he did so he had his reasons in his own breast and in his own bosom Only this is probable that he did it that he might be an Example and a president to us that we might learn of him to do as he did That when we are approaching to the Throne of Grace we might be very much possessed with deep and serious contemplations of the holiness of God I shall adde no more for proof but hasten to the Application Now is it so that even as God is holy in himself so Jesus Christ came Vse 1 to him as a holy God and looked c. Then let us learn of Jesus Christ how to behave our selves when we are making our addresses to the Majesty of God and pouring out prayers to him We are exhorted very often in the Scripture to be followers of Christ and so to walk and act as we have him for an Example In all his imitable ways and actions his practice ought to be a rule to us And therefore let us labour to conform our selves to Jesus Christ in this particular when we are drawing nigh to God in prayer let our thoughts be taken up with meditations of his holiness let them work much upon this attribute of his Indeed the Saints of the Old Testament when they set God upon his Throne and clothe him with his Majesty and glory as they use to do in the beginnings of their prayers do seem to take more notice of other attributes of God of his power of his dreadfulness his righteousness his faithfulness his truth his mercy then his holiness But under the New Testament you know God hath been served worshipped in a more spiritual way and here we have the High Priest of our profession Jesus Christ the most unparalleld and matchless pattern teaching us by his example to exercise our thoughts upon the holiness of God when we are making our approaches to him And therefore when at any time we set our selves to pray let us endevour to affect our selves and to be taken up with deep considerations of this attribute of his Let our most working apprehensions fix upon his holiness and make a deep impression of it in our hearts that we may carry it along throughout from the beginning of our supplications to the end It will be singularly useful to us as I shall shew you in a few particulars 1. It will help exceedingly to frame our hearts to put them into such a posture as the Lord delights in It 's true the meditation of other of the attributes of God hath its work upon our spirits when we are drawing nigh unto him But this me thinks hath somewhat proper and peculiar to it self further and beyond the rest It 's true the apprehension of the Mercy of the Lord will make us to have comfortable cheerful hearts the apprehension of his truth and faithfulness will make us to have bold couragious hearts the apprehension of his power and greatness will make us to have trembling and awful hearts But now the apprehension of his holiness will make us to have holy hearts that so we may be like him whom we are making our addresses to And holiness alone comprises all that hath been said and much more our cheerfulness our confidence our reverence in prayer are all but parts of holiness A holy frame of heart involves and comprehendeth in it all this and more besides then we are able to express Indeed what ever God takes pleasure in as to the temper of his people when they are pouring out their prayers to him is all contained under holiness Let them come with holy hearts and all is well and this they shall the better do if they consider with what an infinitely holy God they have to do Oh this will raise the heart if it be duly weighed to such a sweet and pretious frame that it will be no longer earthly it will be fit to have Communion with the holy God And therefore David presses the Consideration of this attribute of God in those whom he exhorts to worship him by way of preparation to that great business Psal 99.9 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy hill for the Lord our God is holy 2. The meditation of the holiness of God will quicken us and stir us up as far as it is possible to cleanse our selves from every sin when we are making our approaches to him For sin my Brethren is against his holiness yea in directest opposition And therefore it is known by the name of filthiness and uncleanness in the Scripture Not only whoredom and adultery and fornication and sins of that kind are unclean as they are called uncleanness in the abstract but sin is generally so as you may see that place for instance 2 Cor. 7.1 And hence it is my Brethren that it is so odious to the Lord there being nothing in the world so contrary and so opposite to him and to his Nature as sin is No man in the world hates any thing no mans heart abhors and loaths and rises against any thing as the Lords against sin By reason of his pureness and his holiness he cannot brook it Hab. 1.13 he is not able to endure it He seems me thinks to shut his eyes and to cry out to his people Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate And therefore when men will not hold but commit it the infinitely holy God is vexed and troubled out of all measure so he is represented in the Scripture Isa 63.10 They rebelled against him saith the Prophet and they vexed his holy Spirit Because he was so holy he was vext the more at sin which was so filthy And truly my Beloved if we did seriously consider the holiness of God when we are about to pray we would not dare to bring this filthy thing into his presence which is so contrary to this attribute of his and consequently is so odious and detestable to him At least we would endeavour to the utmost of our power to cleanse our selves from all the filthiness of flesh and spirit to wash our hands and hearts in Innocency with holy David and so to compass Gods Atar to offer up the Incense of our prayers to him Oh we would shake and quiver every joint to think of coming to the Holy God in the midst of our pollutions unpurged and unhumbled for We would consider with our selves What will the Lord say to me when he sees me in his presence so defiled How will he look on such a filthy and abominable wretch as I am how is it possible but he should hide his eyes from me when he perceives the hands that I spread forth before him are so full of gore and blood how can he choose but loath me and abhor me Do I expect to find favour in his eyes and come before him with that which he so abhors as if I meant to vex him and provoke him And therefore if we ever look to speed
he can There hath been an opinion vented up and down of late that any man that walks according to his principles according to the imbred light he hath let this light be what it will and of what kind it will he may attain to happiness and glory in the end And so by consequence that Pagans and Mahometans and Infidels of any sort may be saved if they please All men have light enough say they if they improve and use it as they ought to do to bring them to be atitude whereas indeed no man hath light enough to bring him savingly to know God Jesus Christ and he alone knows God immediately and others know him by the means of Christ So that unless he shew the Father to us unless he undertake himself to teach us and instruct us we must continue ignorant of God and so there is no other way but we must perish and be lost for ever Is it so that Jesus Christ and he alone knows God immediately and Vse 2 others know him by the means of Christ You see my brethren then what course you are to take if you desire to know God to be acquainted with the Father You must go to Jesus Christ for information and use his help in this business If you ever see God if you ever come to have the saving knowledge of his name believe it Jesus Christ must manifest it and declare it to you If he conceal the Father from you nay if he do not shew him to you you can never come to know him All other means that you can use searching in the Book of the Creatures yea in the book of the Scriptures hearing reading meditation will be unavailable unless Christ strike in with them When you have done your utmost you will die in ignorance of God and so be lost to all eternity And therefore I beseech you my Beloved betake your selves to Jesus Christ the great Prophet of the Church be his Disciples learn of him Tell him that he knows the Father as he professeth in my Text and so beseech him earnestly to make him known to you that you may also be acquainted with him Pray him as Philip doth Joh. 14.8 Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us And thus far we have seen to whom our Saviour speaks and what he speaks In the first place against the world and in the second place for himself and true believers Oh righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me They have been throughly perswaded that I am a Messenger and an Embassador sent forth from thee to manifest thy Nature and thy Will to them Now in the following verse he comes to shew that he hath been and will be faithful in the delivery of the message which his Father sent him in together with the reason of it First he declares that he hath been and will be faithful in the delivery of the message which his Father sent him in I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it Secondly he shews the reason of it why he hath been and will be so That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them Begin we with the first of these in which our Saviour shews First That he hath been faithful then that he will be faithful as the Messenger of God First that he hath been faithful I have declared unto them thy Name But this is for the sense and almost for the words the very same that he had said before in the 6. verse of this Chapter There it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so accordingly there it is rendred I have manifested thy Name here I have declared thy Name The phrase is varyed but the sense is one And therefore I shall wholly wave it here and pass from that which Christ hath done to that which he will further do of which he makes no mention in the former verse I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it Whether this resolution of our Saviour to make a further declaration of his Fathers Name relate to his Apostles and Disciples then about him only or else to such as should believe in after times to the end of the world is all the difficulty in the words whether his meaning be I have declared unto them thy Name to those Apostles and Disciples present with me and will declare it that is I will declare it further to them to the very same men Or whether it be rather this I have declared unto them thy Name to them that are now about me and will declare it unto others that in after ages shall come in to me I have declared it unto these by my own immediate voyce and will declare it unto others by them and their successors to the end of the world As for my own part I see no reason why either of these Expositions should be laid aside seeing both of them agree with the Analogy of Faith and with the scope and series of the Text. And since it is most consonant to the accomplishment and execution of the Prophetical office of Christ to be continually teaching those that are bestowed upon him by the Father in all Ages Teaching them further whom he hath begun to teach and teaching other men anew to the end of the world But you will interpose and ask me Quest How can this be meant of the Apostles and Disciples then about our Saviour in the sense before expressed I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it further to them since we have understood the first words of a full discovery If when our Saviour saith I have declared unto them thy Name his meaning be I have declared it fully to them as I have formerly explained it how can he add I will declare it further to them Very well if things be rightly and distinctly understood Answ In the first place our Saviour saith I have declared thee fully and compleatly to them as to all things necessary to be known of thee necessitate medii to salvation And here he adds I will declare thee further to them as to many other things that are yet concealed from them I have declared thee fully to them as to the foundation or to the fundamental knowledge of thee I will declare thee further to them as to the superstructure upon that foundation I have declared thee fully to them as to what I am my self to teach them with my own immediate voyce before my passion I will declare thee further to them after my resurrection when he continued forty days discoursing with them and further after my Ascension when I will send down my Spirit to them to teach them all things and to lead them into all truth So then the point to be observed is this DOCTRINE They that have the Name of God his Nature and his
