of Christ was the time of his sufferings concerning which he often said My hour is not yet come and when it was come he most readily yeelded himself Now in this hour many things are observable as 1. That all the power and policy that his enemies did use were not able to prevail over him till his hour came Though he preached every day and went up and down doing good by all which his enemies were the more provoked against him yet they were not able to take an hair from him and how observable is that when some bid him depart for Herod would kill him Go saith he and tell that fox behold I do miracles to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Neverthelesse I must work to day and to morrow The meaning is that maugre all his malice and power yet he should do his work and be preserved till his hour did come so that all endeavours all counsels are frustrated which meet not with Gods appointed time only Christ knew when his hour was which God keepeth sometimes secret from his people Again 2. Observe the wisedom and prudence of Christ when danger was come because then it was not his hour Sometimes he departed secretly and went from place to place to avoid the malice of his enemies yea his father and mother fled with him while a childe to escape death This teacheth us That it is our duty to preserve our selves from ruine when we have not a call or obligation thereunto So the Prophets in Jezabels time were hid by many in a cave and those Noble Worthies recorded by the Apostle that fled and hid themselves in caves and mountains they are said to do it by faith It was not sinfull fear but faith so that we are diligently to consider when it is our call our duty when God requireth of us as the time and hour of our affliction that we must lose all for him and in this we must not consult with flesh and bloud for that saith as Peter to Christ Master save thy self who had that severe Rebuke Get theee behinde me Satan Then on the other side when the time of Christs sufferings did come every thing brought it about A Judas a Disciple of his own he betraieth him and all his adversaries do easily insult over him and then he doth not as before depart out of the way no but though be knew he was to suffer at Jerusalem yet he set his face to go thither and though he could have commanded Legions of Angels to have rescued him and we reade that those who come to surprise him fell down immediatly being stricken with his Majesty yet he will not deliver himself No though his enemies did with so much scorn bid him save himself which teacheth us that when the hour of our afflictions is come when God manifestly discovers it must be the time of our trouble that then we do with all patience and chearfulnesse resign our selves into his hands And thus much as it relates to Christ Now let us consider of it in the generall and we shall see how God hath hours and times either of anger or mercy in the world As 1. When the Church of God hath been greatly corrupted by all manner of vice and idolatry so that there hath been an unclean Leprosie over the whole body God oath appointed an hour a time for its Reformation and purity which shall certainly take effect though all the world oppose it Men can no more hinder it then the Sunne from breaking out of the Cloud and oh how happy is it when such a time comes how wonderfully are mâ—ns hearts prepared to forsake all their former Idolatry and prophanesse This you have notably Joh. 4.23 Our Saviour tels that ignorant superstitious woman The hour is coming and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth This was in Christs time he came as Malachy cap. 3. prophesied to refine the Sons of Levi and to be like the Fullers Sope This was so terrible as that the Prophet crieth out Who may abide the day of his coming It was to the Pharisees and chief Priests as terrible as the day of Judgement Well though Christ goeth about to take away all that admired will-worship which was then exalted and this was so contrary to mens inclination and education yet the hour cometh that they shall worship him in spirit and in truth Thus it was at the first Reformation out of Popery when Luther though but one unarmed man and a despicable Monk by his profession set himself against the torrent of all that Idolatry and corruption which reigned in Popery Was it not as ridiculous as if a man had set his shoulder to some huge Mountain thinking to remove it It was so in all mens account and therefore when Luther opened his Councels to one great Doctor who did not approve of the Romish courses yet he bid him go into his Cell and say Lord have mercy upon us As if the case were desperate Now although it was thus unlikely yet we see how truth and purity did break forth to all mens amazement and which aggravateth this There had been many before Luthers time who witnessed against the practices and doctrines of the Church of Rome yet still they were vanquished till Luther came and then no water could quench this fire Now why was all this Gods power was as able to go along with Iohn Husse or Jerome of Prague as well as Luther but now was Gods hour now was his appointed time Thus till Gods time came for the removing of all the Jewish Rites they lay like that stone upon the Sepulchre that the woman could not remove yea neither men or Angels could remove and therefore it 's called the time of Reformation Heb. 9.10 2. God in his just judgement lets wicked men have their hour That is an opportunity of expressing all their wickednesse and impiety so that you would think God took no notice of the things done in the world and was as some Philosophers prophanely thought included within the circles of the heaven and had given the earth to the Sonnes of men to do what they would This our Saviour told his enemies who consulted and practised against him Luk. 22.53 This is your hour and power of darknesse Thus in the Revelation we see that Satan was let loose for many years and then he was bound up for many years which denoteth that God by his just permission did suffer Satan and his Instruments to prevail in the world And when this hour of darkness is all the praiers and all the tears of the godly shall not prevail till his time of deliverance come And this we may finde even from the beginning of the world since there was an Abel and a Cain that God lets some wicked men have their hour a power and season to act their impieties and yet Gods waies were alwaies just when
even as man there should be revealed unto him all the thoughts actions and circumstances thereof concerning every man in the world that so he might fulfill the office of a Judge 4. Christ as Mediator God and man is the author and fountain of all the light which is communicated to the Church Hence it is that one of his Offices is to be the Prophet of the Church He is called the chief shepherd of our souls 1 Pet. 5 4. and being our high-Priest he was to offer up himself for us so also instruct and teach us Therefore you heard the whole world is commanded to hear him and therefore it is that he cals himself the truth and the way Joh. 14.16 So that in all matters of Religion we are still to enquire what Christ hath revealed and what he hath manifested now he doth not only reveal the truth to be believed but the duties also that are to be performed and therefore the Apostle makes it so hainous a sinne to refuse Christ speaking above Moses Heb. 12.25 Tremble then all ye wicked men who do constantly refuse Christ still speaking from heaven by his Word and Ministers to leave your sins and impieties 5. The Scripture doth often as in all actions ad extra attribute the same work of teaching and enlightning both to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Spirit So that this great work of saving knowledge is attributed indifferently to all Thus the Father James 1. is called the Father of lights from whom cometh every good and perfect gift So our Saviour alledgeth that promise They shall be all taught of God Joh. 6.45 So the holy Spirit is said to guide and lead into all truth Illumination being frequently ascribed to the Spirit and 1 Cor. 2.10 God is said there to reveal things unto us by his Spirit And lastly Christ himself is said to be the great teacher of his people as Mat. 23.10 For one is your Master even Christ Hence the Apostle magnifieth the Gospel Heb. 1. that whereas formerly God had spoken by the Prophets in these later dayes he spake by his Sonne So that the geeat sinne against the Gospel and the aggravation of all wickednesse is from hence that though this light be come into the world yet men love darknesse rather then light 6. The Lord Christ doth teach several wayes either immediately when he was upon the earth or mediately by the Apostles and the Ministers that he hath appointed in his Church Therefore he is said still to speak from heaven viz. by the Word and the Ministry so that we are not to conceive as if we had nothing of Christ now because he is ascended to heaven for what the Ministers guided by the Word of God do that is as if Christ himself spake it and you are to receive it with the like faith and obedience Hence our Saviour speaking to his Apostles saith Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me he that despiseth an Embassadour contemneth him from whom he is sent Oh that this truth may be as a two-edged Sword in thy heart What darest thou who livest in thy prophaneness if Christ himself were here upon the earth commanding thee to leave thy sins yet to persevere in them if not How is it that you refuse those who come in his name 7. Though Christ hath appointed a Ministry to teach and instruct people yet the whole efficacy and power cometh from Christ alone It 's God and Christ by the Word that can only open the understanding and give a spiritual knowledge so that conversion is so called the teaching of God John 6.45 Therefore a man must hear and learn of the Father before he can come to Christ onely Christ there addeth that this hearing and knowing of the Father comes by him So Joh. 3.26 27. when Johns Disciples said That all men come to Christ he answered A man can receive nothing except it be given him of heaven attributing it to the power of God that any come to Christ Therefore this Sun exceedeth the bodily one which giveth indeed external light but cannot give an eye to see the blinde remain blinde for all that Lastly Though Christ only do effectually give a knowing heart so that although we had the best Ministry of men and Angels yet it would do no good without his secret power and energie yet we must not from thence inferre the uselesness of the Ministry as some foolishly have done opposing the principal and subordinate For in our natural life although it be not the bread we eat but the word of blessing from Gods mouth that makes it to nourish us yet none casts away his food resolving to depend on God immediately Thus though Christ alone give the seeing eye and the understanding heart yet it 's by and in the use of the Ministry though it was God alone that did give the healing vertue to the pool of Bethesda yet the Angel must move it and every lame man must come into it else he could not be healed Hence although Jeremy prophesie of such abundance of knowledge that they shall not teach one another but be all taught of God which may seem and is brought by some to overthrow the Ministry yet the same Prophet Jer. 3.15 declareth it as a special blessing that he would give them Pastors according to his own heart which would feed them with knowledge and understanding So that Gods teaching and the Pastors teaching do not oppose one another It 's said also of Lydia that God opened her heart Act. 16.14 but to what end To attend to the words of Paul So that you must never oppose Gods work and the Ministry together In the next place Let us consider the Properties of Christs knowledge whereby he makes us also to know As 1. The Authoritative and potestative Nature of it he taught as one having authority not as the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 7.29 Hence Mat. 5. when he had related the corrupt opinions of their Doctors in the Interpretation of the Law he addeth But I say unto you opposing his Authority to them all It 's true he saith he speaks not of himself but referreth his Doctrine wholly to his Father but withall saith He and his Father are one he doth not speak of receiving his Doctrine in the same manner as Paul and other Apostles did of him by revelation 2. There is the freeness of this he teacheth whom he pleaseth There are none so froward and so contumacious but he can open their hearts and others that are of high and eminent understandings for want of him do remain blind owls Mat. 11.26 27. where our Saviour giving God thanks for manifesting the things of the Gospel to some and not to others resolving all into Gods good pleasure Even so Father for so it pleaseth thee he addeth No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him So that where
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
is let me obey him All knowledge that makes thee not more godly that brings thee not into nearer communion with God is to be suspected if it puff thee up if it make thee conceited then 1 Cor. 8. Paul saith Thou knowest nothing as thou oughtest to know Be not a Gnostick oh that it might be said Ye know God or rather are known of God Gal. 4.9 SERMON XVII Of the Knowledge and Worship of the One true God And the contrary thereto viz. Idolatry JOH 17.3 To Know thee the Onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent WE have finished that duty which is said to be the Means to Eternall Life We come to the Object which is twofold 1. The true God and thus Heathens and Pagans are excluded 2. Christ Jesus and thus the Jews who though they know the true God yet because they deny Christ are out of the way to heaven and so some Heretiques also who deny Christ to be our Mediator Let us consider the first Object To know thee the only true God by this we see that Opinion which asserts the possibility of the Heathens salvation to fall to the ground because they are wholly ignorant of the true God It 's Christ that saith thus therefore our understandings must be captivated Obs That there is one true God only to be known and served by man Although to us Christians this may seem a needlesse point yet as the Scripture hath recorded this as most usefull to the Church so all Christians may finde much necessity in the opening of it and great practicall use Consider then these particulars 1. There are made and constituted many gods by mans vanity and there is one onely true God indeed The Apostle 1 Cor. 8.4 5. hath given us this distinction where having asserted that an Idol is nothing viz. formaliter though it be made of wood or stone and have rich ornaments yet the thing signified is nothing Though there are Sunne and Starres yet as made Gods so there is no such thing Though there were such men as Saturn and Jupiter yet relatively as Idols representing a God they were a non-entity He brings this verse in by way of accusation to answer the objection There are saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are many that are called Gods The whole world is full of such they have their Celestes Acrii Terrestes Marini as many Gods as creatures almost but to us viz. Beleevers there is one only true God the Father So that you see there is one reall existent true God and there are many fictitious and constituted Gods made by man which the Scripture cals Idols and that by very significant names Sometimes by a word that signifieth nothing sometimes by a lye and vanity sometimes by dung and dirt that is rowled up and down sometimes by scar-crows or terricula muta and very often by abomination The beginning and progresse of this Idolatry is handled by Learned men and Learned Tractates are written de Diis Syris de Diis Romanorum and Germanorum in all which we may mourn over that horrible blindnesse and folly which doth seize upon all men by nature and we may blesse God for the Christian Religion which hath made us to cast off all those abominable Idolatries 2. We come to have knowledge of the only true God three waies 1. By the book of nature which is called implanted or ingrafted knowledge No man is or can be a naturall Atheist in affections he may be wishing there were no God but in judgement he cannot till by accumulated sinnes he hath given himself up to all stupidity 2. By the book of the creatures and this is called acquired knowledge The Apostle Rom. 1. mentioneth both these This later is obtained by the consideration of the world insomuch that the most Atheisticall men when they have considered the greater world and especially man in all his curious parts have been forced to acknowledge some wise and supream power the maker of these things as it 's said of Galen 3. There is the book of Gods Word and by this we have a revealed knowledge and this only doth direct in the true way to serve him acceptably Therefore all the world is said to lie in darknesse and light comes only by the Scripture This is the great mercy of God to manifest from heaven what he is and how he will be worshipped 3. Consider that our knowledge even at the highest is very imperfect it 's but apprehensive not comprehensive which made an ancient say De Deo etiam vera dicere periculosum est because we are subject to such ignorance and blindnesse God himself doth only comprehend himself we know him obscurely and therefore he is said to dwell in light inaccessible 1 Tim. 6.16 As the eye cannot penetrate into the glorious nature of the Sunne no more can we search into the deep things of God Therefore Divines say we have a twofold way of knowing God the one is affirmative and positive when those perfections we see in creatures we attribute to God in a supereminent manner Thus we say he is wise he is just he knoweth he willeth but after a more transcendent way of perfection then man doth The second way is by negation or removing imperfections from him and this indeed is commended as a better way then the former We can more easily describe God by saying what he is not then what he is he is not a body and when we say a Spirit then we runne to a negative again not a finite limited Spirit In this life every mans knowledge is imperfect we know but in part Paul said so that was wrapped up into the third heavens 1 Cor. 13. And although in heaven our knowledge shall be perfected described by that expression We shall see him face to face yet even then it cannot be comprehensive of the whole nature of God there being no proportion between a finite faculty and an infinite object In the fourth place take notice that this expression the true God may be taken in a twofold sense as truth is divided into veritas rei and veritas conceptus the truth of the thing and the truth of conceiving of it Now the Heathens when they worshipped Jupiter as the chiefest and highest God there was the truth of the thing there was a supream and a chief that they intended but there was no truth in their conceptions and apprehensions about him therefore they added many other gods to him Such a distinction as this the Apostle insinuates Acts 17.23 where reproving them for their Idolatry and telling them of an Altar with this inscription To the unknown God whom saith he you ignorantly worship we declare to you It was a true God they worshipped when they conceived of one supream above the rest but they had no true or right thoughts about him Hence what the Poet said of Jupiter the Apostle owneth as of the true God for
