is to be shewed them that it might be as a powerful Argument to beget faith and affection to God and Christ in them and to make them that duly consider it willing to come and which if rejected leaves them without excuse and aggravates their sin and makes evident the equity of their condemnation with a witness Indeed in Promises and Threatnings which alwaies respect the future there is an If or condition understood where not expressed often as appears 1 Sam. 2.30 Jer. 18.7 8. Jonas 3.4 but not in declarations in matters done Now I say this love and salvation so generally expressed is not that to be sought to be obtained or that we may be under it we being all preventingly under it and too many content themselves with being under the enjoyments of its streams in having the patience and bounty of God exercised toward them and in hearing that God hath loved them while sinners and Christ hath died for them sitting down content with this or some more common gifts vouchsafed in or through such means as upon the account thereof are afforded not minding that though those things be true without condition and so ought to be proposed yet they were not done without an end which ought to be pursued Though it s not said Christ died for all if they will live to him yet it s said He died for all that they who live might live to him Though it s not right to say God is patient towards men and doth them good if they repent as if not otherwise yet it s right to say that he is patient towards them and do 〈◊〉 them good that they might repent It 's not handsome to say The Gospel is sent to men if they will believe yet it is to say It is sent to men that they might believe and in believing be justified sanctified washed renewed and be made new creatures having on them the Wedding garment without which they may not partake of the feast nor be the Subjects of Gods choice love in which true bliss and happiness are to be enjoyed nor be made partakers of the special salvation in which Christ is the especial Saviour of them that believe the Author of Eternal salvation unto which things as to our being the Subjects enjoying them there is an If or condition And therefore that these ends of what Christ hath done and doth might be obtained by us it 's needful both that the Gospel be declared clearly and plainly to men by those who are thereto called and that where declared men set their hearts to it to mind it that they might in another sort or sense find this general love and salvation that is to say as to the knowledge belief and efficacy of it upon them it being as is shewed in the Treatise the way by which men are and may be begotten and brought to Repentance Faith and the New Birth and â—o become the objects of the special love aâ— salvation The Word in the Gospel is the seed of Regeneration 1 Pet. 1.23 25. The Gospel of Christ even the preaching of the Cross that Christ died for our sins and was buried and rose again according to the Scriptures is the power of God to salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.22.24 15.1 2 3. the preaching that Christ died for all and to what end and that God was in Christ reconciling the world and is the Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.14 15 19. The Grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saving to all men teacheth that denying all ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly That Teacher is to be attended to and that teaching learned and they are greatly faulty that slight or darken it or overly hear it or rest in a notion of it without being brought under the special love by it Though yet neither is this all that men should attend to in hearing and receiving it to be made in Christ by it and so objects of special love All the business is not done and over in that it 's needful also to abide and go on therein for we have adversaries will endeavour to pull us back or pervert us from it Pharaoh who hindred Israels going out of Egypt endeavoured when gone to fetch them back again So deals Satan and as all that were brought into the way to Canaan attained not to Canaan because some turned back in their hearts and some such as had believed and sung his praises afterward through unbelief perished So there is a danger here too And therefore as Moses his work was not all over when he had brought them over the Red Sea and led them to Mount Sinai so neither was the Apostles when by their Ministry and Gods blessing thereon they had brought any to Christ and so to Mount Sion now they were jealous with a godly jealousie for such as they had espoused to Christ lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve any of them might be corrupted from the simplicity in him 2 Cor. 11.23 Least by any means they might be moved and the Tempter should tempt them and render their labour frustrate 1 Thess 3.5 Therefore they wrote Epistles to them wherein they instructed reproved warned them provoked them to watchfulness and stedfastness in the faith So run that they might obtain so to hold fast and abide in Christ as not to lose their reward nor fail of the Grace of God directing them how to behave themselves so as to be preserved in Christ unto eternal life And that 's the main scope and drift of the Treatise here presented that being in the special love of God thou mayest be kept in it But I am sensible that some things might have been spoken to that I over looked in it for some perhaps by the love of God spoken of in the Text understand not that love whereof he is the Subject and we the Object Gods love to and of us but that whereof we are the Subjects and God the Object our love to and of God And indeed upon consideration I had thought of inserting some things in that sense also Not because I think I have taken it amiss but because I think that also might not have been unprofitably spoken to as one sense of the phrase though the matter comes much what to the same for the lover of God is the choicely beloved of God as it is said I love namely with an approving delightful love them that love me Prov. 8.17 Psal 147.11 and my Father hath loved you because ye have loved me John 16.27 they are the called according to his purpose and all things work together for their good Rom. 8.28 to them God hath promised the Crown of life and a glorious Kingdom James 1.12 2.5 Onely to supply that defect I shall here briefly note that in those words Keep your selves in the love of God so taken there is signified Note 1. That the real and hearty
needless yea and all calls to believe in him and acting of faith toward him which so pulls up all the Gospel by the roots and abrogates the Grace of God that it may by no means be endured And therefore it may in no wise be understood of an approving owning and as some are pleased to speak a tantamount justifying love from eternity but only as we said of a love of pity and well-willing in which God beholding its wretchedness by reason of its sins against him and his curse against it did mercifully devise and find out a way to help it and where through any of it might if not obstinately chusing their own ruine be actually saved and brought â—o happiness Such a love as this may be in a Father toward an ungracious childe who hath provoked him to cast him into prison where he yet remains in his crooked conditions and in danger there to perish he may out of pity use means to set him free and reclaim him to a beter demeanour of himself while yet he cannot like of his present either demeanour or concondition or own and delight in him as such And as David loved Absalom greatly even while he was in open arms and rebellion against him so as that he was not willing he should perish or be slain therein yea so as he could have found in his heart to have died for him so he might have lived and come to good when as yet he could not own approve or delight in him or like to have his company in that his condition Such a love God loves sinners and ungodly men with while yet they be such But 2. By the love of God is sometime meant and signified his owning approving tenderly affecting delightfully favouring or embracing a person or party loved as when it is said The Father loveth the Son and gave all things to him John 3.36 and again Therefore my Father loveth me because I lay down my life that I may take it again John 10.17 that is he owns approves and delights in the Son as in Matth. 3.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased and as Mat. 12.18 Behold my servant whom I have chosen my beloved in whom my Soul is well-pleased or as Isaiah hath it Isa 42.1 in whom my soul delighteth He so loved loveth Christ not only as his eternal word as brought forth before the mountains and hills rejoycing always before him and his dayly delight as Pro. 8.29.30 but also as man of the seed of Abraham and David after the flesh and â—s because he was obedient to him did his will and kept his Commandement in laying down his life a ransome for us and taking it again as John 15.9 10. with 10.17 18. that he hath in all cases stood by him upheld and helped him owned and approved his doings and performances accepted him into his presence given him honour and glory and taken up his delight and well-pleasedness in him for ever After that manner loved he not the world he owned it not nor approves its works nor takes it into his favour acceptance because it and its works are all evil But with such a love God and Christ loved his Disciples as in John 15.9 10. As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you so that after such a sort with such an owning accepting approving love continue ye in my love and John 16.27 The Father himself loveth you because ye have loved me and have believed that I came out from God Surely God loved them before they loved Christ but that was with a pitying well-willing love desiring their good and affording that to them that might conduce to their good both as to the making them good and bringing them to be capable subjects of his special goodness while they were yet of the world he loved them as he loved the world and with such a manner of loving them and so gave Christ for them and to them as an object fit to be believed in by them that they might believe in him and be saved out of the condition of the world in which he found them and in which they lay before their believing in him but now there he speaks of an higher and other manner of love or streaming forth his love upon them as persons in Christ loving him and believing him to be the Son of God sent forth into the world by him Such a likement of them as a result of the greatnes of his love to Christ as not only on the accomptâ— of Christ's intercession praying for them I say not says Christ that I wil pray for you but in approvement of their faith in and love to Christ out of his respect upon that account to them he would hear and help them yea as our Saviour himself says in his prayer for them in the next Chapt. John 17.23 the Father loved them even as he loved Christ for so are the words That the world may know that thou hast sent me and that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me Loved them not the world for he did not love the world as he loved Christ though he so loved it as to give Christ for it to be the Saviour of it but by them its evident he means the Disciples and believers on Christ who are said to be loved as Christ not in immediateness heighth of testimony and fulness as Christ but in respect of the account upon which he loves them Not as Adam or as branches only of him and so with a love issuing out of his love to him as he may be said to have loved the world that is to have pityed them and desired their good as his Creatures but as Christ as branches of him the true Vine and with a love centered upon him reflecting from his love to him and with respect to him as loved for his obedience to him in laying down his life and taking it up again and so as he loved Christ even with a love answerable to or after such a manner as his loving him that is reckoning them in and after him approving owning taking pleasure in them c. 2. Now the hearty believers on Christ and retainers of his Truth and walkers therein may be truly said to be in the love of God in both these senses significations or manners of the acting of the love of God that is 1. In the love of pity and well wishing and that both 1. As they were in Adam not only standing and as there owned and approved as his innocent Creatures for of his loving men there we have nothing here to say the object of his so loving men as such being long since ceased in Adam's sinning but as fallen and yet pittied of God and not left destitute of his care of him to help and rescue him for so they were parts and members of the World or of that lump of mankind fallen in him whom he sent his Son for and
