may well be spared If Christ who as to his Divine Nature was equal with God surely we should often come and prostrate our selves before him in this act of Holy Adoration Christ had right and title to all all was his due yet he was much in prayer how dare we go about any business without his Leave Counsel and Blessing and usurp any of his Blessings without begging them by Prayer 2. While he prayed he was Transfigured Luke 9. 29. which teacheth us two things 1. That we have the highest Communications from God in Prayer for then Christs shape was altered By Prayer the Soul hath the most familiar converse with God that possibly it can have and also by the means of this duty God hath most familiar converse with us In our Prayers to God we have experience of the Operations of the Spirit Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self helpeth us with groanings which cannot be uttered Iude 20. But ye beloved building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost and in Gods answering our prayer we have Experience of the comforts of the Spirit and those spiritual solaces which he secretly giveth to his People Hannah when she had prayed went away and her countenance was no more sad 1 Sam. 1. 18. In praying we put forth the groans of the Spirit in the answer God gives the joys of the Spirit Psalm 34. 5. They looked unto him and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed 2. That we should pray so as that the Heart may be raised and lifted up unto God and in some sort made like God when Christ prayed to God he is made partaker of the Divine Glory as Moses also by conversing with God his face shined Exod. 34. 29 30. This was extraordinary but sure the oftner we converse with God the more Holy and Heavenly should we grow more like him in Spirit be changed into the glory of the Lord spiritually and so we are if we be instant and earnest in Prayer if we have Communion with God there will be some Assimilation to God USE It reproveth our remiss feeble benummed souls there is no Life in Prayer no working up the Heart to God and Heaven either our Prayers are formal and cursory Iames 5. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or our Prayers are doctrinal instructive rather then warning we get lightly over duties but we should get life by Prayer this duty is not to inform the judgment but to raise the Affections that they be all in a flame or else we content our selves with a dull narrative without getting up the heart to a sight of God and Heaven or are seldom in Praises or Adoration of the Excellencies of God SERMON II. MATTH 17. 2. And he was transfigured before them and his face did shine as the Sun and his Rayment was white as the light With LUKE 9. 29. And as he prayed the fashion of his countenance was altered and his Raiment was white and glistring IN both these Texts compared together you may observe two things 1. The Circumstance of Time during Prayer 2. The Transfiguration it self 1. More Generally propounded he was Transfigured before them 2. More Particularly explained by the change of his face and Rayment The form of any man is most seen in his Face there was a glorious shining brightness Luke saith the fashion of his countenance was altered Matthew that his Face did shine as the Sun And in the glorious description of God in the Prophet Habakkuk it is said chap. 3. 2. And his brightness was as the light For his Garments Luke saith his Raiment was white and glistering Mark chap. 9. 3. White as the Snow so as no Fuller on Earth could whiten them but Matthew white as the light which carryeth it higher the works of Nature exceed those of Art The Transfiguration that was plainly to be seen in his Face was accomplished also in other parts of his body all his body was cloathed with Majesty so as it could not be obscured and hidden by his Garments Now First I shall speak of the circumstance of Time and then of the Transfiguration it self I. Of the Time and as he prayed Now what Christ prayed for is not specified If he asked common blessings and prayed only in order to his usual solace and converse with God it shewed the success of vehemency in prayer Christ prayed at such a rate as that he was Transfigured and changed into the likeness of God in prayer 2. If he asked to be Transfigured for the confirmation of his Disciples it sheweth Gods readyness to answer fervent and earnest Prayers 1. Of the First consideration if Christs prayer were of ordinary import it teacheth us that we should pray so that the Heart may be raised and lifted unto God in prayer and in some sort made like unto God let us state this matter aright 1. It must be granted that this shining of Christs countenance as the Sun while he prayed was extraordinary and a dispensation peculiar to the Son of God so also was the shining of Moses his face while he conversed with God in the Mount Exod. 34. 29 30. and for ordinary Christians to expect the like is to put a snare upon themselves for these things are proper only to the end for which God appointed them 2. This must be also considered that the eminent and extraordinary passions and affections in the soul do discover themselves in the body especially in the Face for it is said of Stephen that when he was heightned into a great zeal for Christ Acts 6. 15. That all that sate in the Council looking stedfastly upon him saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel Angels have not Bodies or Faces but they often assume Bodies and then they appear with a glorious and bright countenance as the Angel of the Lord that appeared at the Sepulchre Mark 28. 3. His countenance was like lightning and his Raiment white as Snow Now such a glory and gladness did God put upon the countenance of his servant Stephen that he looked like an Angel something extraordinary there might be in the case but yet there was an ordinary reason for it Stephens mind was filled with such an incredible solace in the sence of Gods love that he shewed no troubledness but a mind so unconcerned and freed from all Fear and sorrow as if he had been among the Angels of God in full Glory and not among his Enemies who sought his blood and so may God raise the Hearts of his people sometimes as if they had put their heads above the Clouds and were in the midst of the Glory of the World to come among his blessed ones If that were extraordinary Solomon tells us Eccles. 8. 1. That a mans wisdom maketh his Face to shine as it gives him readiness and tranquility of mind and
if I have not those strong and earnest desires I answer yet keep not off from Prayer for 1. Good desires must be asked of God for it is said he prepareth the Heart 2. Such desires as we have must be expressed and that is the way to encrease them and to quicken us more A sincere Heart that would serve God with his best findeth more in a duty than he could expect and by Praying gets more of the fervency and Ardours of praying as a Bell may be long a raising but when it is up it jangleth not as it did at first 3. Those cold Affections which we have are killed by disuse and turning away from God therefore go to him to get thy heart warmed II. Of the second Consideration If he prayed for this Transfiguration Observe That God often answereth his People in the very time while they are praying Isa. 58. 9. When they call I will answer and when they cry he shall say Hear I am This hath been the course of Gods dealing with the Prayer makers all along Abel Gen. 4. 4. God had respect to it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set his offering on fire Daniel prayeth and saith he Dan. 9. 21. While I was speaking in Prayer the Angel Gabriel was sent unto me And he said at the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth While many of the Disciples were gathered together praying God sent Peter to them Acts 12. 12 13. While Cornelius was in the Act of Prayer at the ninth hour of the day which was the Hour of Prayer he saw in a Vision the Angel of God Acts 10. 3. to 9th ver while Peter went up to the house top to pray then he had the Heavenly Vision so when Paul was in Prayer Ananias was sent to him Acts 9. 11. Behold he Prayeth and then God taketh care of him so Acts 4. 31. When they had prayed the house was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost Thus God delighteth to Honour his own Ordinance and to reward the waiting soul that is frequent and constant in this way of waiting upon God which should encourage us to be more frequent and serious in this work You shall see how in the very Act of Prayer God hath 1. Averted Iudgments 2. Bestowed Mercies and Favours 1. He hath put a stop to Judgments Psal. 99. 6 7 8. Moses and Aaron among the priests and Samuel among them that call upon his Name They called upon the Lord and he answered them he spake unto them in the cloudy pillar they kept his testimonies and the ordinance that he gave them Thou answerest them Oh Lord our God thou wast a God that forgavest them though thou tookest Vengeance of their Inventions The drift of the Psalmist in this place is to shew by eminent Instances of Holy Men that were most notable for Prayer how they have stopped Judgments when they begun to be executed Moses at his Prayer God was propitiated after the provocation of the Golden Calf for it is said Exod. 32. 11. Moses besought the Lord his God Verse 14. The Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do The second Aarons making an Atonement for the People whereby the Plague was staid Numb 16. 46. Take a Censer quickly for wrath is begun And Verse 48. presently the Plague was staid upon Samuels prayer the Philistines were discomfited when they were over-running Israel 1 Sam. 7. 5. with 9 10. ver With every one of these God was pleased to talk and commune as a Friend such Honour was God pleased to put on these his Faithful Servants and when the people had provoked God and Gods wrath was already gone out against them for their crying sins their prayers were so effectual as to divert the plagues and obtain Remission 2. So powerful also are they for obtaining Blessings Elijah Iam. 5. 17 18. though a man of like passions with us yet he could lock Heaven and open it at his pleasure 1 King 18. 