that say thus it might be easily rejected but it 's God that speaks it and therefore none may oppose 2. Because it's Gods truth therefore it 's infallible it 's so certain that we can never be deceived whosoever believed according to Scripture and lived according to Scripture that a man was never confounded or ashamed he will never have cause to wish Oh that he had taken another way Oh that I had done otherwise Thus David Psal 119. Then I shall not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commandments Have a conscientious respect to Gods Word in thy Religion and in thy conversation this will prove infallible this is the Israelites cloud and pillar upon their Tabernacle we are to go when that goeth we are to stand still when that stands still This is the Star that will certainly guide us to Christ All divine faith is infallible in Philosophy in humane Authorities we may be deceived but in the Scripture we cannot Venture all upon the truth of Scripture it will never deceive thee when thou wilt finde Satan and the world liars 3. It 's an eternal Truth Even as God doth abide for ever so will his truth Mat. 5. Heaven and earth shall sooner pass away then one iota or tittle of it Truth will abide when these heavens and earth shall not abide at least not in the same manner as they are now and excellently to this purpose speaks 1 Pet. 1.23 24 25. being born of the incorruptible word of God for all flesh is grass but the word of God abideth for ever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached to you Scripture-truth abideth for ever whereas all errours and false ways though they have overflowed for a while yet presently they withered again What is become of the Manichees Arrians Pelagians Nestorians and those thousands of Heretiques They had a time of glory a shew in the world but then died neither lamented nor desired Scripture-truth will prevail even as Christ the essential Truth As the Sun will at last get the better of all clouds and foggy mists and cannot alwayes be in an eclypse so it 's with the truth of God All errors are like men mortal they pass away if any error be so strong as to hold to threescore years it begins like man to be full of pain and sorrow They are compared to hay and stubble these will not long continue They are like Davids rich and great men in the world like the grass upon the house top not only homo but haereticus est bulla Truth will continue in the field when all errours will lie prostrate and conquered and have no other burial but that of an Ass as that despised King had 4. It 's an universal Truth within the bounds of Religion I do not say that all philosophical and mathematical truths are in the Scripture but all soul-saving truths are as 2 Tim. 3. The Scriptures are able to make thee wise to salvation There is nothing for doctrine or for practice but that can guide thee This sufficiency and perfection of Scripture-truth we do justly maintain against the Papists who as they foolishly set up their lighted tapers at noon-day so they add their traditions to the Scripture but it 's often said we may neither adde to it nor detract from it therefore it 's abundantly sufficient Now it 's good with Tertullian to adore this fulness of the Scripture for thy faith and doctrine to believe as thou readest to worship God as thou readest As the childe in the womb is nourished only by the mother through her nourishing Thus the Church of God is instructed nourished and enlivened only from God by the Scriptures We read the Manna fell from heaven but there fell a dew before it to constringe and bind the earth Thus truth fals from God but the Scripture is like the dew to keep it together that it may be for our use Let not then tradition custom antiquity multitudes nor such Gorgons heads lifted up by men terrifie thee but follow the word in thy faith and worship where that stands still do not thou go further where that goeth do not thou stand still And as for faith so for thy life know that hath all practical truth in it necessary to salvation that teacheth and that only how to repent how to be converted how to believe in Christ how to pray how to hear how to be in the world yet to have a conversation in heaven That teacheth thee how to be godly in thy relations a godly father a godly childe a godly master a godly servant Now this most people are greatly faulty in they will be of no Religion but what the Scripture commands yet they will live otherwise and do otherwise When thou seest an heretick thou will bring Scripture against him And is not Scripture against thy prophaneness and impiety as well as there are damnable heresies so are there damnable wickednesses in mens lives 5. It 's a supernatural Truth Many of the truths revealed in Scripture are such as no Plato's no Aristotles no wisdom of man though raised beyond Solomons could ever have attained unto such as the doctrine of the Trinity of the Nature Person and Office of Christ of the Resurrection of a day of Judgment and the
truth of Scripture Thus Christ John 8.40 told the Pharisees They thought to kill him because he told them the truth And Paul Gal. 4.16 Am I become your enemy because I tell you the truth The Ministers of this truth are compared to light that is offensive to sore eyes and salt that doth grieve and vex the wounded man Indeed truth if rightly considered is not grievous but to do otherwise then obey truth It 's not the threatning of hell and damnation that should be so grievous but the punishments themselves They cried out of our Saviour saying It was an hard speech of what he had spoken but it 's an harder thing to lie roaring in hell-flames to all eternity Vse Is the word of God thus Truth then be possessed and filled with it Let truth be in your mindes truth in your hearts truth in your lives Take heed of all errours and heresies they oppose the Doctrinal Truths of the Scripture Take heed of all prophaneness and impiety they oppose the practical Truths Oh remember if Gods word be truth then woe be to thee thou art in a lying way in a seduced and damnable way Only know it 's not enough to have a general knowledge of Scripture-Truths but endeavour after a particular practical discerning of them The Scripture cals it knowing the Truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4.21 and the acknowledging of the truth after godlinesse Tit. 1.1 Tantum scimus quantum operamur We know no more in Gods account then we put in practice Take heed then of being in the number of those Rom. 1.18 who hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Say as the Apostle in his Ministry 2 Cor. 13.18 So thou in thy whole particular conversation I can do nothing against the Truth but for it This would be a Preservative every way SERMON XCIV How requisite a sound minde and a holy life are to a Minister of the Gospel And of Christs peculiar love to and care of such JOH 17.18 As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I sent them into the world THis Verse begins a New Argument or Reason why the Apostles need Sanctification by the Truth It 's drawn not from the generall Consideration as they are Beleevers but from the particular Relation they were in commissionated with Office to preach the Truth of God Before I enter upon the words the Coherence of this Argument with the Petition doth deserve some Consideration though the particle of Connexion be not expressed yet it is to be supposed howsoever this followeth next in order upon that Petition and therefore there cannot be but Coherence of the matter I shall not trouble you with the Conjectures of Interpreters but pitch on that which is easily acknowledged to be very genuine and plain And first Whereas Sanctification by the Truth is desired for the Apostles because they were to be Officers in the Church and Ministers of the Gospel Whence Observe That Truth and Holinesse are requisite in the Ministers of the Gospel Sanctifie them by thy Truth Why because they are sent to preach the Gospel and they have thy Authority This is the reason why Christ though he called his Apostles immediatly from their worldly calling yet it was two years as Chemnitius in his Harmony computeth ere he sent them out to preach but kept them in his Family and under his Instruction that so they might attain both to true Doctrine and an holy Life This was represented Exod. 28.30 by the Vrim and Thummim which were to be on the Breastplate Light and Perfection sound Doctrine and Integrity of Life Hence the Apostle in the Qualification of Ministers requireth doctrinall abilities that he be apt to teach and can divide the Word of God aright as also many practical Qualifications for holy and unblamable life 1 Tim. 3.2 The Scripture compareth the Ministers of God to Stars and that both for their light and purity differing as Philosophers say from the substance of sublunary things 1. Let us Consider the Grounds why they are to be endowed with Truth and to have a sound minde And first From the Quality of the Office Their Office is to preach the Truth They are appointed to declare the Word of God and that only not humane Inventions not the thoughts of their own heart for if Christ himself avoucheth this that his doctrine was not his own but his that sent him and doth still referre all to the Father that sent him how much more ought the Ministers of God to declare what they reade and what they have received of God by the Scriptures not their own conceits Thus the Prophets of old began their Sermons with Thus saith the Lord and the Apostles begin their Epistles with their call and office Apostles and Servants of God Seeing therefore they have such an Office and Trust that requireth in the very Essentials of it nothing but Truth they ought earnestly to pray for it They are called the Light and the Salt of the Earth Now if the Light be dark all the body is dark If Salt hath lost his Seasoning it 's good for nothing By their Office they are to be the Ministers of Truth as Paul said I can do nothing against the Truth but for it 2 Corinth 13.8 This is a Minister after Gods own Heart that is thus qualified Secondly Truth is necessary if you do respect the subordination of their Office Christ hath not sent them to be Masters and Lords over mens Faith to propound their own Dictates and to anathematize such as do not immediatly obey No They have a Ministeriall not a Magisteriall Office for though in respect of the people they are Guides and Overseers and Shepheards yet in respect of God they are Ministers and Servants They are under Christ the Head and so must not deliver any thing but what they have received They may not make Articles of Faith they cannot appoint the worship of God They cannot institute new Sacraments It 's spiritual Treason in them to do this They are like the skillfull Gemmary that doth not make the Jewell only by his skill doth discover which is true or like Solomon that did not make the true Childe but by his Wisedom did manifest it So the Ministers of the Gospel though never so Learned never so holy yet they of their own authority cannot make any new Truth or new Ordinance Therefore they are compared to Embassadors that are bound up by their Commission To Stewards not Masters in the House The Scripture is called Gods Testament or Will Now the Lawyer may not adde or take away from it though he hath never so much skill and knowledge it would be sinful forgery in him to do so Thus Beloved we Ministers are bound up to Gods Word as that last Will he hath appointed how he will have his Church governed how it must beleeve how it must worship and it must be high Sacriledge to adde or detract from it Therefore if Scripture-Truths
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
then all those places of Scripture which speaks of our Election so as to praise God to have Confidence in him to triumph over all Afflictions would all be in vain for a man that is dead cannot perform these Duties Vse 1. of Consolation to all Beleevers What holy boldnesse and Confidence may they have for the time to come Did Christ think of thee before ever thou wast born or come into this world and will he not now thou hast a being in this world Did he minde thee before ever thou hadst any Grace and not when thou hast it He that did the greater will he not doe the lesse Vse 2. Of Admonition To search for the Effects and Fruits of Election in your Lives and Conversations For if you are of God and do belong to him you will hear his Word The Word one time or another will be effectuall to you SERMON CVII Of Faith the severall Kindes of it And especially of Justifying Faith It 's Object and Seat c. JOHN 17.20 Who shall believe in me through their word WE are now come to the Description of those who are here prayed for 1. The person in it's qualification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Object of this Qualification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that in this Description two things are very observable 1. The Action 2. The Object The Action or rather the Quality is in those words Who shall believe 2. The Object in those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the gracious disposition viz. of believing I shall God willing treat more generally of the Nature of it vers 21. where it's again mentioned and so shall passe over the Act and come to the Object that specifieth it And the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is emphatical for it 's observed by the learned that no prophane Authors use that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it 's peculiar to the Scripture So that as the thing it self viz. recumbency and resting upon Christ for salvation is onely known in the Church of God so is the phrase I shall not at this time examine that ordinary distinction of credere Deum Deo and in Deum it will be more pertinent at vers 21. where the whole Nature of faith in it's latitude is to be examined At this time I am to consider the restriction of it to it 's principal and chief Object and that is Christ For there is a two fold object of Faith the generall and that is the whole truth of God revealed in the Scriptures and the special that is the Lord Christ making an atonement for us and as Faith doth respect this special object so it justifieth a mans faith doth not justifie him as it believeth the threatnings or historical part of the Scripture but as it receiveth Christ and resteth on him It 's true the habit of justifying faith puts it self forth into all those general acts as a man by his rational soul accomplisheth the acts of sense which are common to a beast but that which doth specifically constitute him as a man is rationality so justifying faith doth inable a man to believe every truth revealed in Gods Word but that by which he is justified is when he wholly depends upon Christ and as was said This is emphatically expressed in Scripture by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not that this doth every where signifie the act of saving and justifying faith for John 2.23 many are there said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To believe on the Name of Christ to whom yet Christ would not commit himself but only for the most part is so The Scripture often expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially by the Evangelist John sometimes with the Dative case Act. 18.8 Act. 27.25 sometimes it hath the Dative case with the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.33 Rom. 10.11 sometimes with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Accusative case Rom. 4.5 Rom. 4.24 sometimes on the Name of Christ sometimes on Christ sometimes on God and all these expressions do come to the same effect only hereby is expressed more then a meer intellectual assent or speculative belief There is also included the fiducial and cordial inclination of the whole heart to rest solely upon Christ renouncing every thing else that may be thought to reconcile God to us Doct. That the faiâ—h which justifieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend and rely upon Christ So that it is with the believer in the matter of Justification as it was with Peter when sinking into the sea he cried out to Christ who took him by the hand and leaning on him was saved Thus the believer he is even sinking and dropping into hell he crieth out I am damning I am damning and then Christ putting his hand forth faith taketh strong hold of it and so is supported or as the Israelite stung with a Serpent it was not the looking upon other objects but only upon the Serpent and it was looking or meer beholding not applying any medicinal things that did cure So it is here It 's not the believing of every truth but only on Christ that justifieth and it is only believing not repenting not loving though they be necessary graces in the persons justified but only believing upon which we are justified Seeing that this is the quintessence of all practical Divinity and the life of faith is that which we are to be exercised in continually and also there are many corrupt doctrinal opinions that oppose it Let us the more diligently consider the whole nature of faith as it justifieth And First You must know that Protestant Writers consonantly to the Scripture make four kindes of Faith 1. Historical which some call Dogmatical whereby we do believe the truths of Scripture revealed therein because of Divine Authority because God saith so for if it be only from custom or education or other humane ends then it 's not so much as a Divine Historical faith and this faith all Christians are supposed to have though it 's to be feared few have any more then a bare humane faith 2. There is a Temporary Faith called so because it doth abide but for a season it being not able to endure the force of persecution and this is a degree higher then the former for that was only in the understanding and so had no efficacy upon the heart or affections at all but this temporary faith is carried out with some affections both to the person revealing and the matter revealed for Mat. 13. They received the Word with joy who believed but for a season 3. There is the Faith of Miracles which was granted in the primitive times of the Church for the confirmation of the Gospel and that sometimes to those who were not justified persons and this had for the object of it a peculiar and special promise for the doing such or such miraculous effects and answerable to this some learned Divines do acknowledge still a special faith whereby the
Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit Acts 18.27 Some have thought that we may by humane strength come to beleeve divine truths as we may by our industry attain to philosophicall knowledge but this is to be ignorant of mans weaknesse and Gods power It 's true men may in an humane way comprehend the sense and meaning of the Scripture but to give a divine assent to it that is the gift of God For every good and perfect gift whereof this faith is a principal one cometh from the Father of lights James 1. Did not many learned Heathens Porphyrius Celsus Julian and others know what was asserted in the Scripture yet they did not believe but contemn it And certainly we are bound to acknowledge it a great mercy of God to have dogmatical faith For why are so many Heretiques left to themselves Some deny the Natures one or the other of Christ some his Person some his Offices and shouldst not thou doe thus if left to thy self Nay Is not a godly man sometimes sadly tempted about his dogmatical faith that he doubteth of a God or about the truths of the Scripture Certainly it 's a speciall mercy thus to be inabled to believe and it is good to be observed one reason why faith must needs be of God which is because the nature of it lieth more in the firmness of the act then in the certainty of the subject It 's not so much the object without as something within makes a man believe Gods Spirit doth more work in corroborating the heart then revealing the object Hence though the Doctrine be revealed to some yet they do not believe when at another time though they have but the same measure of light and the same argument propounded they do believe and why is all this but because Gods work in the believer is more ex parte subjecti then objecti Therefore it 's horrible debasing of Gods grace in working faith to make it no more then the revealing of the object for then man by his own power doth believe as when a man brings a candle in the room then a man seeth by his own power who could not before for God doth not only propound the object but enlightens the understanding and boweth the heart to believe 2. God works faith in us not absolutely or by the creatures the beholding and seeing of them but by the word Thus Rom. 10. Preaching hearing and believing are chained together We are then in and by the Word to expect this work of God not to flie to the creatures making them equal to Gods word for begetting faith or to enthusiasmes and private revelations but to the word of God which gives light to the simple but as the Word is an instrument of begetting faith so faith is afterwards an instrument of improving the Word for the Word doth not profit in the increase and benefit thereof unlesse there be Faith Thus as the Spirit of God doth at first work Faith and yet by Faith we are made further partakers of Gods Spirit So the Word doth at first produce Faith in us which when wrought doth againe improve the Word for further edification and growth in grace 3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit but contrary and opposite unto the way of believing of heavenly Truth And by this it 's plain Faith is the gift of God because man hath not only an unfitnesse but a contrary repugnancy to the things of God Therefore 1 Cor. 4.14 the natural man is said not to receive the things of God neither can be both the act and the power is denied to him Therefore when Peter made that Confession of faith Thou art the Son of God Christ tels him Flesh and bloud had not revealed that to him Mat. 16.17 Therefore the Pharisees though they heard so much of Christ and saw all his Miracles yet they derided and opposed Christ They did not hear his Word because they were not of God as Christ told them Job 8.47 Know then as in respect of grosse sinne thou wouldst be like a Cain a Judas if God did not keep thee so also in respect of doctrine thou wouldst be the vilest Atheist or the most blasphemous heretique that ever was if God did not enlighten and confirm thee 4. Though God work faith thus yet it may be without a Sanctification of the inward man For seeing Faith as it's dogmatical carrying a man only to the Contents of the Scripture as they are true is seated in the understanding no wonder if thereby a man be enlightned only but not regenerated Hence we reade of some who did beleeve Joh. 2. yet they loved the praise of men more then of God That light in their minde did not serve to produce supernatural life and heat in the heart It was not a faith that did purifie the heart which is called the Faith of the Elect Tit. 1.1 because only appropriated to them The whole Epistle of James is on purpose to shew such a Faith that is not accompanied with holy works although therefore we say a true lively Faith can never be separated from sanctification yet men may be enlightned only in their mindes and perswaded of the truth in their hearts without any effectual change upon them It 's not enough to have such a faith as may make a man a true Protestant or orthodox so as to be neither Papist nor heretique for all this is but a cure of thy minde and with illumination may consist grievous pollutions Yet 5. Where there is but a bare dogmaticall Faith enabled thereunto by the Spirit of God there must needs be some kinde of pious disposition and tractablenesse of the heart For seeing the nature of faith lyeth in assenting to a Testimony and that of God there cannot be but some flexiblenesse of the heart to submit thereunto If indeed the Christian Religion were like the Arts and Sciences then there was no submission of the understanding required seeing it assents upon reason which is a sutable and connaturall argument to the minde as food is to the appetite of hunger But because these things are received for authority sake and have a supereminency to our naturall understanding Therefore it must be captivated Thus the Apostle excellently expresseth it 2 Cor. 10.5 the word doth bring into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ a man before he believeth hath many proud thoughts many subtle thoughts many obstinate thoughts but Faith brings these down and submits because God saith so Now this cannot be done without some yeelding and flexiblenesse Hence the Schoolmen do determine that in faith and they acknowledge none besides miraculous but dogmaticall There is a pia affectio some pious and affectionate disposition to him for whose authority we do beleeve So that this dogmatical faith even in unregenerated persons is not like that of the devils for though the Apostle James saith They believe and tremble Jam. 2.19 yet their
to be considered And they are these 1. It lifteth a man up above his natural reason It addeth many cubits to his stature As reason directs and corrects sense as we see in Astronomy so doth faith direct and correct reason As Zacheus because of a small stature went up into a tree to see Jesus Thus the reason of a man being too low in it self must ascend up to the Scriptures that it may behold divine things so that they wholly overthrow faith and change the nature of it who made it with Abailadus of old to be imagination or with the Socinians strength of reason Certainly Julian and the Heathens of old confound Christian Religion upon this ground because it was faith it was not a science 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was Julians upbraiding now the Christians they gloried in this and Austin to confirm the Christian under many captious doubts saith thus Nomini te esse fidelem not rationalem To bring then divine truths to reasons comprehension is to put the Sunne under a bushell or to think to fit Goliahs shoe to Zacheus his foot 2. Though this faith lifts up reason yet it doth not contradict it When we say faith cometh by revelation not by reason flesh and blood cannot make such things known to us yet when once this revelation is discovered in the Scripture then reason doth wonderfully help to propugn and maintain this truth revelation must lay the foundation and then reason will build upon it so that inlightned reason and instructed reason out of the Word is of excellent use to explicate and clear divine mysteries Even as the Gold-smiths hammer is usefull to dilate and diffuse his golden mettal in many formes and this use all our learned Divines make against all Heretiques They doe by the help of reason and arguments out of the Scripture illustrate and confirm the Doctrine to be believed 3. This general nature of faith hath two excellent properties put together in one place Heb. 11.1 It 's there called The substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We shall not dispute Whether this be a definition of faith it 's enough that two differential marks are given of it And First It 's the substance of things hoped for concerning which word learned men say divers things but it may comprehend these particulars First that Faith is not an empty flying fancy for so Aristotle useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some manifestation meerly as the colours of the Rainbow or of birds feathers when the Sunne shines These have but an intentional being there is no reall solid being in them but faith is the substance of things hoped for and certainly this is greatly to be endeavoured after that thy faith be a reall substantial thing how many mens faith are but fickle fancies and uncertain notions and therefore with their dogmatical faith they are like the Apostle James his man without faith tossed up and down with every wave Jam. 1. The Apostle Ephes 4.14 saith Be not carried about with every winde of Doctrine that denoteth the levity and emptinesse of a thing Trees that are well rooted are not blowne up and down like feathers What then is the cause of instability and uncertainty of many mens Religion It 's because they have not faith wheresoever that is it is a solid substantial bottoming of the soul 2. The word substance doth imply that it makes the things hoped for though afarre off yet present to the soul and even to subsist in the soul for faith is not hindred in its actings by distance of place for that receiveth Christ enjoyeth Christ though in Heaven and he that believeth hath eternal life Hence we are said to be already translated from death to life John 5.24 because to faith these things are as sure as if they were already done Thus Paul you see him by faith speaking as confidently as if he were in Heaven already Rom 8. Who shall separate us from the love of God shall things present or things to come Shall life or death c Hence faith is called The beholding of things not seen 2 Cor. 3. Faith makes God present Heaven present Christ present as really and truly as bodily objects are present to sense and truly for want of this it is that we are so cold languishing dejected we doe not by faith make these things present if we did they would more divinely affect us and as it is the substance of things hoped for So of things feared likewise Noah by faith moved with fear prepared an Arke Heb. 11.7 Thus faith makes hell and damnation present it doth not look upon hell as a farre off but is affected as if it did see and hear those dolefull howlings in hell and so dare no more sin then if it were in hell already Oh what a mighty change would faith thus realizing things work upon us 3. The word comprehends Assurance Confidence and so indeed is hypostasis used both in Scripture and by humane Authours now this confidence of faith and assurance is seen in the knowing and assenting acts of faith as well as applicatory witnesse those resolute and confident deportments which the Martyrs had Had not they strong assurance of the truth who could endure such exquisite torments against subtil opposers And certainly the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes are more to be admired then those in the primitive times for they suffered upon undoubted and clear points which only the Heathens gain-said But now these suffered by them that acknowledged a Christ and pretended the Glory of Christ as well as they So that this heavenly confidence and satisfaction of the soul that they care not for further disputing and doubting in the matters they do believe is a great property in faith And this manifesteth there is little faith now in Religion wherein men are apt to think all Religions alike and that one may do as well as another In these dayes to have such a substantiating reallizing and confident assurance is a great wonder The next word describing the generall nature of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that doth imply First That the things believed bring an objective light with them As the object that is seen brings a visibility though faith in respect of humane reason be obscure and supernatural Arguments be inevident yet compared with the light in the Word it hath much evidence Hence the word of God is so often compared to light and that illumination which God worketh in the minde is partly faith as well as any other grace The things that are believed bring an evidence with them to the soul as the Sunne brings a visibility with it to be seen Therefore this believing is said to be by the Word set home in the demonstration of the Spirit and hence it is a man in some sense is passive
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