that we fall not into Temptation To take heed least our hearts at any time be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness c. to take heed of false Prophets and that no man deceive us To give all diligence that we fail not of or fall not off from the Grace of God To beware of flothfulness because that casteth into a deep sleep of Spiritual security and carelessness and then a man lies open to the enemy to fall upon him and destroy or devour him but to follow the steps of those who through faith and patience have inherited the promises exhortations and warnings and provocations by manifold Arguments to all diligence in this matter are every where obvious in the Scriptures to believers and that that is said and shewed before both of the possibility and danger of failing otherwise of the Grace and love of God as to its continuance and the fearful things that befal in such a case as also the certainty of abiding in it and obtaining unspeakable joy and happiness in our care and diligence in depending on God and Christ and expectance of such diligence and earnestness in us may incite and provoke to the diligence circumspection and watchfulness exhorted too and reprove that too great carelessness negligence and slothfulness in these matters of so great concernment too ordinarily found even in Believers as it was found and reproved in the Angel of the Church of Ephesus leaving his first love and in the Angel of the Church of Sardis that had almost quite lost all his strength so as that he was ready to die and in the Church of Laodicea or the Angel therof grown Lukewarm therefore ready to be spewed out of Christs mouth unless he awakened up to zeal and diligence and repented of his indifferencie upon Christs reproofs of him Rev. 2.4 5. and 3.1 2 14 15 16 19. Oh it is a great shame for us to be careful and diligent to keep or increase our Estates or Honours here in this World which after a while do what we can must be taken from us from us or we from them and to be so indifferent and negligent about retaining that Grace and favour of God whereto he hath admitted us by Jesus Christ as if it were not of that worth and excellencie as those other poor fading and uncertain matters when as it is the source spring and fountain of all blessedness and happiness But I shall pass from this first and main matter of the Text to the next The way and mean to keep our selves in God's love and that is edifying our selves in our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost whence we may note That Observ 5. The way for Believers to keep themselves in the love of God is to edifie themselves on their most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost Here be two means 1. Edifying themselves on their most holy Faith 2. Praying in the Holy Ghost Let us if God permit consider them in order And first 1. Divers things as to the first of them are to be explained for better understanding and usefulfulness of the Proposition as to that Branch of it as to say 1. What is meant by the Faith here on which Believers are to build up themselves and one another 2. Why is it called their Faith 3. Why is it called their most holy Faith 4. What that is that is to be builded on it 5. How the believer is to be builded on it And 6. What that signifies that they build up themselves and how that they may do that 7. How the building up themselves thereon conduceth to the keeping themselves in the love of God 1. For the Faith here mentioned what it is or signifies we are to mind that the word Faith is is used two ways either 1. For the act or habit of believing and so it often signifies as in these expressions Lord increase our faith and if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed ye should be able to say to this Sycamore tree be thou plucked up by the roots and be thou planted into the midst of the Sea and it should obey you Luke 17.4 5. Your faith is spoken of throughout the world Rom. 1.5 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing is of the word of God Rom. 10.17 After I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the Saints Ephes 1.15 and many others 2. For the Doctrine of faith and the matter and object of faith in it contained to that purpose is that of Paul Gal. 1.22 He that persecuted us now preacheth the faith that he destroyed So Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith So verse 5. and 7. and 9. They that he of Faith the same are the Children of Abraham and are blessed with faithful Abraham Now in as much as the Faith or Doctrine preached is also called the preaching of Christ or of Jesus Christ Acts 9.20 Rom. 16.25 1 Cor. 1.22 24. We preach Christ crucified And 2 Cor. 4 5. We preach not our selves but Christ Jesus the Lord Therefore even Christ himself as preached and declared in the Gospel may also be contained in the signification of the word Faith when taken in this second sense and meaning Now that the word faith is not meant here in the former but in the latter sense is evident because it is here represented as the foundation to be built upon or matter wherewith they were to be built up but that is not faith as it signifies the act or habit of believing for that is something built rather upon the foundation or at most the way or means of building or being built on it Christ himself as held forth in the Apostles Doctrine or also the Apostles Doctrine as holding forth Christ in it is the foundation and is so spoken of in the Apostles Writings as in 1 Cor. 3 11. Other foundations can no man lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ What more plain than that Jesus Christ is the only foundation laid of God and of his Apostles in their Doctrine To this purpose it is that the Apostle Peter quotes that Scripture of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 28.16 and applyes it to Christ in 1 Pet. 2.4 6. where having called him the Living stone chosen of God and precious he saith Wherefore it is contained in the Scriptures behold I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone elect precious and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded Unto you therefore which believe he is precious c. This is that foundation which the Apostle speaks of to Timothy when he saith 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God standeth sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or firm having this seal the Lord knoweth them that are his c. For therein God seals to it owns and approves or knows all that be his the foundations namely or knows the foundation it self as peculiarly his as Christ is and others that
them fully ripe as follows in that Parable ver 29. when the fruit yeelds forth it self or is brought forth straitways puts in his sickle because the harvest is come that is till Christ take us away by death we are to abide and grow That 's one thing implied and then 2. That this building up or edifying on the most holy faith is a thing to which the believer is to be active not passive only It 's a work in some sense put upon and required of the believer not so to be wrought in upon them as the building of a temple of wood and stones is a work wrought upon it so as it contributes nothing therto by way of action only is built up but builds not it self both phrases are used of believers they are built up says Eph. 2.21 22. Col. 2.7 and yet also are said to edifie willed to build up themselves as here and in 1 Thess 5.11 The former because believers have not power and sufficiencie of themselves as of themselves to build up themselves for God more than to bring themselves to God but their sufficiencie is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 and it is he that worketh in them to will to do of his good pleasure they are in that sense also Gods Building not onely built for God but built of God too The Sanctuary that God hath pitched and not man and yet the latter phrase of edifying and building up themselves and each other is also used because they are not dead stones like the stones in Solomons Temple of old that had neither life nor motion in them but by vertue of Christ the living stone to whom they in believing are come they are made living stones that have life and motion in them not only natural as men but also spiritual and divine as Believers in and partakers of the life and Spirit of Christ and therefore are capable of receiving and obeying exhortation and of acting spiritual things yea are inabled by the Grace of God to what he requires of them 1 Pet. 2 3 4 5. And God who gives them his Spirit to inliven and impower them to holy and good actions gives them it not to be idle in them or that they should be idle in or with it but living in the Spirit he would have them walk in the Spirit too do the works that his Spirit requires of them and leads them to the working out their own salvation and not being therefore secure and slothful because it is God that is working in them to will and to do It is the Believers work then in the help and strength motive and motion of the Grace of God to edifie and build up themselves And it is the work of God and his Spirit power and strength in the obeying him to build them up too And in their doing in his power and strength what he requires of them and moves and inclines them too he also will not all to do all his good work in them so as they shall be built up and prepared for an habitation for him by his Holy Spirit Now that which they are to doe in the helpfulness and operation of Gods Grace in them for edifying themselves and each other is 1. Diligently to heed and minde the most Holy faith on which they are built and have their standing exercising