feared the words of the God of Israel That is his threatning words as appears by that which follows because of their transgression Nay the Apostle James affirmeth of the very Devils that even they belive and tremble Jam. 2.19 They believe the Comminations and they quake and tremble at them And verily the same effect would they produce in men if they did but believe them as the Devils do But alas how many are there who have no such thing in them who though they hear the wrath of God denounced and though they see his vengeance executed on ungodly men before their eyes in a very dreadful manner yet are not moved or troubled at it in any measure or degree by which it is apparent that they have no faith in them 2. Secondly if you believe the threatnings you will take some course or other to avert the evil threatned It is observed of the Ninvites that they believed God believed him in the threatning message he sent them by the Prophet Jonah 3.5 And what followed They proclaimed a Fast and put on Sack-cloth and turned every one from his evil way from the violence that was in his hands They that are never troubled for the sins which God threatens never endeavour reformation but continue as they were wicked and unclean still do not believe his Comminations they look upon them but as bruta fulmina and empty Scare crows which though they may fright others so as to drive them out of their beloved sins they are resolved they shall never scare them so as to work the smallest change or the least amendment in them There are a third sort yet behind and they are such as do not believe the promises of God They do not act their faith upon them They do not keep them in their hearts by beleiving And truly there are multitudes that fail in this particular as is apparent by these symptomes following viz. 1. Because they are so full of fears they walk so sadly and dijectedly Faith in the promises will fill the heart with joy and comfort in the worst of times and the sharpest of sufferings Believing we rejoyce with the Apostle and that with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 You cannot think of any trial any trouble whether inward in the soul or outward in the body name estate but there is a promise for it to clear and comfort and support the soul in it And if the promise be believed the soul cannot be void of comfort It will revive the saddest heart It is for want of faith that men are so oppressed with grief and sorrow 2. It is too evident that men do not believe the promises of God because they are so full of doubts and fears so full of endless cares and troubles and distractions Brethren there is no end of the cares and fears of men of their questions and debates untill they come to pitch upon the promises Till they come to rest on this God hath said it I have God in bond for it he hath undertaken it who lives for ever in whom is everlasting strength the soul will never be at quiet it will be shaken as the trees in the Forrest as Isa 7.2 Oh thinks a poor wretch if I should live till I be blind till I be impotent till I have spent all what should I do What shall my wife and children do What if I lose such a friend or such a comfort So rich men have as much trouble What if the times should frown upon me what if malicious men should swear against me what if the Enemy break in upon me and plunder me c. and a thousand of these doubts and fears men have And whence are all these truly they are not so much from the greatness of their danger as from the smallness of their faith O you of little faith wherefore do you doubt whence are your doubtings troubles and perplexities but because you do not keep the word of promise in your hearts by believing You do not act your faith upon that Word of God that he will never fail you nor forsake you Beloved let a man look where he will there is a greater power against him then there can be for him out of God And all these outward things are so contingent they lie so doubtful and uncertain that a man can never be secure in them And therefore if you would be setled and secured for the future build on God and on the Promise Say not I have such a Parent such a Friend and he will provide for me he will see I shall not want I have such Income by the year such a Trade such an Estate such a power on my side The conclusion will not hold but say rather I have such a God and such a promise God hath said that he will feed me and therefore I shall be fed God hath said that he will keep me and therefore I shall be kept God hath said that he will pardon me and therefore I shall be forgiven 3. It is apparent that men do not believe the promise because they are inconstant and uncertain in their ways They knew not what to do nor where to live nor what side to stick to They are tossed to and fro they are on and off again And what is the cause of this truly it is for want of faith upon the promise for that would settle them and root them but on the other side saith God and bindes it with a strong asseveration too If ye will not believe surely ye shall not be established Isa 7.9 You will be thus unstable still and fickle still unless you pitch by faith upon the promise 4. It is apparent that men do not believe the promise because they will suffer nothing for it They will not part with any thing their liberty their ease their profit for the promise sake whereas faith if it were acted would have an admirable operation on them And therefore the Apostle makes this the ground of the strange patience of the Saints When they were tortured tryed with mockeries scornings bonds imprisonment when they were stoned sawn asunder what made them able to endure such things and not to accept deliverance when it was offered if they would have yeelded and complyed a little It was their faith as you may see Heb. 11.33 37. by faith upon the promise they attained to this strength that they could not be overcome nor made to yeeld to adversaries when they endured such torments as were impossible for flesh and blood to suffer but became Conquerors in them all yea more then Conquerors as the Apostle Paul speaks Rom. 8.37 So when it is affirmed of the holy Martyrs Apoc. 12.11 that they overcame the Dragon in all the persecutions that he raised against them it is withall observed that they did it by the blood of the Lamb the faith they had in the blood of Jesus Christ enabled them to bear and overcome so bitter torments as they
to another So his Disciples p. 383. 1. Vse Exam. 1. Strangers to this world are not conformable thereunto 2. Love those of the other world 3. Have another language 2. Vse No wonder that they are made a gazing stock 3. Vse Live like heavenly Citizens 4. Vse Regard not this world nor vanities thereof p. 386 5. Vse Do not desire or phansie long continuance here 6. Vse Why should we be unwilling to part from hence p. 387. 2 Doct. The Word of God is the ordinary means of Sanctification Explicat 1. The work is begun 1. Preparatively by the Law 2. Really by the Gospel p. 389. 2. So it is carryed on 1. Vse Let Ministers be instant and diligent in preaching 1. Though the fruit of their endeavours be not always manifest 2. Though they want success they must labour still 3. So they shall not want recompence 4. The Elect are thereby brought to heaven 391. 2. Vse Let people be perswaded to hear the Word 3. Vse People thrive not in grace because they wait not on this Ordinance 4. Attend upon the Word 5. Vse That ye may profit by the Word Remove 1. Pride 2. Unbelief 3. Strong Passion 4. Prejudice against the Teacher 5. Labour to digest it 6. Use earnest prayer Ver. 17 Doct. The Word of God especially the Gospel is the Truth 1. The Word of God is all Truth 2. The Gospel is the Truth p. 396. Gospel-Truth the most excellent 1. Christ being the most precious subject thereof 2. The most delightful Subject 2. For the maner of revelation most perspicuous 3 For the confirmation 4. For the operation 1. Works grace 2. Infuseth life p. 398. 1. Vse The whole Word to be believed 2. Vse Let us give it the preferment 1. In our Inquisition 2. In our Acceptation p. 401. 3. Vse The Gospel-truth must be accordingly maintained 1. By our Arguments and Reasons 2. By our sufferings 3. Must be obeyed The disobedient reproved Ver. 18 Doct. The Apostles and Ministers of Christ are sent by him Cant. Not only by him But 1. By the Father and Holy Spirit 2. By the Church p. 407 1. Vse They blamed who take this honour upon themselves 2. Vse Therefore the Pastors power but ministerial 3. They must deliver his message p. 410. for his Ends. p. 410. 4. Vse Let the Church prove those that pretend to the Ministery Whether furnished with competent Ability 1. Of Knowledge 2. Of Utterance 3. Whether furnished with propensity and readiness to use their gift 4. Whether qualified with Sincerity p. 412. 5. Vse Entertain his Ministers 1. With double honour 2. Give them audience 6. Vse Bear with their plainess and sharpness of Reproof p. 413. 2. Doct. Ministers Commission not restrained to any Nation or Countrey Reas 1. His Kingdom to be erected 2. Churches to be planted over all the world p. 416. 1. Vse Ministers justified in their propagating the Church in America Promote it with our Prayers 2. Vse Matter of joy and thanksgiving p. 423. 3. Doct. The resemblance of Christs Mission with that of the Apostles The similitude and dissimilitude of their sending In regard of 1. their Authority and Power 2. In regard of Qualification 3. In relation to the Message 4. To the end for which they were sent p. 426. Ver. 19 1. Doct. Christ did willingly set himself a part to be an Offering and a Sacrifice to the Father Reason There was no power able to overcome him p. 432. 1. Vse As the greater was his love so should be our praise 2. Let us learn as willingly to offer up our selves and all we have p. 433. 2. Doct. Christ did offer himself for our Sanctification Reason His Design being not only to preserve and justifie but to save us too and glorifie himself in us 1. Vse Abuse not this grace 2. Be stirred up to strive after holiness 3. A terror to ungratious wretches 3. Doct. Christs Intercession extended to those that shall believe Vse This should encourage us to pray for the unconverted p. 438. 4. Doct. Christ the object of true believers faith Expl. How the Word 2. God 3. Heaven and Salvation the objects of faith p. 440. 1. Vse Be not satisfied with a general assent unto the Word 1. Endeavour to know Christ aright 2. Believe that Christ is such a one 3. Embrace this truth in the heart 2. Vse Hence appears the imperfection of inherent righteousness 3. The perfection of imputed righteousness and Justification 4. Relie on Christs for salvation p. 442 Ver. 20 Doct. The Gospel the instrumental means of faith Expl. The Law prepareth not worketh faith 1. Vse The sad condition of those that want the Gospel 2. Vse Revelations and new discoveries no ground of faith 3. Let unbelievers duly hear the Gospel p. 445. 2. Doct. It is the will of Christ that his Disciples should be one among themselves and one in God Though distant they are one 1. As having one Spirit 2 One faith 3. One heart and affection God and Christ are one 1. By Hypostatical union 2. By dear affection 3. By unexpressible agreement and consent So the Disciples are one in both 1. By mystical union c. 1. Vse Know the glorious priviledge of Christs Disciples It implying 1. Intimate Communion with God 2. Special interest in him 3. It imports great acquaintance with them both 1. They know God more immediately then others do 2. More distinctly p. 452. 3. That they have more easie and familiar access to him 4. More immediate injoyment of all comforts and content 5. The best safety 2. Vse Admire Gods goodness pleased so highly to advance and honour us 3. Vse Walk worthy of such an honour For 1. This aggravates sin committed in him 2. Makes it specially observed by him 3. To be more severely chastised p. 457. 3. Vse Let true believers use this their interest in all exigencies and strâ—ights 4. Let those without God not molest and hurt believers p. 58. 5. Vse Let true believers be knit to God and Christ in love Direct 1. Pray earnestly for it 2. Increase your knowledge of God 3. Have daily more Communion with him 4. Put away the love of worldly things 5. Frequent the company of those that love God 6. Vse Agree with God and Christ in all respects every way Else you are 1. Irregular 2. Undutiful 3. Agreement among our selves is nothing worth Ver. 21 World what it signifies Doct. Unity of Christs Disciples makes the world have better thoughts of their Master p. 466. Vse Divisions of the Church make Christ the Gospel and Religion to be undervalued and little set by Ver. 22 1. Doct. Christ communicates his glory to true believers 1. His Titles 2. Sitting at the right hand 3. Authority and power 4. His three Offices 5. Gifts p. 473. Ver. 23 Christ in believers and God in him for the union of all Doct. This is the perfection of believers union p. 477. Vse The defective union of worldly men 2. Doct.
and become the more vitious What bind and curb and limit them tell them that they must not swear and they must not be unclean They will not be restrained and hampered they no they will swear the more and drink the more and be unclean the more They are resolved with the rebellious Jews we will not hear we will not do but we will do as we have done I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Well my beloved if any of you be at this hand hear but a few particulars before we part Consider Christ is infinitely tender of his Authority and of his Law He will not easily endure it to be sleighted and infringed He came not to destroy the Law himself no he was far from any such intention in his coming nor will he suffer any other to destroy it neither Heaven and Earth shall pass away before one jot or tittle of his Law shall pass away Mat. 18.5 He had as lief that Heaven and Earth should come to nothing as that his Law should be dissolved And judge you then how great their provocation is who violate and break the precepts of it day by day as Sampson did his green cords as if they had no strength or force at all in them Could they set Heaven and Earth on fire and consume it into ashes they could not anger Christ so much nor vex him as they do by this their cursed violation of his blessed Law And there is extraordinary peril in the wrath of Christ If once he be incensed there is very great hazard and hence saith David Psalm 2. ult Kiss the son least he be angry and you perish Consider that the Law as it hath a commanding power that requireth us to do so it hath a threatning power that obligeth us to suffer in case of disobedience to the Law As it bindeth men to do the things that are commanded in it so in case they do them not and have no interest in Christ by faith it bindeth them to suffer all the things that are denounced in it For every one that doth not every thing that is contained in the Law is exposed to the curse as you may see Gal. 3.10 There 's not a curse contained in the book of God from the beginning of it to the end but such a man lies open to it and if he persevere without repentance he shall be sure to feel it to his pain Well then my brethren you may perhaps out-stand the precept but are you able to out-stand the threatning You may decline the duty but are you able also to avoid the curse Here Christ commands you replie We will not hear we will not do But when he shall pronounce the sentence of the Law upon you in the great and great dreadful day will you replie We will not bear we will not suffer Will you tell him to his face We will not go to hell we will not be condemned by the Law as you have told him here We will not be obedient to the Law Alas it is not all mens scorns and haughty looks it is not all their pride and sturdiness that will prevail at that time No no the haughtiness of men shall be brought low and Christ alone shall be exalted in that day Consider Christ hath ability to back and second his authority All power is given to him all kinds all degrees of power power of authority and power of ability Power of authority alone is but an empty and a despicable thing he that hath it may command and they whom he commandeth if they please may disobey he cannot force them to obedience nor punish them for disobedience The hazzard is not great of disobeying such power But where ability goes with authority there the despising of it must be full of danger Now so it doth in Jesus Christ and therefore he is peremptory Rom. 14.11 As I live saith the Lord that is the Lord Christ as you may see by the coherence every knee shall bow to me willingly or by compulsion If it bend not willingly I will make it bow or break Christ will be King though the earth be never so unsteady and the haters of the Lord shall be subject unto him How shall his haters be his Subjects yes they shall be subject to him either one way or another For though they be not subject to his grace they shall be subject to his power They that will not be ruled by him shall be broken by him We read of some that break his bonds asunder Psal 2 3. but presently he breaks their bonds asunder If they be good at breaking Christ will fall a breaking too He will break them with a rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel The authority of Christ as it hath some that stoop to it so it hath others that oppose it And such are they of whom we read Luke 19.19 His Citizens hated him sent a message after him to tell him to his teeth we will not have this man to rule over us They were in haste they could not tarry till he came about again but they must send this sawcy Message after him But see now what becomes of these men and whether it be all as they will ver 27. But these my Enemies that would not have me to rule over them bring them forth and slay them before me Oh think on this you that will not be ruled by Jesus Christ who when his will is manifested to you and when you are acquainted with the Laws and Statutes of his Kingdom regard it not at all but make light of all this Oh be advised to be wise and serve the Lord. Kiss the son he hath authority and therefore do him fealty least he be angry and you perish Is it so that all mankind is under the authority of Jesus Christ they are mistaken then who think that some men are exempt from his authority and from his Legislative power and that they are not bound to the obedience of the Laws he gives I am very apt to think that Infidels heathens who never had the Gospel preached to them who never heard of Jesus Christ are no way bound to the obedience of the Law of faith so that they sin in not believing in the Lord Christ and taking him to be their Saviour whom they have no means to know The Law of faith I mean of justifying faith the Commandment to believe is not a natural but a positive Law and consequently promulgation is absolutely necessary to the obligation of it But the Decalogue the Moral Law the Law of works is written in the heart of man by nature and therefore bindeth all men to obedience Yea but say some believers are exempted from the obligation of it the faithful are not bound to the obedience of the Moral Law It s true I must confess they are not