the world There will be some elect continually to be brought in by this means Some to be added to the Church some to be joyned to the body mystical untill the dispensation of the fullness of time which the Apostle mentions Eph. 1.10 when all things shall be gathered into one which are in heaven and which are on earth So that you see my brethren Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers Name to other Nations and to other persons But how will he make these further declarations Brethren he will not do it in his own person or by his own immediate voyce But he will do it other wayes 1. By his written word and Ministers in all ages for that which they declare in his name and by authority from him Jesus Christ himself declares To this end Christ hath set some in the Church some Ministers of all sorts as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 12.28 And that is out of all dispute in the universal Church which is not limited to any Countrey or to any age That so there might be continually some in all Churches and in all ages to publish what is to be manifested of his Father And hence said Christ to his Apostles Mat. 28.20 Lo I am with you to the end of the world They were not to continue for their own parts by many hundred years so long And therefore it must also stretch to those who were to follow them in the office and the work of Gospel preaching till it be published universally to all Nations in the outward promulgation and in the inward and effectual revelation to all persons to whom it is appointed so to be revealed Which was not done you know by the Apostles it was but begun by them and must be carrried on till it be finished by other Ministers to the end of the world And therefore when our Saviour Christ ascended and consequently could no longer teach his Church immediately in his own person he gave gifts unto men such gifts as he never gave before And he gave some Apostles Prophets Evangelists Some temporary some perpetual for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry How long Till we all come all that are chosen whether Jews or Gentiles in the unity of the Faith unto a perfect man So that the Ministry shall be continued till all be gathered into Christ that shall be gathered and that is till the end of the world 2. Christ makes these further declarations of his Fathers name in every age by his spirit As he declares it outwardly to other persons by his word so he declares it inwardly to other persons by his spirit to his elect in every age to the end of the world And therefore when our Saviour Christ withdrew his corporal and fleshly presence he sent his spirit down to teach his people to lead them into all truth And by that spirit he declares his Fathers name and will do to the worlds end And he assured his Apostles in the place even now alledged Mat. 28.20 when he was even about to leave them as to his fleshly presence with them Lo I am with you alwayes viz. by my spirit to the end of the world That is with you and such as you are with you and your Successors still in every age as long as the world endureth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations and my spirit shall be with you So that what you teach all without he shall teach my elect within powerfully and with success till the last man be gathered in And then shall the end come Is it so that Jesus Christ will be continually making further declarations of his Fathers name to other Nations and to other persons to the end of the world Vse Then let us seriously consider what our dutie is in reference to this work which will be beautifull and glorious beyond all comparison and what Christ expects of us If he will do as he hath said let us examine what we are to do and what duty lyeth upon us relating to it in the mean time And here I shall propound a few things 1. Let us give him so much credit as to believe what he hath spoken And though it seem improbable that Christ should manifest his Fathers name to all Nations That all the Countreyes in the world should come to know him and to be acquainted with him yet seeing Christ hath undertaken it and bound himself by faithfull promise to his Father that as he hath declared his name already so he will be continually making further declarations of it to other persons and to other Nations let us say Amen to it As Mary sometimes when she had staggerd at the difficulty of the Promise at length recovered out of that fit of unbelief and set the seal of faith to it Be it according to thy word 2. Let our hearts be full of hope in reference to this business Since Christ hath undertaken it let us expect the execution of it Our Saviours words my brethren are a promise to the Father what he will do in after times for his people Saith he I will declare thy name to them And therefore as it is our duty to believe the promise so to expect the good things promised To be continually in a waiting frame looking and harkning after the accomplishment of this eximious work of his spying if we can see the day break and the Fathers name shine forth to other Nations who never had a glimsp of it by any Gospel Revelation till in the end from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same his name be great among the Gentiles according to that Prophesie relating to these latter times and ages of the world Mal. 1.11 3. Let us strive with Christ in prayer that he would make good the word that he hath spoken to the Father before so many witnesses Oh my beloved when ye look on many Heathen Nations that yet are overwhelmed in ignorance and Egyptian darkness that yet know nothing of the Fathers name when you look on many Christians in profession that yet are even in as bad a case as they some of which it may be have relation to your selves go to Jesus Christ and say O Lord thou hast professed that thou wilt declare thy Fathers name to other persons and to other Nations to the end of the world Lord there are such Nations there are such persons who yet are strangers to the Father who know no more of God in Christ then the very beasts that perish O be intreated to declare thy Fathers name to them Lord manifest the Father to them that they may know him to salvation 4. Let our hearts be full of joy while we are looking forward to the accomplishment of this work O let it chear our spirits under all the sinking damps and deep discouragements that are upon them in relation to the Church to think in what a blessed state and glorious
The Father loves believers as he doth Christ Reas For he loves them 1. In Christ 2. Through Christ 1. Vse Depend on him 1. Without doubting 2. By real love 3. Vse Comfort to all true believers In that 1. He will uphold them as he did Christ 2. Assist us in his service 3. Reward his own work in us 4. Hear us 5. Provide for us 3. Doctr. Christs will is even a Law with the Father Reas 1. Being the only Son 2. The Beloved 3. Never asks amiss 4. Sueth for nothing but what he deserver p. 491. Vse How to make Christ our Advocate Ver. 24 Direct 1. To prepare their hearts they must be 1. Purged 2. Humbled 3. Fixed 4. Awakened Then 2. For Matter of prayer search the promises p. 496. Manner Pray without wrath 2. Doubting 3. With much zeal 2. If we pray acted by Christs Spirit 1. There will be zeal 2. Desires spiritual 3. For spiritual things chiefly Not to be spent on lusts 4. We shall pray constantly 2. Doct. It is Christs will that they who are given him should be in heaven Reas He loves them with a love 1. Of benevolence 2. Of Complacency 3. To see his glory 3. Doct. God hath loved Christ from all Eternity Reas Being like him both as God and Man Vse Wo to them that hate Christ They hate Christ 1. Who willingly obey sin 2. Who love and hate that which Christ doth not 3. Who are friends to the Enemies of Christ Contra p. 513. 2. Vse God therefore loveth them that love Christ Christ is amiable and worthy of our love 1. In respect of his perfections p. 515. 2. In respect of our Interest and propriety in him 3. Of his great love to us 4. Of that he hath done for us 3. Vse Admire that he should so use him as he did for our sakes 1. Giving him up to the hands of sinful men and to his own wrath 2. So using him for such as we are p. 517. 4. Vse Comforts to those that belong to Christ that they are loved from everlasting 4. Doct. God is a very just and righteous God Confirmed 1. From the largeness of his Jurisdiction 2. The Immensity of his presence 3. From his inward propensity and disposition 1. Vse This should settle our minds amidst the confusions and disorders of the world 2. Vse Comfort to those that are abused and oppressed 3. Vse Come into him and become his subjects 4. Vse Terror to the ungodly 5. Vse Comfort to the righteous even in Gods Justice 6. Vse Admonition to Magistrates Perswasions to execute Justice 1. It will settle the land 2. Be amiable to God 3. Beneficial to your selves p. 526 7. Vse Meditate on Gods righteousness It will 1. help us against sin 2. Strengthen our faith in prayer p. 528. Ver. 25 Doct. Unbelievers and unsanctified persons know not God in such manner as they ought p. 531. 1. Know him not so as to delight in him 2. Nor so as to serve and obey him 3. Nor so as to know him in Christ Reason 1. Unbelieving Heathens want the means of knowledge 2. Unbelieving Christians want the Spirit to unveil 1. The understanding 2. The Gospel 3. In every unbeliever there 's something 1. Redundant to repell divine Truth 2. Wanting to receive it viz. The Spirit of God 4. They are unwilling to know God p. 535. 1. Vse The misery of unsanctified unbelievers 2. Vse Admire Gods mercy in vouchsafing us the means of knowledge p 537. 2. Doct. That Christ alone knows God immediately and others by his means p. 539. Vse None saved by his own natural knowledge 3. Doct. The most saving knowledge hath defects and imperfections standing in need of farther declaration p. 541. Reason Christ doth not shew them all at once 1. Because they are not capable 2. That he may keep them humble 1. Vse Be not proud of your knowledge 2. Vse Comforts to the humble 1. A sign that thy knowledge is right and sound 2. It 's the measure which Christ hath alloted thee 3. The time is coming when these thy defects shall be supplyed 4. We shall be rewarded according to our practice not our knowledge Ver. 26 Doct. Christ will be making farther declarations of his Fathers Name to the worlds end p. 546. 1. By his written Word and Ministers in all ages 2. By his holy Spirit p. 548. 1. Vse Believe what he hath spoken 2. Expect the execution of his promise 3. Thereunto strive with Christ in prayer p. 549. 2. Doct. The Love which is in true believers comes from God Reason For it cannot be Originally in of or from our selves yet not without means Vse If we want it have recourse to God Love is the chiefest thing 1. That comes from God p. 554. 2. That conformeth us to God p. 554. 3. Doct. Declaration of the Fathers Name is a special means to work love in them Reason 1. Beauty is a part of his Name 2. Goodness 3. Mercy 4. Love p. 557. 4. Doct. Where Love is there Christ is Reason 1. For where Love there the Spirit 2. Faith 3. God is p. 560. 1. Vse Misery of those that love not God and his children 2. Comforts to those that have love in them They have Christ and therefore 1. Have intimate Communion with him 2. Have free access to him 3. Have the confluence of all Accommodations 4. Are secure 2. Let Christ live quiet in your hearts Excellency of Christs prayer An Alphabetical Table of the Chief Heads contained In this TREATISE A ADopted children page 15 Admire the love of God and of Christ page 20 98 146 161 361 455 537 Affections of the heart testified by outward gesture page 11 Affliction should not dismay us See Tribulation page 104 195 290 291 367 Abilities of Christ page 145 Active Obedience of Christ page 157 Our Advancement in Christ page 174 The Apostle and Messenger of God is Christ 142 149 234 235 other Apostles page 407 our Affections are to keep Christs word page 204 213 Apostates from Christ page 41 210 Application of Christ page 158 441 Assurance Means and benefit thereof page 22 our Active and Passive obedience page 203 Authority grace and power of Christs words page 7. 473 Authority of Christ over all men 52 144. for the benefit and Salvation of his people page 72 73 Agreement with God and Christ necessary page 465 Agreement See Unity The benefits thereof page 303 304 All things revealed by Christ in what sense page 236 Aimiableness of Christ page 514 515 Adding to the work of Christ page 168 word of Christ page 241 Absence of Christ from the Father page 265 Ascension of Christ 266. End fruit and benefits thereof page 267 B PArtial Believers page 208 â—99 Belief See Faith Wrought by the Gospel page 443 444 Believers not free from the Law page 61 62 Believe the Trinity page 130 132 the Scriptures page 133 399 in Christ page 149 150 441 Christs word 204. 559
