THE GLORY OF CHRIST Set forth in several SERMONS FROM JOHN III. 34 35 36. and V. 25. AND The necessity of Faith in order to pleasing GOD. FROM HEBREWS XI 6. By that able and faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. Thomas Allen late Pastor of a Church in the City of Norwich LONDON Printed by A. M. and R. R. for Edward Giles Bookseller in Norwich near the Market-place 1683 TO THE READER IT being desired that more might be published of the Works of this Reverend Author Mr. Thomas Allen you have here some more Sermons taken from him in short-hand which have been transcribed with care and diligence The main points of the Gospel are handled in these Sermons so that those that Read them may understand the Authors knowledg in the mystery of Christ And they are delivered with plainness of speech with words easie to be understood so that it will easily appear that his aim was to set â—orth Christ and not to set forth himself in â—is Preaching His speech and his preachâ—ng was plain grave solid weighty and â—owerful like an Ambassador of Christ These Sermons arise naturally from the Texts of Scripture they are upon for it was not the manner of this Author to name a Text only for fashion sake One great cause of ignorance in the people is because there is no more direct opening and applying the Scripture The more Scripture is solidly opened and practically applied in a Sermon the better the Sermon is whatsoever the injudicious and ignorant do think to the contrary Indeed as I never heard any man Pray too long at a time so I never heard any man Preach too long upon a Text. But as many that seem to pray long do oftentimes rather Discourse than Pray and keep so little to the business of Prayer that while they seem to Pray long they Pray very little So it is with some in Preaching that though they name the same Text a great while as if they Preached many Sermons from it yet it may be Preach not one according to the direct scope and tendency of the words they are upon I take notice of this to commend the Author of these Sermons as a pattern to young Preachers not to think it any part of the excellency of their Sermons to take but a few words for their Text or to be long upon the same words but to open and apply as much Scripture as they can at 〈◊〉 time which will not only prevent many impertinences in Preaching But when what is said ariseth immediately and naturally from the portion of Scripture handled the people may take notice that it is not so much the Minister as God himself that speaks these things to them in his word These Sermons also are Orthodox sound according to the truth which is after godliness We have lived in a time of an inundation of errors and heresies and yet the Lord hath continued the truth of the Gospel in the Churches of the Saints And although the Churches of the Congregational way have been looked upon by some as Seminaries of error yet through the presence of Christ in the midst of them the truth of the Gospel hath continued in them as well as in other Churches of Christ that differ from them in some points of order and discipline Blessed be the Father of lights that hath kept the guides and members both of Congregational Churches and other reforming Churches stable and steady in the main truths of the Gospel which have been publickly owned and professed in the Land since the reformation whereas many others have been carried away with diverse and strange Doctrines There seems to be a great conspiracy in these days against the Lord Jesus as the Mediator between God and sinners Men are studying how they may ascribe as little to Christ as may be to whom we are to ascribe all concerning the making atonement for our sins and the bringing in an everlasting righteousness to justifie us before God Indeed Christ hath been so abundantly Preached amongst us and many have such outward advantage by a profession of his name that they cannot well openly renounce him yet they are secretly undermining the very fundamental points of our Religion Many amongst us slight what hath been generally taught concerning our fall in Adam original sin Christs satisfaction for sin and the imputation of his righteousness to them that believe on his name and make a mock of being weary and heavy laden with the sense of the wrath of God due to us for sin and looking to Jesus as the Mediator and resting our weary Souls and perplexed Consciences upon him as our only Saviour Now if these foundations be destroyed if these main Doctrines be denied we are really putting away the Lord Jesus from us though we use never so many external Rites to make shew of honour to his name Yea it is considerable That this opposition to the main points of our Religion is fiercey maintained by persons greatly differing in other things yet in this they agree and are very earnest upon the matter to deny the Gospel I speak of these things to this end to shew what great need there is of Preaching much of our fall in Adam of the corruption of our nature of the sentence of death and condemnation that we are under for sin of the person and offices of Christ the Mediator of the necessity of knowing him and fleeing for refuge unto him as this Author hath excellently shewed in these Sermons and so he did in all his Preaching Indeed this Author was