been among them Together with the reason which he interposes why he made this Petition for them in the world Proceed we to the second argument with which he backs it and it is taken from the place in which he was about to leave them wherein he was assured they would stand in need of special preservation from his Father And therefore he desireth him to keep them through his own Name because our Saviour for his own part was even ready to depart from them and to abandon them in such a place where they would be in danger every day and every hour as being hated and maligned upon all hands and that for the truths sake I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world So that the words have in them a discovery of the condition and estate of Christs Disciples in the world together with the causes of it First the condition and estate of Christs Disciples in the world is mentioned here although not in the first place and it is such as cannot but be grievous and uncomfortable to them For they are very ill beloved yea they are hated universally almost the world hath hated them saith Christ And then the causes of it are annexed by what means it comes to pass that they are so maligned in the world and this is not for any evill that is in them or done by them But either first because they receive the Word of God not into their knowledge only but into their practice and obedience too I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them So that it hates them for the Word and for the Truths sake And secondly because they are not of this world but of another therefore the world is so envenomed and so malitiously bent against them The world hath hated them because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world They like them much the worse because they are in this respect like me At this time let us look into the condition and estate of Christs Disciples in the world the world hates them The world is taken divers ways I think more differently then any other phrase almost in Scripture Sometimes we find it used for elect and sanctified sometimes for reprobate and unsanctified persons Sometimes for the elect and sanctified as you may see that place for instance Joh. 4.42 This is the Christ the Saviour of the world that is of all the chosen and elect of God not limited to Jewry only but wheresoever scattered over all the world God was in Christ saith the Apostle reconciling the world to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 Not all the world at large but all his chosen people whatsoever or wheresoever living in the world Sometimes the world is taken for reprobate and unsanctified men So that The world lies in wickedness 1 Joh. 5.19 as Austin intimateth the distinction there is mundus mundus mundus inmundus Indeed it is so differently taken that sometimes they that are hated are the world and sometimes they that hate them are the world And in this latter sense you are to understand it in my Text The world that is the reprobate and wicked of the world hath hated them saith our Saviour to his Father Theâ— whom why them whom thou hast given me as you may see if you look a little back on the foregoing verses Them whom thou hast bestowed upon me and whom I have received and entertained for my Disciples them hath the world hated So that you see DOCTRINE It is the manner of the world to hate them that are Christs Disciples They that belong to Jesus Christ are usually but ill-beloved among ungodly and unsanctified men The world is generally set against them to malign them and oppose them and do them all the spite and mischief that they can So it was in Christs time and so it will be to the worlds end And therefore it is made the Epithite of wicked men that they are such as hate the righteous you may see that place for instance Psal 34.21 They are not only angry with them but they hate them and that to the very death They desire their extirpatation and destruction that they may have no more a being no nor so much as the memorial of a being if it might be possible that their name may be no mere remembred Psal 83.4 And therefore you shall find the Saints complaining often of the hatred of the world and of the rage and malice of ungodly men against them And Christ fore-warning his Disciples what they must expect in this world You shall be hated saith our Saviour of all Nations Mat. 24.9 That seems to be very much yet in another place he goes further You shall be hated of all men you must conceive it of all worldly wicked men Mat. 10.22 I shall add no more for proof you see it is the manner of the wicked world c. But what should be the reason why they hate them so It may be you will ask as David once What hath the righteous done what evil hath he wrought what have Christs Disciples done that they are so maligned in the world Why truly my Beloved if you would know the reason of it it is not for any evil they have done that they are so railed at and that they have so much ill will on all hands there is no just and real cause of all this hatred which they suffer from the world No my Beloved as they hated Christ himself without a cause as David once complained as his Type Psal 35.19 so they hate Christs Disciples too those that belong to Christ without a cause without any just cause So that you see here is a Doctrine of which no man in the world can give you one good reason It is the manner of the wicked world to hate them that are Christs Disciples but it is without reason without any good reason However they have reasons to themselves such as they are of this hatred And I might give you many such reasons more then a good many For though there be not any reasons why they should yet there are many reasons why they do hate Christs Disciples and I might be large upon them But I shall confine my self to those which Christ hath mentioned in the Text it self The wicked world hates Christs Disciples because they entertain the Word of God because they love it and obey it and conform their lives to it and this is the account our Saviour gives his Father of the business I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them as if he should have said for that cause I have so given them thy Word that they have entertained it as thy Word in their faith and love and practice and obedience and hence it is that they are so maligned and despitefully entreated in the world And so it is at this
day As long as men make no account and reckoning of the Word as long as they profess it only but are not very zealous for it nor very careful to walk in every thing exactly by it they may live pretty quiet with their neighbors But if they come once to contend and that with earnestness for every truth that is contained in the Word if they will not in any case by any means depart in any thing from that Rule the world will be about their ears upon a sodain and shew a great deal of malignity and rage against them But why should this exasperate the world against them you will ask me I cannot tell you why it should but I will tell you why it doth For by this means they cross the world and they condemn and shame the world And this is that which sets the world so much against them By this means they cross the world and this they are not able to endure it makes their very hearts to rise against them And they cross them three ways they cross them in their judgements and they cross them in their wills and they cross them in their lives and conversations 1. First by this means they cross them in their judgements and opinions Till men receive the Word of God they can in every thing conform their judgements and opinions to the world They can think as they do and they can speak as they do they can agree and hold with them in every point and so they walk on lovingly together there grows no difference or debate between them But when they come to entertain the Word to be their rule in every thing both in opinion and in conversation now they are forced to differ from the world to clash with them in many things to contradict and oppose them and gain-say them And this breeds disaffection and dislike yea enmity and hatred against them Nay they are forced sometimes if they will keep exactly to the Word of God to cross the world in those opinions which they are most intent upon and for which they are most eager and this they can by no means bear from them As they that entertained Christ to be the Son of God and the Saviour of the world when he was conversant upon the Earth and in the times that followed next after his Incarnation Passion and Ascension they did exceedingly enrage the world against them The generality of men would not endure to heat of Christ or the Religion that embraced and worshipped him and therefore whosoever undertook to own him and profess him was sure to meet with all the violence and rage and malice that the world could pour upon him He might have crost the world in many other truths and not have found so ill measure but this drew out their rage and malice to the utmost And this is that as I conceive which our Saviour Christ aims particularly at in my text I have given them thy Word thy Gospel Word of that he speaks and they have entertained it and embraced it and therefore the world hates them And if you look into the stories of the Church you shall observe that whosoever closed with the Gospel in those early times and professed the faith of Christ from which the world was so exceedingly averse he was exposed thereby to all the misery that humane cruelty c. could devise to inflict But after when this gospel-Gospel-Truth came to be better setled and digested in the world so that they were content to hear of Christ and his Religion with a little patience then there rose up other things in which they would not be gain-said As to leap down to Luther time who ever stuck to him and to the doctrine which he taught against the Pope and his adherents got the world about his ears And so in every age there are some passages of holy Scripture and the truths delivered in them against which the world is violently bent and whosoever sticks to these the world hates him out of measure and doth him all the mischief that it can And therefore this is called the Word of Gods patience Apoc. 3.10 Thou hast kept the Word of my patience that is thou hast not only kept my Word in general but more particularly thou hast kept those portions of my Word and those parcels of my Truth which must have patience to the keeping of them A man may keep some Truths delivered in the Word without patience as being universally received by all opposed by none But there are others which if a man maintain and hold them he shall surely suffer he shall be persecuted for them And he that keeps these notwithstanding keeps the Word of Gods patience The patience which God works in his people 2. They that embrace the Word of God as they cross the wicked world in their opinions so they cross them in their wills They cannot do in every thing as the wicked world would have them they cannot yeild to every thing which they obtrude and force upon them and this is another reason why they are so exasperated and enraged against them Were it not for the Word of God to which they are resolved to yield obedience they might comply in every thing and so the world and they might be very good freinds But when the Word forbiddeth what the world requireth that most vehemently too perhaps they are forced to cross the world and and so the Word brings the world and them out These men say they are so precise and holy that they must have Scripture for every thing they say or do they will do nothing but what they have a warrant for out of the Word of God But we will make them stoop and yield and we will make them turn another leaf ere we have done and when they cannot have their wills because the other cannot bend or vary from the Word of God when they are crost in that which they are so resolved upon this heats the furnace of their wrath seven times hotter then ordinary and this the Prophet David found Psal 119.161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word Either he must have them against him or the Word of God against him They threatned him if he obeyed the Word the Word upon the other side that threatned if he disobeyed it Whom did he fear most why saith the Psalmist My heart standeth in awe of thy Word I fear it more then I fear them And this was that which got him much hatred and bitter persecution too as you may see in that place 3. They that receive the Word of God as they cross the wicked world in their opinions and their wills so in their conversations too they do not live and walk as they do their ways are of another fashion and this is another reason why the world is so malitiously bent against them Were it not for the Word of God and the rules that it
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
by the Gospel as they that cast behind their backs the precepts of the Gospel and will not walk accordingly in their lives and conversations It is a dreadful sentence to this purpose able to break the hearts of wicked men and to shake their joynts in pieces 2 Thess 1.8 The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Indeed as Gospel truth is most excellent so disobedience to this Gospel truth is most dangerous we know what a fearful doom and dreadful sentence the Apostle thunders out against it Heb. 10.26 If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth the Gospel truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin From which perversly wrested though Novatus did extract that desperate Heresie of his denying hope of pardon unto those who after they were once baptized relapsed into sin Yet those uncomfortable inferences being laid aside this is most evidently taught us in that Scripture viz. That where the mind hath been enlightned once with Gospel truth it tends exceedingly to the increase and aggravation of those sins that are committed after and against it And therefore upon these considerations labour to walk worthy of so glorious a Gospel and so great a Salvation JOHN 17.18 As thou sent me into the world c. AND thus far of our Saviours Prayer in the behalf of his Apostles and Disciples for Sanctification Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth Proceed we to the arguments and reasons with which he urgeth and enforceth this Petition request of his And they are two Whereof the first is taken from the business and employment that he is setting them about viz. the very same in some respect at least which he himself hath hitherto sustained and undergone by the appointment of the Father As thou hast sent me into the world so I have sent them into the world I am now about to send them it is as good as done already For yet they had not their Commission to preach the Gospel to all the world to every creature And therefore thou hadst need to sanctifie them saith our Saviour to his Father by a more full discovery of thy truth to them that so they may be fitted and enabled for such a service as this is It is extreamly necessary that they should be qualified with all the gifts and graces of the Spirit to the very utmost being to go upon the very self same errand and business on which thou hast imployed me Sanctifie them saith our Saviour Why might the Father answer why so Cause enough saith Jesus Christ for as thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world There are two things to be considered in the words There is something positive and there is in the second place something comparative 1. There is something positive in these words which Christ affirmeth positively of himself and his Apostles That which he affirmeth positively of himself is that his Father hath sent him into the world That which he affirmeth positively of his Apostles and Disciples is That he is sending them into the world There is something Comparative in which our Saviour Christ compares his Fathers sending him with his own sending his Apostles As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world I shall but touch on that which Christ affirmeth positively of himself and that as you have heard is that his Father hath sent him down into the world He would not suffer him to stay in heaven but sent him forth upon some weighty and important business so that the point to be observed is this DOCTRINE That Jesus Christ was sent into the world by the appointment and command of God the Father The word in the Original importeth an authoritative sending which is accordingly submitted to and yield to by the person that is sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Saviour to the Father Thou hast sent me into the world so sent that I accordingly am come into the world I have stoopt to thy mission But this hath for the substance of it been handled on the third verse and therefore I shall wave the further prosecution of it here and pass on to the following words JOHN 17.18 Even so have I also sent them into the world AND thus of that which Jesus Christ hath affirmed of himself in relation to his Father Thou hast sent me into the world Proceed we now to that which he affirms of his Apostles and in them of his succeeding Ministers in relation to himself I also have sent them into the world And here we have to be considered three things First the author of the Mission I I stands for Jesus I have sent Secondly the term or local object of the Mission the world without restraint or limitation all the world I have sent them into the world Not into Judea only but into the world Thirdly the comparison between our Saviours mission of his Apostles and Embassadors and his Fathers mission of himself suggested in the word also I also have sent them into the world as thou sent me into the world even so have I also sent them c. As the parts so the Observations are three First the Apostles and Ministers of Jesus Christ are sent by him they are of Christs own sending Secondly Christ doth not send them particularly or restrictively to any Countrey or to any Nation But their Commission leaves them free to all the world Thirdly Jesus Christ sends his Apostles and his Ministers even as his Father sent him There is a great similitude between Gods sending Christ into the world and Christs sending his Apostles and Ministers into the world I shall handle these distinctly as God shall give ability and opportunity Beginning with the first DOCTRINE The Apostles and the Ministers of Jesus Christ are sent by him they are of Christs own sending For the Apostles they have their very name from sending The word in the Original importeth such a one as is dispatched upon the errand of another upon the business that another sends him in And Christ is often said to send them There are two memorable missions of them mentioned in the Gospel story The first a little after he had called them Mat. 10.1 c. When he had called his twelve Disciples and they were his twelve Apostles as they are stiled ver 2. he gave them power against unclean spirits And these twelve he sent forth ver 1. and after at ver 16. Behold I send you forth saith he as sheep among Wolves The second memorable mission of them was a little after he was risen from the dead and was even ready to ascend Joh. 20.21 Even as my Father sent me so send I you And this is that which the Apostle Paul acknowledges that he was