the Ephesians who though they were made light in the Lord and had the mystery of Gods will so much made known unto them that he did not cease to give thanks for them daily in that behalf yet still he prayeth Ephes 1.17 18. That God would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of their understanding may be inlightned c. Here it 's plain That though these had knowledge yet they might still encrease in it Hence the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1.19 doth encourage beleevers for their diligent attending unto the Scripture untill the day dawn and the day-starre arise in their hearts that is till they obtain more firm and evident knowledge of the things of God In the Old Testament we have David Psal 119. though professing he had more knowledge then his teachers and the Word was continually his counsellour yet prayeth he That God would open his eyes that he may understand the wonderfull things of Gods Law Davids eyes are not opened clear enough the word implieth there are some scales and film upon his eyes that must be rolled away and that there are excellent precious things in Gods word that he doth not yet understand For the improving of this truth Let us consider in how many particulars a further constant teaching by Christ is requisite to the most able believers And First They need further revelation in respect of the objects of their knowledge to know more then they do know So imperfect is every godly mans knowledge that it may be called ignorance rather then knowledge We are ignorant of farre more excellent truths in Religion then we do know If the Heathen could say Our eyes were in respect of natural truth but like those of the Owl to the Sun How much more is this true about spiritual objects You see how the Apostles knowledge was successive they come to know one thing after another as Christ revealed it till they had that plentifull effusion of the holy Ghost upon them And the Apostle Paul who was taught not of men but of Christ himself yea he was caught up into the third heaven yet for all that he puts himself in the number of those who know but in part 1 Cor. 13. So that this is true not only of believers but of the eminent Doctors and Teachers in the Church they know but in part yea and that will be true of them even at their last hour though their whole life hath been to obtain knowledge of God Therefore this should quicken all up to diligent use of the means for who can sit down and say He knoweth enough or he knoweth all things Indeed there have been those that were called Guostiques because of the great knowledge they boasted of but yet they made themselves even like bruit beasts O then confess that the waters of divine truth are so deep that though thou wert an Elephant yet thou mightest swim in it we are as the Ancients said Secondly As in the object we need much revelation so in those things we do know we need much assistance and direction from Christ in respect of the adjuncts of it For 1. Though we do know the objects yet we may every day know them more evidently more distinctly more clearly Alas our knowledg about God and Christ is very confused and therefore Paul is every day desirous to know Christ better then he did As it is with digging in a Mine of Gold every daies labour brings richer and fuller supplies or as the draining from a Spring doth not exhaust but makes it more plentifull Thus it is with the heart of a man when set to know God or Christ There are new considerations new respects and new arguments arising alwayes from them Insomuch that God and Christ may seem new to the soul every day we begin to nauseate and grow weary when the same things we know are alwayes suggested unto us but the soul of a man can never he weary of the knowledge of Christ For in him are hidden all treasures of wisdom and grace And therefore even those principalities and powers in heavenly places that are so vast and comprehensive in knowledge yet Eph. 3.10 The Lord Christ is in the Ministry of the Church made more known to them continually So that if Angels do learn in Christs School and obtain more knowledge of him and do with great delight search into these things no wonder then if the most enlightned men may yet search deeper and deeper into the Lord Jesus Christ Paul though one of the highest Scholars in Christs School yet desired to know nothing but Christ crucified for if in heaven the knowledge of God when yet it is intuitive and transcendent to this we have will not weary us but daily provoke the soul to know God more no wonder then if in this life our knowldge be not satisfied when it is but in part 2. As we need Christs daily manifestation in respect of the evidence of them so also in respect of the firmnes and immoveableness of our knowledge Faith you heard is knowledge and that doth necessarily imply assent Now if our assent be not firm and setled We are like children tossed up and down with every winde of Doctrine Instability and inconstancy is much condemned in Scripture and indeed it doth directly oppose faith which makes the soul confidently and firmly-adhere to the truths of Christ as divine as those which cannot be dispensed with or ever prove false for if Paul thought it so great a disparagement that with him should be yea and nay in his words much more would this be reprochfull to Christ himself who saith He is the truth it self Joh. 14. So that as truth cannot be a lie so neither can the Doctrine of Christ be false Now the Doctrine being in it self thus true the power of Christ is seen in making a gracious heart thus strongly to adhere upon divine motives to it as that which wil abide though heaven and earth shall pass away Scepticism and faith are directly opposite when we are inabled to believe we receive it as the truth of God and not as the truth of man So although while this gift of faith was not bestowed upon us we debated truths of Religion like those in Philosophy and were prone to have as Hilary said of old Menstruam annuam fidem a monethly or yearly faith yet when God shall once strengthen us to believe then we are no longer reeds shaken with wind but as Origen of old alluded When many things are removed from us then this Arundo for of that they made pens formerly is made the Calamus the pen of a ready writer Where God strengthens us to believe there that turning this way and that way that mutability is removed and our hearts are fixed so as to be able to dig for that we so firmly adhere unto Thus the Martyrs they were confirmed by God exceedingly in
Directions shewing how a man may prize Faith in Christ as a Mediatour 225 c. The properties of Faith 600 That Faith is knowledge 637 What knowledge Faith is not ibid. What knowledge the knowledge of Faith is 639 Reasons why Faith must be knowing ibid. The people of God are kept to salvaion through Faith 314 This is opened in two Propositions ibid. Why Faith confirms us rather then other graces ibid. That the Faith that justifieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend on Christ 542 The several kinds of Faith ibid. The object of Faith ibid. The seat of Faith ibid. The things required to justifying Faith 543 544 God inables the humble soul to believe two wayes 546 Of Faith under the notion of receiving of Christ 549 What the receiving of Christ by Faith implieth ibid. Faith hath two acts a direct and reflex 552 Arguments to prove that Faith is a particular application 553 The Doctrine of special and particular Faith doth not tend unto presumption 555 Father God is the Father of Christ in a transcendent way 13 Those prayers are successefull that are put up to God as a Father 14 We cannot call God Father but by the Spirit 15 What frame of heart this compellation Father breeds in every childe of God in seven particulars 15 c. Reasons why the title Father prevails so much with God 17 c. The Father is the original fountain of all good 53 All that the Father giveth shall come to Christ 54 Finish Christ did perfectly Finish that work the Father gave him to do 119 Some particulars about Christs Finishing his work 120 How he Finished it 121 c. The properties of the work Christ Finished 123 Flesh Flesh usually put Synecdochically for man 35 Fortune No Fortune 23 Free-will Free-will a dangerous Doctrine 125 It is no Free-will or preparatory work in man that begins either his grace or glory but the sole gift of God 668 G Gesture GEsture in prayer lifting up the eyes to Heaven 5 Ghost The knowledge of the holy Ghost necessary to salvation 100 Gift All spiritual good the godly enjoy is only the Gift of God Rules for private Christians exercising their Gifts 493 Given That none of those that are Given by God to Christ shall perish 352 Christ though God hath many things Given him of his Father 612 There is a two-fold Giving ibid. What things are Given Christ of the Father 613 Glory Christ hath a two fold Glory 24 Whether Christ did merit Glory for himself 25 Christ being invested with Glory redounds to the advantage of his Members in five particulars 25 26 The nature of this Glory Christ praied for 25 There were three degrees to it 27 This Glory of Christ doth consist in four things 27 28 Christs Glory is 1. Spiritual 2. Eternal 29 All men should be affected with Gods Glory more then their own good heavenly or earthly 31 c. Four Reasons why we are to pray for all our own comforts in reference to Gods Glory 33 34 Gods children are to pray earnestly for their Glory with God 143 1. What is implied in this 144 145 2. This Glory is earnestly to be praied for 146 3. This Glory is a cordiall against all afflictions in five particulars 146 147 The Glory that Christ hath he communicateth one way or another unto his people 605 Considerations for the understanding of it ib. Some Corollaries from this Doctrine 608 Glory is a gift 651 Glorifie To Glorifie is taken two waies in Scripture 24 It was the holy wise will of God to Glorifie Christ 25 We Glorifie Christ three waies 29 How we Glorifie God 102 As Gods people Glorifie Christ so it is well-pleasing to God 267 How many waies the people of God Glorifie Christ 267 Why it is our duty to Glorifie Christ 269 270 Grounds why Gods presence in Heaven is that which makes the happinesse of a Glorified believer 655 Glorification is of grace 253 How many waies we may Glorifie Christ 667 God God may regard one mans prayer more than another 10 God appoints times and seasons for his great works in relation to Christ 19 20 In relation to other dispensations 21 God doth all things for his own glory Vide Glory 33 God made the world for his glory ibid. The greatnesse of Gods glory 34 God is a universal good 57 God is an unmixed good 57 God is the proper and peculiar good 56 One only true God 90 Many fictitious Gods made by men 90 God is known three wayes 91 God is holy and so able to make other holy 297 God is holy several waies 297 298 If Gods people were not kept by Gods grace they would be undone in soul and body 301 God keeps all his from temporal dangers 301 Proved in four particulars ibid. Of Gods keeping all true believers from spiritual evils 303 Which appeareth in four particulars 304 It 's onely Gods property to fore knew things to come 395 God hath the dominion and immediate disposing of our being and continuance in the world 449 Propositions explaining this truth ibid. Arguments to prove the point 450 God considered absolutely and relatively Although there be three Persons yet there is but one God 583 Gods people are called out of the world 172 Vide People Godly It is the property of Godly men to have respect to all Gods word 201 Four Propositions to clear the point 201 c. Four Reasons of the point 202 Governours Governours that have a charge over others are to watch and pray for the good of those they are betrusted with 295 Proved by three Arguments ibid Motives to move to it 296 Grace Gods people must grow in Grace 188 How many wayes Gods people grow in Grace 188 189 Grounds and motives to it 190 Without Grace here there is no glory hereafter 649 There is infinite comfort to those that have true Grace though in the least degree 651 Grounds Vnlesse men be carefull to look to their Grounds in profession they will never hold out 382 H Happinesse THe greatest part of our Happinesse lies in this that we shall be with Christ and have immediate communion with the Lord. 653 Hate Hated Hatred Wicked men of the world have and will alwayes Hate those that are godly 425 There is a two-fold Hatred 426 The Causes of it ib. The Effects of it ib. The Properties of it 427 Whether every godly man be thus Hated 428 The duty of Christs Disciples under the worlds Hatred 430 Why the godly should rejoyce when they are Hated for Christs sake 431 Cautions to wicked men who Hate Christ 433 Head Christ is the Head of his Church 45 What is implied therein Vide Church 46 Heaven Of immediate communion with Christ in Heaven 654 The great end of our being in Heaven is to behold and enjoy the glory of Christ. 661 Heavenly-mindednesse Heavenly-mindednesse wherein it doth consist 454 Help How farre men may acknowledge Gods Help and yet not give the
Justification with whom Vorstius and Grotius in this Opinion associate themselves as also one or two late English Writers Doctor Hammond Pract. Catech. lib. â— Sect. 3. Now when I had endeavoured to state the Question in a most candid and fair way between those that deny Works to be a Condition sine quâ non of our Justification and those who affirme A Reverend and Learned Brother judging himself to be concerned in this Opinion likewise doth complain of the want of candor and truth Confess Preface in my stating of the Question wherein I rather expected thanks for my ingenuity For first I said All Merit and Efficiency was with great distaste removed from these works of Grace in our Justification Therefore the Question was Upon what account these are required in Justified persons Whether in some Causality or Concurrence as Faith is onely not with such a Degree of Excellency Now let any Judicious Reader that is acquainted with this Controversie decide wherein any candour or truth may be desired herein For I say Causality which is a general word not Efficiencie or Merit Againe I say Some Causalitie Causalitas quaedam which is Terminus diminuens Yea I added the word Concurrence which might easily satisfie any how low I brought the Question Yea as if this had not been enough I propounded it in other termes Whether good Workes be required as well as Faith Yet when I had done all this he complaineth as if wrong were done I am still more confirmed and that by this instance in what I delivered in that Preface That it is not a compendious or proper way to finde out truth and discover an Errour by dealing with persons according to their particular expressions or to attend to personall reflexions but to abstract the Question and to handle it in Thesi For how many words upon words may be multiplied in this very particular My Reverend Brother saith He vehemently disclaimeth all Causality of Workes in Justification Surely his meaning is all Proper Causall Efficiency and so did I in the stating of it but to deny Causality in a large sense is plainly to contradict himself For in his Aphorisme 74 Thesis They both viz. Faith and Works justifie in the same kinde of Causality viz. as Causae siâ—e qâ—ibus non or mâ—dâ—ate and improper Causes Or as Doctor Twiss Causae diâ—positivae but with this difference Faith as the principall part Obedience as the lesse princâ—pall Here is Causality though improper Here is a Causa dispositiva and yet shall I be blamed after I had removed Efficiency and Merit to staâ—e it with a Causalitas quaedam some Causality or Concurrence And therefore all the Arguments I produce are not against any supposed Causality but that Faith onely is that which justifieth and that good Works quâ Workes let them be Meritorious Efficient or Conditions onely are excluded as to the Act of Justification Grotius in cap. 2. Jacobi who maketh this Promise of Justification and Salvation Ad donationem sub conditione quam ad proprie dictam locuâ—ionem conductionem propius accedere happily this may occasion such great recourse to the Lawyers about the Nature of Conditions doth yet notwithstanding on the 2â—th verse of the 2d Chapter of James from that expression of the Apostle Faith did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inferre Docemur non male fidem opera fidei posse dici causam Justificationis modo non intelligamus cauâ—am primariam sed conditiones quae saepe cauâ—ae sine quibus non aut sui generis causae dicuâ—tur But I need not runne to this for my Arguments militate against Workes as Workes justifying under any pretended Notion whatsoever And this maketh me admire how my