42 45. The Rain came as soon as Elijah put himself into a zealous posture to obtain it Often success hath overtaken the prayer and the Blessing has been gotten before the supplication hath been ended Isaac went out to meet with God to meditate or pray and he espied Rebecca afar off Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answer and whilst they are yet speaking I will hear Oh therefore let us not entertain hard thoughts of God as if he did not regard our suites and requests and prayer were a lost Labour II. I come now to the Transfiguration it self as it is here propounded and explained Doct. That one necessary and solemn Act of Christs Mediation and Manifestation to the World was his Transfiguration before competent Witnesses This was one solemn Act and part of Christs Manifestation to the World for we have the Record of it here and it was necessary for Christ doth nothing in vain and here are competent Witnesses three persons of eminent Holiness before whom all this was done and they were Eye-witnesses of his Majesty and Ear-witnesses of the Oracle which they heard from Heaven or the Voice from the excellent Glory I shall open First The Nature of this Transfiguration Secondly The Ends of it First The Nature of this Transfiguration It was a Glorious Alteration in the Appearance and Qualities of his Body not a substantial Alteration in the Substance of it It was not a change wrought in the Essential form and substance of Christ's Body but onely the outward form was changed being more full of Glory and Majesty then it used to be or appeared to be Two things are to be handled 1. How it differed from his Body at another time whilst he Conversed here on Earth 2. How this change differed from the State of his Body as it is now in Glory 1. How his Body now Transfigured differed from his Body at other times during his Conversing with Men. Though the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him always yet the state of his Body was disposed so as might best serve for the decency of Humane Conversation as the Sun in a Rainy Cloudy day is not seen but now as it might cover his Divine Nature it would break out in Vigor and Strength 1. It was not a Change or Alteration of the substance of the Body as if it were turned into a Spiritual Substance no it remained still a true Humane Mortal Body with the same Nature and Properties it had before onely it became bright and glorious 2. As the substance of the Body was not changed so the Natural Shape and Features were not changed otherwise how could it be known to be Christ the shape and Features were the same onely a new and wonderful splendor put upon them 3. This new and wonderful splendor was not in Imagination and Appearance onely but real and sensible If it had been in Imagination shew and Appearance it would make Christ like those Deceivers who would dazle
that God is and that he ought to be worshipped It appeareth by our Saviours reasoning Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in Truth He giveth directions about the manner of worship but supposeth it that he will be worshipped When God had proclaimed his name and manifested himself to Moses Exod. 34. 8. Moses made hast and bowed himself and worshipped It is the crime charged upon the Gentiles that when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1. 21. They knew a divine power but did not give him a worship at lest competent to his nature God pleadeth his right Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a master where is my fear And God who is the common Parent and absolute Master of all must have both a Worship and Honour in which Reverence and Fear is mixed with Love and Joy So that if God be worship is certainly due to him They that have no worship are as if they had no God The Psalmist proveth Atheism by that Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God and ver 4. They call not upon God The acknowledgement of a King doth imply subjection to his Laws so doth the acknowledgment of his God imply a necessity of worshipping him III. That both Worship and Service is due to God him shalt thou worship and him shalt thou serve The worship of God is both Internal and External The Internal consisteth in that Love and Reverence which we owe to him the External in those offices and duties by which our honour and respect to God is signified and expressed Both are necessary both believing with the heart and confession with the Mouth Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation The soul and life of our Worship and Godliness lyeth in our Faith Love Reverence and Delight in God above all other things the visible expression of it is in Invocation Thanksgiving Prayers and Sacraments and other Acts of outward Worship Now it is not enough that we own God with the Heart but we must own him with the Body also In the Heart serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Psal. 2. 11. Such as will become the Greatness and Goodness of God with outward and bodily worship you must now own him in all those prescribed duties in which these Affections are acted The spirit must be in it and the body also There are two extreams some confine all their respect to God to bodily worship and external Forms Mat. 16. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are far from me They use the external Rites of worship but their Affections are no way suited to the God whom they Worship It is the Heart must be the principal and chief Agent in the business without which it is but the carcass of a duty without the life and the soul. The other Extream is that we are not called to an external bodily worship under the Gospel why did he then appoint the Ordinances of Preaching Prayer Singing of Psalmes Baptisme and the Lords Supper God that made the whole man body and soul must be worshipped of the whole man Therefore besides the inward Affections there must be external Actions whereby we express our Respect and Reverence to God IV. That both these Religious Worship and Service are due to God alone I prove it by these Arguments 1. Those things which are due to God as God are due to him alone and no Creature without Sacriledge can claim any part and fellowship in that Worship and Adoration neither can it be given to any Creature without Idolatry but now Religious worship and service is due to God as God he is thy Lord and worship thou him Psal. 45. 11. Our worship and service is due to him not onely for his supereminent Excellency but because of our Creation Preservation and Redemption Therefore we must worship and serve him and him onely Isa. 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another nor my praise to graven Images God challengeth it as Jehovah the great self-being from whom we have received Life and Breath and all things This Glory God will not suffer to be given to another And therefore the Apostle sheweth the wretched estate of the Galatians Chap. 4. 8. When ye knew not God ye did service to them that by nature are no Gods that is they worshipped for Gods those things which really were no Gods There is no kind of Religious worship or service under any name whatsoever to be given to any Creature but to God only for what is due to the Creator as Creator cannot be given to the Creature 2. The nature of Religious worship is such that it cannot be terminated on any Object but God for it is a profession of our Dependance and Subjection Now whatever invisible Power this worship is tendered unto must be Omniscient Omnipresent Omnipotent Omniscient who knowes the Thoughts Cogitations secret purposes of our heart which God alone doth 1 King 8. 39. Give unto every one according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of Men. It is Gods Prerogative to know the inward motions and thoughts of the heart whether they be sincere or no in their professions of dependance and subjection So Omnipresent that he may be ready at hand to help us and relieve us Ier. 23. 23 24. Am I a God at hand and not a God afar of can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. The Palace of Heaven doth not so confine him and inclose him but that he is present every where by his essential presence and powerful and efficacious Providence Besides Omnipotent Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high unto God who performeth all things for me Alass what a cold formality were prayer if we should speak to those that know us not and who are not near to help us or have no sufficiency of power to help us Therefore these professions of dependance and subjection must be made to God alone 3. To give Religious Worship to the Creatures it is without command without promise and without Examples and therefore without any Faith in the Worshipper or acceptance of God Where is there any command or direction or approved example of this in Scripture God will accept onely what he commanded and without a promise it will be unprofitable to us and it is a superstitious Innovation of our own to devise any
then with the rest of the Disciples You shall see when he raised Iairus his daughter from death to Life Luke 8. 51. he suffered no body to go in but Peter Iames and Iohn and the Father and Mother of the Maiden so these very Persons were those who in Mount Olivet were conscious to his Agonies Matth. 26. 27. he took with him Peter and the two Sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and very heavy Now these who were to be conscious to his Agonies are first in Mount Tabor beholders of his great Majesty and Glory for their better encouragement and preparation for his and their own sufferings Thirdly The Place he bringeth them into an high Mountain apart This Mountain is supposed to be Tabor though not named by the Evangelists a fit place both for height and secrecy both which were necessary to the double Action that was to be performed there either his Transfiguration or Prayer 1. To his Transfiguration height and secrecy were necessary 1. Height this work required not onely a Mountain but an high Mountain for his Transfiguration was a middle state between the infirmity of his Flesh and the Glory that he now possesseth So the top of a very high Mountain was chosen it is as a middle place between Heaven the Habitation of God and Earth the Habitation of Men. Besides since Moses and Elias were to appear in this Action and that with Bodies above the state of those natural Bodies which we have here below it was more agreeable this should be done in a Mountain then in the lower parts of the Earth yea moreover they were so nearer to Heaven to which they went back again 2. Secrecy was necessary to his Transfiguration for Christ was about a business which he would not have presently to come abroad therefore it was to be confined to the knowledge of a few who were to be called up from the rest into an high Mountain verse 9. Jesus charged them that they should tell the vision to no man till the Son of man was risen from the dead and what was done before many will hardly be concealed The due time for the general and publick manifestation of the divine Glory was not yet come therefore he would not have it unseasonably divulged And hereby he teacheth us modesty Christ was Crucified in the City before all but Transfigured in the Mountain only before a few 2. The other action of Prayer doth very well agree with height and secrecy 1. For Height Though God heareth us every where wheresoever we lift up pure hands without wrath and doubting yet a Mountain is not altogether disagreeable to this duty it is good to be as near Heaven as we can I am sure it is good to get up the Heart there We have a freer prospect of Heaven from a Mountain and may look up to those blessed Regions where our God is therefore Christ often chose a Mountain to pray in not onely now but at other times Matth. 14. 23. Certainly when we pray we should turn our backs upon all earthly things and have our Hearts and Minds carryed up to him to whom our prayers are directed and that place where he dwelleth 2. Secrecy is necessary for this Duty partly to avoid ostentation Matth. 