you resemble God your Father Jesus Christ his eldest son is the very picture of him as we are wont to say the express of his fathers person They are so like in all respects that he that knoweth one of them cannot but know the other too The resemblance is so perfect and so absolute in all respects that in seeing one of them you see the other And hence said Christ to Philip John 14 19. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father also And truly we that are the younger sons of God though we be not so like him yet we are very much like him And therefore we are said to be renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created us Col. 3.10 And the new man is said to be renewed after God in holiness Ephes 4.24 And are you thus conformed to God do you bear his Image so that every one that sees you and observes you may judge who is your father Are you holy as God is and are you mercifull as God is and are you perfect in desire and endeavour as your Father that is in Heaven is perfect do you love your enemies do you bless them that curse you and pray for them that despitefully use you that you may shew your selves to be the children of your Father who makes his Sun to shine his rain to fall upon the evil and the good Mat. 5.44 are you freely merciful lending and doing good to those where there is nothing to be hoped for but unkindness for your good will that you may make it to appear you are the children of the highest who is kind to the unthankfull and unkinde Luk. 6.35 These are good evidences of your interest in the Father-hood of God But if you be prophane and vicious and cruel and unmerciful as the greater number are I may say to such as you are as once our Saviour to the wicked Jews You are of your Father the Devil and his works you do If God be your Father as you bear your Fathers Image see you have your Fathers Spirit The Spirit of the Father is that which the Apostle calls the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 So that if we be Sons we have this Spirit poured out upon us But you will say that every one almost pretendeth to the Spirit and it is evident that many are deceived in this particular How shall we know infallibly whether the spirit which we think we have be the spirit of the Father yea or no Why my beloved the Spirit of the Father iâ— an active Spirit where it is it leadeth men even where it will it carries them and guides them in its own way And as many as are led by this Spirit they are Sons of God Rom. 8.14 Well then thus far we are clear if we be the Sons of God as we have his spirit so we are led by his Spirit we walk not after the flesh but after the spirit The flesh calls and the spirit calls This is the way walk in it The flesh would have us follow it the spirit would have us follow it And the event is this if we be the Sons of God we leave the flesh and go after Gods Spirit We walk not after c. So then if you would know whether you be the Sons of God examine whether you be guided by his spirit yea or no And this may be discovered by the course you take and by the path in which you walk Gods Spirit guides and leads you always in the way of God which is prescribed and chalked out before you in the word of God And this is clearly and expresly taught us in that alledgement of the Covenant mentioned Exod. 36.27 I will put my Spirit upon you saith the Lord to his people And what shall this Spirit do it shall cause you to walk in my Statutes and to keep my Commandments and do them It shall not give you new directions it shall not shew you new ways and new paths other then those which are beaten out in Scripture but it shall cause you to walk in my Statutes If then you err and wander from the ways of Gods Statutes and walk on in your own ways as the Apostle speaketh of the Gentiles the way of your own hearts which of your selves you choose and follow your ways of drunkenness uncleanness prophanation of Gods holy day c. if you walk in the way of Cain a way of cruelty and malice and run greedily after the error of Balaam for a reward as Jude speaks ver 11. A way of covetousness and unlawfull gain you are not guided by the Spirit of the Father but by the spirit of the wicked one which ruleth in the children of disobedience But if you keep the ways of God the ways of truth and love and holiness and peace the way that is so evilly spoken of by lewd prophane and vitious men And are no sooner swerved from it in the least degree but you are crying to the Lord with Moses Lord shew us thy way with David I am gone astray Lord seek thy servant enquiring of your brethren to direct you and striving to get in again you are guided by the spirit of your father and may be confident that you are the sons of God If God be your Father and you be his children you are a company of singular and choice people As you are like your Father and consequently like your brethren too so you are unlike other men you dwell alone and are not like to other people And as the sons of Kings and Nobles differ from the sons of other men they have another kinde of garb and habit and behaviour Even so the Sons of God the King of Kings do manifestly differ from the children of the world The Lord hath singled them and drawn them out and put them in another way so that they are men of wonder in the world their ways are of another fashion And this declareth them to be the children of the High God he owns them only upon this condition as you may see 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Come out saith God and be ye separate and I will be a father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord God almighty Now my beloved are you thus come out and separated from the world which lies in wickedness as the Apostle speaks have you left your old haunts your old courses your old Companions and Associates with whom you ran out formerly to the same excess of riot are you accounted gazing stocks and wonders to the world because you are so different from them in all your ways And can you say in the uprightness of your hearts that this your singular and holy walking is not in shew and in hypocrisie but in sincerity and truth you may assure your selves you are the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty But if you walk according to the course and fashion of the world if
have a day to live And thus far of the end of the authority of Jesus Christ for which he is invested with it by his Father considered in the lump and in the gross Proceed we now to take it into parts It is in general as you have heard that he may be enabled to dispence to his people that which is for their everlasting welfare and salvation that he may give eternal life to as many as God hath given him Particularly we have here to be considered First the thing it self to be dispenced by vertue of this power and this authority of Jesus Christ and that is life yea life eternal Secondly the manner or the way of dispensation it is to be dispenced as a gift in the nature of a gift in a way of free donation that he should give eternal life Thirdly the objects of this dispensation or the persons to whom this life here mentioned is to be dispenced and that is not to all men but to as many as the Father hath bestowed on Jesus Christ As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Begin we with the thing it self to be dispenced by vertue of this power and this authority of Jesus Christ And here let us take notice of the nature of it and of the adjunct of it First of the nature of it it is life Then of the adjunct of it it is life eternal As for the first of these my Brethren you must know that naturally and originally we are all dead men We are all dead born we came into the world my Brethren in a state of death and condemnation And in this sad condition we continue of our selves we are not able to put life into our selves No we can no more raise our selves to the life of grace then a dead man can raise himself to the life of nature And therefore God because he would have such a number quickened as he hath resolved upon hath given power to Jesus Christ to this end and to this purpose that he may give life to those who of themselves are utterly void of it and no way able to attain it And that his mercy may be full he hath appointed him to give them such a life as is uncapable of dissolution The life that Adam in the state of innocency enjoyed the life of righteousness and the life of holiness you know was perishable in it self and so accordingly was left of God His state in this condition was mutable and accordingly he fell from it from a state of grace and life to a state of sin and death But now God hath invested Jesus Christ with power to give his people such a life as shall be durable as shall in this respect transcend the life that Adam had even in the state of innocency it self that he may give eternal life to as many as God hath given him The points to be observed are two First They that are Christs have life from Christ and secondly The life which they have from him is eternal DOCTRINE They that are Christs have life from Christ He giveth life to as many as God hath given him The life which they enjoy they have from him they have it not originally in themselves he is the author and the fountain of it And therefore he is said to be a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 because he quickneth and enliveneth all his members And he is called our life very often in the Scripture I am the way the truth and the life saith our Saviour of himself John 14.6 When Christ who is our life saith the Apostle shall appear then shall we appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life that is the author the efficient of our life And hence saith the Evangelist he that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5.20 This may serve to prove the point They that are Christs have life from Christ Now to open it a little before we come to application there is a two-fold life which all Christs people have from Christ according to the two-fold death which they are under out of Christ For as there is a two-fold death in sin The death in sin with relation to the raign and dominion of it the death in sin with relation to the guilt and obligation of it to damnation So on the other side there is a two-fold life of grace opposed to these the life of grace inherent and the life of grace imputed The life of holiness and the life of righteousness The life of Sanctification and the life of Justification And both of these they that are Christs receive from him he gives his people both these First Christs people have from him the life of holiness or the life of Sanctification which is opposed to the dominion and the raign of sin before they are revived by him they are under this dominion and so in that respect are dead as the Apostle Paul intimates to the Romans Rom. 6.12 ye are alive to God saith he through Jesus Christ our Lord. And what doth he infer upon it Let not sin raign in your mortal bodies by which he intimates expresly that while sin raigns in any man so that he voluntarily resigns and yields himself up to the rule and the dominion of it as Subjects to their Soveraign and annointed Prince he is not alive to God he is indeed a dead man he hath no life of holiness or grace in him But when the raign of sin is once abolished and dissolved within him so that he doth no longer willingly obey it in the lusts thereof but yieldeth up himself to God then he is alive to God then he lives the life of God the life of holiness and grace And this life he hath from Christ And therefore it is added presently ye are alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord And of this life it is that the Apostle speaks Gal. 2.20 and makes Christ the Fountain of it I live saith he that is I live the life of grace and yet not I but Christ liveth in me and this life which I live I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved c. Secondly Christs people have from him the life of righteousness or the life of Justification which stands in opposition to the death in sin with relation to the guilt While the guilt of sin remains upon a man so long that person is a dead man so long he is dead in Law as we express it commonly he is bound over to eternal death and condemnation And thus it is with every man while he continues in the state of nature He is condemned to die and so in that respect is dead in the sentence of the Law although the sentence be not executed on him as our Saviour speaks John 3.18 He that believes not is condemned already But when a man is justified absolved and acquitted from the guilt
is the Gospel the Ministry of life 2 Cor. 3.7 in opposition to the Law which is the Ministry of death and condemnation And which way doth the Gospel work life but by instilling knowledge into men by making them to understand that which they never knew before that they are naturally dead in trespasses and sins that they are in a state of death and condemnation that there is life enough in Jesus Christ that he is ready to dispense and give it out to all that come to him for it And so convincing them that it is necessary for them to go to him that they may have Life Till they come to know this there is no life of Grace in them And it is by Gospel-Teaching that this life is infused into them It will appear unto you that the life of Grace is begun in holy Knowledge if you consider with what part the Lord begins when he puts this Life into us He begins not with the members he begins not with the will but he begins with the mind and understanding by Illuminating that and by endewing that with saving knowledge And therefore we are said to be transformed or to be changed from the state or life of nature to the state or life of Grace by the renewing of the mind Rom. 12.2 No doubt the will and members are renewed too for the change is universal But there the work begins my Brethren in the mind and understanding we are renewed first in the spirit of the mind Eph. 4.23 and from that it goes on to the inferiour faculties and to the outward conversation And consequently it begins in knowledge of which the mind is capable which is the proper object of it And therefore saith our Saviour sanctifie them with thy Truth Renew them make them holy work the life of Grace in them by revealing Truth to them It is apparent that the life of Grace begins in Knowledge because all other grace is brought into the soul by it and therefore this must be the first Grace The first I mean in order and in course of nature not of time As long as there is no knowledge there is no grace at all and so no Life in such a person But when knowledge once comes in I speak of sanctified Knowledge it brings all saving Grace with it This is the prime work of Grace and the Foundation of the rest The New man is renewed in Knowledge Col. 3.10 why so it is in Faith and Love and other graces But it is first renewed in knowledge there is the rise the original of all And even as in the first the old Creation the Lord began with natural Light Gen 1.3 so in the second or the New Creation he begins with spiritual Light with super-natural and saving Knowledge and gives us other graces by this means To which effect is the Apostles