a son of thunder and a son of consolation he took all occasions from the Texts he Preached upon to thunder out the wrath of God against sinners to set them before Mount Sinai and shew them the fiery Law that they might be convinced of their lost and undone condition in themselves and then endeavoured to bring them unto Mount Sion and shew them Jesus the Mediator and the blood of sprinkling that taketh away sin In his Preaching he shewed the people the flaming Sword the curse of the Law shewed them that the avenger of blood was coming and then told them of Christ as the City of refuge and cryed to them to flee unto him And indeed he is a right Preacher of the Gospel that can thus change his voice and readily turn his discourse upon all occasions The blessing of Heaven go along with these Sermons that they may be for the profit of many that they may be saved Martin Finch The Glory of Christ set forth John III. 34 35 36. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure unto him The father loveth the son and hath given all things into his hand He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not on the son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him IN these Words our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is described
look at it as a very weighty thing as a matter of very great Concernment and so to be very careful about Preparation for it but now when People look at it as a small light and ordinary thing the taking of a little Bread and Wine c. These things are of ordinary use amongst us and so they come in an ordinary manner to it not acting and exercising Faith about it but now when a Soul comes to look at it as Faith doth help a Soul to look at it as a very great Ordinance of Jesus Christ which he hath appointed and thereupon the Soul comes to be serious about the participation of it now I say Faith doth not only inable the Soul to look at it as an Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ but withal it doth enable the Soul to look at it as an Ordinance appointed for Communion with Jesus Christ and Fellowship with him as you know the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 10.16 The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ and the Cup of blessing which we bless Is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ Christ hath appointed it for this very end that we should have Communion and Fellowship with him in his Death in his Merits in his Righteousness in what he hath obtained it is appointed for that very end and purpose and therefore when people do not consider wherefore Christ hath appointed it it is made the lesser account of and people are the more careless in their approaching to it they come and eat a piece of Bread and drink a Cup of Wine c. But they do not look at it as a solemn Ordinance appointed by Jesus Christ for that end and purpose therefore I say remember this if you would partake in Faith it should be our care to look at it as the great Institution and Ordinance of Jesus Christ and appointed for that end and purpose that we might have Communion and Fellowship with Jesus Christ in it This is the first Direction Secondly If you would partake of this Ordinance in Faith then be careful to look to the right administration of it Faith doth cause us to look to the administration of it that it be according to Christs Institution and appointment for otherwise we do not partake of it as an Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ if it be not administred according to the appointment of Christ and that we must be perswaded of if we would act in Faith we may look at it as a great Ordinance and Institution of Jesus Christ yet notwithstanding if so be we are not perswaded of that that the administration of it is according to the Will of Christ to the institution and appointment of Christ truly then we cannot exercise Faith in it and therefore there are these two things to be attended to to this end if we would act in Faith about the administration of it that it is administred according to the Institution of Christ Namely First That the person administring it is appointed and called by Christ to do it For now if so be that another should come that Christ hath never called to it to administer it Christ will not own it for his own Ordinance and Institution we cannot then look for the presence of Christ nor for the Blessing of Christ As now for example if there should come one in the Kings name that pretends to be sent and authorised by the King yet if he be not sent if he come and Execute such an Office if he be not authorised by the King all his actings and executions are invaluable and signify nothing So in this case if any come in the Name of Christ to administer the Institution of Christ if Christ have not authorised him and given him commission to do it this is no Ordinance that Christ will own because it is not administred by such a person whom he hath sent and appointed the administration therefore is invaluable and of no effect therefore I say it doth concern us to look to that to be perswaded of that that those that do administer this Ordinance to us are such as are authorised by Christ to the Work Quest But you will say How shall I know that that I may be perswaded of that I know that this hath been