6. 6. When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut thy doors Publick prayer must be performed before others but not private for fear of Hypocrisie so also to increase fervency secret Prayers are usually most ardent Ille dolet verê qui sine teste dolet My soul shall weep sore in secret places Ier. 13. 17. And Peter went out and wept bitterly Matth. 26. 75. And Iacob wrastled with God alone Gen. 32. 24. Frequency of objects draws away the Mind obstructeth our Affections abates the vehemency of our zeal fills us with carnal thoughts therefore Christ retireth himself and his three Disciples that being separated from all Distractions they might attend the Prayer and the vision without interruption Fourthly The Preparative Action In Luke it is he went into a Mountain to Pray Christ had two ends he told his Disciples the one but concealeth the other He spake only of Prayer the more to hide the thing from the rest of the Apostles which would soon be evident enough to those whom he took along with him Now this telleth us that every weighty business should be begun with Prayer when we go about the performance of weighty and serious Duties we should withdraw ourselves from all occasions which may hinder us and distract us therein as our Lord being to give himself to Prayer goeth apart into a Mountain In this Introduction I shall only take notice of two things 1. The choice of his Company 2. His preparative Action he Prayed and whilest he prayed he was Transfigured I. Of the choice of his Company He took Peter Iames and Iohn That Christ doth not use all his servants alike familiarly in every thing Partly because he had his liberty for in matters of free favour it is not tance of Persons to pass by some and admit others no not in the most necessary spiritual dispensations Matth. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father and he to whomsoever the Father will reveal him The plea of the Lord of the Vineyard will ever hold firm and valid Mat. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own But this is a thing of another nature the dispensing of his arbitrary respects acceptance of Persons in Judgment is a violation of Justice but not in matters of free favour Partly because he would consecrate and hallow spiritual Friendship and commend it to us by his own example and therefore though he loved all his Disciples yet he choose out some for intimacy and special converse these were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the flower of the Apostles either because of their sutableness he had a special inclination to them or for their sincerity and eminency in Grace he delighted in them more then in the rest sicut se habet simpliciter ad simpliciter ita magis ad magis if I love all that are godly I love those most who are most godly Now as Christ consecrated holy Friendship in his own Person so was it exemplified in his Disciples for I find a great Friendship between two of these mentioned in the Text Iohn and Peter you find them mostly together Iohn 20. 2 3 4. Mary Magdalen runneth and commeth to Peter and to the other Disciple whom Jesus loved Peter went forth and the other Disciple and came to the Sepulcher so Acts 3. 1. Now Peter and Iohn went up together into the Temple at the hour of Prayer Iohn 21. 7. The Disciple whom Iesus loved said unto Peter It is the Lord and Iohn 21. 21 22. Peter seeing the Disciple which Iesus loved said Lord and what shall this man do as willing to know the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those that were inspired and possessed by a Spirit therefore it must be a prayer that not only hath Understanding and Will in it but Spirit and Life in it However we are to put forth our utmost endeavour and raise the natural Spirit as far as we can 2. The second Agent is the new Nature which inclineth us to God as our chief Good and last end This also must be taken in for the Holy Ghost doth not blow as to a dead Coal the New Nature is made up of Faith Hope and Love and all these must be acted in Prayer Faith or the firm belief of Gods Being and Providence and Covenant for how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10. 14. Then Love to God or desire of the fruition of him in Heavenly Glory praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God Iude 20 21. If I do not love God and desire to enjoy him and delight in as much of God as I can get here certainly there will be no life in Prayer or no Ravishment and Transport of Soul no spirit of Desire animating our Requests and no spiritual Solace and Delight in our converse with God Hope is also necessary to fervent praying for a man coldly asketh for what he doth not hope for Hope respecteth both Means and End supplies of Grace by the way and our final Fruition of God in Glory this is called Trust in Scripture and is the great ground and encouragement of Prayer Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times pour out your souls before him Prayer is the act of a Trusting soul. Now these Graces quicken our Natural Faculties as they elevate and raise our Hearts and Minds to God and Heaven 3. The third Agent in Prayer is the Holy Spirit He is sometimes said to pray in us Rom. 8. 26. sometimes we are said to pray in him Iude 20. The Divine spirit exciteth those Graces in us which incline us to God he raiseth our Minds in the Vision and sight of God in thy Light shall we see Light Psal. 36. 9. and he raiseth our Hearts to a Desire after and Delight in God for all that spiritual solace and Joy is called Ioy in the Holy Ghost for both unutterable Groans and unspeakable Joyes are of his working Rom 8. 26. The Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered compared with 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom though we see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory Well then these work a kind of an Extasie if you would pray so as to be transported transformed in Prayer something you must do as Reasonable Creatures somthing as New Creatures and the Spirit influenceth all and causeth the Soul to follow hard after God we must put forth our utmost endeavour stir up the Gift of God in us and though we cannot command the influences of the Spirit yet he is never wanting to a serious soul as to necessary Help Pray thus and you will find as the Help of the Spirit in Prayer so the Comforts of the Spirit as the Success of Prayer 5. As there is daily and constant Prayer in which we must ever bewray a seriousness and sincerity for these daily supplies of Grace so there are extraordinary occasions because of some great Business Conflict or Temptation in those the Heart and Mind must be more then ordinarily raised and stirred In every Prayer of Christ there was not a Transfiguration and we read of our Lord Jesus that in his Agonies he prayed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more earnestly then at other times Luk. 22. 44. and upon eminent occasions as the necessities of the Saints are greater so their Acts of Prayer are more earnest On these weighty occasions many Christians are wholly swallowed up with the thoughts of God and carried beyond themselves by their High Love to God and earnest Desires of the Spiritual Blessings they stand in need of so that they seem to be rapt into Heaven in their Admiration of God and Delight in him Application Use To Reprove our feeble remiss and benummed Requests There is no Life in our Prayers no working up of the Heart to God and Heaven no flames of Love no Transports of Soul by the Vision and sight of Faith no holy and ardent desires after God or spiritual Solace and Delight in him Reasons 1. We pray Cursorily and go about Prayer as a Customary Task for Fashions sake we come with a few cold Devotions Morning and Evening and so God is near in our Mouthes and far from our Reins Ier. 12. 2. Oh take heed of this nothing breeds slightness and hardness of Heart so much as Perfunctory Praying The Rule is continue instant in Prayer Rom. 12. 12. and it is said of the Saints that they served God instantly day and night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 26. 7. that they might come to the Blessed Hope with the united Service of all their Powers and Faculties 2. Our Prayers are Doctrinal and Instructive rather than Affectionate and Warming We get Light by other Duties but we should get Life by Prayer this Duty is not to inform the Judgment but to raise the Affections that they may be all Flame other duties are feeding duties but this is a spending duty an egression of the Soul after God Psal. 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee A Man may better spend two hours in Hearing than half an hour in Praying if the Heart be employed in it as it ought to be in the fight of God and an earnest desire after him The Prayers in scripture are all supplications or doxologies there is no excursion into Doctrines and Instructions 3. Else we are lamenting sin and spend the time in confessing sin which also hath its use in the seasons thereof but are seldom in Praises or Adorations of the Excellencies of God and the wonderful Mysteries of his Love in our Redemption by Jesus Christ yet it is said Psal. 22. 3. Oh Lord that inhabitest the praises of Israel These are the things that do most ravish the heart and raise it in the Contemplation of that glorious God to whom we speak and fill us with the Extasies of Love that we may be more like him Holy Wise and Good as he is Holy Wise and Good 4. We think a dry Narrative to be enough that is the fruit of a humane spirit or a meer product of Memory and Invention is a sufficient Prayer without acting Faith Hope or Love in it or those spiritual and heavenly desires which are the Life of Prayer Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear The Ardency of Humble Addresses is Gods own Gift and he will never reject and despise those requests that by his own spirit and appointment are direct and brought to him But what