themselves and provoking one another to consider it and all that is in it as it is discovered to and set before them taking heed to those things which they heard and learned therein and to draw waters out of those wells of salvation even to suck and receive that nourishment in faith and incouragement to hope and love and live upon and unto God that it presents to them feeding upon the words of life and Christ crucified as set forth therein and receiving in the sweetness strength vertue thence afforded Considering Jesus Christ the Great high Priest and Apostle of our Profession both in his Person and that dignity and greatness of it that he is the Son the only begotten Son of God who was in the form of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God and as to his undertakings and performances in what he hath already done for us as that he accepted and undertook to doe the will of God for ransoming us from that wretched state of sin and death and therein of slavery to Sathan that we by our sin had plunged our selves into and to that purpose abased himself to be made flesh for us partaker with us in flesh and blood made of a woman and made under the Law for us that the curse of the Law might fall upon him for us as also it did to the death of the Cross wherein he bare our sins on the tree and died for us the just for us unjust that he might bring us to God so making peace for us by the blood of his Cross and ransoming us from under the Law and Curse to be under his own gracious Government and dispose who also in the vertues of his sufferings and Sacrifice is able and ready to save to the utmost from all our following sins even against his Grace and goodness all that see and confess them and turn from them and so doe come unto God by him and so from all dangers and inflictions of wrath and judgement and be the Author of eternal salvation to them that obey him who being now raised from the dead and ascended and sit down on the right hand of Majesty in the highest is made Lord and Christ the Lord of Lords and King of Kings Thrones Dominions Principallities and Powers being put under him and all the fulness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him And he is made unto us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption one in whom all these things are for us so as in believing in him to becom ours and to be injoyed by us the Great Prophet anointed of God and filled with his quickning Spirit to give forth light and bring forth judgement to the Gentiles able so to speak as to cause the dead to hear and in hearing to live able to open the eyes of the blind and cause the simple to understand knowledge and guide the Believer into all truth as he is also appointed of God and hath promised to do The great High-Priest that hath offered up the acceptable Sacrifice by which he hath made an atonement for our sins and in the virtue of which he is become the propitiation for our sins even for the whole world and now ever lives to make intercession for be the Advocate of al those that come unto God by him The great ruler disposer of all things and the protector and Defence of all those that believe in and obey him the Judge of quick and dead who shall raise all men out of their Graves and bring them before him to receive of him according to their works everlastingly rewarding with eternal life
THE BEST EXERCISE FOR CHRISTIANS In the worst Times In order to their Security against Prophaness and Apostacy Good and useful to be consider'd and improv'd by all the Lovers of God and Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ for their direction and preservation in these times of the overspreading of Iniquity and Transgression from the too great Deluge of Errors and Impieties threatning our destruction Proposed to Consideration By J. H. an unworthy Servant of God in the Gospel of his Son Mal. 3.14 15 16 17. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and a book of remembrance was written before the Lord for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I will spare them as a man that spareth his own Son that serves him London Printed for Thomas Passenger at the sign of the Three Bibles on London-Bridge 1671. TO THE READER Christian Reader REad I pray thee also with candor and consideration this Epistle for as it informs thee something about this Treatise so it also supplies some defect in it and contains something useful to be considered The ensuing Treatise was first in its substance the matter of some of my more private Exercises some years since which being copied out upon the desire of one who I wish may be as diligent to peruse and make good use of it as I was for his helpfulness ready to copy it and afterward viewed by some of my friends met with so good respect as induced me to make it publick that others also might have benefit by it To which I was the rather willing because it proposes and excites to such exercise as is good and needful at all times for all that think of Heaven and desire the enjoyment of God and Christ and being in the way thereto would not fail thereof through the temptations befalling them in the world But especially in evil and perillous times wherein such temptations most abound What is there more behoveful for us then or can afford like safety and satisfying to us as Gods love towards us and therefore what should be so much endeavoured after by us as to obtain that and having obtained it secure it to our selves Indeed there is a general and universal love of God herein also mentioned in and through the gift of Christ the Son of God to be the Saviour of the world extended to all men wherewith God prevents all our endeavours and under which all men are during the day of his grace and patience and which men need not in a sort endeavour for it being attested in the Scripture absolutely for and towards all without proposing any condition for attaining it expressed in such sayings as these that God sent his Son the Saviour of the world Gave him to be the Propitiation for our sins That Christ came into the world to save sinners Dyed for all and is risen again Bare our sins in his own body on the tree That God hath made him Lord of all and prepared a feast in him for all people Isa 25.6 and the like These have no condition proposed for our being included in them for its never said God sent him for us or Christ dyed for us if we believe or repent nor is it said he came to save sinners if they believe and repent But without that if It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners That he dyed for us while yet without strength ungodly and sinners not suspending it upon our believing and repenting As if in case we believe not he dyed not for us or came not to save us For though it is true that there is a salvation and that the main end of his coming that we cannot have except we repent and believe yet the end of his coming is not to be confounded with the event and effect He came to save Israel out of Egypt and to bring them into Canaan generally yet many of them perished by the way Exod. 6.8 with Numb 26.64 and were not eventually brought in thither So Christ came to call sinners not if they will repent but to repentance or that they might repent That was the end of his coming and calling not the condition of it and such an end as is oft not answered in the event witness Prov. 1.23 24. Isa 50.2 66.4 where he complains that when he called they refused and answered not Besides that there are acts of his saving in which he hath saved and doth save us before we can be capable of coming to him for salvation or of repenting and believing The very foundation of Repentance and Faith towards God lies in those principles of the Doctrine of Christ or Word of his beginning in which he is asserted to have died for all and to be risen again Which had he not first done for us so as to have ransomed us from under the first judgment and from the power and jurisdiction of Satan as he would otherwise have exercised the power of death over us had he not in that respect destroyed him and made peace for us yea and did he not save us by upholding and preserving us and prevent us with his calls and grace bringing salvation to us we could be in no capacity of repenting believing and being further saved by him In such sense he hath partly saved us by his death before his calling us having abolished death 2 Tim. 1.9 10. and partly is saving us through his mediation during the time of his calling us yea before our obeying him yea and whether we obey his call or not Rom. 2.4 5. his long-suffering being to be accounted salvation 2 Pet. 3.15 and so he is the Saviour of all men and not onely of them that believe or upon condition of believing The feast is prepared for men in which is all fulness of Grace and Eternal life given us in Christ 1 John 5.11 whether men come to him for it and receive him and it in and with him and the invitation prevents mens coming to it and is given and is to be given whether men come or not whether they will heare or whether they will forbear It is not said nor ordered to the servants to say Go tell them if they will come I have prepared my dinner c. but absolutely Go tell them I have prepared my dinner my Oxen and fatlings are slain and all things are ready come to the Wedding This is to be and is by Wisdom and her Maidens said to the simple and persons without understanding Mat. 22.4 Prov. 9.3 4. And they who here go with an If or condition in their mouthes as to these things they do not their message rightly they keep not the wholesome form of sound words used in the Scriptures they let not men see certainly that Grace and love of God which