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
duty you do to him can be accepted 4. You can hope for no pardon of sin 5. Cannot come to God with boldness 124. What meant by the only true God p. 126. viz. the whole Essence of the Godhead 3. Doctr. That the Father Son and Holy Ghost is the only true God p. 128. Reason For he only hath being of himself 2. He is the living God 3. None can do that which he doth 4. He only is Eternal 1. Vse Be stirred up to confirm your faith of this Motives 1. For then the more and better we shall walk with him 2. Serve and obey him p. 130. Direct 1. Give full assent to the Scriptures 2. Know him to be above all other Gods 3. Be resolved not doubtful of this point 4. Pray for faith in this particular p. 133. 2. Vse Obey serve and honour him as the true God p. 134. 3. Vse Let us have no other God but him only p. 135. Serve the Lord and not Idols p. 136. Times p 138. Lusts neither your own nor that of others p. 139. 2. Fear none but him 3. Trust in him alone p. 140. 4. Vse Learn from hence to be at unity among our selves 5. Learn to see our happiness of having chosen him for our God p. 141. 4. Doctr. That Christ is the Apostle or Messenger of God p. 142. Explication 1. Sent from God and from heaven How possible p. 143. 2. Into the world 3. The errand on which he was sent viz. to make peace preach peace 4. Therefore fitly qualified with 1. Authority 2. Ability Fulness of Merit to make peace p. 145. Spirit to preach peace p. 145. 1. Vse Admire the mercy of the sender 2. Of him that would be sent Void of fear and constraint p. 147 2. Be all intreated to receive and entertain him For 1. His errand is your business 2. It 's for your good and advantage 3. The Father expects you should honour his Embassadour and Son 4. He will avenge the refusers of him 5. This Messenger can prevail with God for you p. 149. Direction 1. Receive him so as to hearken to him 2. To believe in him 3. To obey him p. 150. 5. Doct. Whoever wil be glorified with God in heaven must glorifie him first on earth p. 152 Reason It is the everlasting counsel and decree of God Vse 1. Against vain expecters of future glory p. 153. 2. Vse Learn to glorifie God here 1. By a vocal declaration 2. By a real representation in what you 1. are p. 154. 2. do p. 154. Gods glory how to be our aim in all Ver. 4 1. Doctr. That Christ was ordered by his Father in the work he did in this world p. 156. Expl. Christ was so ordered in his works of Satisfaction His obedience Active p. 157. Passive p. 158. Application p. 158. As by the 1. Promulgation of the Word 2. Internal operation of the Spirit p. 159. Reas 1. Christ was the Fathers creature 2. The Fathers servant p. 160. 1. Vse Admire the humble condescension of Christ 2. Learn to be humbled in like manner and to suffer willingly p. 161. 3. Vse Some do the good others the evil which God hath not given them to do p. 162. Danger of neglecting Gods order p. 164. How Christ had finished the work before his Passion p. 165. 2. Doct. Christ did not do his work by halves but went through with it p. 166. Sufferings of Christs body Natural Mystical 1. Vse Who guilty of adding to the works of Christ 2. Let us persevere in our work and finish it Five Motives hereunto p. 169. Ver. 5 What glory Christ prayed for Doct. Christ as Man in some measure partaker of the divine glory 1. By the grace of union 2. By the grace of dispensation from the Father p. 173. 1. Vse Know the advancement of our nature in the Person of Christ 2. Their personal advancement that belong to Christ partly in 1. Fruition 2. Assured expectation 3. This should make us despise the shame of this world 2. So to walk as not to be a shame to Christ p. 174. Ver. 6 How Christ had manifested Gods Name Doct. Christ made an absolute and compleat discovery of his Father to the people 1. By his Personal appearance in the flesh 2. By his Word and Gospel 3. By his Spirit p. 178. 2. Q. Why Christ only makes this discovery R. 1. None but he is able 2. None but he is fit to make this discovery p. 180. 3. Q. Why the discovery he makes is so full and absolute R. 1. As being the faithful Prophet of his Church 2. That the discovery may be effectual 1. Vse The ignorant inexcusable 2. Learn to bless his Name for this discovery 3. Grow up in the knowledge of this Name made known p. 182. 4. Vse Be satisfied with the discovery which Christ hath made search not beyond it Pride Sin Danger vanity thereof p. 184. 5. Vse Walk worthy of this discovery i. e. Despair not under sin or misery p. 185. 2. Doct. Some the Father giveth to Christ out of the world 2. A certain number of them 3. Being once the Lords they are no longer of the world Confirm 1. The actual members of Christ are dead with Christ and of another world as are their kindred and alliance p. 190. 3. Their habitation is spiritual so is their action and traffique 1. Vse Therefore the world storms and rageth at mens being given up to Christ 2. Examin Are we given up to Christ p. 192. Marks 1. They are not conformable to this present world 2. They speak the language of another world p. 193. 3. They dearly affect their Countreymen 3. Vse Think not strange of ill usage in the world p. 194. 4. Vse Regard not the things of this world 5. Follow not a multitude to sin It s safe and honorable to be retired 6. Be not troubled at worldly troubles 3. Doct. All Christs people were first belonging to the Father p. 197. 1. The Father essentially taken 2. All belonged to God 1. By Creation 2. By Election 3. Christs people not so his as not the Fathers 1 Vse Christ will tenderly keep those that are so given him Word of God Inward and Essential p. 202. Outward and Declaratory p. 202. 4. Doct. They whom the Father gives to Christ keep his word p. 203. Christs Word is kept In the memory by retaining In the heart by believing In the affections by loving In the life by obeying with obedience Active Passive Vse Exam. Are we so given up to Christ that we keep his Word p. 205. 2. Vse Direct For helping memory 1. Be intent and fix your mind on the Word 2. Get a good understanding 3. Value the Word 4. Strengthen the memory by meditation repetition conference 5. Set instantly to practice the truth you hear 6. Pray for the Spirit to do his Office 3. Vse of Examination Do we keep Christs word by Faith Some believe none of it 2. Some but part of it
p. 208. 3. Some believe not the threatnings Marks They that believe the threatnings quake and tremble at them 2. Take some course to avert them 4. Some believe not the promises 1. The sad and fearful 2. They that are troubled with doubts cares distractions 3. The wavering and inconstant 4. They that will suffer nothing for it Cautions 1. You are not to believe all that is presented under the title of Gods Word 2. It 's no sign of Infidelity to move questions 3. Nor to have some doubtful thoughts concerning clear truth p. 212. 3. Exam. Have we kept the Word in our affections by loving it p. 213. Marks 1. Lovers of the Word desire on all occasions to converse with it 2. Hear as often as they may 3. Exercise themselves in the reading and meditation of it 4. Endeavour to be inwardly acquainted with it 5. Will not easily quarrel with and disobey it 6. Will hardly part with it p. 216. 4. Motives to love the Word As being 1. the means of conversion 2. A light of direction 3. A Teacher to inform you 4. Means to confirm you 5. To comfort 6. To save you p. 218. 5. You must keep the word by obeying it 1. Not by partial but by a total obedience p. 220. 2. With a cordial obedience 3. Constantly to the end Directions 1. Pray God to teach you 2. Find out and mortifie the lusts that hinder you p. 223. 5. Doctr. To entertain the Word as we ought we must know for certain that it is the Word of God p. 224. Reason 1. Then we shall receive it with holy fear 2. That we may give it full credit and belief 3. That we may yield full resignation and submission 4. That we may allow it absolute and universal obedience 1. Vse See the cause of mens slighting and disobeying the Word p. 229. 2. Vse Learn how to entertain the Word aright viz. By believing that it is Gods Scriptures proved to be the Word of God 1. By the evident accomplishment of promises 2. By the joynt testimony of the Church 3. By consent of the Writers 4. By the effectual and mighty working of it on mens hearts and souls 5. By the blood of many Martyrs sealing it with their lives p. 231. 2. The Spirit of God assures us that the Scripture is Gods Word 1. By removing impediments 2. By giving grace fitting us to receive Ver. 7 Doctr. Christ hath approved himself a faithful Prophet and Messenger to his Church p. 234. Confirm 1. As having added nothing to his message 2. That he hath taken nothing from it How Christ did and did not tell them all p. 236. 1. Vse Diligently observe and hear this Prophet 2. Trust him 3. Try other Prophets p. 237. 4. Vse Not a word of his must be nelected or slighted 5. Seek no further for direction in matters of Salvation p. 239. 6. Let Ministers learn to be so faithful 1. Adding nothing as doth 1. the superstitious 2. Sceptick 3. vain-glorious Teacher p. 241. 2. Not mincing or diminishing the Word 1. Otherwise they are guilty of the blood of souls 2. Diminish their own mercy 3. Expose themselves to the ignominy and contempt of men 4. To the injuries of men Q Why ungodly men have prevailed p. 243. Ver. 8 2. Doctr. The faithfulness of Gods Messenger availeth much to commend him and his message to the people p. 244. Vse Hence so many Ministers slighted because unfaithful 2. A Minister shews himself faithful 1. In the right delivery of his message 2. To a right end Not satisfying their own passions nor aiming at their own respects 3. In a passive way 3. Doctr. The good reception of the message depends upon the peoples good opinion of the Messenger p. 247. Vse Do not rashly judge of Gods Messengers You may judge of him 1. by his entrance 2 By his ability 3. By his readiness to love Ver. 9 1. Doctr. Christ intercedes for none but his own people p. 250. Reas He is a Priest and Mediator only for them 1. Vse Christ died not for all without limitation 2. Vse The sad condition of those without the Church 3. Vse Happiness of those that belong to Christ Having union with him that is so near to God 2. Son near to you 3. That can never dye p. 253. This gives us boldness in address 2. Supports us in the sense of our imperfections 3. Assures the success of our Petitions 4. Keeps from despair under sin 2. Doctr. That all Christs people belong to God the Father Confirm As being more his by being Christs 1. For he hath none to share with him but Christ 2. His title to them being strengthned and enlarged 3. By unity 1. Vse Therefore Christs people excellent and precious 2. Walk worthy of such a relation For 1. your sins dishonour him more 2. They are sharply and sooner chastised for their sins p. 257. 2. Vse The Saints comfort 1. They shall be the more surely heard 2. God doth more dearly love them 3. God will tender their wrong either 1. Defending Or 2. Avenging them 4. God will provide for them 5. He will not lose them p. 257. Ver. 10 1. Doctr. Christ is glorified in all that belong to him Confirm For the present life he is glorified in their Grace p. 261. future he is glorified in their Glory p. 261. 1. Vse They who live to Christs dishonour are none of his 2. It should quicken and stir us up to labour 1. For grace and holiness here 2. After glory hereafter p. 263. How Christ absent from the Father p. 265. 2. Doctr. Christ as Man is gone out of this world to the immediate presence of his Father p. 266. Reas 1. That his humiliation might be recompensed with honour 2. Because he hath no more to do here 3. Hath much to do there 1. He was to triumph there over his enemies and ours 2. That he might send down his Spirit to his people 3. Intercede for them 4. To prepare a place and make heaven ready for us 5. Christ is gone that he may now virtually draw us after him 1. Vse Expect him not here till he return from heaven 2. Make much of his spiritual presence among us Therefore 1. take heed of grieving his Spirit Either by unkinde slighting or stubborn resistance 2. Take singular and mighty comfort in his Spirit 3. Receive and entertain the graces of this Spirit p. 271. 3. Vse Follow Christ in our spirits As 1. by our thoughts and meditations 2. By our affections 3. By our desires and anhelations of the Spirit p. 273. 3. Doct. The world alwayes an uncomfortable place to Christs Disciples p. 274. 1. Here they are continually exposed to many tryals and troubles 2. Vexed with the sins of others but chiefly their own 3. Banished from Christ p 273. 1. Vse Look not for joy and quietness from the world but provide for evil 2. Think it not strange 3. Love not the world nor to continue
to another So his Disciples p. 383. 1. Vse Exam. 1. Strangers to this world are not conformable thereunto 2. Love those of the other world 3. Have another language 2. Vse No wonder that they are made a gazing stock 3. Vse Live like heavenly Citizens 4. Vse Regard not this world nor vanities thereof p. 386 5. Vse Do not desire or phansie long continuance here 6. Vse Why should we be unwilling to part from hence p. 387. 2 Doct. The Word of God is the ordinary means of Sanctification Explicat 1. The work is begun 1. Preparatively by the Law 2. Really by the Gospel p. 389. 2. So it is carryed on 1. Vse Let Ministers be instant and diligent in preaching 1. Though the fruit of their endeavours be not always manifest 2. Though they want success they must labour still 3. So they shall not want recompence 4. The Elect are thereby brought to heaven 391. 2. Vse Let people be perswaded to hear the Word 3. Vse People thrive not in grace because they wait not on this Ordinance 4. Attend upon the Word 5. Vse That ye may profit by the Word Remove 1. Pride 2. Unbelief 3. Strong Passion 4. Prejudice against the Teacher 5. Labour to digest it 6. Use earnest prayer Ver. 17 Doct. The Word of God especially the Gospel is the Truth 1. The Word of God is all Truth 2. The Gospel is the Truth p. 396. Gospel-Truth the most excellent 1. Christ being the most precious subject thereof 2. The most delightful Subject 2. For the maner of revelation most perspicuous 3 For the confirmation 4. For the operation 1. Works grace 2. Infuseth life p. 398. 1. Vse The whole Word to be believed 2. Vse Let us give it the preferment 1. In our Inquisition 2. In our Acceptation p. 401. 3. Vse The gospel-Gospel-truth must be accordingly maintained 1. By our Arguments and Reasons 2. By our sufferings 3. Must be obeyed The disobedient reproved Ver. 18 Doct. The Apostles and Ministers of Christ are sent by him Cant. Not only by him But 1. By the Father and Holy Spirit 2. By the Church p. 407 1. Vse They blamed who take this honour upon themselves 2. Vse Therefore the Pastors power but ministerial 3. They must deliver his message p. 410. for his Ends. p. 410. 4. Vse Let the Church prove those that pretend to the Ministery Whether furnished with competent Ability 1. Of Knowledge 2. Of Utterance 3. Whether furnished with propensity and readiness to use their gift 4. Whether qualified with Sincerity p. 412. 5. Vse Entertain his Ministers 1. With double honour 2. Give them audience 6. Vse Bear with their plainess and sharpness of Reproof p. 413. 2. Doct. Ministers Commission not restrained to any Nation or Countrey Reas 1. His Kingdom to be erected 2. Churches to be planted over all the world p. 416. 1. Vse Ministers justified in their propagating the Church in America Promote it with our Prayers 2. Vse Matter of joy and thanksgiving p. 423. 3. Doct. The resemblance of Christs Mission with that of the Apostles The similitude and dissimilitude of their sending In regard of 1. their Authority and Power 2. In regard of Qualification 3. In relation to the Message 4. To the end for which they were sent p. 426. Ver. 19 1. Doct. Christ did willingly set himself a part to be an Offering and a Sacrifice to the Father Reason There was no power able to overcome him p. 432. 1. Vse As the greater was his love so should be our praise 2. Let us learn as willingly to offer up our selves and all we have p. 433. 2. Doct. Christ did offer himself for our Sanctification Reason His Design being not only to preserve and justifie but to save us too and glorifie himself in us 1. Vse Abuse not this grace 2. Be stirred up to strive after holiness 3. A terror to ungratious wretches 3. Doct. Christs Intercession extended to those that shall believe Vse This should encourage us to pray for the unconverted p. 438. 4. Doct. Christ the object of true believers faith Expl. How the Word 2. God 3. Heaven and Salvation the objects of faith p. 440. 1. Vse Be not satisfied with a general assent unto the Word 1. Endeavour to know Christ aright 2. Believe that Christ is such a one 3. Embrace this truth in the heart 2. Vse Hence appears the imperfection of inherent righteousness 3. The perfection of imputed righteousness and Justification 4. Relie on Christs for salvation p. 442 Ver. 20 Doct. The Gospel the instrumental means of faith Expl. The Law prepareth not worketh faith 1. Vse The sad condition of those that want the Gospel 2. Vse Revelations and new discoveries no ground of faith 3. Let unbelievers duly hear the Gospel p. 445. 2. Doct. It is the will of Christ that his Disciples should be one among themselves and one in God Though distant they are one 1. As having one Spirit 2 One faith 3. One heart and affection God and Christ are one 1. By Hypostatical union 2. By dear affection 3. By unexpressible agreement and consent So the Disciples are one in both 1. By mystical union c. 1. Vse Know the glorious priviledge of Christs Disciples It implying 1. Intimate Communion with God 2. Special interest in him 3. It imports great acquaintance with them both 1. They know God more immediately then others do 2. More distinctly p. 452. 3. That they have more easie and familiar access to him 4. More immediate injoyment of all comforts and content 5. The best safety 2. Vse Admire Gods goodness pleased so highly to advance and honour us 3. Vse Walk worthy of such an honour For 1. This aggravates sin committed in him 2. Makes it specially observed by him 3. To be more severely chastised p. 457. 3. Vse Let true believers use this their interest in all exigencies and strâ—ights 4. Let those without God not molest and hurt believers p. 58. 5. Vse Let true believers be knit to God and Christ in love Direct 1. Pray earnestly for it 2. Increase your knowledge of God 3. Have daily more Communion with him 4. Put away the love of worldly things 5. Frequent the company of those that love God 6. Vse Agree with God and Christ in all respects every way Else you are 1. Irregular 2. Undutiful 3. Agreement among our selves is nothing worth Ver. 21 World what it signifies Doct. Unity of Christs Disciples makes the world have better thoughts of their Master p. 466. Vse Divisions of the Church make Christ the Gospel and Religion to be undervalued and little set by Ver. 22 1. Doct. Christ communicates his glory to true believers 1. His Titles 2. Sitting at the right hand 3. Authority and power 4. His three Offices 5. Gifts p. 473. Ver. 23 Christ in believers and God in him for the union of all Doct. This is the perfection of believers union p. 477. Vse The defective union of worldly men 2. Doct.