times and have not hearkened to my voice Every eminent and notable provocation of theirs is called a tempting of God Hereby they make trial of Gods Justice whether he will execute vengeance upon them or no. Thus we tempt Christ when we fall into any voluntary and known sin we put it to the trial what he will or can do we enter into the Lists with God provoke him to the Combate 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he We try whether God will be so severe as his threatning speaks him to be as if we would make some experiment of his Anger Justice and Power This kind of tempting of God is compounded of Infidelity and Presumption There is Infidelity in it when we dare sin against the clear light and checks of Conscience and venture upon his Threatnings You cannot drive a dull Ass into the fire that is kindled before him Prov. 1. 17. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird And there is presumption in it therefore these voluntary Acts of Rebellion are called presumptuous sins Psal. 19. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins Gross and scandalous sinners are described to be such as tempt God Mal. 3. 15. And now we call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered And Ananias and Saphira are said to tempt the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 9. By open voluntary sins men dare God to his face by secret sins we put it to the trial whether God be an all-seeing God and will discover this Hypocrisie both conclude they shall do well enough though they break his Lawes and run wilfully upon evil practices forbidden by his Law 2. More Particularly we tempt God two wayes in a way of Distrust or Presumption Both these arise from unbelief though they seem to be contrary extreams for though Presumption may seem to arise from an over-much-confidence yet if it be narrowly searched into we shall find that men presume upon unwarrantable courses because they do not believe that God will do what is meet to be done in his own time or in his own way As for instance had the Israelites believed that God in his own time and in his own way would have destroyed the Canaanites they would not have presumed against an express charge to have gone against them without the Ark and without Moses as they did Numb 14. 40. to the end They presumed to go up unto the Hill-top and then they were discomfited But Presumption in some being most visible in others distrust therefore we make two kinds of them 1. In a way of Distrust And that is done several wayes but all agree in this not content with what God hath done already to settle our Faith we prescribe means of our own and indent with him upon terms of our own making So the Israelites Exod. 17. 7. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah because of the chiding of the children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying Is the Lord among us or not They had sufficient signs of Gods Presence the pillar of a Cloud and Fire that went before them by day and by night but they would have signs of their own So the Iews are said to tempt Christ because they sought a sign from heaven Matth. 16. 1. The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven He had given sufficient evidence of his Mission and Divine Power in casting out devils and healing the sick and diseased but they would have a sign from heaven some sign of their own prescribing The Devil is ready to put such thoughts into our Minds If God be with us let him shew it by doing this or that and we are apt to require stronger proofs of Gods power and presence with us than he alloweth This is a frequent sin now a dayes and men are many wayes guilty of it 1. Some will not believe the Gospel except they see a Miracle or hear an Oracle Christ representeth their thoughts Luk. 16. 30. Nay Father Abraham if one went to them from the dead then they would repent They would have other wayes of assurance than God alloweth and are not content with his Word and Works by which he revealeth himself to us but will at their own pleasure make trial of his Will and Power and then believe These tempt God and therefore no wonder if God will not do for them that which they require 2. Some will not believe Gods Providence but make question of his Power and Goodness and care over us and our welfare when he hath given us sufficient proof thereof When he hath taken care to convince our infidelity by supplying our wants and hath done abundantly enough already for evidencing his Power Justice and Truth and readiness to help us we will not believe unless he give us new and extraordinary proof of each such as we prescribe to him Psal. 95. 9 10. When your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my works Forty years long was I grieved with this generation and said It is a people that do err in their hearts and they have not known my wayes They saw his works were fed with Miracles and cloathed with Miracles yet they must have new proof still Two ways of Tempting him as to his providence the Scripture mentions 1 One was their setting God a task of satisfying their conceits and carnal Affections Psal. 78. 18. And they tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lusts Of this sin they are guilty that must be maintained at such a rate must have such provision for them and theirs or else they cannot believe his Truth and Care of them As the Israelites God must give them festival diet in the Wilderness or else they will no longer believe his power and serve him 2 The other way of tempting God with respect to his Providence was by confining him to their own Time Manner and Means of working Psal. 78. 41. Yea they turned back and tempted God and limited the holy One of Israel To limit the Holy One is to confine him within a Circle of their own making and if he doth not help them by their Means and at their Time as those in the Text they will not tarry Gods leisure they think there is no depending on him for any succour Thus they set bounds to his Wisdom and Power as if he could do no more than they conceive to be probable Thus also we prescribe Means and Time to God take upon us to set rules to him how he should govern the World And one usual way of tempting God now is when we will not go fair and softly in the path and pace of Gods appointing but are offended at the tediousness thereof and make haste and take more compendious wayes of our own Isa. 28. 16. He
that believeth will not make hast but he that believeth not is precipitant must have Gods Mercy Power and Goodness manifested to them in their own way and time 3. Some will not be satisfied as to their spiritual Estate without some sensible proof or such kind of Assurance as God usually vouchsafeth not to his people As suppose they must be fed with spiritual dainties and overflow with sensible consolation in every holy duty or else they are filled with disquieting thoughts about their acceptance with God We must have matters of Faith put under the view and feeling of sense or else we will not take comfort in them But we mustnot limit God to give proofs of his Love nor prescribe such signs as are not promised by him but study our case in the Word For God will not alwayes treat us by sensible experience Thomas is allowed to touch Christ but Mary is not allowed to touch him Ioh. 20. 17. compared with verse 27. 2. In a way of Presumption so we tempt God when without any warrant we presume of Gods Power and Providence As here the devil tempted Christ to cast himself down from the pinacle of the Temple to try if he would take the charge of him in the Fall whereupon Christ replyeth Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Now this is done several ways 1 When we presume upon Gods help forsaking the ordinary way and means Christ would not throw himself down when he could go down by the stairs or steps of the Temple Down stairs and over the battlements is not all one Christ that could walk upon the Sea in the distress of his Disciples in ordinary cases taketh a Ship Whosoever will not use the ordinary means that God hath appointed but in ordinary cases expects extraordinary supplies tempteth God God is able to bring water out of the Rock when there is nothing but Rock and Stone but when we may hope to find spring-water we must dig for it God can rain Manna out of heaven but when the Soil will bear Corn we must Till it When Elisha was in a little Village not able to defend him from the Syrians he had Chariots and Horsemen of Fire to defend him 2 King 6. 17. but when he was in Samaria a strong walled town and the King of Israel sent to fetch his head he said to those that were with him shut the door ver 32. Christ in the Wilderness miraculously fed many but near the City he sent his disciples to buy bread Ioh. 4. 8. When the Church of God had need of able helps at first Gifts were miraculously conferred but afterwards every man to his study 1 Tim. 4. 15. Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all In short Gods Omnipotency is for that time discharged when we have ordinary means to help our selves To disdain ordinary means and expect extraordinary is as if a man should put off his cloathes and then expect God should keep him from cold 2 When we expect the End without the Means If Hezekiah had refused the bunch of Figs or Paul's companions to tarry in the Ship they had tempted God When we desire any blessing we must not refuse or neglect any good means for attaining of it In spiritual things this is very usual men hope to have the End without the Means In temporal things we will soon confess there must be means used for if any would not work neither should he eat 2 Thes. 3. 10. In warfare no victory is to be hoped for without fighting only in spiritual matters we think to do well enough though we never put to our endeavors to cry for knowledge and to dig for it this is a tempting of God Prov. 2. 3 4 5. If thou criest after knowledge and liftest up thy voice for understanding if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God We dream of Heaven when there is no Mortification no exercising our selves unto Godliness A great many say as Balaam did Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his Numb 23. 10. but they care not for living the life of the Righteous If they can but charm themselves into a secure presumption of Salvation they never give diligence to make their Calling and Election sure This cometh from hardness of Heart not strength of Faith Many defer their Conversion to the last and then think that in the twinkling of an eye they shall in a trice be in Heaven with Elias in a Whirle-wind It was a Prayer of Sir Thomas More Domine Deus fac me in iis consequendis operam collocare pro quibus obtinendis te orare soleo Lord make me to bestow pains in getting those things for the obtaining of which I use to pray to thee Otherwise we tempt God 3 When without Call we rush into any danger or throw our selves into it with an expectation God will fetch us off again As if Christ when no body went about to thrust him down should wilfully have cast himself down Whether the danger be certain or inevitable or very probable we must not throw our selves on it but when God calls us then we may expect his help according to his promise as to go into places or houses infected In spiritual cases it is often done men that by often experience have found such and such things to be occasions to them of sinning yet presume to do the same again These tempt God ride into the Devils quarters go into dangerous Places and Companies where they are like to be corrupted as Peter went into the High Priests Hall and those that go to live in Popish Families We pray that we be not led into temptations but when we lead our selves what shall become of us as we do when we cast our selves upon Temptations and dangerous occasions of sin 4 When we undertake things for which we are not fitted and prepared either habitually or actually As to speak largely without Meditation when an unlearned man undertakes the handling a weighty Controversie and a good cause wanteth shoulders we tempt God When we undertake things above bodily strength all will condemn us so to undertake things that we have no ability to perform is unlawful The sons of Sceva would take upon them to Exorcise the Devil and the man in whom the evil spirit was leapt on them and overcame them and prevailed against them so that they fied out of that house naked and wounded Act. 19. 16. 5 Another sort of tempting God is when we come to him with an Idol in our hearts that is when people are resolved of a thing they will go and ask counsel of God In all matters we resolve on we are to take Gods leave and counsel and blessing but they first resolve and then ask Gods Counsel And therefore God saith