necessary to a testimony or a witness that it declare the truth and nothing else Or else how shall it be depended and relyed upon and so how shall the Scripture be the Word of Faith as it is called unless it be the Word of Truth How shall this testimony challenge faith from us unless it utter truth to us How shall it be believed if it be not wholly true and therefore truth is frequently ascribed to it as a witness The testimonies of the Lord are sure saith David Psal 19.7 That which they tell hath been and that which they foretell shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled Vse 1 And this by way of use and application may serve for terror in the first place unto those against whom there is any thing foretold in Scripture in a way of Commination for it shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled How should they tremble for fear of God and how should they be afraid of his judgements though only hanging in the threatning How should their hearts dissolve within them when they hear his threatning words denounc't against them How should the Adulterer tremble when he hears that flaming Commination Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge how should the drunkard tremble when he hears those dreadful woes that are denounced to drunkards up and down the Prophets everywhere How should the wretched worldling tremble when he hears that dreadfull threatning that no covetous person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God How should the lier and the dogg that barks and snarls and snaps at holiness and the unclean wretch tremble when they hear that such shall have their everlasting portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone And so for other sinners against whom there are heavy things foretold in Scripture how should they shake and quiver when they read and hear them But alas there are abundance who steel and fortifie their hearts against them who give no credit to the threatnings of the word as if they were but bruta fulmina but empty cracks who when they hear them thundred out against them say with Israel Jer. 5.12 It is not he neither shall evil come upon us nor shall we see sword or famine Oh my beloved do not belye the Lord in this fashion do not delude your own souls Believe it Judgement is towards you as the Expression is Hosea 5.1 although it be not actually upon you The wrath of God commeth it is a comming still and in the end depend upon it it will come home What do you think that if you do such things you shall escape the vengeance of God No be assured that if you persevere without repentance you shall feel it with a witness There is not any thing denounced against you in the Scripture but shall be fulfilled upon you to the utmost And Secondly it serves for sweet and pretious comfort to the Vse 2 Church since all the good that is foretold in Scripture shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled You that are members of the Church look over all the Book of God collect together all the promises contained in it from the beginning of it to the end consider all the choice and pretious mercies that are contained in those promises and satisfie your souls with a certain expectation of them all There is not one of all those promises shall fall unaccomplished to the ground or fail of execution in the Lords time And therefore look on all the good things promised there as sure mercies so they are called the sure mercies of David which shall not fail you when the season comes And when you meet with any thing that specially concerns you in such a case or such a condition that might be a support and comfort to you in affliction and the like Oh give not way to one unbelieving thought do not forsake your own mercies Remember it is the word of the Lord which as the Angel said shall be fulfilled in its season And so for any good thing that is foretold in Scripture to the Church as there are glorious things you know foretold concerning it in after times that God will raise it to an admirable state of glory and felicity which while the world continues shall not be overthrown again Let us not make any question but they shall absolutely and compleatly be accomplished and fulfilled And therefore let us strengthen and confirm our hearts in the assured expectation of it and let us put those promises in suit in our Petitions as Isaiah in the same case Chap. 62.1 And let us stand upon our watch-towers waiting for the execution of them Let us account it our especial happiness that we live under promises that shall surely be accomplished though they should be never fulfilled in our time Let us embrace them as the Fathers did yea though they be afar off Oh let us hugg them and take especial joy and comfort in them And though the Lord should take us hence before he bring them into act and execution yet let us cheer our hearts with the apprehension of the happiness and glory that shall be upon the Church after we are dead and gone And so dye with our arms full of promises and our hearts full of faith and our souls full of comfort Vse 3 To pass on to a third use Since this is so that whatsoever is foretold in Scripture shall surely be accomplished and fulfilled whatsoever is foretold in a way of Commination or in a way of Consolation by way of threatning or by way of promise Let us endeavour to believe both and act our faith upon them Let us work up our hearts to give a firm and full assent to all the threatnings and to all the promises though that which is delivered in the Scripture either way be never so improbable never so much against corrupt reason never so impossible to a humane apprehension Let us depend upon it that the word of God shall be fulfilled to the very utmost Let us imitate the faith of the antient Saints of God as I shall give you some examples of it in reference to both of these both to the threatnings and the promises of Scripture As for the threatnings That which the Lord denounced to Noah that he might publish it to all the world that he would utterly destroy all flesh from off the earth and by a flood of water too was as improbable as any thing almost could be as like to be derided by the wise men of the world Yet Noah being warned of God believed it and so accordingly prepared the Ark as you may see Heb. 11.7 And so that Commination by the Prophet Jonah was almost incredible that Nineveh so flourishing so glorious and so great a City should be destroyed in forty dayes and yet it is observed to the praise of Nineveh that they believed God that is the word of God his threatning message sent them by the Prophet Jonah 3.5 So for the promises of
p. 208. 3. Some believe not the threatnings Marks They that believe the threatnings quake and tremble at them 2. Take some course to avert them 4. Some believe not the promises 1. The sad and fearful 2. They that are troubled with doubts cares distractions 3. The wavering and inconstant 4. They that will suffer nothing for it Cautions 1. You are not to believe all that is presented under the title of Gods Word 2. It 's no sign of Infidelity to move questions 3. Nor to have some doubtful thoughts concerning clear truth p. 212. 3. Exam. Have we kept the Word in our affections by loving it p. 213. Marks 1. Lovers of the Word desire on all occasions to converse with it 2. Hear as often as they may 3. Exercise themselves in the reading and meditation of it 4. Endeavour to be inwardly acquainted with it 5. Will not easily quarrel with and disobey it 6. Will hardly part with it p. 216. 4. Motives to love the Word As being 1. the means of conversion 2. A light of direction 3. A Teacher to inform you 4. Means to confirm you 5. To comfort 6. To save you p. 218. 5. You must keep the word by obeying it 1. Not by partial but by a total obedience p. 220. 2. With a cordial obedience 3. Constantly to the end Directions 1. Pray God to teach you 2. Find out and mortifie the lusts that hinder you p. 223. 5. Doctr. To entertain the Word as we ought we must know for certain that it is the Word of God p. 224. Reason 1. Then we shall receive it with holy fear 2. That we may give it full credit and belief 3. That we may yield full resignation and submission 4. That we may allow it absolute and universal obedience 1. Vse See the cause of mens slighting and disobeying the Word p. 229. 2. Vse Learn how to entertain the Word aright viz. By believing that it is Gods Scriptures proved to be the Word of God 1. By the evident accomplishment of promises 2. By the joynt testimony of the Church 3. By consent of the Writers 4. By the effectual and mighty working of it on mens hearts and souls 5. By the blood of many Martyrs sealing it with their lives p. 231. 2. The Spirit of God assures us that the Scripture is Gods Word 1. By removing impediments 2. By giving grace fitting us to receive Ver. 7 Doctr. Christ hath approved himself a faithful Prophet and Messenger to his Church p. 234. Confirm 1. As having added nothing to his message 2. That he hath taken nothing from it How Christ did and did not tell them all p. 236. 1. Vse Diligently observe and hear this Prophet 2. Trust him 3. Try other Prophets p. 237. 4. Vse Not a word of his must be nelected or slighted 5. Seek no further for direction in matters of Salvation p. 239. 6. Let Ministers learn to be so faithful 1. Adding nothing as doth 1. the superstitious 2. Sceptick 3. vain-glorious Teacher p. 241. 2. Not mincing or diminishing the Word 1. Otherwise they are guilty of the blood of souls 2. Diminish their own mercy 3. Expose themselves to the ignominy and contempt of men 4. To the injuries of men Q Why ungodly men have prevailed p. 243. Ver. 8 2. Doctr. The faithfulness of Gods Messenger availeth much to commend him and his message to the people p. 244. Vse Hence so many Ministers slighted because unfaithful 2. A Minister shews himself faithful 1. In the right delivery of his message 2. To a right end Not satisfying their own passions nor aiming at their own respects 3. In a passive way 3. Doctr. The good reception of the message depends upon the peoples good opinion of the Messenger p. 247. Vse Do not rashly judge of Gods Messengers You may judge of him 1. by his entrance 2 By his ability 3. By his readiness to love Ver. 9 1. Doctr. Christ intercedes for none but his own people p. 250. Reas He is a Priest and Mediator only for them 1. Vse Christ died not for all without limitation 2. Vse The sad condition of those without the Church 3. Vse Happiness of those that belong to Christ Having union with him that is so near to God 2. Son near to you 3. That can never dye p. 253. This gives us boldness in address 2. Supports us in the sense of our imperfections 3. Assures the success of our Petitions 4. Keeps from despair under sin 2. Doctr. That all Christs people belong to God the Father Confirm As being more his by being Christs 1. For he hath none to share with him but Christ 2. His title to them being strengthned and enlarged 3. By unity 1. Vse Therefore Christs people excellent and precious 2. Walk worthy of such a relation For 1. your sins dishonour him more 2. They are sharply and sooner chastised for their sins p. 257. 2. Vse The Saints comfort 1. They shall be the more surely heard 2. God doth more dearly love them 3. God will tender their wrong either 1. Defending Or 2. Avenging them 4. God will provide for them 5. He will not lose them p. 257. Ver. 10 1. Doctr. Christ is glorified in all that belong to him Confirm For the present life he is glorified in their Grace p. 261. future he is glorified in their Glory p. 261. 1. Vse They who live to Christs dishonour are none of his 2. It should quicken and stir us up to labour 1. For grace and holiness here 2. After glory hereafter p. 263. How Christ absent from the Father p. 265. 2. Doctr. Christ as Man is gone out of this world to the immediate presence of his Father p. 266. Reas 1. That his humiliation might be recompensed with honour 2. Because he hath no more to do here 3. Hath much to do there 1. He was to triumph there over his enemies and ours 2. That he might send down his Spirit to his people 3. Intercede for them 4. To prepare a place and make heaven ready for us 5. Christ is gone that he may now virtually draw us after him 1. Vse Expect him not here till he return from heaven 2. Make much of his spiritual presence among us Therefore 1. take heed of grieving his Spirit Either by unkinde slighting or stubborn resistance 2. Take singular and mighty comfort in his Spirit 3. Receive and entertain the graces of this Spirit p. 271. 3. Vse Follow Christ in our spirits As 1. by our thoughts and meditations 2. By our affections 3. By our desires and anhelations of the Spirit p. 273. 3. Doct. The world alwayes an uncomfortable place to Christs Disciples p. 274. 1. Here they are continually exposed to many tryals and troubles 2. Vexed with the sins of others but chiefly their own 3. Banished from Christ p 273. 1. Vse Look not for joy and quietness from the world but provide for evil 2. Think it not strange 3. Love not the world nor to continue
not all that is so called page 211 Believers priviledges page 256 379 450 451. 479 480 561 Their sins more hainous page 257 Have many enemies and why page 360 363 458 Object of Believers faith Christ page 439 The Word God Heaven and Salvation page 440 Believers loved as Christ page 478 479 Body of Christ Natural and Mystical page 167 Bodily outward worship not to be neglected page 12 Rules and directions for it page 13 C Certainty of salvation page 80 314 315 Christ the Fathers Son and Wisdom page 5 16 Our great Prophet and Preacher ib. 339 Glorified by the Father page 32 Author of all good to the Church page 34. 72 123 124 To be glorified by us and how page 42 44 One with the Father page 48 Came not to quicken and save all men page 105 Must be known page 119 120 123 Comforts to the sons of God in Christ page 17 22 Comforts to the godly page 17 22 70 253 257 342 452 518 Against injuries of the world page 194 258 352 To the distressed page 290 291 365 524 Our Conscience and Faith not subject to men page 65 Conference page 206 Sons by Creation page 15 19 By Creation all the world is the Fathers page 98 199 Knowledge of our Creation page 119 Christ the Fathers Creature page 160 Curiosity condemned page 183 445 Sinfulness thereof page 184 D. DEath not to be prayed for page 366 c. Believers Dead to the world page 190 Comforts against Death page 89 93 387 Desire good things page 49 Dishonourers of Christ page 38 39 c. 262 Disobedient condemned page 59 70 162 164. 404 Despair not of those that are dead in sin page 103 185 255 438 Disorderly walkers page 162 163 Divine glory communicated to Christ page 173 Discovery of the Father See Manifestation Doubtful are unbelievers page 210 212 Disobedience to the word whence it proceeds page 229 Discord the causes thereof page 296 Evils and inconveniencies thereof page 467 E. WHo the Elect page 192 197 Elect cannot perish page 99 312 End of all is Gods glory page 43 154 Eternal God 129. Eternal love of God page 509 Eternal life from Christ page 86 What it is page 87 To be sought after and how page 90 Christs free gift page 90 Unbought unsought untaught page 92 93 How it consists in knowledge and begun therein page 108 Enemies outward and inward page 353 360 363 Evil. How Christ preserveth from all Evil page 371 372 c. Excellency of Christs people above others page 257 Of the Gospel above other Truths page 397 F FAith page 90 120 129 133 See Belief Father God to be apprehended under that notion page 15 21 The Father glorified by Christ page 46 Fears of failing page 88 185 God must be feared page 117 140 Fearful are unbelievers page 211 Father essentially taken page 198 Free love and mercy of God and Christ page 91 92 147 Faithfulness of Christ and his Ministers 244 246. Signs page 247 Christs word to be kept by Faith page 207 208 226 To be heard with Fear page 225 G. GIft of Christ wonderful page 98 516 517 Some given to Christ in special manner page 97 189 Outward fitting Gestures in prayers requisite page 12 13 Gifts of Christ 35. See Qualification page 412 413 Glory of Christ page 32 33 170 472 Gospel the subject of Christs words page 6 8 To be attended 90. 114. The Instrument of life page 109 398 Means to Sanctification page 389 The Truth page 396 God not slack page 30 Glorifieth Christ page 32 Only true God page 126 Godhead of the Trinity page 128 They that have made choice of God happy page 141 They must glorifie God here who will be glorified hereafter page 152 Vain expecters of future Glory page 153 How God is to be glorified here page 154 The Glory that Christ prayed for page 170 171 Christ Glorified in those that are his page 261 472 H. HAters of Christ page 512 513 Hearers how they may profit by the Word page 395 396 Hearing necessary page 392 445 Heathen people in dangerous state page 121 251 534 Heavenly conversation alliance kindred 190 191. Marks thereof page 385 Honour of God to be aimed at page 49 50 154 Honour from honouring Christ page 44 Hour of God page 28 29 30 Hope of Heaven page 174 Hinderances to obedience page 223 We must be Humble as Christ was page 162 Humiliation of Christ page 161 Hypocritical gestures in prayer page 13 Humility commended page 542 543 Holiness of God page 280 Knowledge thereof very profitable page 281 282 Holiness to be laboured for page 435 I. IDols not to be served 136. Causes of Ignorance page 531 533 Ignorance an impediment to life page 109 Ignorant persons sad condition 113 444 inexcusable page 182 533 534 For the Instruction of others page 115 122 Incarnation of Christ page 178 Impatient are unbelievers page 209 210 Intercession of Christ page 250 252 253 267 340 352 438 Judging and censuring others unlawful page 65. 248 Judgements sent not so much for the destruction of enemies as preservation of friends page 77 How to Judge of true Ministers page 248 249 411 412 Imperfections of the Saints page 296 374 441 541 Joy Christ the Author and Original page 338 None to those that are out of Christ page 341 Means and matter of Joy page 343 348 Marks of spiritual Joy page 350 False Joy page 351 Justification page 442 Justice commended page 526 Justice and righteousness of God page 519 520 to be meditated page 528 A comfort to the righteous page 523 524 K. CHrist Keepeth those that are given him page 201 Word of Christ how Kept in the memory heart page 204 Power of God Keepeth those that belong to Christ page 285 How they are Kept and why page 286 287 312 313 Knowledge to be laboured for page 90 108 109 to 114 The beginning of eternal life page 108 109 Knowledge of God and Christ too necessary page 116 536 537 Knowledge of the Father without the knowledge of Christ is but vain and insufficient page 117 118 The most perfect Knowledge here imperfect page 541 543 L. LAnguage suitable for Christians page 193 385 Law none free from it page 60 Believers under the binding power of the Law page 61 62 How given to the righteous page 63 Law-giver none but Christ page 64 Life from Christ page 82 Life of Sanctification and Justication page 83 Christ our Lord by Creation Redemption Covenant page 19 Life not be valued 89 93 a mercy page 367 Come to Christ for Life page 93 Love towards God how to get and increase it page 460 461 552 553 Love of God and Christ to be admired 20. See Admire Love unto the Word 213. Marks thereof page 214 216 Loveliness of Christ page 515 516 Lusts of our own or others not to be obeyed page 139 Where Love is there is Christ page 558 559 Misery of those that have no
Love to God or his children page 561 M. MAgistrates to execute Justice page 525 526 Marks Of faith page 209 Of living by Christ page 84 85 Of Gods children page 24 Of being given up to Christ page 192 193 to 212 Mediator Christ page 47 52 73 101 145 250 Messengers and Ministers of Christ not to be slighted page 40 413 How they ought to use their delegated power page 76 406 408 414 Their faithfulness required page 245 246 390 Their duty page 391 Message and errand of Christ page 148 410 Manifestation of the Father by Christ page 177 Wherefore by Christ alone page 180 Memory means to strengthen it page 206 207 Meditation page 206 215 272 N. NAme of the Father declared a special means to work love in those that hear it page 556 557 Name of God is beauty mercy goodness love page 557 Name of God manifested by Christ page 176 Have recourse to it in any distress page 292 Natural knowledge insufficient page 539 540 Natural life how frail page 89 387 A blessing page 367 368 Neerness of Christ to God page 33 48 253 256 265 Neerness of believers to God page 446 to 450 453 474 562 Nobility of true Chirstians page 257 448 454 O. OBedience due to Christ page 19 69 76 150 203 Due to men also 64 to the Word page 220 Offices of Christ page 34 181 236 250 339 473 Obedience of Christ active and passive page 157 158 One God page 129 130 Omnipotent page 129 How to Obey and serve God page 130 134 God Only to be served page 134 136 138 Our Obedience ought to be total cordial constant page 220 221 228 Our Obedience active and passive page 203 Christ Ordered by the Father in his works page 156 157 c. P. MAtter and manner of Prayer page 496 497 Preparation of the heart for Prayer page 492 493 Passion of Christ page 158 165 166 433 Perfect manifestation of the Father page 180 Perfection of Christs work page 168 169 181 442 Words page 239 241 242 445 Peace of Christ page 145 Power of God doth preserve believers page 286 287 Power of Christ Legislative page 53 432 Judiciary page 53 432 Prayer the outward gesture and utterance thereof to be considered page â—10 Vocal when necessary and requisite page 14 154 Prayers of whom sure to be heard page 17 22 49 254 354 Pride page 104 296 393 Praise vocal page 154 real page 154 Propagation of the Gospel page 416 548 Preservation See Keeping page 361 Preaching of Christ page 4 159 178 546 548 Practice a help to the memory page 206 Perseverance Motives thereunto page 169 People of Christ are the Fathers page 198 255 Promises to be believed 209 who believe them not page 210 Our great Prophet is Christ page 234 236 c. Prophecies shall be accomplished page 332 c. Q VVHo Quickned by Christ page 84 85 Qualification of Christ page 144 425 Questioning proves not want of faith page 212 R. THat Christ ought and how to be Received page 149 150 Receive and entertain the Spirit page 271 272 Private Revenge condemned page 65 66 67. Sinfulness thereof ibid. Remedies and rules against Revenge page 67 68 Repetition page 206 380 Reproof page 413 Resignation to the Word page 228 S. SAnctification means thereof page 388 End of Christs Office page 434 Satisfaction of Christ page 157 Christ the Fathers Servant page 47 102 160 Scriptures to be believed and assented to page 132 444 445 Scriptures proved to be the Word of God page 230 231 Sons by Adoption page 15 Creation page 15 Sons of God 15 16 17 their comfort ib. Signs page 23 24 Spiritual desires how discerned page 498 499 Spiritual service promoted by gesture and utterance page 11 Signs of the Spirit 24 500. Of Spiritual Joy page 350 Spirit of Christ slighted page 40 270 271 Service of God 134. See Obedience Sending of Christ 142 145 c. Of Ministers page 406 425 426 Spirits operation page 159 178 206 233 548 Shame of the world page 174 To Christ page 175 Our Strength is in God not in our selves page 289 290 Sufferings of Christ glorious page 36 161 433 Society to be made choice of page 459 460 Solitude page 195 Helps and remedies against Sin page 283 284 Sins of Christians more sinful then of others page 257 456 457 Sooner and more sharply chastised ibid. How the Saints are kept from Sin page 373 374 How to follow Christ in our Spirits page 273 How we are to Seek unto God page 293 Security page 319 563 Believers ought not to be Sorrowful page 342 347 T. THreatnings have an implicit condition page 333 Threatnings to be believed 209. Comfort to the Church page 338 Thankfulnsss due to God and Christ page 81 86 182 284 423 Set Time of God the fittest page 28 Time not to be prescribed to God page 29 Time-servers condemned page 138 Titles of Christ 33 communicated to believers page 473 Temptation how we are kept from it page 372 Tribulation See Affliction Benefits thereof page 370 378 379 How we are kept from it page 373 Trial of Prophets page 237 411 True God page 128 129 133 335 Cleer Truths may be questioned and doubted page 212 Truth the whole word but especially the Gospel page 396 397 To be maintained how page 402 To be obeyed page 403 Trust in God alone page 140 237 Tryals and troubles of this life page 275 277 V. VEngeance See Revenge page 67 Unbelievers dishonour Christ page 39 Vnbelievers sin and danger page 56 208 395 531 537 Uncharitable page 58 59 Vngodly 70. See Wicked why they have prevailed page 243 Their destruction not intended by Christ page 72 77 79 Vnity of the Trinity page 128 130 173 Vnity to be studied and put in practice page 141 A matter of great difficulty and concernment page 295 c. Benefits of Vnity and means conducing page 307 308 459 466 Vnion of believers page 446 447 474 How one as God and Christ are one page 448 Defective Vnion of worldly men page 478 Vniversal Redemption page 251 328 Vnderstanding page 109 Vocal prayer page 14 Vocal praise page 154 W. VVAit Gods time Motives thereunto page 30 Will of Christ a law with the Father page 490 491 That they who are given him should be in heaven page 501 We must suffer Willingly page 161 433 Wicked men dishonour Christ page 39 Words of Christ worthy of our observation page 4 5 6 7 401 To be highly valued page 8 149 206 214 216 218 238 How kept in the heart memory c. page 203 205 To be loved and the signs thereof 213 214. Motives page 218 Word of God inward and essential outward and declaratory page 202 Gods Word must be known to be his page 224 225 Work of Christ how finished before his Passion page 165 Is full and perfect page 166 167 Worlds shame to be despised page 174 194 True believers are of another world page