Trees without fruit without any good fruit in Doctrine and Conversation they bring in none to God nor do any real good in their Generation twice dead and pluckt up by the roots as unfit for fruit or profit to the Church of God as such trees be being also not only dead in Adam and in themselves as from him or in him as all men naturally are or were but then after some life given them in and received of also by Christ they have died again lost that life sap they received from him and being given up to Sathan for their neglects or contempts of Christ they are pluckt out of him have no root or standing in him or in the Grace in him as ver 12. Raging waves of the Seas foaming out their own shame troubled and troublous boysterous persons acted and made unquiet by their lusts and evil spirits that have influence upon them and therefore they in their boysterousness and unquietness of Spirit foam out speak and vent forth their own shame their evill principles guilt of conscience or vain-gloryings in things that discover their destituteness of the fear and Grace of God within wandring Stars that seem to have light and profess that they know God and can discover him and his truth to others but are not fixed in Christ and therefore wander into evil and erroneous principles and perhaps go about too from place to place to corrupt others with their delusions For whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever for whom the greatest rejection from God saddest distress and misery in the depths of Hell for ever are reserved as their due deserved portion as being sinners of the highest degree of wickedness because they deny the Lord that bought them and corrupt others from the faith of him ver 13. Sixthly He confirms the Truth of what he had said about the sadness and wretchedness of their estate by the Prophecie of Enoch the seventh from Adam which though we have it not recorded elsewhere in our Bibles yet was by some other Writings in those dayes handed to them And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all the ungodly of them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all the hard speeches which ungodly godly Sinners have spoken against him ver 14 15. and then Seventhly Gives a further Character or Description of them to whom he applies that Prophesie and it may seem first with reference to the last clause of it These are murmurers namely against God and his Servants like the Israelites of old in their unbelief against the Lord and against Moses and Aaron complainers the word signifies faulters of their destiny lot or condition not submitted to or content with the Providences of God to about them and then with reference to the middle clause of the said Prophesie Walking after their own ungodly lusts not keeping them to the word and will of God set before them in the Gospel but as complaining of the purity severity or simplicity of that they break those bonds and transgress those bounds that they might walk after their own imaginations both as to faith and manners v 1.6 And their mouths speak great swelling words as of their parts worth attainments or as in 2 Pet. 2.18 19. the parallel place to this Epistle They promise others liberty they talk of being free from and above those rules of faith and worship that Christ hath prescribed and promise others freedom and liberty from such tryalls persecutions or temptations as they see the faithful cleavers to Christ exercised under will they but listen to them yea they speak as if they had their heaven and happiness Kingdom and glory here while yet themselves as he saith are servants of corruptions Having mens persons in admiration for advantage or profit-sake flattering and commending mens persons their greatness parts or places for some gain to themselves Eighthly Having thus at large described them and the evil and wretchedness of their way and condition he fortifies them against them by putting them in mind that this was no strange matter nothing but what the Apostles of Christ had forewarned them of But ye Beloved call to minde the words which were before spoken of the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ how that they told you that there should be mockers Deceivers in the last time walking after their own ungodly lusts ver 17 18. and then Ninthly Gives yet a further Character and description of them and shews the fulfilling of those words in these persons that they might not mistake them as to the persons he warns them of and that we in after-ages might know them saying These be they that separate themselves divide themselves from the company and fellowship of the true worshippers and Confessors of the Doctrine of Christ as not one in faith with them or as seeking to avoid those sufferings and persecutions that they were then exposed to probably pretending more holiness but really casting off Christs government yoke and discipline in his Church sensual or led by their carnal understanding and imagination having no higher principle to guid them and so savouring of such animal or sensual things only not having the Spirit The Spirit of faith to make them live by faith in the hope and expectation of the coming and Kingdom of Christ which these deceivers denied and made a mock of and so of the eternal life that God hath promised to those that worship him and trust in him by Jesus Christ ver 19. Now after all these things having so variously and abundantly both described these Deceivers admonished the right Believers of them he comes in these 20 and 21 verses to exhort and counsel them to what might be of greatest concernment to themselves and one another in opposition to the way and practise of those ungodly persons and that they might be kept from their infection and the dangerous fruits thereof But ye Beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life ver 21 22 wherein we have A serious and heavenly counsel given to faithful and unfeigned believers for their preservation in the Grace of God and attainment of eternal life and happiness and wherein is 1. The compellation term or title wherewith he addresses himself to these to whom he wrote Ye Beloved 2. The Distinction of them from and opposition of them to those ungodly Deceivers before described Those ungodly ones were such as separated themselves forsook the Assemblings of themselves together being sensual and not having the Spirit But ye Beloved Ye are not of them 3. The main thing counselled to to be aimed at by them and that is in verse 21. Keep your selves in the love of God
it is never to have known the way of truth than after the knowledge of it to turn away again from the holy Commandement 2 Pet. 2.21 Their root is rottenness and their blossom goeth up as dust because they have cast away the Law and Doctrine of the Lord of Hosts and despised the Word of the Holy One of Israel Isai 5.24 Though they may profess that they know God yet in deed they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobates bunglers at the best and void of judgment Tit. 1.16 Now as there is such difference between them so it is the part and practice of Christs Apostles and Servants to separate and put difference between them in their ministration as Jude here doth To say to the Righteous It shall be well with him for they shall eat the fruit of their doings and to pronounce wo to the wicked for he shall in going on to be so surely dye the reward of his hands shall be given him Isai 3.10 11. and so to separate the precious from the vile incouraging confirming and strengthening the one in the Lord and so in the way of righteousness and reproving discouraging and fighting against the other in the way of his wickedness that he might be filled with shame and either be turned from his wicked way or be weakened and confounded however in it that he may not be able to do hurt to others and hinder them in the way of righteousness and salvation Jerem. 15.19 But as I said before I shall not inlarge further upon these things but proceed to consider the Councel and Exhortation here given for the direction and preservation of Believers But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith c. In speaking to and considering of which I shall God willing observe the order above propounded first speak to the main thing directly exhorted to and then to the means and manner thereto and thereof prescribed as God shall afford his assistance and help to me And so I shall consider 1. The matter mainly or directly exhorted to and see what it implyes and signifies unto us that is Keep your selves in the love of God In which is signified Obser 3 4. 1. That unfeigned Believers in Christ are in the love of God 2. That it greatly behooves them and it is required of them that they keep themselves therein Indeed those words In the love of God may be so construed as to signifie either the way in which we are directed to keep our selves namely from the error of the wicked and the dangers and woes attending it and then the sense might be Keep your selves from those persons and evils forementioned by taking heed to the love of God or else which I judge the righter as to the intent of the Apostle here the way state or condition in which the Believers at that present were this I say I judge the righter for the other sense representing those words in the love of God as if they signified in minding the love of God or the like is included in the words Building up your selves on your most holy faith as we may see in considering that phrase and therefore I conceive the Apostle would not speak the same thing twice in the same breath as it were besides that his sentence should be somewhat defective in omitting the word minding or the like whereas in the other sense all things are plain And the former Observation from these words evidently appears to be implyed namely That unfeigned Believers are in the love of God Obser 3. where we shall mind 1. What is meant by the love of God here and then 2. Shew that and how the Believer is in it 1. By the love of God is sometime meant and signified his loving merciful pitiful and compassionate affection in which he willeth and desireth the good of the party loved and doth that that he sees needful and conducible thereto yet so as not in the mean while liking or approving or taking into fellowship with himself the party loved because of the unfitness and incapacity in the present condition for it A Love of pity commiseration and well-willing but not of owning and delight and so it is said John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life which is only meant of such a pitying and well-willing love not of owning and approving love For it is not said That God so loved the world as that he approved its state and way or owned it to be his peculiar people his portion and the heirs of his Kingdom or admitted it into fellowship with himself No the world being there plainly persons not as yet believing in him or in his Son but in such a condition as needed his Sons being given to do that for it and receive that power and fiâ—ness thereupon to help it as might render him an object to be believed in by it were in such a sinful wretched ungodly State as in which it was liable to perish in its wickedness or sinfulness and therefore God could not as in that state in which he is yet said so to love it as to give his Son approve of it or admit it into his presence to the injoyment of fellowship with him and life therein And that is evident for could God as then and in that state have delighted in owned and approved of it and so admitted it into fellowship with himself and had God accordingly so have loved it as so to do then was it in no danger of perishing much less in no such danger as that it needed the coming forth and death and sacrifice of Christ to save it therefrom unless we could imagine that God sent Christ only to preserve the world in his owning approving love and not to procure that it might be so loved or have a way to be brought into it which is contrary to the Scripture which both tell us that the world was in a state of enmity to God and therefore not in an approved state and that Christ was sent forth for its reconciling to him 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself c. and every where implies a need for his doing so that it or any man in it might come into such a state by him as that it might be owned and accepted which needed not if it was accepted before For if it was owned of God and approved notwithstanding the sin of Adam that sinfulness which thereby entred upon it defiled it then why might it not stil have been always accepted and approved whatever it might sin in by the power or virtue of that its corrupted state that its sinning notwithstanding for if the root hindred it not of God's favour to it why should any fruit springing from that root and so Christ's coming had or should have been in vain or