their Affection wants an inward Principle it is a Winter Brook and not a Spring therefore since the Heart of man is so deceitful and not onely deceitful but though sincere for the present very changeable and this is so important an Interest of Humane Life and the Vexation of a disappointment in a Bosom Friend is so grievous and involveth us in many inconveniencies Natural and Spiritual for Solomon telleth us Prov. 25. 19. Confidence in an unfaithful Friend in time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint When we think to eat with the broken Tooth or to walk with the foot out of joint we are put to grievous pain and torment therefore we should go to God and pray him to direct us in the choice of intimate Friends David sadly regrets a disappointment in a Friend Psal. 55. 12 13 14 15. For it was not an enemy that reproached me then I could have born it nor was it he that hated me that did magnifie himself against me then I would have hid my self from him But it was thou a man mine equal my guide and mine acquaintance c. A deceitful Friend may become the greatest Foe and we resent their Ingratitude more than the Injuries of others when they abuse their Trust and the Familiarity they had with us The worst that a professed Enemy can do is not so grievous as the Treachery of a professed Friend this is more piercing less to be avoided therefore whom we have used most familiarly and freely loved as our Soul and Life from such we expect the same firm and hearty Friendship Therefore it concerneth us to seek to God that we may have a Godly Wise Man with whom we may be free in all Cases of Mind or Conscience and to whom we may freely open our selves and be strengthned in the Service of God it is a great part of our Contentment and Happiness therefore that we may not be deceived in our choice Let us go to God who knoweth Hearts and God hath a great hand in this Psal. 88. 8. Thou hast put away my acquaintance from me thou hast made me an abomination to them By the Providence of God they left him as a man whose condition they were afraid to look upon and again ver 9. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me they stand aloof from me as an execrable thing He owneth Providence in it 5. When Friends be thus chosen there must be a faithful discharge of the Duties of Friendship both in Counsels and Reproofs for the Godly use this Friendship chiefly for spiritual ends 1. In Counsel for Solomon telleth us Prov. 22. 9. As Ointment and perfume rejoyce the heart so doth the sweetness of a mans friend by hearty Counsel As sweet perfumes are a reviving so to be supported in good resolutions or directed and guided in our way to heaven by a faithful Friend is very chearing and comfortable and we read 1 Sam. 23. 16 17. That Ionathan went to David and strengthened his hand in God Whereas on the contrary a carnal Friend is the greatest Bane that may be who doth strengthen us in evil an Instance whereof we have in Ionadab the son of Shimeah 2 Sam. 13. 3 4. and Amnon had a friend whose name was Ionadab and Ionadab was a subtil man and he gave him Counsel how he should surprize his Sister to defile her and satisfie his Incestuous Lust. Such a Friend is really and truly our greatest Foe he was a Friend to his Vice but a Foe to his Person and Soul whereas a true Friend whose Friendship is grounded on Godliness will be a Foe to our sins by wholesome Admonition and Rebukes and a Friend to our Souls Salvation 2. Reproofs That is also a part of Friendship Prov. 27. 6. Faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful A faithful Friends Wounds are a more sincere Testimony than an Enemies Kisses and so afterwards they will be interpreted Prov. 28. 23. He that rebuketh a man afterward shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his Tongue For this we must trust God though for the present we displease our Friends So Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart by suffering sin upon him It is kindness to his soul to reprove him In the General Holy Friendship must be improved to the use of edifying Rom. 1. 11 12. I long to see you to impart some spiritual gift unto you that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith of you and me 6. After the best care is used you must remember that our Friends are but an outward help which God can continue or withdraw at his Pleasure and that our chief Help Comfort and Counsel cometh of God So it was with Christ Ioh. 16. 32. Behold the hour is come that ye shall be parted every man to his own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me Christ was forsaken of his Disciples but not forsaken of his Father so Paul 2 Tim. 1. 16. At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me Psalm 41. 9 My familiar Friend in whom I trusted hath lift up his heel against me those that have been acquainted with the secrets of your Soul may not only grow strange to you but betray you therefore do not over-value any earthly Friend man will be man still that God may be God all in all unto his people and when we are deserted of men we must learn to trust in God who never faileth us fail who will Psalm 27. 10. When my Father and Mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up And 142. 4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld and no man would know me refuge failed me no man cared for my Soul I cried unto thee O Lord I said thou art my refuge and portion in the Land of the living We are left alone for God to help us the defectiveness of all Worldly Friends shews us more of the goodness of God II. The Preparative Action he went up into a Mountain to pray and whilst he prayed he was Transfigured 1. In that he prayed it teacheth us to hallow all our actions by prayer we do not bid our selves God speed unless we recommend our affairs to God whatsoever Assurance we have of the Blessing yet we must Pray Ier. 29. 10 11 12. For thus saith the Lord after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place c. Then shall ye call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken unto you Ezek. 36. 37. I will for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them Therefore we should be dayly in the practise of this duty and not look upon it as a work that
chearfulness of countenance guilt and shame cast down the countenance but Righteousness and Wisdom embolden it more particularly in prayer as our confidence and joy in God is increased it bewrayeth it self in the countenance Psal. 34. 15. They looked unto him and were lightned and their faces were not ashamed they are revived and incouraged and come away from the Throne of Grace other manner of Persons then they came to it 3. That some kind of Transformation is wrought by prayer appeareth by these Considerations 1. That as God is glorious in himself so he maketh him that cometh to him partaker of his Glory For certainly all communion with God breedeth some Assimilation and likeness unto God it is clear in heavenly glory when we see him as he is we shall be like him 1 Iohn 3. 2. and it is clear also in our Communion with him in the Spirit for the Apostle telleth us that by beholding the Glory of the Lord as in a glass we are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. not onely doth vision or immediate intuition produce this effect but also spiritual specular vision or a sight of God in the Ordinances produces a divine and God-like Nature inclining us to hate sin and love Righteousness the more we are above with God the more we are like him we see it in ordinary converse a man is as the company that he keepeth he that walketh with wise men shall be wise saith Solomon but a companion of fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. now it is not imaginable that a man should converse often with God fervently seriously and not be more like him He that liveth in a Mill the dust will stick upon his clothes Man receiveth an insensible taint from his company he that liveth in a shop of Perfumes often handleth them is conversant among them carryeth away somewhat of the fragrancy of these good Ointments so by conversing with God we are made like him 2. Nearer we cannot come to God while we dwell in Flesh then by lifting up the heart to him in fervent prayer this is the intimate converse and familiarity of a loving soul with God therefore it is called a lifting up the heart to God he will not come down to us therefore we lift up the heart to him Lament 3. 41. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens so Psal. 25. 1. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul and Psalm 86. 4. Rejoyce the soul of thy servant for unto thee do I lift up my soul so Psalm 143. 8. cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee All these places shew that there can be no sincerity and seriousness in this Duty unless there be this Ascension of the soul to God it is an act of spiritual Friendship therefore called an acquainting our selves with God Iob 22. 21. now as acquaintance is kept up by frequent visits so prayer is called a giving God a visit Isa. 26. 16. In their trouble they have visited thee Well then here is the greatest intimacy we have with God In the word God speaks to us by a proxy and Ambassador another speaketh for him in the Lords Supper we are feasted at his cost and remember him but we are not admitted into his immediate presence as those that are feasted by the King in another room then he dineth in but prayer goeth up to God and speaketh to himself immediately and therefore this way of commerce must needs bring in much of God to the soul. 3. In fervent prayer we have a double advantage we get a sight of God and exercise strong love to God and both conduce to make us like God 1. We get a sight of God for in it if it be seriously performed we turn our back upon all other things that we may look to God as sitting upon the Throne governing all things by his power for his Glory By Faith we see the invisible one Heb. 11. 27. surely if we do not see God before the eye of our Faith when we pray to him we Worship an Idol not the true and living God who is and is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Our hearts should be shut up against the thoughts of any other thing and confined only to the object to whom we direct our Worship I reason thus if a Christian foreseeth the Lord before him in all his wayes and keepeth alwayes as in his eye and presence surely he should set the Lord before him in his Worship and in his prayers Psalm 16. 