of it is so great that be cannot let it go as Psa 51. a Praier made by David when overwhelmed in his Spirit by the guilt of sinne How often doth he repeat though in different words a Petition for pardon That God would have mercy on him That he would wash him purge him and blot out his sinnes This he nameth twice for till he had obtained this pardon there was no living for him He could take no pleasure in houses friends yea in his kingdom and all outward prosperity so that the necessity of it makes him again and again repeat his praier for it and thus our Saviour when he was upon those agonies and extremities he praieth Father if it be possible let this cup passe away and the Text saith he went thrice and said the same words Mat. 26.44 Here the necessity of that Praier he praied for made him say the same words for as the same earth or the same Sun we are not weary of because of the necessity of it Thus neither is it to be accounted a vain tautology when again and again we pray for that without which we cannot be 2. When the matter is excellent then it may be repeated again because by often striking the same stroak at last the Instrument enters sometimes a sudden transient passage doth not touch the heart and so the excellency of it is not discerned but when once or twice it is spoken then it may affect It 's a Rule Pulchrasunt his dicenda we cannot see the worth of a Jewell at the first sight and hence it is that there are some sentences of choice and excellent vertue that our Saviour himself would use more then once Such as that Many are called but few are chosen and some Parables also are twice spoken to by our Saviour yea that Psalm which describeth the grievous pollution of every man by nature The Apostle Rom. 3. doth repeat at large it being such an excellent choice Truth that every one is to be affected with and till that foundation be laid there cannot be any esteem or prizing of Christ 3. When the affections are very fervent and zealous then it cannot but they will expresse the same thing again It 's not want of matter but height of affection and zeal that makes the tongue utter the same thing twice as Gal. 4.6 it 's said The Spirit of God is sent into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Here is an Ingemination we cry Father Father and why so the Spirit of God doth so kindle and inflame the heart that it 's so sweetly and passionately affected that as he said pro dulcedine vix labris expedire possit he is unwilling to let this hony out of his mouth As Peter when he was in the Transfiguration said It 's good to be here So the heart of a godly man thus filialized by the holy Ghost cannot but utter the same dear relation over and over It 's usuall with the Hebrews when they would expresse their earnest affection and desire to a thing to double it and when Esau was in that great extremity and desired Jacobs pottage he crieth out Give me of thy red pottage as it 's in the Original The heart that is strongly affected and zealously drawn out is not contented with once naming of that which he so much desireth so that commonly cold and customary praiers have no ingeminations 4. Repetition of the same matter may be when he would by faith perswade our heart of the certainty of the thing we pray for Thus that crying Abba Father did not only argue zeal but assurance and certainty They were so fully perswaded that they were bold to speak it again and again and so also it 's a Rule among the Hebrews to expresse the certainty of a thing by the ingemination of it Thus dying thou shalt die So when it 's said Amen and Amen that repetition is to shew their affection that they would have it so or that it is so and thus indeed those Petitions which God sets home with certainty upon the heart they are again and again mentioned The Lord will do them yea he hath done them Lastly There may be a repetition of some Petitions especially in publique Praier when the matter doth greatly concern us and so it 's such as we ought to be deeply affected with for as it is with Preaching that matter which doth greatly concern the hearer it 's lawful to mention it over and over again as the Apostle Peter did think fit to write the very same things which he had formerly delivered as also the Apostle Jude in his Epistle did So it is in publique praier such sinnes as we would have the Congregation sensible of in their confessions such duties as we would have them diligently perform it 's useful in praier to mention these more then once for how dull and distracted are our thoughts how hard and sencelesse are they So that like Moses his rock till we be stricken over and over again water cannot come forth like the Shunamites dead childe Till we be often rubbed over there cannot come any spiritual heat into us Do not then alwaies look for new matter but rather desire thy heart may be affected with that which is old sometimes It 's a great sinne in all that they endeavour not to have their hearts affected in publique praier in our Congregations we should all be like so many Jacobs wrastling with God We should be like so many Hezekiahs or Jonahs crying out of the Whales belly but oh how few when God takes notice doth he finde that have spiritual mourning hearts some sleeping some roving some weary and wishing it over But you will say though this indeed prove that sometimes a doubling of the same Petition may be usefull yet may there not be idle bablings and sinfull repetitions in the same Praier May there not be such Tautologies as may be offensive and distastful to a godly heart Yes certainly And this is expresly forbidden Mat. 6.7 a notable place Vse not vain repetitious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some derive it from that foolish man the Poet speaks of a Shepherd called Battus sub illis montibus inquit erant erant sub montibus illis Others more probably from the Hebrew word baetta that signifies to pour out froth a blatero and so Hesychius expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empty words of any sence or matter when there are many words and no true grave matter Therefore our Saviour cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much speaking not that he condemneth long praiers but to make many words without sence or the affection of the heart Hesychius expounds it also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseasonable and unbeseeming So that then are Repetitions forbidden by our Saviour 1. When they arise either from want of judgement to prepare good matter or a dry sencelesse heart For Praier is a stream and if there be not fulnesse in
That there remaineth no hope for us then we may fly to Christ The Law saith Do this and live Do all things in the highest degree else you cannot live Now into what horrour and despair doth this put men till we come to hear that voice Beleeve in Christ who hath fullfilled the righteousnesse of the Law When therefore we preach the exactnesse of the Law and the severity of Gods Justice it is not that we should stay here Alas who can say It 's good to be here no They will cry out as the People of Israel did at the giving of the Law when there was so much terrour But our aim is that by this commotion and trouble upon you you might lay hold upon Christ We would burthen you that Christ might ease you 4. This Doctrine is indeed the very essence and marrow of the Gospel This is the glad tidings that when we of our selves were eternally undone Christ as a Mediatour reconcileth the offended God and offending sinner It was this that the very Angels though it did not so immediatly concern them sang for joy Glory be to God on high Good will to men and peace on the Earth Luk. 2.14 This is that which we finde the Apostle Paul so magnifying every where This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 Great is the Mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16. Oh then we should never be weary of this Subject It 's eyes to the blinde It 's meat to the hungry Clothes to the naked mercy to the sinner grace to the afflicted one This is the fatted Calf and the Robe for the distressed Prodigall Truly as he said he did not love to reade no not Tully because he did not finde the Name of Christ so should all Sermons and Subjects be dull and tedious that do not directly or indirectly mediately or immediately bring us to him All other Points are but accessary or preparatory this is the Substance It 's such an excellent Subject that the Angels desire to be informed more in it and take infinite delight in the knowledge of it 5. This is the more to be pressed because the devil in all ages hath laboured to obscure this doctrine above others Insomuch that Luther called this Articulus stantis cadentis Ecclesiae when the devil could neither overthrow the humane or divine nature of Christ by Heretikes Then he laboured to overthrow his Office of being a Mediatour That if there must be a Christ yet he might be a needlesse and uselesse one so that by this Point only we differ not onely from Jews and Pagans but all Heretiques and Papists The righteousnesse of Christ our Mediatour imputed to us is the Treasure in the Church only This Pearl is hid in this Field only The excellency therefore and dignity of this Point is seen by the devils opposition and his Instruments raised up to obscure and darken it And then on the other side God hath raised up choice Instruments in his Church to vindicate this Truth Luther of all Points was most affected with this and God prepared him for it by laying soul exercises and heart temptations upon him insomuch that he said he often wished he had never been a man Oh the trouble and darknesse that was upon his soul and he used all the Remedies prescribed in Popery to comfort himself but still his heart was as unquiet as ever till at last he was by studying in Scripture directed to beleeve in Christ the Mediatour and in particular to be cloathed with Christs righteousnesse in stead of his own and thus it is still the more spiritually tempted and exercised any man either Minister or private Christian is The more he walketh in darknesse and hath no light The more doth he come to prize and esteem this fulnesse in Christ None love this honey-comb but those who hunger after a righteousnesse that they cannot finde in themselves These particulars discover the necessity of pressing this often and often Therefore the second Use is to bring your hearts in rellish with this Doctrine Oh that thou wert such an Auditour that this Truth might breed a sweet pleasure in thy spiritual appetite If this be the Gospel If this be the glad Tidings If this be the Pearl and the Treasure be thou in the number of those that will part with all to be partakers of it But you will say How may we fit Subjects for this Truth how may we come to prize it more then the honey or the honey-comb Take these Directions 1. Feel sinne as a burden as a weight let it be more to thee then all temporal evils in the world for so Mat. 11. Come to me ye that are heavy laden and I will ease you David Psal 32. when his sinne was ready to overwhelm him then he crieth out Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne When Mary Magdalene hath her head and heart a Fountain of water because of her sins then she is greatly indeared in her affections to Christ Those love much to whom much is forgiven as our Saviour at large sheweth Luk. 7.46 If then thou art not perswaded of thy debts or if the thoughts of them do not afflict and grieve thee never think that Christ will be chief in thy heart Oh then begin here lay this for a Foundation saying All these precious Truths will be spilt like water upon the ground until I be of a broken contrite heart for sinne The Prodigall never regarded the bread and Fulnesse in his Fathers House till he comes to want even husks themselves Joab would not come to Absalom till all his Corn was fired Neither do we readily and willingly runne to Christ till God hath shot his arrow into us tiill he hath wounded us at the heart till we feel sinne the greatest burthen and that because God is dishonoured and provoked and indeed this may be a very good motive to Repentance and humiliation because there is such an excellent Remedy Thou needest not fear going into the depths of this water because Christ will preserve thee therein No wonder if a man not beleeving or acquainted with this Truth be afraid to think of his sinnes That with Luther he hates the word Repent for there is nothing but despair and hopelesnesse about sinne till this Truth be discovered Oh then be no longer afraid to have thy sinnes brought to thy minde Say not They are a greater burthen then can be born for had Cain beleeved in Christ Had Judas beleeved in Christ Their sick and wounded Souls had quickly been healed It 's not the greatnesse nor the multitude of thy sinnes It 's not the terrible aggravations of them may wholly overwhelm thee if so be thou dost but cast Anchor upon Christ 2. If you would have an high esteem of this Point labour for a spiritual heavenly heart For as Christ in his Mediation is wholly spirituall
