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.
And then Fourthly Make some Improvement First To consider What is that Worship which the Lord requires of his people when afflicted and tempted 1. This Worship it is either the Worship of the Spirit Internal Or 2. It is the waiting upon God in those Institutions of his own which he hath appointed for his people to wait upon him in which is External Worship This Worship first is that of the Spirit You will say wherein doth it consist Why it consists First of all In that holy fear and Reverence which we owe unto the Lord and should be acting towards God when God brings into such a condition Fear and Reverence it is a part of Internal Worship Fathers of our flesh corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. When as the soul is filled with a holy fear fearful to sin against God and to dishonour him in affliction and temptation when the spirit is fearful to grieve the Spirit of God in affliction when it is fearful to take the name of God in vain in the time of affliction by unprofitable and unfruitful bearing of affliction when the spirit is thus composed to a reverend childe-like fear before the Lord in the time of affliction this is part of that Internal Worship the soul owes to God Secondly This Worship consists in Love as well as in fear when the soul is acting in love toward God in time of affliction or temptation as that it dares not conclude that God loves him the less though he be afflicted though he be in temptation so also he desires not to love God one jot the less notwithstanding all afflictions and temptations when the desire of the heart is towards God in time of affliction or temptation O! when wilt thou come unto me saith David Psal 101. 2. And saith the gracious heart let me have God's presence in affliction rather then deliverance from affliction when as the soul is carried out to delight in God in the time of affliction to rejoyce in God and to glory in God and to comfort it self in God as David did when he was sâ—rely distressed at Ziklag yet he encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. Though God taketh away many comforts yet if he give himself the soul is looking towards his portion as a blessed portion one God is better then all the comforts that I have lost I have lost friends and relations but one God and Christ is more excellent then all the creatures in the world when the heart is thus breathing in love towards God in time of affliction or temptation this is a part of that Internal worship it owes to God Thirdly This Internal Worship is that Trust and Affiance the soul hath which it placeth in God alone when the soul is acting of faith in the Lord The Lord is my portion my soul hath said it and therefore I will hope in him I will look toward him I will rest upon his Arm doubtless thou art our Father though all this hath befallen us doubtless God's intentions are gracious it is for my good that he doth thus afflict me doubtless the Lord can and will make a good end of these afflictions for that is his promise Now when the soul is thus roling upon God and resting upon his promise cleaving to the faithfulness of God for the fulfilling of his Promise in time of affliction or temptation this is a great part of that inward worship which God doth require of the soul when it shall thus believe in hope above hope and against hope as Abraham the Father of the faithful did this is Inward Worship Fourthly It consists in the submission of the soul to God That Inward Worship that God doth require of his people in time of affliction or temptation I say it consists in the submission of the spirit unto God when a man desires to make a resignation of his Will unto God If this cup may not pass from me thy will be done when a soul is content to be at the dispose of God for the kinde of affliction and measure of affliction and the time of affliction well if God encrease my burthen let him encrease my strength and my soul shall glory in him if the Lord will continue my affliction longer and I must drink of this cup again and again yea the third time if the Lord will afford his presence in affliction my soul desires to submit to the Lord when thus the heart is affected toward God submitting falling down before the Lord and making a resignation of his Will to the Lord's Will This is that special Worship of the Spirit that Internal Worship that the Father of Spirits calleth for from his children in time of affliction But secondly This Worship must be External as well as Internal and it consists in the giving honour to God in those wayes that are of his own appointment especially in these two First In the pouring out of the soul in supplication before the Lord. Secondly In speaking good words of God These are two great parts of that external worship that God calls his children to in time of affliction to speak gracious words unto God and to speak good words of God to his praise and honour First It is the pouring out the Supplication of the Soul before the Lord in prayer it is a special exercise that God calleth his people to in time of affliction and temptation to be much in supplication pouring out their souls before the Lord. Now this Supplication this Prayer which the Lord doth require and doth delight in it is accompanied First With Humility As you shall finde in the