little minded in former times and God might please to wink at the former times of Ignorance but now in these times of light he doth require that we should be more exact about his Institutions and appointments How shall we know then you will say that we may be perswaded that such as do administer this Ordinance are appointed by Jesus Christ Answ For Answer Something you may remember was spoken the last time about hearing that we should hear those that were sent by Christ if we would hear in Faith But briefly for our present purpose Consider I pray and understand how Christ doth call and ordain one to administer these Institutions of his briefly and plainly thus When a person is called by a Church of Christ according to the Will of Christ by the directions that Christ hath laid down in his Word according to the Rules of the Gospel and set apart accordingly for that work and business to teach and administer the Holy things of Christ when a person is thus called to Office in the Church by a Church of Christ acting regularly according to the Rules that Christ hath laid down in his Word now such a one is called and authorised by Christ And therefore I say consider that if we would be perswaded about the right administration of this Ordinance we must be satisfied in our spirits that such as are the administrers of it are called and appointed by Jesus Christ to do it in his name otherwise Christ will not own it and therefore truly it is matter of wonderment that women should be allowed to administer any Ordinance as now Baptisme in case of absolute necessity as they call it a Midwife may take Water and Baptise a Child this is a person that Christ did never institute to administer that Ordinance and Christ will never own that as an Ordinance of his so administred So on the other side amongst others that profess higher namely to take and set apart one for this time to administer the Ordinance and another for another time to call out one Brother for to administer the Ordinance one time and another another time is this according to the institution of Christ Doth Christ call out one to be an Officer at one time and another at another time and not to have a standing Officer in the Church Therefore I say let us be careful to keep o the Institution of Christ to observe Christs Institution and to be well perswaded that the Ordinance is administred according to the Institution and Will of Christ otherwise we cannot act in Faith in the partaking of this Ordinance That is one thing about the right
have dominion over the works of thy hand thou hast put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen yea and the beasts of the field the fowl of the air and the fish of the Sea 4. All things that do concern the ordering of the Churches here in this world are given and committed to Christ as Mediator What Officers shall be in his Churches what Discipline Government Censures Ordinances and Worship these things are not left to mens Inventions but all must be ordered as Christ hath appointed in the Word Mat. 28.18 19 20. And Jesus came and spake unto them saying All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded The very Apostles were limited that they should teach nothing to be observed in Spiritual matters but what Christ commanded and then much more all Church-Guides in these days for the Father hath given the Power of making Laws and Orders for his Church into Christs hand only No Power on Earth can add or take away from the Sacraments Censures Officers and Ordinances that Christ hath appointed for the Father hath given all things into his hand 5. All Providential Dispensations in this world are given into the hand of Christ all publick and private concernments Thou hast given him Power over all flesh Joh. 17.2 For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son Joh. 5.22 We must not understand these things as if God the Father had so put things into the hand of Christ as if he had not Power and Authority still over all but the meaning is that he hath given the management of all into Christ's hand as Mediator by way of Honour and Trust to order all for the Glory of God and for the Eternal Salvation of those whom he hath given him to be his Mystical Body And so I come to the Second thing to shew you Why or to what end the Father hath given all things into Christ's hands as Mediator 1. The Father hath done this for his own Glory Phil. 2.11 12. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name above every name That every tongue should confess that Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father 'T is for the Glory of God the Father that he hath laid help upon such a mighty One and set such a King upon his holy Hill of Sion 2. The Father hath done this for the Glory of Christ too That all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5.32 Wherefore when he brings in the first begotten into the world he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1.6 3. The Father hath done it for the Churches sake too for the Elects sake he hath given him to be the head over all things to the Church Ephes 1.22 to order all things for the accomplishing and perfecting their Salvation and to that end he hath the heart of man amongst other things given into his hand that Christ hath power as Mediator to make his people willing to close with him Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Joh. 