prayer 2 Pet. 1.2 3. Grace be multiplyed upon you through the knowledge of God and after more expresly to our purpose As he hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him So that we have this Life the life of holiness and grace through knowledge without it we have no Grace but with it all Grace It is the seed from whence all other graces grow it is the means by which they are begotten in the soul Holy Knowledge will bring forth heavenly Affections and desires If a man know God and know Christ his will shall close with him and his affections shall be carried out to him it will effectually restrain a man from sin and reform the Conversation They shall not hurt neither destroy in all my holy Mountain saith the Lord Isa 11.9 And why so for the earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord. If you have been taught by him as the Truth is in Jesus why then you will put off the old man It will draw a man to practice and obedience if it be sound and saving Knowledge as holy David intimates in that request of his Psalm 119.34 Give me understanding saith he And what then why I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart So that you see all holiness and Grace is brought into the soul by Knowledge and therefore certainly the life of Grace begins in it Use 1 Now is it so that life Eternal or the life of Grace which is Eternal is begun in holy Knowledge This then may serve to teach us in the first place how to value Knowledge and what account and estimate to put upon it Why truly as we value life yea everlasting Life so we ought to value Knowledge at the very same rate For this is life Eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent We all of us do make a very great account even of our temporary Lives which yet when all is done must perish and decay and come ro nothing we are ready to Redeem them if there be no other way with the loss of all things else Though yet even then when all is done we know we can enjoy them but a few years and are not certain to enjoy them one hour How is it then that we despise and undervalue holy Knowledge in which Eternal life consists which if we can attain we have Eternal life abiding in us a life which is above the power of death and dissolution Alas how miserably is it slighted by the greater part of men yea by the greater part of Christians Christians I mean in name and in profession Though it be offered them they will not take it but say in effect to God Depart from us for we will not have the knowledge of thy wayes When light is tendered them they even shut their eyes against it that they may not see So that it may be said of such as God complains of some in Israel their eyes have they closed lest they should see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and be converted and be healed And the Apostle Peters charge must needs fall home upon them they are wilfully ignorant They enjoy the means of Knowledge but they will not wait upon them they take no care at all to profit by them They need not to ascend up into heaven to bring Christ down from above nor to descend into the deep to bring up Christ again from the dead as the Apostle speaks Rom. 10.6 that they may be acquainted with him the word is nigh them as it is added there in that place The Word that manifesteth and revealeth God and Christ is nigh to them They need not to go far to hear it and to hear of God in it But many will not spend an hour they will not step without their doors to meet with God and to be acquainted with him as if the Knowledge of the Lord were worth nothing as if it were of no value Ah my Beloved do you know what it is that you despise and
his work as he professes to his Father in my Text I have manifested thy Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have brought it forth saith he into the light and set it in open view for so much that word imports By which he intimateth that his Fathers Name was like a rare and curious piece behinde a curtain like a rich treasure covered or a glorious Image vailed But now saith Christ the vail is taken off the covering is removed the curtain drawn I have exposed my Fathers Name to the veiw of all my people This Christ hath done you see and now let us consider what we are to do No question he hath brought it forth that we might see it that we might feed our eyes upon it that we might grow up in the knowledge of his Fathers Name of the dearness of his love and the sweetness of his mercy the tenderness and the abundance of his compassions unto poor lost creatures This is the Name which Jesus Christ hath manifested to us that we might be acquainted with it Now I beseech you my Beloved let us not by neglecting this discovery go about to frustrate Christ and do as much as in us lies to disappoint him of his purpose Oh let us labour that our knowledge of the Name of God may be in some sort answerable to the revelation that Jesus Christ hath made of it And that as we have since our Saviours coming in the flesh a fuller and a more compleat discovery of it then they in former ages had we may accordingly exceed and go beyond them in the knowledge of it too We may know more of God especially of his love and of his mercy to his people in his Son then they did Or if it be not so to what end is the pains that Christ hath taken to manifest his Fathers Name to us Oh let us be ashamed to come behind the Saints of the Old Testament in the knowledge of this Name who came behind us in the means of this knowledge Is it so That Jesus Christ hath made an absolute c. Then let us satisfie Vse 4 our selves with the discovery he hath made And let us not attempt or undertake to know more of the Father then he hath made known to us Indeed if Jesus Christ had fallen short in this discovery it were but reason that we should exceed and go beyond it If he had not told us all that is fit for us to know it were a congruous thing that we should strive to know more But seeing the discovery he hath made is so compleat and absolute in all respects so that there can be nothing added to it we have cause to rest in it and to content our selves with so much knowledge of the Father as he hath revealed to us Indeed there is an itch in Nature to search into those things especially concerning God which are concealed and hid from us Fain we would see his face when Christ hath manifested but his back-parts to us we would know more of his Nature of his Counsels and Decrees the order of them the measure of them the objects of them then he hath thought expedient to reveal to us We would approach too nigh to gaze we would intrude on those things which we have not seen for which we have no revelation as the Apostle speaks Col. 2.18 And this my Brethren is the evill Genius of these very times men go beyond themselves in sifting into things concerning God and beyond Christ too I mean beyond any thing that he hath manifested of his Father to them Indeed they tell us that Christ reveals it to them by his Spirit But that is not the Spirit of Christ which shews us any thing beyond what he hath written in his Word The business of the Spirit is not to bring us any other truths then those which are revealed in the Word but to clear those to us If any spirit bring us any thing crossing with or but so much as diverse from the Scripture if an Angel dropt from Heaven teach us any other Doctrine he must not be believed but accursed To the Law and to the Testimony saith the Prophet Isa 8.20 If any man or Angel speak not according to this Word let him pretend what light he will it is because there is no light in him And therefore let us satisfie our selves with that which Christ hath manifested of his Father in his Word and in his Gospel Since his discovery is so full let us not seek to go beyond it That speech of God to Moses who whether he were curious or no was very earnest to behold his glory is observable Exod. 33.19 I will make all my good go before thee that is I will discover so much of my self to thee as shall be good for thee to know And this our Saviour Christ hath done compleatly We need no further knowledge of the Father here to make us happy to make us wise unto salvation And therefore let us rest in it And to this end I shall present you with a few Considerations It is a fruit and evidence of pride to strive to know more of the Fathers Name then Christ hath manifested to us It proceeds from a desire to be observed as having something more then ordinary in us and this hath much prevailed with many men in these times to know no more of God then Christ hath shewed us in the Scripture this is no such great matter this will never make them famous And therefore they must have their nice and curious speculations by themselves beyond any written word they must have hidden things discovered to them which other men are not acquainted with that they may be observed to be men of singular depth and extraordinary intercourse with the Spirit of Christ This the Apostle notes in those Impostors Col. 2.18 Intruding into those things which they have not seen But how comes this to pass vainly puffed up by their fleshly mind There is the cause of this intrusion And hence the Prophet David to shew that he was not proud and haughty makes this the evidence Psal 131.1 I do not exercise my self in things that are too high for me It is a grievous sin to labour to know more of God then Christ hath manifested to us It is no better then intrusion on the right of God himself such a man doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the fore-alledged Text Col. 2.18 Intrudes upon anothers right enters on the possession of another Now whose possession are these secret things To whom do they belong to God saith Moses Deut. 29. ult The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and unto our children So that while we content our selves with these revealed things we are like honest-minded men that keep and use their own and love not to encroach upon their neighbours But if we be not satisfied with the things which God hath manifested
of the Spirit and belief of the truth whereto that is to which sanctification and belief he hath called you by our Gospel 2 Thes 2.13 14. 2. Are you wandering from the way as who hath not his deviations The word of God is a light to guide you it is a Lanthorn to your feet as David speaks Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel Psal 73.14 q. d. although thou do not lead me by the pillar of a cloud and fire as once thou didst thy people in the Desert although thou goest not with me in a visible appearance yet thou hast left me such exact directions such wholesome Counsel in thy word that if I follow that exactly it is impossible I should miscarry 3. Are you ignorant the word of God is a teacher to inform you It giveth understanding to the simple Psal 119.130 And makes them wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 There is no knowledge indispensably required to salvation nothing of necessary faith or practice either to be believed or done but is abundantly revealed in the Scripture 4. Are you infirm and weak in grace The word of God is a means to confirm you This was the Instrument by which the Apostles confirmed the Churches Act. 15.4 And as it is the usual means by which the grace of God is begotten in the heart in which respect we find it stiled The word of grace because it works it Acts 20.32 so it is the instrument by which it is confirmed and encreased We grow by sucking the sincere milk of the word 1 Pet. 2.2 And we are built up by it to Salvation 5. Are you in any deep distress The word of God is the means to comfort you Through-comfort of the Scriptures we have hope Rom. 15.4 And David to the same purpose Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in my affliction Psal 119.92 And in another place cries out Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope this is my comfort in my affliction for thy Word hath quickned me Psal 119.49 50. 6. Are you lost as we are all of us by nature The word of God is the means to save you this is the saving doctrine Act. 11.14 The word of life Phil. 2.16 the word that brings men to life and glory The Gentiles saith the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians Ephes 3.6 came to be fellow-heirs and partakers of the promise by the Gospel To sum up all we have cause to love the word to have it dear in our affections for it is the word that guides us it is the word that informs us it is the word that confirms us it is the word that comforts us it is the word that saves us that is the power of God unto salvation with which agrees the Apostles valediction to the Elders of Ephesus Act 20.32 wherewith I take my leave of you at this time I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified JOHN 17.6 And they have kept thy Word WE have been long upon this use of trial and discovery whether we be given up to Christ or no by the donation of the Father Three branches of it we have now dispatcht and are arrived at the fourth and last which God assisting we shall finish at this time Have we kept the word of God as in our minds by remembring and in our hearts by believing and in our affections by loving so in our lives by obeying For all of these as you have heard are comprehended under this expression And this indeed my Brethren as it is the last so it is the heigth the upshot and the sum of all to keep the word of God in the life by obeying Many there are that remember much of it that give assent and credit to it yea that pretend a great deal of affection to the word of God and are indeed much taken with many things that are delivered in it and yet they fail in this which is the main business they do not give themselves up to the practice and obedience of it They leave the rule of God and are a way and rule unto themselves And this was Herods temper right he heard the word of God gladly he took some kind of pleasure in it and therefore out of doubt had some affection to it but when it came to practice and obedience there he failed He did but many things at most he did not all that was delivered to him from the word of God and this was that which marred all and made all the rest worth nothing And so the second ground the stony places in the parable Matth. 