example of this woman her prayer in the day of her distress it was a humble prayer a humble supplication one of the Evangelists observes the Evangelist Mark chap. 7. ve s 25. that she came and fell at his feet this woman came and fell at the feet of Christ and cryed to him Lord help me It is a humble prayer that the Lord doth delight in when the spirit lyeth low before the Lord when the creature is sensible of his own vileness and shall acknowledge with Jacob That he is less then the least of all those mercies which he doth desire and expect at the hand of God that if ever the Lord be gracious it must be free grace somthing in himself that must move him when the soul is enabled by the Spirit of the Lord to put up such a prayer this is a part of that external worship that the Lord requires Secondly You shall finde that this womans prayer was accompanied with Fervency her very expression doth hold forth and declare the ardency of her spirit she cryed before O Lord thou Son of David have mercy on me and now again she breaks forth into this expression Lord Help Why it is such a prayer that God taketh delight
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
how they set up their own rules above Gods Rules which is a provocation to Christ and he will not bear with such you may read the second and third verses and so to the end of the seventh verse In vain sayes Christ do you worship me teaching for doctrine the commandements of men So that the occasion of Christs removing from these parts of Judea which were near to Jerusalem was the exalting their own traditions and making them equall with Gods Commandements It affords something to us for our instruction which is this That when a people or any soul shall exalt their own traditions their own inventions and make them equal or set them above the Commandements and Rules that Christ hath given his people to walk by Christ will not afford his presence to such a people Christ will certainly depart from such a soul or people For the truth is there is little hope that there should be any good done by such a people when they decline the Rule and set up something of their own there is little hope that the word of Christ should do good among such a people Therefore Christ will withdraw from them as he did from these Scribes and Pharisees and so will Christ withdraw his special presence from a people that shall set up their own inventions For it is a mighty provocation to Christ First of all when a people shall exalt their own inventions above the Rule that Christ hath given his people to walk by the minds of such a people are blinded and darkened and their hearts are hardened against the Truths of God therefore there is little hope of such a people I say mens own inventions thus exalted and lift up above Gods Rule it blinds the mind and hardens the heart against Christ and the things of Christ it is a making to a mans self a graven Image Whatsoever a man shall bring in of his own as a rule to walk by and to worship by he makes that an image to himself now they that make graven Images are like to them sayes the Psalmist They have eyes and see not God gives them up to blindness declining Gods Rule and Christs Institution it will blind them and harden them against the Truths of Christ Secondly When as men shall exalt their own inventions the heart is so filled with them that there is no room for Christ and for the most part there is in such a soul a kind of loathing the Truths of Christ Whereever you find mens inventions exalted there you shall find a kind of loathing in such a soul of the pure and sincere truths of the Gospel the bread of life is no longer sweet with them and the water of life hath no rellish with them and when it comes to this Christ will not stay but withdraws his spiritual presence from them as he did his bodily presence from the Scribes and Pharisees Thirdly Christ will withdraw from such a people because for the most part they are desperate enemies and persecutors of Christ and of his People and of his Truths So it was with the Scribes and Pharisees Christ had not such enemies in all the world as they were because they were most zealous for their own inventioons they declined the Rule and set up their own rule and therefore they prove desperate enemies to Christ Paul makes an acknowledgement of it when Christ came to open his eyes and doth tell you that that was the cause of his driving on that trade of persecuting the Saints with so much earnestness because he was so zealous for the traditions of men in Phil. 3. 6. You may see there what he sayes was the cause of his persecuting the Saints Concerning zeal persecuting the Church touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless And so in Gal. 1. 