not all that is so called page 211 Believers priviledges page 256 379 450 451. 479 480 561 Their sins more hainous page 257 Have many enemies and why page 360 363 458 Object of Believers faith Christ page 439 The Word God Heaven and Salvation page 440 Believers loved as Christ page 478 479 Body of Christ Natural and Mystical page 167 Bodily outward worship not to be neglected page 12 Rules and directions for it page 13 C Certainty of salvation page 80 314 315 Christ the Fathers Son and Wisdom page 5 16 Our great Prophet and Preacher ib. 339 Glorified by the Father page 32 Author of all good to the Church page 34. 72 123 124 To be glorified by us and how page 42 44 One with the Father page 48 Came not to quicken and save all men page 105 Must be known page 119 120 123 Comforts to the sons of God in Christ page 17 22 Comforts to the godly page 17 22 70 253 257 342 452 518 Against injuries of the world page 194 258 352 To the distressed page 290 291 365 524 Our Conscience and Faith not subject to men page 65 Conference page 206 Sons by Creation page 15 19 By Creation all the world is the Fathers page 98 199 Knowledge of our Creation page 119 Christ the Fathers Creature page 160 Curiosity condemned page 183 445 Sinfulness thereof page 184 D. DEath not to be prayed for page 366 c. Believers Dead to the world page 190 Comforts against Death page 89 93 387 Desire good things page 49 Dishonourers of Christ page 38 39 c. 262 Disobedient condemned page 59 70 162 164. 404 Despair not of those that are dead in sin page 103 185 255 438 Disorderly walkers page 162 163 Divine glory communicated to Christ page 173 Discovery of the Father See Manifestation Doubtful are unbelievers page 210 212 Disobedience to the word whence it proceeds page 229 Discord the causes thereof page 296 Evils and inconveniencies thereof page 467 E. WHo the Elect page 192 197 Elect cannot perish page 99 312 End of all is Gods glory page 43 154 Eternal God 129. Eternal love of God page 509 Eternal life from Christ page 86 What it is page 87 To be sought after and how page 90 Christs free gift page 90 Unbought unsought untaught page 92 93 How it consists in knowledge and begun therein page 108 Enemies outward and inward page 353 360 363 Evil. How Christ preserveth from all Evil page 371 372 c. Excellency of Christs people above others page 257 Of the Gospel above other Truths page 397 F FAith page 90 120 129 133 See Belief Father God to be apprehended under that notion page 15 21 The Father glorified by Christ page 46 Fears of failing page 88 185 God must be feared page 117 140 Fearful are unbelievers page 211 Father essentially taken page 198 Free love and mercy of God and Christ page 91 92 147 Faithfulness of Christ and his Ministers 244 246. Signs page 247 Christs word to be kept by Faith page 207 208 226 To be heard with Fear page 225 G. GIft of Christ wonderful page 98 516 517 Some given to Christ in special manner page 97 189 Outward fitting Gestures in prayers requisite page 12 13 Gifts of Christ 35. See Qualification page 412 413 Glory of Christ page 32 33 170 472 Gospel the subject of Christs words page 6 8 To be attended 90. 114. The Instrument of life page 109 398 Means to Sanctification page 389 The Truth page 396 God not slack page 30 Glorifieth Christ page 32 Only true God page 126 Godhead of the Trinity page 128 They that have made choice of God happy page 141 They must glorifie God here who will be glorified hereafter page 152 Vain expecters of future Glory page 153 How God is to be glorified here page 154 The Glory that Christ prayed for page 170 171 Christ Glorified in those that are his page 261 472 H. HAters of Christ page 512 513 Hearers how they may profit by the Word page 395 396 Hearing necessary page 392 445 Heathen people in dangerous state page 121 251 534 Heavenly conversation alliance kindred 190 191. Marks thereof page 385 Honour of God to be aimed at page 49 50 154 Honour from honouring Christ page 44 Hour of God page 28 29 30 Hope of Heaven page 174 Hinderances to obedience page 223 We must be Humble as Christ was page 162 Humiliation of Christ page 161 Hypocritical gestures in prayer page 13 Humility commended page 542 543 Holiness of God page 280 Knowledge thereof very profitable page 281 282 Holiness to be laboured for page 435 I. IDols not to be served 136. Causes of Ignorance page 531 533 Ignorance an impediment to life page 109 Ignorant persons sad condition 113 444 inexcusable page 182 533 534 For the Instruction of others page 115 122 Incarnation of Christ page 178 Impatient are unbelievers page 209 210 Intercession of Christ page 250 252 253 267 340 352 438 Judging and censuring others unlawful page 65. 248 Judgements sent not so much for the destruction of enemies as preservation of friends page 77 How to Judge of true Ministers page 248 249 411 412 Imperfections of the Saints page 296 374 441 541 Joy Christ the Author and Original page 338 None to those that are out of Christ page 341 Means and matter of Joy page 343 348 Marks of spiritual Joy page 350 False Joy page 351 Justification page 442 Justice commended page 526 Justice and righteousness of God page 519 520 to be meditated page 528 A comfort to the righteous page 523 524 K. CHrist Keepeth those that are given him page 201 Word of Christ how Kept in the memory heart page 204 Power of God Keepeth those that belong to Christ page 285 How they are Kept and why page 286 287 312 313 Knowledge to be laboured for page 90 108 109 to 114 The beginning of eternal life page 108 109 Knowledge of God and Christ too necessary page 116 536 537 Knowledge of the Father without the knowledge of Christ is but vain and insufficient page 117 118 The most perfect Knowledge here imperfect page 541 543 L. LAnguage suitable for Christians page 193 385 Law none free from it page 60 Believers under the binding power of the Law page 61 62 How given to the righteous page 63 Law-giver none but Christ page 64 Life from Christ page 82 Life of Sanctification and Justication page 83 Christ our Lord by Creation Redemption Covenant page 19 Life not be valued 89 93 a mercy page 367 Come to Christ for Life page 93 Love towards God how to get and increase it page 460 461 552 553 Love of God and Christ to be admired 20. See Admire Love unto the Word 213. Marks thereof page 214 216 Loveliness of Christ page 515 516 Lusts of our own or others not to be obeyed page 139 Where Love is there is Christ page 558 559 Misery of those that have no
be a God at all or if there be whether ours which we have chosen be the right and true God it is impossible but we should so far as those doubts prevail upon us go out from him and apply our selves to those things which are obvious to the sence which we see and know to be The more undoubtedly and firmly we believe that our God is the true God the more perfectly and fully we shall serve him and obey him the more we shall trust in him the more we shall seek to him the more we shall strive to please him according to the strengthening or weakening of our faith in this particular will be the measure of our service and obedience to him of our reliance and dependence on him For even as if a man believe there is no God at all he will not serve him he will not roll himself upon him whom he thinketh not to be So if he believe it weakly and with many haesitations that there is a God or that the God which he hath chosen is the true God he will fear him and he will trust him very weakly and remisly He will be on and off and up and down according to the ebbings and the flowings of his faith But if we have a strong and an unshaken confidence that our God is God indeed then we will set our selves to serve him fully and without halting Then we will trust him perfectly we will apply our selves to please him in all our ways and all our actions But you will ask me then how shall we do to put this matter out of all question that our God is the true God and what means shall we use to satisfie our selves and to confirm our faith in this particular because it is a Point of such concernment and hath such influence in our lives I shall give you some Directions First Endeavour to the utmost of your power to give compleat and full assent and credit to the Scripture admit not any doubt in that particular One main thing that the Scripture doth is to give testimony to the God whom we worship and if we can but say that this witness is true there is an end of this business So far as we believe the Scripture we cannot but believe without any haesitation that our God is the true God If we be satisfied of the one we cannot possibly have any scruple of the other And therefore we should spend our thoughts upon such meditations as will settle us in this We should consider with our selves the strange Consent of Scripture-writers living in so many Ages the strange accomplishment of Scripture-Prophesies the strange effect of Scripture-admonitions exhortations threatnings Though it be carried in a low and easie stile how it commands us and prevaileth more upon us then all the Eloquence of men and Angels could ever do were it united altogether Especially we should observe we that are God's I mean for to such I now speak what admirable operation it hath had upon our own hearts how it hath pierced in and made a separation between our very joynts and marrow how it hath even told us all that ever we have done how it hath cast us down with sorrow unconceivable and then raised us up again with joy unspeakable and glorious how it hath altered and changed us and turned us clear about and made us to renounce our profits pleasures and delights our wills our reasons and desires yea to deny our selves that we might walk by this Rule Such things as these methinks should mightily confirm us in the truth of this that the Scripture is the very Word of God And then this cannot chuse but follow out of all dispute that our God is the true God Secondly Examine all pretenders to the Godhead and see if any of them have so good a Plea so good a Title to the Deity as the God whom we worship This I suppose is out of question with you that there is a God this is apparent by the current and the joynt-consent of men in all times and in all places For this is not a thing that hath been taught by this or that sect or held by this or that people But all sects how much soever they have differed in all other things have held this and all Nations how wide soever each from other in place or manners have taught this But now the thing we are upon is who this God is whether ours or any other And truly my Beloved if this be once admitted that there is a God our God will carry it from any other that hath laid any claim to it As for the Idols of the Heathen stocks and stones I know you will not think it worthy your consideration whether any of them were the true God And for the gods which the Barbarians worshipped the Sun the Moon the very beasts themselves of every sort they are no great pretenders neither we need no more then ordinary reason to convince us that these can be no Gods For to say truth they are below men The Romane gods are more considerable then the other and yet they were but men as Jupiter and Saturn and the like Yea to say truth they were vile and wicked men addicted to the grossest vices and such as led most prophane and lewd lives Yea they were mortal men and therefore certainly they were not Gods And hence their very Worshippers would shew you in one place a Temple and in another place a Sepulchre erected to the same God which is a most apparent Contradiction And truly if a man consider who have pretended to the Godhead besides our God and what poor things they were it will exceedingly establish and confirm him in this business You cannot think that if there be a God as that is granted of all hands he is concealed from the world till this time And truly for the other gods that have been worshipped if you will but examine them you will apparently discover them to have deluded and deceived the world so that you may exceedingly confirm your faith in this respect by an induction of particulars This god and that god cannot be the true God and so along in all the rest And therefore our God is undoubtedly the true God And you shall find the Lord to have such poor Competitors that you will certainly cry out at last as being fully satisfied The Lord is God the Lord is God Be sure to sift this business to the full when you set your selves about it and not to leave it undetermined in your own thoughts Never give over till you be resolved and till you be established in the present truth It is the fault of many men yea I believe of many good men that when some thoughts of Atheism are cast in and when they have some doubts arising in their hearts whether the Lord be God or no as this the very best may have they do not altogether scatter them before they leave them but
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
are they that hear the word of God and keep it But not to stay upon the proof in general because the term is for somewhat dark I shall proceed to shew you more particularly and distinctly what it is to keep the word of God which is the main thing in the observation They whom the Father gives to Jesus Christ do keep his word Now this imports and carries in it divers things To keep the word of God is to retain it in the memory not only to receive it but also to retain it there To hold fast what we have received as the expession is Rev. 3.11 Reprobis effluit sermo dei saith Calvin on my Text. The word of God flows away from reprobates and wicked men It is like water shed upon the ground which is gone upon the suddain But it sticks with the Elect it takes deep root there It is observed to the praise of Mary that she kept the sayings of our Saviour all his sayings Luke 2.50 Others lost them but she kept them and therefore she is set in opposition to them They understood not the sayings which he spake to them they knew not what he meant and therefore it was quickly gone with them for what you do not understand you shall be hardly able to remember But Mary kept these sayings in her heart while many others who understood not these discourses of our Saviour let them go They valued them as things of nothing and looked upon them but as loose words and therefore had no mind to keep them She laid them up with extraordinary care as singular and choice things And this is that which the Apostle Paul exhorts us to Heb. 2.1 We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard that is to the words of God least at any time we should let them slip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least we prove like leaking vessels that hold not what is poured into them but leak it out again upon a suddain Lest we forget the word of God That is the first thing then to keep the word of God is to retain it in the memory And those whom he bestows on Christ do thus keep it And as there is a keeping of it in the memory so in the second place there is a keeping of it in the heart As in the memory by retaining so in the heart by believing And of this sort of keeping speaks our Saviour John 8.51 Verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death His saying is the doctrine of the Gospell which is more properly the word of Christ He cannot mean if a man keep my saying if he remember it he shall never see death But if a man keep my saying if he believe it if he keep it in his heart for with the heart a man believeth to salvation then he shall never see death And so the words are parallel with those which he delivers in another place John 11.2 Whosoever believeth in me shall never die That is the second sort of keeping then in the heart by believing There is a keeping of the word of God as in the mind by remembring and in the heart by believing so in the affections by loving They are the Cabinet in which it is laid up and it is very safe there So David kept the word of God very dear in his affections as he professeth very often sometimes he saith that it is sweeter to him then hony or the hony-comb sometimes that is dearer to him then thousands of Gold and Silver That he loves it above Gold yea above fine Gold He loves it not as Silver but as Gold not equall unto Gold but above Gold Not above ordinary base Gold but above fine Gold That place is notable in which he seems to be transported Psal 119.97 O how do I love thy Law It is out of all measure it is so great that I am no way able to express it There is a keeping of the word as in the mind by remembring and in the heart by believing and in the affections by loving so in the life by obeying And in this sence the phrase is usually taken in the Scripture to keep and to obey is all one And so the Lord himself explains it Deut. 13.4 Ye shall walk after the Lord your God and keep his Commandments And what is that you shall obey his voice and serve him as it is added in the next words Now the word of God is kept as I shall shew you very clearly both by active and by passive obedience First it is kept by active obedience to it and Secondly it is kept by passive obedience for it 1. There is a keeping of the word of God by active obedience to it by doing that which it commands and by avoiding that which it forbids This is the common acceptation of the term This sense the Holy Ghost himself the best Interpreter gives of it 1 John 5.22 Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments Keep his Commandments how so you have it clearly in the following words And do those things that are pleasing in his sight And thus you must conceive the meaning of the Holy Ghost in the forealledged Scripture Luke 11.28 Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it that is that hear it and obey it 2. And as the word of God is kept by obedience active to it so by obedience passive for it And this is clearly intimated in the attestation that he gives the Church of Sardis Apoc. 3.10 thou hast kept the word of my patience that is as thou hast kept my word in general so more particularly thou hast kept those portions of my word and those parcels of my truth which must have patience to the keeping of them A man may keep some part of Gods word without patience as being as being universally received by all opposed by none But then there are some other portions of the Word and Truth of God which if a man maintain and hold and practise he shall surely suffer he shall be persecuted for them A man might have gone clear along with some truth even in the Marian days themselves But if he held and openly professed the truth against the real Presence in the Sacrament and so in many other things he brought himself into extream danger And so in every age there are some passages of holy Scripture and the truths delivered in them that are more opposed then others so that whoever sticks to them shall be sure to meet with trouble and so to exercise his patience And he that keeps these notwithstanding that maintains them and that yeilds obedience to them he keeps the Word of Gods patience And therefore it is noted of the good ground that it receives the Word of God aright and brings forth fruit with patience Luke 8.15 That on the good ground are they which in a good and honest heart