13.20 they received the Word of God and that with joy and there must be some love where there is delight and joy and yet no fruit at all follows as you may see in that place And truly there are many such among us who find some taste in the good Word of God as the Apostle speaks Heb. 6.5 There is a pleasing relish in it which they are delighted with as there is something in the Word that may content a palate that is meerly carnal but they make it not their rule in their lives and conversation They sit before the Preacher as the people sits and listen with affection to his words perhaps they are a pleasant sound to them but their hearts are far from stooping to the obedience of the Word no they are for their covetousness their uncleanness and their lusts still Now I beseech you my Beloved see how it is with you in this regard If you will have this sweet assurance in your selves that you are given up to Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father you must keep the Word of God in your lives by obeying it you must not rest in this that you have as you conceive some love to it and that you take some kind of pleasure and delight in it for this a carnal wretch a reprobate may do but you must yeild obedience to it you must be ruled and ordered by it in your ways the Word of God must be a guide to you When you have any thing to do you must not think what is agreeable to your wills humors interests ends and so act accordingly But you must seriously consider with your selves what is agreeable to the direction of the Word of God and to the rule which he hath there prescribed to you and to that you must conform how unsutable soever it may be to your desires or to your aims Thus you must keep the Word of God if you will clear your interest in Jesus Christ in your lives by obeying it And here that you may not be mistaken and deceive your selves I shall desire you to take notice of a few things You must keep it wholly and entirely you must not keep some parts and parcels of the Word of God and leave
be known by them Answ I mean as yet in the Condition they were in at that time All things which he heard from God the Father with this intent that they should hear them and be made acquainted with them he had imparted to them to the very utmost so that he had been faithful in the business There is no doubt our Saviour Christ as man had many things revealed to him from his Father which he instilled not into his Disciples for he was perfect in regard of knowledge and they were not so nor could be so in this world But whatsoever was communicated to him as the Mediator and the Prophet of the Church in that behalf and for the information and behoof of his people all this he manifested and made known to them again as far as the estate which they were in would bear it and their condition did require it And this he clearly intimateth in the fore-alleadged place I have yet many things to say to you but ye cannot bear them now And to what end should Christ say that which he knew they could not yet bear why should he lay a burthen on them which was too heavy for their shoulders But if he had said all before how had he many things to say yet He had said all that was to be said before all that his Father had appointed him to say and he had many things to say that were not to be said yet because they were not suitable to the condition they were in at that time But did our Saviour say them afterwards or if he had many things to say and did not say them how was he such a faithful messenger as I have shewn from his Father to his people For clearing this we must distinguish of our Saviours sayings something he was to say to his Apostles and Disciples with his own immediate voyce while he was conversant upon the earth Other things he was to say by his Spirit afterwards and he was very faithfull both ways 1. What things he was to say to his Apostles and Disciples with his own immediate voyce he said all those things He kept nothing back from them He taught them lesson after lesson still as they could learn And so he carryed them along as long as he remained among them So that he might have said at any time while he was with them I have made known all to you all that you are yet to know And whereas he affirmeth in the cited place I have yet many things to say to you if they were such as he was himself to speak to utter to them with his own mouth there is no question to be made he spake them afterwards before he left them and ascended to his Father And it is manifest that after he was risen he conversed with them forty days talking of mysterious things speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom Act. 1.7 The Kingdom which had been set up in the hearts of a few poor despised ones before but was now to be erected in the Church These and such things as these they could not hear till now and therefore though our Saviour had these things to say yet he said them not till now And now he said them that he might be faithful and that he might discharge the trust that was reposed in him by his Father 2. But there were other things which he was not to say to his Apostles and Disciples by his own immediate voyce while he was conversant among them but by his Spirit afterward when he had left them And these he said accordingly by that Spirit And this is chiefly aimed at and is the main intention of the fore-alleadged Text I have yet many things to say to you but you cannot bear them yet But what then did he say them afterwards Yes he said them afterwards by his Spirit and what the Spirit said he said And therefore it is added presently Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all truth For he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear viz. of me that shall he speak He shall receive of me and shall shew it unto you While Christ was conversant with his Apostles in the flesh they were capable of nothing in a manner It was but little they could bear then and therefore there was little to be shewed to them But when he was ascended once their hearts were presently enlarged to a capacity of greater measures and degrees of knowledge And Christ was now accordingly to shew them and the Church by them much more by his Spirit which he performed with all fidelity as the event hath manifested and declared The point you see is fully cleared Christ hath approved himself a faithful Messenger from his Father to his people For he hath added nothing to his message and he hath taken nothing from it All the words his Father gave him to deliver by himself and by his own immediate voyce he hath delivered All that he gave him to deliver by his Spirit all these he hath delivered too and so he hath been absolutely and exactly faithful every way Hath Christ approved himself a faithful Prophet to the Church a Vse 1 faithful Messenger c. Hath he not failed in speaking any thing that he should have concealed or in concealing any thing he should have spoken hath he not spoken so much as a word too little or a word too much This then may serve to teach us divers things As 1. To hear this Prophet and diligently to observe and mark all that he speaks to us He hath no loose words no vain expressions nothing too little or too much in that which he delivered to us and therefore it must be the better noted and the more valued The words of men yea the exactest of them are sometimes defective and sometimes redundant The words of Christ are not so I speak not this that you should do as some of the Church of Corinth did I am for Paul saith one I am for Cephas said another I am for neither of them said a third I am for Christ only That which Christ himself said I will hear and I will read but I will hear no other man I would not have you hear Christ so as to hear none but him But I would have you hear Christ so as to hear none like him for never man spake like this man And therefore when we meet with his words let us take special notice of them let us fix and dwell upon them and let them rest and dwell in us Let the word of Christ dwell in us richly Let us have an eye to mark them an ear to hear them and a heart to keep them as Mary had of whom it is recorded that she kept all his sayings in her heart How carefully did the Apostle keep that which our Saviour spake though it be no where mentioned in the Gospel and wishes other men to do so too Act.
to be they may be one even as the Father and the Son are one Holy Father keep them through thy own Name that they may be one as we are So that the Observation clearly intimated here is this DOCTRINE It is a matter of wondrous difficulty and of high Concernment for Christs Disciples to be at neerest unity among themselves Both these particulars I take it are apparently suggested in the words First that it is a point of wondrous difficulty Then that it is a point of high concernment that all that are bestowed on Jesus Christ should as far as men may be be one as God and Christ are one I shall clear them in order from the Text and other Scriptures It is a matter of wondrous difficulty even for Christs Disciples to be at neerest unity among themselves Our Saviour saw it to be very hard for them in all things to agree together and therefore he desires it may be brought about by the Almighty power of God himself Holy Father keep them through thy own Name that they may be one as we are He prays his Father to set his own Almighty power about it to effect it by which he intimateth that it is no easie matter It is observable how the Apostle struggles for it 2 Thess 3.16 The God of peace himself give you peace always by all means So that there is no possibility of having peace unless God himself bestow it unless he bow the heavens and come down and work it in the hearts of his people It is beyond the power of any creature to keep the Saints themselves in unity and peace unless God himself do it And so the Apostle having well considered the wondrous difficulty of it turns himself to God Now the God of peace himself give it q. d. I see no other means will do it and therefore I beseech thee Lord thou who art the God of peace do thou thy self make unity among thy people That phrase of the Apostle is notable to this purpose Eph. 4.3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word there used imports the doing of a thing with much intention with inward care and outward diligence and labour and endeavour to the very utmost The setting of ones self about a business strenuously and with all his might which would not need if it were an easie matter Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace So that you see it is a matter of wondrous difficulty for Christs Disciples to be at neerest unity among themselves But you will ask me how it should be so A man would think it should be no hard matter for Christs Disciples to be all one for them who are so closely and so neerly joyned so many wayes and by so many tyes who are all one body one spirit who have all one Head one God one Lord one faith one hope one baptism to be at unity among themselves Indeed it is a task almost insuperable to have peace with all the world To say the truth it is impossible as the Apostle Paul insinuates in his exhortation Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as lies in you live peaceably with all men But to live peaceably with Saints and fellow members for such to be at unity among themselves what difficulty should there be in this How cometh it to pass that this is such a hard matter That the almighty power of God himself is called down from heaven about it Why my beloved there be many things even in the Saints and Christs Disciples that make the matter difficult And I shall draw them all that I shall mention to these two heads There are some things in which they are too much alike and there are other things in which they differ overmuch and both of them do make it wonderfully hard even for the Saints to be at unity among themselves There are some things in which they are too much alike to agree among themselves They are all the holiest of them too carnal they have too much corruption in them easily to close together And this is that the Apostle Paul observes in the Corinthians 1 Epist 3.3 Whereas there is among you strife and envy and division are you not carnal Is it not very manifest that there is much corruption and much flesh in you And is not this the cause of these dissentions It may be you are apt to think it to be otherwise but mark what the Apostle saith James 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings among you Whence do they come Why hence they come will some men say I am so troubled and molested I am so grosly injured and abused that I cannot live in peace Never was any man so basely used so vilely dealt withall as I have been and that by those that are accounted honest men And hence it is that I cannot be at rest No no saith the Apostle thou art much deceived I had as lief thou hadst said nothing It is the wickedness and the corruption that is in thee that is the true and real cause of all this From hence come wars and fightings among you even from your lusts that warr in your members And I will shew you what those lusts are which make it so extremely hard even for the Saints to be at unity among themselves 1. They are too proud The wise man tels us this hath a stroke in all quarrels Prov. 13.10 And if in all then in the quarrels of the Saints too And truly my beloved were it not for this there would not be such endless and implacable contentions about matters civil as there are sometimes between those that are Christs Disciples It is their pride that neither side will stoop or bow both are high and both are stiff and so there can no possible accommodation or accord be made between them And were it not for pride there would not be such endless and implacable contentions about matters doctrinal This is the true and real cause why men will not indure to be gainsaid and crost in their opinion but presently they fret and fume and fall into an everlasting strife about words whereof cometh envy railing evil surmisings and perverse disputings as the Apostle shewes 1 Tim. 6.4 5. Now would you have the character of such a person as carryes matters in this fashion saith the Apostle he is proud knowing nothing He thinks himself a very knowing man but this is nothing but his pride And hence it comes to pass that men are so unalterable in their fancies and conceipts that having once asserted them and owned them they will not lay them down again no though they be convinced for their honours sake Remarkable and exemplary is the resolution and humility of Job in such a case Job 6.24 Teach me and I will hold my peace and make me know wherein I have erred In which ingenuous disposition did those who differ