Learned Brother could let â—f all one Passage wherein he may be so pâ—lpâ—bly and ocularly convinced to the contrary by the first looking upon my Arguments That which he saith is The strength of my Arguments lieth upon a supposition That Conditions have a moral Efficiency not to examine how freely he manageth his Answer to such a supposition Now this is that which I affâ—rme That there is not one oâ— these ten Arguments brought against Justification by Workes as a Conditio sine quâ non that is built upon this suâ—position or hath any dependance on it onely in the fourth Argument after the full strength thereof is delivered then I do ex abunâ—anti and by way of amplification shew that a Condition in a Covenant strictly taken I put in that limitation hath a moral Efficiencie and is a causa cum quâ not a causa sine quâ non But this is onely by way of addition The Argument did not depend on this Assertion And my Learned Brother saith Some conditions and most among men are Morall Impulsive causes I finde another thing urged likewise as not fair dealing and that is To fasten upon his Opinion that we may say a Justifying Repentance as well as Justifying Faith and also Justifying Love Indeed in my Book it is Law and that was the Printers fault which I am sorry for because I see my Learned Brother so much moved at that as if he were charged to hold a justifying Law it should have been Love But why doth this offend my Reverend Brother He doth not say It is not true to say justifying Repentance or justifying Love but it is not fit to say Confess in the Pref. Why is it not fit if it be true It may be such an expression would be offensive to godly eares and therefore not fit Can Love be a Condition of Justification and yet not Justifying Love as a Condition This seemeth very strange But it 's said Faith hath a peculiar fitnesse and aptnesse to receive Christ which Love hath not It is true and therefore Faith onely Justifieth and not Love Thus it maketh against him and not for him Besides with him Faith justifieth as a Condition not from its peculiar aptnesse and therefore Love and Repentance being Conditions must justifie aequè with Faith though not aequaliter Faiths aptnesse is the remote reason as it is a Condition that is the proxime and formall reason Now Repentance and Love have this formall reason for they are Conditions Certainly if Brutum were Animal rationale he would be Homo as well as man is Some other minute and inconsiderable Objections are also brought in but they are not worthy of a contest I therefore return again from this Digression to the Subject in hand which is to take notice of the great Usefulness and Excellency of the matter contained in this Prayer of Christs Luther did justly call John the Evangelist for this Book Malleus Pelagianorum the hammer of Pelagians we may adde also of Socinians and Arians Hence Sixtus Senensis speaketh of some Heretiques called Alogi a name that Epiphanius did justly put upon them because they rejected this Gospel of John and could not endure this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word so often mentioned by
sorts of Joy and the Nature of Spirituall Joy shewing also how farre it transcends and differs from worldly joy SERM. LXXIX The excellent effects of Christian Joy SERM. LXXX John 17.14 I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world That the Word of God preached and received doth inrage the wicked world and Reasons thereof SERM. LXXXI Of suffering for Christs Cause and how it ingageth God for to take care of such as so suffer also the duty of Ministers about preaching Gods truth SERM. LXXXII Of wicked mens hating the Godly the Causes Effects and Properties of it SERM. LXXXIII The Application of the foregoing Observation both to the godly and the wicked tending to encourage and rejoyce the one under all their sufferings and deterre and reclaim the other from all oppositions SERM. LXXXIV Of Conformity to Christ in not being of the world and in his sufferings SERM. LXXXV John 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil Sheweth why God continueth his children in this world of sinne and sorrow and doth not take them immediatly to Heaven and also how farre 't is lawfull for a man to pray for or desire to be taken out of this world SERM. LXXXVI That 't is a greater mercy to be kept from sinne and all evil in our afflictions and troubles than from the afflictions themselves SERM. LXXXVII That God hath determined a precise time to every particular man in the world how long he shall live SERM. LXXXVIII JOHN 17.16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world The Heavenly man much improved by much considering that he is not of this world SERM. LXXXIX JOHN 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth Of Growth in Grace Shewing that and how many waies a Godly man may be sanctified SERM. XC The Contraries of Growth in Grace A Comfortable Advertisement to such as mourn under their sense of not Growing with Reasons of the Necessity of Growing in Grace SERM. XCI Of the Causes of Sanctification and in particular of God as the Instrumentall Cause SERM. XCII Of the Truth of the Scriptures SERM. XCIII The transcendent Properties of the Scripture SERM. XCIV JOHN 17.18 As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I sent them into the world How requisite a sound minde and a holy life are to a Minister of the Gospel and Christs peculiar love to and care of such SERM. XCV Of Christs Mission to the Office of a Mediatour SERM. XCVI Of the publick Office of the Ministry some distinctions concerning it and the Necessity of a lawfull Call thereunto Also shewing wherein private Christians should exercise their Gifts both ordinarily and in extraordinary Cases SERM. XCVII That the Scripture appoints a distinct Office of the Ministry Sheweth wherein the Call to the Ministry consists and that none may enter into that Office without an Authoritative Mission also what the Ministry of Preaching is and whether Reading be Preaching SERM. XCVIII JOHN 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the Truth Of Christs sanctifying himself to be a Mediatour Shewing what is implied in it how pure willing and fit he was for that Great undertaking SERM. XCIX Sheweth further what is implied in that phrase of our Saviour I sanctifie my Self Handling chiefly the Priestly Office of Christ in opposition to the Socinians and for the Comfort and Direction of Penitent sinners SERM. C. Of Jesus Christ as Priest Sacrifice and Altar The Properties of that Sacrifice The way how men come to partake of the Benefit of it Its Efficacy as to Sanctification as well as Justification SERM. CI. Of Sanctification as the Effect of Christs death shewing that no man truly beleeveth in Christ for Justification that doth not also for Sanctification SERM. CII JOHN 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also that shall beleeve in me through their word Sheweth why Christ who could do all things yet puts up prayers What difference there is between his prayers and ours and the great advantage Beleevers have by Christs praying for them SERM. CIII In what respects the Benefits of Christs mediation extends to all Beleevers alike and in what not for the comfort of weak Christians and such of them as are most contemptible in the eyes of the world SERM. CIV That in some particulars the poor weak Christian hath more respect from Christ then the strong one SERM. CV Of Christs love and care of every one of his before they had a being SERM. CVI. Of both the moving causes and effects of Election and of Christs prayer and death Against Arminians and others SERM. CVII Of Faith the severall kindes of it and especially of Justifying Faith its object and seat c. SERM. CVIII Of Justifying Faith shewing what things are necessary thereunto and how or in what method the Spirit of God inableth the humble soul to Beleeve SERM. CIX Of Justifying Faith SERM. CX Of Justifying Faith that it is a fiduciall Recumbency in Christ SERM. CXI That a Gospel Ministry is to continue to the end of the world and for what ends SERM. CXII JOHN 17.21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent me Of Unity among Gods people the Nature of it SERM. CXIII Of Unity among Christians the Benefits and Necessity of it and the mischief of Divisions SERM. CXIV Of Unity among the Godly More particulars setting forth the excellency of it and mischief of Division Answering this Objection viz. Seeing God hath promised one heart and way and Christ prayed for it How comes it to pass that there should be so many breaches amongst the Godly SERM. CXV Of Unity among Beleevers Cautions about it Also setting forth some good uniting Principles with a censure of some bad ones SERM. CXVI Of Christian Unity setting forth some Rules for Unity in Doctrine Church-order and Affection for the preventing of Errour Schism and Wrath. SERM. CXVII Of the distinction of Persons and Unity of Essence in the Deity against the Socinians SERM. CXVIII The Glorious mystery of the Saints Union with Christ and with the Father by him opened SERM. CXIX Sheweth what a speciall means Unity among Beleevers is to enlarge the Kingdom of Christ and yet notwithstanding that Unity without true Doctrine is no Infallible Mark of the true Church against the Papists SERM. CXX A Consideration of Faith in its Generall nature as Dogmaticall or Historicall carried out to Scripture-Truths because of Divine Authority SERM. CXXI Of Dogmaticall Faith the Properties of and Contraries to it SERM. CXXII JOHN 17.22 And the Glory which thou gavest me I gave them that they may be one even as we are one Of the Glory which Christ communicates
and enlightning mens understandings so farre as to see their sinful and damnable estate as also the absolute necessity of a remedy through Christ Thus Christ doth exceed the Sunne for though the Sunne give light to the world yet it doth not give eyes or ability to see but Christ doth not only make the bodily blinde to see and deaf to hear but those that are spiritually darkened in their understandings he makes them to know Christ he doth so teach that the soul cannot but learn it cannot refuse or gainsay O Lord I feel such light in my heart such evidence upon my conscience that I cannot hide this light any way But as those glorious apparitious of light which Paul had and others came with great amazement filled them with trembling and astonishment so doth Christs power upon the hearts of Beleevers Oh then enquire who are they where are they that have found Christs power thus upon their mindes and consciences How weak are books yea the best Book the Bible it self tâ—ll Christ take such a threatning or such a promise and set it home with power on thee This heavenly teaching and perswading Christ speaks of as to be wrought by his Spirit Joh. â—4 And it was wonderfull in the beginning of the Gospel yea in the first beginnings of Reformation out of Popery the glorious workings of Christ were admirable to this purpose Then Christ and the Ministry went along together No sooner did the Trumpet blow but the wals of Jericho fell down When Christ thus powerfully taught them they were quickly perswaded to leave their Idols and their lusts to follow him The first Reformers were so many divine Orpheus's that made the very beasts and trees to move the illiterate and stupid people to seek out for wisedom and heavenly understanding You may say then Why doth not Christ still come with the same power Why are not our Churches Christs Schools wherein every day he teacheth some or other many learn by the Minister but few are taught by Christ They do not know the truths as they are in Jesus There are many go to false causes But those impediments which indeed resist this Point are 1. The atheism and unbelief reigning every where so that we may take up that old complaint Lord Who will beleeue our report It 's said of some Christ could do no miracles there because of their unbelief Mar. 6.5 6. Not but that he had power but to shew what an obstacle unbelief was When they insulted over Christ at the Crosse Let him come down and save himself if he be the Sonne of God let him deliver him Heb. 4.2 Christ did not these things not because he wanted power but they were wicked so Christs power is not shortned It 's not because there is no Ministry but because the unbelief of man is great 2. Christ demonstrates not his power it may be because Customarinesse under the Word breeds contempt and negligence At the first mens affections are quick but when accustomed to the world all the excellency and livelinesse of it is taken away A blinde man upon the first recovery of sight would admire the Sunne but those that are used to it regard it not though so glorious a creature 3. The unthankefulnesse and unfruitfulnesse under the means of grace makes Christ deny his power When the people of Israel murmured at their Manna then God was provoked against them He punished the Heathens because they did not glorifie God according to their knowledge neither were thankfull how much more Christians for abusing the Light of the Gospel 4. Though there are not so many yet there are some few in most places that have found this mighty power of Christ on their souls Though there were not many raised out of the grave by Christ yet one Lazarus is enough to demonstrate the glorious power of Christ One in a Family one in a Town yea one in a whole Nation is enough to prove that Christ though now in heaven hath this power over men in the earth Let such then who have been thus taught so as no man no book could teach them give glory to Christ blesse Christ for good Sermons good Books especially the Word of God but above all that vertue cometh from Christ by these to heal thee Though the woman had touched the hem of Christs garments a thousand times yet if Christ had not caused vertue to come out of him she had not been cured so it is here SERMON VIII The Effects and Appearances of the Kingly Power and Dominion of Christ JOH 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh WE are treating upon that main and necessary point in Religion Christs Power and Kingdom We have mentioned some effects or acts of this power We shall proceed to discover more And first Herein is his power over all flesh especially his Church seen that he is the authour and fountain of all the grace the godly have And this is a glorious demonstration of his power that not we our selves or any Angel in heaven can inspire one good thought mollifie and convert the heart adorn the soul with all kinde of graces but Christ only Joh. 1.16 Of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace that is as some expound abundance and heaps of grace as it were or grace that is sutable and proportionable to that in Christ As the childe receiveth from the Father limb for limb Of his Fulnesse Christ then hath Fulnesse not only for himself but for us as the Sunne hath fulnesse of light for the whole world The Ocean Fulnesse of water for all the streams The Angels and Saints glorified in Heaven yea Adam in the state of integrity he had a Fulnesse of grace but it was limited and stinted in him only Christ received it without measure In Christ there is plenitudo fontis in Angels or Adam there was only plenitudo vasis as Divines expresse it Now this Fulnesse of Christ is for communication and our participation of â—t Therefore in other places he is compared to the Olive Tree from which the godly receive all their fatnesse Rom. 9. To the Vine Joh. 15. so that unlesse we are branches in him we can do nothing If than we should say Where is the power of Christ how is it manifested I answer look upon all the godly Are they able to mourn for sinne with a godly sorrow Are they able to beleeve in the promise Can they mortifie their lusts Herein is Christs glorious power seen I know this doth not so much affect us as outward extraordinary instances of Christs power in temporall things but certainly this is greater for as Moses and Joshua's deliverance of the people of Israel out of Egipt is nothing to that spiritual deliverance which Christ as Jesus vouchsafeth to his people in saving them from sin and hell yet no doubt an Israelite or Jew after the flesh would farre prize the former before the latter though the