having heard the Word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience That is the Word is fruitful in them notwithstanding persecutions and afflictions So was it in the Thessalonians as the Apostle testifies of them 1 Epist 2.13 When ye received the Word of God said he ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually also worketh in you And what was this effectual operation Constancy in sharp sufferings as you may see in the next verse And yet they would not let it go though they suffered much for it That of the Prophet David is remarkable Psal 119.161 Princes have persecuted me without cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word He had rather have them against him then have the Word of God against him They threatned him if he obeyed and kept the Word The Word on the other side that threatned him if he renounced and disobeyed it Whom did he fear most why saith the Psalmist My heart standeth in awe of thy Word Though they be Princes very great men and though they threaten me and persecute me too yet I fear the Word of God more then I fear them I dare not disobey it how much soever I displease them how much soever I may suffer from them This is to keep the Word by obedience passive for it Thus much shall serve for the Explication of the point Now is it so that they whom the Father gives to Jesus Vse do keep his Word Here is a touch-stone then my Brethen by which you may try your selves whether you be given up to Christ or no. I have shewed you heretofore of how great Consequence it is for every one of us to be among the number of the men whom God makes over to his Son Christ Indeed so great that all our happiness both in the present life and that to come consists in it If God the Father bestow us not on Jesus Christ it had been infinitely better for us that we had never been born that he had never made us For we continue in the power and the possession of the Prince of this world his we are and with him must remain for ever Now my Beloved would you know whether you be yet made over to the Son of God or no Examine diligently whether you have kept the Word of God Thine they were saith Christ to God the Father and thou gavest them to me and they have kept thy Word And is it so with you my Brethren Consider it a little and proceed in the discovery according to the branches laid before in Explication of the point Have you kept it in your memories Abundance of you have read and heard much of the Word of God These many years it hath been preached to you you have had precept upon precept and line upon line here a little and there a little you have not been overlaid and dulled ouâ— with long Sermons but you had a little and a little A little on a Sabbath day and a little on a Lecture day Your lessons have been short that you might the better learn them But what have you retained of all this Indeed some of you have laid up these sayings in your hearts as Mary did you have them sure and safe there You have them ready and at hand to bring them forth on all occasions for the Direction and the Consolation of your selves and of your Brethren But for the greater number they have lost all nothing at all sticks by them The Word of God hath come to them as the Apostle says and they have let it go again I must acknowledge there is difference in the memories of men and some are subject to a natural defect so that they fail them strangely in their own affairs which are of most concernment to them But when the memories of men are sure and faithful to them in all other things but hold the Word of God no better then a Sive holds water that lets every drop go this is a very sad case It is a shrewd presumption that they are none of Christs Disciples But you will say How shall we amend this how shall we do that we may keep the Word of God in this respect I will give you two or three Directions 1. Keep your minds close to it let them not rove and wander while you hear it if they do you lose all This is the Apostles counsel to give earnest heed to be intent upon the things we hear to watch the words as they come forth out of the Preachers mouths Heb 2.1 and why so least at any time we let them slip If we would remember well there must not be the least diversion 2. Get a good understanding in the Word of God The observation of the Holy Ghost is notable for this purpose Luk 2.19 They understood not the sayings which he spake unto them But Mary kept all these sayings in her heart They kept them not because they did not understand them that which is not understood will very hardly be remembred They are our understanding hearers that carry all away while ignorant and sottish people keep nothing 3. Value the Word of God more and you shall find you will remember it the better See the necessity the excellency of it and then you will be careful how you lose it Esteem it as the Prophet David did above gold yea above fine gold He whose memory is weakest seldom forgets where he hath laid his gold 4. Strengthen memory by meditation repetition conference of what you hear If it be hard to take in holy Truths chafe them in rub them in and settle them by this means Let them be as a nail well fastned as the expression of the Wiseman is and set home with many strokes that they may not out again 5. Set instantly upon the practice of the truth delivered to you assoon as you hear it act it That which you do you will remember Mark that of the Apostle James 1.25 Not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Word The doer then is no forgetful hearer Many men remember nothing because indeed they do nothing 6. When holy truths are gone with you when they are slipt away entreat the Holy Spirit to recal them Mind him humbly of his Office and of the end for which your Saviour sent him down into this lower world to bring things to remembrance which have been taught you Joh. 14.26 JOHN 17.6 And they have kept thy Word TO pass on to the Second branch of this discovery Have you kept the Word of God in your Hearts by believing This is a degree higher and reaches further then the other Many keep it in their memories who do not keep it in their hearts Many remember it who do not believe it And yet unless we do both we can have no assurance that we belong to Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father And is it so with you
my Brethren Do you believe the Word of God Do your hearts say Amen to every particle and tittle of it If God should come and put the question to you concerning those particulars of holy Truths which seem most hard to be believed most difficult to be accomplished as once our Saviour did to Martha when he had said I am the Resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Believest thou this Joh. 11.26 Can you return the same answer yea Lord I believe as she did May not the same be charged on abundance of you which God so sharply reprehends in Israel Psal 106.24 They believed not his Word and hearkned not to the voyce of the Lord. Are there not multitudes among us who give no credit to the Word at all who when they hear the truths of God delivered to them do not enquire with Nicodemus only How can these things be but even peremptorily determine they can never be And here because they are of many sorts who do not keep the Word of God in their hearts by believing I will set them in their ranks and proceed with them in order Some there are who question all the Word of God throughout from the beginning of it to the end do not believe one word of it Either they throw it off as false and vain without Consideration in a rash and wilde way or else they soberly resolve the Scripture to be nothing else but the invention and device of Politick and subtile heads to keep fools in awe withal And so they say upon deliberation as David in his haste and in his passion All men are lyars the very Pen-men of the Word of Truth it self The Prophets the Apostles all are lyars As that blasphemous Pope who stiled the Gospel the Fable of Christ These men are flat Atheists what ever their professions be We want not some in these times who are so bold as to declare themselves in this particular and openly to renounce the Word of God And certainly however other men conceal themselves for shame yet there are more of this opinion then we are aware of They do not say with their tongues perhaps but yet with Davids fool they say it in their hearts the Scripture is not Gods Word yea there is no God at all to be Author of the Scripture Others there are who though they do not question all the Scripture yet they do not believe it all they give not absolute belief to every part and parcel of it And since the Word hath in it precepts promises and threatnings and there are some that question one and some another of them we will proceed with them distinctly and in order 1. Some there are who do not give assent to the Divine Authority of all the Precepts of the Word of God Some deny some certain Precepts ' and Commandements by themselves apart The Papists they deny the second Precept Vasques acknowledges that this Commandement interdicts not only the adoring of an Image under the notion of a God but also the adoring of the true God in an Image And further he confesses that they do the very thing that is condemned in this Commandement What then because it will not be obeyed it must be cancelled and repealed and not admitted to have any place among the Moral precepts of the Law of God It was saith he a positive and Ceremonial Law and therefore ceases now in our days And thus they make the Commandement of the Lord of no effect through their tradition Others deny the fourth Commandement and affirm that is also vanished with the Ceremonials that it belongeth not to Christians save only in regard of Moral equity in which respect the Moral and Judicial Laws belong to us also And yet the Lord you see hath placed it in the middle of the Decalogue and hedged it in on every side with other precepts that it might be the safer from the violence of those who seek to raze it out of the Tables But that which these men do by parcels and retail there are another sort who do in gross and as it were by whole sale cast off all the Precepts and Commandements of the Law of God together affirming they are all abolished not only in regard of irritation malediction condemnation but even in regard of obligation And thus with those in Davids time they make void the Law of God These men cannot pray to God as David doth Psal 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have believed thy Commandements And verily if all that are bestowed on Jesus Christ do keep the Word of God in the heart by believing they that renounce it thus seem to be in an ill Condition and they have reason to consider well whether they be given up to Christ or no. Others there are who give no credit or belief to the threatnings of the Word who when they hear them thundered out against them say it is not be with Israel neither shall we see Sword nor Famine Jer 5.12 And are there not a multitude of this opinion For tell me my Beloved when you that know your selves to be unclean livers have heard that dreadful commination Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge when you that are so glewed to the world that nothing can divide you from it have heard that flaming sentence That no covetous person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of God when you that wallow in your filthiness you that are lyers swearers drunkards enemies of all goodness have heard that nothing that is filthy or unclean shall come within the new Jerusalem that without shall be lyars and dogs that bark and snarl and snap at holiness that such shall have their portion in the lake c. have you believed these threatnings have you assented to the truth of them Alas my Brethren it is Evident you have not For 1. First If you believe the threatnings you will quake and tremble at them This disposition is observed in the Saints of God in Scripture that as they had believing so they had tender trembling hearts in relation to his threatnings Such a heart had good Josiah his heart was tender when he heard the words that is the threatning words of God his words against Jerusalem 2 King 22.19 not to it to instruct nor for it to comfort but against it to affright Such a heart had holy David Psal 119.12 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements He speaks not of his Judgements actually inflicted for they are felt but of his judgements threatned only and hanging in the Commination for they ate feared I am afraid of thy judgements Of such a temper was the Prophet Hab. 3.16 when I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voyce c. And such a disposition they discovered of whom the Propeht Ezra speaks ch 9. ver 4. they
did endure And so it will do any of us in the like case This is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith 1 Joh. 5.4 And therefore when we are so quickly overcome and brought to choose sin rather then affliction it is a sign we want faith By this you see there are too many who do not keep the Word of God in their hearts by believing Now I beseech you my Beloved as you would have this assurance that you are of the number of those that belong to Christ by the donation of the Father keep his words if you observe your Faith to waver or to fail in any point abase and judge your selves for it And that you may the better know how far to judge and how far to acquit your selves in this particular I shall give you some Cautions 1. You are not bound to credit every thing that is presented to you under the name and title of the Word of God To give a suddain and inconsiderate assent to all that the best Minister delivers to you because he teaches it and you are well perswaded of the man You may nay more then so you ought to try before you trust in this case Prove every thing saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5.21 and then hold fast that which is good It is observed of the Bereans that they were not so servilly addicted and engaged to any Teachers how excellent soever their endowments were as to receive upon their credit any thing that they delivered No their manner was to search the Scriptures whether things were so Act. 17.11 And yet it is notable that they are said to have received the Word of God with all readiness of mind for all this The Lord requires no greater readiness of mind then this in entertaining or believing any thing that is delivered in his Name that is to take it upon some trial 2. It is no sign of infidelity to move some questions with an aym at satisfaction concerning things delivered either in or from the Word If it be done with holy reverence and with an humble and sincere desire of satisfaction and instruction it is a very good course So did the blessed Virgin make a question concerning what the Angel had delivered to her Luke 1.34 A question not of opposition but of inquisition How shall these things be This way of making doubts and questions it seems was used in the Jewish Church and Christ approved it by his Example Luk. 2.46 47. So it is said of the Apostle Paul that he reasoned with the Jews out of the Scriptures Act. 17.2 And if such reasonings were more in use not reasonings against the Word but out of the Word there would assuredly be more faith then there is at this day 3. Nay though it be a sign of weakness it is no sign of utter infidelity to have some doubtful thoughts arising in our hearts concerning the most clear and pregnant Truths that are revealed in the Word of God David had such thoughts as these and yet he was a good man though this indeed were no part of his goodness Psal 89.19 37 38. There you have first the Lords assurance that he will establish David and protect him And at last he comes to swear that he will not lye to David his Throne shall endure for ever c. And yet observe how David faileth in the very next words but thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast made void the Covenant of thy servant This was his great infirmity and yet you see it was not incompatible with grace It may befall a Saint to have such unbelieving thoughts as these provided that he pray against them strive against them and be humbled for them As David was when he had motions to distrust the Providence of God to question this great truth of God as Psal 73. this did so trouble him that at vers 21. he saith his very heart was grieved and he was pricked in his reins because he was so foolish and so ignorant And while it is thus with us we need not thereupon to doubt our interest in Jesus Christ But if we entertain such thoughts as these and bid them welcome when they come c. if we never pray nor strive against our unbelief nor grow up into any certainty in matters of Religion If we resolvedly reject the Word of God either in part or in the whole this is a very sad case If I speak the truth saith Christ why do you not believe me Joh. 8.46 And mark what follows presently ye therefore hear me not that is believe me not because ye are not of my sheep as I said unto you So that it is a formidable thing you see not to believe the Word of Christ It shews that men are none of Christs And therefore let us give assent to the whole Word of God the precepts promises and threatnings that Christ may own us that he may say concerning us to God the Father Thine they were and thou gavest them to me And thus we have dispatched the first and second branch of the discovery Proceed we to the third Have you kept the Word of God in your affections by loving it it is somewhat to remember it it is more to give assent and credit to it but it is most of all to love and delight in it And yet unless you reach to this you can have no assurance that you belong to Jesus Christ and that you are bestowed upon him by the Father The very Devils know the Word of God and think upon it and believe it too they are convinced of the truth of it and yet they are so far from loving it or taking any pleasure in it that they tremble at it They perceive it is against them they look upon it as an Enemy that speaks sad things to them and so they are afraid of it They fear it with a slavish fear and slavish fear casteth out love To say the truth the more they credit it the less they love it and the more they tremble at it And so it is in some degree with wicked and ungodly men They give assent to the letter of the Scripture they believe it to be true but they have no affection to it because it is no friend to them and their courses It crosses them in every thing they have a mind to and therefore they are at enmity with it and their hearts rise up against it they receive the knowledge and in some sort the belief but they do not receive the love of the Truth But you my Brethren must go further yet if you will clear your interest in Jesus Christ you must go beyond Devils yea you must go beyond the best of carnal and unsanctified men you must not satisfie your selves with this that you know the Word of God that you have it in your mindes that you are able to discourse of it that you believe it to be true in all particulars But more then so your
hearts must be carryed out in dear affection to it If this be wanting all the rest is worth nothing You may perish notwithstanding as pesons that are out of Christ and be damned in hell for ever unless you come to love the Word of God as you may see in that remarkable Example 2 Thes 2.10 They received not the love of the Truth saith the Apostle there and what follows that they might be saved No salvation unless the Word the Truth of God be kept in the affections by the loving it And therefore it is added presently for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they might all be damned Oh then as you desire to have this sweet assurance in your souls that you belong to Jesus Christ and that you shall be saved by him examine whether you have kept the Word of God in this respect or no whether you have it dear in your affections And that you may the better try your selves in this regard I shall give you some discoveries If you love the Word of God you will desire on all occasions to converse with it Desire of union and communion is alwaies an effect and evidence of true affection You shall observe it in the Prophet David who was unparalleled in this respect for infinite affection to the Word of God It is a wonder to consider how his heart was set upon it And hence it was that when he was kept off from the enjoyment of the Word he had such vehement and enflamed desires to be partaker of it He panted and he gasped after it even as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks Oh when shall I appear before God Psal 42.2 when shall I be partaker of his Word and of his Ordinances once again when will it once be So in another place My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord where Ordinances were dispensed My heart and my flesh cryes out for the living God Psal 84.2 So that he envies the very Sparrows and the Swallows who were freer then himself to be near that place Yea his longing was so great that he was even heart-broken with it Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgements at all times And have you such affections and such anhelations in you Let us examine it a little in these two particulars 1. Do you hear the Word of God as often as you may not only now and then when you have nothing else to do and when you have no other business to withdraw you but constantly on all occasions do you attend upon it as your main and chief business do you for the love you bear it neglect and set aside and under-value other things this is the Wisemans admonition Prov. 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not Sell it not for a little profit in the field or in the shop but rather buy it and redeem it with your loss of outward things Do you conceive that David of whose high affections you have heard would neglect any opportunity for being made partaker of the Word of God Oh how did he bewail the want of it How would he have struggled for it How eagerly would he have taken it with any outward disadvantage And this is that which Christ commendeth Mary for not for a work of supererogation as doing more then she was bound to do but for a regular account and estimation of the Word setting aside her houshold business that she might be partaker of it Luk. 10.42 Not only they that will not hear the Word of God at all but they that hear it seldom that suffer every worldly business to withdraw them from it will be found not to have loved it and esteemed it as they ought to do How shall we escape saith Paul Heb. 2.3 if we neglect so geeat salvation 2. Do you exercise your selves as in the hearing so in the reading and in the meditation of it Do you converse with the Word of God in private Doth it dwell with you in your houses as the Apostles phrase is Col. 3.16 For this you must know my Brethren that though you should be ordinary hearers of the best Ministry beneath Heaven yet you must not rest in that but you must exercise your selves in reading of the Word of God in private It was the Lords Commandement to the King himself that though he might plead want of leisure more then many others and though he had the ordinary help of the Levites Priests and Prophets more then others as David had both Gad and Nathan yet he must have his Bible still and must be constant in the reading of it as you may see Deut. 47.49 And it was that which cheered and supported Job in his affliction Job 23.12 that he could say uprightly in the presence of the Lord I have esteemed the Word of his mouth more then my necessary and appointed food More duly then he kept his meals he tyed himself to read and meditate in Gods-Word Among the Jews under Antiochus it was made capital for any man to have the Book of God by him And in Queen Maries days you know the danger was not less and then how did they prize a little piece of Holy Writ how did they value a few Chapters of the Bible If a poor a man could get a leaf or two how safely would he keep them in his bosom next his heart as the most pretious things he had How would he wear them out with reading in them God hath dealt more gratiously with us there is now no danger to have a Bible and therefore if we be not constant in the reading and the meditation of it we shew not such affection to it as we ought to do That is the first thing then if you love the Word of God you will desire on all occasions to converse with it both in publique and in private 2. If you love the Word of God you will endeavour to be inwardly acquainted with it we converse with many men with whom we are not intimate And so there are abundance that hear and read the Word of God and yet know little of the meaning of it But if you love it as you ought to do you will not satisfie your selves with this that you read so many Chapters in a day that you attend on every Sermon that is preached unless you find that you do in a measure understand the mind of God and the mind of Jesus Christ in those things If I affect a man exceedingly I shall endeavour what I can to get within him as we use to say not to know his face and to hear his words only but to be inwardly acquainted with his disposition and the purpose of his heart And so if you affect the Word you will strive to get into the bosom of it You will not be contented with a formal superficial knowledge of the letter of it but you will dive into the very bowels of the