are his in him by vertue of him known and owned by him as also in this that he allows not any in iniquity that name his Name though by vertue of Christ held forth in the Apostles Doctrine that also may secondarily be called the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles as in Ephes 2.20 Built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone That Doctrine then or Christ himself as therein preached as the Son of God and Saviour of the World delivered up to death and crucified for our offences and raised again from the dead for our justification and glorified at ' Gods right hand for our salvation and that our faith and hope might be in God and so as appointed to be Lord and Christ the Judge of all who shall come again to judge both the quick and the dead is the faith here meant whereon Believers are to edifie and build up themselves and not their act acts or habit of believing which may be added to and builded up being imperfect upon this foundation so as this foundation cannot upon any thing else yea that Christ as so laid and held forth in the Cospel is the foundation to be built on is plain For 1. Christ was the first thing appointed or laid of God for fallen mankind as to his purpose and promise of him and he was the first thing preached to him in order to his return to God This was the Doctrine first preached in Paradise after our first Parents had sinned and were convicted thereof I will put enmity between thee the Serpent and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed He her Seed shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Though Christ was not as then actually manifested in the flesh crucified dead buried and raised again yet all that was intimately preached from the beginning as a thing to be accomplished in its time and season 2. And as this was the first thing or Doctrine preached so it was the foundation and ground of all other dispensations of God after to fallen man It is upon that account of Christs having interposed between God and us as the bruiser of the Serpents head the destroyer of his work the taker away and abolisher of Death that God now deals mercifully and graciously with men is inviting and leading them to repentance by â—is goodness and forbearance and lades them with his benefits and sends forth his light and truth to men to call them back to himself and to his Kingdom to be under his government and protection from which they were banished for their iniquity and so it is the ground and foundation of his Ordinances witnessing of Christ and of himself in Christ unto men and appointed as mediums for mens approaching to him and seeking of him and of Gods raising up and judging all men according to their works hereafter for there would have been no resurrection from the first death to any new judgment much less to life if Christ had not come and dyed for all men and risen again 1 Cor. 15.12 17 18. Acts 10.42 and 17.30 31. The final rewards and recompencings of men then as also his present chastisements in mercy and measure now and accepting and justifying saving and honouring those that believe in him and serve him stand upon Christ and his death and sufferings for all men and rising again and being appointed Lord of all and Mediator of God and men the propitiation for our sins even for the sins of the whole world as their proper ground and foundation Yea 3. He as so set forth is the ground and foundation of all right repenting and turning to God from our our sins and of all right believing hoping and trusting in God for his mercy and blessing of all prayers and praises to be made to God and so of all true piety and religion in fallen men for had there not been such a Ransome found out and Sacrifice offered for us there could have been no approach for us to God or acquaintance with God God sent him that the world through him might be saved and raised him from the dead and gave him glory that our faith and hope might be in God John 3.17 1 Pet. 2.21 So that he and the Word of the Gospel as setting him forth is meant by the faith here on which Believers are built and to build up themselves and each other 2. Now this is called their faith not because it is of them of their invention broaching or preparing as a foundation for themselves or others but because it is owned received and confessed by them it is that that they have and believe in their hearts unto righteousness and with their mouths confess to the salvation of themselves and others as Paul sometimes calls the Gospel he preached his Gospel as in 2 Tim. 2.8 According to my Gospel And so Rom. 2.16 Not because it was of him found out or invented or set on foot by him as if he had preached any thing for Gospel that he had not received from God and Christ but because it was ministred and preached by him even so this faith after the same manner is called the Believers faith as elsewhere The faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1.2 because made known and delivered to his elected and chosen Servants such as he chose to be his Servants the holy Apostles and Prophets to be declared and published by them as accordingly it was published by them and as it is called The faith once delivered to the Saints in this Epistle of Jude ver 3. because it was delivered to them and preached by them it might be called their faith though otherwise it is the faith of God and Christ Yea and in calling it the faith of these believers the Apostle intimately distinguisheth it from the false saiths or false doctrines of the false Teachers and Seducers of whom he had been warning them as if he should say it is not their faith they have corrupted themselves and fallen away from it and have received or devised and broached another faith doctrine or foundation different from and repugnant to yours with which I would have you have nothing to do much less build your selves thereon for that would not render you an house or habitation for God and so objects of his favour but Synagogues of Satan and objects of Gods wrath and anger but build ye up your selves on your faith which he also the better to induce them thereto calls their most holy faith Which leads us to the third particular 3. Why it is called the most holy faith 1. It is holy that is it is pure faultless no falshood or corruption in it for so holiness is sometimes opposed to uncleanness or filthiness as We are not called to uncleanness but unto holiness 1 Thes 4.7 Cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord 2 Cor. 7.1 So this Doctrine delivered
to the Saints preached by the holy Apostles and Prophets and witnessed to by the holy Spirit and so by the holy God who bare witness to the Preachers of it both with Signs and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 24. is a holy pure clean Word The Word of the Lord as the Gospel of Jesus Ghrist as preached by the Apostles is often called as in Acts 6 2 7. and 8.25 and 12.24 and 13.5 7 12 44 46 49. is pure as Silver seven times tryed in the fire Psal 12.6 No dross or mixture in it it is not yea and nay but yea yea or yea and Amen as in 2 Cor. 1.18 19. As God is true our word toward you was not yea and nay for the Son of God Jesus Christ who was preached among you by us was not yea and nay but in him was yea for all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us The Apostles did speak in simplicity and sincerity what they had heard and received from God and Christ and did not as the false Apostles sophisticate and corrupt the Word of God as the Apostle also saith 2 Cor. 2.17 But as in sincerity and as of God they spake in Christ in the sight of God Even as Jesus Christ himself the matter and subject of their word the faith or foundation of faith the object to be closed with and rested or built upon is the holy One the holy One of Israel and so is frequently stiled as Acts 3.14 Ye denyed the holy One and the just So 1 John 2.20 Ye have an Vnction from the holy One and ye know all things And Heb. 7.26 He is holy harmless undefiled c. a spotless one a Lamb without blemish his nature and life and death and sacrifice and person altogether blameless sinless and undefiled even so the Doctrine of the Apostles concerning him was pure and clean too like to pure water No soil or mud in it Yea and 2. It was and is set apart separated and devoted to God and for his glory to be the foundation ground and way of our believing and so becoming an holy habitation and people for God Jesus Christ the main matter and subject treated of in the Gospel is in that sense holy to God chosen by him separated and set apart for him to be his salvation to the ends of the earth the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world his righteous Servant in whose hand his pleasure shall prosper his Elect in whom his Soul delighteth who hath sanctified himself and given up himself to him to do his will in all things to be his Prophet to declare his mind and bring forth judgment to the Gentiles and light to the people to be his High-Priest as it is said The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest to me for ever after the order of Melchisedeck Psal 110 3 4. to make atonement for the sins of the people offer up their gifts and sacrifices and make intercession for all that come to God by him Heb. 2.17 and 5.1 and 7.25 and bless them in his Name Heb. 7.6 7. His King whom he hath set upon his holy hill of Sion Psal 2.6 7. being wholly holy unto God to do his pleasure in his presence for men and from him to and with men Rom. 6.10 his Foundation namely that he hath lay in Sion to be the foundation and corner-stone of his holy building an habitation for his Holiness and glory by vertue of whom it is that the whole building becomes an holy House to God and an habitation separated unto him to dwell in by his Spirit as Ephes 2.20 21. And so the Doctrine or Faith concerning him is holy separated and set apart for Gods use for drawing men into the knowledg and faith of Christ and so to himself by and through him and therefore it is called The power of God to salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1.16 The Medium that he made choice of for saving those that believe it and so through it believe in him 1 Cor. 1.21 so that in this respect too it is holy As also 3. In respect of the effect and fruit of it it makes holy those that receive it and are united with it and built upon it So Jesus Christ the main matter and subject of it the foundation properly laid in it and by it for men to believe in and be built on is not only holy in himself sinless and set apart for God but also is made of God holiness to us the cause of holiness to us He in and by vertue of whom we are holy to God 1 Cor. 1.30 He being the holy Temple and habitation of God makes us so too in being united with him He being the holy foundation makes all the building holy And so the Doctrine of the Apostles preached and published concerning him and received and held fast by these Believers was holy in respect of the effect and fruit of it in Believers who are said to be sanctified by the faith in Christ Jesus Acts 26.28 Sanctified or made holy through Gods Word which is the Truth John 17.17 and to be made clean through the Word spoken to them John 15.3 Sanctified and washed by the washing of water the Love Grace and Knowledge of God held forth in the Word that they might be presented a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it might be holy and without blame or blemish Ephes 5.26 27. as also the holiness of the new man is therefore in Ephes 4.22 called according to the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holiness of truth because the effect or product of the Truth believed by men To this purpose are those sayings of David in Psal 119.9 11. Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his wayes By taking heed thereto according to thy Word And again I have hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sin against thee c. Yea 4. It is called the holy Faith to signifie the great care that God hath of it its acceptableness to him and his respect to and care of it as in that sense in Jer. 2.3 Israel was said to be holiness to the Lord being his people his peculiar portion he had an especial care over them to defend them so as that all that devoured them offended evil came or shall come upon them So is Christ holiness to the Lord very dear and delightful to him and therefore especially cared for and defended by him as in Psal 89.21 With him his right hand is established and his arm strengthens him so as the enemy shall not exact upon him nor the son of wickedness afflict him he will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him Yea therefore they that believe not in him shall be condemned and perish and they shall be destroyed that will