which relateth to eternity so that the first and the last thing thou hast to think on is how to come to this eternall life The Apostle useth an emphaticall word 1 Tim. 6.12 Lay hold on eternall life as a man that runneth in a race at the end thereof streacheth out himself to lay hold on the garland so that as he who runneth in a race neglects all the pleasant objects he runneth by and hath his eye only upon the prize Thus it ought to be with us neither riches honours friends or earthly advantages ought to be inordinately minded by us but eternall life that is the prize upon that our eye is to be after that we are to pray and strive But who may not blame himself and judge himself for neglect herein Oh how little is this eternall life in thy affections and hopes thy cares about thy body about thy estate will greatly condemn that sluggishness about eternall life 2. As this ought to be the great question we are to rise with and go to bed with so we must take the right way to answer it It 's not enough to make the question as Pilate did to Christ What truth was and never matter an answer but we are to be restlesse in our souls till we have a full answer till we know the way Now that we can only be instructed in from Gods Word John 6.68 Whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life The Scripture then is this Tree of Life the fruit thereof and the leaves likewise are for eternall healing Hence our Saviour in the next verse tels us what is the way to have this eternall life even by knowing of God and Jesus Christ As all the Heathens were in dark confused thoughts about immortallity so they were in Egyptian darknesse or like the blinde Sodomites groping and feeling for a way to it but could never get in Wouldst thou therefore be resolved in this How may I have this eternall life betake thy self then to the Scriptures make them thy counsellers do not attend to the waies of the world matter not what they say or what they do for that telleth thee the way to heaven is clean contrary to the manners and practises of the world If you do not rectifie your self by the Scripture and resolve to follow the light of this starre though you should hear many hundred Sermons of eternall life yet they would do you no good say then let me consider what way the Scripture would put me into my life I yet live is wholly repugnant to Gods Word whatsoever course that prescribeth though never so contrary to my lusts to my former practises yet I will gladly renounce all Do this and then expect eternall life 3. Consider this deeply that upon this little moment we have here depends all eternity Thou hast a short brittle life in this world and upon the good improvement of this depends all eternity Oh the searchings and turnings of heart this particular should make in you My everlasting condition that estate which is to be for ever and ever it wholly hangs upon this uncertain life It may be thou hast but a day an hour to live longer and all thy eternity depends on this Oh men foolish and unwise who will not lay these things more to heart God hath given us a candle to work by a short day we have to improve and if this passe over thy head then comes unchangeable eternity As at thy death thou art cast for eternall life or everlasting torments so it must be without ever any recovery or alteration Oh how precious should thy time be how dear should every day every hour be all this hath influence into eternity Well might the Apostle Ephes 5.16 command us to redeem the time Time is the most precious jewell in the world eternity depends on it and therefore wilt thou let thy lusts or wicked companions steal away this jewel that is more worth then all the world Oh let us so live every day every hour as those that say as I do now so will eternity be to me 4. Consider this that the most of men even called and injoying the means of grace shall misse of this eternall life What is a thunderbolt if this be not Luk. 13.24 There are few that enter into the strait gate and many are called but few chosen our Saviour used that apothegm more then once How formidable and dreadfull should these words many and few be unto us Many perish in the broad way few enter in the strait way What will make thee cast off presumption security and negligence if this do not The number of those who shall have this eternall life is very few a little flock they are comparatively to those many millions that are cast into everlasting flames Oh how long shall we hear these things and yet be void of all spirituall understanding If such an asseveration should be used concerning any temporall misery or calamity Many shall dye of the plague few shall escape Many shall be cut off by famine or the sword and a very few shall be preserved who would not fear lest he should be one of the many And yet in these things many are as idle having ears they hear not and hearts they understand not 5. Desire to have such thoughts and resolutions now as if thou wert already in eternity For if the damned in hell that see no escape from those everlasting flames were asked what they thought of their sinne how they loved it would they not make miserable howlings it 's that which hath undone us oh that is the sting that enters into the very bowels that 's the scorpion which pierceth to the very heart Oh we mad men and void of all understanding who though forewarned of this and threatned about it yet regarded nothing beleeved nothing but now oh now after millions of years in this tormented place we are as unlikely to come out as at the first Think you they are not then altered and changed do they not cry out of those bitter sinnes which were once so sweet Should God give them leave to be here again upon the earth would they not repent in sackcloth and ashes would they not day and night mourn after God and his forgivenesse Oh that every wicked man who findes pleasure and delight in his sinnes would think and say Do the damned in hell judge it so Do they feel sinne so sweet And thus also desire to have the same inlarged affections and delight in God as those glorified Saints in heaven have Dost thou finde thy heart worldly unruly distempered say Do those in eternall life rejoyce no more have they no more enlivened flames of zeal for God then I have Thus to judge as those who are in eternity would be an excellent spurre to all piety 6. Remember this likewise that it 's farre better thou hadst never been born then to misse of this eternall life
can grow out of this garden No gold sanctified that is not in this Temple 4. Though the true knowledge of God and Christ is to be had in the Church yet all true knowledge that is most plentiful and exact is not presently saving knowledge Therfore in the Text when eternal life is said to be in knowing of God and Christ that is with the due concomitants and genuine effects thereof when we so know as that it is an acknowledgement of the truth after godliness Tit. 1. This is good to be considered by those who have obtained some good measure of knowledge how apt are men to be puffed up by it They swell with this winde as those in antiquity that were called Gnosticks because of the knowledge they gloried in but this light may be and often is without any heat at all Their heads are better then their hearts or their hands so that they are a kinde of a spiritual Monster A mans head above but bruit beasts below look then that with thy knowledge there be also a good conscience and a godly life otherwise thy knowledge will serve but to make hell hotter for thee 5. Though all knowledge be not saving yet without knowledge there cannot be any salvation I speak not of Infants They come not within the ordinary way of Gods dispensation For the Apostle saith Faith cometh by hearing Rom. 10.17 Even as Aristotle saith Disciplina est ex auditu the Ear is the organ of Learning No knowledge no faith no faith no godlinesse and so no salvation Isa 23.11 They are a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not save them As without this there cannot be any salvation so neither any true piety Psa 14.3 All the wickednesse of man is because he doth not understand or seek after God and Hos 4.1 The Land was full of swearing lying and killing because there was no knowledge of God in the Land Knowledge then is the eye of the soul the needle to draw in the thread and to neglect this is willfully to refuse the Salvation of God offered to them 6. Although this Knowledge be thus necessary yet how woful is the stupidity and ignorance of most people Who can take up Lamentations bitter enough Who hath bowels tender enough to pity those ignorant and sencelesse people that are every where who know nothing of God or Christ we use to pity poor blinde people that are not able to step one step without danger but oh the sad and miserable estate of those who have these blinde and darkened understandings Every step they take they stumble and fall If Paul Heb. 6. did so severely threaten those that were but in their first principles and were not carried on to perfection What danger remaineth for them who have not so much as attained to first principles who have not yet laid a Foundation yet this is the sad condition of many who though in the Land of Goshen have Egyptian darknesse upon their hearts Though baptized in the Name of Christ yet know nothing of God or Christ but are become like bruit beasts that perish 7. It 's not therefore enough for a man to beleeve as others beleeve or as the Church beleeveth without some personall or explicate knowledge of his own He doth not say It 's Eternal life to know that others know To beleeve that others beleeve but he that would have eternal life he himself must know the true God and Christ So that this doth palpably condemn that strange but politique doctrine maintained in the Church of Rome That the common people need no more faith then this to beleeve as the Church beleeveth Politique I call it for hereby they keep the people in a blinde obedience They receive any kinde of worship any kinde of doctrine without triall or comparing it by the Scripture and thus they commend darknesse because their deeds are evil But the Apostles Exhortation is to all private persons as well as others Prove all things 1 Thes 5.21 Beleeve not every spirit 1 Joh. 4.1 Let the Word of God dwell plentifully in you Col. 3.16 Indeed it cannot be denied but that God hath appointed Officers and Guides in the Church and the people are commanded to hear them and to submit to them but all this is to be understood as Paul saith Follow me even as I do Jesus Christ Phil. 3.17 We must take heed of extreme errours either to make the Ministry infallible or else to account of it as nothing at all No there is a peculiar promise of assistance and direction to thee in their work though not of infallibility but this by the way to commâ—nd ignorance to praise blinde obedience and devotion is to offer God a Sacrifice without eyes Do not then think I am a poor ignorant man I have no leisure to minde Religion to enquire after the principles thereof Let those that have learning minde such things What is this but to say It 's not for me to look to salvation It 's not for me to be saved It 's for Learned men and knowing men to goe to heaven not for such as I am certainly our voices are to sound like the Angels Trumpet at the day of judgement to awaken men out of their ignorance Men in the dark are usually afraid Oh then why shouldst not thou be afraid who art all over darknesse Eph. 5 8. as the Scripture cals thee There are too many whom this truth concerneth Now let us consider why some measure of knowledge about God and Christ is necessary to salvation And First In respect of the Object it self there are many duties God and Christ require of us which we are never able to perform without some knowledge of them I grant that as the Starres do differ in their glory and light so one man may farre exceed another in knowledge yea God doth not require so much of some as he doth of others such a degree of knowledge will God accept of in some which he will not in others so that according to the means and opportunities of knowledge more or lesse is required We grant also some may know more then they can expresse through some impediments or other but there is none can be saved who lay not in some measure a competent knowledge in Christianity because there are severall duties required which he that knoweth nothing of God cannot perform acceptably As 1. Every man that will be saved must worship the true God and not the false But without some knowledge this can never be Why is the first and second Commandement so plain to have no other God but him and to worship him in his way and that he is a jealous God in this matter like an Huâ—band whose jealousie is his rage against his adulterous Wife Why is all this but to shew that of all sinners an Idolater is sure to be excluded from the kingdom of heaven Now the ignorant man
by the Revelation of God and in this respect though most people may have some generall apprehensions about God yet about Christ they have none at all unlesse by hear-say It behoveth us therefore who are called Christians to know what that Christ is whom we worship and trust in for salvation and the great ignorance of Christ is present death He is the door he is the truth the way and the life Joh. 14.6 All that misse of him are carried violently to death and destruction For 1. Where this ignorance of Christ is there cannot be any historical faith which is the least degree of faith that can be and where there is no historical faith there cannot be any justifying for how can a man trust in Christ for salvation whom he doth not beleeve to be so that historical or as some call it dogmaticall faith whereby we beleeve that there was a Christ both God and man is the first stone that must be laid in our Christian building and without this we have not so much as learned the Alphabet of our Religion yet this is the case of thousands that have no explicit formal faith in this fundamental Point I grant they have a traditional forme whereby they say they beleeve in Christ but they have no expresse faith concerning the person and natures of Christ Now that traditional form is not a reasonable worship of God as the Scripture expresseth it Rom. 12. where we are commanded to give up our selves as reasonable sacrifices But here men are as bruit beasts in respect of any expresse formal faith insomuch that hundreds of people if they be asked what they beleeve concerning Christ they cannot give any knowing or expresse answer Oh how near are such foolish and stupid persons to the very brink of hellâ— and if you should say If it be Faith then it cannot be knowledge Vbi rides non est fides and by all faith and knowledge are opposed but that is to be handled afterwards viz. how that Faith doth necessarily require knowledge and yet there is some kinde of knowledge that Faith is opposite unto for the present we conclude that where there is not some knowledge of Christ there cannot be so much as a bare historical faith They have no faith that have no knowledge I know whom I have beleeved saith Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 2. Where grosse Ignorance is if there cannot be historical Faith about Christ much lesse can there be saving and justifying Faith a fiducial relying and resting of the soul upon him as the Mediatour appointed by God The Scripture doth often speak that we are justified by faith Rom. 5.1 that we have remission of sinnes through Faith in Christs bloud Rom. 3.25 So that Justification and Faith are inseparably joyned together but where ignorance of Christ is there cannot be any of this saving faith for can any man trust in that which he doth not know of yea though such ignorant men say they trust in Christ yet because they know not Christ these are but traditional and customary words They speak falsly and say they do not know what Philosophers say there is actio hominis and actio humana an humane action is that which comes expresly or impliedly from reason but actio hominis is that