is sure in respect of the event of it The Event and Issue of a Believers hope is alwayes sure it can no more be disappointed of his hope then the foundation of his hope which is Christ can be overturned but that which a believing soul hath in hope it is as sure as if he had it in hand already Lo This is our God we have waited for him and he will save us saith the Church The Doctrine then is this That the beleiving soul hath Hope for a sure and stedfast Anchor Or thus This Grace of Hope it is a sure and stedfast Anchor to every believing heart It is plain in the Text Which hope we have as an Anchor both sure and stedfast In the handling of this Point I shall shew you First What this Hope is Secondly Make it out to you That this Hope is the souls Anchor Thirdly That this Anchor of the soul is sure and stedfast And that will make way for Application First of all Our work is to enquire What this Hope is You may take this description of it It is the work of the spirit of Christ upon the heart whereby it is raised in expectation of those good things that faith believes and which God hath promised We shall open the parts of it that we may come to know what this saving Hope is that is the Anchor of a believing soul And first of all you have the efficient cause of this hope and that is the Spirit of Christ it is not all the world that can raise a poor dejected heart to hope in God it is not all the comforts of the world nor comforters in the world that can make any poor drooping heart to cast this Anchor of Hope in heaven and therefore when the Apostle doth describe the condition of Natural men he saith of them That they are without God without Christ and without Hope This is the state of every man by Nature he hath not the least dram of saving hope till the Spirit of Christ comeâ— to work upon the heart And therefore God is called the God of Hope Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Here you see the efficient cause it is the work of God to raise up the heart to hope in himself and it is the Spirit of Christ that must cause the soul to abound in hope That you may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost And in Psal 22. speaking there in the person of Christ he confesseth that it was his Father that did cause him to hope Psal 22. 9. But thou art he that took me out of the womb thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts It was thou Lord that didst cause me to hope God only is the efficient cause Secondly For the Formal Cause of this Hope we said it is an Expectation of the soul it takes its rise from faith what faith believeth that hope expects and waits upon God for the fulfilling of It is an Expectation of the heart Now this Expectation it is First A patient Expectation Secondly An ardent Expectation Thirdly A confident Expectation All which do express the Nature of saving Hope First of all It is a Patient Expectation it causeth the soul to wait patiently for the fulfilling of the Promise to sit down at the feet of Christ and wait even all its dayes for the fulfilling of the Promise and therefore saith the Apostle Heb. 10. 36. For you have need of patience that after you have done the Will of God you may inherit the Promise As if he should say your hope will not hold out if you have not patience God hath given you a promise but God doth not presently fulfil the promise and therefore that you may hope till the Promise be fulfilled you have need of patience and truly Hope is nothing else but Patience lengthned out It is a patient Expectation Secondly It is an Ardent Expectation What the believing soul doth hope for it is earnestly carried out after it is such an expectation as doth make the soul exceedingly Intent and cause it to look every way round about for the fulfilling of that which it hopes for it is an earnest expectation The Apostle speaks in Rom. 8. 19 20 21. Verse 19. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God Verse 20. For the creature was made subject to vanity not willingly but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope Verse 21. Because the creature also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God The whole creation hath a hope to be delivered from that bondage which the sin of man brought upon it and because there is a hope there is an earnest expectation and the earnest expectation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God And truly where there is saving hope it will cause the soul to look after the fulfilling of the Promise it waits earnestly and groans earnestly for the fulfilling of those Promises that it waits for It is an ardent expectation Thirdly It is a Confident Expectation though indeed it is true the hope of the best Saints may flag yet when hope doth work like it self and act like it self it acts confidently it is accompanied with holy confidence and boldness toward God when hope is strengthned then it acts confidently and confidence is nothing else then hope strengthned That is the second particular You have seen the efficient and formal cause of this hope Thirdly What is the Object of this Hope I told you that it was an expectation of those good things that God hath promised what God hath promised that hope looks for the fulfilling of all outward comforts that are needful refreshments in their way Protection Deliverance Assistance the Increase of Grace and the Carrying on of the work of God in the heart what-ever is laid up in the Promise that hope waits for the fulfilling of but more especially the Object of a Believers hope it is Eternal Life Tit. 1. 2. In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began And in Tit. 3. 7. That being justified by his grace we should be made Heirs according to the hope of Eternal Life So that Eternal life is the Object of a Believers hope Fourthly We have the concomitant of Hope and that is Faith It is an expectation of those good things which faith believes that God hath promised so you see how Hope stands towards Faith they are twins as it were they are born and brought forth together Faith is the Elder sister faith believes that the promise is true and hope looks for the fulfilling of the Promise because faith believes it They grow up together they are nourished together and they flourish
foundation of faith and through the righteâ—â—â— judgement of God hath prevailed exceedinâ—â— abroad in the world he made use of the 〈◊〉 of old and the Socinians of late who overturn 〈◊〉 foundation of faith though they acknowleâ—â—â— Christ to be higher then man and greater 〈◊〉 Angels yet they will not acknowledge him 〈◊〉 equal with his Father and to have been from 〈◊〉 many cavils there are which are made 〈◊〉 this truth of the Gospel Object They object that Jesus Christ sayes 〈◊〉 self That his Father is greater then he and thâ—â—â—fore by Christs own confession say they he is not 〈◊〉 with the Father Answ But for answer You must know 〈◊〉 Christ speaks that as he was Mediator as he 〈◊〉 God man so indeed he put himself under his â—her as Mediator as the Saviour of his people 〈◊〉 in respect of his eternal Godhead he was 〈◊〉 with his Father and his Father was not greater then he For he thought it no robbery to be equall with the Father Object And so they object That Christ was sent he was his Fathers Messenger his righteous Servant and my Father sent me and I came not to doe my own will but the will of my Father Answ Why Christ having put himself under in respect of the work of Mediator so he was under but as eternal Son so he was alwayes equal with the Father Object And whereas they cavil it is said at last Christ shall give up the Kingdom to the Father there is a time coming that God he shall be the greater and be all in all Hence they cavil that Christ is inferiour to his Father and shall be put under at last and God shall be all in all Answ But that Scripture speaks only in respect of Christs dispensitory Kingdome not in respect of his natural Kingdome which he had from eternity â—â—ing equal with his Father but in respect of this present dispensation in which Christ rules his Church and by such a way and meanes Christ shall give up the Kingdome to his Father but then he shall reign with the Father though not as Mediaâ—or that Kingdom ceaseth yet he shall reign with his Father Quest But you will say is this enough for a â—an to believe that Christ is Lord and God equall with the Father will this faith make a man blessed â—f he believe this shall he be saved Does not the Deâ—il make a confession that Christ is the Son of the liâ—ing God Answ Ah but where the Lord by his Spirit doth make an inward discovery of this to the soul the Spirit of Christ shining upon the soul and drawing the heart to close with Christ I answer that this faith is the faith of Gods Elect. It is true there may be a notional knowledge of this in this day of the Gospel men they doe generally confesâ— that Christ is the Son of God Ah where it is only notional and when the heart is not drawn by this knowledge to rest upon him who is mighty to save this bare historical knowledge will prove ineffectual but when the Lord doth draw the heart to rest upon Christ revealed in the Gospel this is true faith Secondly The second thing propounded 〈◊〉 That true faith doth come to Christ as he is the son of David O Lord thou son of David It holds forth two things First She closeth with the humanity 〈◊〉 Christ Secondly She closeth with Christ in his offices and looks to him as he is appointed by God to be the Mediatour Here are these two things in this confessiâ—â— that he is the son of David and true faith 〈◊〉 must eye both these If faith be rightly grounded it must come to Christ as he is the son of David First of all It confesses that Christ is man 〈◊〉 well as God it closeth with the humanity as 〈◊〉 as the divinity of Christ he is God and man in 〈◊〉 person believes that he is true man that he 〈◊〉 and that he is true man without this there 〈◊〉 be no true faith it comes to him as to one 〈◊〉 took our nature and died in our nature and rose again in our nature and ascended in our nature and sits in heaven with our nature True faith must come thus to Christ or else it will not be found to be true faith True faith closeth with the humanity of Christ believes that God took the nature of man into union with the second Person and so God and man made one Person it doth not look upon Christ as taking up a body for a time such a notion many men have in the world to conceive that Christ did assume a body even as he did of old when as he did appear to the Patriarkes Abraham and Lot the Angel of the Covenant as well as other Angels did assume a body and so dissolved it again Now say they as Christ did assume a body for a time and appear in that and then afterward dissolve it now Christ is no more in the body but he is now in the Spirit This is a grosse mistake a dangerous error that overthrows the foundation If Christ did assume a body then he was not man but the Scripture saith He took our nature he took not the nature of Angels but he took the nature of man to take up a body is not to take up the nature of man but he took our nature a soul and body together humane soul and body that is the nature of man he took a body into union with the second Person for so it was not only a body that Christ took up but a soul too My soul is heavy to death and the soul of Christ was made an offering for sin So that remember this how true faith must look upon Christ first as Lord and secondly as Man as one that took our nature soul and body into union with himself Secondly I shall shew you that there is a necessity that every man and woman that expect salvation by Christ should believe that he took our nature upon him and then that he died in our nature and rose in our nature and sits now in heaven in our nature it is necessary to be believed to salvation for First of all if this be not believed you cannot have any assurance that any man or woman shall have the benefit of Christs satisfaction Suppose that some confess that he is eternal God and did give satisfaction as he was eternal God yee that body that he took up for a time if he took not the nature of man could not satisfie for the sin of man for justice must be satisfied in the same nature Now if Christ did not really take our nature and suffer in our nature there is no satisfaction and we can have no benefit thereby for satisfaction must be done in the same nature it offended Secondly It is necessary that you should believe that Jesus Christ rose again in the same nature for your justification