13 14. For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews Religion how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it Ver. 14. And profited in the Jews religion above many my equals in mine own nation being more zealous of the traditions of my fathers The zeal which he had for the traditions of men was that which carried him on to persecute the Christians with so much violence and many times it is so that they which do most exalt their own traditions they become very zealous in persecuting the Saints and Truths of Christ for it is natural for a man to become zealous for that which is his own that which is of the flesh that which is a kin to the flesh the flesh will be zealous for Now all traditions they are born of the flesh they are the off-spring of mans own brain and therefore upon that account men are many times very zealous for them to the persecuting of the Saints of God Now upon this account the Lord Christ will not afford his presence with such as lay aside his Rule for they many times prove the greatest persecuters of Christ and his people Fourthly Christ will not continue and afford his presence with such a people as set up their own inventions and traditions in the place of God's Rule because they do arrogate that to themselves which is Christs due he is the great Prophet and given to instruct his people to make known the way of life and salvation and it belongs to Christ to give a rule for his people to walk by And therefore when men shall set up their rule in the place of Christs Rule what do they but take the place of Christ the office of Christ and turn Christ out of his office and set themselves in Christs chair Now this is a great provocation to Christ and that which Christ will not endure but depart from such a people Fifthly They that do exalt their own inventions and traditions in the place of Christs Rule for the most part they place their righteousness in those very traditions of their own which is a great provocation unto Christ for you may observe this in the Pharisees they that were so zealous for their own inventions and would not submit to the Rule of Christ they would not submit to the Righteousness of Christ but they placed their righteousness in their traditions in their inventions a kind of volluntary humility they had and willingly submitted to their traditions and by so doing did overturn the righteousness of Christ placing their righteousness in their own observations it was that which made them not to submit to the righteousness of God Let a man do never so much let him walk never so strictly let him set up the straitest rule to himself to walk by though a man do never so much though he afflict his body never so much if this tend to draw off the soul from the righteousness of Christ that a man should look upon this as his commendation before God and place this in the room of Christs righteousness as all do that set up their own traditions they
him no if Christ had intended that Christ would never have come into those coasts and therefore his intent was not that she might not have found him he might have gone into the wilderness and gone where she might never have heard of him no that she might seek him and exercise faith and presse in upon him And oh that this might give incouragement to you poor souls who are looking after Christ who hath hid himself from you O consider that if Jesus Christ had intended so to hide himself as you should never find him Christ would never have come upon your coasts Christ would have gone some where else he would never have come so nigh to you as he hath done he would never have come so nigh to your souls and never have drawn nigh to you in such a word of grace and promise no he hides himself that you might seek him and not with an intent you might not find him Secondly consider what an ingagement this doth lay upon all our souls this example of the woman of Canaan in finding out Christ and pressing in upon Christ when she had no invitation Oh what an ingagement is this for our souls to believe in Christ What an ingagement to come to Christ to come in faith seeing Jesus Christ doth not hide himself in a private house as he did then no Christ he draws nigh to us and stands as it were upon the house top Wisdome stands in the open street and there she cries and makes proclamation O ye fools how long will you love folly ye simple ones how long will you love simplicity So then if she came to Christ when Christ hid himself what an ingagement have we to come to Christ when Christ stands upon the house top If she press'd in to Christ when she had no invitation O what an ingagement lies upon us in the day of grace to come to Christ We have many a word of incouragement He sayes Look to me and be you saved And he sayes Behold me to a nation that was not called by his name O the gracious invitations that we hear from Christ from day to day Christ sets the door of Grace wide open let him come and whoever will let him come and he doth ingage that whosoever comes shall not be shut out shall not find the door of Grace shut against him whoever comes to Christ by faith shall find that all their sins and iniquities shall not shut the door against them And therefore to conclude this if this woman came when she had no invitation to come O what an ingagement is it for us to come to Christ now Christ stands so as he may be seen afar off O that God would perswade the heart of some poor sinner to come to Christ by faith But to passe by this We shall now consider who this woman was A woman of Canaan came First Described first by a woman a woman is the weaker vessel more weak ordinarily then men stronger passions greater fears subject to doubts and yet here is a woman Behold a woman came Secondly She is described to be a Canaanite a woman of Canaan she was of the stock of the Canaanites a cursed Nation cast out of the Land for their abominations and their Land given to Israel for