consequently so far it is taken off by Christ in relation to believers But it is not against believers in the commands and precepts of it requiring them to love God and serve God c. No these things sute with their spirits they are written in their hearts and therefore they are not destroyed but rather strengthened and confirmed by Christ Is it so that all mankind is under the authority of Iesus Christ under Vse 3 his legislative power Then certainly believers must not stoop to any other legislative power to the prejudice of his And this is that which the Apostle presseth hard on the Colossians Col. 2.20 In the foregoing verse he setteth forth the authority of Christ and sheweth that he is the head and ruler of his people and presently comes in with this Interrogation and why saith he are you subject to Ordinances by which he doth not mean the Laws of God but the decrees and constitutions and commands of men And so himself explains it afterward in the succeeding words that by those Ordinances he intendeth nothing else but the Commandments and doctrines of men As if he should have said if you be under the authority of Jesus Christ Why are you subject to the Ordinances and commands of men What then doth the authority of Jesus Christ Quest discharge his people from obedience to any ordinances or commands of men and are they to be subject to him so that they be subject to no other governours or rulers in the world Is the authority and power of Magistrates dissolved by this means Answ To this I answer No by no means and therefore you must know that when the Apostle saith be ye not servants of men be ye not subject to the ordinances and commands of men he doth not mean it absolutely as if we ought not to be subject to them any way It was not his intention to bring in such confusion and such Anarchy into the world For in another place he tells us that we must needs he subject to the Magistrate Rom. 13.5 And the Apostle Peters Exhortation goes a little further and is a little more large 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every ordinance of man and that for the Lord sake And it is necessary that we should do so saith he for so is the will of God verse 15. of that Chapter These two do seem apparently to contradict and clash with one another Be ye not the servants of men and Ye must needs he subject to men be ye not subject to the ordinances and commands of men And yet submit your selves to every ordinance of man and therefore I shall cleer it in a word or two both with relation to the outward man and to the conscience For the outward man that ought not to be subject to the Injunctions commands of men where they cross the law of Christ there are some commands of men that meddle only with such things as are not comprehended in the Law of Christ but are left by him indifferent neither commanded nor forbidden To such as these we may and ought to yield obedience there is no question but the Lawfull Magistate hath power concerning things indifferent to interdict them or require them for Politick and civil ends and in relation to the better government or profit and emolument of those who are subjected to his power And however I am under the authority of Christ I am not free in such a case as this is There are other Laws of men which concur with Christs Laws commanding that which they command forbidding that which they forbid As when Christ forbids to swear when the Magistrate forbids to swear too when Christ forbids us to profane the Sabbath and when the Magistrate forbids us to prophane it too There is no scruple touching such commands as these for here the Magistrate and Christ do close and therefore in obeying one of them we obey the other too But when the Laws of men do contradict the Laws of Christ forbidding that which they command commanding that they forbid when their Injunctions clash with his we ought not to subject our selves to them The authority of Christ is the greatest in the world his Father as you have it in my text hath given him power over all flesh And therefore he must rather be obeyed then any fleshly power if once they come in competition and if they cannot be obeyed together in such a case as this my brethren when the same thing shall come to be commanded in the Law of Christ forbidden in the Law of man and so upon the other side we have a certain rule to walk by Act. 5.29 It is better to obey God then men in such a case we cannot be the servants of men because if we be so we cannot be the servants of Christ for in obeying them we throw off the authority of Jesus Christ And as we ought not to subject our outward man to the commands of men in such a case so in the second place we ought not to subject our Conscience to the commands of men in any case The Conscience is the Lords peculiar none hâ—th authority on that but he only And therefore Christ condemns it in the Scribes and Pharises They taught for doctrines the commandments of men Mat. 15.9 They were but constitutions and commands of men and yet they vented them for Doctrines and imposed them on the Conscience This they ought not to have done or if they did so they ought not to be yielded to in so doing We ought not to be subject to the commands of men upon such terms as these are The Lord complains of this in Israel as a grievous sin for which he thunders out a heavy doom against them a Judgement so remarkable that it should come the next step to a miracle because their fear to him was taught by the precepts of men Isa 29.13 For this the Apostle chideth the Corinthians 2 Cor. 11. â—0 Ye suffer if a man devour you if a man bring you into bondage which is not meant of the enthralling of the outward man but of the captivating of the Conscience in the chains of humane constitutions and decrees which these deceitful workers mentioned in the former verses jugled on upon it Well then since Christ hath such authority upon us let none of us subject our Conscience and our faith to men let them not be Lords of these for they belong to Christ and him only He suffers magistrates indeed to rule without over the outward man but he alone must rule within over the conscience If any go about to take command on that or to give Law to that you must stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free as the Apostle counsels you Gal. 5.1 Is it so that all mankind is under the authority of Jesus Christ Then Vse 4 let not one man censure and condemn another It is the inference that the Apostle makes upon the very same
true believers which strips them only of the life which stands in union of the body and the soul together and not of that which stands in union of them both to Christ is stiled a rest a sleep in Scripture not a death They only die indeed which go down quick to hell as the prophet David speaks who are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death who after many pangs and tortures suffered in the separation of the body from the soul are separated everlastingly from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Is it so that the life which Jesus Christ c. Oh how doth it concern Vse 3 us then my brethren not to satisfie our selves with the frail life of nature which may expire upon a suddain and let us sink into Eternal death but to make out after the life of Jesus Christ the life of grace which is above the reach and power of death which will not fail us but endure for ever We all have sparks of immortality within us and we have thoughts aspiring to Eternity we would not die if we could choose Oh let us labour then my brethren for the life of grace and this is an eternal life The life of nature is a fading thing it may be gone upon a suddain And it is a sad and dreadfull thing for an eternal soul to have nothing else between it and eternal woe and torture but such a fickle and perishable life which the next minute may be done and let him drop away to hell for ever Oh how suddainly may such perish and come to a fearful End but if we live the life of Christ that is a lasting and abiding life And though the natural life decay and though the body die and rot and turn to dust and putrefaction yet this will flourish and grow stronger still till it be perfected and made consummate in the life of glory And why then are our labours and endeavours wholly spent to nourish and maintain this transitory life with things that perish in the using which yet when all is done will fail and come to dissolution but never strive for the attainment of that life which is eternal It is a lamentable thing my brethren that the divine intentions of eternal minds should be laid out on nothing else but perishable things Now that you may attain this lasting and enduring life of grace I shall but give you two or three directions First You must strive for saving knowledge and seek to get your minds enlightned with the beams of truth The life of holiness and grace consists in light And hence saith the Evangelist that light viz. the light of saving knowledge from the son of God revealed and manifested in the Gospel was the life of men Iohn 1.4 And in the words immediately adjoyned to my text that he may give eternal life c. and this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent It s true indeed there may be light of knowledge without any life of grace But there can never be the life of grace without the light of holy knowledge And therefore the Apostle speaking of the Gentiles saith they were strangers from the life of God they lived the life of men but they were strangers from the life of God the life of grace by reason of the ignorance and darkness that was in them And surely if we ever look to rise up from our graves of sin and stand up from the dead we must have light from Jesus Christ as the Apostle Paul insinuates Eph. 5.11 Secondly You must endeavour after faith which is the instrument and means of life by which it is conveyed from Christ to all his members And therefore we shall find that faith and life believing and living are joyned together the one as the fruit and effect of the other Whosoever liveth and believeth in me saith our Saviour Ioh. 11.26 id est Whosoever liveth by believing in me shall never die He that believeth in him that sent me hath eternal life saith Christ Iohn 5.24 and shall not come to condemnation but is passed from death to life These things are written that ye might believe that Iesus Christ is the Son of God and that believing ye might have life Joh. 20. ult I live saith the Apostle Paul and yet c. and the life which I live I live by the faith of the Son of God So that the grace of faith you see my brethren is the instrument of life it is the bond of union between Christ and all his members it is the Artery by which his Spirit is conveyed into us And therefore if you ever look to live you must labour after faith Thirdly that you may attain to saving knowledge and to justifying faith and consequently to this life of Christ you must attend upon the voice of Christ in the preaching of the Gospel For that is an effectuall means when God is pleased to concurr to raise men from the death of sin and to make them live to God And this is clearly intimated to us by our Saviour Christ himself John 5.25 The hour cometh saith Christ there when the dead the dead in sin shall hear the voice of the Son of God conceive it in the powerful preaching of the Gospel and they that hear it shall live And hence the word of Christ is called the word of life You see then what you are to do I say to you my Brethren as the Prophet to the Jews Isa 55.3 Hear with an obedient ear a flexible and yielding heart hear and your souls shall live And thus far of the thing to be dispenced by vertue of the power and the authority of Jesus Christ with which he is invested by the Father And this as you have heard is life yea it is Eternal life The manner or the way of dispensation comes next in order to be handled it is to be dispenced as a gift in the nature of a gift in a way of free donation that he should give Eternal life Not that he should communicate it or confer it only but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he should give So that you see my Brethren all is free both on the Fathers side and on the Sons The Father he is free to him that he may be free to others The Father gives him power that he may give his people life As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him There is no difficulty in the terms the point is obvious DOCTRINE That Jesus Christ doth freely give eternal life to his people They have it from him as a free gift He doth not sell they do not buy it or if they do it is as his own offer is without money and without price They have it from him out of bounty and not out of merit or desert
set at nought in this fashion Is life worth any thing Is life Eternal worth any thing Why in contemning Knowledge you contemn no less then this for this as you have heard is life Eternal And how deservedly may you be left to perish in Eternal Death who put the means of knowiedge from you and judge your selves unworthy of Eternal life Is it so that life Eternal or the life of Grace which is Eternal is begun Use 2 in holy Knowledge See here the sad Condition and estate of those who are ignorant of God have no acquaintance with him who know him not the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent They are absolutely dead the life of holiness and Grace is not yet begun in them They have not yet the least Degree the least spark of this life No they are strangers to the life of God through the ignorance that is in them in the place so often cited They are so far from being quickened to this life of Grace that they are meer strangers to it They know not what this kind of life means And are there not a multitude of such among us who are almost as ignorant of God and Christ as the very beasts that perish Who besides some common names and notions of God and of a Jesus and Saviour and the like which it may be they can talk a little of because they hear them every day know nothing of the one or of the other Examine them and sift them well and you shall find that rhey have nothing but a form of words at utmost of which they can give no more account then if they were some strange Language And are not these men in a sad case Truly my Brethren they are but walking Ghosts and gastly shadows they have no true life in them no not so much as the beginning of it for life Eternal is begun in Knowledge I know it is a Common fancy that if a man profess the true Religion if he have been baptized and come to the Assemblies and hear and pray as others do he is in a good Condition but be assured of this if he be ignorant of God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent he is no better then a dead man It is a cooling word my Brethren and that which one would think should astonish and amaze you Suppose a Messenger should come to any of you from them that have the power of life and death and with a serious and composed look should tell him that he is a dead man how would it strike him to the heart how would his colour come and go how would the powers of his soul tremble Now we are Messengers dispatched from him who hath the Keyes of Hell and Death to tell you who are ignorant of God and Christ that you are in a state of death and condemnation and that you are in danger every hour of being cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second Death It may be you will take no notice of it but chase away the meditation of it from your thoughts You will as many do delude your selves with this conceit that though you die in this condition yet God notwithstanding will be merciful to you But as you tender the salvation of your precious souls I beseech you to observe that Gods own Word is peremptory and express for this That none that is devoid of knowledge and continues so shall have any share in the mercy of God or in the glory of the world to come Oh continue thy loving kindness to them that know thee to them and none but them saith David Psalm 36.10 It is a people of no understanding saith the Prophet of the Jews Isa 27.11 And what follows Therefore he that made them will not have mercy upon them It is the common apprehension of the vulgar sort that he that made them cannot chuse but save them too No saith the Prophet there if they be grosly ignorant Then God that made them will have no mercy upon them They have not known my wayes saith God unto whom I swore in my wrath that they should never enter into my rest The time is coming when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them that know not God And therefore I beseech you do not slight it but lay it seriously to heart while yet the pardon may be gotten while the condemnatory sentence which the Law hath put against you may be yet revoked Use 3 Is it so that life Eternal is begun in holy Knowledge You see then what you are to do and what course you are to take if you would live Eternally Originally we are all dead men we are in a condition and a state of death And if you yet continue as you came into the world this is surely your case Now my Beloved are you sensible of this would you come out of this condition do you desire to live and live for ever Labour after holy Knowledge And this is life eternal to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Though this as I have shewed you be not all that goes to life Eternal yet this is the beginning of it and therefore if you mean to live Eternally this is the first thing that you are to do this is the first step that you are to make Till saving knowledge be attained in some degree the soul continues in a state of death as soon as this comes once into the soul Eternal life comes in with it The Exhortation of the Wise man seems to go far Prov. 2 4. Seek for knowledge as for silver and search for her as for hidden treasure But we must go a great deal further seek for it as for life yea as for Eternal Life Struggle for knowledge as it were for life and death But you will ask me which way shall we come to know God and know Christ To this I answer that you cannot know him by innate and in-bred light by any self-ability let it be what it will it is incompetent and insufficient to reveal God to you though much of him be manifested in the Book of the Creation his Wisdom his eternal power and God-head and though there be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 something to be known of God as the Apostle speaks by studying in this Book you cannot know him savingly by this means No neither can you know him so by studying in the Book of Scriptures neither though there he be revealed more fully then he is in the book of Creatures unless some other help go with it Nay more then so you cannot know him fully and compleatly any way by any means in this life As he is in himself he is not to be known of any but himself And hence tâ—â— Scripture tells us that no man hath seen God at any time John 1.18 It is very full you see no man at