of him that willeth nor runneth but God that sheweth mercy and therefore why should I strive for life and salvation I deny that that God will save thee without thy striving It is true it is not for thy faith and repentance that God will save but without these God will not save this is the way by which God saves You would think he were an unreasonable man that should argue thus God hath decreed how long I shall live whether twenty thirty forty or sixty yeares the period is appointed by God and therefore it matters not that I eate Now if God hath appointed a man should live so long he hath also appointed that you should use the meanes Hezekiah he knew how long he should live I will add unto thy dayes fifteen yeares 2 Kings 20. 6. It had been strange reasoning for Hezekiah to say I will neither eate nor drink for Gods purpose must stand as God hath purposed the end so he purposed the means so that the means and the end are joyned together But thou reasonest further that if God doth decree that I shall be saved why then I shall be saved though I goe on in a way of sin First of all here is a grosse mistake of Gods decree God doth not decree to save any man whatever he doth though he all his dayes goe on to destroy himselfe God never made such a decree no Gods decree is to save men from sin as well as from wrath If God decrees to save any man from wrath he decrees to save that man from sin As it is impossible that that man should goe to hell that God decrees to save so it is impossible that that man should wallow in sin And oh what great ingratitude to say though I goe on in sin I shall be saved if God hath decreed it Oh great ingratitude As if a child should say my father hath entailed a great estate upon me and I cannot goe without it though I doe all that I can against him oh is this the part of a child sure of a bastard and not a child oh horrible ingratitude Nay let me say there is madnesse in it there is this madnesse as if a man should say God hath purposed how long I shall live and it matters not though I stab my selfe and though I run into the Sea I shall live so long as God hath purposed oh such desperate madnesse is in many men when they reason about Gods decree The seventh and last temptation is a temptation of despaire which some of Gods people may be exercised withall and thus they may reason if the Lord hath not purposed my salvation if he hath not decreed my salvation them I cannot be saved whatever I doe though I take never so much paines and strive never so much though I seek faith and repentance yea though I doe believe and though I doe repent yet if God hath not decreed my salvation I cannot be saved To this I answer that Gods decree and purpose shall never infringe the truth of any promises that he hath made now he hath made a promise that whosoever believe in Christ shall be saved Now Gods decree shall not infringe the truth of this promise and there is no man upon earth that shall believe in the name of Jesus Christ but he may claime life and salvation upon Gods promise and it shall be made out to him And let me say further that thou dost not take the right course to begin at Gods decree Oh! this is a discouragement this will keep thee off from the use of the meanes if I be not elected I cannot be saved thou takest the wrong course to begin at they election who taught thee this way God never taught thee so it is from Sathan who endeavours to pussell thee in thy way Though there be such an election and the Saints have much comfort when they doe know their election yet you must not begin with election but know that you must walk by Gods revealed will and look to Gods revealed will if thou art called to faith and to believe thou art not amongst the lost ones and art called to life and salvation and therefore look to the revealed will of God so long as a man is in the state of unbeleefe it is not possible that he should know what God hath decreed concerning him Therefore doe not begin at election this is for a man to covet to set his foot upon the highest step of the Ladder before he sets it upon lowest When a man is in his youth he doth not know whether God hath purposed old age for him and because he does not know it he is not discouraged from the use of the meanes and so I say in a state of unbeleefe thou canst not know that God hath loved thee but this should not discourage thee to waite upon God in the use of the meanes giving up thy selfe to his revealed will which commands thee and all the Sons of men to beleeve in Christ And as I said so I say againe that there is no man that ever beleeved in Jesus Christ but he was saved and therefore it is madnesse and folly for a man to say though I beleeve in Christ I shall not be saved if God hath not purposed it I tell you there is none that ever did beleeve in Christ but was saved and any that doe beleeve to the end of the world may goe to God and challenge him upon his word Nay I may say if Judas had beleeved and repented and turned to the Lord Judas had been saved Question But you will say If I be not elected I cannot believe it is in vaine for me to take pains if the Lord hath not purposed to give me faith I shall never be able to work it in my own heart and therefore in vaine for me to temper with my own heart I Answer That thou dost not know that God hath not purposed to give thee faith and therefore thou art bound to wait upon the Lord in the use of the means And that thou hast not faith do not lay it upon God though it be true Faith is his gift yet God doth hinder no man from believing God layes no Blocks in any man's way Nay there is a great deal that God doth to bring men unto Faith what means doth God use What workings are there What strivings of the Spirit What Invitations What Exhortations the Word of the Lord is full of them And let me say further that if the Lord hath given thee a heart in good earnest to desire the gift of faith the Lord will certainly give it out to thee I say if the Lord hath set a man's Heart and Will to the Lord that a man doth from the heart desire Christ that great gift of God the Lord will certainly give the gift of Faith If thou knewest the gift of God and did ask of him he would have given thee living water John 4. 10.
his type Psal 22. 16. for dogs have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me they pierced my hands and my feet Those bloody persecuters of Christ that would not be satisfied but with the blood of the Lamb of God nothing but the shedding of his blood would serve their turn even as the Blood-Hound that hunts the Hind upon the mountain the Lord calls them dogs barking dogs biting dogs have compassed me round about But thirdly What is the childrens bread that must not be given to dogs First The gracious Promises of the Gospel those sweet comforts that God hath laid up in the Promises they are not the portion of wicked men Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speake ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned Isa 40. 1 2. God doth not send comfort to wicked men while they remain such for all the promises of the Gospel they are Christ's right and Christ's inheritance they are Christ's portion the Apostle saith They are all yea and amen in him now therefore they cannot be applyed to any but to those that have Interest in Christ if promises be yea and amen in Christ they cannot go without Christ he must be thy husband or else thou hast no right in them Quest. But you will say then How shall men come to believe in the promises if they must not be applyed to wicked men How shall they come to have faith in the promise I Answer When the Spirit of the Lord doth perswade the heart of any sinner to accept of Jesus Christ to rest upon Jesus Christ by a particular application as he is freely tendered in the everlasting Gospel when this is done I conceive that soul hath an Interest in Christ and then right to all the promises for every mercy promised is to those that are in Christ and childrens bread is not to be cast to dogs Secondly A place in the House of God is childrens bread a name in God's house fellowshiâ— with the Saints this is childrens bread that be longs only to those that are Christ's at least visibly so Isa 56. 4 5. see what God promiseth 〈◊〉 the Eunuchs For thus saith the Lord unto the Eâ— nuchs that keep my Sabbaths and chuse the thing that please me and take hold of my convenant eveâ— unto them will I give in mine house and within 〈◊〉 walls a place and a name better then of sons 〈◊〉 of daughters I will give them an everlasting 〈◊〉 that shall not be cut off This is made to him thâ—â— feareth the Lord and desires to worship 〈◊〉 Lord aright and desires to sanctifie the Sabbaâ— of the Lord he hath right to this part of childrens bread he hath right to the fellowship 〈◊〉 Saints and Church of Christ and God in duâ—â— time will bring him in though he may be out will give him a name in my house and his namâ— shall be written there the time is a coming thâ— there shall be never a Saint but the Lord 〈◊〉 bring him in Behold how good and how pleasant it 〈◊〉 for Brethren to dwell together in unity Psal 133. 1 there is a large report of Brethrens dwelling together in Unity now they must be Brethren 〈◊〉 else they cannot dwell together in unity It is good and pleasant for brethren dwell together Sons and daughters of the everlasting Father 〈◊〉 that not only by Creation but by Regeneration If Sons and Daughters of the everlasting Father O! Then How good to dwell in the House 〈◊〉 God This is childrens bread Thirdly Sealing Ordinances The seals of â—he Covenant they are childrens bread Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord are childrens bread and they are not to be dispensed to any that are visibly unclean and unholy To instance only in the Supper of the Lord to shew you a little that â—hat is childrens bread and must not be given to â—ny but children For first It is a Seal of the Covenant if the other Ordinance be a Seal then â—hat is a Seal of the Covenant of Grace and â—herefore they must be in the Covenant of grace they must not be strangers to the Covenant that come to this Ordinance that have right to this Ordinance They that are visibly strangers and enemies unto God strangers to this Covenant they cannot have a right to that Ordinance of Jesus Christ Again That Ordinance is a Love-Feast and the Lord he makes it to declare that he is reconciled to all those his friends whom he invites There was a falling out between God and man â—ut when it is taken up by Christ God the Father declares that he is a friend and therefore he invites believers to sup with him which declares and makes it out to them that he is reconciled he makes a feast for this end and therefore called the Lords Supper they shall come and sit at Table with him that he may declare that he is really reconciled and bears no old grudge but hath forgotten all Now therefore they that are enemies that will not be reconciled but profess enmity against the Lord they cannot have right to this Ordinance Again It is a seal of our Communion with Christ and with the Saints The Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ And so the Wine it is the Communion of the blood of Christ the signe of it the seal of it a seal of our Communion with Christ and it is a seal of our communion with the Saints all that do partake of it they prosess they are one bread therefore it is an Ordinance that cannot and may not be dispensed to wicked men Besides The Supper of the Lord is an Ordinance that is appointed for the increase of grace it is appointed for a Christians growth therefore of necessity there must be life before there can be growth there must be a principle of grace before there can be increase of grace It is true it is for the weak as well as the strong and if there be any part of spiritual life in the soul that soul may receive it in Christ's way but of necessity there must be life or else no right to the Ordinance for it is appointed for growth in grace to make a weak faith strong and so for the increase of every grace I might add wicked men cannot perform the actions of the living that God calls for in that Ordinance they cannot eat and drink spiritually they may eat the bread and drink the wine but they cannot eat the flesh of Christ and drink the blood of Christ if a wicked man he cannot eat spiritually and so he prophaneth the Ordinance the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ he becomes guilty of it and the Apostle saith He eateth his own damnation if he cannot discern the Lord's body 1 Cor. 11. 29. and eat spirituall by faith sad in the conclusion he eats and drinks damnation of
and then he was but sixteen years old and yet he exprest more zeal for God then all the Kings And so among Job's friends God speaks best of Elihu the young man and of all the Evangelisâ—s none like to Timothy he was trained up and had known the Scriptures from a child Nay you shall find that the very children did follow Christ when Christ came into the Temple Matth. 21. 15. and cryed Hosanna to the Son of David the Scribes â—â—d Pharisees they were offended when they heard â—â—e children cry Hosanna to the son of David he â—â—d perfect his praise out of the mouths of babes â—â—d sucklings the children cryed Hosanna to the â—on of God so that weak in respect of age the â—oâ—d many times makes choice of Fourthly Weak in respect of sex and that is a â—oman she is called the weaker vessel and yet he many times reveals himself to women and unto women sooner then men This woman of Canaanâ—â—sthe â—â—sthe first that comes to Christ in all these coasts we read of no man that came to Christ and so â—he woman of Samaria John 4. she was the first of all that City that was converted to Christ Christ first speaks to her and draws her heart to â—elieve on him and then she runs to the City and calls all her friends And so in Luke 8. 2. you â—ead of divers women that followed Christ there were divers weak women followed after Christ â—nd did minister to him And so in the Acts of the Apostles when the Apostles came to some Ciâ—ies the women came first and were more forward â—hen men to hear the Gospel Acts 16. 