8. a good Christian doth always keep as in Gods eye and presence much more when he calleth upon his Name now every sight of God doth more affect and change the heart as none but the pure in heart see God so none see God but are most pure in heart there is a self-purifying in moral things purity of heart maketh way for the sight of God Mark 5. 8. so the sight of God maketh way for the purity of Heart Iohn Epist. 3. 11. He that doth evil hath not seen God a serious sight of God certainly worketh some change in us 2. In prayer a strong love to God is acted for it is the expression of our delight in him Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwayes call upon God Now we are changed into the likeness of him in whom we delight in Love transformeth and changeth us into the nature of what is loved there is the difference between the Mind and the Will the Mind draweth things to its-self but the Will followeth the things it chooseth and is drawn by them as the wax receiveth the impression of the Seal Carnal objects make us carnal and earthly things earthly and Heavenly things Heavenly and the love of God Godly Psal. 115. 8. They that make them are like unto them so are all they that put their trust in them stupid and senseless as Idols it secretly stamps the heart with what we like and esteem and admire 4. There are Agents in Prayer to help us to improve this advantage 1. The Humane Spirit 2. The New Nature And 3. The Spirit of God 1. The Humane Spirit or our Natural Faculty so that by our understandings we may work upon our Wills and Affections surely God maketh use of this for the Holy Ghost doth not work upon a man as upon a block and we are to rouze up our selves and to attend upon this work with the greatest seriousness imaginable The Prophet complains Isa. 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee without this it is but dead and cold work and if there be no more than this it is but dry litteral work not that fervent effectual prayer which will change the heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 5. 16. the
as he is Psalm 17. 15. When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy Image and likeness by knowing we come to Love and by loving God we know him there is Vision Assimilation Satisfaction the object is efficacious the intimation vigorous and clear the subject prepared for the impression 2. In Body Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body the body shall be endued with all glorious qualities as brightness strength agility it is a body wholly impassible and incorruptible fit for the operations of a glorified soul and with it shall for ever remain a glorious Temple of the Holy Ghost therefore it is good to be here USES 1. Let this draw forth our Love to such a blessed estate which is so full of delight and contentment and wean us from these things which are most pleasing in the World 1. The best estate in the World is but vanity altogether vanity Psalm 39. 5. mingled with some grievances Wealth hath its incident cares and Honour its tortures and all pleasures here are but bitter sweets there is a Worm that feedeth on our gourd and will in time wither it At last death commeth and then the lust of the World is gone 1 Iohn 2. 17. The World passeth away and the lust thereof The Godly themselves have but a mixed estate because of remaining infirmities they live here in a Vale of tears and snares and sin doth not gasp its last till death removeth us from this sinful flesh and puts us into the sight of God himself Wherefore the Saints are groaning and longing for the parting day when putting off the flesh we shall put off sin and come and dwell with God for ever 2. None are translated unto Heaven but such whose hearts are there first 2 Cor. 5. 2. In this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from Heaven Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Rom. 8. 23. We that have the first Fruits of the spirit groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption the Redemption of our bodies A Christian waiteth and longeth for a purer state of bliss and immortality the first Fruits shew what the Harvest will be and a tast what the Feast will prove though they are thankful for this refreshing by the way yet they are longing to be at home cannot be contented without it 3. The excellency of this estate requireth it if it be not worth your desires and best Affections it is little worth Christ procured it for us by a life of Labours and Sorrows and the pangs of a bitter cursed death and when all this is done shall not we desire it and look after it that is foul ingratitude Oh then let your Hearts be upon it desire must go before delight 2. To move us to labour for it and seek it in the first place and to get it assured that we have a part in this blessed and joyful condition Mat. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof Luke 13. 24. Strive to enter in at the strait gate So 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure What profit is it to know that there is such a blessed and joyful estate if we have no interest in it Heaven is worth our pains and will bear all the cost we can lay out upon it so the children of God thought Acts 26. 7. Unto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come if we do not desire it we do not believe it if we do not labour for it we do not desire it 3. Let us comfort our selves with the hopes of this blessed and joyful condition 1. Against all the miseries and afflictions of this present Life these are necessary we would sleep too quietly in the World if we did not sometimes meet with thorns in our beds we should be so pleased with our entertainment in the way as we should forget home but God awakeneth us out of our drowsie fits by sharp afflictions as if he said arise depart hence this is not your rest Micah 2. 10. while we wallow in sensual comforts our hearts say it is good being here 2. When there is a joyful and blessed condition beyond them it is some comfort in this shipwrack of mans felicity that we can see banks and shoars a landing place where we may be safe and enjoy our repose To you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus Christ shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels 2 Thess. 1. 7. Here our days are sorrow and our travail grief but there is our repose 3. That our joy and contentment is so infinitely above our sorrow and trouble 2 Cor. 4. 7. so that in all the troubles and sorrows of this Life we may look beyond them and through them to the joy and comfort of the Life to come This joy is set before us in the promises of the Gospel Heb. 12. 2. Christ for the joy that was set before him endured the cross c. and Heb. 6. 18. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us we see it by Faith though not by sense II. Doctrine That one of the diseases of mankind is that we catch at felicity without considering the way that leadeth to it Peter seeing and apprehending this estate to be an estate of Happiness and Glory doth not consider what he must first do and first suffer before he could come to converse with Christ and the glorified Saints Our Saviour had lately told him that he must deny himself and take up his Cross and follow him but Peter overlooketh all this and saith it is good to be here he would be glorified before he was abased and had suffered all the afflictions foretold and would have his wages before he had done his work Every one would enjoy Christs Glory and Happiness but we do not like his yoke are loath to submit to his Cross. If we would enjoy happiness with Christ and the glorified Saints we must be humbled with them and suffer with them first But we would triumph before we had fought any battle and receive the Crown before we have run our Race and reap in joy before we have sowed in tears or performed that necessary work that God requires at our hands Now the Reasons of it are these 1. Because by nature we love our own ease and contentment Gen. 49. 15. He saw that rest vvas good We are loath to undergo the Cross and desirous to enjoy Happiness and Glory before and without Afflictions but this is an untimely and preposterous desire proceeding from self-love God hath appointed another order that the Cross should go before the Crown Rom. 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be glorified together 2. From the Libertinism and yokelessness of our natures and
thou hast loved me and ver 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them that is by the gift of the Spirit and Everlasting Glory Though Christ was the beloved Son yet his state was but mean and despicable in the world he was afflicted a man of sorrows pursued to the Death even a shameful painful accursed Death yet all this while he was full of the Holy Ghost of his Graces Comforts and afterwards received to Glory and so will he love us At this rate and Tenour his love bindeth him not to give us worldly greatness but if we have the Spirit and may be welcomed to Heaven at the last we have that which is the true discovery of Gods Love So he manifested his Love to the onely begotten Son and therefore the adopted children should be contented with this Love if by the Spirit they may be inabled to continue with Patience in well-doing till they receive Eternal Glory and Happiness 3. The next thing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom I am well pleased This is to be interpreted of Christ as Mediator or God Incarnate for this was twice spoken at Christs Baptisme Mar. 3. 17. and now at his Transfiguration both imply his Mediatorship For his Baptisme had the notion of a Dedication he did then present himself to God as a Mediator for us to be the Servant of his Decree as we in Baptisme dedicate our selves to fulfil the Precepts which belong to us and as we are concerned to promote his Glory in the World Christ presented himself as a Mediator that is as a Prophet to acquaint us with the way of Salvation as a Priest to pay a perfect Ransom for us as a King to give us all things and defend and maintain all those who submit to his Government till their Glory be perfected and they attain unto their final Estate of Bliss and Happiness Now then God from Heaven declared himself well pleased and now again when Christ had made some Progress in the Work confirmeth it for the assurance of the World This then must be Interpreted 1. As to Christ. 2. As to those who have benefit by him and interest in him 1. As to Christ. He was well-pleased Partly as to the Design the Reparation of Lost Mankind Partly as to the Terms by which it should be brought about Partly as to the Execution and Management of it by Christ. 1. As to the Design God was well-pleased that lapsed Mankind should be restored at the first God was pleased with his Creation Exod. 31. 17. on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed that is recreated in the View of his Works as the effects of his Wisdom Power and Goodness And Psal. 104. 