be a God at all or if there be whether ours which we have chosen be the right and true God it is impossible but we should so far as those doubts prevail upon us go out from him and apply our selves to those things which are obvious to the sence which we see and know to be The more undoubtedly and firmly we believe that our God is the true God the more perfectly and fully we shall serve him and obey him the more we shall trust in him the more we shall seek to him the more we shall strive to please him according to the strengthening or weakening of our faith in this particular will be the measure of our service and obedience to him of our reliance and dependence on him For even as if a man believe there is no God at all he will not serve him he will not roll himself upon him whom he thinketh not to be So if he believe it weakly and with many haesitations that there is a God or that the God which he hath chosen is the true God he will fear him and he will trust him very weakly and remisly He will be on and off and up and down according to the ebbings and the flowings of his faith But if we have a strong and an unshaken confidence that our God is God indeed then we will set our selves to serve him fully and without halting Then we will trust him perfectly we will apply our selves to please him in all our ways and all our actions But you will ask me then how shall we do to put this matter out of all question that our God is the true God and what means shall we use to satisfie our selves and to confirm our faith in this particular because it is a Point of such concernment and hath such influence in our lives I shall give you some Directions First Endeavour to the utmost of your power to give compleat and full assent and credit to the Scripture admit not any doubt in that particular One main thing that the Scripture doth is to give testimony to the God whom we worship and if we can but say that this witness is true there is an end of this business So far as we believe the Scripture we cannot but believe without any haesitation that our God is the true God If we be satisfied of the one we cannot possibly have any scruple of the other And therefore we should spend our thoughts upon such meditations as will settle us in this We should consider with our selves the strange Consent of Scripture-writers living in so many Ages the strange accomplishment of Scripture-Prophesies the strange effect of Scripture-admonitions exhortations threatnings Though it be carried in a low and easie stile how it commands us and prevaileth more upon us then all the Eloquence of men and Angels could ever do were it united altogether Especially we should observe we that are God's I mean for to such I now speak what admirable operation it hath had upon our own hearts how it hath pierced in and made a separation between our very joynts and marrow how it hath even told us all that ever we have done how it hath cast us down with sorrow unconceivable and then raised us up again with joy unspeakable and glorious how it hath altered and changed us and turned us clear about and made us to renounce our profits pleasures and delights our wills our reasons and desires yea to deny our selves that we might walk by this Rule Such things as these methinks should mightily confirm us in the truth of this that the Scripture is the very Word of God And then this cannot chuse but follow out of all dispute that our God is the true God Secondly Examine all pretenders to the Godhead and see if any of them have so good a Plea so good a Title to the Deity as the God whom we worship This I suppose is out of question with you that there is a God this is apparent by the current and the joynt-consent of men in all times and in all places For this is not a thing that hath been taught by this or that sect or held by this or that people But all sects how much soever they have differed in all other things have held this and all Nations how wide soever each from other in place or manners have taught this But now the thing we are upon is who this God is whether ours or any other And truly my Beloved if this be once admitted that there is a God our God will carry it from any other that hath laid any claim to it As for the Idols of the Heathen stocks and stones I know you will not think it worthy your consideration whether any of them were the true God And for the gods which the Barbarians worshipped the Sun the Moon the very beasts themselves of every sort they are no great pretenders neither we need no more then ordinary reason to convince us that these can be no Gods For to say truth they are below men The Romane gods are more considerable then the other and yet they were but men as Jupiter and Saturn and the like Yea to say truth they were vile and wicked men addicted to the grossest vices and such as led most prophane and lewd lives Yea they were mortal men and therefore certainly they were not Gods And hence their very Worshippers would shew you in one place a Temple and in another place a Sepulchre erected to the same God which is a most apparent Contradiction And truly if a man consider who have pretended to the Godhead besides our God and what poor things they were it will exceedingly establish and confirm him in this business You cannot think that if there be a God as that is granted of all hands he is concealed from the world till this time And truly for the other gods that have been worshipped if you will but examine them you will apparently discover them to have deluded and deceived the world so that you may exceedingly confirm your faith in this respect by an induction of particulars This god and that god cannot be the true God and so along in all the rest And therefore our God is undoubtedly the true God And you shall find the Lord to have such poor Competitors that you will certainly cry out at last as being fully satisfied The Lord is God the Lord is God Be sure to sift this business to the full when you set your selves about it and not to leave it undetermined in your own thoughts Never give over till you be resolved and till you be established in the present truth It is the fault of many men yea I believe of many good men that when some thoughts of Atheism are cast in and when they have some doubts arising in their hearts whether the Lord be God or no as this the very best may have they do not altogether scatter them before they leave them but
will never take from you See the event of such a carriage in the close of the forecited parable Mat. 21.41 He will miserably destroy those wicked men Indeed the wickedness of those to whom Christ is never sent is light and little in comparison of theirs He is not sent to Heathen Nations they hear not of him any way God hath not favoured them so far as to dispatch his Son to them to be a Mediator between him and them And therefore their iniquity is comparatively small and their Judgement will be easie But Jesus Christ is sent to you he is the Fathers Messenger to you and if you do not entertain him your sin is great and your damnation will be heavy He will destroy others but he will miserably destroy you So that it will be easier for Tyre and Sydon for Infidels and Heathens in the day of Judgement then for you Consider if you receive this Messenger of God and entertain him as you ought to do he can do very much with God for you You are all out with God by nature he is an enemy to you and you are enemies to him your souls abhor him and his soul abhors you Zach. 11.8 Now Jesus Christ is sent to make peace to make up all the breaches and the differences between God and his people He can make you Gods friends yea he can make you Gods children This was the priviledge of those that entertained him Iohn 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God And this shall be your priviledge if you embrace him And is it such a small thing in your eyes to be the children of the highest to be the sons and daughters of the God of heaven and earth Is it nothing to have free access to God by prayer and by supplication to cry Abba Father to him That whereas others live without God in the world and have no refuge in their troubles we have a Father to betake our selves unto Or is it nothing to have sure protection and defence in such a time as this is For can we think a Father such a Father so powerfull and so mercifull will see his children sink and perish while he is able to relieve them Or is it nothing to have such a great inheritance prepared for us as God provideth for his children that rich inheritance with Saints in light All this we shall be sure to have if we receive this Messenger of God But you will ask me what I mean when I perswade you to receive him I will shew you in a word there go three things to it You must so receive this Messenger of God to hearken to him An Embassador you know is not received unless the Prince or State to whom his Master sends him give him audience A Messenger is not received unless you hear the message that he brings you So Jesus Christ whom God hath sent is not received unless you hear this Prophet unless you hear him in his Ministers unless you hear him in his Gospel-revelations of his mind and will to you You must so receive him to believe in him This is indeed receiving of Christ And therefore it is so explained Iohn 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave c. As received him what is that even to them that believe in his name So that receiving is expounded by believing as if the Holy Ghost had said I mean not by receiving Christ any friendly curteous entertainment that they give him I do not mean receiving him into their houses but I intend receiving him into their hearts by faith And therefore by receiving you must understand believing So do you receive Christ The only acceptable entertainment you can give him is by faith by believing in his name The Messenger of God is ill received unless he have the credit with us to be faithfully believed You must so receive him as to obey him To hearken and to yield to him in that which he delivereth to you in the name of him that sent him You must not think to entertain this Messenger of God as an underling to you so as to rule him no you must be ruled by him When he delivers his Embassage to you from his Father and tells you what his pleasure is as soon as you hear you must obey him There must be no room for disputation or expostulation but obedience You must answer with the Jews and with a better heart then they All that the Lord commandeth we will do And if you thus receive this Messenger of God it will be a blessed time that he ever came to you And thus we have at length dispatched two of the Arguments with which our Saviour presses and enforceth the great petition that he makes to God the Father to be glorified by him Whereof the former hath been taken from the end why he desireth to have glory from the Father viz. that he might be enabled to bring glory to the Father Father glorifie thy Son that thy Son may also glorifie thee The second hath been drawn à Congruo from Congruity it was but meet and congruous that he should have glory from the Father seeing he had power from him As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to c. And this is life c. The third remaineth to be entred on at this time and this is drawn from the deserving cause Christ had glorified the Father and therefore thinks himself worthy to have glory from the Father I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie me with thine own self And here our Saviour doth these two things he minds the Father what himself hath done and then reminds him what he desireth him to do First He minds the Father what himself hath done and that in two particulars I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And then reminds him hereupon of that which he desireth him to do And now O Father glorifie me with thine own self As he had said before in the entrance of his prayer Father glorifie thy Son so that he reasons here from the desert to the reward as he might do though we cannot for all the works of Christ were meritorious This he had done for God and therefore this he looks that God should do for him again Begin we now with the first thing which our Saviour Christ had done of which he minds the Father as an inducement to glorifie him with himself I have glorified thee on the Earth To glorifie is either really to make or else to manifest and to declare a person to be glorious Christ could not make his Father glorious because there was no time in which he was not infinitely and compleatly so From everlasting he was absolutely glorious in himself so that in this respect there
in the first place that he may be faithful and in the next place that discovery which he makes may be effectual 1. He makes a full discovery that he may be faithful as the Prophet of his Church For if he should not shew his Father to us fully if he should hide any thing of God from us which it concerneth us to know how should he be a faithful Prophet to us And even as if he should not make compleat and perfect satisfaction for us he should not be a faithful Priest So if he should not give compleat instruction to us he should not be a faithful Prophet Indeed his Father hath appointed him my Brethren to make known his Name every letter of his Name to his people and hence he gives him this account when he is even about to leave the world I have manifested c. 2. He makes a full discovery of his Father to his people that the discovery which he makes may be effectual For if he should conceal the least particle the least iota of his Fathers Name which is required to be known necessitate medii to salvation all the rest that he revealeth would be in vain it would be to no purpose If he make not a full discovery in the sense that I have said it were as good that he made none at all And therefore that he may attain the end for which he came into the world for which he executes his Mediatorship in all the offices and branches of it even the Salvation of his people he makes his Father so far known to every one of his that nothing may be hidden from them in the ignorance of which whosoever dies must perish Now is it so that Jesus Christ hath made an absolute compleat and Vse 1 full c. The less are they to be excused and the more to be condemned who yet continue ignorant of God of his Nature and his Will notwithstanding this discovery Though Jesus Christ hath done so much to make his Father known to them yet they continue wholly unacquainted with him They are meer strangers to the Father they do not know so much as a Letter of his Name which Christ hath made so manifest And this is very evident because they do not love him they do not trust in him which they would be sure to do if they did know the Name of God They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee saith the Psalmist Psal 9.10 And so it may be said as well they that know thy Name will love thee and they that know thy Name will fear thee It is impossible but mens affections should be managed and moulded by their apprehensions and that the principles which they have rooted in their understandings should have some influence and operation on their hearts So that if men did but know the wrath of God it could not be but they would fear him if they did know the power of God and know it as engaged for them it could not be but they would trust him and depend upon him If they did know the love and mercy the beauty and the excellency of the Lord it could not be but they would love him But while they shew forth none of this it is apparent that the Fathers Name of which these are but divers Letters as it were is utterly unknown to them Now my Beloved when the Lord shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance unto them that know not God what will become of those men Alas their unacquaintance with him now Christ hath shewed his Name so plainly will be void of all excuse If Jesus Christ had kept his Father close if he had hid his Name his Love his Power his Mercy and the like and had not manifested it to men they might have pleaded something when the day of reckoning comes They might have said alas it is no wonder that the Father is unknown to us for which way should we come to be acquainted with him He dwells in light that no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen or can see But then Christ Jesus will be ready to reply it was a great part of my errand and my business down into the world to help men to the sight of him to manifest his Name to men And I have done it fully and compleatly and therefore if you know him not your sin is wilful and your damnation must be heavy Is it so that Jesus Christ hath made an absolute c. then let us bless Vse 2 and magnifie the Lord Christ that he hath done this necessary work for us that he hath shewed his Father and made known his Name to us We are all of us by nature strangers to him and of our selves we have no means to be acquainted with him Indeed by nature we may come to have some knowledge of a God as the Apostle speaks at large Rom. 1. But the knowledge of the Father in reference to Jesus Christ and to his people is another thing To know God as a Father to his Son Christ and in and through Christ to us to know him by this Name of his is unattainable by any light but that which we receive from Christ himself So that unless he had discovered him we had never known the Father and so had perished everlastingly No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Matth. 11.27 And therefore we are infinitely bound to Jesus Christ that he hath revealed him to us that he hath made such an absolute and full discovery of his Father to his people which if he had not done they had continued strangers to him both in this world and in that which is to come Indeed we might have known him as an angry and a powerful God we might know him as a Judge and an avenger without any help from Christ But as a sweet and gracious Father we had never known him if Christ had not discovered him in such a way and under such a notion to us This Name of his none but Jesus Christ could teach us we could have learned to spell and understand it of no other Master in this world And therefore we are bound the more to Christ and his mercy is the greater that he hath undertaken to instruct us and make us perfect in this sweet Lesson which is indeed the first and greatest in the Primmer of Religion the Name of the Father Vse 3 Is it so That Jesus Christ hath made an absolute c. Then let us be perswaded to address our selves to the performance of that necessary duty which this so large so ample a discovery of the Father calls for viz. To grow up in the knowledge of him and not to rest till we be inwardly and throughly acquainted with him That as the revelation of him in it self is very full so it may be so to us too Beloved Jesus Christ hath done
are they that hear the word of God and keep it But not to stay upon the proof in general because the term is for somewhat dark I shall proceed to shew you more particularly and distinctly what it is to keep the word of God which is the main thing in the observation They whom the Father gives to Jesus Christ do keep his word Now this imports and carries in it divers things To keep the word of God is to retain it in the memory not only to receive it but also to retain it there To hold fast what we have received as the expession is Rev. 3.11 Reprobis effluit sermo dei saith Calvin on my Text. The word of God flows away from reprobates and wicked men It is like water shed upon the ground which is gone upon the suddain But it sticks with the Elect it takes deep root there It is observed to the praise of Mary that she kept the sayings of our Saviour all his sayings Luke 2.50 Others lost them but she kept them and therefore she is set in opposition to them They understood not the sayings which he spake to them they knew not what he meant and therefore it was quickly gone with them for what you do not understand you shall be hardly able to remember But Mary kept these sayings in her heart while many others who understood not these discourses of our Saviour let them go They valued them as things of nothing and looked upon them but as loose words and therefore had no mind to keep them She laid them up with extraordinary care as singular and choice things And this is that which the Apostle Paul exhorts us to Heb. 2.1 We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard that is to the words of God least at any time we should let them slip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least we prove like leaking vessels that hold not what is poured into them but leak it out again upon a suddain Lest we forget the word of God That is the first thing then to keep the word of God is to retain it in the memory And those whom he bestows on Christ do thus keep it And as there is a keeping of it in the memory so in the second place there is a keeping of it in the heart As in the memory by retaining so in the heart by believing And of this sort of keeping speaks our Saviour John 8.51 Verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death His saying is the doctrine of the Gospell which is more properly the word of Christ He cannot mean if a man keep my saying if he remember it he shall never see death But if a man keep my saying if he believe it if he keep it in his heart for with the heart a man believeth to salvation then he shall never see death And so the words are parallel with those which he delivers in another place John 11.2 Whosoever believeth in me shall never die That is the second sort of keeping then in the heart by believing There is a keeping of the word of God as in the mind by remembring and in the heart by believing so in the affections by loving They are the Cabinet in which it is laid up and it is very safe there So David kept the word of God very dear in his affections as he professeth very often sometimes he saith that it is sweeter to him then hony or the hony-comb sometimes that is dearer to him then thousands of Gold and Silver That he loves it above Gold yea above fine Gold He loves it not as Silver but as Gold not equall unto Gold but above Gold Not above ordinary base Gold but above fine Gold That place is notable in which he seems to be transported Psal 119.97 O how do I love thy Law It is out of all measure it is so great that I am no way able to express it There is a keeping of the word as in the mind by remembring and in the heart by believing and in the affections by loving so in the life by obeying And in this sence the phrase is usually taken in the Scripture to keep and to obey is all one And so the Lord himself explains it Deut. 13.4 Ye shall walk after the Lord your God and keep his Commandments And what is that you shall obey his voice and serve him as it is added in the next words Now the word of God is kept as I shall shew you very clearly both by active and by passive obedience First it is kept by active obedience to it and Secondly it is kept by passive obedience for it 1. There is a keeping of the word of God by active obedience to it by doing that which it commands and by avoiding that which it forbids This is the common acceptation of the term This sense the Holy Ghost himself the best Interpreter gives of it 1 John 5.22 Whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments Keep his Commandments how so you have it clearly in the following words And do those things that are pleasing in his sight And thus you must conceive the meaning of the Holy Ghost in the forealledged Scripture Luke 11.28 Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it that is that hear it and obey it 2. And as the word of God is kept by obedience active to it so by obedience passive for it And this is clearly intimated in the attestation that he gives the Church of Sardis Apoc. 3.10 thou hast kept the word of my patience that is as thou hast kept my word in general so more particularly thou hast kept those portions of my word and those parcels of my truth which must have patience to the keeping of them A man may keep some part of Gods word without patience as being as being universally received by all opposed by none But then there are some other portions of the Word and Truth of God which if a man maintain and hold and practise he shall surely suffer he shall be persecuted for them A man might have gone clear along with some truth even in the Marian days themselves But if he held and openly professed the truth against the real Presence in the Sacrament and so in many other things he brought himself into extream danger And so in every age there are some passages of holy Scripture and the truths delivered in them that are more opposed then others so that whoever sticks to them shall be sure to meet with trouble and so to exercise his patience And he that keeps these notwithstanding that maintains them and that yeilds obedience to them he keeps the Word of Gods patience And therefore it is noted of the good ground that it receives the Word of God aright and brings forth fruit with patience Luke 8.15 That on the good ground are they which in a good and honest heart