13 14. And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city by a rivers side where prayer was wont to be made and we sat down and spake unto the women which resorted thither And a certain woman named Lydia a seller of purple of the city of Thyatira which worshipped God heard us whose heart the Lord opened c. The women were the first that came to hear and here is mention made of Lydia whose heart the Lord opened and she received the Word of God and received Christ And thus you see this particular also cleared that the Lord maâ—â— times makes choice of the weakest and makâ— them to come to Christ But secondly to speak to the second part 〈◊〉 the doctrine that the Lord doth not only maâ—â— choice of the weakest but of the most unworthieâ—â— and I shall speak only of unworthiness in respeâ—â— of parentage or kindred this woman she caâ—â— of the stock of the Canaanites which were a wicâ—â—ed and cursed generation you read divers timeâ— in Scripture what they were and what great sinâ—ners how they were a people that were given oveâ— to all whoredome and witchcraft and cruelty 〈◊〉 such as did offer their sons and daughters to Dâ—â—vils those were the abominations of the Canaâ—â—nites yet behold here is one of the stock 〈◊〉 the Canaanites that lay under a curse cursed 〈◊〉 Cain they were strangers to God and the Coveâ—nant and counted dogs by the Israelites yet thâ— woman is pluckt out and the Lord works faith 〈◊〉 her heart But to give you some Instances in Scripture Thâ— Lord pulls out Abraham from an idolatrous peâ—â—ple idolatrous kindred and makes him to be excelâ—lent in faith and the Father of the faithful Anâ— so you read of Rahab that was of the Nation thâ—â— God destroyed and by faith she was saved and 〈◊〉 houshold And so you read of Ruth that was 〈◊〉 the stock of Moab yet the Lord makes choice 〈◊〉 her and brings her to be a Proselyte in Israel anâ— though she was one that came of Moab yet she was made a Mother in Israel So you see the second Particular Thirdly to speak to the third branch of the Doctrine That the Lord makes choice of thâ—se that were most sinful This woman was not only a Canaanite but was as sinful as the Canaanites before the Lord brought her in to himself The Lord makes choice of those that are most sinful Manasseh of all the Kings none like Manasseh none like him for vileness and wickedness he did worse then the Canaanites that were cast out of the Land before the children of Israel yet the Lord makes choice of him Manasseh's heart at last was turned to the Lord. And so among all the persecuters of Christ and his Church except those that sinned against the holy Ghost none a greater persecuter then Paul he did it with a great deal of violence and he sayes he made the poor Christians to blaspheme the name of Christ so violent was I and so mad was I that I persecuted them to strange cities and haled them to prison and when they were judged to death I gave my consent and my voice was among those that gave sentence of judgement for their death And yet the Lord had mercy upon Paul and he was brought at last to believe in Christ and of a persecuter he was made a Preacher of the Gospel and of the faith that once he destroyed And so divers Instances I might give you of those that were most sinful which the Lord brought home to Christ Yea such as lived in Christs time of all the people the Publicans and Harlots were the worst None like to Zacheus a great oppressor one that had done much wrong and one that did beaâ— himself up upon his riches he was a rich Robber â—ah but the Lord makes choice of Zacheus Christ calls him and he comes down and then he turnes his hand against his sin that was so dear to him and makes restitution of the wrong he had done And so among all the Harlots none worse then Mary Magdalen who had seven Devils cast out of her and yet the Lord makes choice of Mary Magdalen she was brought in to Christ and made most excellent among women Thus you see the Lord many times doth make choice both of the weakest and of the unworthiest in respect of kindred and stock and of the most sinfullest To shut up all briefly with a little Application First of all here is an invitation that this Doctrine doth give to divers sorts to come to Christ this Doctrine invites the weakest and the unworthiest and the sinfullest to come to Christ Let me speak to the weakest O you that are weak in estates weak in parts that you would perswade your hearts to come to Christ know thâ—â— this weakness shall be no block in your way Christ will as soon receive you as the strong And leâ— me speak to those that are weak in respect of age O that you would perswade your hearts to loâ—â— after Christ to seek after Christ betimes to see after faith in the name of the Son of God Loâ—â— upon the example of young men spoken of 〈◊〉 your imitation Samuel the Prophet and Josiah the King Timothy the Evangelist Oh that childreâ— young men would look to those patterns and examples for
but full of sin full of all manner of unrighteousness not only lost the Image of God but is filled with the image of the Devil and discovers that all the imaginations of mans heart are evil and only evil and that from his youth upward Now when the Spirit of the Lord comes to make this discoverie to a man that he is thus filled with sin and lets a man see what a filthie thing sin is how displeasing to God how contrary to his Holiness that soul that hath this discovery can plead nothing of his own when he comes to God but mercie and free grace Thirdly The Spirit of the Lord doth discover to man that he is a poor weak creature that he is one that can do nothing to help himself out of this miserable state that he can do nothing to procure a better condition for himself that he can make no satisfaction to God for the least of his transgressions full of sin ah but he cannot make satisfaction for the least transgression he cannot lay down a price to redeem his own soul he cannot change his own heart and he cannot work up his own spirit to believe in Christ he cannot subdue any lust in his own heart a poor weak creature that can do nothing cannot think a good thought nor move toward God Now when the Spirit of the Lord discovers this to a man O then he sees there is nothing to plead but mercie Fourthly The Spirit of the Lord doth discover to a soul that his natural estate is a state of enmitie the Lord rips open a mans heart at his conversion and shews him what enmities is in his bosome how full he is of contrary workings in his heart and spirit to the Lord he sees that secret enmitie that he never saw before Now when this comes to be discovered to a man or woman that they are in a stare of enmitie to God and the workings of that enmitie cannot cease if the Lord doth not put forth the mightie power of the death of Christ I say that soul that hath all these discoveries made to it first sees that it hath no worthiness pleads nothing of his own especially such a creature so full of wants so full of sin and so full of weakness and so full of enmitie such a creature can plead nothing of his own when he comes to the great God Nay as it sees that it hath no deserts to plead so it sees that there are contrary deserts I say these discoveries will make a soul sensible of contrary deserts that it deserves nothing but hell and wrath and confusion rejection from the Lords presence for ever and ever The Prophet Daniel was sensible of these contrary deserts of the people Dan. 9. 8. To us belongs nothing but shame and confusion So that you see when the Lord by his Spirit comes to discover to man what a vile creature he is such a soul sees that it hath nothing to plead as matter of merit but mercie And as in its first coming so whenever a gracious heart goes to God after it is brought home reconciled made one with God through Christ after it hath walked with God yet even then no gracious heart that can plead any worthiness any righteousness of his own when he goes before God he cannot plead any of his graces nor any of his own services non any of his own sufferings and if so then there is nothing to plead I say a gracious heart cannot plead his own graces it cannot plead his faith not holiness it cannot present that to the Lord that the Lord for such and such graces should bestow mercie for the very faith of the Saints is imperfect now that which is imperfect cannot merit any thing abundance of unbelief mixed with the strongest faith Lord help my unbelief It is true indeed that David in some of his Psalmes desires God to look upon his faith Psal 25. 20. Deliver me for I put my trust in thee But he doth not look upon his faith as merriting any thing at Gods hand but only desires that God would look upon his Covenant the Lord had promised grace to his people in trusting upon him so that he doth not desire the Lord to look upon it as any act of his for faith is little worth as an act of ours but he puts the Lord in mind of his Covenant of the Promise that he made with his people And the Saints as they cannot plead faith so they cannot plead holiness for as their faith so their holiness is imperfect they have many failings manyfold corruptions are found in the most gracious heart therefore they cannot plead holiness before the Lord. It is true Hezekiah in Isai 38. 3. and so Nehemiah spread before the Lord what they had done and how they had walked but that can be no Argument that we should make use of that as an Argument no Argument that that was the best Argument but I say they only did desire the Lord to look upon his own work in them they were far from pleading any merit any desert And therefore you shall find the best of the Saints when in the best temper have been found disowning their own righteousness and their own worthiness Paul he had as much to plead and to trust too as any man living and yet he looks upon all as drosse and dung in comparison of Christ in respect of pleading righteousness all is drosse and dung though it is good in its place yet to lay it as a foundation it is drosse and dung And see what is said Job 9. 20. If I justifie my self mine own mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse O that they would mind this that boast of perfection Job was as perfect as any yet if I justifie my self mine own mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse The very saying I am perfect would condemn me it would declare that I am lying against the truth and I should declare my imperfection while I am pleading perfection Thus a gracious soul dare not plead faith nor holinesse Secondly It dare not plead any services when it hath done its utmost for God it dare not plead what it hath done no work no services no tears no fastings it dare not plead these before the Lord. Indeed you shall find many unsound hearts that have pleaded these things and trusted to them many unsound hearts and hypocrites that have looked much to their righteousness to their prayers and fastings and their good works and services that they have done for God they have pleaded these before God Isai 58. Wherefore have we fasted and thou hast not seen and afflicted our soul and thou regardest not And so you know the storie of the Pharisee and the Publican that went up to the Temple to pray the Pharisee he stood upon it to justifie himself Luke 18. 11 12. he stood
that can reach out mercy to the soul and speak a word of comfort and counsel God only can speak a word of strength a word of peace the creature cannot No it is God only I create the fruit of the lips peaâ—y peace Now when a soul looks up to the Lord and meets with nothing from him and knows that there is no answer to be expected from the creature this must needs be a great and a sore trial Fifthly it will appear to be a great trial if we consider that the flesh and Devil are exceeding ready to make a great advantage of this providence of God and dispensation towards his people for they will improve this to the dishonour of God and discomfort of the soul and therefore a great trial In two or three Particulars I shall shew you how ready the Flesh and Devil is to improve this to Gods dishonour and the souls discomfort First the Flesh and Devil will raise up many doubts and jealousies and mis-giving thoughtâ—â— both concerning God and concerning a man own condition and concerning the duties and services which are offered up to the Lord. They will make the soul to doubt of the goodness of God to doubt of the free-grace of God to doubt of the faithfulness of God of the truth of God Surely saith unbelief the Lord is not so gracious as thou hast taken him to be thou hast rested upon the Arm of his mercy and thou hast believed his grace to be sufficient for thee in every condition thou hast looked toward him as toward an infinite compassionate God but where are the compassions of the Lord now not to speak one word to relieve and comfort thee Thus will the Devil and the unbelieving heart object when the Lord doth not give out a present answer yea unbelief will be accusing the faithfulness of God Oh! where is his Word and his Promise He hath said that they that call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved He hath said Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me â—h where is the faithfulness of God God is unmindful of his promise Asaph was under this temptation Psalm 77. 7 8. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore And thus he goeth on making many Queries concerning the goodness and faithfulness of God Secondly as the Devil and the Flesh doth raise many doubts and jealousies concerning the faithfulness of God so there are many doubts cast into the soul concerning the eternal estate and condition of the soul and that upon this ground when as the soul hath sought the Lord and the Lord not answer presently the soul begins to doubt oh surely I am no child of God no sponse no friend God could not deal so with children not to give one word of comfort not one word of answer Oh surely I am an Hypocrite for the prayer of the upright is his delight and if there were any truth of heart in me the Lord would give out an answer and thus the Devil and the Flesh-raise many jealousies and fears about the souls eternal state Or Thirdly if the Devil and the Flesh prevail not so far as to cause the soul to question the goodness of God and the Truth of God or to question its own Sonship yet they will prevail so far as to make the soul question his services and his duties which it hath performed to God Oh! surely I have not spoken to the Lord as I ought surely I have not been fervent in Spirit serving the Lord my prayer hath been but words of my own not the teachings of his Spirit if it had been his own Spirit the Lord would have heard his own Spirit but my prayer hath been accompanied with so many infirmities as it hath not reached up to heaven And thus you see how many a poor soul is led into temptation upon this ground the Lords being silent to the prayers of his people But you will say wherefore doth the Lord thus try his people I answer sometimes indeed the fault is in our selves that we have no answer to our prayers for it is possible that a man or woman that hath faith in Jesus Christ may be remiss in their walkings they may neglect some known duty or they may connive and wink at some evil way and if so no wonder though the Lord be silent at their prayers If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer If David regard iniquity if there be any way of sin that his heart closeth with the Lord will be silent to his prayers if any iniquity be regarded no wonder though the Lord do not hear Yea sometimes Gods own people are found remiss in their duty and though they pray they pray remisly and coldly their prayer is accompanied with so much deadness and distraction there is so little life and so little spirit the Spirit speaks so low that the Lord cannot hear and he will not hear and when it is so that we pray coldly and lazily we make but a light matter of it and are not found crying to the Lord with our hearts no wonder though the Lord be silent to our prayers Yea sometimes Gods own people may miss of an answer because they do not look after an answer and then the fault is their own when as we shall put up our petition and shall not be looking after our prayer shall not be found looking up as David speaketh Psalm 5. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up I will wait for an answer and hear what God the Lord will speak Psalm 85. 8. But when we do not regard our prayer then no wonder there is no answer I say therefore the Lord is sometimes silent to the prayers of his own people and the fault is in themselves But the Lord is not alwayes silent upon these grounds A gracious heart may walk close with God and may regard no iniquity and desire not to connive at any sin and it may wait upon the Lord for an answer and yet the Lord may be silent and give no present answer to the prayers of his people Why so why will the Lord deal so with any of his people I answer for gracious ends as First that they may exercise the spirit of prayer which is given out the Lord he loves to hear the cry of his people he loves to hear the voice of the children when they speak in prayer there is nothing on eath that God delights more in 〈◊〉 let me see thy face and let me hear thy voice saith Christ to his Spouse for thy voice is sweet Noâ— because the voice of faith in prayer 〈◊〉 sweet to the Lord the Lord he seemeth 〈◊〉 to hear or not to take notice for the present thâ—â— so they may pray the