31. The Lord shall rejoyce in his works The Lord saw all to be good in the beginning and working not to be repented of This was Gods Rest and Sabbath to take delight in his Works When he looked on it altogether behold it was exceeding good but afterwards Man the ungrateful part of the Creation though the Masterpiece of it in this visible and lower world fell from God his Creator and preferred the Creature before him to his Loss and Ruine then God was so far displeased that he had Reason to wish the destruction of Mankind it is said Gen. 6. 6. That it repented God that he had made man That is he was displeased with us estranged from us no more contented with us than a man is in what he repenteth of For properly God cannot repent but this is an Expression to show how odious we were grown to him Psal. 14. 2 3. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and did seek after God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Alas there is a lamentable appearance of Mankind to Gods sight now nothing good to be found in them an universal Defection both in Piety and Humanity But then Christ undertook the Reparation of Mankind and the Design was pleasing to God that he might not lose the glory of his Creation and all flesh be utterly destroyed Col. 1. 19 20. It pleased the father that in him should all fulness dwell and having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things to himself The restoring of fallen Man to Friendship with God and all things tending to it were highly pleasing to God namely that Jesus Christ the second Person in the Trinity should become a Mediator for that end he had a great Affection and liking to this thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the same word used here the thing is highly pleasing to God that the Breach should be made up that man who had lost the Image Favour and Fellowship with God should be again restored by renewing his Heart reconciling his Person and admitting him again into Communion with God who was was so justly provoked by him God stood in no need of our Friendship nor could any loss come to him by our Hatred and Enmity onely it pleased the Father to take this way Isa. 53. 10. For it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands 2. He is pleased with the Terms God who is the Supream Governour of the world and the offended Party stood upon these Terms that the Honour of his governing Justice should be secured and the Repentance and Reformation of man carried on Strictly these must be done or else man must lye under his Eternal Displeasure if one be done and not the other no Reconciliation can ensue Now that God is highly pleased with the satisfaction and compensation made to his governing Justice Heb. 10. 6 7. In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure Then said I lo I come to do thy will O God Ver. 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all God rejected all other sacrifices but was fully satisfied with this as enough to expiate the sin of Man Christ delighted to give it and God delighted to accept of it He paid a perfect ransom for us besides or above which he craved no more but rested fully content in it for the other the Renovation of Mans Nature to put him into a capacity to serve and please God for God would not admit us to Priviledges without change of heart and disposition Acts 5. 31. God exalted him to be a prince and saviour to give repentance and remission of sins In short God is so satisfied with these Terms that 1. He seeketh no farther amends for all their wrongs Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to
blessed Mediator working greater miracles than ever did Moses so he is called our Rabbi or Master Mar. 23. 8. One is your master even Christ and ye are brethren The supream Authority the original hight is in Christ We are not Leaders and Teachers but Fellow Disciples so Heb. 3. 1. Consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Iesus Christ. Again he is called the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. Christ with a great condescension took upon him the office of his Fathers Ambassador to the Church to promote the Covenant of Reconciliation between God and Man and make offers of it in preaching the Gospel and he it is that doth by this Spirit perswade the Elect and doth make his Covenant sure to them Once more he is called Amen the faithful and true witness Rev. 3. 14. there can be no prejudice against his Testimony he can never deceive nor be deceived it is so it will be so as he hath said Amen is his Name 2. By the Properties of his Office he hath 3 things to qualifie him for this high Office 1. Absolute supream Authority and therefore we must hear him and hearken to him This is usually made the ground and reason of the Gospel invitation to invite sinners to submit themselves to seek after God in this way As Matth. 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 save the son and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden c. There is no true knowing of God but by Christ and the Gospel Revelation which he hath established therefore here must we seek rest for our souls So Ioh. 3. 35 36. The father loveth the son and hath put all things into his hands He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the son hath not seen life but the wrath of God abideth on him First his Mediatorial Authority is acknowledged and then Faith and Obedience to the Gospel is called for for to the sentence of the Son of God we must stand or fall So when Christ instituted and sent abroad his Messengers to invite the World to the Obedience of the Gospel Matth. 28. 18 19 20. All power is given to me both 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 whatsoever I have commanded you He hath absolute and supream Authority to gather his Church to appoint Ministers and Ordinances to bestow the Spirit to open and close Heaven and Hell as he pleaseth to dispose of all affairs in the World for the furtherance of the Gospel and to enjoyn the whole World obedience to his Commands and to embrace this Doctrine 2. All manner of sufficiency and power of God to execute this Office Ioh. 3. 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure to him The former Prophets had the Spirit in a limited measure bestowed on them by God for such particular purposes as best pleased him Therefore all their prophesies begin Thus saith the Lord as having for every particular Message and Errand new Revelation but on Christ the Spirit descended once for all and commanded the belief of all and obedience to all that he should say Therefore it is said Col. 2. 3. In him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge He is Ignorant of none of those things which are to be known and practised in order to our eternal salvation they are deposited with him to be dispensed to us 3. There is in him a powerful efficacy As he hath absolute Authority to teach in his own name and fulness of sufficiency to make known the Mind of God to us so he hath power to make his Doctrine Effectual As when he dealt with his Disciples after he had opened the Scriptures he opened their Understandings Luk. 24. 25. so he opened the heart of Lydia Acts 16. 14. He can teach so as to draw Ioh. 6. 44 45. He can excite the drowsie Mind change and turn the Rebellious Will cure the distempered Affections make us to be what he perswadeth us to be There is no such Teacher as Christ who doth not only give us our Lesson but an heart to Learn therefore to him we must submit hear nothing against him but all from him II. About Hearing him that must be explained also First What it is to Hear It being our great duty and the respect bespoken for him In the hearing of words there are 3 things considerable the sound that cometh to the Ear the understanding of the Sense and Meaning and the assent or consent of the Mind Of the first the Beasts are capable for they have Ears to hear the sound of words uttered The second is common to all Men for they can sense such intelligible words as they hear The third belongeth to Disciples who are swayed by their Masters Authority So that Hear him is not to hear as Beasts nor barely to hear as Men but to hear as Disciples to believe him to obey him to believe his Doctrines and Promises and to obey his Precepts For his Authority is absolute and what he doth say doth warrant our Faith and command our practice and obedience I gather this partly from the word Hear which not only signifies Attention and Belief but Obedience as 1 Sam. 15. 22. To obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of rams Where to obey and hearken are put as words of the same import and signification Partly from the Matter of Christs Revelation he hath revealed not onely Doctrines to inform the Mind but Precepts to reform the Heart and Practice If we assent to the doctrine but do not obey the precepts we do not hear him Therefore to hear him is to yield obedience to what he shall teach you and when Christ cometh to take an account of the entertainment of the Gospel he shall come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. Partly too from the intimate connexion there is between his Prophetical and Regal Office Christ is so a Prophet that he is also a Soveraign and doth not onely give us Counsel and Direction but a Law which we are to observe under the highest penalties If the Gospel were an arbitrary direction which we might observe or not observe without any great danger to our selves surely it were folly to despise good Counsel but it hath the force of a new Law from the great King and Law-giver of the World therefore it must not onely be believed but obeyed Heb. 5. 8. He that is the chief prophet of the church is also the king of saints