having heard the Word keep it and bring forth fruit with patience That is the Word is fruitful in them notwithstanding persecutions and afflictions So was it in the Thessalonians as the Apostle testifies of them 1 Epist 2.13 When ye received the Word of God said he ye received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually also worketh in you And what was this effectual operation Constancy in sharp sufferings as you may see in the next verse And yet they would not let it go though they suffered much for it That of the Prophet David is remarkable Psal 119.161 Princes have persecuted me without cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy Word He had rather have them against him then have the Word of God against him They threatned him if he obeyed and kept the Word The Word on the other side that threatned him if he renounced and disobeyed it Whom did he fear most why saith the Psalmist My heart standeth in awe of thy Word Though they be Princes very great men and though they threaten me and persecute me too yet I fear the Word of God more then I fear them I dare not disobey it how much soever I displease them how much soever I may suffer from them This is to keep the Word by obedience passive for it Thus much shall serve for the Explication of the point Now is it so that they whom the Father gives to Jesus Vse do keep his Word Here is a touch-stone then my Brethen by which you may try your selves whether you be given up to Christ or no. I have shewed you heretofore of how great Consequence it is for every one of us to be among the number of the men whom God makes over to his Son Christ Indeed so great that all our happiness both in the present life and that to come consists in it If God the Father bestow us not on Jesus Christ it had been infinitely better for us that we had never been born that he had never made us For we continue in the power and the possession of the Prince of this world his we are and with him must remain for ever Now my Beloved would you know whether you be yet made over to the Son of God or no Examine diligently whether you have kept the Word of God Thine they were saith Christ to God the Father and thou gavest them to me and they have kept thy Word And is it so with you my Brethren Consider it a little and proceed in the discovery according to the branches laid before in Explication of the point Have you kept it in your memories Abundance of you have read and heard much of the Word of God These many years it hath been preached to you you have had precept upon precept and line upon line here a little and there a little you have not been overlaid and dulled ouâ— with long Sermons but you had a little and a little A little on a Sabbath day and a little on a Lecture day Your lessons have been short that you might the better learn them But what have you retained of all this Indeed some of you have laid up these sayings in your hearts as Mary did you have them sure and safe there You have them ready and at hand to bring them forth on all occasions for the Direction and the Consolation of your selves and of your Brethren But for the greater number they have lost all nothing at all sticks by them The Word of God hath come to them as the Apostle says and they have let it go again I must acknowledge there is difference in the memories of men and some are subject to a natural defect so that they fail them strangely in their own affairs which are of most concernment to them But when the memories of men are sure and faithful to them in all other things but hold the Word of God no better then a Sive holds water that lets every drop go this is a very sad case It is a shrewd presumption that they are none of Christs Disciples But you will say How shall we amend this how shall we do that we may keep the Word of God in this respect I will give you two or three Directions 1. Keep your minds close to it let them not rove and wander while you hear it if they do you lose all This is the Apostles counsel to give earnest heed to be intent upon the things we hear to watch the words as they come forth out of the Preachers mouths Heb 2.1 and why so least at any time we let them slip If we would remember well there must not be the least diversion 2. Get a good understanding in the Word of God The observation of the Holy Ghost is notable for this purpose Luk 2.19 They understood not the sayings which he spake unto them But Mary kept all these sayings in her heart They kept them not because they did not understand them that which is not understood will very hardly be remembred They are our understanding hearers that carry all away while ignorant and sottish people keep nothing 3. Value the Word of God more and you shall find you will remember it the better See the necessity the excellency of it and then you will be careful how you lose it Esteem it as the Prophet David did above gold yea above fine gold He whose memory is weakest seldom forgets where he hath laid his gold 4. Strengthen memory by meditation repetition conference of what you hear If it be hard to take in holy Truths chafe them in rub them in and settle them by this means Let them be as a nail well fastned as the expression of the Wiseman is and set home with many strokes that they may not out again 5. Set instantly upon the practice of the truth delivered to you assoon as you hear it act it That which you do you will remember Mark that of the Apostle James 1.25 Not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Word The doer then is no forgetful hearer Many men remember nothing because indeed they do nothing 6. When holy truths are gone with you when they are slipt away entreat the Holy Spirit to recal them Mind him humbly of his Office and of the end for which your Saviour sent him down into this lower world to bring things to remembrance which have been taught you Joh. 14.26 JOHN 17.6 And they have kept thy Word TO pass on to the Second branch of this discovery Have you kept the Word of God in your Hearts by believing This is a degree higher and reaches further then the other Many keep it in their memories who do not keep it in their hearts Many remember it who do not believe it And yet unless we do both we can have no assurance that we belong to Jesus Christ by the donation of the Father And is it so with you
my Brethren Do you believe the Word of God Do your hearts say Amen to every particle and tittle of it If God should come and put the question to you concerning those particulars of holy Truths which seem most hard to be believed most difficult to be accomplished as once our Saviour did to Martha when he had said I am the Resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Believest thou this Joh. 11.26 Can you return the same answer yea Lord I believe as she did May not the same be charged on abundance of you which God so sharply reprehends in Israel Psal 106.24 They believed not his Word and hearkned not to the voyce of the Lord. Are there not multitudes among us who give no credit to the Word at all who when they hear the truths of God delivered to them do not enquire with Nicodemus only How can these things be but even peremptorily determine they can never be And here because they are of many sorts who do not keep the Word of God in their hearts by believing I will set them in their ranks and proceed with them in order Some there are who question all the Word of God throughout from the beginning of it to the end do not believe one word of it Either they throw it off as false and vain without Consideration in a rash and wilde way or else they soberly resolve the Scripture to be nothing else but the invention and device of Politick and subtile heads to keep fools in awe withal And so they say upon deliberation as David in his haste and in his passion All men are lyars the very Pen-men of the Word of Truth it self The Prophets the Apostles all are lyars As that blasphemous Pope who stiled the Gospel the Fable of Christ These men are flat Atheists what ever their professions be We want not some in these times who are so bold as to declare themselves in this particular and openly to renounce the Word of God And certainly however other men conceal themselves for shame yet there are more of this opinion then we are aware of They do not say with their tongues perhaps but yet with Davids fool they say it in their hearts the Scripture is not Gods Word yea there is no God at all to be Author of the Scripture Others there are who though they do not question all the Scripture yet they do not believe it all they give not absolute belief to every part and parcel of it And since the Word hath in it precepts promises and threatnings and there are some that question one and some another of them we will proceed with them distinctly and in order 1. Some there are who do not give assent to the Divine Authority of all the Precepts of the Word of God Some deny some certain Precepts ' and Commandements by themselves apart The Papists they deny the second Precept Vasques acknowledges that this Commandement interdicts not only the adoring of an Image under the notion of a God but also the adoring of the true God in an Image And further he confesses that they do the very thing that is condemned in this Commandement What then because it will not be obeyed it must be cancelled and repealed and not admitted to have any place among the Moral precepts of the Law of God It was saith he a positive and Ceremonial Law and therefore ceases now in our days And thus they make the Commandement of the Lord of no effect through their tradition Others deny the fourth Commandement and affirm that is also vanished with the Ceremonials that it belongeth not to Christians save only in regard of Moral equity in which respect the Moral and Judicial Laws belong to us also And yet the Lord you see hath placed it in the middle of the Decalogue and hedged it in on every side with other precepts that it might be the safer from the violence of those who seek to raze it out of the Tables But that which these men do by parcels and retail there are another sort who do in gross and as it were by whole sale cast off all the Precepts and Commandements of the Law of God together affirming they are all abolished not only in regard of irritation malediction condemnation but even in regard of obligation And thus with those in Davids time they make void the Law of God These men cannot pray to God as David doth Psal 119.66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have believed thy Commandements And verily if all that are bestowed on Jesus Christ do keep the Word of God in the heart by believing they that renounce it thus seem to be in an ill Condition and they have reason to consider well whether they be given up to Christ or no. Others there are who give no credit or belief to the threatnings of the Word who when they hear them thundered out against them say it is not be with Israel neither shall we see Sword nor Famine Jer 5.12 And are there not a multitude of this opinion For tell me my Beloved when you that know your selves to be unclean livers have heard that dreadful commination Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge when you that are so glewed to the world that nothing can divide you from it have heard that flaming sentence That no covetous person hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of God when you that wallow in your filthiness you that are lyers swearers drunkards enemies of all goodness have heard that nothing that is filthy or unclean shall come within the new Jerusalem that without shall be lyars and dogs that bark and snarl and snap at holiness that such shall have their portion in the lake c. have you believed these threatnings have you assented to the truth of them Alas my Brethren it is Evident you have not For 1. First If you believe the threatnings you will quake and tremble at them This disposition is observed in the Saints of God in Scripture that as they had believing so they had tender trembling hearts in relation to his threatnings Such a heart had good Josiah his heart was tender when he heard the words that is the threatning words of God his words against Jerusalem 2 King 22.19 not to it to instruct nor for it to comfort but against it to affright Such a heart had holy David Psal 119.12 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements He speaks not of his Judgements actually inflicted for they are felt but of his judgements threatned only and hanging in the Commination for they ate feared I am afraid of thy judgements Of such a temper was the Prophet Hab. 3.16 when I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voyce c. And such a disposition they discovered of whom the Propeht Ezra speaks ch 9. ver 4. they
did endure And so it will do any of us in the like case This is the victory that overcometh the world even our Faith 1 Joh. 5.4 And therefore when we are so quickly overcome and brought to choose sin rather then affliction it is a sign we want faith By this you see there are too many who do not keep the Word of God in their hearts by believing Now I beseech you my Beloved as you would have this assurance that you are of the number of those that belong to Christ by the donation of the Father keep his words if you observe your Faith to waver or to fail in any point abase and judge your selves for it And that you may the better know how far to judge and how far to acquit your selves in this particular I shall give you some Cautions 1. You are not bound to credit every thing that is presented to you under the name and title of the Word of God To give a suddain and inconsiderate assent to all that the best Minister delivers to you because he teaches it and you are well perswaded of the man You may nay more then so you ought to try before you trust in this case Prove every thing saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5.21 and then hold fast that which is good It is observed of the Bereans that they were not so servilly addicted and engaged to any Teachers how excellent soever their endowments were as to receive upon their credit any thing that they delivered No their manner was to search the Scriptures whether things were so Act. 17.11 And yet it is notable that they are said to have received the Word of God with all readiness of mind for all this The Lord requires no greater readiness of mind then this in entertaining or believing any thing that is delivered in his Name that is to take it upon some trial 2. It is no sign of infidelity to move some questions with an aym at satisfaction concerning things delivered either in or from the Word If it be done with holy reverence and with an humble and sincere desire of satisfaction and instruction it is a very good course So did the blessed Virgin make a question concerning what the Angel had delivered to her Luke 1.34 A question not of opposition but of inquisition How shall these things be This way of making doubts and questions it seems was used in the Jewish Church and Christ approved it by his Example Luk. 2.46 47. So it is said of the Apostle Paul that he reasoned with the Jews out of the Scriptures Act. 17.2 And if such reasonings were more in use not reasonings against the Word but out of the Word there would assuredly be more faith then there is at this day 3. Nay though it be a sign of weakness it is no sign of utter infidelity to have some doubtful thoughts arising in our hearts concerning the most clear and pregnant Truths that are revealed in the Word of God David had such thoughts as these and yet he was a good man though this indeed were no part of his goodness Psal 89.19 37 38. There you have first the Lords assurance that he will establish David and protect him And at last he comes to swear that he will not lye to David his Throne shall endure for ever c. And yet observe how David faileth in the very next words but thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast made void the Covenant of thy servant This was his great infirmity and yet you see it was not incompatible with grace It may befall a Saint to have such unbelieving thoughts as these provided that he pray against them strive against them and be humbled for them As David was when he had motions to distrust the Providence of God to question this great truth of God as Psal 73. this did so trouble him that at vers 21. he saith his very heart was grieved and he was pricked in his reins because he was so foolish and so ignorant And while it is thus with us we need not thereupon to doubt our interest in Jesus Christ But if we entertain such thoughts as these and bid them welcome when they come c. if we never pray nor strive against our unbelief nor grow up into any certainty in matters of Religion If we resolvedly reject the Word of God either in part or in the whole this is a very sad case If I speak the truth saith Christ why do you not believe me Joh. 8.46 And mark what follows presently ye therefore hear me not that is believe me not because ye are not of my sheep as I said unto you So that it is a formidable thing you see not to believe the Word of Christ It shews that men are none of Christs And therefore let us give assent to the whole Word of God the precepts promises and threatnings that Christ may own us that he may say concerning us to God the Father Thine they were and thou gavest them to me And thus we have dispatched the first and second branch of the discovery Proceed we to the third Have you kept the Word of God in your affections by loving it it is somewhat to remember it it is more to give assent and credit to it but it is most of all to love and delight in it And yet unless you reach to this you can have no assurance that you belong to Jesus Christ and that you are bestowed upon him by the Father The very Devils know the Word of God and think upon it and believe it too they are convinced of the truth of it and yet they are so far from loving it or taking any pleasure in it that they tremble at it They perceive it is against them they look upon it as an Enemy that speaks sad things to them and so they are afraid of it They fear it with a slavish fear and slavish fear casteth out love To say the truth the more they credit it the less they love it and the more they tremble at it And so it is in some degree with wicked and ungodly men They give assent to the letter of the Scripture they believe it to be true but they have no affection to it because it is no friend to them and their courses It crosses them in every thing they have a mind to and therefore they are at enmity with it and their hearts rise up against it they receive the knowledge and in some sort the belief but they do not receive the love of the Truth But you my Brethren must go further yet if you will clear your interest in Jesus Christ you must go beyond Devils yea you must go beyond the best of carnal and unsanctified men you must not satisfie your selves with this that you know the Word of God that you have it in your mindes that you are able to discourse of it that you believe it to be true in all particulars But more then so your