Scripture and never leave till you know the heart of it And this is that which the Apostle Paul insinuates Col. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you richly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let it dwell let it be a houshold-guest let it rise and sit and walk dine and sup and lodge with you let it be familiar to you Be you as throughly acquainted with it as any man that dwells in your house with whom you have discourse and dealing every hour And truly if you strive not thus to be acquainted with the Word of God you do not love it as you ought to do 3. If you love the VVord of God you will not easily fall out with it when you find the meaning of it and perceive it is against you in something that is naturally dear to you you will not quarrel with it your hearts will not rise up in enmity against it No your dear affections to it will make you quietly and meekly to submit to it Indeed ungodly men cannot endure the VVord of God the Precepts and Commandements of it are like bonds and cords to them they lay restraint upon them they curb them and they hold them in and hence they are enraged against it They endeavour what they can to break the bonds of God asunder they are always contradicting and opposing and gainsaying and raising quarrels and disputes against the Word because they hate it But now the Saints upon the other side are very much in Love with it and hence it is that the Commandements of it are not grievous to them they agree with their spirits they are written in their hearts Or if at any time it cross them they are not angry with the Word but with themselves that their base hearts should not in every thing agree with it Yea when it is a little sharp and bitter though their stomachs rise at first yet in the issue they submit and say as Hezekiah to Isaiah Isa 39.8 Good is the Word of the Lord which thou hast spoken They find a sweet and pleasing savour even in the sowrest passage of the Word There goes a savour with their knowledge of it as the Apostle Pauls expression is 2 Cor. 2.14 Carnal men may know abundance of the Scripture more then a pretious Saint of God but here is the difference they find no savour in their knowledg of it at least no sweet and pleasing savour No it is distastful to them it doth not suit with their palates it doth not fit their humors A Drunkard knows it is a sin to be intemperate to drink himself down to a beast A wanton and lascivious person knows it is a sin to be unclean but this doctrine doth not please him and so it is in other cases whereas the Truth is sweet to those that are in Christ they look upon it as their friend and love it because it joyns with them against their lusts who are their greatest enemies whom they abhorre and whom they hate with a perfect hatred 4. If you love the VVord of God you will hardly part with it you will not let it go from you if you can keep it any way by any means And much less will you go from it I have not departed from thy judgements saith holy David to the Lord Psal 119.102 for thou hast taught me Brethren there are a sort of men who have a kind of knowledge of the Word of God but they have no love to it and hence it is that they are easily withdrawn from it as multitudes have been in these times while they that have it dear in their affections are rooted and established in the present truth as 2 Pet. 1.12 They are not carryed clean away with every new opinion and conceit as others are They cleave unto the Truths of God with full purpose of heart They are setled in their judgements and resolved in their minds This is undoubtedly the Truth of God I know it to be so I find it to be so by sensible experience in my soul and to this I mean to stick even to the loss of goods and life and all I am resolved that I will not relinquish it what ever hazard I may undergo to hold it whatever Sophisters and slie Seducers object against it 5. If you love the Word of God you will be extreamly troubled when it is slighted and abused it will vex you to the heart to see it undervalued and despised You will be ready to reply in such a case The VVord is a good friend of mine one whom I love dearly from whom I have received much comfort And I am no way able to endure it wounds me to the very soul to see it used in this fashion Beloved these are times in which the VVord of God hath suffered much from wicked and ungodly men It hath been strangely scorned and contemned and even trampled under foot It hath been usual in these days of ours for men to speak against those things that are delivered from the VVord contradicting and blaspheming Now my Beloved how have such things as these affected you and wrought upon you what tears have they drawn from you what sorrow have they wrought in you how often have they sent you over-loaden to your closets there to open all to God It is observed by the Holy Ghost that when Jehoiakim had cut the roll in pieces with a pen-knife which Jeremiah brought him from the Lord and burnt it in the fire upon the hearth they that stood by were not afraid neither did they rent their garments nor manifest their sorrrow Jer. 36.23 24. Beloved some of you have seen as high contempt as this offered to the word of God though not in the same kind And truly if you have not rent your hearts at least if you have not been inwardly afflicted in your spirits and done what you are able to the vindication of it you have shewed but little love to Gods word By these things you may try whether you have kept the word of God in your affections by loving it and so have made it to appear that you belong to Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father Now in the last place let me quicken you a little to the love of Gods word That if you love it not already you may come to love it Or if you love it you may go on to love it yet more And to this end I shall desire you to take notice of how great excellency and admirable use it is to you as I shall lay it open in a few particulars 1. Are you yet in your natural estate the word of God is the means to convert you The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Psal 19.7 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Sanctifie them saith our Saviour How By thy truth thy word is truth Joh. 17.17 That speech of Paul is apposite and full God hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification
in you that will be like to make this blessed resolution frustrated in you and set the edge of your Petitions of your humiliation against this for if you do not this you do nothing Many men have been very well resolved to walk according to the Word in many things but when they come to act their resolutions there is some lust or other that prevails against them and this they do not mortifie and so are able to do nothing Well then my Brethren you have purposes perhaps to keep the Word of God in such and such particulars You are extreamly sensible that you have failed but now it shall be so no more I but there is some lust or other a lust of pride or covetousness or uncleanness which if it be not mortified will blast all strike that and kill that and then you may with comfort hope that you shall approve your selves such as are given up to Christ in that you keep his Word And thus we have at length dispatched the Character of those who are bestowed on Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father they are such as keep his Word that is the Word of God the Father So saith our Saviour here of his Apostles and Disciples they have kept thy Word Now in the following verses he proceeds to shew how they were brought to keep the Word of God and by what means it came to pass that they receive it and believed it and embraced it and obeyed it Why saith our Saviour they did it upon this account because they were perswaded and convinced that it was the very word which I received of my Father to deliver They knew for certain that it was not any thing which I as man devised and invented of my self but it was the very message which my Father put into my mouth and therefore they gave heed to it Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee for I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee Now this if you observe it well is both expressed and amplified First it is nakedly expressed Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee Then it is amplyfied in the succeeding verse For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them c. And here our Saviour doth these two things First he declares his own fidelity in the delivery of his message from his Father to his people for I have given to them the words which thou gavest me those very words and no others And then he shews the issue and event of this faithfulness of his in his Apostles and Disciples and that especially in two respects First with relation to the message which he brought they have received them saith he that is the words which I delivered to them in thy Name Secondly then with relation to himself the Messenger they have known surely that I came from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me Let us at this time make a little entrance on this discovery of our Saviour as it is nakedly expressed Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee These words as I have hinted formerly my Brethren are annexed to those immediately before which we have even now dispatched to shew the means and way by which our Saviours hearers came to keep the Word which he delivered to them from his Father Why saith our Saviour this was a great inducement to it because they were perswaded that it was of thee that it was thy word indeed and not my own If I had spoken to them in my own Name or brought my own word to them they would never have received it But this was that which made them keep thy word because they knew that it was thine Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me you must conceive it to deliver or declare to my Disciples or as it is explained in the following verse all the words which thou hast given me are of thee So that the point apparently suggested here is plainly thus DOCTRINE They that will give the Word such entertainment as it ought to have must know for certain that it is the word of God Had not our Saviours hearers been convinced of this had they conceived and apprehended that it came from him meerly as he was a man they would never have believed it or embraced it and obeyed it as they did But this was that which made them keep it in the sense that hath been said because they knew that that which Christ delivered to them was the Word of God And to this end it is that Christ is so exactly cautious to perswade his hearers still that the message which he brings them is not of or from himself but from his Father My doctrine is not mine saith he but his that sent me Joh. 7.16 He that speaketh of himself he seeks his own glory but he that seeks his glory that hath sent him the same is true and no unrighteousness is in him And in the following Chapter at the 28. verse As my Father hath taught me so I speak Even as the Father said to me so I speak Joh. 12.50 The words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self Joh. 14.10 And this he beats so much upon to gain the better credit and respect and entertainment to his Message By which he intimates that he could look for no acceptance or regard among them if that which he delivered to them were not Gods Word It is observable in Nicodemus that this was that which made him come to Christ to hear him and be taught by him because he was perswaded that he was a Teacher come from God as his own expression is John 3.2 that he had somewhat to deliver to him from the Lord. Had it not been for this perswasion he had never waited on him And this was that which wrought upon the Thessalonians and brought them to a meet receiving of the Word because they looked upon it as the Word of God himself So the Apostle testifies of them 1 Thes 2.13 when ye received the Word which ye heard of us saith he ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God If you had apprehended it to be the word of man and not of God you would not have regarded it and entertained it as you did But this was that which drew your hearts to such an high account and estimation of it because you were perswaded that it was in truth the Word of God not in appearance only and in the apprehensions and conceits of men but really in deed and truth the Word of God So that the point is plain you see They that will give c. And there is such reason for it as amounts
to demonstration Reason the clearest and most evident that can be viz. because there is such entertainment due to it as nothing else can draw us to but this perswasion that it is the Word of God If we conceive it to be nothing but the word of man this apprehension will never raise the heart to such an estimation of it to such an acceptation of it as belongs to it This will never draw the heart to give it greater credence or greater reverence or obedience then appertaineth to the word of man Now this is infinitely short of that which appertaineth to the Word of God And therefore that we may come up to that that we may give the Word such entertainment as it ought to have we must know for certain that it is the Word of God and this I shall exemplifie in many particulars 1. Ye must know for certain that it is the Word of God that we may give it such entertainment as it ought to have in point of reverence The Word of God must be received with holy fear This carriage of the heart is due to that which hath so great and so divine an Author as God is we ought to tremble at the Word of God Isa 66.5 To hearken to it not with an ordinary measure but with a very high degree of fear with such a fear as worketh trembling So did the Prophet Habakkuk as you may see Hab. 3.16 When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voyce rottenness was in my bones and I trembled in my self And so the holy Prophet David as he professeth of himself Psal 119.10 My heart trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements that is of thy word as some understand it I fear and tremble at thy word for that hath frequently the name of the Judgements of God as you may see that place for instance Psal 19.8 Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the people not be afraid it is the Prophets question Amos 3.6 By the City understand the Church of God by the Trumpet the word of God and by the people the hearers of this word So that it is as if the Prophet should have said Shall the word of God be pronounced and the hearers not fear as who should say that were a strange and an incongruous thing indeed So that you see they that will give the word such entertainment as it ought to have must hear it and receive it with extraordinary fear and reverence Now this they will never do unless they know for certain that it is the Word of God If they be doubtful whether it be so or if they look upon it as the word of man they will be apt to disregard it and to give it no respect at all Nothing but this perswasion that it is the Word of the Almighty and the glorious God himself will raise the heart to such an high degree of fear and reverence as belongs to it No other apprehension of it will prevail to this effect but this alone will surely do it as the Apostle Paul insinuates 1 Cor. 14.24 If there come in an unbeleiver or unlearned person he is convinced he is judged the secrets of his heart are manifested by the word saith the Apostle there And what follows So falling down upon his face he will worship God and say that God is in you of a truth when he perceives that God is in you that you speak from God that that which you deliver is the word of God then he will fear and tremble and fall down and worship God 2. We must know for certain that it is word of God that we may give it such entertainment as it ought to have in point of credit and belief For you must know my Brethren that we owe this special and peculiar honor to the word of God beyond the word of any man to give compleat and absolute assent and credit to it Though it be never so unlikely never so much against appearance and above reason yet when the Lord hath spoken it when we have his word for it we ought to make no doubt or question of it Those truths which own him for the Author of them do not admit of any doubtful disquisition but rather call for absolute belief The very thoughts and cogitations must be captivated to faith when it appears that God hath spoken And therefore it is charged home on Israel as a very great offence that they believed not his word Psal 106.24 And on the other side it is observed to the praise of Nineveh that they believed God that is the word of God his Message sent them by the Prophet Jonah Jonah 3.5 And yet it was a most unlikely one VVhat probability that forty days should put a period to all the happiness and lustre of such a flourishing and famous City However they believed it because it was the word of God You see then what our duty is in this respect to hear the word with absolute belief this is the entertainment which we ought to give it Now this it will not find amongst us unless we be perswaded that it is the word of God the word of man can never challenge this from us for men are lyars as the Prophet David speaks they are deceitful on the ballance Though they give us good words yet when we come to prove them and to try them many times they prove too light Those that we think are best to be believed among them may deceive us so that there is no reason in the world why we should take what they deliver upon trust because they deliver it And therefore we are bid to sift the doctrines and to try the spirits because there be that say The Lord hath said when the Lord hath not spoken But when the word appears to be of God this apprehension and perswasion is enough to silence all objections that in appearance may be made against it This alone will raise the heart to entertain it with that absolute belief wherewith it ought to be received while we remember that the God who is the Author of it is the God of Truth yea he is the Truth it self His saying always is a faithful saying 1 Tim. 1.15 because it is the saying of the faithful God and therefore worthy of all acceptation 3. We must know for certain that it is the word of God that we may give it such entertainment as it ought to have in point of humble resignation and submission to it For this belongeth to the word of God that we quarrel not against it but that we justifie it and submit to it So it is said of Johns hearers Luk. 7.29 30. All the people that heard him justified God yea the very Publicans the worst among them as it is noted there in that place So holy David I esteem all thy Commandements concerning all things to be right Psal 119.128 yea he will have him always to