answer Oh justifie God and say the Lord is holy thus did the Psalmist Psalm 22. 3. But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel though thou dealest thus with me thou art holy thou art just and thou art righteous and thou art good and faithful though silent for the present to my prayer And so let us say if the Lord be silent to any of our prayers yet Lord thou art holy thou art righteous Thirdly this is thy duty labour to maintain good thoughts of God it is not enough to justifie not to charge God but to maintain good thoughts of God at that time that God is silent to our prayers and do thou believe that God is contriving good at that time now is the Lord waiting to be gracious and preparing an answer Oh this is a blessed frame of heart and how pleasing would it be to God to believe that he is good and that he is gracious and this very thing it is for good for the good of my soul that he may exercise faith and patience and try my perseverance and that he may fit me for mercy and mercy for me Oh that we could entertain good thoughts of a gracious God when he defers an answer Fourthly be looking to God through the Mediator close more with him through the Son look to the great God through the son of David look to him through that merciful and compassionate High-Priest look more to God through Christ and there rest Fifthly and lastly wait patiently for him oh take up a resolution to wait upon the Lord charge thy own heart to do it as David did and though he speaks not to day nor to morrow though he speaks not this month this year not in this opportunity yet say I will wait for the Lord I will wait in every season and get upon the watch-tower and wait patiently and see which way Christ will come to thy soul know it is thy duty to wait take hold of his promise he is a God of judgement and waiteth to be gracious he waiteth for an opportunity and therefore it is good thou shouldst wait it is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Matth. 15. 23. And his Disciples came and besought him saying send her away for she crieth after us SERMON IX CHrist as you have heard is silent to the prayer of the woman he answered her not a word whereupon the Disciples they step in and perform an office and duty of love for this poor woman they step in and they plead with Christ for her Lord send her away for she crieth after us It is a great question with some whether the Disciples did pray for this woman here or no some think that they did not make any request for her there is no mention of any they only say Lord send her away for she crieth after us Lord stop her mouth send her away give her an answer dispatch her for she crieth after us and this was done say they that so the trial of this womans faith might be the greater But I rather conceive that the Disciples in these words did pray for her they did perform an office and duty of love in interceding with Christ for her For First of all it seems they were very earnest in it they came and besought him saying send her away Surely if it had been only to stop her mouth to dispatch her the Disciples would not have been so earnest with Christ to beseech him good nature would have taught them more compassion and therefore grace teacheth them much more And then they seem to be affected with the cry of the woman she crieth after us send her away it breaks our hearts the cries that she makes Thou Son of David have mercy on me And thirdly it is clear and evident in the following verse from the answer that Christ gives upon their seeking of him I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Therefore it is evident that the Disciples did not plead with Christ to send her away to stop her mouth but they did plead with Christ though not mentioned that he would grant her request The truth then which the words hold forth to us is this That it is the duty of Christs Disciples to present the conditions of others unto the Lord in prayer as well as their own We find that Moses the servant of the Lord was much in this work much in praying for others and interceding for Israel upon every occasion he steps in and pleadeth with God for the people And so David in many of the Psalms he presents the conditions of others unto the Lord. And our Lord Jesus Christ himself who is our great pattern was much in the performance of this duty John 17. you shall â—nd there that the most part of the time that Christ spent in prayer it was spent in praying for others there is but one petition that he put for himself in ver 1. and repeated again in ver 5. and all the rest of his time it was spent in praying for others for the Disciples for those that were converted and for those that did belong to God that were not converted Many requests the Lord Jesus makes in the behalf of others and but one for himself And so the Apostle Paul who was a follower of Christ he was much in this work of praying for others Rom. 1. 9. he did appeal to God that he did not neglect this duty For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his son that without ceasing I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers And so 2 Tim. 1. 3. I thank God whom I serve from my fore-fathers with pure conscience that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers Paul did remember others before the Lord. But in the opening of the point I shall shew you First who they are that we are bound to pray for whose conditions Gods people are bound to remember before the Lord. Secondly what are the special time we are called unto this duty to remember others before the Lord. If you ask who they are that we are bound to pray for First we are bound to pray for them that have done us wrong a hard lesson but a lesson that Christs Disciples must learn we must pray for those that have done us wrong that have done evil and spoken evil of us See what our Saviour Christ saith Mat. 5. 44. But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you See here out of Christs own mouth this is our duty if we be Christs Disciples we must pray for them that persecute us and despitefully use us we should go to the Lord and beseech the Lord to forgive them thus did Christ Father forgive
been more sad if God had taken away our estates from us before he had found us but if the Lord hath found us though we lose the world there is good cause we should be content what God calls for let it go we should be willing to lose our estates our credit our name for Christ hath found us if we cannot walk with Christ and do the service Christ calls us to but we must lose estate and credit and name why let all go Christ found us and we should be willing to lose our lives for Christ and know that it shall not be lost but what a man loses for Christ it shall be restored him again And fiftly and lastly Let us take heed that we do not go out from Christ any more O! what an engagement lyeth upon us to keep close to Christ O! What pains did Christ take to seek us when wandring And what pains did Christ take to bring us home O! Take heed of wandring in the ways of sin for it is a dangerous way and therefore take heed that we be not found wandring let us labour to cleave to God and keep close to Christ let the sheep hear the voice of Christ and follow him where ever he goeth keep close to Christ in every Ordinance in every Truth take heed that we go not out from Christ for that will be sadder then all that hath gone before that lost sheep whom Christ hath found should go into the wilderness again dark wayes again and defile your elves again O! this will go to the heart of Christ and therefore Brethren what need have we to watch O! let us watch over our own hearts if Christ hath found us and brought us home to God O let us watch over our hearts and wayes that we go not out from Christ O let us watch and let us cry to the Lord that he would watch over us that we may not go out from him O! let us beg of him that he would put his holy fear into our hearts that is his promise O beg of the Lord that he would make good his Covenant that we may have that holy fear in our hearts that may keep us for ever from wandring and going out from Christ Matth. 15. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel SERMON XII HEre is a second Tryal of this womans Faith as I told you when I opened the words Christ had tryed her faith by his silence and now by his speaking a sad word I am not sent but to the lost Sheep c. Wherein he holds forth that there a certain number that he is sent unto a certain company that are given to him to be his sheep and that he can shew mercy only to such they only are in his Commission and he cannot go beyond his Commission they whose names are written in the book of life their names are written in Christ's Commission I am not sent but to the lost sheep Here is a great tryal of this womans faith and she is put upon it to make out her Election here is a tryal concerning her Election whether she did belong to God or no. So then the Doctrine is this That the Lord is pleased sometimes to exercise his people with many temptations about their Election That was the great tryal that this woman was now put upon In the opening of the point it will be needful to shew you First That there is an Election of God Secondly That this Election may be known it may be known who are elected Thirdly I shall shew you that this Doctrine it self it is full of sweetness and unspeakable comfort to God's people Fourthly I shall shew you that God's own people may meet with many Temptations both about the doctrine of Election and concerning their own election in particular First then That there is an election of God which is a glorious truth of the Gospel and it is needful that it should be known Let us enquire what election is It is an Act of God ' s good pleasure from eternity whereby he made choice of certain persons that he might make them holy and happy through Christ Jesus unto the glory of his own grace Take this as a description of Election where you have First The efficient cause that is God it is an act of God and you have the nature of this Act. 1. It was an act of his good pleasure 2. It was from eternity 1. It was an Act of his good pleasure there was no moving cause at all in the creature why God did love it and chuse it no impulsive cause was found out of God's own bowels nothing in the creature nothing out of himself it was an Act of good pleasure 2. And this was from eternity what ever was done in time it was purposed from eternity they are chosen before the foundation of the world blessed of my Father before the foundation of the world it was from eternity that God did thus chuse and set his love upon poor creatures You see the nature of it Thirdly In the description you have the Subjects of it who they were that God did chuse from eternity Why they were certain persons a certain number of persons that God set his love upon freely and amongst those sometimes in Scripture Christ is said to be the first that was chosen he was the head of them he was the foundation of the building therefore he is called chosen of God Disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious 1 Pet. 2. 4. the Apostle saith of Christ he was a chosen precious foundation stone And as Christ was chosen to be Head so there was a certain number that were chosen to be his members a certain number known unto God that should fill up the body of Christ for God's Decree is not an uncertain nnumber or conditional proposition as some conceive that whosoever believes shall be saved some make no other decree of God but this that whosoever believes should be saved but he did not purpose any particular person but whosoever believe shall be saved Truly that decree is no decree if there were no other decree but so that whosoever believe should be saved and not decreed certain persons then it were possible that no man nor woman at all should be saved if God did not determine such and such persons but onely such as believe should be saved then I say there is a possibility that none at all should be saved it is true that is the way of the declaration of God's grace that whosoever believes is saved But fourthly We have further to consider what is the end of Election wherefore did God chuse certain persons There is a two-fold end First In respect of the creature Secondly in respect of God In respect of the creature this was God's end that such creatures should be made holy and happy that they should attain to eternal life which eternal