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me Joh. 12.32 And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me Application Use 1. Seeing the Father hath given all things into Christ's hand then let us all come to Christ receive him believe in him And this is the very Use that Christ himself makes of this point Mat. 11.27 28. All things are delivered unto me of my Father And no man knoweth the Son but the Father Neither knoweth any man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever he will reveal him Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Seeing the Father hath given all into Christ's hand come unto him for whatsoever you want come to him for Pardon for Righteousness for peace of Conscience for Knowledg for Sanctification for all Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perishes but for that meat which endureth to everlasting Life which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed He hath Authority and Commission from the Father all things are given into his hand Him hath God the Father sealed therefore come unto him that you may have the meat that endureth to everlasting Life He hath the keys of Hell and of Death He is able to save to the uttermost He is able to rescue you from the very jaws of Hell therefore I say venture your Souls upon him The Father hath appointed him to be Prophet Priest and King come therefore unto him for all that you stand in need of Use 2. Seeing the Father hath given all into Christs hand let all submit to Jesus Christ Psal 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be Angry and ye perish from the way We are all to do Homage to Christ to be subject to Christ and this is called a Kissing of the Son You read of those that did not bow the knee to Baal nor kissed him It is spoken of the People of God that would not owne Baal and the Idolaters that worshiped the Sun and the Moon because they could not reach them to kiss them therefore they kissed their hand in token of Homage and Subjection to them as is implyed in Job's words Chap. 31.26 27. So that this is one thing that is intended by this Phrase of Kissing the Son that we should do Homage unto him and be Subject unto him Therefore seeing all is given into Christs hand and he shall Judge the Quick and the Dead at his appearing and his Kingdom give dilligence that you may be found of him in Peace that you may be accepted in him as a Saviour and accepted of him as a Judge for we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ But may some say When we consider what a great Lord Jesus Christ is and that the Father hath made him the Judge of all and that he shall come in all the Glory of the Father with all his holy Angels and all must appear before his Judgment-Seat to give an account the thoughts of Christ begin to be terrible to us sinful guilty creatures we begin to say in our hearts How shall we be able to stand before this great Lord and Judge Answer Christ is a Priest as well as a King a Saviour as well as a Judge So that if you put your trust in him as a Mediator and be found in his Righteousness then you may be able to stand before him else not Therefore labour to know Christ in his Priestly Office and believe in him that you may be washed and made white in his Blood and that he may be the Lord your Righteousness then
must be perswaded that they are sent and called by Christ to Preach or else we cannot hear them in Faith if we be not perswaded that they are called and sent by Christ What the Apostle speaks concerning eating of meats in Rom. 14.23 he would have people perswaded in their minds for says he He that doubteth or he that questions whether it be lawful or no he is damned if he eat That is he ventures upon a sin that does deserve damnation So in this case for hearing if we be not perswaded that such a one that we hear be sent by Christ we cannot hear the Word in Faith And to this purpose I pray consider that place in Rom. 10.14 15. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they Preach except they be sent Sent by whom by Christ they must be called and sent by Christ How can we hear them except they be sent Why cannot we hear a man except he be sent No not lawfully we cannot hear him in Faith if we be not perswaded that he is sent by Christ Object But you will say Suppose now that one that hath parts and abilities come and Preach the Truth that which is sound Doctrine may we not hear him is it not lawful to hear him Is it not sufficient if he be a man of abilities and do Preach sound Doctrine what shall we need to scruple to hear him Answ For answer Suppose now that an Idolatrous Mass-Priest should come and Preach sound Doctrine Orthodox Truths to a people do you think now that such a one is sent by Christ do you think that you may stand lawfully and attend upon his ministry as an ordinance of Christ not being sent by Christ Nay I will say further The Devil himself may Preach the Truth and yet notwithstanding not being sent by Christ we are not to hear him In Luke 4.33 34. the Devil there he would be Preaching of Christ what he said was Truth I know thee who thou art the Holy one of God But Christ would not suffer him in vers 35. And Jesus