be of the world in this sence For the Apostles after their call neither any converted persons are thus of the world though they be in it locally The words thus explained Consider the efficacy of Christs argument I pray for these and commend them to thy care and protection because I am going out of the world I shall not be corporally present with them I was a comfort to them and preserver of them but now I commend them to thy hands Thus we see the admirable care and love Christ shewed to his Disciples he seems to be more mindeful of them then his own self All his thoughts about his own sufferings did not so affect him but that still he could remember his own Disciples that it may go well with them Obs That the greater the dangers are Christs people are kept in the greater is Christs care and love to them It was likely to be worse with the Disciples then ever therefore it 's said their hearts were troubled Joh. 14. when he spake of leaving of them for what can the Chickens do when the hen is killed What can the Sheep do when the Shepherd is smitten Now because they were fallen into such a condition our Saviour doth in amore special manner commend their Estate to God we do not reade that formerly he did in such a peculiar manner give them up to God because their danger and temptations were not so great as were likely to be This is a Truth worthy of all acceptation by the godly They are dismaied when they see their afflictions rise higher never considering that the love and care that Christ hath to them doth also encrease Ioh. 13.1 when Christ saw the time of his departure was come having loved his own he loved them to the end more then ever he discovered his love partly by condescending to wash their feet and partly by instituting the Sacrament as a remembrance of his death for them So that as they say of all motions they are swiftest towards the end Thus Christ loving his Disciples from his heart upon pure grounds he loved them most of all at his latter end as the clock runs fastest at the last stroak But it 's good to open this Box of Oyntment that the sweet smell thereof may comfort and refresh us And first Christ never cals his people to any danger and temptations but as he removeth some mercies from them so he makes a supply otherwise If they are in greater streights and difficulties then before So if they do observe they shall finde some mercies they had not before Christ will not let thee be a loser by any thing he doth to thee Neither will he be in thy debt if he takes away any mercy he will recompence it otherwise So that still his love is as great if not greater See this notably Joh. 14.1 2 3. Let not your hearts be troubled viz. at the sad things I have told you of my departure and the rage of the world For I go away to prepare a mansion place for you It 's expedient I should go away you shall not be the worse for it Therefore v. 18. I will not leave you comfortlesse or Orphans I will send the Spirit of God to comfort you and abide with you Thus you see though Christ removed his corporal presence from them yet he gave them a spirituall presence If then the Spirit of God can be a Comforter to supply the room of Christs corporal presence how much more of a husband or father If God take any of these away pray that he would send his Spirit the Comforter and if that can be better then Christs bodily presence much more then than ten thousand Fathers or Husbands Oh then let not the Children of God deject themselves either with the condition they are in or they fear may be in If such and such things fall out what would become of me Oh remember it 's Christs way when he takes away one mercy to make it up otherwise again Secondly Christs love and care appeareth in that if he call to greater dangers and afflictions he will then give more strength then ever to bear them and more comfort then ever even to rejoyce in them If then thy afflictions are more then ever what art thou the worse If thy strength be greater then ever God will not lay a Giants burthen upon a childes back But if he prepare a Giants burthen for thee he will enable thee with a Giants strength Thus these Apostles because they were to encounter with the rage and madnesse of the whole world Therefore did the Spirit of God come in an extraordinary manner upon them They were commanded to stay at Jerusalem till they were endowed with power from above Luk. 24.49 Thus before also when our Saviour told them They should be hated before Kings and Governours for his Names sake he addeth It shall be given them in that day to know what to speak in that day Oh then when thy dejected heart saith What shall I do if the Lord bring this and that sad trouble upon me If this or that temptation come upon me it will grinde me to powder Oh remember it shall be given thee in that day If with Job he deprive thee of thy Estate and Goods and Children at once it shall be given thee in that day to bear it Do not then measure or compare a great affliction with that little strength thou hast at present No if God make the waters to encrease he will provide an Ark for thee the Apostles could not work miracles when they would as they could not cast out some kinde of devils but when they were called to it and their miraculous faith was increated then they could do it Thus it is here If God should give thee no more faith no more patience no more heavenly-mindednesse then thou hast at the present Thou wert never able to bear such mountains and loads of trouble that happily God may bring on thee but God proportions thy strengtht to â—hy afflictions as our Saviour said Mat. 9.17 New Wine is not put into old bottles They must not fast while the Bridegroom was with them but the time was coming when they should fast As God encreaseth their strength so he doth also their comfort he gives them more joy and consolation then they ever had as the Disciples had the Comforter promised them after his departure and accordingly we reade that under all the persecutions and miseries they endured they were filled with joy and they went away rejoycing so true is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.4 Who comforteth us in all our Tribulations that as our sufferings abound so our consolations also abound This we see abundantly fulfilled in all the holy Martyrs and Confessors was not their dungeon a Paradise to them Were not live Coals beds of Roses Did they not rejoyce and sing Psalms Now how came all this about The more their miseries were the
Heb. 11. They that say such things declare they look for a better City Oh how apt are we to make the world our home To desire we might abide here alwaies To think of no other Happinesse or Blessednesse but what is in the Creatures but God by the Troubles therein doth convince us that there must be a better Condition then this We have no abiding place in this world we are here to day to morrow we may be gone and therefore we should be Diligent in Watching and Praying and preparing for our Masters Coming Oh what a Bridle would it be to our carnal Affections to remember we are but Sojourners and Strangers here To look upon thy Estate and Inheritance no otherwise then a Traveller doth upon the Goods in an Inne Reasons 3 Thirdly The Lord makes this world full of Enmity and Hatred against us That we might not symbolize with it or contract any of the guilt and pollution of it upon our Souls It is a Mercy that Wicked men are Scorpions and Serpents That they are Wolves and Lyons hereby thou art chased and affrighted from their Company and Society whereas if they were loving and pleasing thou wouldest be often with them and so sit in the Chair of the Scorner and come into the Assemblies of wicked men Is it not a Mercy to be kept from a Pest-house or a Place where Infectious Diseases are Thus God hath put such an Enmity and Contrariety between the Godly and the Wicked There is such a great Gulf and vast distance that Solomon saith The wicked is an abomination to the Righteous and the Righteous to the wicked Prov. 29.27 The Godly man can no more endure the wicked mans waies then the Wicked can abide a Godly mans waies Therefore blesse and praise God for this Enmity and opposition and make good and profitable use of it Reasons 4 Lastly The Lord doth it That Heaven and the Enjoyment of him to all Eternity may be more prized and better esteemed by us We must with Lot even be violently pulled out of this Sodom Oh our sinnefull and our unworthy Hearts that we should so delight to be tossed and hurried up and down in the Ocean and be afraid to come to the Haven That Death should be so unwelcome when it is the Passage to incomprehensible and immortall Glory What have not all thy Pains Afflictions and Grievances yet made thee long and thirst for Heaven Dost thou not think Here I am sighing crying diseased distressed when the Glorious Saints in Heaven are rejoycing Vse of Instruction To the people of God Not to be dejected but rather to be exceeding glad as our Saviour commands when the wicked world opposeth them for their Godlinesse and Uprightnesse For mark our Saviours Expression herein Matth. 5.20 It must be for Christs Sake and Righteousnesse Sake not for any wickednesse or ungodlinesse of thy own Doe not take the just reward of thy sinnes to be the glorious Consequents of holinesse But if it be because thou fearest God thou ownest God and his way thou standest up for his Truth and Godlinesse then leap and dance for Joy that God hath put so much honour upon thee Say with David I will be more vile still The Starres are never the lesse glorious though they have given them ugly Names of the Bear and the like So neither are the godly lesse Glorious though the world labours to besmear them with dirt a Jewell is a Jewell though soiled with dirt SERMON LIII The Exaltation of Christ improved for the joy of of all Beleevers JOH 17.11 And I come to thee THis is the Third distinct Argument in this Verse which Christ useth in his Petition for his Disciples Some indeed take it Exegeticall or Declarative of what he meant by saying He was no more in this world But others take the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ratiocinatively as a Reason why he is no more to be in the world because he is going to the Father This Argument implieth then that Christ by going out of the world doth not cease to be but that he goeth to the Father and there will be a potent Favourite in the Court of heaven for them Christ then speaking here of his Locall Motion we may in this as in all such Motions Consider 1. The term from which that is the world which is not to be understood as if he did depose and lay down his humane Nature or that he was not still present in an efficacious invisible manner but in respect of a bodily presence This place confutes Popish Transubstantiation and the Lutheran Vbiquity of Christs Body 2. There is the term to which to thee 3. The Via per quam the way by which and that is implied by his Death and Sufferings In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in other places it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and once that is used absolutely The Sonne of man goeth c. Mat. 26.24 That is he dieth here there is contained much comfort to his Disciples that neither Christs Enemies or Death did overcome him but by Death he goeth to his Father and that for the great benefit and advantage of all true Believers Obs That Christ by Death went to his Father Here is much practicall Divinity in this Point We see our Saviour again and again instructed his Disciples about his He knew how much his Sufferings and Death would amaze them and shake their Faith he knew what a false principle they were possessed with viz that he would erect a temporall Glorious Kingdome Therefore that they might not be undone by these thoughts he tels them often both of his death and whither by that he was to go Ioh. 14.3 Our Saviour comforts their troubled hearts with this that he was going to the Father and that not meerly for his own glory and honour but also for their good Even as Ioseph was advanced in Pharaohs Court as well for the good of his Father and his brethren as for his own glory and by the way observe that our Saviour tels them That they knew whither he went and the way yet Thomas in the name of the rest saith Lord we know not whither thou goest Now you may ask Either Christ who is Truth it self spake not right or Thomas The answer is Both spake right for the Disciples knew in the general and confusedly but not distinctly or particularly or they knew it habitually but in time of temptation they did not put this knowledge forth By this we see the Godly may have that grace and that faith in them which yet they think is not there To open this Doctrine let us consider the several particulars that are enclosed in it First That it was appointed by God that the way whereby Christ should from this state of humiliation come to glory with him should be the way of ignominy reproach and death It behoved the Son of man to suffer and so enter into glory Luk.
times prayeth God would direct and order his wayes This directive power is of consequence to us for without it we should throw our selves into every pit Fifthly The power of the Lord keeps us applicando by an efficacious applying of the means of grace to us For when we say God's power keeps us in grace that is not to be understood immediately as Angels in Heaven are kept but mediately by the Word and Ordinances Therefore the organical and instrumental cause of our conservation is the word of God as our Saviour afterwards prayeth God would sanctifie them by his truth his Word was truth So that this makes much for the advancement of Christs Ministery and the Gospel preached for by the lively working of these we come to stand fast These are the continual rubbings that keep heat in us These are the Cocks that crow to put us in minde of our sinnes These are the frequent alarms against our spirituall enemies that they surprize us not in our security Sixthly The power of God keeps us corroborando by strengthening and fortifying the powers of the Soul while they do work A man that is paralytical though he hath life in him yet cannot steadily and firmly move the parts of his body but they shake as if they did not belong to the body Thus even while the people of God are acting and working what is good they do it so remisly so faintly that did not the Lord confirm them all their duties would be very uncomfortable to them Hence Paul so often prayeth That God would strengthen and settle them that he would establish and build them on the work It 's a blessed thing to walk in the paths of godliness with an imboldened and confirmed heart Seventhly The power of God doth keep us suaviter alliciendo by putting strong consolations and sweet delights in our soul while we are doing his will Nehem. 8.10 The joy of the Lord is your strength We glory in tribulations when we are filled with joy As fear and unbelief make feeble knees and weak hands so joy and heavenly delight doth strengthen and confirm the soul What is that which makes Angels and Saints so inseparably adhere to God and that to all eternity never weary of him Is it not the infinite joy and delight they have in God So while God doth thus give us to taste and feel how good he is while we have an experiment of the preciousness of Christ upon our hearts we stand immovable like so many Rocks in the same place though never so many waves beat on us Eighthly Gods power keeps us from sinne reprimendo by repressing and curbing those reliques of sinne which are within us For from our own selves would arise such noisome lusts that would separate us from God even as from the earth arise such black vapours that hide the Sunne from it The Spirit of God therefore doth mortifie the body of sinne keeps this root from sprouting forth and is ready to crush the Cockatrice in her eggs Lastly The power of God doth keep us arcendo by driving away and keeping of the devil from us How strangely this roaring Lion is set upon us as a prey appeareth by that of our Saviour Luke 12. Satan hath desired to winnow you he would spare no godly man Therefore he is called the Tempter because all the day long it 's his work to seduce to sinne so that herein the necessity of Gods power appeareth Ephes 6. We wrastle with principalities and powers Thou art no fit match for them You see that Adam in the state of integrity was overcome by him It 's God then that keeps these roaring Lions tied up otherwise what could poor Sheep do to oppose so many Lions Vse of Instruction With what thankfulness and joy we should bless God at the close of every day Hast thou not been a Cain a Judas this day Bless God that kept thee Hast thou not by words or works broken thy Communion with God Oh acknowledge his goodnesse to thee Thou mightst have been tempted and seduced by sinne or Satan so that great wounds and gashes might have been made upon thy Conscience Oh say Lord I am amazed at thy power and grace in keeping of me The Godly are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the preserved ones and well may they be called so for did God withdraw his hand you should see them wallowing in filth and made like the vile ones upon the Earth Do not then presume on thy own strength but depend upon Gods power SERMON LVII Reasons proving the Necessity of Gods preserving his Children in Grace That God keeps them by Faith Also why and how Faith keeps them rather then other Graces JOH 17.11 Keep through thy Name those thou hast given me WE have heard how many waies God keeps even converted persons from falling into their first Chaos and confusion Let us Consider the Grounds Why there is such a Necessity of Gods preserving power that so we may be humbled in our selves and God exalted 1. We may be strongly convinced of the great necessity of Gods power in keeping of us by the Apostate Angels and lapsed Adam What can more forcibly teach us this Truth then their Apostacy Did not God create Angels full of Light and Glory like the Starres and yet the Apostle Jude saith They kept not their first habitation Did not also God create Adam after his own Image in Righteousnesse yet how quickly did he become a Prodigall and spent all You see here the most glorious of all Creatures furnished with a rich stock yet in a very little space proved Bankrupts and lost all Oh then what shall the godly man think of himself who hath not such strength of grace as they had And besides they had no corruption or principle of Rebellion within them to betray them as we have Who then is not compelled by this consideration to acknowledge the glorious right hand of God to uphold his Servants from falling every moment for in that all the Angels did not fall as well as some it is to be attributed to the meer confirming grace of God therefore they are called the Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5.21 God did by his power graciously confirm them in what was good and denied such help to those that revolted Oh then let the Godly Soul pray fervently Lord keep me daily Adam yea the glorious Angels could not keep themselves and shall I think my self secure Secondly Therefore need we the power of God to preserve us though furnished with inherent grace because grace abiding in us is but a Creature that needeth help and support as well as other Creatures Though Grace in us be the most glorious thing in the world and the Image of God yet being still a created being it needeth preservation from God So that as in our naturall life we live and breathe and move in God So it is much more in our Spirituall Life So that as our grace because of