God for God doth no wrong to the creature if he doth love one and not another And it is a strange thing that we in our carnall reason will abridge God of that which we will take to our selves and that is to love where he please if you love one more then another you are not bound to give any account of it and men take a liberty to bestow gifts upon one and not upon another And let not us bind the Lord from that which we will take to our selves to love one and not another And truly if we doe not rest in the good pleasure of God in this we shall but disquiet our spirits and meet with no satisfaction Againe Gods people may be tempted concerning their Relations their children Oh many Parents have many thoughts whether God loves their children or no and whether their children be chosen of God from eternity and especially at some times As when God comes to take away children by death then the temptation sets upon but especially when children goe on in the wayes of sin Parents they pray and wait and they see no fruit but still they goe on in the wayes of sin It may be the Parents dye and leave their children going on in sin and see not the fruit of Gods electing love nor the fruit of Covenant mercy then this proves a sore temptation to them Now to silence this temptation know that there is no beleeving Parent but he may have hope of his children even of all his children while they are young before growne up to renounce the Covenant If God take away any of your children young no Parent but may have hope concerning his children in the Covenant made to beleeving Parents I say they may have hope the Covenant of God will relieve in such a case Ah but when children doe grow up and Parents see that they walke in wayes that are evill and are contrary to God and are far from God yet believing parents may believe that notwithstanding that they may belong to God I say notwithstanding for the present they are far from God and walke contrary to the Lord yet they may be known to the Lord and in his due time he may bring them in And Parents should not give over the use of the meanes and though Parents should wait all their dayes and pray and plead the Covenant and desire to see the fruit of Gods Covenant and should not see it believers they may dye in hope the Lord he may bring in Prodigall children the Lord he may doe them good afterward when you are dead and gone he may bring some of your good counsells and exhortations to their remembrance he may afterward when you lye in the dust bring to remembrance some of your words and may make them work powerfully upon their hearts Believing Parents may still dye in hope though they see not the fruit of the Covenant though their children may be at a great distance from God the Lord may bring them in and you meet with them with comfort at the last day There is one Temptation more concerning others which I shall but touch and that is this Is not the Gospel Preached to all and are not all commanded to believe and is it not declared that whosoever doth believe shall be saved whatsoever man or woman in the World doth believe shall be saved yea doth not the Scripture say that God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth The soul may thus reason with it selfe how can this stand with Gods purpose and decree and election If there be an absolute immutable unchangeable election how can it be declared that whosoever believe in Christ shall be saved whereas if men be not elected they cannot be saved and if elected they shall be saved though they doe not believe Thus the temptation may work I Answer notwithstanding Gods secret purpose the Gospel may and must so be preached and yet there is no deceivablenesse in God nothing but truth and sincerity in God for you must know that we are to walke by the revealed Will of God And all men shall be judged by the revealed Will of God Now what is the revealed Will of God why that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ declaring that whosoever believeth shall be saved And God will certainly make good that word whosoever doth believe shall be saved Never any in the World that came into Christ and believed on his name but was saved Notwithstanding the secret decree and purpose of God and there is no man but may claime life and salvation upon those tearmes on which the Scripture doth hold forth life and salvation and that is beleeving in Jesus Christ Objection But God would have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth why then sure there is no election I Answer That Scripture doth but hold forth what the thing is which is well pleasing to God that men return to the Lord and that they believe in the name of Christ which is the way to salvation this is a thing that is pleasing to the Lord not that God wills it with an effectuall operative will for then it must needs be But it only holds forth what is pleasing to God not that God will bring all men to repentance not that God will worke faith in all men therein God will be left free to his good pleasure he wills it not with an absolute will for then it must needs be Question But you will say what are the Wills of God contrary one to another hath God a will and a will hath God a revealed will that he will have all men to be saved and is his secret will contrary to his revealed will I Answer no Gods wills are not contrary to one another To say God doth delight and it is a thing pleasing to him that men doe believe and return to the Lord and take hold of Christ and to say that God is not pleased to work this in the heart is no contradiction The Gospel declares that this is well pleasing to God that men doe returne to him and believe in Christ and the Gospel doth declare that whosoever doth beleeve shall be saved Now if God should condemne any man that doth beleeve in Christ then God should walk contrary to his will But to say God doth approve of these things they are excellent and so he wills them that is he delights in them and yet to say God is not pleased to work this in every mans heart there is no contradiction And thus we should labour to silence those temptations which our carnall reason may make concerning this great mystery of Gods election you see what temptations Gods people may meet withall concerning the election of others Matth. 15. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel SERMON XIIII THere are more sore temptations that Gods people may
why then what a folly is it to desire to be out of this world that thou mayest know thy state Surely thou goest out of thy way that is not Gods way to come to the knowledge of what God hath purposed concerning thee thy way is to give all diligence while here not to desire to go into another world to know what it is but it is thy duty to give all diligence before thou goest to make thy calling and election sure to wait upon God with all thy might Thirdly If it be so that thou hast no hope but thou disparest concerning the love of God Oh I shall never attaine to the knowledg of Gods love why then it is despairing madness it is beastly and unreasonable madnesse in thee to hasten thy end to desire to remove out of this world before the Lords time that so thou mayest know thy worst I say that is madnesse and folly for so long as thou art in the Land of the living thou art in a state of possibility no poor sinners how vile soever but while in the Land of the Living they are in a state of possibility for as I said before so againe that even reason and a mans conscience will tell him that it is not possible that he should know that the Lord hath rejected him and therefore for any man to say it is impossible that he should be saved and have no hope that man lyes against conscience and against truth to conclude that which the Lord hath not revealed and therefore while in the state of life you are in a state of possibility and oh what madnesse is it for a man to put himself into such a state where there is no hope no possibility Fifthly There is another temptation concerning our own election which is this If God hath decreed all things his purpose must stand why then his purpose cannot be resisted God hath purposed whatever falls out in the world he hath decreed it and therefore we cannot withstand it if we doe sin against God we cannot helpe it God hath purposed it he hath purposed all things and therefore why doth God find fault why doth God punish the sons of men we cannot helpe our sinning against God That cavill is raised in Rom. 9. 19. Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will I answer Gods decre doth not necessitate any man doth not compell the will no when he decrees to save his people and bestow faith upon them he doth not compell the will but sweetly inclines the heart And so God doth not compell the will of men to sin Gods decree is not the product of mans sinning it is true God suffers it so to be but mans will it is voluntary in the commission of sin and it is that which he chuseth that which he delights in and loves and this is the condemnation Gods decree is not the cause of mans sinning no mans own perverse will is the cause of all sinning And therefore let no man say he is tempted of God for no charge no blame can be laid upon God It is true Gods secret absolute will cannot be resisted but Gods revealed will which is mans rule may be resisted and is resisted and that shall be their condemnation Gods secret will is not knowne but it is evident men may resist Gods revealed will Ye stiffe necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye doe alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so doe ye Acts 7. 51. So that the Spirit may be resisted and Gods will may be resisted that will which is our rule may be resisted and is resisted and that freely and voluntarily by mens own will and they are not ordained to it by any of Gods decrees And therefore cease to lay the blame on God for man shall one day see that his sin is his own and his condemnation his own Sixthly There is another temptation that may arise from Gods decree and it is a temptation to this hour A man may thus reason if God hath decreed that I shall be saved then I shall be saved I shall be saved without my striving what need I make such a stir if God hath decreed that I shall be saved then I shall be saved though I goe on in sin Gods decree and purpose cannot be hindred and therefore if I be chosen to life and salvation I shall be saved without my own striving without taking paines and I shall be saved whatever I doe This is a desperate temptation and I shall speake something to it Thou sayest if God hath decreed thy salvation then thou shalt be saved and must be saved without thy pains though thou takest no paines to look after Christ and believe and repent as others doe To this I answer First though God hath purposed thy salvation and though thou beest in the number of his chosen yet without thy striving and waiâ—ing upon God in his own way thou canst not attain to the knowledge and comfort of it and is this nothing for a man to goe all his dayes though he be chosen without the knowledge of Gods love and goe under fears and be in bondage all his dayes is this nothing though chosen so long as thou fittest still thou canst not know it and so not have the comfort of it But Secondly God hath joyned the meanes and the end together know that so that one cannot be without the other Thou sayest if thou beest elected then thou shalt be saved thou concludest concerning the end and I say if thou beest elected then thou shalt certainly be brought to beleeve in Christ and become a new creature The meanes it is purposed by God as well as the end God hath decreed to bring his people to life and salvation this way by believing in the way of faith and in the way of repentance and in the way of holinesse you shall be saved and truly it is as impossible for them to goe without faith to be in an unrenewed condition all their dayes as it is impossible for those to be saved that are not elected yea I may say notwithstanding Gods decree notwithstanding Gods election yet if thou dost not beleeve in Christ and be not a new creature thou canst not be saved if thou dost not get faith and holinesse thou canst not be saved The Apostle he reasons so in Acts 27. God tells the Apostle there that the lives of them all should be saved and at vers 30. 31. When the Ship-men were about to flee out of the Ship Paul said to the Centurion and to the souldiers except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved Because as God purposed the end as that they should be saved so he purposed that they should be saved that way by staying in the Ship And so notwithstanding Gods decree if thou gettest not faith in Christ and beest not a new creature thou canst not be saved And to that which thou sayest it is not