Religious Worship for which there is no example at all whereby it may be recommended to us Certainly no Action can be commended to us as Godly which is not prescribed of God by whose Word and Institution every Action is sanctified which otherwise would be common and no Action can be profitable to us which God hath not promised to accept or hath accepted from his people But giving Religious worship to a Creature is of this Nature 4. It is against the express command of God the Threatning of Scripture and the Examples recorded in the Word Against express command of God both the first and second Commandments the one respecting the Object the other the Means That we must not serve other Gods nor go after them nor bow down unto them It is against the Threatnings of the Word in all those places where God is said to be a Iealous God God is said to put on jealousie as a cloke Isa. 59. 17. That is the upper and outmost Garment He will be known and plainly profess himself to be so So Exod. 34. 14. The Lord whose name is jealous is a jealous God Things are distinguished from the same kind by their Names as from different kinds by their Natures Now from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God will be distinguished by his Jealousie that he will not endure any partners in his Worship It is against Examples Rev. 19. 10. and 22. 8. When I had heard and seen I fell down to worship before the feet of the Angel which shewed me these things And he said unto me see thou do it not c. the Argument is I am thy fellow-servant and of thy brethren the prophets and of them which keep the sayings of this book worship God USE 1. To condemn those who do not make conscience of the Worship of God There are an irreligious sort of Men that never call upon him in publick or in private in the Family or in the Closet but wholly forget the God that made them at whose expence they are maintained and kept Wherefore had you reasonable Souls but to praise honour and glorifie your Creator Surely if God be your God that is your Creator and Preserver the duty will presently fall upon you thou shalt worship the Lord thy God If you believe there is a God why do not you call upon him the neglect of his worship argueth doubting thoughts of his Being For if there be such a supream Lord to whom one day you must give an account how dare you live without him in the World all the Creatures glorifie him passively but you have a heart and a tongue to glorifie him actually Man is the mouth of the Creation to return to God the praise of all that Wisdom Goodness and Power which is seen in the things that are made Now you should make one among the worshippers of God An Heathen could say si essem luscinia c. Are you a Christian and have such advantages to know more of God And will you be dumb and tongue-tyed in his praises 2 To condemn the Idolatry of the Papists Synesius said that the Devil is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he rejoyceth in Idols Here we see what was the upshot of his Temptations even to bring men to worship and bow down before something that is not God Herein he was gratified by the Heathen Nations and no less by the Papists witness their worshipping of Images their Invocation of the Virgin Mary and other Saints the adoring before the Bread in the Eucharist c. I know they have many Evasions but yet the stain of Idolatry sticketh so close to them that all the water in the Sea will not wash them clean from it This Text clearly stareth them in the face Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Not Saints not Angels not Images c. They say Moses onely said and Christ repeateth it from him Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God but not onely so that the last clause is restrictive not the first but some worship may be given to the creature Civil we grant but not Religious and Worship is the most important word They distinguish of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the devil demanded of Christ onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall down and worship me not as the supream Author of all Gods Gifts but as subordinate all these things are delivered unto me but then Christs words were not apposite to refute the Tempters Impudency Besides for the distinction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words are promiscuously used so their distinction of Absolute and Relative Worship besides that they are groundless they are unknown to the Vulgar who promiscuously give Worship to God Saints Images Relicts Some of the Learned of them have confessed this abuse and bewailed it Espencaeus a Sorbonist Are they well and godly brought up who being children of an hundred year old that is ancient Christians do no less attribute to the Saints and trust in them than to God himself and that God himself is harder to be pleased and intreated than they So George Cassander This false pernitious Opinion is too well known to have prevailed among the Vulgar while wicked men persevering in their naughtiness are perswaded that only by the Intercession of the Saints whom they have chosen to be their Patrons and worship with cold and prophane Ceremonies they have pardon and Grace prepared them with God which pernicious Opinion as much as was possible hath been confirmed by them by lying Miracles and other men not so evil have chosen certain Saints to be their Patrons and Helpers have put more confidence in their Merits and Intercession than in the Merits of Christ and have substituted into his place the Saints Virgin Mother Ludovicus Vives There are many Christians which worship Saints both Men and Women no otherwise than they worship God and I cannot see any difference between the opinion they had of their Saints and that the Gentiles had of their Gods Thus far he and yet Rome will not be purged 3. Use is to exhort us to worship and serve the Lord our God and him onely 1. Let us worship him Worship hath its rise and foundation in the heart of the worshipper and especially Religious worship which is given to the All-knowing God Therefore there must we begin we must have high thoughts and an high esteem of God Worship in the Heart is most seen in two things Love and Trust. Love Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might We worship God when we give him such a Love as is superlative and transcendental far above the love that we give to any other thing that so our respect to other things may give way to our respect to God The other Affection whereby we express our esteem of God
is Trust This is another Foundation of worship Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times pour out your hearts before him Well then inward Worship lyeth in these two things delightful Adhaesion to God and an intire dependance upon him Without this Worship of God we cannot keep up our service to him Not without delight witness these Scriptures Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the almighty will he alwayes call upon God Isa. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Iacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel They that love God and delight in him cannot be long out of his Company they will seek all occasions to meet with God as Ionathan and David whose souls were knit to each other So for dependance and Trust it keepeth up service for they that will not trust God cannot be long true to him Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God They that distrust Gods Promises will not long hold out in Gods way for dependance begets observance when we look for all from him we will often come to him and take all out of his hands and be careful how we offend him and displease him What maketh the Christian to be so sedulous and diligent in duties of worship so awful and observant of God his All cometh from God both in life natural and spiritual In life natural Psal. 145. 15 16 17 18. The eyes of all things wait on thee and thou givest them their food in due season Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing c. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he will hear their cry and will save them The Lord preserveth all them that love him Implying That because their eyes are to him the Author of all their blessings therefore they call upon him and cry to him 2. Serve him That implyeth external Reverence and Worship Now we are said to serve him either with respect unto the duties which are more directly to be performed unto God or with respect to our whole Conversation 1. With respect unto the duties which are more directly to be performed unto God such as the Word Prayer Praise Thanksgiving Sacraments Surely these must be attended upon because they are Acts of love to God and Trust in God and these holy Duties are the ways of God wherein he hath promised to meet with his people and hath appointed us to expect his Grace and therefore they must not be neglected by us Therefore serve him in these things for Mar. 4. 24. With what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you It is a rule of commerce between us and God 2. In your whole Conversation Luk. 1. 74 75. That we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life A Christians conversation is a continual Act of Worship he ever behaveth himself as before God doing all things whether they be directed to God or Men out of love to God and fear of God and so turneth second Table duties into first Table duties Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world Iam. 1. 27. Eph. 5. 21. 22. Submitting your selves one to another in the fear of God And next verse Wives submit your selves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. So Alms are a Sacrifice Heb. 13. 16. But to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased 3. Worship and serve God so as it may look like Worship and service performed to God and due to God onely because of his Nature and Attributes His Nature Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth When Hearts wander and Affections do not answer Expressions is this like worship and service done to an All seeing Spirit His Attributes Greatness Goodness Holiness 1. His Greatness and glorious Majesty Heb. 12. 28. Let us serve him acceptably with Reverence and godly Fear Then is there a stamp of Gods Majesty on the duty 2. His Goodness and Fatherly Love Psal. 100. 2. Serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with singing 3. His Holiness 2 Tim. 1. 3. I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience 2 Tim. 2. 22. With them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart SERMON VII MATTH 4. 11. Then the Devil leaveth him and behold angels came and ministred unto him IN these words you have the Issue and close of Christ's Temptations The Issue is double I. In respect of the Adversary II. In respect of Christ himself I. In respect of the Adversary then the devil leaveth him II. In respect of Christ himself Behold angels came and ministred unto him I shall consider in both the History and the Observations First The History of it as it properly belongeth to Christ And there 1. Of the first Branch the Recess of Satan then the devil leaveth him 1. It was necessary to be known that Christ had power to chase away the devil at his pleasure that as he was an instance of Temptations so he might be to us a pattern of Victory and Conquest If Satan had continued Tempting this would have been obscured which would have been an infringement of Comfort to us The devil being overcome by Christ he may be also overcome by us Christians 1 Ioh. 5. 18. He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not That is he useth all care and diligence to keep himself pure that the devil draw him not into the sin unto death and those deliberate scandalous sins which lead to it Christ having overcome Satan in our name and nature sheweth us the way how to fight against him and overcome him 2. Christ had a work to do in the Valley and therefore was not alwayes to be detained by Temptations in the Wilderness The Spirit that led him thither to be tempted led him back again into Galilee to preach the Gospel Luk. 4. 14. Iesus returned in the power of the spirit into Galilee All things are timed and ordered by God and he limiteth Satan how far and how long he shall tempt 3. In Luke it is said chap. 4. 13. He departed from him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a season He never tempted him again in this solemn way hand to hand but either abusing the simplicity of his own Disciple Mat. 16. 22 23. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee But he turned and said unto Peter Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence unto me Or else