and this is to be done by the holy Ghost The matter is so great that unless the Spirit of God inable us besides all our study and learning we are not able to keep it yea a Deacon must not be ordained unless he hold fast the mystery of faith in a pure conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 Oh then let none have low thoughts about that which God hath appointed an Office for and therefore given them the titles of the light and salt and nihil est sole sale utilius Fourthly It 's of special consequence to be preserved in the pure faith because the more godly and endeared any are to God this priviledge they shall have to be kept in the truth at least so as not damnably to erre Insomuch that a sound judgement in Religion will distinguish a godly man as well as an unblameable life Mat. 24. Our Saviour speaking of false prophets with what powerfull pretences they should prevail saith If it were possible they should deceive the very elect If it were possible You see by this that there are such false waies in Religion that are inconsistent with salvation and therefore the elect man shall not fall into them no more than into grosse and abominable sins viz. so as totally to lose Heaven and salvation Yea John 10. our Saviour describes his sheep and goats not by their lives but by their attending to the true Doctrine My sheep hear my voice and a stranger they will not hear yea they will flee from him vers 5. So that a godly man doth hang his godliness about his intellectuals as well as morals He is not onely to consider Am I diligent in prayer Do I walk conscionably in my wayes But am I also a lover and prizer of the true Doctrine of Christ Fifthly It 's of great moment to be preserved in the pure Doctrine because that is the foundation and necessary pre-requisite to holinesse The will can never apprehend that which is bonum if the understanding do not first show what is the true good The apprehensive faculty must guide the appetitive If the eye be dark the whole body is as our Saviour afterwards prayeth Sanctifie them by thy truth thy Word is truth Gods truth is only instrumental to holiness Errours can no more nourish spiritual life then chaff or stubble yea or poison can nourish a man bodily For as false Sacraments such as the Popish cannot increase grace because they have neither institution or promise so is it also for errours and therefore the same persons that had thrust away a good conscience they could not endure or abide it the same made shipwrack of their faith they put it away 1 Tim. 1.19 They had some good conscience once though not truly sanctified but this they repell they do not love it any more it 's against their interests their worldly advantages their lusts and carnal affections Can we then have too precious thoughts of Gods truths seeing they onely are blessed to a mans true godliness Sixthly It 's a mercy to be kept in the truth because of the proueness and readiness that is in men to be lead aside by errours Gal. 2. I wonder you are so soon carried away so soon Let there come a false teacher and he can quickly do more hurt and pervert mens mindes then the Apostle Paul could do good Wonder not if you see some seducer come to a Town and in a moment corrupt mens mindes and make them his Disciples and so overthrow that building which a faithfull Minister hath been many years building up you see it was of old so Paul though an Apostle neither by man nor of man yet found it so and at another time he complaineth how ready they were to become even slaves to false-teachers they might abuse and domineer over them you suffer if a man buffet you c. onely the true Apostles they could not bear them We see then why it is that a goodly field may suddenly be overrunne with tares a hopefull Church the body of Christ be all over with a Gangrene and made deformed There is a proneness in a man to erre in his judgement as well as in his life Happy then is he whom God keeps Seventhly Errours of judgement are damnable as well as sinfull practises It 's true some errours are fundamental some superstructive onely and so one kinde is not as damnable as another but thus it is in Saints also some are compared to a gnat some to a Camel but as we say of the least sinne it deserveth hell so of the least errour for as no sinne is in it self little because God is not a little but infinite God so no errour is in it self little because it 's against the same glorious God Hence Gal. 5. Heresies are reckoned as the fruit of the flesh among other grosse sinnes and can there be more terrible words spoken against any sort of wicked men then the Apostle Peter doth 2 Pet. 2.1 thunder out against some false Teachers that should privily bring in damnable heresies whose damnation sleepeth not Oh then tremble to lose thy soul among errours as well as sinnes For the Apostle 2 Pet. 3. saith Ignorant men wrest the Scriptures to their destruction Damnation is in perverting of Scripture yea 1 Cor. 3. we see there that even hay and stubble errours of a lighter nature make the salvation of a man difficult he shall be saved yet so as by fire Austin and Syrinensis distinguish between the Haeretici and Credentes haereticis the seducers and seduced The former are in a condition more exposed to vengeance then the latter howsoever errors in Religion as well as corrupt practises tend to hell Austin questioned who was worse a Christian believing truly but living wickedly or an heretick living unblameably but believing unsoundly Non audeo dicere I dare not determine it But Salvian a pious ancient Writer inveighs more against the prophane Christian and as for the unblameable heretick Errant saith he sed piè errant haeretici sunt sed tibi non sibi and thus Bernard reckoning up the three little ages of the Church the first under persecutions the second under heresies the third under corrupt manners makes this latter the more bitter But we cannot absolutely pronounce which of these two is the worse in some respects one exceeding the other Eighthly It 's a blessed thing to be kept in the truth because of that heavy censure the Scripture inflicts upon heretical persons to avoid them to turn from them not to bid them Godspeed John 2. They must not receive such into their house or have any familiarity with them and they are to avoid an heretick yea the Apostle would have us hold such accursed though they were Angels or Apostles themselves and Gal. 1. The same reason viz. a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump which is brought as a ground to cast out the incestuous person is also applied to a corrupt doctrine
cannot do any thing without God therefore we despise it and neglect it as too many do This is to oppose the Principall and the Instrument They will not do so in naturall things though man doth not live by materiall bread alone but by the Word of God yet they will not throw away that Food as needlesse unprofitable and unnecessary Why then will they do so to the immaterial food and heavenly manna of the Word The other extream is To advance it too much To set up the Instrument to the neglect of the Principall and that is when we so rest on and admire the Gifts Learning Elocution or parts of the Minister that we look not up to God and this we are prone unto Therefore the Apostle gives a large Commendation to the The ssalonians 1 Thessal 2.13 That they received the Word Not as the Word of man but as of God which effectually worketh in Beleevers John 4. It 's said of Johns Hearers That they did a while rejoyce in his light They flocked after his Ministry yet afterwards they quarelled with him and said He had a Devil Thus Ezech. 33.32 He was to the Jews a very lovely Song They loved to hear him they came thronging in great Multitudes and Companies unto him but yet they would not do any thing Vse of Instruction If the Office and Abilities of the Ministry are nothing without God then do you lift up your hearts in Prayer to God more That his Power his Voice his Strength may be seen in the Ministry When you go from the Sermon examine whether Gods power and grace come home to your hearts or no Can you say Here was more then the Ministers Study then the Ministers Gifts for Gods mighty heart-changing power did also work on me Oh the Convictions the meltings the burnings and changes of heart that were upon me It was upon my minde like Lightning It was upon my affections and Conscience like Thunder As we are to preach like the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 He doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as the Word but as the Oracles as having the Spirit of God immediately breathing upon us So should you hear and receive them as the Oracles As the Prophets received their Visions and the Word that was spoken to them It wrought a mighty change They did not seem to be the same men they were nor did the same Actions Even thus should ye return home Ye come Earthly but go home Heavenly Ye come carnall but return spirituall SERMON LXIV Of the Manner of Christs keeping those that are His. Of a four-fold Principle that is operative to the Preservation of Believers And of the excellent Effects of the lively Meditation of this Doctrine of being kept by Christ to Salvation JOHN 17.12 Those which thou hast given me I have kept c. IN the former part of the verse you heard our Saviour expressing that glorious priviledge of Protection and Preservation of his Disciples and so all that were given him in the midst of all dangers to eternal life Now our Saviour amplifieth the fidelity and diligence he used in this custody So that in the words we may observe Christs diligence and fidelity expressed I have kept them 2. The Subject Whom thou hast given me This is the fift time our Saviour repeateth it and therefore the more to be observed 3. His fidelity in preservation is illustrated by the signe or effect of it None of them is perished 4. He answers an Objection concerning Judas granting that he perished with a twofold reason He was the son of perdition and that the Scripture may be fulfilled All these particulars contain solid and substantial Divinity both Doctrinal and Practical They will serve to confute false Doctrines and reprove wicked conversations And First Let us consider the fidelity and diligence Christ useth expressed in that word I have kept them This is a new and different Greek word from the former which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Septuagint make often to answer the Hebrew word Shamar which signifieth to keep with all diligence and circumspection In the New Testament it 's many times used of a corporal violent detaining in prison as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Act 12.4 Act. 23.35 Hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often for a prison Act. 16.23 24 27 37 40. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to hale to prison Act 22.19 but when it 's applied in a spiritual sense it signifieth a diligent observing of a command or more frequently a carefull preserving of our selves from sinne as Luke 12.15 1 John 5.21 And hence comes the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 23.5 They made broad their phylacteries called so because by them they were warned to take heed of sinne But in the Text it 's used for protection and preservation to everlasting happiness as John 12.25 onely we may observe the use of it in three places very fit to our matter in hand It 's applied to Shepherds diligently watching to their sheep and that in the night time Luke 2.8 and thus Homer useth it also and hereby is represented that Christ is that chief Shepherd which will keep his sheep though never so infirm or weak that no danger shall befall them 2. It 's applied to the keeping of some precious thing deposited in our hands that we are betrusted with 1 Tim. 6.20 and thus also all the godly are delivered to Christ as his charge that none be lost 3. Lastly It 's used of preserving in a safe place in the midst of dangers Thus Noah is said to be kept in the Ark 2 Pet. 2.5 which is notably true in all the godly The deluge of Gods wrath fals upon all the wicked of the world and the godly are kept safe in Christ as Noah was in the Ark whereas then our Saviour doth so often inform his Disciples that he keepeth them Observe That Christs divine protection and preservation of his people to eternal life is daily to be thought on and improved by them They are not in a transient manner to apprehend it but they are to keep this blessed truth in their hearts till it inflame them As it 's not one showr but plentifull and constant droppings that go to the root of the Tree so it 's not a thought now and then about Christs keeping of thee safe for heaven will affect thee but as Jacob to the Angel so thou art to say I will not let this truth go till it bless me and truly for this end it was that our Saviour doth so often repeat Those thou hast given me and I have kept them to confirm and increase the Disciples faith seeing they have so many strong Anakims in the way to Canaan Every man that looks only to his own strength and the dangers that are in the way would bring up an ill report of Heaven
as those Spies did of the Land of Canaan saying It 's impossible for any man ever to come thither and with the Disciples to say Who then can be saved but with God nothing is impossible To open this Doctrine consider that there is a fourfold principle which is operative to the conservation of the believers First There is an inward vital and vivifical principle of grace abiding in the godly which will never fail Not but that of it self it would as in Adam and Angels but as God could confirm and establish the grace of Angels that it never shall perish so doth God that supernatural principle of holiness put into his people 1 John 3.8 He that is born of God he neither doth sinne or can sinne viz. so as to be given up wholly to it and that because the seed of God abideth in him Though there be different thoughts about this seed what it is I do now suppose it to be that inward principle of supernatural life from whence all gracious operations do flow This God hath set in the heart and inward parts of his people never to be rooted out Thus John 4 14. The believer is said to have in him a well of water springing up to eternal life Here is a fountain that cannot be dried up Therefore it 's said He shall never thirst more viz. with a thirst of a total indigence and want Even in the greatest deficiencies and barrenness of Gods people there hath been sap in the root when the branches seemed dead A second principle thus conserving is That daily help of grace quickning and corroborating the soul in all holinesse The former grace is permanent and habitual this transien t actual and by way of motion This latter doth compleat and actuate the former For as it 's not enough to have a naturall life unlesse there be a further concourse of God by which we actually move and stirre So in our supernatural life it 's not enough to have that principle of life infused but we are to receive the daily impressions and powerfull quicknings of his holy Spirit and this is to have both the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 operari the will and the deed These are the two internal principles of our conservation for the Lord Christ doth not keep us immediately but by means in a subordinate manner In the next place there is a two-fold principle extrinsecal of our preservation And The first is Our Election that is the fountain of all our perseverance This is the first round in that ladder by which we ascend to Heaven Rom. 8. It 's from Predestination that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Rom. 11. It 's Election hath obtained that elected remnant shall never perish and thus in this prayer of our Saviours all security of the godly it 's because the Father had given them to Christ viz. by Election as the root and source of all their good This is so cogent a truth that many who hold a falling away from true grace do yet maintain That no Elect man can ever perish finally because then God should be frustrated of his purpose and the counsel of man should make void the counsell of God This Election of God is the vivificall cause of all Preservation As by this they were Called and Converted from a state of sinne Election did bring them in so the same Election when they are Converted doth protect and keep them if they fall doth raise and repair them whereby they safely at last arrive at Eternity so that their Perseverance is not a merit or reward of their former holinesse but it 's a free gift of God and an effect of Election as their effectual Vocation was The second externall Principle is The Covenant and Promise of God made in Christ to the Godly So that the Covenant of Grace being confirmed by Christs death In whom the Promises are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 being among other glorious ends to perpetuate and continue the work of Grace in them it 's impossible that hell or the world should quite put them out of the way to Heaven Jerem. 