useth diligence to hinder you in this work the Divels great designe is to keep you in the dark to keep you in a puzled and perplexed condition to finde some flaw or other in your evidences to cast some blot upon them that you shall not be able to read them doubtless you will put God to it to leave you to be tryed in this at one time or other God for the most part leaves his people to be tempted concerning their Election and therefore you had need give diligence Thirdly Let me say That your comfort doth depend upon making your Election sure All your comfort in this world doth depend upon it the comfort of every condition doth depend upon it the sweetness of every mercy depends upon it Alas if a man had a thousand times more then he hath what is all he hath without the love of God Your comfort depends upon it Although your names be written in heaven yet you cannot have the comfort of it till it be made sure to you though it be sure before God yet you cannot be comforted but you are as if there were no thoughts of love in the heart of God toward you Your comfort depends upon it Fourthly Your Holiness doth depend upon it your usefulness your fruitfulness your serviceableness in your generations doth depend upon your knowledge of the love of God it is that which wil make a Christian useful serviceable when as his Election is made sure when he comes to be established in the knowledge of God's Election Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of minde meekness long suffering Col. 3. 12. Your holiness doth depend upon it and your usefulness in your generation And truly till that be put out of question to a soul til the Lord gives some degrees of satisfaction to a soul concerning his love the soul is wholly taken up alwayes taken up about that which concerns it self O Lord Dost thou love me That 's the great question And when it goes to God in prayer Lord Dost thou love me And O that thou wouldest make out thy love to me The soul is wholly taken up about that and well it may but when God comes to give some satisfaction O then the soul hath a great deal of freedome to minde the things of Christ to put up many a Petition for others and many a request for Christ and his Kingdom and the Interest of Christ then his thoughts they run that way so that if you desire to be useful and serviceable in your generation it doth engage you to look after this to give all diligence to make your Election sure Quest But you will say How shall we do that O there is nothing in the world that I would sooner do then that but I know not how to make my Election sure I Answer It is the work of God it is the work of grace to make it out to you it is the work of free grace to give a soul assurance of that free and everlasting love But be found waiting upon God in this way First Look up to the Lord to clear up unto you the mysterie of the Gospel if you desire to make your Election look up to the Lord to clear up to your souls the great mysterie of Christ that thou mayest know the Lord Jesus as he was the gift of the Father the gift of love the gift of free grace O that the Lord would clear up to thee the great end of his giving that gift of Christ Wherefore was it that God sent his Son out of his bosome Wherefore was it that he gave Christ And wherefore was it that Christ gave himself to die What was the end of the Father's sending Christ and the end of the laying down his life It was to save lost sinners God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. O! Look up to God to clear up this great Gospel mysterie to you the designe of God the Father in sending Christ and the great designe of the Son in laying down his life It is through ignorance of this Mysterie that many a poor soul is kept from establishment and from assurance of God's electing love But secondly Wait upon the Lord to draw thy soul to accept of Christ it is not enough to have a discovery of the mysterie this will not save thee though a man know the designe of God and know the end of it that will not save thee no but wait upon the Lord to draw thy heart to rest upon Jesus Christ as he is held forth in the Gospel see that there is a necessity that God the Father should draw thee No man comes to me saith Christ except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6. 44. till he be drawn by the Father he cannot come to Christ therefore that man is mistaken that thinks it is an easie matter for him to come to Christ O! Many a man doth mistake faith of their own working for that faith which is of the operation of God When God hath beaten many a soul out of his Brest-works and the soul sees he can no longer defend himself there good works will not do it then he taketh up a resolution in his own strength well I willgo to Christ I will believe in Christ if I cannot have it by obedience I will have it by believing Ah! But he never saw that there was an impossibility for him to believe but he goes to Christ in his own strength and the faith is of his own working and it is such a faith as Christ will not own no when God deals with a soul in a saving way he discovers to it that it is no more able to believe in Christ then it can obey the whole Law and that there is a necessity that he should be drawn of God and in his spirit he breaths after God and saith Lord draw me for if thou dost not draw me I shall never come to Christ see a necessity of being drawn to Christ And when thou art drawn give up thy self to those breathings and workings of the Spirit of God after thou hast seen thy self in a lost condition and no possibility to help thy self either by thy works or by believing why then if the Lord open the word of Reconciliation to thee and is breathing sweetly upon thy heart and moving upon thy spirit while thou hearest the word of grace opened and the tender of Christ urged O then give up thy self to those drawings of the Spirit of Christ and do not hinder those drawings by thy unbelief but give up thy self to the Lord and say Lord I see thy hand onely is able and powerful to draw souls to thy self and I will stand out no longer That 's the second Thirdly Be diligent to make the best improvement of Jesus
his Stewards 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Christ hath appointed Officers as his Stewards to dispense his good things to his Servants Fourthly In a House you have the Lawes and Customes of the House In Christ's House there are Lawes and Customes he hath left it on Record the Lawes of his House are written how he will have his House governed all the Lawes of his House are written in his Word it is not left to men to make Lawes for Christ's House No but Christ himself as Head and Lord of his Church he hath made Lawes for the Government of his House Fiftly In a house or houshold there is employment for them in the house so Christ in his house hath employment for all the members of his House some work that he hath appointed for every childe and servant in his House for every one that is a Member of any visible Church or Congregation which is the House of Christ there is work that is common to all that are in the House Psal 134. Bless ye the Lord all ye servants of the Lord which by night stand in the House of the Lord And again in Psal 135. 1 2. Praise ye the Lord praise ye the Name of the Lord praise him O ye servants of the Lord ye that stand in the House of the Lord in the Courts of the House of our God The duty lay upon all in the House of God to bless the Name of Christ and there are some particular works that Christ cuts out for every member Christ would have none in his house idle there is some work that every one may do that may be for the good of the whole house And as this House hath his Work so this house hath its Priviledges O! there are special Priviledges the Lord he is engaged to teach all in his house it lies upon the Master of the house to teach those that are in his Family why the Lord Jesus the Head of the Family hath engaged to teach all that are in the Family Isa 54. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord Sions children they that are of the houshold of God God doth engage for it that they shall all be taught And this is another Priviledge That as the Lord will teach them so he will defend and protect them He hath promised special protection to his children in his House Isa 4. 5. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a Cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence The particular Churches of Christ under the Gospel upon all their glory shall be a defence And this is another Priviledge That the Master of the House will do the servants work You know what the Church saith Isa 26. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our works in us What-ever he calls for from any of his people in his house he wil do it himself he will strengthen them to do it his own Arm shall be at work This is a choice priviledge that belongs to the house of God Another priviledge is That they shall eat of the best and drink of the best they shall have a feast of fat things and Wine on thee Lees well refined He will make such a Feast in the day of the Gospel upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion upon every house of the Lord the Lord engageth to make them a Feast of Fat things his own flesh shall be set before them which is meat indeed and his blood which is drink indeed Another priviledge is this The servants shall sit down with the Lord and Master at Table Servants have seldome such a priviledge in any house to sit down with their master but in Christ's house all the servants shall sit down at Table with their Lord. O! What a choice priviledge is this to sit at their Lord's Table Nay while they sit at Table their Lord will serve them Such a priviledge the Lord promiseth to his people Luke 12. 37. He shall gird himself and make them sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them He will cut out their portion for them he will see to it that they want nothing that he seeth good for them And he will bless their provision to them that is another priviledge Psal 132. 13 14 15. For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread See the Lord will bless Zions provision and make his people fat and flourishing for so is the Promise Psal 92. 13 14. Those that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing These are the priviledges of the Lord's house To shut up all with a word or two of Application If every true Church of Christ be the Lord's house Why then Let not men take it ill if any Church of Christ in obedience to the Rule of Christ and to the Commandment of Christ shall be watchful and cautelous who they receive into the House of Christ Let it be no offence it is a Churches duty and it should not be any Offence they must walk by the Rule that Christ hath left Christ's house hath a rule given them and they must not for a house full of gold and silver go from the rule of the Lord Christ hath left a rule how he will have those qualified that shall be admitted into his house Psal 15. and Psal 24. 3 4. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord And who shall stand in his holy place He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully These places speak of Gospel times men and women must be visibly holy And therefore let it be no offence to any that the Church walketh by the Rule of the Master of the Family they must receive none but such as they can judge to be those that are qualified according to the rule that Christ hath left such as Christ hath received and no more you your selves will be choice whom you receive into your houses and I pray let Christ have that liberty you challenge to your selves Secondly From hence it lets us see that the sins of Professors especially the sins and scandals of Church-members must needs be a great dishonour to Christ O that we could think upon it seriously there is much sadness in it that they that have a profession of Christ upon them the Livery of Christ upon them that they that are admitted into the house of
of all in the vileness and sinfulness of our hearts and natures when as men or women come to be acquainted with the vileness of their nature and see what rebellion is in the heart and finde that there is a by as upon the spirit that doth carry it off continually from God the heart enclined toward vanity evermore O! How do vain thoughts and sinful imaginations croud in continually And they do defile the most holy Service that is taken in hand O! This proves matter of temptation This body of sin and death it made the Apostle cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. It had been a pressing temptation if the Lord had not made a discovery of the way of deliverance and salvation to him for a poor soul is apt to fear surely there is nothing of God in me if there were any seed of God in me my heart would never be so vain and the byas of my spirit would never carry me out from God so O! I fear I am not made partaker yet of the Divine Nature The sight of that woful evil that is in the heart proves many times a sad temptation that it is hard for a poor soul to get over it And Secondly When the Lord doth leave a poor creature to sin after mercy and against mercy it hath been saved by the Lord delivered by his right hand pressed with such and such a mercy and yet overtaken in the snare of sin sinning against mercy many times proves a sore temptation O! I am afraid that I am none of the Lord's children mercy hath not its kinde work upon me it doth not bring forth those fruits which the Lord may look for when he gives out such mercies sinning against mercy many times proves a sore temptation Thirdly When the Lord leaves a poor creature to fall again and again into the same sin O! this proves matter of temptation when as the soul hath seen the evil of sin and hath bewailed it hath run to the Lord for strength against it yet hath been overtaken again and again in the same sin that I say proves matter of sore temptation Surely may the poor soul say my spot is not the spot of children I have been overtaken once and again whereupon the poor soul may be tempted to cast away his hope and confidence and not only tempted to cast away its confidence but tempted to depart from God and to go out from the wayes of obedience There is no hope say they in Jer. 18. 