Jesus in glory when that that is perfect being come that that is in part shall be done away and there shall be no more need of teaching or saying to one another Know the Lord for all shall know him from the least to the greatest therefore these are called the last times because no other change is to be made noâ— any thing added till faith be turned into sight and fruition and therefore the Apostle saith if not only any man or Angel from Heaven preach against or contrary to but if we or any man or Angel preach anything beside or different from or as adding somthing as matter of faith or foundation to what we have preached and ye received let him be Anathema Gal. 1.8 9. and the Apostle John to the same purpose If any come to you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not to house neither bid him God-speed for he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker also of his evil deeds 2 John 10 11. Clearly implying that he that brings another Doctrine beside this faith once delivered to the Saints recorded in the Epistles and writings of the holy Apostles and Evangelists doth evil therein whatever works or deeds of zeal and piety he may do or seem to do with and in countenance of another Doctrine they are altogether evil deeds and not approved of God nor to be approved of men 3. And indeed the main reason why the Apostle calls the faith of these Believers the most holy faith was to commend it to them and move them to abide in it hold it fast and not suffer themselves by any pretences of Deceivers and false Apostles and Teachers to be waved therefrom For the false Apostles used that artifice to supplant the Believers from the belief of the truth and turn them aside from the faith that the Serpent used at the first with our first Parents to turn them from their belief of and obedience to Gods word to them as the Apostle so signifies in 2 Cor. 11.2 3 13 14. that is as the Serpent to beguile Evah pretended some want in their state that God had set them in and some great defect in that great provision or allowance that God afforded them even so the false Teachers as Messengers of Sathan did use to insinuate to the Believers of the Apostles Doctrine and so in and on Christ as set forth therein that there was some defect and want in that object of their faith and in the way in which they sought justification and the favour of God it was not a perfect and full way but would they listen to them they would shew them a more perfect faith or doctrine and so a more full and perfect object and ground of faith and confidence and way to happiness than Christs Apostles had done even as the Serpent perswaded Evah that there was some more excellent vertue and quality in the forbidden fruit to advance them make them likeâ— God than was in all the other injoyments that God afforded them in Paradise Therefore in opposition to that subtle and false insinuation and to fortifie the Believers mindes there against the Apostle there stiles it the most holy saith as implying the perfection of it that none can or may adde any thing to it to make it holier or better the adding to it is the corrupting marring and perverting of it so that whatsoever Doctrine should add to or alter it should be not the more but less holy nay indeed unholy even as the adding any thing to the holy Oyntment under the Law spoiled it and rendred it unclean This was an argument often made use of by the Apostles to arm the Believers against the false suggestions and canning slights of the false Apostles as may be seen in divers passages of their Epistle As so the Apostle Paul mindes the Colossians That in Christ and in the Mystery of God Father and Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge and that in him dwells all the fulness of the God-head bodily to keep them from being seduced from the simplicity in Christ or from the said mystery of God and Christ which is the same that the Apostle calls the most holy faith here by any inticing words or vain Philosophy and deceit Col. 2.2 3 4 8 10. and the Apostle John tells the believers that that which they had heard from the beginning abiding in them they should abide in the Father and in the Son and so injoy the promise of eternal life and that they had received an Vnction from the Holy One which abiding in them they should not need that any should teach them but as that taught them of all things meaning that the Doctrine of Christ and the Spirit therein received were the onely sufficient and perfect guide so as no teaching disagreeing from that was needful or behooveful for them and this to arm them against those that seduced them 1 John 2.18 24 25 26 27. as also in Chapter 5.11 12 13. he there minds them that God hath given us eternal life and that this life is in his Son and that he that hath the Son hath eternal life and he that hath not the Son hath not that life to the end that the believers to whom he wrote might be assured or might know against all the subtle secret and lying suggestions of the false Apostles to the contrary perswading them that that Doctrine of Christ and that faith in him that they had would not suffice to eternal life but that it was needful that they should turn out to some new form of Doctrine and object of faith or adde something as the observation of Moses Law thereto if they desired to be saved I say contrary to this he tells them he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life that the believers might know that they have eternal life that they might know that they were in a sure and certain way to it and were at present by vertue of Christ believed in and had by them heirs of it and that in turning out from him and letting him go they would deprive themselves of it that so they might believe that is yet believe or continue to believe in the name of the onely begotten Son of God and not turn from him after any thing else that the false Teachers might propound to them as better for them and more full and certain that being the way to deprive themselves of the good they were in and of the life and happiness they were in Christ heirs of as also to the same purpose is that in 2 John 9. where having warned them of deceivers and wisht them to look to themselves he adds Whoso transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ he hath not God but whosoever abideth in the Doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son yea whereas it was a false suggestion of the false Apostles that the Doctrine of Paul and
the good of others Is not easily provoked against another or to leave off pursuing his good and benefit Thinks not or surmises not evil Nay if it discern evil it is willing to pass it by and not impute it to the withdrawing his good offices of love from his neighbour Rejoyceth not in iniquity harm evil or deceit ' but rejoyceth in the truth and therefore also endeavours the prosperity and spreading thereof that the mouth of iniquity might be stopped Beareth all things all burthens put upon it Believeth all things that God hath discovered and that he hath any ground to believe concerning the good of others Hope 's all things that may further their good and endures all things that it meets with for exercise of its patience 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7 this will lead us to deny our selves and our own things to do others good and so to use our liberties in things indifferent as may tend to the good and profit of others and forbear the use of it where it might prejudice them as S. Paul who would not eat flesh or drink wine till the world stood or do any thing whereby the Brother should be offended if he knew such things would offend him weaken him in or stumble him from the truth 1 Cor. 8.13 with Rom. 14.21 this will lead men to doe all things for edification and nothing for destruction to any this therefore is a most useful way of edifying and building up one another in the most holy faith 4. And in a word the walking as becomes the Gospel of Christ and so the shewing forth his vertues in our conversations in an innocent abstinence from all ungodlines fleshly worldly lusts walking soberly righteously and godlily in this present World and in a patient bearing and suffering and so overcoming with goodness all the injuries and abuses done to us especially for the Gospels sake for that also tends exceedingly to the furtherance of the Gospel and the confirming and strengthning one another in the belief and confession thereof Philip. 