32.40 God there promiseth an Everlasting Covenant a Covenant that shall abide for ever And what is the Priviledge vouchsafed in that Deed of Gift It 's the putting his fear in their heart that they shall not depart from him You see by this notable place That it 's not we our selves but God who keepeth us and for this we have his Promise So that the godly may triumph in an holy Confidence because of it Many other Promises that are branches of this Covenant the Scripture declareth which should be sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb For what can be more precious to hear then that God will safely preserve thee in the way to Heaven so that no fraud or force without nor any lust or corruption within shall hinder thee of the Crown of Glory Isai 40.29 30 31. He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength c. God in the verse before is said Himself not to faint or to be weary Though he created the Earth and doth still preserve it yet he is not weary and because he is thus he will make his people so They in themselves may be fainting and weary but he will renew strength And he illustrateth this from natural strength Though young men in their full strength may be weary yet these shall not And again he compareth their strength to the Eagle that mounteth up with wings to the Heaven and is not weary Thus God will enable the godly soul Though they runne or walk they shall not be weary What a reviving place should this be to the dead dull and languishing believer Why do I lie groveling on the ground Let me flie up to Heaven like an Eagle We have also a remarkable Promise of Divine Protection Isai 4.5 6. where God by two similitudes doth notably declare it First by an allusion to that wonderfull Preservation of the people of Israel It was not enough that God had brought them out of Aegypt they would have perished for all that without his Protection Therefore we may reade the History Exod. 13. how God created a directive Protection for them both by day and night In the day time there was a Cloud and smoak and a shining flaming fire by night Thus God promiseth he will do upon every dwelling-place in Zion and upon her Assemblies by these are figured the several Churches that are assembled to serve God For upon all the Glory shall be a defence By Glory is meant the Ark which is here made a Type of Gods people and they may be called Gods Glory both because they glory in God and God is glorified by them So that the meaning is Look what care and defence God did once show to the Israelites to preserve them from
Christ What put thee upon forwardness in this way Was it the Spirit of God through the Word then this is of God and will endure I adde through the Word because of those many delusions many have in them which being not according to Gods Word as they come from darknesse so they will end in darknesse The Childe mishapen in the Conception will ever after be a monster Secondly Then will beginnings and endings be alike when grace is radicated and enters â—â—ep enough into the soul Though thou hast never such affections such enlargements yet if there be not a rooted and deep work of grace upon thy soul it will never hold This our Saviour pressed Matth. 13. The seed that grew up hopefully miscarried because it had no rooting and thus the house on the sandy foundation was ruined because the builder did not dig deep enough Hence the promise of Regeneration is Jer. 31. to put the Law of God in their inward parts in the most intimate and deep parts of the soul and therefore grace is called the inward man and the hidden man of the heart But ô how superficial and overly How formal are most in this matter They undertake to own the wayes of godliness before ever they have laid a deep foundation Hath thy repentance been deep enough thy faith thy love been rooted enough If so then the gates of hell shall never prevail against thee Thirdly Good beginnings will have bad endings when men professe Christ not out of love to Christ and pure intentions to him but from sinister and worldly respects Oh this covering and hiding will never hold The Wolf will be at last a Wolf for all it's sheep-cloathings and this was Judas his case his end was not pure his eye was not single and therefore his Apostasie was inevitable To follow Christ for loaves or to know him only after the flesh will never endure All flesh is grasse Isa 40 6. but the word of God abides for ever that is not only the body of man is mortal but all those wayes of righteousnesse and holinesse which are not indeed regeneration will certainly vanish This is a great part of the meaning if you compare this place with the whole context 1 Pet 1.23 24 25. Jehu begins with zeal as hot as fire yet his latter end was like Jeroboams for he walked in his wayes and all because his ends were not pure Oh this is the summe of all This is the soul and life of all Observe diligently thy heart in the intentions and motions of it Is it to have applause Is it to be reputed of Is it to accomplish great things for thy self Thus we may say of thy godlinesse what is it thy body Dust thou art and to dust thou wilt return The time is coming thou wilt not have a stone left upon a stone of that religious building though once so many did admire it Fourthly Then hot beginnings will end coldly when the judgement of a man is not well instructed and informed in the truth Hot affections but a weak judgement will quickly reel up and down as a man that hath strong vapours from his stomack but a weak brain Therefore our Saviour prayeth in this Chapter That they may be sanctified through the truth Hymeneus and Philetus when they made shipwrack of the faith then they cast away a good conscience So that a sound minde and judgement is a special preservative to perseverance What is the reason children are tossed up and down with every new thing But because their understandings are weak and Ephes 4. we are forbidden to be like children in this respect As there must be a sound judgement in the truth so a well advised Meditation about the nature of grace and how dear it will cost thee to be Christs Disciple To come into the company of the godly before thou hast throughly bethought thy self what is required of a Disciple How much he must do and suffer What he shall meet with in the way is the cause of great hypocrisie Our Saviour doth fully expresse this under two Parables One of a man going to warre and another who undertakes a great building Luke 14 31. There is none will set upon a warre or building but with much councel whether he be able to go through with it or no Whether he shall not be mocked as one that began and could not make an end Thus do thou reflect upon thy self What shall I go and joyn my self with those that fear God Shall I be in the number of those that will own Christ more strictly then the world Am I fit for such a great work Am I mortified to all sinne Can I endure to lose all for Christ Do I love him better then all relations and life it self If I do not it 's no climbing up this hill I shall tumble back again with greater danger then ever I shall adde no more particulars because all miscarriages may be reduced to one of these heads Use In the first place of Instruction Though zealous beginnings may terribly degenerate yet it 's a blessed and an happy thing to be working for God betimes Though a man called at the twelfth hour into the Vineyard shall be rewarded yet it is a blessed thing to be one of the first in Gods Vineyard to be as Timothy was godly in the youth The wicked world as they have many Proverbs to encourage themselves in their wickednesse so this is none of the vilest A young Saint an old Devil This Gerson cals a blasphemous Proverb and saith His heart did often tremble to hear men say Angelicus Juvenis senibus satanizat in Annis Men take up this ungodly Proverb to procrastinate their conversion to delay their repentance to discourage early lookings towards heaven as if all that did begin so soon would turn devils at last Though Judas did thus play the hypocrite yet Timothy godly from the youth did not Therefore beginne even this day this hour onely look thy beginnings be sound and sincere 2. Use of Exhortation To take heed of proving a Judas How odious is his name It 's a Proverb to expresse a treacherous false hearted man to say He is another Judas and Judas his name is so abominated that though in it self it be a good name signifying as much as one that confesseth and praiseth God yet I think there was scarce ever any Christian would name his childe Judas his actions are so abhorred and yet for all this How many are like Judas and so sonnes of perdition Apply it but in this one thing Judas his high iniquity was out of his covetousnesse to betray Christ for thirty pieces of silver for a little profit he would lose Christ Now is not this the case of most wicked men in the world Whosoever loveth any pleasure or profit more then Christ he is like Judas The drunkard is a Judas he sels Christ and his soul for his drink The whoremonger is a Judas the
till at last they put him to death in the most scornfull and reproachfull manner Consid I To open this consider That God out of his great love to mens souls hath appointed a Ministry and Officers in his Church that should be as Embassadours to intreat Reconciliation with God But because there could not be any commerce or communion between God absolutely considered and man fallen therefore the Lord Christ interposed and made peace but that what he had merited and purchased might effectually be applied to such as shall be saved among other instruments he set up Officers in his Church whose whole study and care should be to informe and reforme men So that people do enjoy the Ministers of God upon a two-fold special account First Gods great and special love to them That God hath taken care to send such is more then the creating of a world for you or vouchsafing all the temporal mercies you enjoy Hence it 's so often spoken of 2 Chron. ult and in other places that God sent his Prophets rising up early This is spoken as the great love of God to them And then Consid II The second Foundation of the Ministry is Christs Death and Resurrection his Ascending into Heaven as Ephes 4.11 He gave some Apostles some Pastours and Teachers Oh then how ingratefull and wicked is the world which doth no more regard this love of God and purchase of Christ in the Ministry Hence by the Prophet God promiseth That he would give them Pastours after his own heart Jer. 3.4 Though he feed them with the bread of adversity and drave them into corners Isai 30.20 Hence when God threatens a people with his uttermost wrath it is to remove the Candlestick and to make the Vision cease and to make no Clouds to rain upon them How much would people complain under a drought and want of Rain if for many years together there should not be so much as a Cloud seen But the gracious heart would think the removing of Christs Ministers not onely the taking away of Clouds but of the Sun and Stars in Heaven Secondly God and Christ who are thus the cause of their Office hath appointed them their worke and endowed them with abilities thereunto Their imployment is to publish the Word of God which is two-fold 1. The Word of the Law to convince men of sinne to inform of duty to make them sensible of their undone and damnable estate they are in Thus they are first to be wise Phisicians to detect and discover the disease the danger and cause of it Then secondly There is the Word of the Gospel which are the glad tidings of Gods favour and Reconciliation with those that are humble and contrite before him This is to publish the acceptable year of Jubilee to such as were spiritually indebted and under the thraldome of Gods wrath This is a work in it self absolutely necessary for what doth a sinner more want then these two things the Law in it's use and the Gospel in it's use Men in their temporal necessities respect the Physicians the Lawyers but soul necessities are not apprehended And as the necessity of it is so cogent so the dignity and excellency is admirable As the Soul and Heaven do farre exceed all earthly things so doth this subject all other Consid III Therefore in the third place God and Christ do justly expect that the world should with all gladnesse and obedience receive these his Messengers For shall God purpose so great love and Christ at so dear a rate purchase such Officers and must not the world set open the doors to receive them Shall not they cry Blessed are the feet of such as bring the glad tidings of the Gospel Are they not to be affected as the Galatians once to Paul To pull out their very eyes to serve him Certainly if David did so celebrate Gods goodnesse in creating Heaven and Earth and appointing the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field for mans use much more ought we in this great matter of the Church Consid IV Yet in the fourth place Though so much love be in this Institution and God expects so much thankefulnesse and obedience because of it it may make us tremble to see how little entertainment their Office and work hath in the world We speak not in regard of their outward honour and esteem For as Paul saith so ought we pray men might do no evil though we be accounted as reprebates 2 Cor. ult but we complain of the unsuccessefulnesse of it in respect of the divine operations of it We take up our Saviours complaint That light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light John 3. Oh this is that which the Scripture doth so bitterly complain of Who hath believed our report and I told them the wonderfull or great and honourable things of my Law and they accounted them a strange thing Psal 119. This sad usage in the world made Paul cry out That they were the off-scouring of the world worse then the dust of the feet and were made a spectacle to the world and Angels 1 Cor. 4.9 Consid V Fifthly The Devil knowing the excellent end and use of this Office and worke doth by himself and all his instruments oppose it He rageth and the world rageth when this work is set up So that as when Christ sent his Disciples to preach he saw Satan fall like lightning Thus if it were in his power he would have Christ and his Officers be thrown down As they are to destroy his works and dispossess him so he labours to do to them It being thus thou that in the Ministry we may see Gods great love and mans great wickednesse Let us consider the cause why it should thus stirre up the wrath of men that they should be moved like so many hornets And First This work of the Ministry is contrary to the Nature and inclination of the world That as the Sunne is burdensome to the Owl and other night-birds and sweet smels to swinish creatures Thus is the glorious Gospel and the precious favour thereof abominable to corrupt men They can no more love godly and holy preaching then fire and water can agree therefore the more thy heart and tongue is set against it the more thou discoverest that hell which is in the bottome of thy heart Now the true preaching of the Word of God is contrary unto the world in these respects 1. The very nature and frame of their hearts admits not of Christs word till regenerated The old house must be pulled down even with the very foundation of it Thus Jam. 1. God is said to beget by his Word and our Saviour here Sanctifie them by thy truth Now this is directly contrary to mans nature to account all that he is and all that he doth damnable to judge every thing he hath done fit fuell for hell so as to have no comfort in any thing he hath