rebuked him saying hold thy Peace He would silence him this is that which possibly very few have minded in former times but have gone on in hearing one and other without making any Question whether they were sent by Christ or no but I say we cannot act in Faith if we should go on thus if we be not perswaded that they are called and sent by Christ Quest But you will say further How can poor weak People that are weak in understanding how can they discern and understand whether Ministers be called and sent by Christ or no Alas this is a hard thing for us to discern and therefore it is somewhat too hard to impose upon us that we must be perswaded that they are sent by Christ or else we cannot lawfully hear them Answ Brethren I suppose it is not so hard and difficult a thing to know whether a Minister be sent by Christ or no briefly thus Christ he ordinarily sends one of these two ways those whom he would have to Preach in his name either 1. In a way of institution or appointment in the way of his Ordinance namely thus when a Church of Christ following the Rules and Directions that Christ doth give in his Word doth chuse and call such a one that is so and so qualified and in such a way according to those Rules set him a-part for the work of Christ this is now according to Christs institution and Ordinance here is one that is called by Christ to Preach and dispense the Gospel 2. There is another way whereby Christ may also call namely a providential way in the way of his Providence when as a people finding and discerning a person qualified and gifted for such a work do thereupon call him and desire him to Preach to them here is now a providential call and Christ by this Providence doth call him and send him as we read in Acts 13.15 Paul there went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day and set down and after the reading of the Law and of the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent unto them saying Ye men and brethren if ye have any word of exhortation for the people say on Here was now a providential call being desired by the people So says the Apostle in Acts 16. when he was doubtful which way to go to Preach at vers 6.7 they would have gone to this place and the other but the spirit hindred them At last at v. 9.10 A vision appeared to Paul in the night and there stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying Come over into Macedonia and help us And after he had seen the vision immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us to preach the Gospel unto them Why here was a beck of providence and here was a call by the people and God did discover it in a Vision so that one of these two ways God doth ordinarily now adays call Ministers to Preach the Gospel Now this is easie to be discerned and therefore we are to be fully perswaded in our minds that such as we go to hear are called and sent by Christ to Preach the Gospel or else we cannot attend upon it as an Ordinance of Christ nor expect the blessing of Christ upon it Object But you will say further But have not good Christians heretofore godly people been wont to attend upon such as did Preach sound Doctrine without questioning their call They never douhted whether they were sent by Christ or no but heard them and the Lord was pleased also to bless their hearing that they profited by their hearing therefore why should we need to scruple and question whether we may not hear one as well as another Answ Brethren for this I may say as the Apostle said in another case Acts 17.30 The times of this ignorance God winked at when he suffered them to go on in their erroneus ways in times of ignorance God winketh at But now says he he commandeth all men every where to repent and reform So now there being a further light though God might wink at former ignorance yet now he calls upon all to consider and understand whom they hear and what they hear and upon what grounds those that come to Preach the Gospel to us come we know that in point of worship there are many things that were heretofore practiced by the people of God and yet notwithstanding their former practises do not make those things to be lawful to us now as there were many things about the Government and Order of the Church that formerly Christians have yielded too and yet we cannot so freely and so safely with a good Conscience yield to them and though good Christians have formerly
yielded to them yet that doth not make it to be warrantable and lawful for us But in a word do we believe are we perswaded that whatsoever is not of Faith is sin If we be not fully perswaded of the lawfulness of a thing and yet do it it is sin And do we believe what the Text saith here That without faith it is impossible to please God Then if so be that we have not Faith to perswade us that such as do Preach are sent by Christ then I think we cannot act Faith in hearing the Word from them This is the first Direction about hearing in Faith namely that we be perswaded that those that we do hear be called and sent by Christ 2. A second Direction how to act Faith in hearing the Word is this namely we should be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder us in our hearing from enjoying the presence of Christ and our profiting by the Word for this is the work of Faith to