1.12 13 14 20 27. After such a sort are we to build up our selves and one another on our most Holy Faith Now such a building up our selves thereon tends to keep us in the love of God because 1. They that build up themselves thereon keep or abide thereon and are not waved or turned aside from that precious foundation to which the love special respect care and approbation of God are as it were intailed Christ is the first prime and immediate object of Gods delightful love so that a man being and abiding in him doth in through and by vertue of him abide also in his love Now a building up our selves on that foundation is a firming us more in and fastning us more upon him who is that foundation whereon his love is inseparably placed The foundation of God Jesus Christ as held forth in the Apostles Doctrine for other foundations can no man lay is a firm and sure foundation and standeth sure having this Seal or confirmation the Lord knoweth them that are his It is known of God as his and therefore cared for owned and loved by him and all that are his the foundations or Christs are therefore also known owned and accepted of God If Christs then Abrahams seed and heirs according to promise c. Gal. 3.29 2. The building up our selves on that foundation the most holy faith is the way to keep our selves untouched of the adversaries of it and 3. To do Gods Commandments using our gifts talents to those ends intents to which God hath given us them and as he hath given us Commandments and in this way he hath promised his presence and blessing with us and favour towards us If we have Christs Commandments and keep them as we doe in thus doing then are we lovers of Christ and God will love us and Christ will love us manifest his own self to us John 14.21 if we keep his Commandments we shall continue in his love John 15.10 If we do these things adde in our faith vertue c so edifie and build up our selves on our most holy faith we shall never fall for so an abundant entrance shall be administred to us into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.5 10 11. It is the idle Soul shall suffer hunger the barren and fruitless branch that the husband-man takes away not the diligent and fruitful in good works Joh 15.2 This therefore is the way for us to keep our selves in the love of God Not to be careless and secure and say in our hearts we cannot miscarry our standing depends not on our working and diligence and therefore we will do nothing but give up our selves to minde and walk after the flesh and do our own pleasures for we are sure of eternal life nothing can deprive us Christ will keep it for us and give it to us what ever we do having closed with him and believed on him no sin of ours can un son us nor no carelesness or neglect of ours provoke God to neglect us Take we heed of such abusive reasonings and actings and exercise we our selves to Godliness to build up our selves on our most holy faith for through slothfulness negligence tâ—e house may else drop through so will God be with us love us own and delight in us to dwell with and amongst us But then add we still the second way or means of keeping our selves in the love of God which is also to be practised all along together with the former and not after we have done with that for that is never to be done with while here but always to be practised and so is this second too namely 2. Praying in the Holy Ghost Where we have to consider 1. The exercise it self that is praying 2. The way or manner of it that is in the Holy Ghost In speaking unto which let us inquire into and consider 1. What it is to pray 2. What it is to pray in the Holy Ghost 3. What is implied in the exhorting Believers so to pray 4. How that conduces to the keeping themselves in the love of God 1. And first To pray is more than to say or read or frame a prayer for that may be as to the two former an exercise of the tongue and lips in which the heart may be altogether unexercised yea and it may be other mens desires or needs that we say or read over and not our own And as to the last expression the framing of a prayer it may be but an exercise of the brain parts not of the heart and Spirit of a man yea the Stage-Players have done all this in derision of prayer sometime whereas to pray is To exercise the heart in minding uttering or pouring out unto God through Jesus Christ its needs and desires or the needs of and its desires for others let us view the particulars
this life support and help under or freedom and deliverance from the troubles of it and from the plots and malice of wicked men in the world against us as be necessary for us for our subsistence while here continued or for our serving and glorifying God and usefulness amongst men as Prov. 30.8 Feed me with food convenient for me Matth. 6.11 Give us this day our dayly bread O deliver me not into the will of mine enemies Psal 27.14 Deliver me O Lord from the evil man and preserve me from the wicked man which imagine michief in their hearts c. Psal 140.1 2. Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the Sabbath-day Matth 24.20 and the like for others as for our selves 2 Thess 3.1 2. 5. In particular wants exercises and temptations for such things as the Holy Spirit knows to be most profitable for us and others and most agreeable with Gods will in which we know not usually what to pray for but the Holy Spirit that God gives to his servants and worshippers doth and that helps their infirmities and makes intercession for them with groans that cannot be uttered Rom. 8.26 and leads his people in such cases to pray according to Gods will as Abraham for Ishmaels life O that Ishmael might live before thee Gen. 17.18 20. Isaac for children Gen. 25.21 Elijah for the life of the widow of Sarephaths child be restored 1 King 17. and so Elisha for the Shunamite 2 King 4 and many the like obvious in the Scriptures In a word the Holy Ghost shews what things are agreeable to the will and holiness of God and conduces to the promoting his Glory and our own and others good and directs us to pray for them as they be wanting and blesseâ— God for them as granted to us 2. As to the manner of praying both 1. As to the way of approaching to God that it be not in our own righteousness name or goodness as if we deserved any mercy of him to our selves or were worthy upon the account of our righteousness to obtain any thing but in the name and upon the account of Christ and so through and by him his Sacrifice and Priestly intercession for us the new and living way to God Heb. 10.19 20. and so in Gods goodness mercy and righteousness through him So David praying to God goes not in his goodness but in Gods Psal 5.7 As for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercies c. and in Psal 25.6 According to thy mercy think thou upon me for thy goodness-sake O Lord and Daniel Chap. 9.17 18. For the Lords sake and we do not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousness but for thy great mercies So the Holy Spirit instructs and directs us to come unto God by Christ as in Heb. 7.25 and in his Name to make our prayers and petitions John 14.12 13 14. and 16.23 27. 2. As to the expressions not studying quaint and elegant words and expressions as if God delighted in them but to utter our needs and desires in such words and expressions as the Holy Spirit leading us to minde the greatness and goodness of God the declarations of his â—inde and and will our own vileness and meanness and wants helps us with as knowing it is the faith and fervencie of the heart and the rightness of the frame of Spirit in our prayers that sounds best in Gods eare A braken or contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise He that studies quaint words to please men prays rather to men for their applause than to God for his Grace and blessing and so it leads not to use vain repetitions as placing holiness goodnes or the acceptableness of our prayers in such so often reiterated expressions or as thinking to be heard for or in our much speaking Mat. 6 7. though the Holy Spirit lets us see sometime ground and need for praying longer and sometime shorter as our cases may be as Christ was in prayer all night sometime Luc. 6.12 before he chose his Apostles and yet sometime was very short as when he raised up Lazarus John 11.41.42 3. As to the earnestness in praying The Holy Spirit leads to be chiefly earnest for those things that are of greatest concernment more earnest for what tends to promote Gods Kingdom and righteousness and to his Glory than for things in which our libâ—rty ease health or the like are onely concerned and to be most indifferent for those things in which Gods Name Kingdom or Glory are least concerned â— As to the incouragements and motives to pray To pray in the Holy Ghost is to pray in the incouragements motives and motions which the Holy Spirit giveth And they be such as the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ presents unto us as 1. The gracious goodness of God testified towards us in Christ Jesus in whom he hath declared and manifested himself a lover of us as his Creatures as mankinde yea though sinners and while so in that he was pleased to appoint and send him even his onely begotten Son into the world for us that we might live through him even through him as made and become the propitiation for our sins as in 1 John 4.9 10. Having not spared his Son but delivered him up to the Death for us all the Holy Spirit incourages us thereupon to hope and in that hope to expect that he will also with him freely give us all things and in such incouragement and upon such ground moves us to ask of him what is needful and good for us Rom. 8.26 27 28. 2. The compleatness of Christ as our Mediator and High Priest with God for obtaining Grace and mercy of him for us and to that purpose making intercession and of his Authority with God to dispense and hand unto us as well as of wisdom to discern and see whatever may be good and needful for us Heb. 4.14 Having such a great High Priest Jesus the Son of God passed into the Heavens for us let us go boldly to the Throne of Grace So Heb. 10.19 20 21 22 Seeing we have boldness or liberty to the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus that is by such a compleat full and perfect Sacrifice as that he hath offered for us such as infinitely goeth beyond all the Sacrifices under the Law as the foregoing part of that Chapter had largely shewed such as in which is perfection for the sanctified for ever ver 14. plenteousnes of Redemption forgivenes of sins and a powerful voice to speak for our acceptance Col. 1.14 Heb. 12.24 by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail his flesh and having an High Priest over the House of God such a one namely as Christ is who is holy harmless undefiled separated from sinners made higher than the Heavens a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck a King and Priest and that too the