a possession and yet this woman though a Canaanite comes to Christ Thirdly She being a Canaanite it follows that before the Lord revealed himself to her she was a very sinful woman so the rest of the Canaanites were not only vile in respect of kindred but vile in respect of actual transgression and yet behold this woman of Canaan here coming to Christ So then the Doctrine is this That the Lord many times is pleased to make choice of the most weak and the most unworthy and the most sinfull and causeth them to come to Jesus Christ She was a woman there is her weaknesse a Canaanite there is her unworthiness sinful in respect of actual transgression even as the rest of the Canaanites We shall clear this Point to you from the Word of God and give you Instances that the Lord makes choise many times of the weakest and unworthiest and win upon their hearts and cause them to believe in Christ First of all for Gods chusing those that are weak and bringing home such to Christ it will appear that God many times chuseth the weakest Weak in respect of Estate Parts Age. Sex To clear these first Such as are weak in estate poor such as are mean in estate for the most part the Lord makes choice of such Go and tell John saith Christ Matth. 11. that which you have heard and seen unto the poor is the Gospel preached and the poor receive the Gospel And in James 2. Hearken my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heires of the Kingdom Some rich some of great estates are chosen but for the most part the vein of Gods election runs thorough the loins of those that are poor Secondly Weak in parts If you consider such as are weak in parts and gifts that have no great natural parts and gifts God many times nay for the most part makes choice of such 1 Cor. 1. 26 27. For you see your calling brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty Thirdly If we consider those that are weak in respect of age young men the Lord many times makes choice of young men bringing them in and revealing more of himself to them then he doth to old men youth is weak young men are weak though not in natural strength yet in morral strength for youth is accompanied with strong passions and lusts that weaken the mind and understanding young men for the most part are most rash and inconsiderate Arguments of weaknesse Young Rehoboam his young Counsel what rash judgement did they give to their King that cost him his life And young men are most apt to be lifted up with pride and therefore saith the Apostle A Bishop must not be a novice and yet many times notwithstanding young men are accompanied with so many weaknesses yet the Lord is pleased to make choice of them There are many Instances of it that the Lord hath made choice of young men and brought in young men He made choice of Samuel when he was very young he ministred before the Lord God spake to him and gave out visions to him concerning Elie's house when he was a child And so if you look upon all the Kings of Judah you shall find none more zealous for God then Josiah was Josiah was brought home to God when he was a young man 2 Chron. 34. In the eight year of his reign he made a great reformation
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
them they know not what they do We should pray that the Lord would open their eyes that the Lord would turn their hearts to himself first and then to us Brethren such a prayer is very welcome to the Lord as welcome as most prayers that his people can make when you shall from the heart pray to the Lord for those that injured you and done you wrong such a prayer seldom goes unrequited Sometimes the Lord gives in the soul of an enemy at the request of his people and oh what a choice mercy will that be if thou mayst gain the soul of an enemy if a soul may be delivered from going down to the pit why the Lord many times gives in the soul of an enemy but if the Lord should not give in the soul of an enemy that prayer shall not go unrewarded it may be sometimes the Lord will give in the soul of a friend thou goest to God and thou prayest for such an enemy Lord forgive such an enemy Lord open his eyes and turn his heart and forgive his transgression if the Lord does not grant that request it may be the Lord will give in the soul of a child or some of thy relations because thou hast found in thy heart to pray for an enemy or else the Lord will reward that prayer by giving out more of himself thou beggest for an enemy if the Lord do not that the Lord will give thee more grace more of his Spirit the Lord it may be will cause his face to slaine more upon thee while thou at his commandment and for his sake canst find in thy heart to pray for them that are thy enemies and have done thee wrong thou hast prayed for an enemy and I will be a friend to thee saith the Lord I will shew thee more friendship more of my face this is the first thing Oh that the Lord would teach us to practise it it is our duty to pray for those that have done us wrong Secondly if it be our duty to pray for those that have done us wrong then it is our duty to pray for such as the Lord hath made instruments to do us good Creatures they are but instruments and all the glory is due to God alone ah but God is to be sought to for the instrument hath the Lord done us good by such an instrument in respect of our souls in a word of counsel and direction we are to pray for them When God made use of Abigail in giving a word of counsel to David how did he bless the Lord and pray to God for her 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. And David sad to Abigail blessed be the Lord God of which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou c. And so hath the Lord made any instrumental any way to do us good in the outward man to give any refreshment we are bound to remember them before the Lord thus did Paul 2 Tim. 1. 16. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains Onesiphorus was a means of refreshing Paul in his bonds and Paul looked upon it as his duty to remember him before the Lord he begs a blessing for him and his houshold The Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus it is our duty to remember those before the Lord that have been used as instruments to do us good Thirdly it is our duty to remember before the Lord even those that are strangers to us those that we have not known if we know their conditions If the Lord hath brought the condition of strangers to us if the condition of strangers be a sad condition we are bound to remember them and to present their condition before the Lord and thus did the Disciples here in the Text this woman she was a stranger to them they never saw her face before she was of a strange Nation one of the Cananites and yet when the sad condition of this woman was brought before them and they heard her cry their hearts were moved with compassion and they besought Christ for her Lord send her away Lord grant her requestâ— And the Lord layd a great charge upon his people Israel that they should remember strangers and not oppress strangers but shew kindness to them and this is one part of the duty we owe to them to remember them and if in any sad condition we are bound to present them and their condition before the Lord. Fourthly If it be a duty to remember Strangers then much more to remember our own Relations and to present them before the Lord. All our Relations what ever they be as we stand related to others in Political Societies there is an engagement to remember them before the Lord a mutual tye betwixt the Magistrate and the people and they are bound to pray one for another godly Magistrateâ— and godly people are bound to remember one another You know King Solomon he was one that feared the Lord and he was very much in praying for the people 1 Kings 8. 22. he spent much time in prayer And so back again it is the peoples duty to remember their Governours The Apostle lays it upon Christians as their duty 1 Tim. 2. 1. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men ver 2. for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty In this relation there is a mutual tie to remember one another before the Lord. And if we come to Family-societies there we shall see relations are bound to remember one another before the Lord the relation of Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters and Servants the Scripture holds it forth as a duty incumbent upon all Christians to remember their relations mutually before the Lord. Husbands are bound to remember their wives to present their condition before the Lord Isaac prayed for Rebeckah Gen. 25. 21. and at his request the Lord was entreated and so back again the wife is bound to remember the husband And so in the relation of parents parents are bound often to present their children before the Lord the example of Job is given for our imitation Job 1. 5. And it was so when the dayes of their feasting were gone about that Job sent and sanctified them and rose up early in the morning and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all for Job said it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts thus did Job continually See Job presented them all one by one before the Lord and begged mercy for them and that the Lord would take away the guilt of sin which they might contract while they were feasting in one anothers house And so good old Jacob performed this duty for his children even then when he lay a dying
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
righteous Justifie God though thou art in the dark and perplexed and troubled in Spirit about thine own Election or the Election of friends yet do thou resolve and say I wil justifie God though God hath not chosen me and my children though God hath not chosen my friends yet no unrighteousness in him Truly this is the way to overcome the Temptation and till a soul be brought to this a soul that is troubled about his Election will never finde rest till he come to justifie God and lye at the feet of the Lord and say Lord though thou condemnest me and all my children and friends thou art righteous till we justifie God we shall have no peace in our selves What a restless condition was Job in when he stood quarrelling with God's Decree He never had peace till he came to Justifie God Job 42. 