put us upon the use of all lawful means to attain an end Faith will not expect the end but upon the use of means And so on the other side as it is the work of Faith to put us upon the use of means for the attaining of the end so to avoid all the impediments and hindrances that lye in the way to the attaining of the end when the Lord called Jacob to go to Bethel Gen. 35.1 2 3. that he might worship God there now Jacob that he might enjoy the Presence of God and Communion with God in Bethel in his drawing near to God there Jacob he removes impediments now he calls upon his houshold and all that were with him to put away the strange gods from among them and be clean says he and change your garments and let us arise and go up to Bethel and I will make an Alter unto God c. And so at Mount Sinai God gave order to Moses that the people should be sanctified and purified when they should come to draw near to God and God should draw near to them Exod. 19.10 11. And so now when we are to draw near to God in the hearing of his Word we are to be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder our profiting by our hearing and this is the work of Faith Faith doth set a Soul a work to endeavour to remove all impediments Now there are divers impediments to be removed which will certainly hinder our profiting by the Word I shall name some few special ones which the Scripture hints to us As First This is one Malice in the heart to have the heart possessed with Malice towards one or another this will hinder us from profiting by the Word The Apostle Peter therefore expresly calleth upon us in 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Wherefore laying aside all malice c. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As if he should say if you harbor malice in your hearts when you come to hear the Word you will not grow and profit by it if you entertain and allow malice in your hearts towards one another this malice may break out in the envy of the good and welfare of another and so the Apostle brings in that branch of malice envy and sometimes it breaks out in reviling and evil-speaking and therefore says the Apostle Lay aside all malice and envy and evil-speaking and so receive the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby As in Prayer if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my Prayer so in this case if we allow any sin in our hearts any malice towards one or another when we come to hear the Word God will not listen to us and we shall not profit by the Word this may be one cause why people hear so much and profit so little If so be they do allow malice and envy in their hearts and allow themselves to speak evil of others they cannot hear the Word to grow and profit by it no we are to exercise love in our drawing near to God love to God and love to the Word and love to the Saints and love to one another for if so be that we do not love them that we have seen or do see says the Apostle how can we be truly said to love God whom we have not seen 1 John 4.20 Therefore this is one thing Let us be careful to lay aside all malice and envy and evil-speaking if we do desire so to draw near to God in the hearing of the Word as to profit by it Secondly Another impediment that the Apostle hath in the same place of Peter is hypocrisy and guile this also must be laid aside or else we shall not receive the Word so as to grow and profit by it if we come to the hearing of the Word and do maintain guile and hypocrisy in our hearts and allow of it then we cannot profit or grow by the Word The Apostle Peter doth plainly hold forth that all guile and hypocrisy must be laid aside and so receive the Word as new born babes that ye may grow thereby Guile and hypocrisy doth hinder our profiting by the Word for this is now a kind of stumbling-block we draw near to God and have a stumbling-block in our hearts and says the Lord in Ezek. 14.7 If any man setteth up Idols in his heart and putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me I the Lord will answer that man by my self Some do expound that place the word stumbling-block for the separating and withdrawing the heart from God Now there are two kinds of hypocrisy or guile that are to be laid aside in hearing the Word one is in respect of God the other is towards man the guile and hypocrisy towards God is this namely when as a man or woman doth seem to draw near to God in his worship attending upon his Word and yet notwithstanding the heart is not near God but afar off from him here is hypocrisy and dissimulation towards God This people says God draw near to me with their mouth and lips but their heart is far from me Isa 29.13 And so Christ tells the Scribes and Pharisees in Matt. 15.8 when as a man doth pretend to draw near to God as if he would know the Mind of God that he may do the Will of God and have no such intendment in his heart he comes to hear the Word what doth this hold forth but that he intends to do the word which he hears Now when the heart is not set to do the Will of God here is hypocrisy I remember Jeremiah speaks to that purpose in Jer. 52.20 For ye dissembled in your hearts says he when ye sent me unto the Lord your God saying pray for us unto the Lord our God and according to all that the Lord our God shall say to us we