most powerfull means of grace are It was thus with the Jews Col. 6. who enjoyed besides the ordinary Ministry of their Priests the instructions of extraordinary Prophets and yet the truth of God did not sanctifie them But go saith God to the Prophet make their eyes blinde and their hearts hard and this our Saviour did apply to their posterity also who enjoyed Christ himself and saw all the wonderfull miracles he did This is a dreadfull and terrible thing to consider of when in stead of sanctifying God shall say Harden them blinde them and make them more wicked by the truth It 's not the Word worketh thus of it self but wicked hearers through their unbelief and unprofitableness provoke God to give them up to believe a lie and for the abuse of heavenly light they are given up to vile affections To many cursed sins which is a greater judgment then to be cast into the mouth of wilde beasts for they will only devoure the body but these will damn the soul Vse of Direction to all the people of God whose burden and grief it is that they have no more holiness who cry out like the horsleech It 's not enough and their souls refuse all comfort because they cannot climb up this hill to Heaven faster let such be directed to take the right way How willingly is the earthly man ready to hear how he may get more wealth and the languishing man how he may get more health and strength Why then shouldst not thou rejoyce to know which is the way to purifie the heart more Few know the divine efficacy of Gods Word but such who set themselves to get the vertue of it And that this may be instrumentall to your Sanctification In the first place Remember faith without which it can do no more good then excellent medicines if they be not applied set faith a work and then the word of God will powerfully work upon thee It 's with thee as thou believest Believe and those high mountains of lusts shall be thrown down 2. Bring an humble tender and trembling heart at the teaching of it Such an heart King Josias had and he is commended for it yea Ezra 9.4 it 's the character of the godly to tremble at his Word The hard heart no more then the hard Rock can receive the seed sown into it 3. It 's not enough to receive the Word of God at first but keep it there The Apostle Peter cals it the ingraffed Word the Word that turneth us into the nature of it that we are walking Bibles as great Schollers are called walking Libraries David said He had hid Gods word in his heart This is the leaven that will diffuse it self 4. Rest not in the bare hearing but joyn earnest and fervent prayer that the Spirit of God may teach inwardly while the Word doth outwardly Vse 2. Of Instruction How terrible a thing it is to see men grow more wicked and ungodly by how much the more plentifully they enjoy the Word that the Word should work contrary to it's nature upon thee that this light should put out thy eyes that this life should bring thee to death Oh the rivers of water that should run out of our eyes for this matter and yet is there any more common judgment then this Oh bewail and cry out for fear of it Lord every thing I take doth me more hurt SERMON XCII Of the Truth of the Scriptures JOH 17.17 Thy Word is Truth THis is a Description or Explication of what was meant by Truth Thy Word is Truth which is a Proposition Wherein you have 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate The Subject is described by its Name and Nature with the propriety thereof Thy Word The Word of God is sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's called Gods Word because spoken by him and that two waies Either 1. Immediately when God himself spake as unto the Patriarchs of old Or 2. Mediately when he inspired the holy Prophets and made them to publish his Word It 's called at other times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All Scripture is given by Inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 So Search the Scriptures and in many other places This is a Description of Gods Word from the accidentall form of it as it is put into writing Sometimes God did govern his Church by his Word as revealed only Thus it was with the Church at first In this latter Age he guides it by the Scriptures only There is no other Word of God but what is written In Christs time there was both for there were the Books of the Old Testament and they were Gods written Word and what Christ while on the Earth did with his own mouth speak to the Church that was the Revealed Word and Will of God We reade not that Christ wrote any thing but once upon the Ground and what that was though there are many and severall Conjectures yet none can certainly tell But what Christ spake and did the Evangelists afterwards being guided infallibly by the divine Spirit of God did commit to Writing Object If then you ask What Word of God it is our Saviour doth here mean I answer Both the Word that was written the Scripâ—ures that were the Oracles of God committed to the Jews and that Word which he did manifest to his Disciples of which he had spoken ver 6. Some indeed by Word understand Christ and it 's true that Christ is the Essential Word of God and so also the Essential Truth but the Context doth evidence it that he speaks of the Revealed and Preached Word Now this is called Gods Word because whether immediately delivered by God or commanded to be written It 's still Gods Word Speaking and Writing are but accidentall to it It 's the same Essentiall Word as it is the same man though he alter his Garment and the same wine though put in divers Vessels The Word of God written ought with as much Faith and Reverence to be received as if God did immediately speak it from Heaven and though it seem incredible yet our Saviour confirmeth it Luke 16.31 that he who doth not beleeve the Scriptures the Word of God written would not beleeve though there were miraculous waies of publishing it In the next place we have the Predicate its Truth Interpreters judge this to be taken out of the Psalm 119.151 They are therefore said to be Truth not true in the Abstract to shew the Fulnesse and Universality of Truth in them Obs That the Word of God is Truth This Doctrine if beleeved may work wonderfull changes in the mindes and lives of men for Certainly the Foundation of all Heresie and Impiety is because Gods Word is not received as true In the Scripture it is often called the Word of Truth Colos 1.5 2 Timoth. 2.15 James 1.18 And sometimes Truth in the Abstract 1 Peter 1.22 2 Peter 2.2 To Open this Consider That it 's not my purpose
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
be thought too much above Reason if they be thought too strict or precise to contrary to flesh and bloud blame not us It 's not our truth we did not make the Bible It 's not our Scripture Thirdly Truth is necessary to them if you do regard the Effects of the Ministry or the Ends why God hath appointed it and certainly the Sunne may as well be without Light and Heat as the Ministers of the Gospel be without Truth One main effect is Conversion and Regeneration to make men reform their lives upon just and holy Grounds This can never be without Truth James cap. 1. He hath begotten us by the Word of Truth Lyes and false Doctrines can no more convert then dirt can make clean then darknesse can give Light An erroneous or heretical Minister may pervert many but not convert he may subvert the Souls of thousands he may glory in this and rejoyce in the multitude of Disciples but all this while they are sent of the devil and they do his work destroy souls The Ministers of God are like publique Springs if they be performed instead of refreshing they kill instead of giving the bread of life they give stones and serpents 2. Another Effect of the Ministry is to promote the work of grace begun It 's to water where any Seed is sown as Ephes 4.11 to bring us to a full stature in Christ Now a Minister without Truth can no more help forward the growth of the Godly then a dead Mother can nurse her Childe We encrease in grace by the same way we are converted and therefore they who think by an erroneous Ministry to advance their Heavenly Life do as if an hungry man should get up to an high Hill and think by swallowing down the winde to live and grow stronger A Third Effect of the Ministry is to direct and guide the tempted and troubled Soul to speak a word in season to him But now a Minister without Truth is like a Physician without skill Come to the diseased wounded Soul that lieth under this doubt and that Case of Conscience he knoweth not how to direct him yea such do more trouble the godly as God complaineth of the False Prophets Eze. 13.22 they made sad the heart of the Righteous whom God would not have made sad 4. A great Effect of the Ministry is to prevent Errors and false Doctrines at appeareth Eph. 4. That we henceforth be not led aside with every winde of doctrine Men destitute of solid grace are as apt to be carried away with errours as chaff with the winde A sound Ministry is appointed to reprove these as the Sun is to dispell darknesse but if the Minister be seduced himself by errour how can he leade others into the Truth Will not our Saviours Proverb be made good the blinde leade the blinde and both fall into the ditch Thus you see the necessity of Truth In the next place there must be Thummim as well as the Vrim There must be burning as well as a shining light as John Baptist was and holinesse of life is required of the Minister 1. For his own sake his condemnation will be the greater for he sinneth against greater light and knowledge he knoweth his masters will he sinneth against a peculiar engagement because he is bound to draw nigh to God Oh the confusion that will be when he hath preached to others he himself to become a Castaway Attend to thy self and to thy doctrine to life 1 Tim. 4.16 as well as studies Suth are like the water in baptism that after it hath been in a Sacramentall way is thrown into the kennel No condemnation like theirs they are from the pinacle of the Temple thrown headlong into hell 2. In respect of others For a godly life is a Testimony to confirm the Truth we preach when we preach there is a God there is a day of judgement and live accordingly this confirmeth to all that we our selves beleeve it to be a Truth an holy life is like a miracle to confirm our doctrine As the Apostles were endowed with Miracles to establish the Truth they preached they could cast out devils tread upon Serpents and take no hurt if they did eat any deadly thing Thus it is a wonderfull thing to confirm the Truths we preach when though we live in the temptations of sinne and tread upon Serpents yet acquire no spiritual hurt to our souls 3 Our holy life will awe and keep in fear the Consciences of wicked men Not only powerful and sound preaching but consciencious and unblamable living will awe mens Consciences Why did Herod fear and reverence John Baptist though he was a King but because he was a just and a holy man Mark 6.20 Thy godly mouth will stop their mouths and convince their consciences Lastly The necessity of it doth appear by the devils polecy who hath alwaies stirred up Instruments to traduce their lives to lay such things to their charges as they were never guilty of and why because if that be once received that they are wicked hypocrites they can never do any good Christs life was traduced that he was a friend to sinners that he kept company with Publicans You see they quarrelled even at his life Athanasius was traduced for an Adulterer by the Arians and this hath alwaies been the custome of the devil and his Instruments to throw so much dirt and mire upon the godly Ministers of Christ that men have not known what they are I could tell you what the Papists say about Luther and Calvin that you might think they were the vilest Monsters that lived and this is because a godly life is a great conviction in the world and aweth even the Enemies Conscience Vse of Instruction What is the duty of people even to follow Christ In this Praier he being to send out his Apostles this he desireth as a chief thing Truth and Godlinesse a sound minde and a godly heart and the Apostles thought this to be of so great a consequence that when Ministers were ordained and set apart to the work They spent that day in fasting and praiers You cannot discover wicked and ungodly men better then in this they care not what a Ministry they live under or whether they have any at all The more erroneous the more prophane and loose he is they like him the better Is this to pray as Christ did for thy Sanctification God makes it a great judgement when he removeth faithful and wise Pastors and sendeth foolish and wicked men in their rooms 2. Where God doth settle a Ministry rightly qualified prize it for the works sake See whether the Ministry hath been a converting instructing and edifying Ministry to thee Fear lest thou lie under a spiritual Curse or some Soul-judgements that so no preaching can do thee any good A second doctrine observable from the Coherence of the Apostles mission with Christs Petition is That Christ hath a peculiar love and special care
of those who are in Church-Office according to his rule and way Such as are sent by him are under his proper care and protection he doth not only pray for the Apostles as beleevers but as in that office To open this Consider in what particulars his care is shewn to his Ministers And 1. It is to guide and leade them into the Truth instructing them with wisedom and ability to that work Christ cals none to his work but he giveth them answerable abilities Though the Apostles were at first ignorant and illiteraâ—â— yet how gloriously did he furnish them with gifts and power to do Miracles before he sent them to preach unto the world Now though the Officers of Christ in their Succession have not the promise of such infallibility yet because of their office and call they discharging their duty and using the means God hath appointed God will more peculiarly go along with them and blesse them then private Christians else why should the Scripture give them the name of Guides and Light Why should he command the people to submit themselves to them and that he who despiseth them despiseth God for though these places prove not infallibility yet they do that God hath appointed this orderly way and that he who would expect Gods blessing must make use of their guidance and Ministry 2. Christs peculiar Love is seen in cloathing them with inward strength and corroborating of them so by zeal and heavenly fortitude that they will discharge their Duty though men rage and oppose The Apostle speaks excellently to this purpose 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of powar love and a sound minde Therefore he must not be ashamed of the Testimony of our Lord Paul he desires the Philippians to pray for him that he may preach the Word boldly God promiseth Jeremiah to make his forehead like brasse and not to be afraid of wicked men And thus Micah cried out I am full of the power of God to tell Jacob his transgressions Mic. 3.8 3. God is wonderful in protecting and defending them in the midst of their wicked Enemies Hence Christ is said to hold these Stars in his right hand Rev. 1.17 and the praier of Christ must needs be heard which he instanceth in in this Chater They are not of the world and the world hateth them therefore he praieth God would keep them and it 's wonderful to see how God hath preserved his faithfull Ministers in all ages though some have died for the Truth Lastly He is with them in blessing their labours and giving encrease to their planting and watering as Christ promised I will be with you to the end of the world By their labours he puls down the Kingdom of Satan As soon as the Apostles preached Satan began to fall like Lightning from Heaven Now the Grounds of this peculiar love are 1. Because they have the same generall call and Office as Christ himself hath As thou hast sent me I have sent them Though there be many particular differences yet in the general they agree Christ was sent to publish the Word of God to bear witnesse to the Truth and because of this the world opposed him reviled him and he endured great contradiction of sinners It was therefore Christs own case and then he will pity such as are tempted like him 2. It 's his work and emploiment they are about They go out in his Authority They act in his Name They preach him as the Messias They endeavour to bring all into Obedience to him and therefore he wil have a tender special care over them 3. Their work is a difficult and dangerous work The Office is if faithfully discharged contrary to the lusts and waies of all men No wicked man can love a true and godly Ministry no more then soar eyes can endure the Sun Vse of Encouragement to the godly Minister to go on with his work maugre all the opposition and contempt of wicked men It 's not their work but Christs They are not their own but Christs Let them not fear while he is at their right hand Vse 2. How grievous a sin it is to oppose and set against the Ministry of God and that when faithfully discharging their duty because they preach the Truth and presse to a godly life this enrageth thee To such they are commanded to shake off the dust of their feet SERMON XCV Of Christs Mission to the Office of a Mediatour JOHN 17.18 As thou hast sent me into the world so also have I sent them into the world HAving considered of the Coherence of this Text with the preceding We come now to the Argument or Matter itself and that is taken from the peculiar Relation and Office that they are put in Now this their Office is described 1. From the Nature and Quality of it It 's a sending They did not of themselves intrude into it or goe without a Call but they were sent 2. There is the Efficient Cause or the Person sending I sent them saith Christ 3. There is the Subject who were sent and that is the Disciples 4. The Term to which of their sending and that is into the world Lastly Here is the Example and Patern Even as the Father sent me into the world Not that there is the same likenesse in every particular but in the generall they both agree in this that they have a Call from God I shall treat in order and first begin with Christs mission which is made the Patern of the Apostles and do observe That Christ was sent of the Father and did not of himself undertake that Office he was imployed in while on earth Christ himself would not be the Prophet Priest or King of his Church without a Call or Commission from the Father thereunto Hence in John's Gospel he doth so exceeding often mention this That his Father sent him still resolving his Doctrine his Authority his Will and Works into him that sent him Therefore not only the twelve Apostles are called so but Christ himself is called an Apostle Heb. 3.1 Consider the Apostle and High-priest of our profession Christ Jesus An Apostle is as much as one that is sent and thus Christ is there called an Apostle and therefore some make a mystery in that John 9.7 when Christ cured the blinde man he bids him Goe and wash in the pool of Siloam which is by interpretation sent saith the Evangelist as if hereby our Saviour would teach that he was the Messias that was to be sent into the world That our Saviour did expect a sending or a Call appeareth notably Heb. 5 4. No man taketh this honour upon himself but he that is called speaking of the Priesthood and so also Christ glorified not himself to be made an High-priest But let us explain this for this truth is profitable unto us seeing it was for us that he was sent And First Consider that though the three Persons