truth thy word is truth And here we have two things to be considered A Supplication and an Explication First We have here our Saviours Supplication to his Father in behalf of his Apostles and Disciples Sanctifie them through thy truth And then we have this Explication in which he shews what he intends by truth viz. the word of God Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth Begin we with the Supplication in which you may take notice with me of these two particulars First the thing desired Sanctification Sanctifie them saith our Saviour And then the outward instrumental means by which he prayes they may be sanctified the truth of God that is the word as he explains it afterwards Sanctifie them through thy truth Both yeild us our this Observation DOCTRINE The word of God is the ordinary Means by which he Sanctifies his people It is the instrument in Gods hands by which he doth this great work He sanctifies them he is the God of all grace he calleth and he makes perfect stablisheth strengthneth settleth them But he doth it by this means according to our Saviours prayer here Sanctifie them through thy truth And here I shall distinctly cleer these two things First that the word of God is the ordinary Means by which he sanctifies his people in a way of inchoation by which he begins that work in them by which he converteth them regenerates them and makes them to become new creatures And this we find abundantly exemplified in the times of the Apostle how mightily the word of God prevailed to the Conversion of their hearers and to the working of unfeigned faith and grace in them You may behold three thousand sinners wrought upon by one Sermon Acts 2.41 And yet again as if these had been a few five thousand by another Sermon Acts 4.4 And hence it is my brethren that the word is called the word of grace because it works grace in Gods people But whether this be the work of the Law or of the Gospel whether one or both of them be the ordinary means by which God sanctifies his people will need to be a little further opened and resolved And I shall shew you from the Scripture that both of them are instruments in Gods hand by which he sanctifies his people 1. God sanctifies his people preparatively by the Law The Law converts and worketh grace by way of preparation It shews a man his sin and his trangression it emptieth him of all opinion of himself it humbles him and layes him low in apprehension of his own unworthiness And so indeed it makes him fit to entertain the grace of God for he will give his grace unto the humble John Baptists rough and rigid preaching of the Law you know my brethren must prepare the way for Christ He must be like a Pioner to go before him to bring down every high exalted thought to make the Mountains levell with the Valleyes He must be like a Harbinger to ride before and take up room for Jesus Christ to write his name upon the heart This heart is taken up for Christ To cause these everlasting doors to be set open to him when he comes And when the heart is thus prepared thus emptied and thus opened once then it is fit for Jesus Christ with all the graces of his spirit to enter in and dwell there And this is all that God doth by the Law he sanctifieth men by way of preparation and predisposition only But 2. The means by which he sanctifieth them indeed and works the truth and the reality of saving grace in them is the preaching of the Gospel and therefore the Apostle puts the question to the renewed Galathians Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you saith he received ye the spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith q. d. for this I appeal to you I put the matter to your consciences whether the saving graces of the spirit were not first wrote in you by the hearing of faith that is by hearing the doctrine of faith which is the Gospel And hence the Gospel is sometimes called the grace of God as you may see that place for instance Titus 2.11 and that not formaliter for so the Gospel is not neither can it be the grace of God neither that grace which is in God I mean his free and undeserved favour nor yet that grace which is communicated and dispensed from him to us I mean the gifts of his spirit whether they be such as appertain to edification or sanctification but effective as the School-men speak the Gospel is the grace of God because the grace of God is the effect and issue of the Gospel The Gospel is the instrumental means of grace and holiness which it effecteth under God and worketh in the hearts of his people And under this expression it is set in opposition to the Law For as the Law doth not reveal the grace of God in Jesus Christ the Mediator and Redeemer as the Gospel doth so neither doth it work the grace of God I mean the saving gifts of his spirit and therefore it is called the Ministration of the Letter and not the Ministration of the Spirit because there goes no spirit with it Or if it carry any of the spirit with it it is the spirit of fear and bondage and legal humiliation and not the spirit of adoption and sanctification But on the other side the Gospel carries spirit in the ministration of it which it conveyes into the heart of those that hear it and embrace it as they ought to do It operateth and begetteth the endowments of the spirit and worketh grace and sanctification And as the word of God is the ordinary means by which he begins the work of Sanctification So it is the means also by which he carries on the same work to further measures and degrees They were sanctified already for whom our Saviour makes this prayer in my text the work was begun in them they were his own Apostles and Disciples and yet for them he prays sanctifie them with thy Truth q. d. Sanctifie them yet more fully make them yet more gratious and more humble and more holy by a more full discovery of the Truth revealed in thy Word to them Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth Indeed the Word my Brethren as it is incorruptible seed by which men are regenerate and born again to God as the Apostle shews 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible but incorruptible seed by the Word of God so it is milk which nourishes and makes them thrive and grow while they are but babes in Christ and it is also strong meat on which they feed until they come ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ This for clearing of the point proceed we to the Application Vse 1 Is it so That the Word of God is
blood of Bulls and Goats But now it is confirmed by the blood of Christ himself which is a better and a more effectual confirmation And this is that which the Apostle shews at large Heb. 9.16 and in the following verses So that the blood which ratified the Old Testament was but the shaddow and the Type of that which ratifies the new and therefore this hath the advantage of the other I must confess that the Old Testament was ratified by the death of Jesus Christ in destination for so he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world But this is ratified by the death of Christ in actual execution which is if not in it self to us at least a cleerer and a better confirmation Gospel truth excelleth for the operation of it it hath effects transcendently beyond all other truth that ever was revealed to the world I shall name but two only suggested in those two great Gospel Epithites the word of grace the word of life 1. Gospel truth works grace Not common grace and common sorrow and humiliation and repentance as the Law doth but saving grace And therefore it is called the word of grace Acts 20.32 It is so exclusively it worketh grace alone without the help and the assistance of the Law in that business Something the Law may do towards us indeed but it doth nothing in the work of grace Of his own will begat he us saith the Apostle by the word of truth that is the Gospel James 1.18 That only that is properly and strictly sanctifying truth Sanctifie them with thy truth 2. Gospel truth infuseth life and that no other truth can do The Law indeed can kill but it cannot make alive It is the Ministry of death and condemnation The Gospel only is the Ministry of life and of Salvation And therefore this exceeds the other and surpasseth it in glory as the Apostle shews at large 2 Cor. 3.6 7 c. In this respect we find the Gospel called the word of life 1 John 1.1 because it is the word that worketh life It is the quickning word that raises men from death to life to the life of grace in this world and to the life of glory in the world to come And thus I think we have sufficiently cleered the point the word of God especially the Gospel is the truth Proceed we now to make some application of it according to the divers branches of the point in order I shall but touch upon the first because I would no be prevented in the second Is it so my brethren that the word of God is all truth then certainly Vse 1 it ought all to be believed This truth on Gods part calls for faith on ours For what is faith but the belief of truth as the Apostle Paul defines it 2 Thes 2.13 He hath chosen us to Salvation through Sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth So that if the word be truth it ought to be believed by us And this our Saviour Christ insinuates in his expostulation with the Jews John 8.46 If I say truth why do you not believe me Though that which is delivered in the word of God be never so improbable never so much above corrupt reason never so impossible to a humane apprehension yet it admitteth not of doubtfull Disputation and Expostulation but rather calls for absolute belief And therefore they are deeply to be censured who give no credit to the word of truth further then their private spirits close with it who do not answer Gods truth with their faith They read it and they hear it preached but they yield no assent to it No they oppose it and dispute against it they are meer Scepticks in religion There are a multitude of such in these times They consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to godliness as the Apostle Paul speaks 1 Tim. 6.3 4. Whereas they that have ever felt the saving power of Gods word have their thoughts captivated to it and will say as the Apostle we can do nothing we can speak nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 These men upon the other side when they hear the truth of God delivered to them speak against it contradicting and blaspheming as the stubborn Jews did Acts 13.45 They do not only ask with Mary how shall this be A question not of opposition but of inquisition Luke 1.34 But even peremptorily determine they can never be And thus they belye the Lord like those of whom the Prophet speaks Jer. 5.12 This in a word for application of the former member of the point We shall now apply the latter Vse 2 Is it so that the word of God especially the Gospel is the truth Is Gospel truth excelling truth Then let us give it the preferment before any other truth both in our inquisition and our acceptation Let us dive into it most and let us value and prize it most First Let us give it the due preferment in our inquisition let us dive into it most and labour more to be acquainted with it then with any other truth Let us read those books let us hear those Preachers and let us nourish those studies which help us most to this knowledge let us make this our main endeavour to be seen in Gospel truth let us undervalue and neglect all other knowledge incomparison of this It is the dangerous mistake of the greater part of men who had rather be acquainted with the matters of the world and to be skild in secular and humane learning then in the doctrine of the Gospel How do abundance plod to dive into the secrets and depths of nature and set their wits upon the tenter-hooks to search into the mysteries of Arts and Trades how do they beat and work their brains to get abundance of experience and skill in worldly dealings and employments but take no pains at all in hearing reading meditation to dive into the mysteries of Jesus Christ Tell me my beloved have you ever among all your earnest strivings after insight either into humane knowledge or into matters of the world been half so studious and industrious to search into this Gospel truth to be acquainted with Christ Jesus who is the subject of the Gospel to know that he was born and lived and dyed for you to know him and the virtue of his resurrection not by speculation only but experience raising you up to newness of life to know that he loved you and gave himself for you Alas the hearts of a great many of you cannot choose but tell you that you have hardly ever spent a serious thought on this And the very best among us cannot choose but say that we have been too slight and careless in our enquiries into this knowledge Ah my beloved had we the spirit of the Apostle Paul or of those blessed Angels who desire to peep and pry into the Gospel truth as you may