he did so he had his reasons in his own breast and in his own bosom Only this is probable that he did it that he might be an Example and a president to us that we might learn of him to do as he did That when we are approaching to the Throne of Grace we might be very much possessed with deep and serious contemplations of the holiness of God I shall adde no more for proof but hasten to the Application Now is it so that even as God is holy in himself so Jesus Christ came Vse 1 to him as a holy God and looked c. Then let us learn of Jesus Christ how to behave our selves when we are making our addresses to the Majesty of God and pouring out prayers to him We are exhorted very often in the Scripture to be followers of Christ and so to walk and act as we have him for an Example In all his imitable ways and actions his practice ought to be a rule to us And therefore let us labour to conform our selves to Jesus Christ in this particular when we are drawing nigh to God in prayer let our thoughts be taken up with meditations of his holiness let them work much upon this attribute of his Indeed the Saints of the Old Testament when they set God upon his Throne and clothe him with his Majesty and glory as they use to do in the beginnings of their prayers do seem to take more notice of other attributes of God of his power of his dreadfulness his righteousness his faithfulness his truth his mercy then his holiness But under the New Testament you know God hath been served worshipped in a more spiritual way and here we have the High Priest of our profession Jesus Christ the most unparalleld and matchless pattern teaching us by his example to exercise our thoughts upon the holiness of God when we are making our approaches to him And therefore when at any time we set our selves to pray let us endevour to affect our selves and to be taken up with deep considerations of this attribute of his Let our most working apprehensions fix upon his holiness and make a deep impression of it in our hearts that we may carry it along throughout from the beginning of our supplications to the end It will be singularly useful to us as I shall shew you in a few particulars 1. It will help exceedingly to frame our hearts to put them into such a posture as the Lord delights in It 's true the meditation of other of the attributes of God hath its work upon our spirits when we are drawing nigh unto him But this me thinks hath somewhat proper and peculiar to it self further and beyond the rest It 's true the apprehension of the Mercy of the Lord will make us to have comfortable cheerful hearts the apprehension of his truth and faithfulness will make us to have bold couragious hearts the apprehension of his power and greatness will make us to have trembling and awful hearts But now the apprehension of his holiness will make us to have holy hearts that so we may be like him whom we are making our addresses to And holiness alone comprises all that hath been said and much more our cheerfulness our confidence our reverence in prayer are all but parts of holiness A holy frame of heart involves and comprehendeth in it all this and more besides then we are able to express Indeed what ever God takes pleasure in as to the temper of his people when they are pouring out their prayers to him is all contained under holiness Let them come with holy hearts and all is well and this they shall the better do if they consider with what an infinitely holy God they have to do Oh this will raise the heart if it be duly weighed to such a sweet and pretious frame that it will be no longer earthly it will be fit to have Communion with the holy God And therefore David presses the Consideration of this attribute of God in those whom he exhorts to worship him by way of preparation to that great business Psal 99.9 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy hill for the Lord our God is holy 2. The meditation of the holiness of God will quicken us and stir us up as far as it is possible to cleanse our selves from every sin when we are making our approaches to him For sin my Brethren is against his holiness yea in directest opposition And therefore it is known by the name of filthiness and uncleanness in the Scripture Not only whoredom and adultery and fornication and sins of that kind are unclean as they are called uncleanness in the abstract but sin is generally so as you may see that place for instance 2 Cor. 7.1 And hence it is my Brethren that it is so odious to the Lord there being nothing in the world so contrary and so opposite to him and to his Nature as sin is No man in the world hates any thing no mans heart abhors and loaths and rises against any thing as the Lords against sin By reason of his pureness and his holiness he cannot brook it Hab. 1.13 he is not able to endure it He seems me thinks to shut his eyes and to cry out to his people Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate And therefore when men will not hold but commit it the infinitely holy God is vexed and troubled out of all measure so he is represented in the Scripture Isa 63.10 They rebelled against him saith the Prophet and they vexed his holy Spirit Because he was so holy he was vext the more at sin which was so filthy And truly my Beloved if we did seriously consider the holiness of God when we are about to pray we would not dare to bring this filthy thing into his presence which is so contrary to this attribute of his and consequently is so odious and detestable to him At least we would endeavour to the utmost of our power to cleanse our selves from all the filthiness of flesh and spirit to wash our hands and hearts in Innocency with holy David and so to compass Gods Atar to offer up the Incense of our prayers to him Oh we would shake and quiver every joint to think of coming to the Holy God in the midst of our pollutions unpurged and unhumbled for We would consider with our selves What will the Lord say to me when he sees me in his presence so defiled How will he look on such a filthy and abominable wretch as I am how is it possible but he should hide his eyes from me when he perceives the hands that I spread forth before him are so full of gore and blood how can he choose but loath me and abhor me Do I expect to find favour in his eyes and come before him with that which he so abhors as if I meant to vex him and provoke him And therefore if we ever look to speed
spirit That place of the Apostle Paul is cleer and full to this purpose Ephes 3.16 where he desireth God in the behalf of that people That he would grant them to be strengthened with all might in the inner man How so Why by his spirit as you may see in that place And thus you see both that and how they that belong to Jesus Christ are kept by the almighty power of God in them They that belong to Jesus Christ are also kept by the almighty power of God for them For even as God is strong in them so he is also strong for them And as he makes them strong so he shews himself strong in their behalf as the Expression is 2 Chron. 16 9. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of those whose hearts are perfect with him And thus they are preserved and kept not only by the power of God strengthing and fortifying them within but also by the power of God protecting them and helping them without And therefore it is said the name of the Lord that is the power of the Lord is a strong Tower the righteous runneth to it and is safe Prov. 18.10 Now security of any person that runneth to a Tower for shelter consists not in his own strength but in the strength of the Tower he runs to A strong Tower will protect a weak man if he can get within it he is safe And such a stong Tower is the name the power of God for the safeguard of his people And thus you see he keeps us through his own name his own power according to our Saviours prayer in my text in a way of protection by giving outward help and succour when we are in great danger And this outward help he gives us two wayes First sometimes immediately by his own power he helpeth us himself by his own almighty arm without the use of second causes and then his arm is made bare He brings in succour to his people as he made the world of nothing and therefore he is said in Scripture to create it as you may see that place for instance Isa 65.18 Be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy And thus he kept his people in the fire and in the water and in the wilderness where there were no means at all of preservation he did it meerly by his own name Secondly Sometimes he helps and keeps his people mediately by his power communicated for that end to second causes He raises instruments of their delivery and makes them able to relieve his people as he did the Judges often And as it is observed of David when God was pleased to use him for the help of Israel in a time of great distress he furnished him with power sufficient to go through with the business which he had designed him to And therefore saith the Lord of that instrument of his Psal 89.19 20. I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the people I have found David my servant with my holy oil have I annointed him Mighty he is to help indeed but it is because I have made him so because I have laid help upon him And so he stirs up some continually to favour and relieve his people he makes the earth sometimes to help the woman men that have nothing else but earth in them but still the power by which they help them is from him Their power is his power and therefore when his people are preserved and kept by them they are kept by his name as you have it in my text and his name must have the glory This shall suffice for explication of the point they that belong to Jesus Christ are kept by the almighty power of God himself And there is pregnant reason for it For first of all no other power but his will keep them and his is every way sufficient And secondly his power is mightily engaged to keep them Reason 1 They that belong to Jesus Christ are kept c. because no other power but his will keep them Kept they must be and none but this alone will do it Alas the adversaries power that is against them is abundantly too strong for any power that can appear for them but that of the almighty God himself The power of all the world and all the strong temptations that are in it of pleasure profit honour which is bent against the Saints you will conceive to be a great matter Yet this is nothing in comparison this is the least part of their danger What think you of the power of all the lusts and the corruptions that are in them that are continually raging warring Who is able of himself to overpower and master these What think you of the power of Satan and his black confederates the power of darkness as it is stiled in the Scripture All the united strength of hell it self nothing but the power of heaven is able to out wrestle this and they that will struggle with it had need be strengthned by that glorious power And hence our Saviour places the security of his Disciples in this That they are kept by him that is greater then all John 10.29 That is of greater strength as I have shewed so that none can pluck them out of his hand Reason 2 They that belong to Jesus Christ are kept c. because as no other power can keep them so this is mightily engaged to be for them And that especially two wayes by the Sons prayer and the Fathers promise 1. By the Sons prayer and that must not be denyed For this we need to go no further then my text Holy Father keep them through thy own name It was one of the last requests he made when he was taking leave of this world and therefore certainly it was successfull Simon Simon saith our Saviour Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat But how is Peter kept now Why by our Saviours intercession I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not 2. By the Fathers promise he hath engaged himself by promise to his people many times that his power shall be for them The Covenant is a Constellation and a heap of promises and he is a God in Covenant with them So that as he himself is theirs so all his attributes are theirs too His mercy to forgive them his justice to avenge them his power to keep them The Romans were in league with many people and if those people were in danger they were obliged in point of honour to defend them And so they did with as much diligence and care as they did their own City Even thus it is between the Lord and his people he is in League and Covenant with them and he hath undertaken their protection And therefore if they be in any streight he is bound
in point of honour to set his power on work to save them And hence it is that they are kept by the almighty power of God as long as they remain in this world JOHN 17.11 Keep them through thy own name those whom thou hast given IS it so that they that belong to Jesus Christ are kept c. Then in Vse 1 the first place let it serve for information to let us see where our strength and safety lies We are in danger every day and every hour as long as we remain in this world we have mighty enemies both without us and within us we walk continually in the midst of traps and snares and gins that Satan and his instruments do lay for us How are we preserved now and where is our security Truly my brethren not in our own wisdom grace strength c. but in the name of God himself We are kept by his power and not our own Our blessed Saviour in his prayer doth not commit us to our selves or any thing that is in us but to his Fathers own name q. d. They cannot keep themselves by any grace or strength that is within them or without them and therefore I beseech thee Father keep them through thy own name Well then my brethren let none of us be strong in his own strength let us not trust to our own abilities to support us and uphold us to bear us up and to safeguard us in temptations and afflictions But let us know that grace received and infused is not sufficient of it self to keep us unless it be corroborated and supported still with new assisting grace and strength from God And therefore he is said to keep us who are sanctified that we fall not And we are kept not by inherent faith alone but by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.4 And thus the Lord hath ordered it that though we are endued with some degrees of grace and spiritual strength we might be held to a perpetual necessary firm dependance on him notwithstanding And therefore when we rely on what we have received already as if those measures which we have inherent in our selves were strong enough to cope with a temptation the Lord will let us see how weak it is by the withdrawing of his succour from us And this indeed was Peters case he was too bold and confident upon the strength of his inherent grace he thought no doubt his faith was so impregnable that no temptation could prevail so far against it to cause him to deny his Lord and Master No not the fear of death it self and therefore God deserted him in reference to his assisting grace and so he fell in the temptation let us be wary of the same error lest we find the same issue Vse 2 Is it so That they that belong to Jesus Christ are kept c. This then should teach us to be bold and resolute in all cases and not to cast away our confidence how desperate soever our condition be I say as the Prophet Who is among you that feareth the Lord that walketh in darkness and can see no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord that is the great and Almighty power of God and stay upon his God Isa 50.10 And this was that which Abraham trusted in and stayed himself upon in such a case wherein there was no likelihood no probability at all to a humane apprehension He staggered not at the promise of God but was strong in faith giving glory to God Rom. 4.20 And whereupon did he repose and rest his faith on the Almighty power of God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform And so let us my Brethren rest on this power in all extremities and streights let us hide our selves in the Name of God and let us not be dashed or permit our hearts to sink by reason of improbabilities or want of means But let us seriously consider with our selves that Jesus Christ hath as it were resigned us up into his Fathers hands to be kept by his Name And by that name and power of his let us be confident we shall be kept what ever our distresses be And more particularly according to the Explication of the point let us be confident that if the danger be within we shall be kept by the Almighty power of God within us strengthening If our danger be without we shall be kept by the Almighty power of God without us guarding and defending If our danger be within by reason of temptations or afflictions that lye hard upon us and are about to overcome us let us take courage to our selves and resolve we shall be kept by this Almighty power of God within us strengthening and supporting And that we shall be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power Oh thy temptations or afflictions thou wilt say are a crushing burthen to thee thou art not able to sustain it Thou wilt cry out as Job perhaps Job 6.11 What is my strength that I should hope Is my strength the strength of stones or is my flesh of brass But man consider is it thy own strength that thou standest in If it were so I must confess thy case were very sad indeed But if thou be supported by the glorious power of an Almighty God why shouldst thou doubt or be discouraged Thus far perhaps although with many bitter pangs of fear thou hast past through the midst of thy temptations and afflictions thou hast been shaken fearfully but yet thou hast not utterly been overthrown and cast down thou hast not yet denyed the Holy One as Job speaks How hast thou been supported hitherto but by the Name of God himself was it not he that strengthned thee in those distresses fears and agonies of thine and cannot he uphold thee still Is Gods hand shortned that he cannot help is any thing too hard for the Almighty Suppose thy burthen shall be heavier yet as that it may be is thy great fear Is that any thing to God is not his glorious Name sufficient to keep and bear thee up as well in heavier as in higher trials that hath kept thee hitherto it must be yeilded or else thou hadst been overwhelmed in thy troubles And what now will it be too weak if thou be brought to greater exigencies and distresses Indeed if thou wer 't kept by creature-strength either within thee or without thee the difference were very great I must confess between a heavy and a light affliction But now it matters not at all it is all one to the Almighty power of God that will be sufficient for thee let the case be what it will or what it can It may be thou conceivest that if thy burthen were a little heavier if but a grain or two were added to it thou wert gone thou must be overlaid and crushed and broken instantly Oh but remember that of the Apostle Ephes 3.16 God is able to do
to be they may be one even as the Father and the Son are one Holy Father keep them through thy own Name that they may be one as we are So that the Observation clearly intimated here is this DOCTRINE It is a matter of wondrous difficulty and of high Concernment for Christs Disciples to be at neerest unity among themselves Both these particulars I take it are apparently suggested in the words First that it is a point of wondrous difficulty Then that it is a point of high concernment that all that are bestowed on Jesus Christ should as far as men may be be one as God and Christ are one I shall clear them in order from the Text and other Scriptures It is a matter of wondrous difficulty even for Christs Disciples to be at neerest unity among themselves Our Saviour saw it to be very hard for them in all things to agree together and therefore he desires it may be brought about by the Almighty power of God himself Holy Father keep them through thy own Name that they may be one as we are He prays his Father to set his own Almighty power about it to effect it by which he intimateth that it is no easie matter It is observable how the Apostle struggles for it 2 Thess 3.16 The God of peace himself give you peace always by all means So that there is no possibility of having peace unless God himself bestow it unless he bow the heavens and come down and work it in the hearts of his people It is beyond the power of any creature to keep the Saints themselves in unity and peace unless God himself do it And so the Apostle having well considered the wondrous difficulty of it turns himself to God Now the God of peace himself give it q. d. I see no other means will do it and therefore I beseech thee Lord thou who art the God of peace do thou thy self make unity among thy people That phrase of the Apostle is notable to this purpose Eph. 4.3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word there used imports the doing of a thing with much intention with inward care and outward diligence and labour and endeavour to the very utmost The setting of ones self about a business strenuously and with all his might which would not need if it were an easie matter Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace So that you see it is a matter of wondrous difficulty for Christs Disciples to be at neerest unity among themselves But you will ask me how it should be so A man would think it should be no hard matter for Christs Disciples to be all one for them who are so closely and so neerly joyned so many wayes and by so many tyes who are all one body one spirit who have all one Head one God one Lord one faith one hope one baptism to be at unity among themselves Indeed it is a task almost insuperable to have peace with all the world To say the truth it is impossible as the Apostle Paul insinuates in his exhortation Rom. 12.18 If it be possible as much as lies in you live peaceably with all men But to live peaceably with Saints and fellow members for such to be at unity among themselves what difficulty should there be in this How cometh it to pass that this is such a hard matter That the almighty power of God himself is called down from heaven about it Why my beloved there be many things even in the Saints and Christs Disciples that make the matter difficult And I shall draw them all that I shall mention to these two heads There are some things in which they are too much alike and there are other things in which they differ overmuch and both of them do make it wonderfully hard even for the Saints to be at unity among themselves There are some things in which they are too much alike to agree among themselves They are all the holiest of them too carnal they have too much corruption in them easily to close together And this is that the Apostle Paul observes in the Corinthians 1 Epist 3.3 Whereas there is among you strife and envy and division are you not carnal Is it not very manifest that there is much corruption and much flesh in you And is not this the cause of these dissentions It may be you are apt to think it to be otherwise but mark what the Apostle saith James 4.1 From whence come wars and fightings among you Whence do they come Why hence they come will some men say I am so troubled and molested I am so grosly injured and abused that I cannot live in peace Never was any man so basely used so vilely dealt withall as I have been and that by those that are accounted honest men And hence it is that I cannot be at rest No no saith the Apostle thou art much deceived I had as lief thou hadst said nothing It is the wickedness and the corruption that is in thee that is the true and real cause of all this From hence come wars and fightings among you even from your lusts that warr in your members And I will shew you what those lusts are which make it so extremely hard even for the Saints to be at unity among themselves 1. They are too proud The wise man tels us this hath a stroke in all quarrels Prov. 13.10 And if in all then in the quarrels of the Saints too And truly my beloved were it not for this there would not be such endless and implacable contentions about matters civil as there are sometimes between those that are Christs Disciples It is their pride that neither side will stoop or bow both are high and both are stiff and so there can no possible accommodation or accord be made between them And were it not for pride there would not be such endless and implacable contentions about matters doctrinal This is the true and real cause why men will not indure to be gainsaid and crost in their opinion but presently they fret and fume and fall into an everlasting strife about words whereof cometh envy railing evil surmisings and perverse disputings as the Apostle shewes 1 Tim. 6.4 5. Now would you have the character of such a person as carryes matters in this fashion saith the Apostle he is proud knowing nothing He thinks himself a very knowing man but this is nothing but his pride And hence it comes to pass that men are so unalterable in their fancies and conceipts that having once asserted them and owned them they will not lay them down again no though they be convinced for their honours sake Remarkable and exemplary is the resolution and humility of Job in such a case Job 6.24 Teach me and I will hold my peace and make me know wherein I have erred In which ingenuous disposition did those who differ