variety and difference in gifts in graces in offices in outward conditionr yet they must all be one 3. You have the patern of this unity As thou Father in me and I in thee 4. The nature and quality of this unity That they may be one in us 5. The benefit and fruit of this union That the world may believe thuu hast sent me I shall first consider the benefit praied for That they may be one and observe That union rmongst the godly is of so great necessity and consequence that Christ doth in their behalf principally and chiefly pray for this Though in this Unity be included grace and sanctification yet that which is expresly mentioned is their agreement I have handled this Union as it related to Officers in the Church from v. 11. I shall pursue from this Text union amongst believers themselves and because our Saviour doth enlarge himself about it I shall also insist upon it To Open this Truth Consider 1. That the is a two-fold unity or union among the gtdly Invisible and Visible Invisible Unity is that whereby they being united to Christ their head by the Spirit on Gods part and faith on our part do receive spiritual life and encrease in which some Beleevers are compared to the several members of the body and Christ to the head because of that spiritual life and motion they receive from him This is the foundation of our visible union and without this though we may be outwardly of the Church yet we do indeed receive no saving advantage by Christ Of this union the Text speaks not because it 's such an Union that the world seeing it may thereby be induced to believe Therefore 2. there is a visible Vnion whereby Believers do outwardly and visibly expresse their compacted nearnesse to one another and so those particular Churches of Corinth and Ephesus are called Christs body in respect of their external union as well as internal for not only by faith but also by the Ordinances we have fellowship with Christ and with one another Of this visible Unity the Text speaks and this is made a special means to bring the world to believe Whereas on the contrary differences of Opinion and sad rents and sects in Religion is the only way to confirm men in their impiety and to think there is no truth and no religion at all In the second place This visible Union doth diffuse it self in many Branches As 1. There is an unity of Faith and profession when they all believe and speak the same thing This must be laid as the foundation of unity for unity in errour and idolatry or false waies is not peace but a faction or Conspiracy This unity of faith is reckoned among the many unities the Apostle mentioneth Eph. 4.5 Phil. 2.2 They are exhorted to be of one minde and the Apostle notably presseth this 1 Cor. 1.10 that they speak the same thing being perfectly joyned together in the same minde and the same judgement What a sad breach then hath the devil made upon Gods people when there are so few of the same minde and do judge the same things but as you heard it must be a samenesse and unity in the true Faith for the Jews they are one amongst themselves the Mahumetans are one the Papists are so one that they boast of it and make it a note of the true Church Now though this should be granted though they have a thousand divisions amongst themselves yet unless it be unity in the faith unity in the sound doctrine it is nothing at all 2. There is an unity of affection and love in the heart and outwardly one to another Love is called the affection of union and makes a man to be the object he loveth as much as his own and we see the praier of Christ abundantly fulfilled in this respect concerning the Primitive Christians for Act. 4 32. it 's said they were of one heart and of one soul Those thousands of believers were as if they had but one heart and soul among them and thus in Tertullians time the heathens did admire at the love Christians had to one another our Saviour makes it a surer sign of discipleship then if they wrought miracles Joh. 3.35 3. This union is seen in the publike worship and Ordinances which God hath appointed as God said of man at first it was not good he should be alone So it 's true of every believer he is not to serve God alone to think that a private Religion is enough Therefore you have the examples of the primitive Christians Act. 2.1 Act. 5.12 how they met with one accord in one place and that to have the enjoyment of publike Ordinances they praied together the Word was preached to them they received the Sacraments together and the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.16 17. sheweth how the Sacrament of the Lords Supper did declare their union and communion one with another Hence Heb. 10.25 The Apostle reproveth those whose manner it was not to assemble themselves together This vâ—sible union of believers in Church-Ordinances is their highest beauty and their chiefest advantage Hence David professeth his ravishment herein How beautiful are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hosts and Psa 110. it 's called the beauties of Holinesse and Hag. 2. this temple is said to be more glorious then ever the former was and that because of Christs presence therein preaching and reforming all abuses and corruptions When the Ark was taken Phinehas his daughter cried The glory is departed from Israel Hence the Ordinances even in this life are called the Kingdom of heaven because of Gods glorious presence therein David when banished Psa 63.2 longed to see the glory of God as he had seen it in the Sanctuary And then it s our greatest profit and advantage for Gods presence is promised to these So that the Christian Ordinances are the life of the Church There is a larger dispensation of Gods gifts and graces here then otherwise 4. This unity is seen in that publike order and government which Christ hath appointed in his Church as God hath appointed some to be Shepherds and to govern so others to hear and obey he hath commanded admonition and in some cases sharp reproof and where obstinacy is to cast out Now it 's very hard to have unity in this respect for as 1 Cor 14. it appeareth private Christians do difficultly keep within their sphere every member would be an eye as the Apostle there chargeth so it 's hard to meet with an obedient ear though to a wise and godly reproof It 's therefore a blessed thing as to have unity of faith so also of order That is to see every member of the Church with its relation in an harmonious way as it 's in the body though they be heterogeneal parts yet they all harmoniously consociate in their operations This unity of order is like the nerves and ligaments to this spiritual society 5. This
Faith is not wrought by the Spirit of God neither is it upon divine motions but experience and manifest conviction They feel in part the torments of hell and therefore it 's experimentally evident to them that there is a God who is also just and terrible in his vengeance But the historical faith in an unsanctified man as it is the gift of God so it works some inclining disposition to God yea in the temporary believer who goeth beyond a meer dogmatist it works as appeareth Mat. 3. Some reformation and some joy so that the word makes some hopeful ingresse into him though at last it passe away as our lives even as a tale that is told having no setled continuance 6. This historical faith as it is wrought efficiently by the Spirit of God so the motive of it is Divine Authority and Revelation That as by the light of the Sun we see the Sunne so by God we come to know every thing of God This divine motive of faith is freely acknowledged to be in the Thessalonians by the Apostle 1 Thess 2.13 They received the word not as the word of man but as the word of God Hence the Prophets begin with Thus saith the Lord and Paul discovers himself to be called by God So that every thing hath but a weak ineffectual operation till it hath a maker a divine stamp upon the soul Oh when we once believe a threatning as it is Gods when we once believe a promise as it is Gods it must bear down all before thee What if the world come What if Satan come What if thy companions come telling thee this and this Oh but saith the believing soul God that cannot lie saith the contrary And truly herein is discovered that in Religion we have but an humane faith yea not so much for an humane faith will make great changes in our life when yet our divine faith doth not If a man tels thee of such danger of such evil in the way doth it not presently make thee turn out of that path But now when Gods word tels thee there is death and damnation in such paths that doth not at all move thee SERMON CXXI Of Dogmaticall Faith the Properties of and Contraries to it JOHN 17.21 That the world may believe thou hast sent me WE are discovering the nature of faith in the General as it is carried out to Scripture-truth because of Divine Authority We are to adde more particulars to clear this And First Though this Faith be not a peculiar saving grace yet it is a common grace of Gods Spirit It 's a common grace of God to be inabled to believe How many Pharisees and Jews saw the miracles of Christ as well as the Apostles yet did not believe so much as a Simon Magus did It 's the grace of God that makes a man to have a sound minde in Religion witnesse the many heresies and blasphemies divers are fallen into yet it 's a common grace not peculiar common I call it not in that sense as some plead for an universal grace which indeed is no grace but because an unregenerate man may have it as well as a regenerate so that no man may conclude this is enough for his salvation that he doth believe such and such principles of Religion unlesse also he hath that peculiar effectual purifying work of faith upon his soul As therefore those extraordinary gifts of Gods Spirit to work miracles to cast out Devils were common to such who yet were workers of iniquity Thus it is with this ordinary gift of Historical faith many men may believe the truth of those things the goodnesse whereof they never felt upon their hearts And many may maintain the Doctrine of Regeneration orthodoxly who never felt the power of it experimentally upon their own souls There is a faith that is common to the elect all the children of God have the like precious faith Tit. 1.1 in regard of the essentials yet there is a faith common to elect and reprobate so that no man may conclude his salvation because he is no Jew no Pagan no Papist Secondly Although this dogmatical Faith be common to the regenerate and unregenerate yet it 's the foundation of our conversion and in the regenerate when improued doth wonderfully provoke the increase of grace And this is good to be observed for though we make it not saving faith yet it is the foundation of saving faith He can never believe on Christ for his Mediatour that doth not believe Christ to be a Mediatour Therefore the Apostle describing the general nature of faith saith Heb. 11. He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that serve him No spiritual building can be made without this foundation as it is thus the foundation so if improved it doth wonderfully promote justifying faith The general acts of faith if vigorously prosecuted do mightily strengthen the peculiar and proper acts of it The more strongly we believe Christ to be a Mediatour the more will this help that he be so to me and therefore it 's observed that our Saviour put them so often upon the trial of their very historical faith Dost thou believe that I am able and doest thou believe that I am the Messias Partly because that was the great Question then Whether that individual Person was the Messias or no and partly because if it was believed that he was the Saviour then there was no such cause of doubt Whether he would be a Saviour to them that truly sought to him Insomuch that it may be questioned Whether it be a greater act to believe Christ to be a Mediatour or to believe him a Mediatour to me Although indeed there are more Objections against the latter for there are not only Objections against the truth but against the application of it because of the many sins and infirmities which I perceive in my self yet we would think the harder task were then over when the soul could believe such great things and transcendent to humane reason for when a man believeth that Christ is both God and man united in one Person whose office is to redeem the oppressed sinner may not then he conclude easily that he will redeem him For which is greater to believe such a Person God and man or that this Person whose Office it is to save will save thee Howsoever if we do not make comparisons between these acts of faith yet certainly the more strong and powerfull thy acts of faith are about the truths of Christ the more will they conduce to apply him to thee Even as in man the more vivid his senses are which do accompany his common nature with a beast the more strong and quick are his rational acts likewise So that this Dogmatical faith is the root as it were which if not thriving those peculiar acts of faith will wither Distinct III Thirdly The general properties of this faith are