so long as I live 8. The experience of Gods goodness and mercy to other in former or present ages the cloud of witnesses that have gone before us and found God gracious to them in their crying to him as in Psal 22.4 5. Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them They cryed unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded To that puâ—â—se also the examples of Gods goodness to others are propounded by him to move men to taste and see by their trusting in and calling upon God how gracious God is Psal 34.4 5 6. I sought the Lord and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears they looked unto him and were inlightned and their faces were not ashamed This poor man cried and the Lord heard him c. Whatsoever things were written before-hand being written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 God being one and so the same for us in through his Son as he was for and to any others before us and there is no respect of persons with him He is rich to all that call upon him Rom. 10.12.13 Such the incouragements which the holy Ghost gives for praying he that prays in the holy Ghost prays not in the incouragement of his own parts wisdom works or the like but in such incouragements as these above-mentioned as to such purpose that fore-quoted from Dan. 9.18 is pertinent We doe not present our Supplications before for our righteousness but for thy great mercies So that in Psal 5.7 and 143.1 2. 4. To pray in the holy Ghost is to pray in the operation of the holy Ghost and so in such a frame and temper of Spirit as the holy Ghost being minded and yielded up to in his testimony frames the heart unto And so 1. Not in pride as the Pharisee despising his neighbour and lifâ—ing up himself in Gods presence 2. Nor in self-confidence and reliance on a mans own righteousness as he also did Luk. 18.10 11. 3. Nor in wrath and anger as the Disciples that would have called for fire from Heaven upon the Samaritanâ— that would not receive Christ pretending Elias for a warrant to them therein Luk. 9 54. for that was not in the holy Spirit of Christ for all that pretence for our Saviour tellâ— them They knew not what manner of Spirit they were of ver 55. 4. Nor in vain-glory as the Pharisees that prayed to be seen of men that they might have glory of them Matth 6.5 6. 5. Nor in ambition seeking great things to themselves and to be lifted up above their Brethren as the two Sons of Zebedee and their Mother did not knowing what they asked when they requested that they might sit the one at Christs right hand and the other at his left in his Kingdom Matth. 20 20 21 22. 6. Nor in strife and contention as those in Isa 58 2 3. who fasted and prayed for strife and debate ver 4. 7. Nor to establish to themselves a righteousness in their praying and so not submitting to the righteousness of God in Christ as the Jews that had a zeal of God and instantly served God day and night hoping by their works of that nature to attain the righteousness of the Law Act. 26 7. with Rom. 9.30 31. and 10.2 3. 8. Nor in Covetousness as they that howled upon their beds for corn and wine Hos 7.14 9. Nor in a doubtful distrustful frame of Spirit that is not fixed in Gods goodness and perswaded of his truth for such a man is like the wave of the Sea tossed to and fro double-minded and inconstant in all his ways and let not such an one think to receive any thing at Gods hands Jam. 1.6 7. 1 Tim. 2.8 10. Nor in an impatient unsubmmitted frame of Spirit to Gods Government frowardly hasting out of affliction such as Jonah was in when he having prophesied the destruction of Niniveh and God seeing their repentance spared it he was exceedingly displeased and very angry and prayed God to take away his life from him Jonas 4.1 2 3. 11. Nor in a flat cold formal temper of Spirit as they that draw nigh to God with their mouth and honor him with the lips but the heart is far away Isa 29 17. or the like but 1. In a believing frame of heart minding and giving credit to Gods word and testimony the Gospel of Christ and from the belief of that calling upon God and in that sense prayer in the Holy Ghost is the prayer of Faith Jam. 5.15 and prayer proceeding out of the belief of Gods sayings believing and not doubting about them as Jam. 1.6 But let him ask in faith nothing doubting speaking to God because they believe his word as in Psal 116.10 I believed therefore have I spoken which may have reference to speaking by prayer aswel as to speaking by preaching or confession thus David from a belief of Gods word to him by Nathan found it in his heart to pray unto him that prayer in 2 Sam. 7.18 27. for the holy Ghost is a Spirit of Faith as 2 Cor. 4.13 and therefore breaths faith into the heart where he hath the rule and makes it breath in faith yea in a full assurance of faith as believing verily the truth of God concerning Christ yea and Gods hearing and granting its petitions that he helps the Soul to breath forth Heb. 10.22 Mark 11.24 1 John 5. â—4 15. and a cleaving adhering frame of Spirit cleaving to and trusting in God for his hearing and helping it according to his will and the Souls needs as resolved and fixed to depend upon trust in and wait for God as Mic. 7.7 I will look to the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me as Jacob of old wrestling with God and resolved not to leave him till he had blessed him Gen. 32.26 So our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted in thee and were delivered they cried to thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded Psal 22.4 5. such a frame of Spirit the holy Ghost leads to pray in a believing trusting frame And 2. With a fervent desire and frame of heart the Holy Ghost is compared to fire He sat on the Apostles like cloven tongues of fire Thence Quench not the Spirit and therefore when men pray in it it puts heat and life into them an earnest desire after those things which it directs absolutely to seek of God Thence it is said The effectual or operative fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Jam. 5.16 They that onely say over prayers or pray luke-warmly coldly and formally pray not in the Holy Ghost though this fervour of Spirit in prayer stands not in the loud speaking and straining the voice or in much repetitions but in the earnestness of the Souls desires and ardencie of affection to the
him they should not perish but have everlasting life Job 3.16.17 And if he spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 Having when we were enemies reconciled us to himself by the death of his Son how much more shall we be saved by his life Chap. 5.10 2. That Jesus Christ according to the will of God his Father hath actually come forth and been manifested in a body of flesh and dyed for our sins suffering the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being made a curse that he might redeem us from the curse of the Law and from under the obligation too of seeking righteousness by the Law and so of living or dying according as we fulfilled or fell short of that that so we might receive the adoption of children that we might be taken into Gods house and into more near relation to him and be provided for of all things good for us freely by him And he that dyed for us to these ends to take away those evils that hindred and stopt up the passages of all good is risen again as a person that hath done and compleated his work he undertook to do by dying hath paid our debts satisfied for our sins and is therefore acquitted and justified of God and raised up again to prosecute and pursue our good further in the power of God and this that our hope might be in God as in 1 Pet. 1.21 Now seeing that he in Christs death hath removed what might hinder on his part good from us and hath raised up him that had such love to us as to die for us to remove what might hinder our good on our parts to be the Author of good to us the soul sees good ground thence of lively hope and is begotten to a lively hope of a glorious inheritance by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1.3 wherein it was made manifest that Christ hath abolished the death and obtained life and righteousness for us Especially since 3. That Jesus Christ that dyed for us and rose again is now on the right hand of God Angels and Thrones and Principalities being made subject to him so as he hath supreme power over all things for our good yea and also liveth ever to make request or intercession with God for us even for such as come to God by him And that in the vertues of his most perfect and acceptable Sacrifice that prevails and prospers for whatsoever he asketh As also he shall come again in the power and glory of God to raise and judge all and give eternal life and an everlasting Kingdom to all that obey him 1 Pet. 3.21 Rom 8.34 Heb. 5.9 7.25 Matth. 25.31.36 Heb. 9.28 4. That God of his great mercy and in his goodness hath called the now Believer to the faith of his Son and brought him in some measure to know and believe on him and so hath taken him into his house and family to live upon his Son and his Grace in him Hath delivered him from the power of darkness and translated him into the kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1.12 13. in whom there is the redemption forementioned and such fulness and sufficiency to save him and to perfect what concerns him hath already so loved as to suffer for him while a sinner and enemy as before And faithful is he that hath called to do what yet is needful further to be done for and in us 1 Thess 4.23 24. we being through his death reconciled how much more by his life shall we be saved Rom. 5.10 being brought upon that foundation that is most holy and that is laid strong and sure for the upholding and sanctifying to God all that is built upon it how shall he not for that foundation sake and by it confer upon us his further grace and blessing to prepare and fit us for his inhabiting us and filling us with glory Seeing also 5. That God now by vertue of this foundation or holy faith loves the Believer owning him as his imbraces him as his son and is become a Father to him and if God justifies who is he that shall charge or condemn If God be for us who is he that it against us That is considerable in comparison of him Rom. 8.31 38. To which add 6. That he hath made many gracious and precious promises in Christ to the believer in him abiding on that foundation and building up himself thereon and praying to him in the Holy Ghost yea promises for his administring grace to him for his abiding strengthning and building up as that he will be with them and bless them never leave them nor forsake them that he will be their God and they shall be his people He will be a Father to them and they shall be his sons and daughters yea godlines hath the promise of this life and that that is to come for the performance whereof both Christs Mediation with his Father and the faithfulnes of God are engaged both by his word and oath in which two it is impossible for him to lye in and through Christ are interested and faithful is he that hath promised who also will do it 1 Thess 5.24 Heb. 10.23 And Christ the great Apostle and High-Priest of our Profession is faithful in the performance of his undertaking for us also Hebr. 9.15 and 3.1 2. But besides that hoping 2. This waiting implies further a tarrying for the good hoped for a patient abiding and staying in the way to the enjoyment of what it expects In which also two things are contained 1. That God doth exercise the believer under a want and with a delay of what mercy and good he hath provided for him and promised to him He doth not presently possess the soul of all the good he intends it nor presently perform all that he hath promised Though he gives what ever he sees good and meet for its present case according to that method in which his wisdom hath ordered to lead it yet the great things he hath prepard for it he doth not presently confer The vision the mercy discover'd promis'd in the Gospel is for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie or fail though it tarry wait for it saith Hab. 2.3 because it will surely come viz. at the appointed time beyond which it will not tarry but it s for an appointed time till which it will tarry and not come or be accomplished And this God doth 1. To try and exercise the Believers faith to see and prove whether he doth believe in him or not and to draw his faith out into exercise while it grapples with delays and non appearances to sense and reason that so it will be as is said to it So the word of the Lord tried Joseph while it was not of a good time performed to him yea while it seemed