in their judgements constantly agree they might be quickly brought if not wherein they err to change their minds yet to allay them so with humility and love that they should never break forth into bitterness against their brethren But while they have such a deal of pride among them while they are so alike in this regard it is impossible they should agree together 2. It is impossible even for the Saints to be in all respects at unity among themselves because as they are too proud so they are too selfish Herein they are too near alike easily to close together This is indeed the great make-bate it hath a special hand and is a violent eager stickler in all the quarrels that are driven to and fro among men From hence it is that men are so inflexible and so extremly stiff in their opinions that they will abate nothing nor yield to nothing for quietness and peace sake it is their love not to the truth but to themselves it is their self-love And so it is the selfishness of men that makes them so intent upon their own things that they will have the utmost in a business and urge extremity of right and will not part with any thing almost to purchase pretious peace It is because they love themselves too well and because there is so much of this even in the Saints this makes it wonderfully hard for them to be at unity among themselves I might name other things in which they are too much alike to close so nearly as they should but these shall serve for that branch It is a hard thing for the Saints to live at unity among themselves because as there are some things in which they are too much alike So there are other things in which they differ overmuch so close so nearly as they should together For differences make divisions many times even among Christs Disciples And that you may the better look into the business I will shew you many things in which they differ many times which render a conjunction and a perfect union infinitely hard to be made and kept among them 1. They are of divers tempers and of divers constitutions and those will hardly close together As divers strings unless they be of purpose tun'd alike will not be unisons they will not be of one sound They may be very sweet apart but if you strike them all together they will make a discord So it is in this case some of the Saints are of a melancholy sad and others of a sanguine cheerfull temper The melancholy doth not like the cheerfull the cheerfull doth not like the melancholy Saint Or if he like him in his judgement he cares not to converse with him or not so much at least as with another because he doth not suit his disposition One Saint by reason of his constitution which grace doth never wholly alter is very hot and very active Another Saint is very cold and very dull Those two being so unlike will continually be disliking one another and it may be censuring so that it will be very hard to bring them to so near a close as should be between Christs Disciples 2. They are of divers stations and conditions in the world and in the Church Some are high and some are low some are rich and some are poor The high are ready to despise the low the low are ready to envy the high The rich are ready to despise the poor the poor c. One of them will be apt on all occasions to be perking at the other And this will make a perfect union extremly difficult between them 3. They are of divers interests by reason of their callings judgements opinions habitations outward substance and estates and differences will arise and grow from all these So that it will be hard to keep them quiet and to hold them close together Meum and tuum is the rise of all dissentions it is this same thine and mine that setteth men yea the best men sometimes together by the Ears This is my right and that is thine this is my place and that is thine this is my opinion and that is thine If the interest were one they would be one but sure it cannot be avoided but it will be so different in this world there will be differences now and then even among the Saints themselves It was upon the point of interest that Abraham and Lot fell out though they were both good men And it is noted by the Holy Ghost himself as one especial reason of the strange consent and harmony that was among the primitive Saints because their interest was one Acts 4.32 The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul How so They had all things common neither said any of them that any of the things which he possessed were his own The state of those times my brethren both admitted and required it and we see the fruit of it It is not so and to say truth cannot be so in our dayes and therefore it is much the harder to keep perfect unity among the Saints When once they shall come all to be in one place in one condition of one opinion and to have one inheritance and so to have one common interest among them all when God shall be all in all there will be no more divisions but in the mean time it is impossible they should in every thing agree together 4. They are of divers qualifications There are diversities of gifts saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.4 Now these I must acknowledge are intended to beget union But yet by accident by reason of remainders of corruption in the Saints they cause divisions While some are of more judgement and other some of more affection while some are of greater and other some of meaner gifts here are occasions I say not causes but occasions of dissention while some are supercilious and the other envious As soon as the Apostle layes down the distinction between strong and weak Christians Rom. 14.1 there follows disputation and division presently The one despises and the other judges The strong Christian is ready upon all occasions to despise the weak The weak Christian is apt upon the other side to judge the strong The strong slights and the weak censures and so there is a wofull breach of unity and peace among them By these things it is evident my brethren that it is a matter of wondrous difficulty even for Christs Disciples to be at unity among themselves And truly if we seriously consider how like they are in regard of some corruptions and how different they are in Constitutions Stations Interests and Qualifications we will not wonder that the Almighty power of God is invocated by our Saviour to effect it JOHN 17.11 That they may be one as we are AND this for clearing of the former member of the point It is a matter of wondrous difficulty for Christs Disciples to be at nearest unity among
and nourish discords and dissentions For these if we will give them entertainment will set our hearts on fire of hell And therefore when our thoughts begin to work apace in any injury or provocation that is offered to us and to tell us strange things that it is not to be born and that it may not be endured let us smother and suppress them let us not give place to them no not for an hour no not for a moment It is observed of Abraham that when the fowls came down upon his sacrifice he drove them away Gen. 15.11 so when such foul and noisome thoughts as these offer to pitch upon our heart let them have no footing there no let us watch them narrowly that we may suddenly chase them away And let us follow the advice of the Apostle Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke to love Let us consider that and think on that which may stir us up to love let our imaginations work and dwell upon such thoughts as these and not those which lead on to Contestation and Dissention As we should chase away the thoughts so we should avoid the persons that make and nourish breaches and divisions It is the Apostles Counsel that we should mark them that cause divisions and offences and avoid them Rom. 16.17 Mark them not to join with them but to decline them and avoid them Brethren you shall observe that there are some of all hands whose work it is to make peace and to compose breaches And there are others on the other side who are as busie as it is possible for men to be to make rents and separations and divisions And it is our unhappiness that these dividers work goes onward faster then the others Indeed it is an easie thing for one to rip faster then two or three can sow Alas how many are there in these wrangling times who are continually medling and who make this their work and business to see how they can set men one against another how they can blow the coals of discord and kindle them into a flame how they can heighten the contention and the animosity that is too high already among those who are in name at least and in profession Christs Disciples Now I beseech you my beloved as the Apostle doth the Romans in the fore-alledged Scripture Mark these men let them be of what side they will if they be of this spirit do you set a mark upon them that you may know them another time and that you decline them and avoid them It is a bitter imprecation of the Apostle Pauls Gal. 2.12 I wish they were cut off that trouble you Truly I wish that they who are the troublers of our Sions peace the main and unwearied sticklers in our Church-divisions who would not have things come to an accord and a friendly composition for ends which they best know I wish they were cut off from all communion with the Saints That all the people of the Lord on all sides would look aloof upon them and avoid them as the pests of this Nation And certainly if all men would avoid them and keep off from them they would have the less work and we should have the less trouble If we would be at nearest unity among our selves we must be furnished with abundance of that wisdom which cometh from above as the Apostle cals it James 3.17 For that is gentle peaceable easie to be be entreated full of mercy and good fruits Contentious persons may applaud their own wits and think themselves extreamly wise and subtil in making good the quarrels which they undertake But what saith the Apostle ver 14. if you have bitter strife and envy in your hearts glory not lye not against the truth This wisdom descendeth not from above And if it come not from above from heaven it cometh from beneath from earth from hell it is earthly sensual devilish What ever mens abilities or parts or reaches are if they be alwayes quarrelling and falling out as many are it is apparent that they want this blessed wisdom To say the truth my brethren it is want of wit that is much of the cause of all this Anger resteth in the bosom of fools and so the wise man tells us that every fool will be medling Prov. 20.3 It is an honor for a man to cease from strife but every fool will be medling It is the property of every fool to do so You have a sort of men my Brethren that will be at the end of every quarrel If there be any difference or strife near them they will be sure to have a finger in the pie they will never sit out Now would you know what kind of men these are They are a company of fools a company of busie medling fools and were it not for such Idiots we might have much more peace then we have at this day If men were ballasted with wisdom they would not be a tempering and a making variance as they do And if indignities and wrongs were offered to them they would easily digest them and possess their souls in patience and therefore let us labour after this wisdom and let us follow the advise and counsel of our Saviour Mar. 9 50. Have salt in your selves and have peace one with another First let us have the salt of wisedom in our selves and then we shall have unity and peace with others If we would be one and if we would have peace the blessing we must be under the commanding and the ruling power of peace the vertue It must sit upon the throne in our hearts as the Apostle Paul exhorts Col. 3.15 Let the peace of God rule in your hearts Brethren when you are any way exasperated or provoked so that your passions rise or swell and are ready to break out into intemperate words or actions when you are hardly able to contain your selves then let the ruling power of peace appear by stilling and composing all again And let this holy disposition be so strong within you that neither pride nor wrath nor malice nor any other lust may be able to controll it There is a story that the Swevians had a Law among them that in a fray where swords were drawn if a woman or a child did cry but peace a great way of they were bound to end the quarrel or else he died that struck the next stroke after peace was named So if your passions be at war within you to use the Apostles phrase if they be up in arms and you do but think of peace or any friend perswade to peace let all be husht and quiet presently and let that passion die let it be crucified that dares to stir when peace is mentioned So let the peace of God rule in our hearts let it triumph in all and over all our provocations that we may bear them all with an unmoved and undisturbed spirit Let us be earnest with the Lord in prayer that he would make
and keep us one among our selves All other means that we can use will be of no avail at all unless the Lord himself strike in and interpose in this business He is the donor and dispenser of this rare and pretious blessing and therefore he is called the God of peace It is a name that he delighteth in and therefore it is often used and he is stiled the God of peace not only because he is formally so if this expression be allowable for Primum bonum summae Trinitatis est indivisio but because he is effectively so because he is the Author of peace as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14.33 For God is not the Author of confusion but of peace And he makes wars to cease saith David Psal 46.11 he breaks the bow and cuts the spear asunder And therefore the Apostle begs this peace of God in such a manner as if it were to be obtained no where else and our Saviour of his Father in my Text Holy Father keep them through thy own Name that they may be one as we are Well then my Brethren let us go to him for this blessing let us not only strive for peace in the use of other means which have been formerly proposed but let us pray for peace so especially for the peace of Jerusalem Oh let us pray and pray hard for Church peace for peace among Christs Disciples among Gods own people for there he uses to bestow it My peace I leave with you saith our Saviour and God will give his people the blessing of peace Oh let us beg him now in these divided distracted times to give this blessing to his own people that though Jerusalem be not at unity neither can be at unity with those that are without yet she may be at unity with those that are within that she may be at unity within her self and to this end let us desire especially two things 1. That God himself would govern all his own people that he would rule them and command them so that they may not break the peace By nature we are all of us inclined to divisions destruction and unhappiness is in our ways and the way of peace we have not known And if the Lord himself should not appease those raging and tempestuous waves that are so apt to rise and swell if he should not extinguish and put out the fire that is so apt to kindle in the hearts of men yea of the best men the world would flame with nothing else but discords and dissentions And therefore let us earnestly beseech the Lord to do the work which none but he alone is able to perform To rule and over-rule the hearts at least of his own people and by his Kingly power to master and keep down those raging passions that are so apt to rise and swell to the disturbance of the Churches peace when his houshold are together by the ears when they are in a tumult and combustion let us entreat him to come in among them and he will quickly make them still as Lambs all will be husht and quiet presently It is his own most gratious promise and therefore we may urge it with the greater confidence that he will make the Wolf and Lamb to dwell together c. That he will quiet the tempestuous hearts of men and make them tame So that how furious and how fierce soever they were formerly by nature yet they shall be so meek and gentle now that they shall yeild to any admonition or perswasion yea a little child shall lead them Isa 11.6 How weak soever he may seem to be he shall prevail and over-rule them 2. That God himself would teach all his own people and the effect of this would be a strange agreement and a sweet accord among them even beyond imagination One cause why they that are professed and are it may be real Saints agree no better and why there are such breaches and such rents among them is because they are not all of them at least in all things taught of God Some of them in some particulars at least are taught of men and not of God and other some are taught of God And they that are taught of men will not agree with them that are taught of God and they that are taught of God cannot agree with them that are taught of men and so they are continually wrangling and contending and contradicting one another they can never fadge together But now when God shall come to teach them all in every thing then they shall think and speak the same things then they shall quarrel and contest no more but they shall all of them agree and live in unity and love together And therefore let us earnestly beseech the Lord to do this to leave his children now no longer out at School but speedily to fetch them home and to teach them all himself That being all of one School under one chief Master and some Ushers under him they may be all taught one way and so may all agree together We have the promise of the Lord for this too Isa 54.13 Oh let us urge it hard upon him in such times as these are All thy children shall be taught of God and mark what follows presently great shall be the peace of thy children Here is a time for such a promise to be put in suit and therefore let us press it home let us take no nay Let the Lord have no rest till he teach all his own children and then he will have a great School and we shall have great peace JOHN 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy Name THE words now read are part of the Lords Prayer not of the Lords Prayer which he taught us but as I shewed in the beginning of the Lords Prayer which he made for us Not that which he propounded to us as our pattern but that which he presented for us as our priviledge at least for his Apostles and Disciples and in them for us also In which have been considered two things The matter of it and the reasons of it The things which Christ desires in the behalf of his Apostles and Disciples And then the arguments with which he presseth and enforceth his desire The matter of it or the thing which he desireth in the behalf of his Apostles and Disciples is preservation Holy Father keep them through thy own Name which we have fully ended and dispatched And now we are arrived at the reasons of the prayer the arguments with which our Saviour presseth and enforceth this desire of his Whereof the first is taken from his own effectual preservation of them during the time that he had been among them and therefore he would have his Father keep them now because he himself had kept them very safe till now While I was with them in the world saith he I kept them and none of them is lost but the son of perdition And now