which is done by a man but not as a man as the moving of the foot or lifting up a straw which came from the imagination meerly So truly we may say there is actio Christiani and actio Christiani a Christian action is that which comes from knowledge and faith either directly or indirectly but that is an action of one that is a Christian in name and profession only that doth such actions as others doe but not from any knowledge or faith within only from custome and meer tradition if then knowledge be in all the historicall and justifying acts of Faith where shall the stupid and ignorant man appear 3. The grosse ignorant man cannot admire blesse and praise God for Jesus Christ the Medtatour This is evident he that knoweth not the nature office and use of Christ what he was and why he came into the world what was that which he did for us it 's impossible he should ever be affected with the love of God or with the love of Christ This made the Apostle pray that they might know the breadth and depth of the love of God through Christ Eph. 3. For without this knowledge all Gods love and Christs love is disregarded We reade of Pauls divine raptures and holy extasies because of Christ I desire to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 2 Cor. 2.2 It is impossible in a lively manner to know this divine truth of God the Fathers love in sending his only begotten Sonne to die for us and not break out in heavenly praises and admirations but the blinde ignorant man seeth nothing of this admirable mystery As he said it fell out ill with Artificers when ignorant men judged of their works Thus certainly God loseth much of his glory-Christ much of his honour when ignorant men only speak of this Doctrine As Christ Joh. 4. said to the woman of Samaria If thou hadst known who it is speaketh to thee thou wouldest have asked for the water of Life So here if thou hadst known what is in this love of God and Christ if thy heart did meditate and study on it thou wouldst be more affected and enlarged in thy affections to Christ 4. Where grosse Ignorance is of Christ there cannot be any improving of him for all these blessed effects to which he is appointed by God Christ is of God unto us wisedom righteousnesse and sanctification 1 Cor. 1. Of his Fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Joh. 3. But the ignorant and unwise man cannot make any advantage of this The ignorant man knoweth not the vertue and good use may be made of such herbs as grow in the field but the wise Artist doth Solomon asketh Why is a price put into the hands of a Fool seeing he knoweth not how to make use of it If the man in the Parable that found a Pearl had not known it to be a Pearl he would not have sold all to have bought it So then let there be never so much fulnesse and sufficiency in Christ yet he is a Fountain sealed up and a garden enclosed to the ignorant man and this must necessarily exclude such from heaven because in Christ is all our salvation whatsoever conduceth to our happinesse is bound up in him now the ignorant man not knowing this treasure must needs perish in his sinnes 5. Where a man is ignorant of Christ he must needs be in a damnable condition because thereby he is also ignorant of himself he knoweth not his own sinfulnesse and misery and so cannot desire a remedy These two are necessarily known together or unknown Christ the Physician and sinne a desperate disease Christ a Saviour and the sinner that is lost But the
affectionate towards God and Christ they would be as labourious for heavenly knowledge They would know how to improve Christ To make the best advantage of the means of grace They would not let any truth go till they did fully understand it but the Scripture complaineth men are wise to do evil but to do good they have no understanding These Moles that live and delight onely in the earth they must needs be blinde These are internal causes External are twofold 1. A negligent ignorant and carelesse Ministry For seeing the Ministry is appointed to be a light to be a guide if that be not light then all the people must be darknesse If they are not salt the people have no seasoning An Idol-Shepherd makes Idol-sheep This God often complaineth of and Christ also when he saith The blinde leade the blinde Mat. 15.14 and that some took away the Key of knowledge And 2. Negligence of Parents and Masters All Governours who have Inferiours under them they are to teach the principles of knowledge Parents are often required to do it and truly hence is the Original of all Ignorance even the rudenesse and wicked orders that are in Families There is no praying no catechizing no instructing and when these are Nurseries of blindenesse and impiety what good can be expected Oh that Parents and Masters would remember how much God requireth of them in this particular It was the commendation God gave Abraham that he would teach his Family and make them worship him Gen. 17. I shall no longer insist about this Point but come to the application for men will hear and hear and never set about the work Let it therefore be a Use of importunate Exhortation to follow you as closely as that Widow did the Judge that if nothing else importunity might prevail with you Let the ignorant pray that they may receive their sight Let them not give over day and night those means that may help them What though thou canst say I am no thief no adulterer no unclean person yet if ignorant thou art upon the brink of hell and so you that are Parents and Masters bring up your Inferiors in the true knowledge and fear of God It 's said of Constantine who was truly great in this that he would have his whole Court gathered together and the Scriptures read to them with Instructions from it to them What you see me do at the Church that let the Master of the Family do at home said Austin Let your Families be Christs School Thou wouldst not have a Servant that knoweth not how to do his proper emploiment much lesse then shouldst thou have one that knoweth not his Christianity Now there are many pregnant arguments to enforce this duty 1. The necessity of a competent knowledge This is eternall life You cannot expect heaven There is no way for thy salvation whilest thou art in this dark night so that this is the one thing necessary Be like Mary to choose the better part Martha was shewing much love in entertaining of Christ yet because Mary was wholly busie in hearing of Christ and learning from him Therefore she chose the better part Oh then thou that art more carefull to know God and Christ then to get any worldly mercy thou choosest the better part This undoeth you you are not possessed with the necessity of it you will not beleeve this text of Scripture you hope to do well enough for all this though the Word saith He that made them will not save them Isa 11. 2. Be stirred up hereunto because there cannot be any godlinesse any true holinesse in thee till this knowledge be in thee Ephes 4. Those that are to have the Image of God restored in them by righteousnesse and true holinesse they are to be renewed in the spirit of their minde As God created light at first in the world so he doth in the new creature hence they are called light in the Lord Ephes 5.8 and conversion is a translation from a state of darknesse into light Oh what a goad should this be in thy side to get knowledge There cannot be any grace not the least degree of holinesse till God renue my minde Though all that have knowledge are not renued yet none are renued with out knowledge and men are said to escape the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Gospel 2 Pet. 2.20 3. Consider what pains men take to get humane knowledge these will condemn Christians at the last day There is no Art or Science can be obtained without much study and daily consumption of the body and men have not thought it too much to impair the health of their body by perfecting their minde and yet how much uncertainty was there in that knowledge did not one of the wisest say This only he knew that he knew nothing so confused and unsatisfied were they in their studies But this knowledge is certain and that which will greatly quiet and satisfie the heart Fides non tantum est apprehensiva sed quietativa 4. Consider how bitterly and wofully thou wilt cry out of all thy negligence and abuse of the means of knowledge hereafter as Prov. 1. God often called and you would not hear Wisdom daily invited you How long will ye passe by O ye simple ones and void of understanding When thou shalt fall into hell that is like thy soul utter darknesse and there remember The time was when Manna fell and I might have gathered it There was a time to have gotten knowledge and understanding but I desperately refused it and now I am suffering the just punishment of my ignorance This must perpetually torment thee It s made an heavy curse in Job chap. 36.12 when a man shall dye without knowledge Therefore it 's not only a sinne but a curse because you would not see God gives you up to a blinde eye and this is the more terrible under the Gospel when a promise of plentifull knowledge is spoken of by the Prophets SERMON XVI Sheweth what Saving Knowledge is in its Concomitants and Effects JOH 17.3 This is Eternall Life to Know thee the only true God KNowledge you heard is necessary to every mans salvation We now come to discover what kinde of knowledge this must be and as for the comprehending of Faith under that knowledge I shall not treat of that notion but referre it till further opportunity offer it self in this Chapter That therefore the knowing man may not presently blesse himself as if his eyes were enough to carry him to heaven though he hath no feet to walk in Gods waies I shall now manifest what knowledge it is and raise this Observation That knowledge which brings to eternal life ought to be accompanied with the true and proper effects of it This is grounded upon the use of the word know which doth denote the affectus and effectui concomitatis frequently in Scripture and that this knowledge must be so here is
plain by that of our Saviour If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them John 13.17 Therefore meer knowledge without doing is not happinesse And this we see the very Heathens could pitch upon that happinesse did not consist in a speculative knowledge but in virtuous actions Yea Aristotle observed that a prophane dissolute life did not corrupt speculative sciences as Geometry and the Mathematicks but it would immediately morall habits So then Knowledge with affections and good effects is that which leadeth to eternall life Hence wicked men are many times said not to know God because though they have never so much speculative understanding yet because by their lives and ungodly waies they dishonour him therefore they are said not to know him Now the concomitants or effects rather of this knowledge are of two sorts either internall in the heart or externall in our actions We will enumerate the first and then the later Saving knowledge hath this internall effect 1. That it makes a man have a firm and divine immoveable assent to Scripture-truths For if we should have all the knowledge of men and Angels yet believe nothing what advantage could it be to us There may be knowledge meerly apprehensive as those heathenish Writers Julian Porphyrius and others who argued and disputed against the Christian Religion in this they knew what it was else they could not have disputed against it but they did not believe it to be true The Pharisees that so much opposed Christ they knew the sense and meaning of this doctrine but did not believe it so that if knowledge be not accompanied with faith though we had the highest degree of it yet it would profit nothing Therefore Christians are not called knowing men so much as Believers that is their frequent title because the firm assent they give to Gods truth is that which is most available to salvation Enquire then after thy faith men of great knowledge are many times great Atheists or Scepticks they can say as much for one way of Religion as for another and hereupon are alwaies wavering and doubting but have no determinate fixing of the heart upon God yea Aquinas observeth that a knowing man hath more temptations against his faith then one more simple It 's well then when with thy knowledge thy faith is also firm and stedfast 2. Then is thy knowledge saving when the main and noble act of the will doth presently follow which is to choose and take God for our chiefest good and to imbrace the goodnesse of all those things we know for the devils they have knowledge enough called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of their exceeding great knowledge yet they are most maliciously opposite to God because by their wils they do not choose and imbrace that which is good The two main pillars of the soul or the chief faculties thereof are the understanding and the will The object of the understanding is truth of the will is good Now the understanding is to be like a torch or starre to guide the will and whatsoever the minde discovers to be true and good that the will is readily to receive so that then our knowledge doth attain it's proper perfection when it prevaileth upon the will and moveth that the understanding is the counsellour the will is the Queen if that then be moved to choose the good discovered then hath the understanding obtained its end See then how it is with thee thou knowest God and Christ but how as the chiefest good as to be chosen above any worldly excellency and therefore thy will cleaveth fully to them this is rightly to know While something is done upon the will till that be bowed and changed the strongest hold stands out against God Oh then pray and again pray that thy knowledge may so farre prevail on thy will that it shall renounce all other things to adhere to God only 3. This knowledge of God must draw out those eminent affections of love joy delight and fear of God You see God in the Scripture is made the proper object of all these affections as if we had them for nothing but God our love that God will have all Thou shalt love him with all the heart and so for our fear that is often required Sanctifie the Lord God and let him be thy dread and we are often commanded to rejoyce in the Lord So then seeing God is the proper object of these affections and we may not place them any where but on him and things relating thereunto it behoveth us to see whether our knowledge do thus kindle and inflame us after God or no. Certainly it 's the greatest reason that our knowledge should have such Divine operations for if we know God as he is revealed in his word he is there discovered to be so great so glorious full of all goodnesse that we cannot but give him the superiority in all things 4. Another inward effect must be a melting sorrowfull and grieved heart that we have provoked God by our sinnes For who can but grieve and lament his folly when he knoweth how great and terrible a God he hath provoked Thus Manasseh after his great troubles and afflictions laid upon him when he had prayed mourned and humbled himself it 's said Then Manasseh knew that God was the Lord Then he knew not before 2 Chron. 33.13 A man then truly comes to know God when through the apprehension of his Majesty and glorious power he abhorreth himself is afflicted because of his rebellions As you see when Job had a further discovery of Gods greatnesse how greatly he debased himself 5. A genuine and proper effect of the knowledge of God and Christ is trust and dependance upon them This is so great a matter that it 's called the just mans life The just shall live by faith Heb. 2.4 Now this grace of trust or dependance is branched into two parts First A trust on God for his protection care and providence over us This is the trust David doth so often speak of in his Psalms and the Prophet makes him accursed that makes not God his trust Jer. 17. The rich man trusts in his riches the idolater in his Idols the great man in his power but all these set up another God besides the true God They that truly know God viz. that he is the Lord of hoasts that he is the principall efficient and all creatures are but instruments depending on him both quoad esse and operari will quickly see it a sacrilegious and idololatricall sinne to trust in any but the true God Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will trust in thee All our unbelief diffidence and distrust all distracting cares about these things below argue our want of knowledge of God Therefore Mat. 5. when our Saviour forbids these dividing cares he saith All these do the Gentiles seek after they that know not Gods power and his goodnesse they are solicitous sinfully about