12. but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart We have back-slidden again and again and there is no hope for us we had as good go on and take our fill in sin This temptation is set on many times by falling into sin That is the first That unworthiness by reason of sin Secondly Unworthiness by reason of that miserable weak and frail condition that the children of men are in the great distance that man is at from God this proves matter of temptation to many a poor soul when he considers that he is a poor piece of dust and ashes and that there is an infinite distance between God and the creature he is from everlasting to everlasting he is Jehovah and changeth not But we are poor creatures that are of yesterday and are going down to the grave to day and shall be in the place of silence to morrow O this proves matter of temptation and discouragement Will the Lord look down upon such a poor creature and upon such a piece of dust and ashes Is it possible that the Lord should humble himself to take notice of me And besides that common condition of frailty which all men are in the Lord is pleased to bring some of his people into a lower condition then that which is the ordinary state of man and yet he is as low as dust Yet I say the Lord is pleased to bring some of his people into a lower condition then ordinary By affliction God makes mans state to be low when he brings him into an afflicted state and when God maketh mans comforts to be low taketh away those comforts and those relations which have been his refreshments I say when a man is brought thus into a low and afflicted condition this added to that common condition of frailty it setteth at a great distance from God and it proves many times matter of discouragement and temptation to a poor soul So it was with Job chap. 14. v. 1 2 3. Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shaddow and continueth not And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one Lord saith he Is it possible that thou shouldest humble thy self so far to look down upon such a one That God should look down with the eye of pity upon such a one frail man is one that is brought so low one that sitteth upon the dunghil Unworthiness by reason of frailness proves a temptation many times to Gods own people Thirdly Unworthiness by reason of coldness and deadness in affection When a poor soul finds how dead his heart is towards God O! I have a heart for the world and I have affections to friends and relations there is love to creatures nay there is affection enough to vanity but little or no heart for God there are not those breathings those thirstings those pantings after God not that first love which somtimes it hath found to the Lord and to the things of Christ O! This proves matter of discouragement and temptation O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me saith a poor soul I finde my heart so dead and so strait towards God open to the world but strait to God O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me How can it be that God should set his love upon such a one Surely if the love of God were in me I should love the Lord more then I do Deadness and coldness in affection toward the Lord it proves many times a sore temptation Fourthly and lastly Unworthiness by reason of unusefulness and unserviceableness to God that is matter of temptation when as a poor creature sees that it can do little or nothing for the Lord O! I am a barren tree I am a dry branch I see that others are fruitful I see that others have the promise fulfilled to them they bring forth much fruit they are serviceable in their generation they are an honour to God and do good to men but as for me I know not wherein I can honour him I know not wherein I can be useful or serviceable O I bring forth no fruit unto God and therefore am afraid that I am the Tree the Apostle Jude vers 12. speaketh of without fruit twice dead plucked
the heart established in the knowledge of the love and free grace of God it is a great work and a long time before the heart be established upon Christ and the Promises and till that be done little work or service is done for God But when men begin betimes they have time to get their hearts established upon Christ and the Promises and upon the free grace and righteousness of Christ and then they have time also to act for God and the Lord makes use of them to do him much service in their generation And O what a great advantage is that So that you have seen the Point handled First What it is to Remember God Secondly What Cause the Sons of men have to Remember God Thirdly What Advantage it is for the Sons of men to Remember God in youth Now by way of Application First of all It discovers and reproves the folly and madness that is bound up in the heart of the children of men If this be the duty of all the sons of men and a point of great wisdome to remember God betimes then this discovers the folly and madness that is in mens hearts to forget God How many in this Congregation I fear may fall under this reproof that have not yet emembred God How many in their youth and how many past youth that have not yet remembred God that have all their dayes forgotten the Holy One of Israel O that the Lord would convince poor creatures of this evil not Remembring God Shall I shew you the evil of it and O that God would shew you the evil of forgetting God First of all It is the Mother and cause of all other sins whatsoever for it were not possible that many should sin against God as they do if they did not forget God all sin grows upon this root of Forgetting God The Psalmist maketh it the cause of all evil that is committed because men do forget God Psal 50. 19 20 21 22. Verse 18. When thou sawest a thief then thou consentedst with him and hast been partaker with Adulterers Verse 19. Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Verse 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mothers son Verse 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Verse 22. Now consider this YE THAT FORGET GOD lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you As much as if he should say here is the cause of this evil that is committed by you your Forgetting God It were not possible that men should dare to sin in the face of God if they did not forget God And it were not possible that men should sin in secret against God if they did not forget God they forget that God is an all-seeing God and that for all these things he will bring them to judgement It is not possible that children and servants should lye and steal and be unfaithful if they did not forget God if they did but remember that he would bring them to judgement and that no lyar shall come into the New Jerusalem if men did remember God they would not sin against God But this is the cause of all the sin in the world Mens forgetting God Secondly There is this Evil It makes a man spend all his time in vanity he comes up and goes down to the grave in a momen and hath lost all the time that he hath lived The truth is he hath not yet begun to live that hath not remembred God he hath not lived to the end of his life what is the end of his life but that he may remember God But man forgetting God his life is a fruitless life a vain life he comes up and sins and lives in vanity and goes down to the pit and never lives to the end of life because man remembers not God Thirdly There is this evil in it It makes men altogether unwilling and unable to dye as it makes their lives unprofitable so it makes their deaths dreadful what is the cause that men fear death Because they did not remember God in life if they had remembred God if they had known God and trusted in God and walked with God they would not have been so fearful of death but when men come to be made sensible that they have spent no thoughts upon God but upon their lusts and sin and so brought their dayes to an end they must needs fear to go to God see then how much evil there is in this great sin of not remembring God But you will say We hope that we do remember God God forbid that we should forget him What Forget God We hope we shall never do that while we live O my friends It is a harder matter to remember God then the world dream of how many thousands in the world are there that forget God that would be loth to be told that they are forgetters of God And yet I fear will be found so another day They that walk contrary in wayes of sin they are forgetters of God let them say what they will though they may have a way of worship and prayer to God and hear of God and read of God yet if they be found walking contrary to God such men will be interpreted by God to be forgetters of him Consider this all ye that forgâ—â— God Psal 50. 22. speaking of the Hypocrites â— Why they had many prayers and did many good works are they forgetters of God Yes their hearts were never upright with God they never trusted in the Name of God they were never found serving of God so as they might pleasâ—â— him and therefore the Lord calls them Forgetters of God O that the Lord would convince you of this great evil of forgetting God Secondly By way of Exhortation I beseechâ— you in the Name of the Lord to Remember God This day Remember God Remember him and Remember him in youth I shall speak a little to each of these First I beseech you Remember God to know God to trust in him to love him to obey him and to spend your thoughts upon him let the endeavours of your heart be after the Lord This is to Remember God And O that God would call upon you all and call you up to such a remembrance of him O remember how worthy God is to be remembred and remember what God hath done that so the sons of men might remember him and if after all this that God hath done after all the remembrance that God hath written of himself in his Word and upon his Works and upon his Ordinances and Providences men shall be found Forgetters of God as all sinners are how sad will their condition be another day You have a memory for the world and what No remembrance of God! God only worthy to be
duty what-ever thoughts should be suggested into thy minde but know for thy comfort that those sinful thoughts and blasphemous thoughts which are cast in by Sathan they shall not be laid to thy charge if thy soul abhor them it is true if the heart did close with them and nourish them then they become the souls but when the soul abhors them and casts them out and cries to Christ against them it is not the souls sin therefore do not neglect thy duty because of these vain thoughts but set thy face to seek the Lord and remember and know that the Lord will make good his word he will meet thee and when God meets thee all these sinful and cursed thoughts shall be cast out And thus you have heard Brethren what encouragement there is to remember God But you will say It is a great Duty and much depends upon it how shall I be helped to remember God aright First Be often looking upon the Book of the Creature upon the works of Creation and look upon them for this very end that thou mayest Remember God for there is a Remembrance of God upon all creatures and if we be wise we may make a spiritual improvement and be led to the Remembrance of God by looking into the Book of the Creature Secondly Look into the Scripture and consult with that for there hath God declared his Name his glorious Name is written in his Word there are Letters that God hath written with his owne hand God hath subscribed I Jesus testifie these things There is the hand of God and of Christ in the Book of the Scripture and therefore if thou wouldest Remember God converse with the Word of God Thirdly Wait upon God in every Ordinance for all Ordinances are given for this end to Remember God the Word the Supper every Ordinance of God is given that so the soul might see God and Remember him and therefore when thou waitest upon God in any Ordinance let this be the end that thou propoundest to thy soul to Remember God Fourthly Lay up all the Love-tokens of God What-ever Experience thou hast met with from God in making supply to thy wants comforting of thee supporting of thee these are tokens that come from God and the mercy that he sheweth thee it is for this end that thou mayest Remember him and therefore lay up all the experiences that thou hast met withal for they will help thee to Remember God Fiftly Labour to get your hearts established and assured in the Knowledge of Gods love to thee that thou mayest come to the knowledge of this that God is thy Friend thy Father thy nearest and dearest relation for the â—ore the soul knows this the more it will Remember God It is not possible that a childe should forget a loving Father that a Wife should forget a loving and tender Husband O when a soul comes to know this that God is my Father my Husband this will help the soul to a sweet Remembrance of God Sixtly Look up to the Lord to increase thy love to him for the more love to God the more thou wilt Remember God but where there is little love to God there is little Remembrance of God and the reason that men Remember God no more is because there is so little love in their hearts towards God If a man loved his friend he would Remember him and not forget him O therefore be ashamed that no more love should be sparkling in thy heart to God when so much love is flaming in the heart of Christ towards thee And therefore Brethren beg it of the Lord that he would shed abroad more of his love in your hearts and blow up thy spark to a flame that thy soul may be fill'd with a constant Remembrance of him Seventhly Ure thy soul to holy meditation and thinking upon God last at night and first in the morning it will be a great help to keep up a constant Remembrance of God in the soul O let thy waking thoughts be toward the Lord Think of his Works of his Attributes of his Son there is enough for men to spend millions of thoughts upon and therefore let some be spent upon God assoon as man wakes in the morning there are a multitude of thoughts strive who shal get in first there stands God and Christ and the World and they which get in first have a great advantage to keep in the soul all the day long if the world gets in first the heart is made worldly but when God and Christ is let in first the heart is kept in a gracious frame all the day long and the more that your meditations are spent upon God the more Remembrance will you have of God And now Brethren you have seen your duty and your neglect of duty for which you have cause to be humbled and we have seen what cause we have to Remember God and what a great benefit comes in by Remembring God and we have seen what may be helpful to our souls in this duty Now let us look to the Spirit of the Lord to make them helps for we have need of all helps till we shall come where the soul shall Remember God perpetually and never forget him Heb. 6. 19. Which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the Vail THe Apostle in the eighteenth verse speaking of the hope that is set before Believers and of their fleeing for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them He takes occasion to speak of that hope that is begotten and raised in the hearts of all Believers by the hope of Christ In verse 18. He speaks of the Object of Hope Christ he is the hope set before believers but in this 19th verse he speaks of the grace of hope which hope we have as an Anchor to the soul both sure and stedfast this is spoken of the grace of Hope which is the sister of Faith And this Hope it differs from Faith thus Faith looks unto God and Christ in the Promises it looks unto the word of the Lord that is given for its security and it is the work of Faith to close with the Word and to hold fast the word of promise which the Lord Jesus doth hand out to poor souls But Hope that looks to the good things promised and it waits â—or the good things that are laid up in the promises Hope eyes them and waits for the full possession and fruition of that which is laid up in the promise and when the soul shall enjoy all those good things laid up in the promises then Hope shall cease Now that we may understand the nature of saving Hope and the use of it he sets it forth to us by a Metaphor of an Anchor which hope we have as an Anchor to the soul both sure and stedfast Hope it is of that use to the soul that an Anchor is to a Ship