them up again with joy unspeakable and glorious How it hath altered them and changed them and turned them clean about and made them to renounce their pleasures and delights their wills their reasons their desires yea to deny themselves that they might walk by this Rule 5. The blood of many Martyrs gives testimony to the Scripture that it is the word of God who but for this divine and saving Truth and by his power and might whose Truth it is would hardly have endured the rage and fury of the flames the violence of the tormentors We read indeed that divers Hereticks have suffered exquisite and horrid tortures for their gross opinions and conceits as we have many instances in Church story But it is to be considered that they did it for the Scripture though falsely and corruptly apprehended and applyed Where hath been the Jew or Turk who for his Talmud or his Alchoran which are the Scriptures they receive and use hath put himself into the hands of the Tormentors These and such things as these do make it in it self extremely credible that that which is delivered in the Scripture is the word of God But yet they may not so take hold upon us to convince us notwithstanding they may not chase our scruples all away nor clear up all doubts unless some further thing be done to make it credited by us and to make us know for certain that it is the word of God This is the proper and peculiar work of Gods Spirit The self same Spirit which delivered it to the Apostles and the Prophets who were the Scribes and Pen-men of the Scripture and made them know that it was the word of God which they delivered must satisfie us and convince us also that it is the word of God which we receive No other means will do without this but this and this alone will do it This is an absolute and satisfying testimony of it self which carries all before it and puts the matter out of question where it comes Other things may make it credible but this and this alone will make it clearly and demonstratively sure to us that it is in deed and truth the word of God Now if you ask me how the Holy Spirit doth this great work which nothing else besides can do I answer that it doth it principally two ways First by removing those impediments which hinder this assurance And secondly by giving us those gifts and graces which make us able to receive it First by removing those impediments that hinder this assurance There is a double hinderance or impediment in every man by nature First ignorance whereby our eyes are closed as it were The word hath light enough my Brethren in and of it self to shew it self to us to manifest it self to us as it is indeed but we are blind and cannot see it The second hinderance is corruption by means of which although we see it we cannot of our selves but hate it and dislike it and reject it These two the Holy Spirit cureth and removeth by a double remedy The first illumination restoring our decayed understandings to some degrees and measures of their first light opening our eyes that we may see the wonders of the word and so be satisfied that it is the word of God The next Sanctification infusing into our desires and our affections some degrees and measures of their first holiness And by this work of Gods Spirit opening the eyes of our blind minds that we may understand the Scriptures and see those admirable rays and beams of divine and heavenly light that shine in them And also rectifying our corrupt affections that we may love them and embrace them we come to be assured that the Scripture is indeed and truth the word of God So that you see the Spirit works not this assurance in us by adding any thing to Gods word by curing any failing or defect in it but only by bringing it into the light and representing it unto us as indeed it is The Spirit doth not make it credible for it is so in it self abundantly beyond all possibility even of the best addition but it makes it so to us by curing and removing the impediments and supplying the defects which are in us by means of which we cannot apprehend it as it is And I mention this the rather because some have been apt to say of late the Word without the Spirit is no more to them then any other Book or any other piece of writing Now if their meaning be to blame themselves in this and to import that their corruption and their ignorance is such that unless the Spirit help them they cannot come to understand it or look upon it as better then another Book it may receive a pretty fair construction But if their intention be to undervalue and abase the Scripture as if the proper and innate and real worth thereof depended wholly on the Spirits revelation it is a horrid derogation from the pretious Word of God It 's true indeed without the Spirit it may be no more to us then any other book such is the darkness and prophaness of our hearts but yet it is more in it self whether the Spirit shew it us or no. The Spirit in this work of his doth not make it in it self to be the Word of God but only to appear so It makes no alteration in the Word but in our selves When first it tells us and assures us that it is the Word of God it was clearly so before or else it certifies us of a falsehood and untruth only it was not apprehended and believed to be so This is indeed the Spirits work to make us know for certain that it is the Word of God it is not to be done without it And therefore that we may attain to this perswasion we must do these two things 1. We must cry to God to send down his Holy Spirit to give in this assurance to us To set his seal and testimony to it that it is the Word of God and so to put the matter out of all question to satisfie us without any further scruple that all that is delivered in it is of God 2. We must take in and cherish all the light that from the Spirit shines upon the soul Sometimes a beam breaks in upon us on a sudden it makes us see and know for certain that it is the Word of God so that all doubt is banished quite in that particular But we neglect it and permit our thoughts to be misled to other things before we fix and settle upon this perswasion and so our assurance fails and our doubts return again The Spirit offers clear illumination and conviction and we take no notice of it and therefore it is just it should be withdrawn again And thus far of our Saviours declaration of his Apostles and Disciples due and ready entertainment of the Word which he delivered together with the ground of it as it is
we speak not as pleasing men but God who tries our hearts For neither at any time used we flattering words as ye know nor a cloke of covetousness God is witness If such a cloke as that be used by any that pretends himself a messenger of Christ a cloke to hide and cover base ends and once the people come to look under that cloke and to see what is within they will never like him more And as the Messenger of Christ if he would be well received must shew his faithfulness to Christ his Master in an active so in a passive way As in a right delivery of his message both for the matter and the ends of it so in a constant and a patient suffering for that which he hath so delivered if Christ shall call him thereunto In the first place he must be sure that that which he delivers is indeed his Masters message and then he must stand to it even to the loss of liberty and goods and name and life and all For if the people see him flinch when he is called to this if they perceive that he will suffer nothing for that which he hath preached to them with so much earnestness with so much confidence with so much seeming resolution farewell their acceptation their estimation of him any more They will see he is a hireling as Christ speaks of such a one and so accordingly they will account of him The good and faithful Shepherd saith our Saviour Joh. 10.11 gives his life for the Sheep But he that is an hireling and not the shepherd of the sheep whose own the sheep are not sees the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep The hireling flyeth because he is a hireling c. By which it is apparent that it is the part but of a hireling and a mercenary man who serves for nothing else but wages to fly when trouble and when danger comes And hence the faithful Messengers of Christ have sealed their teachings with their sufferings and their blood as I might give you many instances out of the stories of the Scripture and the Church And therefore they that will preserve the credit of their Ministry and hold up the power and operation of it with the people must be extreamly circumspect that they deliver nothing but what they know to be the truth of Christ for which they must rather suffer then revoke it and then they must be valiant when the time of trial comes For if they shrink in wetting they are gone It will not serve the turn to tell the people they were deceived and misled For if they be confessedly mistaken once they will be ready to conclude they may be so a second time and so a third and so a long and the end of all will be that they will never give any great credit or esteem to them or to their teaching any more Thus by the way upon the observation hinted to us in the joynt dependance of both particulars considered in the Text on that which goes immediately before Proceed we now to look upon them in a particular dependance the one of them upon the other viz. the latter on the former First you have here their good reception of the message which our Saviour brought They received it saith the Text. And then you have their good perswasion of the Messenger that he came out from God was sent from God and this perswasion as I take it was the ground of the reception and under that respect is mentioned here They received my words saith Christ but how came this to pass They were perswaded that I came from God The point is obvious DOCTRINE The good reception of the message by the people depends upon their good opinion of the Messenger their sure perswasion that he is sent to them from God The words of Christ himself you see were entertained on this account as he suggests in his expression to his Father here I have given them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them How so why they have known verily or surely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have known it for a truth that I came out from thee and have believed that thou didst send me If they had doubted this my words had never found such entertainment and success among them And hence it is that the Apostles when they began to deal with any people the first thing that they do is to shew them their Commission and authority from God You shall observe in the Epistles how this is set upon the thresholds still and in the very entrance of them that so the Pen-men of them might anticipate or meet with that in the beginning which would be prejudicial to the success and efficacy of their doctrine and consequently leave the people free to benefit by that which was to follow Pauls wisdom is remarkable in this respect in his Epistles you may see a taste of it Gal. 1.1 Paul an Apostle not of men nor by men q. d. however the false Teachers tell you that I am called by men as other ordinary Ministers and Pastors are and so by consequence that I have no such Universal charge as I pretend and that I thrust my self into the right of other men to stand a medling and a tampering as I do with all the Churches yet I assure you I do nothing else but that to which I am deputed and designed by my Commission from the Lord For I am his Apostle called immediately by him and Jesus Christ is very careful to satifie and to convince his hearers that he came from God as I might give you instances enough but they are known And this both he and the Apostles because they did knew the peoples good reception the message dependeth much c. Vse I might apply this to the Ministers but I will rather turn it to the people Is it so that the good reception of the message by the people dependeth much upon their good opinion of the Messenger Then let it be a Caution to you that you do not over-lightly entertain an ill opinion of those who come from God to you For you your selves will be the losers by it it will hinder the success and efficacy of their teaching And therefore follow the Apostles Counsel 1 Tim. 5.19 Against an Elder receive not an accusation but before two or three witnesses If there be witnesses sufficient and the fault deserve it pursue it follow it But if not do not receive it let not your ears be open to it Especially in such a time as this when sides are violently one against another and when reports are usually raised and aggravated very much by this means But above all take heed how you drink in the least suspition whether the Minister be sent of God or no without a very sure ground for this if it be entertained will altogether hinder the good reception of the message which he brings you And that you may not be misled in
fail Luk. 16.17 that is to miss of execution and accomplishment Fail it may in the Letter and Paper of it but not in the fulfilling of it No saith our Saviour Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my Word shall not pass away Mat. 24 35. Heaven and Earth are more inconstant and variable then my Word is and therefore the Apostle Peter speaking of the Prophesies of Scripture saith that they are sure 2 Pet. 1.19 We have saith he a more sure Word of Prophesie whereunto ye do weâ—â—â—hat ye take heed Not as if the Prophets words or writings were in thâ—â—selves more sure then the Apostles but to the Jews they were more sure For they received the Prophets words and writings but they rejected the Apostles Well sure the writings and predictions of the Prophets are you see we may rest safely upon them and conclude That whatsoever is foretold c. And it must needs be so my Brethren For The Author of the Prophesies is unchangeable and true and consesequently whatsoever he foretels or any Messenger of his from him must surely be accomplished and fulfilled 1. The Author of the Prophesies as well as other parts of Scripture is unchangeable He is the Lord that changeth not Mal. 3.6 He is yesterday to day the same for ever Heb. 13.8 And therefore what be saith must come to pass men say sometimes that they will do a thing to day which yet they alter and revoke again to morrow But if God say a thing to day he will stand to it firm to morrow he will not change his resolution He is not as man that he should lye and as the son of man that he should repent But he hath seemed to repent Object and to change his resolution in many things foretold in Scripture For instance he foretold by Jonah that Nineveh should be destroyed at the end of forty days Jonah 3.4 yet when they were expired he did not as he had foretold so that he altered in appearance yea it is said expressly that he repented of his Commination so that he brought it not to execution God repented of the evil which he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not Jonah 3.10 For clearing this Sol. you may remember that universal rule which God lays down for the better understanding of all Prophetical Praedictions in a way of Commination Jer. 18.7 The sum is this that they have all of them annexed to them or implyed at least if not an exprest condition And so had this against the Ninivites Yet forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed conceive it if they be not humbled that was the reserved condition But they were humbled repented though they were preserved God did not otherwise then he determined and yet indeed he is said to have repented because he did so that he seemed to repent For as a man if he have threatned that thus and thus he is resolved to do and after do not so if he have power is said to change his mind and to repent of what he said Even so the Lord when he had threatned Niniveh and had concealed the condition because he spared it afterwards and did not just according the letter of the Commination is said to have repented because he seemed to do that which in a man would have discovered change and alteration of his resolution And even as anger is ascribed to the Lord Non per affectum sed per effectum as the Schoolmen say The passion or affection of it is not properly attributed to God but the effect and fruit is Vengeance is mine and I will repay it Even so repentance is not in the nature of the Lord but the effect and issue of it is usually ascribed to him The recalling or undoing of a thing which as far as we could judge by his words or by his works or our deserts or any other evidence that was before us seemed unto us to have been his intent and purpose to have done 2. And as the Author of the Prophesies as well as other parts of Scripture is unchangeable so he is true Yea He is the God of Truth as the Prophet David stiles him Psal 31.5 And therefore that which he foretells must be accomplished and fulfilled Observe it well my Brethren the Prophet doth not say He is the true God in himself and in his nature but he is the God of Truth in his discoveries and in his revelation of himself to men All that comes from him is truth He is the faithful and the true witness Apoc. 3.14 Not only true and faithful as a God but true and faithful as a witness In all the testimonies that he gives of himself or of his Son or of his works already done or intended to be done there is nothing else but truth He cannot be the Author of a falsehood it is impossible as the Apostle tells you Heb. 6.18 It is impossible that he should lye He can assoon deny himself put off his Deity cease to be God as father an untruth and therefore that which he foretels must be accomplished in his season And as the Author of the Prophesies is unchangeable and true so the Word of God it self of which the Prophesies are part is so also The Word of God is unchangeable and true even as God himself is and therefore all the Prophesies and the Praedictions of it must be accomplished and fulfilled 1. The Word of God is an unchangeable an unalterable Word when he hath said a thing and said it absolutely that must stand there is no revocation of it in the sense that he hath said it Thy Word O Lord saith holy David is setled in heaven Psal 119.89 It is an Established thing never to be removed again And therefore it is said to be setled in heaven There are great changes here below continually but there is none above in heaven and there the Word of God is setled above the reach of any alteration All flesh is grass saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 1.24 all the glory of man as the flower of grass the grass withereth and the flower thereof fadeth away but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever 2. And as it is unchangeable so it is true yea it is the Word of Truth It is an Epithite that is imposed upon it often Thy Word is true from the beginning saith the Psalmist to the Lord Psal 119.160 And so it shall be to the end And therefore it is added presently The judgements of the Lord endure for ever not in their being only but their truth You know the Scripture is often called a testimony or a witness Either it is a testimony that the Father gives us of the Son or that the Son gives us of the Father either it is a witness to us of things that have been done or else which is a little stronger it is a witness to us of things that shall be done Now this is a condition absolutely