into Eternall perdition and therefore our Saviour chargeth the Pharisees Joh. 6. That they were of their Father the devil because they did his works Thus if Christ be in thee thou wilt do the works of Christ shew forth the patience the meeknesse the zeal of Christ if Christ be in thee â—â—ou wilt have a Christ-like operation and therefore the godly are said to put on Christ Gal. 3.27 As a garment which covers the whole body so that no nakednesse appeareth Thus Christ onely ought to be seen in us not our own infirmities and corruptions nothing of our selves but Christ 2. Where Christ is there he is all in all he is instead of all to that believer Gal. 3.28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile c. but Christ is all in all Two things are affirmed He is in all Every believer though never so weak and infirm hath Christ as well as the noblest as the soul is in every finger and toe as well as in the head which should be a great consolation to a weak believer for though thou hast not as good gifts and parts as good grace and holinesse yet thou hast as good a Christ as the chiefest pillars in Religion have but then he addeth that as Christ is in all so he is all What all is Christ He is all priviledges as appeareth by the Context he is Jew and Greek he is male and female that is Christ is instead of all priviledges and prerogatives hence 1 Cor. 1. he is said to be made of God to us wisedom righteousnesse and redemption and we are said to be compleat in him So that wheresoever Christ is there he is all to that soul He is wisedome to it righteousnesse to it all spiritual priviledges yea and all temporall comforts likewise He is husband wife friend riches health Thus he is all things to the soul eminently and virtually again he is all things meritoriously there being no benefit a beleever can stand in need of but he hath purchased it by his death he is also all things efficiently because he subdueth every sin he quickeneth to every grace so that a beleever can never say I am in such a condition in such a temptation that Christ himself cannot help me 3. Where Christ is in a man there also his Spirit is putting it self forth in the severall operations thereof an illuminating spirit a guiding leading spirit a sanctifying and sealing spirit So that men do absurdly boast of their Interest in Christ who yet finde none of these efficacious works of Gods Spirit within them The Apostle John speaketh notably to this 1 Joh. 4.13 Hereby know we that we dâ—ell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit So that as the beams of the Sun discover the Sun so do the spirituall effects of the holy spirit manifest Christ to be in us Vse of Examination Try your selves in this main Point as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.5 Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates If you take the word as signifying one of an unsound minde it argueth that man is very unsound and unskilfull who findes not Christ in him As they sought for a proof of Christs being in Paul So do thou of his being in thee If Christ be in thee why is there so much of the devil of sin and the world if Christ be in thee how come his Enemies also to be in thee But you will say May not Christ be in a Beleever and yet he not feel it or be sensible of it yea think the clean contrary that Christ hath left him I answer it is often so and thus Christ may not manifest himself to be in us sometimes for triall sake to give us experience of our own need without him as Christ slept in the â—â—ip and suffered the windes and storms to arise that they might call more earnestly upon him sometimes we through our corruptions and sins do provoke him to withdraw his powerful operations We entertain his enemies and then he hideth himself from us especially our unbeleef hinders the lively operations of Christ in us for as Christ dwels in our hearts so he worketh in our hearts by faith SERMON CXXVIII Of the Fathers being in Christ Of both their being in Believers And how that can be and yet they not quite freed from Sinne and Sorrow JOHN 17.23 I in them and thou in me THe next thing considerable in this Text is the highest round in this ladder of Unity and that is The Fathers being in Christ As I am in them so thou in me The words need no further explication then what will necessarily be discussed in the Doctrine onely when Christ is said to be in beleevers and the Father in him this is not to be understood exclusively as if the Father were not also in beleevers for the Scripture expressly affirmeth that Joh. 14.23 yea it 's impossible to have the Son in us and not the Father also 2 ep Joh. 29. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son Yea we cannot know the Sonne or believe in him except we believe in the Father also Joh. 1.4 7 8 9. When Philip desired Christ to shew him the Father because Christ spake so much of him our Saviour doth first reprove Philip and then instruct him Reprove vers 9. Have I been so long time with you and yet thou hast not known me Observe that Philip desired to see the Father and Christ rebuketh him for not knowing of him and then instructs him He that hath seen me hath seen the Father also and thereupon he proceeds to exhortation ver 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me So that by this discourse none can know or beleeve in Christ but he must also know and beleeve in the Father and because the Disciples were not so fully acquainted herein they are checked by our Saviour saying Have I been so long time with you and ye know not me The longer time people have lived under means of grace and yet not acquainted with divine truths it is the greater condemnation When we speak of the Fathers being in Christ this is not to be understood in a speculative and abstracted sense but practically and as it relateth to us for to that purpose is it spoken by our Saviour that hereby it might be shewed that the Father is in us also Obs That as Christ is in us so the Father being in Christ is also thereby in us In this Position there are two distinct things 1. That the Father is in Christ 2. That by this means the Father is also and abideth in us For the first The Father is in Christ and that in several respects 1. In respect of the Divine Nature for so the Father is in the Son as in the expresse Image and representation of him thus the Son is called the Image of his Father Col. 1.15
Whence it is that even amongst the godly there are so many differences heart-burnings c. It 's because Christ is not in them after such a powerfull and efficacious manner as he might be The dark night and misty fogs can no more endure before the glorious beams of the Sunne then corrupt passions and contentions can stand before this Sunne of Righteousnesse when risen to it's verticall point Under the torrid Zone there cannot be any cold frosts so neither under the efficacious presence of Christ can there be such sinfull breaches SERMON CXXX Sheweth That every one that Believeth knoweth the thing that he believeth Against the Popish Implicite Faith And what Knowledge the Knowledge of Faith is JOH 17.23 And that the world may know that thou hast sent me THE words now to be insisted upon â—re the effect or event of this spirituall Unity beleevers have with Christ and one another which is That the world may know the Father had sent Christ This was treated of before only whereas before it was that the world may beleeve here it is That the world may know and besides a new thing is here added to their knowledge that the Father had sent Christ viz. his love also of all Beleevers even as he loved Christ What is meant by world hath been shewed already I shall only fasten on this Consideration that what our Saviour called believing ver 21. here is called knowing and therefore having handled faith in its specifical nature as it rests on Christ which alone justifieth and also the generall nature of it as it gives firm assent to all divine Truths I shall now to compleat the full Truth of the nature thereof handle it in another essentiall constituting ingredient of it and that is knowledge and the matter is necessary both in respect of doctrinall errours about it as also for practicall usefulnesse For the Pontificians they deny both that fiduciall recumbency and application to faith as also knowledge leaving it only to be a divine assent but as we have asserted the former So now our task shall be to affirm the latter viz. That Faith is knowledge as well as assent It 's a fiduciall assent with knowledge These three particulars are either ingredient or requisite to the act of beleeving whether indeed knowledge be a pre-requisite or ingredient is disputed but that all divine Faith hath knowledge is confessed by the Orthodox against the Papists so that I shall observe That Faith is knowledge or he that believeth knoweth the thing that he believeth Hence it is usual in Scripture to describe faith sometimes by trusting and sometimes by knowing synecdochically intending thereby the whole nature of faith That faith is knowledge besides many other places is abundantly cleared v. 2. and v. 18 in this Chapter I shall therefore proceed to explicate to this And First When we say That Faith is knowledge iâ— is not to be understood thus as if it were such a kinde of knowledge as we have by sense for the Scripture doth oppose living by faith to living by sense and our Saviour faith John 20. Blessed is he that believeth and seeth not Vbi vides non est fides Indeed when Thomas did feel the wounds of Christ here he did believe and see but the object of his sense was a body the â—ct of his faith was spiritual that Christ was the Sonne of the living God What then we know by sense we are not properly said to believe although things of sense may tend to confirm our faith as miracles and Sacraments which Christ hath appointed for that end Secondly The knowledge of faith is not by a perfect comprehension and intuitive vision of the thing we believe It 's not like the knowledge of God and Christ we shall have in Heaven and therefore faith shall cease in Heaven as it denoteh any inevidence or imperfection in the subject This knowledge of faith we have here as in a glass and in a riddle but then it shall be face to face and this should abundantly satisfie us in the many things we know by faith for although our knowledge be very imperfect and is like the weak eye to the dazeling beams of the Sun yet hereafter this vail this cloud will be removed and we shall then perfectly and fully understand all those things that now we have but imperfect apprehensions of about the Doctrine of Christ of the Trinity of the Resurrection of the providences of God towards his Church how little do we understand of them yet the time is coming when we shall know these things even as we are known The Apostle compareth this knowledge we have to a childes knowledge in respect of a mans 1 Cor. 13. Alas when we speak of God and heavenly things we do but stammer like so many little children when we come to Heaven how vast and comprehensive will our thoughts be to what we have now Thirdly The knowledge of faith is not like those imperfect acts of the soul which are called suspicion and opinion or doubting Doubting is when the minde remaineth in an equal and indifferent propension assenting to neither part of the proposition Suspicion is when the soul inclineth to one part of the proposition but upon a very light and unsatisfying argument And Opinion is when we assent to something with some fear that the opposite may be true and therefore the Arguments do only probably move us Now the knowledge of faith doth exclude these imperfections doubting is in Scripture expresly opposed to beleeving and so when a man is divided as a traveller at two wayes not knowing which to goe or when he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hang in suspence These things are inconsistent with faith and truly this is greatly to be considered for in these dayes wherein we see men so sceptical so wavering so uncertain we may conclude there is little faith That men are opiniotive and fancy-full in Religion rather then believing for where the knowledge of faith is there it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convince and so perswade the heart that it knoweth not how to contradict or oppose any longer Oh then pray for faith in these unstable and wavering time It 's a mercy to be a pillar in Gods house and not like a reed to be shaken with every winde of doctrine Fourthly The knowledge of faith is not from the evidence of any internal principles of the thing such as we have by demonstration and reason in philosophical matters And indeed this is one main reason why the father 's insisted in believing as opposite to knowing Noveris te essâ— fidelem non rationalem It was Julians great objection against the Christians that they urged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only believe they did not bring reasons to demonstrate So that if Papists when they deny faith to be knowledge did mean no more then this that it is not a scientifical knowledge that it 's not a
compleat perfection of a Christian Who is made righteousnesse wisdome and all things and therefore this is the character of those that are spiritual They have no confidence in the flesh and rejoyce in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.3 Lastly We glorifie Christ really in our lives and conversations when we walk as Members sutably to the Head when we order our conversations answerably to the rule of the Gospel For how often do wicked men reproach and dishonour Christ by their ungodly lives as if Christ taught them no better or as if Christ died not to deliver us from all ungodly and sinfull lusts Therefore on the other side then we honour Christ when we are holy as he was zealous as he was humble and meek as he was as Paul said He carried the marks of Christ upon his body so do thou the graces of Christ upon thy soul We come in the next place to a brief description of the subject described Those that thou hast given me Now this is the opposite description to such who are of the world By giving unto Christ some understand by a Metonymy of the effect for the cause Gods decree to give as 2 Tim. 1.9 The grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began that is decreed to be given to us So some expound the fore-going place The glory which thou hast given me that is which thou hast decreed to give even as in this Chapter he saith I come to thee I sanctifie my self and as John 6.33 Every one that my Father giveth shall come to me where by giving must be understood a decree to give for actual giving is the very coming it self unto Christ Though this be true yet we must adde that in respect of those who were to believe so it 's a decree of giving but in respect of the Apostles and others who did then believe it was an actual giving Now whereas we see the original and fountain of all grace formerly prayed for and now all glory here is because some are given to Christ by the Father we may observe That it 's no free-will or preparatory work in man that begins either his grace or glory but the sole gift of God I shall but touch at this because handled before only as our Saviour thought fit to use this description of believers so often in one Chapter so it should also inform us that it 's a truth of absolute necessity which ought constantly to reign in our hearts that we did not prevent God but Gods grace did prevent us that we did not choose him but he chose us Therefore it 's a violent wresting of the words by Arminians when they will have this giving of some to the Father to be understood for the consequent mens obeying and receiving of the grace offered and so we give our selves to Christ and are not given by the Father That the initials of all good is from grace only and not of us is abundantly convinced by that wretched sinfull and wofull pollution that we are all born in like that miserable infant spoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 16. I shall not doctrinally inlarge this only let the Use be 1. Admonition to take heed of all those proud and self-advancing Doctrines that magnifie the power of nature that think not grace absolutely necessary that if it be required it 's only ad facilius operandum or that grace doth onely excite and stirre up the natural abilities within us Oh take heed of swallowing down this deadly poison Vse 2. Of Exhortation to the people of God with all humility and astonishment to admire the grace of God in Christ that mollified thee that prepared thee that began first upon thee Alas thou wast wallowing in thy bloud thou wast hotly pursuing thy sins thou didst violently refuse the grace of God till at last he opened thy heart and saved thee against thy will making thee of unwilling willing SERMON CXXXVIII Of Gods love to Christ as Mediatour and in him to all believers from all Eternity JOHN 17. â—4 For thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world THis last clause is brought in as a Reason of that which went before Some make it a Reason of Christs Petition why the Father should hear him viz. because he alwaies loved him and so nothing could be denied to him others referre it to the gift of Glory mentioned immediatly The Father gave Christ glory because he loved him from Eternity but these do not oppose but may include one another The only doubt is In what sense the Father is said to love Christ before the Foundation of the world Many understand it of Christ as the natural and only Son of God That as he had alwaies the same glory with the Father so likewise he was alwaies loved of him and from hence they prove the Deity of Christ But Calvin and others expound it of Christ as Mediatour That the Father did love him from the beginning in appointing of him to be a Mediatour and preparing him thereunto Now this seemeth the more genuine Interpretation and doth not exclude but include the former also So that by direct consequence the eternal god-head of Christ is asserted Indeed Piscator referreth those words before the foundation of the world to the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast given As v. 5. implieth but there is no necessity to make such a trajâ—ction The sum is that Christ as Mediatour doth referre all the glory and honour he hath to the Fathers love Now you must know that when the Father loveâ—h him as Mediatour It 's not absolutely terminated upon the person of Christ but the whole number of beleevers in him and therefore this loving of Christ is to be extended unto all Beleevers for the Apostle saith the same thing of them because of Christ Eph. 1.4 where we are said to be chosen in him before the foundation of the world To be holy and without blame before him in love where that love is referred to Gods predestinating and electing of us by some Interpreters So that from the words we may observe That God the Father loved Christ as Mediatour and thereby all beleevers in him from Eternity This Truth deserveth explication and application And 1. Let us consider wherein the love of the Father was shewed to Châ—ist as Mediatour as that will appear in the designing of him to it and approbation or complacency in him while discharging of it The love of God in preparing him thereunto is seen in these things 1. In appointing and ordaining the second person as the only begotten of the Father to come into the world and take our nature upon him For herein did the Father love the Son because when mankinde was lost and justice could no waies be satisfied by any meer creature that in this exigency Christ should offer himself and so readily professe Behold I come to do thy will O Lord Thus when he formerly had said I sanctifie