we are his offspring Acts 17.28 Now their thoughts were Idolatricall about the true God as Rom. 1. turning his Image into the similitude of creatures and then they superadded other Gods which made Tertullian say Deus non erit Deus nisi homini placuerit The summe of this particular is no more then that even in their Polytheism and multiplied Idolatry that the Heathens lived in there was a generall implyed assent that there was a God so that although there was no truth at all in their apprehensions yet something there was in the object generally considered but not as it was particularly terminated upon any one thing 5. The revealed knowledge of God onely by the Word is able to guide us in the worship of God and in the way to salvation All naturall knowledge and acquired is altogether insufficient and that in these respects 1. They fail of saving knowledge in the integrity of parts for although something may be known of God yet that is very little in respect of the many things they are grossely ignorant of for if that knowledge we have here though by grace out of the Scripture be so obscure and but a childes knowledge in respect of that we shall have in heaven what a shadow of knowledge then rather then true knowledge is that we have by nature so that it faileth in many necessary particulars it 's lame in essentiall things 2. This faileth in the purity of it Whatsoever knowledge the greatest naturalist hath though never so heightened yet it 's mixed with much drosse it hath many absurd and erroneous intertextures with it so that Rom. 1. even those that professed themselves wise are said to be become vain in their imaginations There was great vanity and uncertainty yea absurdities in their assertions the Greek word the Apostle applieth to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they became foolish it 's applied to salt that hath lost its seasoning and then is it good for nothing Thus these were deprived of all right and sound judgement 3. It faileth in respect of clearnesse and evidence Hence the whole world is said to lye in darknesse 1 John 2.11 The Platoes the Aristotles of the world were like the Sodomites groping in the dark that could not feel what they sought for but the Word of God that is wonderfully commended for the clearnesse and brightnesse of the light it brings with it 4. It faileth in respect of the efficacy All that knowledge they had did not serve to purifie their lives to cleanse them from their wickednesse but they detained the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. And if you say many Christians that have great revealed knowledge are not yet cleansed from their impieties There is as much prophannesse yea sometimes more then have been in Heathens Some Heathens would lose all they had rather then swear they did so fear an oath Basil upbraideth Christians with this Of another Heathen it was said You may sooner put the Sunne out of its course then make him do what is unjust As also of Cato either drunkennesse was not a sinne or Cato was not drunk but are there not thousands of Christians and that with much knowledge great understanding in the Scripture and Religion yet runne into all this excessive wickednesse It 's true and wo be to those that make it true but then you must remember that there is a meer barren brain knowledge and a gracious practicall knowledge Now where this later is there is alwaies a clean and pure life as for the other it 's not so much a knowledge as a profession of it They professe they know God but in works they deny him Tit. 1.16 therefore the Scripture complaineth of such as not knowing God The Ox knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel hath not known me saith God Isa 1.6 We might adde more things but I shall spend the other part by way of Use in practicall corollaries of great use in our lives As in the first place we may be informed How great and grievous a sin Idolatry is No wonder if the Prophets are so severe against it and that it be made the chief cause of all the Nationall calamities that come upon a Nation for in reference to this sinne doth the Scripture peculiarly speak of Gods jealousie nothing provoketh God so much as that Now this Idolatry is of two sorts either first When we set up a false God for the true so did all the Heathens when they worshipped the host of heaven or their other constituted Gods Or secondly When the true God is worshipped but after a false and unlawfull manner The first Commandment forbids the former Idolatry the second the later God forbad the Israelites to worship him under any representation whatsoever so that though it were the true God they worshipped yet if not after the same manner he commanded this was idolatry Thus when the Israelites made a calf they intended thereby a worship to the true God therefore they said To morrow shall be a feast to Jehovah Exod. 32.5 It was Jehovah the God of Israel they intended to worship but they would make such an Image or representation that they had seen in Egypt And thus also in Popery all the water of Tyber cannot wash them clean from Idolatry for although their Learned men runne to multitude of distinctions sometimes between an Idol and an Image whereas they differ only as Greek and Latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is maguncula a diminutive of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes about Religious worship primary and secondary as if we should say a primary and secundary Deity and when they have disputed all they can they confesse ignorant people commit much Idolatry and that he must be very Metaphysicall that can in his worship make such distinctions yea they dispute Whether it be not a dangerous and offensive Proposition to say Imagines sunt adorando Take we heed then of this Idolatry and the rather because it 's a sinne all are prone unto Consider the Jews though immediatly trained up and instructed by God about his worship though often and often grievously plagued for it yet upon all temptations they would runne into it again and the Heathens Rom. 1. even the wisest of them were most absurd in their Idolatry Rome had a Temple called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein they would have all kinde of Gods and there was nothing so much as love to Idolatry that made men so opposite to the Christian Religion yea though the Prophet describeth the bruitishnesse of the Idolater that with one piece of wood makes an Idol with another makes a fire Well doth the Scripture compare Idolaters unto the Idols themselves they are nothing empty they do not understand and the more subtle and specious idolatry is as in Popery be thou the more afraid of it It 's a bold and unheard of expression of Valentia the Jesuite that saith There is a lawfull Idolatry
What will not men say rather then come out of Egypt 2. Is God the only true God then observe the first Commandment Let us have no other Gods besides him for not only the Heathen that worships Stock and Stone is an Idolater but every Christian that puts this hope and confidence in any creature that placeth the chiefest of his affections and desires otherwise then on God he is a spirituall Idoloter Thus covetousnesse is called Idolatry Col. 3.5 Charge them that are rich that they trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God saith Paul 1 Tim. 6.17 If I have made gold my hope saith Job chap. 31.24 There is no earthly covetous man that placeth his affections and trust in wealth but he renounceth the only true God and yet how hard is it to have wealth and not to put confidence in it for whereas our Evangelist saith It 's as hard for a rich man to be saved as a Camel to go through the eye of a needle another saith for a rich man that trusts in his riches Take heed then of this subtill spirituall sinne Is thy heart inwardly supported Do thy spirits rise because of thy wealth this is Idolatry So likewise the voluptuous man he maketh his pleasures his lusts a God Whose belly is their God Phil. 3.9 Yea no godly man can with such hearty affections and joy constantly serve God as the voluptuous man doth his lusts so that whatsoever a mans heart doth inordinately runne out upon that creature he loveth more then God this makes him an Idolater As he said of Baal Why halt ye between two If God be God serve him If Baal be God serve him So we may say Why halt ye between God and the creature If God be the only true God let him have the only true love and joy of thy soul If riches and lusts be God then let them have all thy heart As there is practicall Idolatry so there is doctrinall Idolatry viz. When we attribute that to our own power or free will which belongs only to God Thus all those proud and arrogant opinions which advance free-will make it able to work with God in conversion this is to derogate from God he shall not then be the God from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed The Apostle 1 Cor. 8.2 saith To us there is but one God the Father from whom are all things and to him are all things so that God is there made the first cause of all the good things we have and the ultimate end to which we do referre all Certainly if it be a forsaking of God to set up any Authors for temporall mercies and temporall salvations then much more for spirituall for which is greater the work of nature or the work of grace Therefore let us walk humbly and because he is the onely true God from whom are all things and to whom let us say Not to our own power but thy grace be all glory given 3. Is God the onely true God Then let those that know him and obey him walk with all comfort and encouragement He is the true God and so will never fail thee he hath a twofold truth first a truth of his essence he is God and none else beside him and opposite to this an Idol is called a lye and nothing How should this support us that the God whom we serve is God indeed How often did the Prophets bid the Idolaters fly to their Idols pray to their Idols and see if they could help them As he is thus true in his Essence called therefore the living God so he is also true in his Promise in his Word and this the Scripture speaks of often and although his Promise be of it self true that we need not doubt yet he added his Oath also that so we might not be shaken in our minde Though it be said of man he is a liar and there is no trust to be put in the great one of the world yet in God there is no change or shadow of change Though therefore the Olive tree fail and the Fig tree do not blossom Hab. 3.17 though every thing in this world lieth and proveth false yet thou maiest put confidence in God 4. Is God the onely true God Then what cause have we who are called to the true knowledge of him to blesse and praise his Name that he suffered us not to perish in our black and horrible darknesse for what are we more then all those Heathens and Pagans that sit in darknesse and have no light Why should God cause the Sun to shine on thee to pity thee and suffer others to walk and stumble in their darknesse What cause have we Christians to honour God! How great will our condemnation be if we neglect so great salvation Our Saviour would have affected the people of Capernaum Mat. 11.23 and other places with this mercy He was the light that came into the world and men love darknesse rather then light John 1. Now in these respects we shall be found very guilty and sinfull 1. If we do not highly prize and esteem the knowledge of the true God if the means of this heavenly wisdom be not more then any other mercy whatsoever But oh how great is our condemnation in this particular The more and the longer we have enjoyed the light of Gods Word the more we have despised it and contemned it This will provoke God to do with us as he did to the Jews and to other Churches who are now made waste and become a wildernesse he will take the light away and carry it to a people sitting in darknesse that will make better use of it 2. Our condemnation will be great if we do not come to the knowledge of God when we have the means Some have not the knowledge of God saith Paul I speak it to your shame 1 Cor. 15. Oh to how many persons to how many families may we say you have not the knowledge of God! What shalt thou be in the School of Christ and yet know no more then an Heathen how inexcusable is it 3. This also will greatly condemn if we do not live according to the knowledge of this true God If our lives are full of Atheism full of ungodlinesse how shall we be able to appear at the dreadfull judgement seat when God shall say You were no Heathens you were no Pagans you cannot plead Lord we have not known thee we have not heard of thee Oh how should our hearts bleed within us to think it will go worse with us then Jews or Heathens because we have enjoyed more 5. Is God the true God Then how great and hainous a sinne is it to have any communion or commerce with the devil or his instruments and yet this is a sin too commonly practised If men have lost any thing if they be in any pain or disease then they presently run to such as they call wise men though
death truly to say Lord I have glorified thee in my life I have finished all the work I was to do This Subject will be very profitable and necessary you cannot expect health and life alwaies in this world your time is running your daies are decaying you are hasting to the grave who knoweth how soon God will put a period to thy life in this world What then should be more in your hearts and thoughts then this Whether have I lived to Gods glory whether have I faithfully discharged the work put upon me It 's not riches wealth greatnesse or any earthly advantages will then do you good This or nothing will then be a reviving to you We have two pregnant examples for this 2 Kin. 20.3 When that sad message was brought to Hezekiah that he must set his house in order for he must die and not live What is a comfort and a cordial to him under this bitter news Remember O Lord that I have walked before thee With an upright heart and done what was good in thy sight Hezekiah had great outward prosperity he had many earthly delights as a King but see how every earthly comfort vanisheth away That he had served God in the uprightnesse of his heart comforted him more then all earthly honour or greatnesse The other Instance is in Paul 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course a Crown of glory is laid up for me If all the glory of the world had been given Paul would it have comforted him like this Testimony of a godly conversation Oh how many dying men may say I have served the devil I have fullfilled his lusts and now I goe to my everlasting torments To quicken and affect you in this Point take notice of these Introductory particulars First That there is a day of Judgement when God will call every man to account We are not to live here as we list and to do all things without controul No God hath appointed a time when every man shall appear before him and he must give an account of all his time all his Talents all his actions all his thoughts of all things in this world that have been his The Scripture is very clear in this formidable Truth 2 Cor. 5. We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account for what hath been done in the flesh Mat. 12.36 yea of every idle word we must give an account yea of every secret thing Eccl. 12.16 The Parable of the Talents Mat. 25.15 where the man with ten with five with two are called to give an account of their improvement doth evidently shew that there is no good thing we have let it be health wealth riches but we as Stewards must be reckoned with concerning the good