necessary to a testimony or a witness that it declare the truth and nothing else Or else how shall it be depended and relyed upon and so how shall the Scripture be the Word of Faith as it is called unless it be the Word of Truth How shall this testimony challenge faith from us unless it utter truth to us How shall it be believed if it be not wholly true and therefore truth is frequently ascribed to it as a witness The testimonies of the Lord are sure saith David Psal 19.7 That which they tell hath been and that which they foretell shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled Vse 1 And this by way of use and application may serve for terror in the first place unto those against whom there is any thing foretold in Scripture in a way of Commination for it shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled How should they tremble for fear of God and how should they be afraid of his judgements though only hanging in the threatning How should their hearts dissolve within them when they hear his threatning words denounc't against them How should the Adulterer tremble when he hears that flaming Commination Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge how should the drunkard tremble when he hears those dreadful woes that are denounced to drunkards up and down the Prophets everywhere How should the wretched worldling tremble when he hears that dreadfull threatning that no covetous person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God How should the lier and the dogg that barks and snarls and snaps at holiness and the unclean wretch tremble when they hear that such shall have their everlasting portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone And so for other sinners against whom there are heavy things foretold in Scripture how should they shake and quiver when they read and hear them But alas there are abundance who steel and fortifie their hearts against them who give no credit to the threatnings of the word as if they were but bruta fulmina but empty cracks who when they hear them thundred out against them say with Israel Jer. 5.12 It is not he neither shall evil come upon us nor shall we see sword or famine Oh my beloved do not belye the Lord in this fashion do not delude your own souls Believe it Judgement is towards you as the Expression is Hosea 5.1 although it be not actually upon you The wrath of God commeth it is a comming still and in the end depend upon it it will come home What do you think that if you do such things you shall escape the vengeance of God No be assured that if you persevere without repentance you shall feel it with a witness There is not any thing denounced against you in the Scripture but shall be fulfilled upon you to the utmost And Secondly it serves for sweet and pretious comfort to the Vse 2 Church since all the good that is foretold in Scripture shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled You that are members of the Church look over all the Book of God collect together all the promises contained in it from the beginning of it to the end consider all the choice and pretious mercies that are contained in those promises and satisfie your souls with a certain expectation of them all There is not one of all those promises shall fall unaccomplished to the ground or fail of execution in the Lords time And therefore look on all the good things promised there as sure mercies so they are called the sure mercies of David which shall not fail you when the season comes And when you meet with any thing that specially concerns you in such a case or such a condition that might be a support and comfort to you in affliction and the like Oh give not way to one unbelieving thought do not forsake your own mercies Remember it is the word of the Lord which as the Angel said shall be fulfilled in its season And so for any good thing that is foretold in Scripture to the Church as there are glorious things you know foretold concerning it in after times that God will raise it to an admirable state of glory and felicity which while the world continues shall not be overthrown again Let us not make any question but they shall absolutely and compleatly be accomplished and fulfilled And therefore let us strengthen and confirm our hearts in the assured expectation of it and let us put those promises in suit in our Petitions as Isaiah in the same case Chap. 62.1 And let us stand upon our watch-towers waiting for the execution of them Let us account it our especial happiness that we live under promises that shall surely be accomplished though they should be never fulfilled in our time Let us embrace them as the Fathers did yea though they be afar off Oh let us hugg them and take especial joy and comfort in them And though the Lord should take us hence before he bring them into act and execution yet let us cheer our hearts with the apprehension of the happiness and glory that shall be upon the Church after we are dead and gone And so dye with our arms full of promises and our hearts full of faith and our souls full of comfort Vse 3 To pass on to a third use Since this is so that whatsoever is foretold in Scripture shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled whatsoever is foretold in a way of Commination or in a way of Consolation by way of threatning or by way of promise Let us endeavour to believe both and act our faith upon them Let us work up our hearts to give a firm and full assent to all the threatnings and to all the promises though that which is delivered in the Scripture either way be never so improbable never so much against corrupt reason never so impossible to a humane apprehension Let us depend upon it that the word of God shall be fulfilled to the very utmost Let us imitate the faith of the antient Saints of God as I shall give you some examples of it in reference to both of these both to the threatnings and the promises of Scripture As for the threatnings That which the Lord denounced to Noah that he might publish it to all the world that he would utterly destroy all flesh from off the earth and by a flood of water too was as improbable as any thing almost could be as like to be derided by the wise men of the world Yet Noah being warned of God believed it and so accordingly prepared the Ark as you may see Heb. 11.7 And so that Commination by the Prophet Jonah was almost incredible that Nineveh so flourishing so glorious and so great a City should be destroyed in forty dayes and yet it is observed to the praise of Nineveh that they believed God that is the word of God his threatning message sent them by the Prophet Jonah 3.5 So for the promises of
truth 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
the ordinary means by which he sanctifieth his people in a way of inchoation O then let Ministers be here intreated and prevailed withall as they desire the Reformation and Conversion of their people the working of unfeigned faith and grace in them to be diligent and instant in preaching the Word and Gospel unto them if they would have them turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Let them lay out themselves in indefatigable pains this way Let them be instant as the Apostle Paul exhorteth Timothy in season and out of season and spare no labour to accomplish such a blessed end as this is Object But some may say perhaps That they have preached long and laboured hard and yet they see no issue no success of all their labours Their people are not turned to the Lord no grace appeareth in their lives and conversations so that they are exceedingly discouraged and disheartned in the work of God Sol. To this I shall reply in two or three particulars and I shall be brief in them for I am very sensible that other things will be more suitable to this Assembly First the fruit of their endeavours who faithfully dispense the Word of God is not always manifest Eliah thought he had been left alone and yet even then there were seven thousand men that had not bowed the knee to Baal Among the Rulers there were some who were indeed converted and believed in Christ and yet because they were but novices and newly entred they were fearful to acknowledge and confess him Grace is not always wrought with observation as our Saviour sheweth Mat. 13.13 It is compared to Seed in Scripture which after it is sowen lies hid and covered in the earth a while and is not seen And therefore faithful Teachers should not be disheartned because they cannot see the fruit of their indeavours it may be they have sowen the seed that may spring up and flourish in another age And they have laid the good foundation under ground and out of sight on which another faithful Minister may build and raise a very goodly frame And herein is that saying sometimes verified to use our Saviours own word Joh. 4.37 One soweth and another reapeth The Prophets laboured and the Apostles entred on their labours and so it is at this day Though their labour be in vain respectively to their desired issue and success the conversion of their people they ought not to desist from it No they must work the work of God they must continue preaching still though no fruit at all should follow Thou shalt speak my words unto them saith the Lord unto EZekiel chap. 2.7 whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a rebellious house And the Apostles exhortation is very apposite to this purpose 2 Tim. 4.4 They shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables What now must Timothy desist from preaching any more unto them No saith the Apostle watch thou in all things endure affliction make full proof of thy Ministry Be diligent perform thy duty and leave the success to God Waiting if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the Truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil by whom they are led Captive at his will If they continue in their ministerial labours though no apparent good be done by it they want not great encouragement They are to God a sweet savour in Christ not in them that are saved only but in them that perish too 2 Cor. 2 15. Though they spend their strength in vain with reference to the conversion of the people yet their judgement is with the Lord and their work is with their God that is the recompence and reward of it Isa 49.4 And they have their recompence secundum laborem non secundum proventum as Bernard speaks according to their labour and not according to the issue and success But in the last place my Beloved if after all their tiring pains and tedious expectation God should be pleased so to bless their labours to make them happy instruments of bringing in his chosen to him their comfort would be very great in this world their recompence exceeding glorious in the world to come For they that are not only wise themselves but also are the instruments of making others wise too shall have a great deal of glory they shall shine as the stars in the Kingdom of God for ever and ever And as the Ministers are hence encouraged to preach the Word so in Vse 2 the second place the people may be perswaded hence to hear it attend upon it If you be yet without the Covenant and have not any saving grace in you this is the ready way to have it wrought in your souls It is the Word by which God sanctifieth in a way of inchoation and if the Lord be pleased to concurr with it you may be sanctified by this means you are not able to convert your selves My Brethren you are not able to renew and sanctifie your selves but the blessed Word of God if he be pleased to add vertue to it may operate and bring about these great effects The Law that is the Word of God converts the soul the Truth that is the Word of truth so is the Gospel called in opposition to the types and shadows of the Law renews and sanctifies the heart according to our Saviour Christs Petition to his Father here in the behalf of his Disciples Sanctifie them with thy Truth thy Word is truth And therefore you that are strangers to the life of grace be you intreated and prevailed withal to put your selves under the powerful preaching of the Word and Gospel of the Lord Jesus O wait upon the doors of Wisedoms house be swift to hear attend upon the Word of God lay hold on every opportunity to be partakers of this holy Ordinance and then perhaps it may in time become a word of grace unto you you may be sanctified by this Truth Vse 3 Is it so That the Word of God is the ordinary means by which he sanctifieth his people in a further measure by which he works not only the beginnings but also the increase of grace which is the second member of the point We see then what the reason is why many Christians do not grow make no increase at all in holiness and grace nay rather in a declining and abating hand there may be many causes of it and this is not the least of the decay of many men because they do not wait upon the powerful preaching of the Word of God which is the means to make them prosper and to thrive in grace You may take notice of too many such who while they constantly attended on the means were zealous lively active fruitful Christians their gifts were always on the growing hand But since they have remitted of their diligence in this
bread of life by serious meditation by application of it to our own particular estate there will be no increase of grace by it Lastly Let us seek to God by earnest prayer that he would bless his Word to us that sucking this sincere milk we may grow thereby Paul may plant and Apollo may water but the success if any be must be from God as the Apostle shews 1 Cor. 3.6 and therefore must seek it at his hands Before we go to hear him speaking to us in his Word let him hear us speaking to him in our prayers that he would sanctifie his holy Ordinance and make it by his blessing to become a means of our increase in holiness and grace until we come to be compleat in Christ Jesus Seeing the Word is but an Instrument in his hand let us pray that he would mannage it and weild it and make it powerful and successful Let us renew our Saviours supplication in the Text every time we go to hear Lord sanctifie us with thy truth thy truth alone and of it self will never do it unless thou sanctifie us by it and therefore Lord do thou appear in this business Sanctifie us with thy truth thy Word is truth JOHN 17.17 Thy Word is truth OUR Saviour as he is a Mediator of Redemption to his people so of Intercession too He finished the former as his own expression is and he began the latter while he was here in this world The Chapter is a model of it wherein he gives his Apostles and Disciples a fore-taste from which they might a little guess what he was like to do more fully for them when he was ascended and sate down at the right hand of his Father to be an everlasting Advocate and Intercessor for his Church and people And here there are two things especially which he desires in their behalf to which at least all the rest may be reduced Preservation and Sanctification He enters on the latter in the verse now read and so did we the last occasion And here we have as I have shewed you the Supplication and the Explication The Supplication Sanctifie them with thy truth The Explication what is meant by truth the Word of God Thy Word is truth The last Lords-day I dispatched the Supplication so that the Explication comes to be insisted on at this time Thy Word is truth It seems to be an answer to the self same question which Pilate sometimes put to Christ himself but would not tarry for a resolution What is truth So sanctifie them saith our Saviour with thy truth But what is truth you have the answer in the following clause Thy Word is truth There is the Word God and there is the word of God The one is Christ the Son of God for he is called the Word in Scripture and he is the Word God as you may see that place for instance 1 Joh. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God The other is the will of God revealed and manifested in the Scripture And it is called the word of God because as the words of men discover what their mind is which else you were not able to imagine so the Word of God the Scripture discovers to us what the mind of God is so far as it is necessary to salvation Now this Word saith our Saviour here is truth Thy Word is truth It is not only true but truth it self and so indeed is all the Scripture the Law and Gospel both of them are all truth conformable in all respects to the Idaea of them in the mind of God But yet the Gospel is the Truth by way of Excellencie above the rest of holy Scripture Not that the Law or any other part of the Old Testament is not so true as Gospel is for there are no degrees in truth as truth Words are either true alike or some are true and others false But the Old Testament and legal truths are not be compared in some respects to the New Testament and Gospel truths These have the odds and the advantage of the other And therefore this I mean the Gospel is principally called the Truth in the language of the Scripture as I shall shew you more at large hereafter And this at least is chiefly aimed at by our Saviour when he saith thy Word is truth for of that truth he speaks apparently which is the instrumental means by which God sanctifies his people And that is not legal truth God doth not sanctifie men by the preaching of the Law save only in a way of preparation and predisposition The Gospel only works the truth and the reality of holiness and grace as I have shewed abundantly out of the former member of the Text. And therefore it is Gospel truth that is especially intended here which is the only proper instrument of sanctification Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth So then the Observation lies before us DOCTRINE The word of God of God especially the Gospel is the Truth In prosecution of the Point I have two things to cleer to you before I come to application First That the word of God is all truth there is no falsehood or deceit in it and I shall be brief on that Then that the Gospel is the truth by way of excellence and in a specialty above the rest of Holy Scripture I do not say the Gospel is more true then other things contained in the book of God but it is truth of more concernment and of more use as I shall make it evidently and distinctly to appear to you As for the first of these the word of God is all truth so it is stiled in the letter of my text without restraint or limitation Thy word is truth Whether it be the word of History the things that are historically represented to us in the Scripture or the word of precept or the word of promise or the word of threatning all is truth If you look to the intention of the Author of the word God hath delivered nothing in it with a purpose to deceive Or if you look to the matter of the word the things themselves that are delivered in the Scripture they are indeed as they are there expressed The sayings of the Lord are true sayings Apoc. 19.9 whether they be the sayings of the Father or the sayings of the Son For God the Father hath his saying God spake these words in the preface to the Law And God the Son hath his saying Verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death John 8.51 And both of these the sayings of the one and of the other the sayings of the Father the Law of works the sayings of the Son the Law of faith are absolutely and exactly true there is no falshood or deceit in them They are the true sayings of God And they must needs be true because they are the sayings of God Thy word is
truth saith our Saviour in my text It is thine and therefore truth For he that is the author of it he is the God of truth as the Prophet David stiles him Psal 31.5 Observe it well he doth not say he is the true God in himself and in his nature but he is the God of truth in his discoveries and revelations of himself to men All that comes from him is truth He is the faithfull and the true witness Apoc. 3.14 Not only true and faithfull as a God but true and faithfull as a witness And his word is his witness not his ordinary saying only but his witness to confirm us and assure us of that which is delivered to us to work and strengthen faith in us And therefore it is called the Testimony or the witness of the Lord I think no less then twenty times in Scripture Now for the second branch the Gospell is the truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in a specialty above the rest of holy Scripture Thy word is truth saith our Saviour in my Text that is thy sanctifying word which is the Gospell Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth The Law as far as I am able to remember is nowhere called distinctly by it self the word of truth but the Gospel commonly not in my Text alone but elswhere often Indeed the Psalmist prayes to God Take not thy word of truth away out of my mouth but he intends the promises for which he hoped as you may see in that place Psalm 119.43 And all the promises you know are Gospel they are in Christ yea and in Christ Amen But on the other side the Law is mentioned as in some respect contradistinct to truth The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ 1 John 17. And yet you must not apprehend the Gospel to be truer then the Law or any parts of Scripture If it be truer they are absolutely false But it delivers truth of greater excellency then the rest of Scripture doth as will appear if you consider either the subject matter of it or the Revelation of it or the Confirmation of it or the Operation of it Gospel truth excelleth for the matter of it Christ is the subject matter of the Gospel and therefore it is called the word of Christ Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly not of Christ the Author only but of Christ the subject matter and herein it surpasses and transcends not all other Books only that handle other arguments but even all other parts and parcels of the Book of God it self For Christ is the most pretious and delicious matter He is the richest and the sweetest subject in the world 1. Christ the Subject of the Gospel is the most rich and pretious subject He is the wealth and treasure of the faithfull soul there is in him an endless Myne and infinite Mass of inestimable riches And therefore the Apostle having spoken of the riches of the glory of the Gospel adds in the words immediately anexed which riches is Christ in you Col. 1.27 In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 A treasure is much but treasures are more But when all the treasures that are in the world shall be gathered together and laid in a heap there must needs be vast and riches And this transported the Apostle Paul and swallowed up his thoughts and words as unable to conceive it or express it yea even ravished him beyond himself that he was entrusted to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ Ephes 3.8 He found no end no bottome of them he could not reach the heigth and depth and length and breadth of those treasures they had such immense and endless dimensions 2. Christ the subject of the Gospel is the sweetest and most delicious subject in the world It was the only thing that weakned the delight that Austin took in reading of a certain work of Cicero's because he could not find the name of Christ in it That is a pleasant name indeed to every true believing soul and wheresoever that is found or whatsoever writing hath that high and holy person for the subject of it whom to know is life eternal should be read with full delight and high pleasure And therefore that which treats of Jesus Christ is stiled Gospel good news and good tydings yea good tydings of great joy It tells us of a Jesus a Saviour a deliverer out of bondage to sin and Sathan and damnation out of the most sad and miserable thraldom in the world and this is infinitely sweet Oh with what melting self-consuming wishes and desires doth the poor distressed Captive long to hear of a Redeemer how welcome is this news to him and such a one is Jesus Christ to us and therefore it is sweet to hear of him And as the Gospel tells us of deliverance out of bondage so of admission to such incomparable priviledges here to such unutterable happiness hereafter as cannot choose but melt the heart with ravishing delight that hath assurance of a share in them As Gospel truth excelleth for the subject matter of it Jesus Christ so for the manner of the revelation of it The trurh in the Old Testament was covered with a Vail not of Types and Shaddows only but of dark expressions too so that it was obscure and hid But now it is unvailed as it were and therefore the Apostle tells us that we behold it now with open face 2 Cor. 3.18 There is nothing now to hide it The truth of the Old Testament is likened to the glimmering twilight in the dawning of the day or to the faint and dimmer twinkling of a star But Gospel truth is likened to the shining of the Sun at noon-day And therefore we that live under Gospel-revelation are called the Children of the light and of the day 1 Thes 5.5 And the Apostle tells us that now the grace of God which brings salvation hath appeared Tit. 2.11 It is a Metaphor in which the Gospel is resembled to a glorious Light that having been obscured and masked awhile even as the Sun when it is overcast and mufled with a dark and gloomy cloud at length shines forth with admirable brightness and shewes it self with darling splendor to the world Though it were hid from ages and from generations yet it is now made manifest unto the Saints Col. 1.26 Gospel truth excelleth for the confirmation of it It is better ratified then other truth Truth may not be believed you know it may not gain assent from those that hear it for want of solid and substantial confirmation But Gospel truth hath this preheminency that it is now established to the very utmost by the death of Christ himself He hath sealed it with his blood and therefore we have reason to believe it Indeed the truth of the Old Testament was ratified and confirmed yea it was confirmed in blood But this was but the