see 1 Pet. 1.12 we would not foolishly mispend so much of our pretious time in empty frothy and unnecessary studies nor waste away that Lamp of reason in our bosoms in unprofitable blazes but we would set more time apart to look into the Patent of salvation and to acquaint our selves with Jesus Christ before hand that when we come into his presence at the latter day we may be entertained as friends and not as strangers You hear that Gospel truth is the study of the Angels they had a little inckling of it and it was so ravishing that they must dive and prie into it they were not able to forbear it Oh Fools and Ideots that we are that now the Lord hath made it plain to us we should be so careless of it that now the knowledge of it is attainable we should wilfully neglect that pretious truth which was so studied and enquired into in Heaven which Angels reacht after and yet when all was done came short of the discovery Secondly Since Gospel truth excells all other truth let us give it the preferment as in our Inquisition so in our acceptation and let us value it and prize it above other truth Every truth of God is pretious but this truth is most pretious and therefore should be most esteemed and layed up with most care All the sayings of God are worthy of acceptation but Gospel sayings are worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 all that is possible to entertain them with And therefore the Prophets call the time of the Gospel tempus acceptabile the acceptable time the year of the Lord Isa 16.2 And if we look into the Scriptures my beloved we shall see what worthy acceptation it hath found Zacheus made haste and received our Saviour gladly into his house Luke 19.6 So did the brethren at Jerusalem receive the Apostles because they brought the Gospel with them Acts 21.17 So did the Bereans receive the Gospel it self with all readiness of mind or forward affection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17.11 So did the Galathians receive the Apostle with the honour of an Angel even as Jesus Christ himself because he preached this excelling truth to them Gal. 4.14 The Merchant in the Parable you know did dearly purchase it the Saints did earnestly contend for it and took the Kingdom of heaven by violence And hath it found the like esteem with you my brethren have you received and entertained it as a transcendent and excellent truth have your souls been even ravisht with the knowledge of it have you preferred it in your thoughts and your desires before all other knowledge yea before all other things Alas how many are there that never valued it who think it to be foolishness in comparison of that which brings them worldly profit or advantage It is a miserable thing to see how this incomparable Gospel is slighted in the world Now I beseech you my beloved think upon it what is it that you despise The wisdom of God in a mysterie which is adorned with so many glorious Titles in the Scripture to raise our hearts and our affections to it without which all the wisdom and all the learning in the world is nothing else but loss and dung And who is it that you despise in it for the contempt and undervaluing of the Gospel carries in it more dishonour to every person of the Trinity then any other sin It is a shamefull undervaluing of the Fathers wisdom which he hath shewed in no one thing so much as in the revelation of the Gospel and therefore it is called the wisdom of God as if the Gospel were the short abridgement the summ and the Epitome of Gods wisdom It is a fearfull slighting of the Fathers love as if in all the business of our Saviours passion he had but put himself to needless compassion and shewed such love to men as he might very wel have kept in his own bosome for any thing we either need it or care for it It is an horrible contempt to Jesus Christ to suffer him to stand waiting at our doors even till his head be full of dew and his locks with the drops of the night to put in his fingers by the hole of the lock to humble empty and deny himself to suffer the indignities and wrongs of men the heavy wrath of God himself and after all to have that pretious blood which was drawn out with such woful agonies and with such exquisite and horrid tortures counted no other then the blood of a common Malefactor no more regarded nor lookt after no though presented and offered to us and that with obsecrations and intreaties too who is able to express such baseness as this is It is a high indignity to the blessed Spirit of grace to suffer him to wait in vain to move and to perswade in vain to beg and to beseech in vain till we do even weary him and send him sad from us Oh let us tremble of such contemptuous usage of the Father of the Son and of the Spirit in the contempt of their Gospel And henceforth let us receive it and embrace it as an excelling truth as that which is of singular behoof and use and consequently calls for singular esteem from us Vse 2 Is it so That the Word of God especially the Gospel is the truth That Gospel truth is the truth that it excells all other truth Then certainly it lies on the professors of this truth to have a carriage answerable to it to have an excellent carriage according to this excellent truth that so it may not be disparaged and dishonoured by our unsuitable and unagreeing conversations As it is glorious in it self so it should be glorified by us and among us as the Apostles phrase is 2 Thess 3.1 As it is excellent in it self so it should be presented to the world as excellent by us while we adorn it by our holy lives as the Apostle Paul exhorteth Tit. 2.10 that we adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things And in a word my Brethren We must walk as becometh the Gospel of Christ this excellent Gospel Phil. 1.27 And to this end I shall commend unto you but these two things First you must maintain it as an excellent truth Secondly you must obey it as an excellent truth This Gospel truth must be maintained by you as an excellent truth Indeed my Brethren you must stand for all Truth you must never be against it but you must be always for it as the Apostle Paul insinuates 2 Cor 13.8 I can do nothing against the truth but for the truth But you must stand for Gospel truth rather and more then for any other truth because it is of more concernment and of more use We are more eager and earnest in asserting the right and interest we have in things of worth then in things of smaller value That which is excellent will have more to stand for it then that which is
comparatively mean and much inferior to it and men will do it much more vehemently for a jewel then for a trifle so let us in this case and more particularly and distinctly let us earnestly maintain this excellent Gospel truth both by arguments and sufferings 1. Let us earnestly maintain it by our Arguments and Reasons The more excellent a truth is the more we must appear for it the more extreamly tender we must be of any opposition that is made against it the more we must endeavour to vindicate it and evince it and to convince the gain-sayers It is no wisdom for a man to lay out all his strength and heat on points of small consideration as many men who are as earnest and as hot in petty matters as it is possible for men to be and strive as much about words as the Apostles phrase is as they will about things But when the weighty points of Gospel truths come once in agitation when they are contradicted and opposed as they have been exceedingly of late days then it behoves us to bestir our selves to draw up all the arguments that we are able to call in all the reason that we have to defend and to make good such excellent and pretious things as these are We must contend for such truths for they are worth the striving for with all our might so the Apostle Jude would have us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earnestly contend or struggle for the faith delivered to the Saints Jude 2 1. I think he doth not mean the grace of faith but the doctrine of faith which is the Gospel and therefore it is added presently for there are certain men crept in among you turning the grace of God which is the subject of the Gospel into lasciviousness so that you see my Brethren Gospel truth must be contended for and that with earnestness even to an Agony as once Apollos convinced the dissenting Jews who doubted of that great point of the Gospel whether Jesus was that Christ or no and he did it mightily Act. 18.28 he did it as it were with all his might being fervent in spirit as it is said at the 25. verse so that if any in these latter times have been too earnest and too vehement as some have thought in asserting Gospel truth either in preaching or discourse they may the better be excused 2. Let us earnestly maintain this excelling Gospel truth as by our arguments so by our sufferings if God shall call us thereunto It is an extraordinary honor and establishment to any truth when some are raised up to suffer for it As on the other side it is a shame and a disparagement when the professors of it give it over and relinquish it assoon as times of tryal come Oh let not this dishonour come on the Gospel by our means Let us stick to it even to the loss of goods and liberty and life it self let us seal it with our blood Our Saviour Christ himself you know did not think his blood too dear to ratifie the New Covenant and to establish and confirm the Gospel to seal the truth of Gospel promises Let us not think that our blood is ill bestowed if it may serve in any measure to that end for which Christ shed his And as we must maintain this Gospel truth as an excellent truth both by our arguments and by our sufferings so we must obey it too as an excellent truth And this way we shall honour it exceedingly and hold it forth as excellent to all the world Indeed it is a greater honour and advancement to the Gospel to obey it then to defend it and maintain it We favour those sometimes whom we defend we always honour those whom we obey And this my Brethren is the greatest honour we can do the Gospel to set it up as our rule in our hearts and in our lives For you must know my Brethren that the Gospel as it saves from misery so it requireth duty too And hence we read not only of obedience to the Law but of obedience to the Gospel too 2 Thess 1.8 And do you yield it this obedience Do you live and do you walk by Gospel rules Brethren I make no question all of you expect salvation by the Gospel but do you hearken to the counsel and instruction of the Gospel You expect deliverance by it but do you yield obedience to it I pray stand still a little and consider with your selves and accordingly resolve When you prophane Gods holy day neglect the duties of his worship either in publique or in private blaspheme his name defraud and over-reach your Brethren when you please your selves with actual or contemplative uncleanness when you drink to drunkenness or walk in any other sinful courses be they what they will what doth the Gospel teach you these things I say as the Apostle have you so learned Christ out of the Gospel Doth the pure and holy Gospel of the Lord Jesus give any approbation to such courses and do you think my Brethren that the Gospel will ever save you if it do not guide and rule you that it will ever make you happy if it do not make you holy Now I beseech you my Beloved ponder it and weigh it well and look for no salvation by the Gospel unles you yield obedience to the Gospel For if you do first you dishonour it and secondly you disappoint yout selves 1. First you do exceedingly dishonour it you cast a blemish and a stain upon it you do not walk as becometh the Gospel of Christ but cause it to be evil thought and evil spoken of by wicked men as if Christ saved men that live and walk and persevere in lewdness and prophaness as if he favoured and allowed of such courses as if he fitted and provided heaven for swearers drunkards and unclean persons What kind of Doctrine may they think is that which holds out such beatitude to be expected and enjoyed by such wretches Thus you prejudice the Gospel you cast contempt upon it and take away its excellency in the eyes of wicked men 2. Whiles you expect salvation by the Gospel and do not yield obedience to the Gospel you strangely disappoint your selves and wofully delude your own souls You may be confident of heaven while you persist in such courses but when you come thither you will be ashamed as Job speaks chap. 6.20 Believe it Brethren salvation and instruction will not be divided you must take them both together you cannot have the former without obedience to the latter If you will hear and learn and practice what the Gospel teacheth you shall injoy that which the Gospel offereth If you will be obedient to the Gospel you shall be saved by the Gospel otherwise you cannot As Christ is the Author so the Gospel is the Instrument of life and salvation to them that obey it Assoon those black Infernal Legions that are already damned to everlasting chains and darkness shall be saved