to be kept and therefore acknowledge it to the praise of God it doth appear and the Lord doth make it evident that the sea is before the Throne If the sea were not before the Throne of God God's people should be swallowed up every moment the rage of men and of devils would swallow them up but the sea is before the Throne before the eye of God and therefore wonder that you are safe in this raging sea Fourthly It calls upon you that are the Lord's people to watch and pray for you are at sea he that will not pray in a storm he will never pray the worst of men will pray hard in a storm The heathen Mariners Jonah 1. 5. Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every man unto his god therefore there is a Proverb That men go to Sea to learn to pray Truly the Lord sends his people to sea for this end that he might learn you to pray and cry mightily to him the Saints shall not need to pray when they come in heaven there all their desires shall be satisfied and they shall want nothing and therefore no need to pray But the Lord he sends you into the sea of this world that he might learn you to pray and he raises many storms for this end that so you might cry mightily to the Lord The Disciples when in a storm they cryed Lord save us we perish Brethren you are at sea in the midst of storms and therefore you had need watch and pray and cry mightily that you may be delivered from temptations and saved in the midst of your fears and be delivered from the Rocks and the Sands and from Pyrats enemies many dangers you are in therefore remember what Christ saith unto his Disciples Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation Fiftly Engage the presence of Christ with you If Christ be in the ship all is safe you had need engage the presence of Christ with you every moment for it is a dangerous sea you are in and if Christ be not with you you will be split upon some sand or other and therefore O beg the presence of Christ do not set forward in any duty without the presence of Christ Do not sayl one League without the presence of Christ but urge it before the Lord that you are upon a troublesome sea where there are so many dangers and desire of God that the presence of Christ may be with you for if Christ be with you all will be safe Sixtly You that are the Lord's people do you open the sayls of your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ If you would make a Voyage to heaven know that you can do nothing till the Spirit of Christ breaths in you indeed you may turn the sayls of your souls that way and be waiting for the Spirit of Christ but till the Spirit breathe in you you cannot sayl one League but O what a comfortable Voyage shall you make when the Spirit of Christ shall fill your hearts with holy motions and carry you God-ward and heaven-ward therefore wait for those breathings of the Spirit as the Spouse in Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out And so do you beg of God that the Spirit of Christ may breathe upon you and fill the sayls of your souls that you may be carried heaven-ward Open your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ and that is the way to make a comfortable Voyage Seventhly You that are the Lord's people if you be Christs ship at Sea look for good Loading be not content to go home empty Christians should labour to be filled with the Spirit to be loaden with the fruits of Righteousness this the Lord calls for truly it is a dangerous Voyage that you make and therefore you had need be loaden with rich Commodities you had need seek after much of that durable riches that abides for ever the Lord does not love that the ship should come home empty O that you that fear the Lord would remember that you have but once to pass over the sea of this world and then there is an end for ever and therefore do not return empty but O go and beg of the Lord that he would fill you with the fruits of righteousness that you may go home loaden with Faith and Righteousness so shall you be an honour to God and there will be much joy in heaven when you come home Eightly It is a word of much comfort to those that fear the Lord and have an Interest in Christ know though you be at sea and meet with many storms yet you need not fear you have an Anchor that will hold it being cast upon a sure ground your Anchor it is entred it is fastned upon the Father's free grace and the Son 's everlasting Righteousness which is sure and stedfast and if so do not fear though storms arise it shall go well with you for Christ is the owner of the ship and he will go Master in the ship and so long as the presence of Christ is with you you may be comforted what-ever you meet with If Christ be in the ship he will rebuke the wind and the waves yea he will tread upon the proud boisterous waves that his people meet with yea and he will make his people also to tread upon them too and therefore fear not for Christ is the Master of the ship he is with you the Loading also is Christ's and as I said before you need not fear splitting and losing your Loading for then Christ should lose more then you If thy soul should be lost at Sea then Christ should lose his honour and his honour is more to him then thy soul to thee and therefore let all Gods people be comforted in the midst of all storms and tryals persecutions afflictions and sufferings though this world be a Sea and an evil sea a troublesome sea yet be comforted for though the ship of the body may be split and all your outward Loading may be lost yet so long as Christ is the Owner of the ship so long as Christ is in the ship so long as the Anchor of the ship is cast in heaven there is not one passenger shall be lost for though the outward man be lost yet the soul shall be saved in the day of Christ I now come to consider what is the Use and the Excellency of this Grace of Hope It is an Anchor sure and stedfast though it is not alwayes sure to sense not alwayes sure in apprehension The hope of the Saints may have its shakings and it may seem sometimes to be cut off in their apprehensions but it is sure and stedfast in respect of the ground of it in respect of that sure hold it hath upon God and Christ it hath sure hold upon that which is within the Vail And it
of your own heart and satisfying your own lusts what-ever these men pretend they have not hope of the right stamp their hope is but as the spiders web or as the giving up of the ghost Thirdly Let me exhort you all to look after this saving lively hope for it is that which will keep your hearts from breaking in the evil time at one time or other the heart will break if men have not this saving hope therefore seek after this saving hope for it will keep you up in the midst of storms in the midst of evils and establish you in the midst of good it will do you good in a storm and it will be useful to you in a calm you can never take comfort in the good things you enjoy and your hearts cannot be established in peace if not grounded in hope therefore look after this lively hope this anchor of the soul yea soul wouldst thou dwell with God and live neer God and live upon him continually O then cast the anchor of your hope in God true hope will hold your souls close to him that you shall not depart from him Yea would you have your hearts made more holy purified and sanctified and get victory over your corruptions O then seek after this saving hope for that man that hath his hope cast on God and Christ that man is most free from corruption and most active for God true hope it will make you able to suffer it will make you able to rejoyce in tribulation why now dost thou desire all this why then seek after this lively hope But it may be you will say unto me how shall we obtain this hope I see it is exceeding useful and of absolute necessity how shall we come by it where shall we have this anchor to stay our souls For answer First Look to the free grace of God in Christ for it 't is he that doth beget this grace of hope in his people look to those tenders that free grace makes God holds forth his self and Son and pardon and life to poor creatures Free grace makes a render of all this unto you and therefore look to this free grace that so you may have that hope which shall not be confounded and ashamed Secondly Look to Christ for it especially look to the resurrection of Christ that place 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Christ is risen from the dead he hath paid the debt and brought in everlasting righteousness and therefore look to the resurrection of Christ for by eying that this lively hope may be begotten in you Thirdly Look to the promise to the word of the Lord the word of the Lord is written that you might have hope Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope The Scripture is written that we might believe and in believing might have eternal life and therefore consult with the word of the Lord. You that desire to have hope strengthned look to the word and promises and behold the freeness of them and the unchangeableness of God in them O study the Scripture much and beg that the Spirit of the Lord may shine in them and give you a sight in them and so this hope may be begotten in you Fourthly Look to those patterns and examples of free grace that the Lord set forth for you to look upon the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 1. 16. saith He was a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting That the Lord should reconcile such an enemy and set his love upon him that was injurious to the Saints one that thought he had sinned so much as that he had out-sinned mercy yet saith he I obtained grace that might be a pattern of mercy and therefore look to those patterns of grace and mercy that the Lord hath set forth before you that so you may be encouraged to come and hope in his mercy And to conclude all do not go on desperately any longer and do not say as they said Jer. 2. 25. But thou saidst there is no hope No for I have loved strangers and after them will I go They resolved to go on in the imaginations of their own heart they said there was no hope and they would do evil as they had done O let not this be the resolution of any poor soul for though you have no hope for the present you are invited to come to Christ that you may have hope The word of the Lord is come to you that you might have hope and those patterns of free grace are set before you that you might have hope O that the Lord would make you more intent in your spirits in looking after this anchor of hope What will you do another day when storms arise and to have no anchor It will be a most sad condition for a poor soul to see it self ready to split and to have no hope no anchor to stay upon O! who would venture to Sea without an anchor If you have no anchor when storms arise you will be at your wits end O that God betimes before it be too late would make you as wise for your souls as you would be for your bodies FINIS Artis est â—â—lare artem Chrysostomus illud quasi peculiare custodit ac proprium quod cum semper sollicitus sit semper vigilans noxii stuporis inimicus nusquam tamen ejus oratio in pompam elevatur dicentis sed tota aptatur ad utilitatem audientis est enim stilus ipse Ecclesiae auribus accomodandus Sixt. Senens Biblio lib. 4. de Jo. Chrysost Vers 21. Two great Wonders wrought by Christ 1. Wonder 2. Wonder The wonder of this womans faith appears first The declaration of thâ— womanâ— faith The Argugument this woman useth to move Christ How Christ tryed the womans faith The behaviour of this woman of Canaan under her tryals The victory of this womans faith 21. Verse spoken to three things to be considered Proposition or Doctrine Application Two sorts of people that exalt their rule above Christs Rule Second sort of people that exalt their rule above Christs Rule Object Answ Third thing laid down which is the place Christ came unto Observation The love of Christ to the souls of men Application Observation that God hath some in every place Observation Application Incouragement to seek Christ Who this woman was that come to Christ Doctrine Weak in estate many times chosen Weak in parts many times chosen Weak in age many times chosen Weak in respect of sex many times chosen Application A declaration of this womans faith Why this woman cals Christ the son of David How David was a type of Christ and how Christ like