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
too In that the Father sends the Son to save his people by his merit and his Spirit The Son sends his Ministers to save them by the application of his merit and his Spirit to them in the preaching of the Gospel The Father sends the Son to save them by dying for them the Son sends his Ministers to save them by preaching to them and so by crucifying Christ again before their eyes as Gal. 3.1 The Father sends his Son to save his people meritoriously and by way of effectual operation The Son sends his Ministers to save them Ministerially and by way of vocal Declaration so that Christ only is the proper Saviour and Ministers at most are but the Instrumental Saviours of his people Vse 1 Now is it so my Brethren That there is a great similitude between the Fathers sending c. Here then my Brethren is a perfect pattern for all the Minsters of Jesus Christ they must look on him that sent them and see what power he was endued withal what errand he was sent on and for what ends and so act accordingly As God invested him with power and sent him into the world to preach the Gospel and to save his people So Jesus Christ hath invested them with power to do the same thing for the same end So that they must not aim at the destruction and the hardning of the people No they must make this their business how they may bring about their conversion and salvation It 's true they must be sons of Thunder now and then as well as sons of Consolation they must preach the Law sometimes as well as the sweet comforts of the Gospel they must threaten men sometimes with wrath and hell and eternal condemnation But then they must not do it so as wishing that these things might come upon them but rather that they might avoid them They must threaten them with wrath that they may flee from the wrath to come and threaten with hell that they may escape the damnation of hell they must preach the Law with Gospel purposes and Evangelical intentions they must send out the avenger of blood to dog them at the heels that they may fly to the City of refuge They must use sharpness now and then it cannot be avoided But it must be for the same end that the Apostle speaks of 2 Cor. 13.10 where having minded the Corinthians that in case he must use sharpness according to the power the Lord had given him he had authority from Christ to do it but mark in the succeeding words to what end for edification and not for destruction according to the power the Lord hath given me for edification and not for destruction And therefore it is very notable that when our Saviour Christ had said to his Disciples All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth and having put a part of that power and authority of his on his Apostles having sent them as his Father sent him he doth not say to them as God doth to the Prophet Jer. 1.10 I have set you over the Nations and over the Kingdoms to root out and to destroy but I have sent you to the Nations to teach them and to baptize them that they may be saved He doth not make them rooters but planters he doth not bid them to go out and preach damnation to the people in the first place but go and preach the Gospel to them that they may be saved And the Apostle speaking of the execution of this Commission and authority in the Administration of the censures of the Church saith he would give a foul offendor up to Satan for no other end but this even for his good and his salvation 1 Cor. 5.34 I have already judged saith he concerning him that hath so done this deed with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh the carnal part that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord So that when we threaten judgement when we retain the sins of men when we give them up to Satan either in preaching or in Church-censure our aim is that their corruption may be mortified and that their spirits may be saved by this means And all the Ministers of Christ ought to have this continually in their eye how they may reach this great end they must remember that Jesus Christ hath sent them as God the Father sent him and that was not to condemn the world but that the world by him might be saved And thus of the First Argument with which our Saviour presseth and enforceth his Petition to his Father in behalf of his Apostles for Sanctification which hath been taken from the business and imployment that he is setting them about viz the very same in some respect which he himself hath hitherto sustained and undergone by the appointment of the Father Sanctifie them with thy Truth thy Word is Truth Why might the Father answer why so Cause enough saith Jesus Christ for as thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world and therefore thou hadst need to sanctifie them that so they may be fitted and enabled for such a service as this is JOHN 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth PRoceed we to the Second Argument with which he backs the same Petition and it is taken from the end for which he sanctified himself And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth q. d. It was the very end at which I aimed in sanctifying of my self that they might be sanctified it was my scope and drift in that business and therefore I beseech thee Father let me not be disappointed of my purpose let not this great design of mine be frustrated but do thou sanctifie them with the truth because I sanctified my self for their sakes with this intent that they might also be sanctified through the truth Two things we have apparently presented to us in the words what our Saviour did and why he did it First what our Saviour did He sanctified himself Secondly then why he did it and this is in the first place generally exprest that it was for their sakes for his Apostles and Disciples sakes that he sanctified himself And then it is particularly and expresly specified in what regard it was for their sakes that they might also be sanctified through the truth The difficulty of the text lies especially in this how Christ is said to sanctifie himself and what he means by that expression for their sakes I sanctifie my self To sanctifie is properly to make holy now a person or a thing is made holy especially two wayes viz. by qualification when holiness and grace is put into it when a man is made partaker of the saving gifts and graces of the holy spirit then he is said in Scripture to
1.9 Receiving the end saith he Conceive it the perfection or the reward of your faith even the salvation of your souls Salvation then you see my brethren is the end Christ is the object of our faith Use 1 Is Christ the Object of a true believers faith Then do not satisfie your selves my brethren with a general assent to sacred Revelation neither do you rest in this that you believe the word of God in gross Alas how many men that have been throughly convinced of the truth of all the Scripture are notwithstanding under everlasting Chains and darkness the Devils themselves believe and tremble They believe the word historically you must understand it and because it makes against them the greater their faith is the greater is their fear As therefore you desire to be absolved and acquitted from the guilt of all your sins which else will sink you down into the pit of Hell for ever to be invested with the righteousness of Christ without which you can never have admittance to the marriage of the Lamb nor to those joyes and pleasures at the Lords right hand for evermore lay hold on Jesus Christ and clasp the arms of faith about him Men and brethren to you is this salvation sent and we declare unto you glad tydings preaching through Christ the forgiveness of sins and that by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not have been justified by the Law of Moses We offer and exhibit Christ unto you and we beseech you to accept him that you may be saved We stand and cry Ho every one that thirsteth came to this water Now as you tender the salvation of your pretious souls let faith make out to Jesus Christ that comes towards her let her fasten on her object And that you may the better know what I perswade you to I shall shew you very briefly that there are four acts of the soul in reference to Jesus Christ wherein the essence and the being of justifying faith consists Whereof the former two are of the understanding and the two latter of the will I shall but only touch at them 1. Well then the first thing you are to do you must endeavour to know Christ aright distinct explicite knowledge of him in a measure is necessary to the being of this justifying faith And therefore knowledge is sometimes put for faith in Scripture by his knowledge or the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justifie many saith the Father of the Son Isa 53.11 And here to be a little more distinct you must know that Christ is a compleat and al-sufficient Saviour to free you from the wrath of God and to bring you to eternal life That he is offered by the Lord to you as well as any other for so the messengers of God have their Commission to make an universal tender of him to all to whom they preach without exception Go preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16.15 And what is it to preach the Gospel to them but to say as the Angel to the Shepherds Luke 2.10 11. I bring you good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And as Peter to the Jews Acts 2.39 The promise is to you and to your children yea and to all that are afar off as many as the Lord our God shall call Yea you must know that Christ is offered to you so that you are peremptorily commanded and required to believe in him Come to me saith our Saviour Mat. 11.28 i. e. Believe in me for so himself expounds the phrase as you may see John 6.35 all you that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest This is the first thing requisite to justifying faith of which Christ is the proper Object 2. The second act is the Assent and Credit of the mind to this that Christ is such a one indeed and that God offers him indeed in such a way as hath been said And that in this his gracious offer he intendeth as he saith That Christ and all his merits will be yours if you accept him This you must consent to you must say with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and in relation to this act it is that faith is called believing John 3.36 and elsewhere often in the Scripture 3. The third act is the yeelding of the Will to this external exhibition of the Son of God this blessed offer of him in the Gospel not only for the certain truth but the incomparable excellency of it when the heart accepteth of it and embraceth it and saith with the Apostle in the fore-alledged Scripture 1 Tim. 1.15 This saying as it is a faithfull one so it is worthy of all acceptation It is a faithfull saying saith the Understanding and therefore I will give assent to it It is a saying worthy of all acceptation saith the will and therefore I will close with it So the faith of the Fathers is described Heb. 11.13 in which all the three acts which we have mentioned are wrapt up together They saw the promises conceive it with the understandings eye they knew them and they understood them They were perswaded of them they gave assent to them and they received them and embraced them for both these terms are there used not the words and surface of them but Christ in them In which respect this act of faith is sometimes called receiving of Christ as see John 1.12 To as many as received him c. So that believing and receiving are all one this is the third act 4. The fourth and last act is a resting a relying and recumbency on Christ for mercy and salvation this is the great act of the soul in faith A roling of it self on Jesus Christ expecting life and happiness no other way and by no other mean but him only And this is that which is so often called believing in the Son of God believing in his name trusting in him as the Apostle Pauls expression is Ephes 1.12 or trusting to him for all the good that we expect or look for These are the four great acts of faith and Christ you see is the immediate and proper object of them all So that you easily perceive what I intend when I perswade you and exhort you to fasten on this object and to believe in Jesus Christ Object But you will say perhaps as that is now a great Objection the Creature is not able to believe it is an impotent and dead thing what can the Creature do And why do you perswade it to believe Sol. True my beloved it can do nothing and you would have it to do nothing by this Rule Keep away the means from it and when will it attain the end It hath no faith it is not able to believe but faith comes by this means by the perswasions and intreaties
you may decieve your own souls The Apostle speaks of some who love the Lord in sincerity Eph. 6.24 by which he intimates that there are some who do not so who love him hypocritically not sincerely whose love to God is like the love of many to their brethren in word and in shew not in deed and in truth and therefore it concerns us to examine whether the love we bear to God be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without dissimulation yea or no as the Apostles phrase is Rom. 12.9 And thus far of the Application of the Point in reference to the first branch of the Explication of it Proceed we to the second Vse 2 Doth God the Father love believers everlastingly even as he loves Christ this then may cheer and comfort up the hearts of all believers who though they have had sweet experience of the love of God to them yet are inclinable to fear that it may be withdrawn again from them And surely there are many such who even waste and pine away themselves in such perplexed thoughts as these are Oh they shall never persevere and continue to the end they shall fall away at last from Gods favour and so they shall be lost for ever Now I beseech you quiet and secure your selves in this particular the Lord that hath begun to love you will persist to love you on to all eternity as he hath loved you from the beginning so he will surely love you to the end As he hath loved you from everlasting so he will love you to everlasting even as he loves Christ When he gives over loving Christ then and not till then my brethren he will give over loving you when he withdraws his heart from Christ the darling of his own bosome he will withdraw his heart from you too Believe it Jesus Christ and you must fare alike in this respect you must be hated or be loved together And therefore do not fear of falling from the love of God though you have many failings many imperfections in you do not doubt that they will cause the Lord to hate you No no the love of God is large enough to cover a multitude of them and none of them shall separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8.39 Observe it well it is a love in Jesus Christ he loveth us in loving Christ as being part of Christ we are involved and wrapt up together with him in the same love so that if our infirmities should separate us from the love of God they must separate Christ with us If God and we part God and Christ must part too Oh think on this my brethren when your fears of losing Gods favour are most prevailing with you and have greatest power upon you This take for all and rest upon it he can no sooner cease to love you then you can cease to love Christ Doth God the Father love believers infinitely even as he loves Christ Vse 3 Oh then what may you not expect from such love as this is A love that hath no bounds no measures What will not God do for you in all conditions and in all cases what will not God give you what will not God forgive you what can you want if God love you in this manner Let your hearts dwell upon the meditation of it especially when you are in trouble When penal miseries are desperate and extream when they are very sore upon you that you know not what to do Think with your selves Is it a likely thing that God will suffer you to perish or miscarry the God that loves you infinitely even as he loves Christ himself Indeed if he did love you only with an ordinary love you had some colour then to doubt that he might be regardless of you But since he loves you so unmeasurably as he doth how can you think that he will stand and see you sink away to ruine and not stretch out his hand to save you Suppose Christ were in your case if it were to be supposed that he were brought to such an exigent as you are how tender would the Father be of him how would his bowels yearn upon him how would he hasten to relieve him What is it thou saith God that are brought to such distress and art thou likely to be ruined and undone what thou my dear and pleasant child my own beloved son Alas I pitty thee I melt upon thee I will help thee presently I will not see thee to continue long in such misery as this is Why my beloved just as God would deal with Christ in such a case even so will he deal with you for he loves you even as he loveth him So when your sins lie heavy on you and you are even afraid that God will never pardon you your provocations are so many and so great you vex him every day and every hour without ceasing you do not give him any breathing time and therefore you are apt to think sometimes his patience will be out at last and you shall pay for all together Indeed my brethren if his love were but as the love of man you had ground enough to fear it For who is able alwayes to forgive injuries without number and without measure But since his love is infinite and there is no end of it it cannot be too narrow and too scant for you What may you not expect from an infinite love Oh my beloved I beseech you do not limit it do not set bounds to it do not think thus far the love of God may cause him to forbear us and forgive us but beyond this it will not go Ah my beloved if you be humble and believing souls it is a bottomless and boundless love to you it will go beyond all that you can think further then you are able to imagine And therefore do not cast away your confidence but roll your selves on this unmeasurable love of God in all cases Your sins are finite that is infinite your sins have limits that hath none Doth God the Father love believers under the same relations as he loves Vse 4 Christ doth he love them as his chosen as his servants as his children This then administers incomparable sweet pretious comfort to all that do in deed and truth believe in Christ The love of God to them is like to that he bears to Christ under all these three relations And this involveth blessed priviledges and carries high things in it as I shall shew you in their order Doth God the Father love believers as his chosen even as he loves Christ Then surely he will never cast them off again as he will never cast off Christ There are some whom God chooses out of a common love to common priviledges and advancements whom in the issue he rejects again he repents that he hath chosen them to such a dignity place and office and so he even casts them off again And