be sanctified By consecration a person or a thing is made holy when it is set apart for holy uses In this respect the Sabbath day is holy in this respect the Temple the Utensils and Vessels of the house of God in this respect the Priests were holy Thus all the first born of the Jews were holy and set apart for God And therefore having charged Moses to sanctifie the first born thus he explains it afterwards Exod. 13.2 12. Thou shalt set them apart to God and in a word thus all the Sacrifices and oblations under the Ceremonial Law were holy they were consecrated things For consecrated things are sanctified things as I might give you instances enough in that particular Thou shalt annoint them saith the Lord speaking of Aaron and his Sons Exod. 28.4 and thou shalt consecrate and sanctifie them that they may Minister unto me in the Priests office So after speaking of the Ramm of consecration Aaron and his Sons shall eat it saith the Lord to consecrate them and to sanctifie them Exod. 29.33 Now all the question is in which of these respects our Saviour here is said to sanctifie himself whether by way of qualification or of consecration I must acknowledge I have heretofore conceived it in the former way as in a way of qualification that he made himself holy by the communication of the gifts and graces of the holy spirit to his humane nature For though it be a certain truth that Christ was not neither could be made holy of not holy privatively as man who by the fall had wholly lost his holiness is sanctified and made holy by regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost Yet it is very manifest that Christ was sanctified and made holy of not holy negatively for there was once a time when Christ as man had not this holiness inherent in his humane nature because there was a time viz. before his incarnation when his humane nature had not a being in the world And thus Christ was sanctified for his Apostles and Disciples sake his peoples sake That they might be sanctified That is he was endued abundantly with the gifts of holiness and the graces of sanctification to this end that he might communicate them and dispense them to his people and that they might be sanctified by this means That of his fulness they might all receive and grace for grace So that this looks extreamly well you see as the meaning of the Text. And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth But yet I find interpreters even universally running in another stream and understanding it of being sanctified in a way of consecration The former I suppose they leave because indeed it is not consonant to Scripture phrase For Jesus Christ to say as man that he sanctified himself in a way of qualification That is to say that he endued himself with the sanctifying gifts and graces of the holy spirit It is usually affirmed that God the Father sanctified him That it pleased the Father that in him should all the fulness of the holy spirit dwell Col. 1.19 That God even his God did annoint him with the oyl of his spirit Psal 45.7 And therefore he is called him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world John 10.36 Besides it seems not to be congruous that Christ should pray his Father to sanctifie his Apostles and Disciples because for his part he had sanctified himself with the graces of the spirit to this end that they might be sanctified by communication of those graces to them And therefore I shall run down with the common stream of exposition and understand our Saviour here to tell his Father that he sanctified himself by way of Consecration That he set himself apart to be a Priest an Altar an Offring and a Sacrifice to God the Father for the sins of his people And that to this end that they might be sanctified by this means Not only that they might be justified but that they might be sanctified too And sanctified through the truth through the effectual revelation of the Gospel to them which is called the truth in Scripture Or truly sanctified as it is rendred in the Margine not only in the Type and Figure as the Offrings and Sacrifices of the Ceremonial Law but in reality and truth And on this ground our Saviour prayes his Father to sanctifie his Apostles and Disciples that he might not be disappointed of his great end for which he sanctified himself and made himself an offring to his Father Sanctifie them with the truth And why so Why for their sakes I sanctifice my self I set my self apart to be a Sacrifice to thy justice that they also might be sanctified with the truth The words thus opened yield us out two Observations First Jesus Christ did willingly and freely set himself apart to be an Offring and a Sacrifice to God the Father Secondly he did this for his peoples sakes and that to this end that they might be sanctified by this means DOCTRINE 1. Jesus Christ did willingly and freely set himself apart to be an Offring and a Sacrifice to God the Father He was not forced to become an Expiation for the sins of men No he did it of himself and of his own accord I sanctifie my self saith our Saviour in my text by consecration So he is said to offer up himself Heb. 7.27 To humble himself and to become obedient conceive it passively obedient to the death even the death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 T is true indeed the death and passion of our Saviour was necessary if we look to God the Father and his eternal Counsel and Decree for he was slain in that respect i. e. appointed to be slain from the beginning of the world It was determined to be done as the Apostle speaks Acts 4.28 And therefore it behoved him to suffer as himself speaks Luke 24.46 and he must be lifted up upon the Cross an unavoidable necessity was laid upon him John 3.14 And as his death was necessary if we look to God the Father so it was violent my Brethren if we look to men With murderous and wicked hands they slew him Acts 2.23 They kild and crucified the Lord of glory But if we look to Christ himself his death and passion was a voluntary thing to which he willingly resigned and yielded up himself His life was not extorted from him but he laid it down himself John 10.17 He was delivered up to death by God the Father Acts 2.23 He was delivered up by Judas and the Jews too Mat. 27.2 And yet he freely yielded up himself he loved us and gave himself for us Gal. 2.20 he gave himself for us an Offring and a sacrifice to God Ephes 5.2 He sanctified himself for our sakes and set himself apart to this hard and sharp service so that the Point is plain you see That Jesus Christ did willingly and freely set himself apart to
themselves by nature so much as a receptivity or an immediate passive capability of saving knowledge For there is somewhat in them superfluous and there is somewhat in them defective somewhat too much and somewhat too little 1. In every unbeliever there is somewhat that repells divine knowledge and that keeps out the beams of truth And that is carnal reasoning and carnal wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.7 The wondrous perspicuity and sharpness of conceit that is in any man that is but flesh is so far from helping him to know God that it doth but hinder him And the ground is evident for such a person leanes to his own wisdom he doth not yield himself up to be taught of God but weighs those things that are divine and supernatural in the ballance of his reason As far as that will reach he is content to go And where that faileth him as infinitely short it falls there he desists and what he is unable to perceive by this is foolishness to him as 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of God for they are foolishness unto him They are not so indeed and in themselves they are but so to him He is too wise to take in such foolish things and therefore the Apostle saith not many wise 1 Cor. 1.16 and tells us plainly that if we ever mean to attain to saving knowledge we must be renewed in the spirit of our mind Eph. 1.24 that is in the highest purest and the most refined part of it As spirits are the quintessence of things that are most abstract from dross and that have least of earth in them Even these must be renewed or saving knowledge will not be received 2. In every unbeliever and unsanctified person as there is something redundant that repells divine knowledge so there is something wanting to receive it and that is the spirit of God Saving truths are often called the things of the spirit as 1 Cor. 2.14 Now my beloved the things of our own spirits carnal natural and worldly things our own spirits will take in but the things of Gods spirit Gods spirit only will take in Though they be brought home to our doors if Gods spirit be not there to take them in if he be not at home to entertain them and receive them it is all to no purpose And this is the case of the natural man he hath not the spirit of God and therefore he receiveth not the things of the spirit because he hath no principle within him that is agreeable and suitable unto them And this is that which the Apostle aims at when he saith we speak wisdom to them that are perfect 1 Cor. 2.6 That is to them that have all the parts of a spiritual man whereof the spirit is the principal the doctrine which we teach is accounted wisdom But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the animal man the souly man the man that hath a soul indeed but no spirit I mean none of Gods spirit he perceives not these things nor can he know them And why so because they are spiritually discerned And he poor man hath not the spirit to discern them by And therefore though he hear the words of God and Christ he never knows the mind of God or Christ as it is added in the end of that Chapter I shall add but one reason more unbelievers and unsanctified persons know not God because as they are of themselves unable in the respects which have been mentioned so they are unwilling also to know God They will not understand Psal 82.5 They are wilfully ignorant as 2 Pet. 3.5 God comes and shews himself to them and they say to God Depart from us for we will not the knowledge of thy wayes Light is offered and they shut their eyes against it So that it may be said of such Their eyes have they closed lest they should see with their eyes They need not to ascend up into heaven to bring God down from thence that they may see him No the word that manifesteth and revealeth God is nigh to them Rom. 10.6 They need not to go far to hear it and to hear of God in it But many will not step out of their doors to meet with God and to be acquainted with him If any light break in upon them by which they have a glimpse of God they even thrust it out again They do as the Gentiles did Rom. 1.19 they liked not to retain God in their knowledge They had him there but they liked not to retain him they had no mind to keep him there feign they would put him out again the apprehension of a God called upon them for love and duty and obedience and was a curb and a restraint from many evils and therefore they were weary of such thoughts as those and sought to chase them from their minds To say the truth they did not like them and therefore would be rid of them And thus it is with many Christians These are the reasons why unbelieving and unsanctified persons know not God Vse 1 Now to descend to application In the first place here we see the misery of unbelieving and unsanctified persons For all that know not God are in an infinitely sad condition They are exposed to his fiercest wrath and most direfull indignation The ignorant of God as you may see Jer 10.28 are made the object of a fearfull imprecation yea the ignorant of God among the Heathen who are deprived of the means though not of all yet at the least of any saving knowledge of him and yet the Prophet prayes Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that have not known thee And what then will become of the ignorant of God among Christans If ignorance of God yea though it be invincible expose men to the vengeance of the Lord and damn them everlastingly because the knowledge of him is required necessitate medii to salvation what will it do if it be wilfull and affected If Jeremy desire the Lord to pour his fury on the heathen who yet have not so much as the outward means of knowledge What rivers and what floods of indignation think you will be poured out on them who have the means and will not learn nor be instructed by them what will they do when the day of judgement comes when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven c. rendring vengeance to them that know not God as 2 Thes 1.4.8 I beseech you think upon it and lay it seriously to heart you that have long enjoyed the means and yet know very little of the nature or the will of God Or if you know with a notional discoursive knowledge you know him not with an affective and effective knowledge You glorifie him not as God you do not walk according to your knowledge of him And so your knowledge is as good as no knowledge You may and many do delude themselves with this conceit that though they dye in this