improvement of them Oh beloved what an overwhelming consideration is this to think the time is coming when every thought every word every hour every day every opportunity every penny every thing I have had will be called for who can hear these things and not tremble Never think all thy sins are forgotten no the Scripture attributes a Book to God God writeth down every thing and those Books will be opened what manner of persons should we be who beleeve these things Rev. 20.11 Is it for you to live riotously to follow all vain pleasures and delights or not rather to pray and mourn and bethink your selves what is to be done at this time 2. Take notice That there is no man or woman though never so inconsiderable but they have their severall Talents They have their peculiar work to doe and their proper relations to serve God in There is none but they have their course to finish they have the work of God to do and therefore let no man think it may be for Magistrates for Ministers for great men for rich men to look to those things but not such inferiour persons as they No he that had but one Talent that is the least ability and opportunity to glorifie God yet because he was negligent he is called an unprofitable servant and is cast out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth So then barrennesse and unprofitablenesse in our places and relations will be a damning sinne yet who considers this Do I promote the glory of God Is God honoured by me in my place and calling Do not I hide my talent in a Napkin Am I able to answer for my great neglect For thy health who can speak for that For time and many daies given to repent who can speak for that These things will be fire in your bones They will be thunder in your ears and arrows in your heart though for the present thou dost not matter them Thirdly Though it be the duty upon all thus to glorifie God and do our work commanded yet none is able to be perfect in this None ever lived that could challenge a Crown of glory for his perfect service Indeed Christ he being God and man did all these things without sinne therefore he was a full Mediatour for us God had nothing the Law had nothing to object against him but every meer man hath a woe belonging to his best life to his best duties if God judge him in strict justice· Hence David praieth that God would not enter into judgement with him that he would not mark every thing done amisse Why because in thy sight no flesh shall be justified Psa 143.2 So David doth not only exclude himself for he had murther and adultery and many other things amisse in his life but no flesh shall be justified None though preserved from such fals And Paul whom you have heard acknowledging the good fight he had fought and looking for a Crown of glory yet doth not challenge any perfection for at another time he accounts all things dung and drosse and would be found in Christ Phil. 3. having the righteousnesse by faith so that all doctrines of perfection and a possibility to be without sinne in this life are but the proud dreams of carnal men Therefore Fourthly No service or works that we have done are any waies meritorious or have any causal influence upon our Salvation It 's very hard to preach the necessity of all holy and good works and not presently to look on them as merits and causes of Salvation but we see the Scripture doth both and therefore we are to reconcile them in our practise To be zealous of good works yet to rely only on Christs merits It 's not my purpose here to give you several grounds why the best holy action we do comes short of all kinde of merit It 's enough to inform you Rom. 4. that beleeving and working are opposed and so works and grace and indeed to hold the fulnesse of Christs merits and yet to pleade our own is to think that the light of the Sun is not able to make perfect day unlesse we light a candle
yea there is no man but his failings are more then his duties there is more corruption then grace so that if there be sincerity though imperfection we may say Lord we have finished the work thou gavest us to do Indeed humility is required because of our imperfections but not diffidence To doubt and to refuse the comfort God offers is not humility but disobedience like that of Peters who would not let Christ wash his feet 2. Another mistake may be about the nature of true faith and hope as if we were to divide between Christ and our selves and so from both conjoyned together gather our assurance even as the Papists define spes hope to be partim à gratiâ partim à meritis nostris proveniens but those that go thus to divide must needs divide themselves from comfort for the object of our faith and trust must be Christ only We may joyfully take those evidences of grace we see in our selves but to put confidence in them would be to make our selves our own saviours 3. This mistake may breed much disconsolatenesse when we limit our assurance and evidence to the time of our death that if God give us it not then we give up our case as desperate Indeed it 's a most blessed thing and a mercy much to be prayed for that as Simeon so we having seen Christ in our hearts and lives may then depart in peace It 's the haven after all the tempests we have had here but yet God may deny us this cordiall even the best of Gods children have found that God hath not kept the best wine for the last but God doth sometime to his as they did to Christ give him gall and vinegar to drink For as the wicked ungodly man who the next moment is to drop into eternall flames may yet die with great carnal presumption that God is his God that Christ is his Mediator in whom he will trust and so feareth not quakes not at the dolefull judgement coming upon him so the godly man though ready to be crowned with Immortall Glory and there is but a moment between him and everlasting happinesse yet may think his case doubtfull if not desperate may seem to have no hopes no joy yea be so tempted that he shall think all he did was but in hypocrisie and falsehood that there was no truth in him this may be Therefore let the godly not limit God to that time of death Vse of Admonition to awaken your selves at this truth Think how nearly it concerns you Dost thou live in such a way as that thou art able to make this glorious profession Is not God is not his word is not thy own conscience against thee How speechlesse and confounded wilt thou be when God shall bid thee give an account of all thy talents Oh that men should not lay this later end no more to heart that none saith O my soul now all is well now thou takest thy mirth but what a change will the hour of death make With what comfort wilt thou look upon the devils work and sins work which thou hast been doing all thy life time especially take heed of unprofitablenesse and decayings in the way of godlinesse thou that hast looked towards heaven but art turned out of the way be sure thy end will be miserable It had been better for thee saith the Apostle never to have known the way of righteousnesse You may have desires may have breakings of heart and yet return to sinne again oh think with what a violent flood these thoughts will come upon thee Oh me wretched and undone sinner I have no refuge no hope many resolutions I had but they vanished away and now I must live no longer my time is expired my course is finished Oh that God would adde as to Hezekiah some years to my life Oh that I could bid the Sun stand still or time go no further till I were at peace with God but these are vain wishes Let not then this truth go before it hath left a sting in thy very heart O Lord nothing troubleth me but that I did not think or minde these things sooner Meditate on these things your night is coming upon you Will you alwaies delay or else be secure and not matter these things many have done foolishly and dropt in a moment into hell do not thou be so overtaken May we not conclude that the auditor with whom this truth will not avail may fear he is delivered up to an impenitent heart SERMON XXI Of Gods being Glorified by Mans Salvation That Christs chief end in what he did for man was the Glory of God which bespeaks both our Imitation and unspeakable Consolation JOH 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth THe cirumstance of this holy profession which Christ made being considered Let us proceed to the Profession it self and that is He had glorified God on earth Christ in the state of humiliation was inferiour to God and so he did referre all things to his Fathers glory so that in this profession we may consider 1. What is the matter or object whereby God is glorified 2. The end or final cause that moved Christ therein The matter is our salvation and that redemption Christ purchased for us The end which Christ looked at in all this was chiefly the glory of God Indeed he looked also at his own glory and our glory but the ultimate and chiefest of all was Gods glory So that from hence we may observe That our redemption and salvation obtained by Christ is a glorifying of God and Christ did thereby chiefly aim at Gods glory We put both the matter of Gods glory and Christs end together and certainly this Truth discovered will be like that sweet box of perfume which opened caused such a fragrant smell And 1. Let us see how or wherein God was thus glorified by Christs Mediation for us It being of infinite comfort to know this for how many times are we apt to be cast down What are we that God should regard our salvation who are we that God should crown us with glory God doth not need us he is happy without us Now this may exceedingly encourage Though we be not worthy to be saved God is worthy to be glorified If there were nothing but our good and happinesse involved in Christs death who would think it probable Christ should suffer meerly and ultimately for us but there is also the glory of God deeply concerned which is more worth then all the world yea then all our souls for though one soul be more worth then a world yet Gods glory is more worth then all our souls and their salvation So that a Christian fixing his faith and meditation here may be in a transfiguration and say It is good to be here God doth not lose by thy Salvation If Gods honour were to be impaired if his truth broken if his justice violated then who dare open his mouth for salvation but God is
This should be seriously thought of by thee when thou art dejected and overwhelmed saying How can this be and how can that be Say O Lord what low unworthy thoughts have I of thee Didst not thou create a world and shall I say How shall God help me in this distresse and for this reason is it that in the Psalms and Prophets Gods creating the world is often brought in as an argument to support the Children of God under all miseries Fear not God made the world SERMON XXIX Of Divine Knowledge its Excellency and Rarity Shewing That God is truely and properly known onely by the Godly And wherein their Knowledge of God differs from the Knowledge that others have of him JOH 17.6 I have manifested thy Name unto the men thou gavest me out of the world c. THis sixth Verse begins the second main general part of Christs Petition for whereas before he had praied for himself now he begins to pray for his Disciples as they were in a peculiar manner given to him as afterwards he praieth for all beleevers in the generall so that the words are a beginning of Christs Petition in a peculiar manner for the Apostles for they needed much praier and assistance who were to undertake so great a duty These were set in the forefront of the Battel These were called to labour in the heat of the day therefore there is a peculiar praier for them Now that our Saviours Petition may prevail he first declareth what he had done to them and 2. Their obedience to him in all things what he had done to them is partly related in these words I have manifested thy Name wherein first observe the person or efficient cause spoken of Christ manifested Gods Name to his Diseiples Therefore he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is not to be considered onely as a Mediatour in which none can imitate him but as a Minister or Prophet The chief Shepherd Heb. 13.20 as the Scripture cals him and herein he discharged his duty in that he manifested and made known God to the world which lay in ignorance So that the Ministers duty is to bring people to know God but of that in its time 2. There is the action it self of this person or efficient I have manifested There is a twofold manifestation 1. Objective only in the externall offer and proposal of the grace of God not only to beleevers but to all the unbeleeving Jews but of this manifestation Christ doth not speak 2. There is a powerfull effectual manifestation such as begets knowledge of God and obedience unto his Word and of this Christ speaks and as for the former many have Christ and God outwardly manifested to them in the preaching of the Gospel but they have no eyes to see as the Sunne though it shineth never so gloriously yet the blinde man receiveth no benefit by it 3. Here is the Object of this action Thy Name By Name is not meant the words or Titles given to God as Adonai Elohim Jehovah as the Rabbins call God Leohem the Name but by Gods Name is meant his nature his properties and those relations especially whereby he becomes a gracious Father through Christ to an humbled sinner Lastly Here is the Subject to whom Christ doth thus manifest God and these are described 1. By their original and descent Gods gracious good will and pleasure Whom thou gavest me 2. From the state or term out of which God then gave them Out of the world I shall put Christs action and the Subject together at this time Whereas then we see though Christ preached God and his properties to all that heard him yet to none was God manifested but to beleevers From whence we observe That God is only truely and properly known by the godly Let men have never such parts knowledge or understanding and that in the Scriptures and Divinity yet none know God God is not manifested to any but to the godly This may seem Paradoxall and incredible but yet the Scripture is very clear at v. 25. The world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known thou hast sent me Hence Joh. 14.21 you may see Christs manifesting of himself is a priviledge bestowed only upon those that love God He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will manifest my self to him This doth so affect one of the Disciples that out of a sence of Gods great goodnesse and grace to them rather then the world he saith Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us rather then the world What are we more then others The world heard Christ preached They saw his Miracles but Christ was not manifested to them Christ likewise Joh. 8.55 telleth the Pharisees who beleeved the Scriptures and acknowledged one God Creator of the world yea and said God was their God that they did not know God so that this truth will stand good that men may have much knowledge in the Scriptures in Religion and yet no◠know God To open this Consider that several waies we may come to have some knowledge of God 1. By inward light of a natural conscience There are imbred notions and dictates about a God which all the wicked affections and lusts of men cannot wholly obscure as the blackest clouds cannot quite darken the Sunne The Apostle Rom. 1. saith God hath manifested this in them There is then a natural manifestation of God in the consciences of men whereby there is an horrour and trembling upon them upon the committing of some evil especially when the stroak of death is upon them Oh the quakings oh the confusions that are sometimes upon men what will become of them what shall they do All this cometh from some generall knowledge of a God 2. Men come to some knowledge of a God by tradition education and hearsay There being no Nation so fierce and barbarous but have told their Children of a God and the Socinians who deny any inward light of nature about a God do make this the only ground of such an apprehension an universal tradition that is upon all Now although this consent of all Nations be a great Testimony yet the