2. I know that thou canst do every thing I will contend no more When Job came thus to justifie God then Job's Temptation vanished and then the Lord turned unto Job and Turned again his Captivity and doubled the mercies he had taken away That 's the third Rule Fourthly For the Overcoming and Silencing of these Temptations about Election Remember this that when-ever we are tempted about Election that we presently fall to worship the Lord Jesus so it was with this woman in the Text when she met with this Temptation about Election Christ said I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel What follows She came and worshipped him She spake not a word of Discontent but falls down and worshipped him This is the way to overcome the Temptation when you are doubting concerining the love of God perplexed about Election presently fall to worship the Lord worship him Worship him How Worship him First With the Inward Worship of the Spirit Fear before him that is part of his Worship Reverence the Lord greatly in your hearts notwithstanding all that 's part of his worship Love the Lord let your souls be breathing in love towards him cleave unto him pursue after him with your Spirit that is part of the Inward worship Commit your souls unto him trust in him cast your selves upon the Lord and the word of his grace that is the Inward Worship Acknowledge your dependance upon him resolve there to hang say Lord my whole dependance is upon thee my blessedness is in thy hand all that I expect for eternity doth depend upon thee Go and cleave and clasp about the feet of Christ and by faith depend upon Christ and say Lord here I will hold and stay and will not away unless I be pulled away by violence from the feet of Christ This is Internal Worship and this is that worship that gives so much glory to God Abraham believed above hope and against hope and gave glory to God When you are tempted about Election thus worship him And secondly Worship him with External Worship There are two principal parts of this Worship that will tend to the silencing of all temptations about Election The first is Prayer The second is Thanksgiving When you are tempted about Election or doubt of the love of God fall to prayer go and pour out a cry before the Lord go and lament after him and say though I do not know whether thou wilt accept of me O Lord yet I will cry after thee I will lament after thee cry after himself his presence his face his favour his loving kindness go and cry after him this is the way to be rid of the temptation And truly this will be a discovery that God hath Elected thee In Luke 18. you have Christ speaking there of the unrighteous Judge who neither feared God or man but at vers 7. you have him speaking of the righteous Judge and saith he Shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night unto him This is a good discovery that God hath chosen that soul though the soul knows it not when as it is crying after the Lord and resolves to cry and not give over They are his Elect that cry day and night and he will certainly hear their cry God will come in and manifest himself to the soul and therefore when tempted about Election go to Prayer Another part of External Worship is Thanksgiving an excellent Remedy against this Temptation about Election O! desire that thy heart may be put into a thankful frame look up to God for it and plead with the Lord that thy heart may be put into a thankful posture Consider what thou hast to be thankful for Is there nothing O certainly if thou art not exceeding ungrateful thou mayst see somthing to be thankful for in the worst condition O! the years of patience and goodness of the Lord toward thee think upon the bounty of the Lord toward thee Hath not the Lord tendred his Christ to thee And hath he not held forth his promises to thee Hath he not been working upon thy heart to overcome thy heart Is not this worthy of Thankfulness Those supports that thou hast met withall under affliction have not everlasting Arms been under thee Surely thou must say it that everlasting Armes have been under me and why dost thou not bless the Lord that he hath put underneath everlasting Arms Yea hath there not been some secret intimations of love though thou hast not received so much as another Yet hath there not been some secret hints of grace and love O! that is worthy of thankfulness Yea look to all the outward salvations that thou hast met withall look to all the years of goodness and all the years of mercy Hath not God come to thee and to thy Family with many sweet refreshments What None of these worthy of Thankfulness O that thou wouldest learn to creep if thou canst not go and every night when thou lookest back O say here is another day of goodness the Lord might have cut me off here is another day of patience and in the morning when thou wakest think of it the Lord might have cut me off this night Here is another night of patience and see if this cannot draw forth thy soul in thankfulness I have heard of a young man very lately in the Town of Yarmouth that being very weak and nigh to the grave and under the apprehensions of the wrath of God and supposing that he was presently going down to the pit he cries out O that God would spare me but two dayes He would have accounted it a mercy to be kept out of hell but two dayes O! God hath given thee more then two dayes many moneths many years in which the Lord hath exercised his patience O! may not all this provoke thee to thankfulness Well if thou canst not see any thing to be thankful for of that which God hath done for thee why then bless God for what is in himself O! Think upon the gracious Nature of God think upon the glorious Majesty of
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