1.9 Receiving the end saith he Conceive it the perfection or the reward of your faith even the salvation of your souls Salvation then you see my brethren is the end Christ is the object of our faith Use 1 Is Christ the Object of a true believers faith Then do not satisfie your selves my brethren with a general assent to sacred Revelation neither do you rest in this that you believe the word of God in gross Alas how many men that have been throughly convinced of the truth of all the Scripture are notwithstanding under everlasting Chains and darkness the Devils themselves believe and tremble They believe the word historically you must understand it and because it makes against them the greater their faith is the greater is their fear As therefore you desire to be absolved and acquitted from the guilt of all your sins which else will sink you down into the pit of Hell for ever to be invested with the righteousness of Christ without which you can never have admittance to the marriage of the Lamb nor to those joyes and pleasures at the Lords right hand for evermore lay hold on Jesus Christ and clasp the arms of faith about him Men and brethren to you is this salvation sent and we declare unto you glad tydings preaching through Christ the forgiveness of sins and that by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not have been justified by the Law of Moses We offer and exhibit Christ unto you and we beseech you to accept him that you may be saved We stand and cry Ho every one that thirsteth came to this water Now as you tender the salvation of your pretious souls let faith make out to Jesus Christ that comes towards her let her fasten on her object And that you may the better know what I perswade you to I shall shew you very briefly that there are four acts of the soul in reference to Jesus Christ wherein the essence and the being of justifying faith consists Whereof the former two are of the understanding and the two latter of the will I shall but only touch at them 1. Well then the first thing you are to do you must endeavour to know Christ aright distinct explicite knowledge of him in a measure is necessary to the being of this justifying faith And therefore knowledge is sometimes put for faith in Scripture by his knowledge or the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justifie many saith the Father of the Son Isa 53.11 And here to be a little more distinct you must know that Christ is a compleat and al-sufficient Saviour to free you from the wrath of God and to bring you to eternal life That he is offered by the Lord to you as well as any other for so the messengers of God have their Commission to make an universal tender of him to all to whom they preach without exception Go preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16.15 And what is it to preach the Gospel to them but to say as the Angel to the Shepherds Luke 2.10 11. I bring you good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And as Peter to the Jews Acts 2.39 The promise is to you and to your children yea and to all that are afar off as many as the Lord our God shall call Yea you must know that Christ is offered to you so that you are peremptorily commanded and required to believe in him Come to me saith our Saviour Mat. 11.28 i. e. Believe in me for so himself expounds the phrase as you may see John 6.35 all you that labour and are heavy-laden and I will give you rest This is the first thing requisite to justifying faith of which Christ is the proper Object 2. The second act is the Assent and Credit of the mind to this that Christ is such a one indeed and that God offers him indeed in such a way as hath been said And that in this his gracious offer he intendeth as he saith That Christ and all his merits will be yours if you accept him This you must consent to you must say with the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and in relation to this act it is that faith is called believing John 3.36 and elsewhere often in the Scripture 3. The third act is the yeelding of the Will to this external exhibition of the Son of God this blessed offer of him in the Gospel not only for the certain truth but the incomparable excellency of it when the heart accepteth of it and embraceth it and saith with the Apostle in the fore-alledged Scripture 1 Tim. 1.15 This saying as it is a faithfull one so it is worthy of all acceptation It is a faithfull saying saith the Understanding and therefore I will give assent to it It is a saying worthy of all acceptation saith the will and therefore I will close with it So the faith of the Fathers is described Heb. 11.13 in which all the three acts which we have mentioned are wrapt up together They saw the promises conceive it with the understandings eye they knew them and they understood them They were perswaded of them they gave assent to them and they received them and embraced them for both these terms are there used not the words and surface of them but Christ in them In which respect this act of faith is sometimes called receiving of Christ as see John 1.12 To as many as received him c. So that believing and receiving are all one this is the third act 4. The fourth and last act is a resting a relying and recumbency on Christ for mercy and salvation this is the great act of the soul in faith A roling of it self on Jesus Christ expecting life and happiness no other way and by no other mean but him only And this is that which is so often called believing in the Son of God believing in his name trusting in him as the Apostle Pauls expression is Ephes 1.12 or trusting to him for all the good that we expect or look for These are the four great acts of faith and Christ you see is the immediate and proper object of them all So that you easily perceive what I intend when I perswade you and exhort you to fasten on this object and to believe in Jesus Christ Object But you will say perhaps as that is now a great Objection the Creature is not able to believe it is an impotent and dead thing what can the Creature do And why do you perswade it to believe Sol. True my beloved it can do nothing and you would have it to do nothing by this Rule Keep away the means from it and when will it attain the end It hath no faith it is not able to believe but faith comes by this means by the perswasions and intreaties
he knows their lying doing and rising up takes notice of their very thoughts observes them how they go to bed and how they rise whether they think of him whether they call on him or no They are so near him that he cannot choose but mark them For others that belong not to him that are without God and without Christ in the world he looks not so much after them But for those that are within him they cannot but be under his immediate care and special eye He searcheth out their wayes he doth not superficially observe them only but he searcheth deep into them he sees their very grounds and ends so that they cannot fail in any thing no not so much as in a circumstance but he spies them And this me thinks should make us very circumspect in all our wayes and infinitely cautious that we sin not That of the Prophet is remarkable Jer. 8 19. Is not the Lord in Sion is not her King in her why then have they provoked him to anger And I may say upon the other side Is not Sion in the Lord are not true believers in him in the Father and the Son why then have they provoked him to anger They that are far away from God perhaps may be the bolder to offend because they may conceive with those in Job that he is shut up in the Clouds and that he cannot see them at a distance or if he do he cannot reach them But they that are in God me thinks should be very circumspect They should consider with themselves that it concerns them to be wary how they walk and what they do because he is at hand to spy their faults and to observe their provocations 3. And as the sins of those that are in God cannot choose but be observed by reason of their nearness to him so neither can they choose but be corrected and chastised The Lord will take a course with them if they miscarry and if they misbehave themselves sooner and quicker then he will with other men And it concerns him so to do in point of honour for their iniquities reflect with more disparagement upon him then the sins of others do who are further from him It would be much for God to suffer sin by him but do you think that God will suffer sin in him That he will let it nestle there without controul as if he liked it and as if he took delight in it Would not this be a very great dishonour to him that God should not reform those that are in him Assuredly my brethren if God will be sanctified in them that are nigh him he will be sanctified in them that are in him either one way or the other in their holy Conversation or in their visible Correction as he was in Davids case that those that are without may not blaspheme as if he suffred sin and approved it well enough in those that are near to him No they shall know that he mislikes it most of all in them If he see many aliens to him doing any wickedness he may bear with them long perhaps for it concerns him not so much to deal against them But if he spy one of his own among them one of them that is in him he will single such a one and cull him out from all the rest and say You are in me and in my Son you are united to me in the neerest bonds and what will you do as these vile abominable wretches do Come I must order you though I let the rest alone I must not suffer you in such courses Use 4 If true believers be in God in the Father and the Son Then let them be enheartned hence to use their interest in God on all occasions in all the streights and exigencies of the Church of God You have the priviledges and the advantage to be more then nigh him to be in him so that undoubtedly you may have audience with him when you please and you may very much prevail with him And therefore see that you improve the opportunity and the advantage that is put into your hands by being Gods remembrancers in all cases If he seem to forget his Church at any time to be asleep while she is sinking do you come to him when you are with him in his privie Chamber and speak a good word for her Mind him of her sad condition and beseech him earnestly to think upon her and relieve her They that are abroad my brethren cannot do it They cannot have access to God they have no interest in God at all But you my brethren are not only in with him but you are in him so that you have his ear and heart you can prevail exceedingly with God and therefore see you be not wanting to promote the Churches cause with him As it is said of Jacob you have power with God and therefore you must seek him more in streights in difficulties and in hard cases because you can do more with God then others can Brethren there are some streights upon us at this time we are involved in difficulties more then every eye sees I speak as unto wise men judge ye what I say And therefore you that are in God that are more prevalent with him then others are be sure that you plead hard before him night and day in such a time as this is The businesses that are in agitation now are of a very great concernment and therefore see that you improve all the respect and interest you have in God about them Use 5 If true believers be in God you then that are without God be advised how you wrong them and how you be vexatious to them Take heed you do not injure and molest them for your lives And that upon a double ground For 1. Being in God they will have opportunity on all occasions to complain against you Be wary how you wrong these little ones For though they be of little reckoning and reputation in the world and though they be of little power to make defence or right themselves when they are injured they are so near to God that they are in him and they will readily tell him of it You that are men of earthly might do not oppress them by your power least they cry and God hear And he will very quickly hear them being in him You may abuse and injure others with infinitely less danger for they are far from God they are a great way of and so may cry yea cry aloud and not be heard But they that are in God are certainly within hearing And therefore be advised how you meddle with them and make them cry so close to God least the Lord hear and it displease him 2. Being in God he will certainly redress them when they make complaint to him It cannot be but he must be extreamly tender of those who are so near to him What do you think that the Almighty God will suffer men to be abused in him
the devil is in them He keeps the house as Christ speaks While the strong man keeps the house He keeps house in the hearts of wicked men the Devil himself is the house-keeper there there he dwells and there he works as the Apostle speaks Ephes 2.2 he worketh in them they are the Devils house the Devils shop they are the house where he dwells and the shop where he works I say while it is thus with other men while others have the Devil in them they have Jesus Christ in them The strong man is bound and dispossessed of his habitation The Prince of this world is cast out and Jesus Christ the King of glory is come in Ah my Beloved what a happiness is this I wish that I were able to express it to you to set it off as it deserves How would it ravish and transport you and make you to sit down in admiration at your blessedness in this world That you may guess a little at it review the things that have been hinted at before If Christ be in you faith is in you yea all saving grace is in you You are blessed with all spiritual blessings in that you have him in you You have a magazine a treasure of the graces of his holy Spirit So that you are inestimably rich and this riches is Christ in you as the Apostle speaks Col. 1.27 Not Christ without us but Christ within us by his graces is our riches If Christ be in you the Holy Ghost himself is in you as a Spirit of Illumination and a Spirit of Sanctification and as a Spirit of Consolation If you be ignorant you have one within you to enlighten you If you be impure if you have dregs of sin and of corruption in you you have one within you to sanctifie you if you be sad and comfortless you have one within you to comfort you the fountain and the spring of Consolation is within you so that he is at hand in all cases you need not faint or swound away while they fetch a cordial for you If Christ be in you God is in you your hearts are his Temples and the great God of heaven himself is the light and glory of them O blessed hearts that have God to dwell in them But more particulary yet 1. If Christ be in you you have most intimate and near acquaintance and Communion with him It is very much my brethren for Christ Jesus to be with you It was a pretious promise that he made to his Apostles Behold I am with you But for Christ Jesus to be in you is much more This importeth yet more close and sweet Communion Indeed the closest and the sweetest that can be You cannot choose but know him inwardly if he be in you 2. If Christ be in you you have free access to him you need not travail far to speak with Christ he is at hand continually for he is in you so that you may on all occasions make your addresses to him when you please If you have any supplication to present any complaint to make to him do but open your own hearts and you shall find Christ there 3. If you have Christ Jesus in you you are partakers of a confluence of all accommodations comforts satisfactions and delights that the poor heart can reasonably long for or look after For Jesus Christ hath all in him and brings all with him where he comes Indeed my Brethren he himself is all as the Apostle tells us Jesus Christ is all in all Col. 3.11 In all in whom he is my brethren he is all So that in having him we have all There is more in him alone to make us really and fully happy then in all the world without him 4. If Christ be in you as you are happy so you are secure there is no fear of falling from your happiness if you fall Jesus Christ falls with you for he is in you And this is that which makes our happiness in all respects accomplisht that as it is compleat and full so it is permanent and indeficient too The more excellent it is if it were not firm and stable the greater were the fear the greater were the misery of deprivation Fuisse faelicem to have been happy is the greatest unhappiness But this felicity my brethren is enduring In whomsoever Christ is he dwells there he doth not sojourn but he dwells there never to depart again The heart of such a man is his setled habitation of which he saith Here is my resting place here will I dwell for ever So that if Christ be in you you are safe for he will never leave you nor depart from you and then it is impossible that you should perish Ah my Beloved can a man be damned with Christ in him cast into hell with Christ in him separated from the Lord with Christ in him Christ willl not cannot leave him that is once in Christ so that if such a man should go to hell Christ must go to hell in him And now to shut up all since Christ is in you Let me give you this caution let him live quiet in your hearts do not molest him and disturb him there Do not make him vex and fret let it not be a pennance to him to continue in you Let him not suffer by your sins who suffer'd for them But labour every way to please him and to give him satisfaction and content that so the house which he hath chosen meerly for your sakes for he hath heaven to dwell in may not be dark and doleful but delightful to him And thus at length we have dispatched this heavenly Prayer of our Great High Priest and Intercessor Jesus Christ He was even ready to go forth to suffer when he made it Me thinks I hear him saying to his Apostles and Disciples The time is now at hand that I must leave you and be taken from the earth Come let us pray before we part and there withall he lifted up his eyes to heaven and poured out these holy breathings of his Spirit for himself and them Oh what a blessed frame of heart O what a choice and raised temper think you was he in at that time O what a Prayer must that be that was made by such a person in such a company on such an occasion Christ was in heaven in his thoughts and his affections when he uttered it and we have seemed sometimes to be in heaven too while we have handled it and heard it Well it hath been a sweet and precious subject as ever we have dealt upon I shall desire you to review it often and let not any choice impressions that have been made upon you by it out again Let them not be like lines drawn upon the sand no sooner formed but defaced like water spilt upon the ground that is not to be gathered up again Here you have seen the heart of Jesus Christ opened and his affections plentifully flowing out to his people Our prayers shew our hearts to Christ his prayer shews his heart to us Here you have seen how our dear Friend our Head our Husband loved us and had us in his mind and thoughts before he dyed Us I say who now believe as well as them that did believe in former times How earnest and importunate he is with God the Father that we may be one here and that we may be in one place hereafter O let us search into the heart of Jesus Christ laid open to us in this Abridgement of his Intercession for us that we may know it and the workings of it continually more and more until at length this precious Prayer come to have its full effect and we be taken up to be for ever with the Lord that where he is there may we be also Amen FINIS
hearts must be carryed out in dear affection to it If this be wanting all the rest is worth nothing You may perish notwithstanding as pesons that are out of Christ and be damned in hell for ever unless you come to love the Word of God as you may see in that remarkable Example 2 Thes 2.10 They received not the love of the Truth saith the Apostle there and what follows that they might be saved No salvation unless the Word the Truth of God be kept in the affections by the loving it And therefore it is added presently for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they might all be damned Oh then as you desire to have this sweet assurance in your souls that you belong to Jesus Christ and that you shall be saved by him examine whether you have kept the Word of God in this respect or no whether you have it dear in your affections And that you may the better try your selves in this regard I shall give you some discoveries If you love the Word of God you will desire on all occasions to converse with it Desire of union and communion is alwaies an effect and evidence of true affection You shall observe it in the Prophet David who was unparalleled in this respect for infinite affection to the Word of God It is a wonder to consider how his heart was set upon it And hence it was that when he was kept off from the enjoyment of the Word he had such vehement and enflamed desires to be partaker of it He panted and he gasped after it even as the Hart panteth after the water-brooks Oh when shall I appear before God Psal 42.2 when shall I be partaker of his Word and of his Ordinances once again when will it once be So in another place My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord where Ordinances were dispensed My heart and my flesh cryes out for the living God Psal 84.2 So that he envies the very Sparrows and the Swallows who were freer then himself to be near that place Yea his longing was so great that he was even heart-broken with it Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath to thy judgements at all times And have you such affections and such anhelations in you Let us examine it a little in these two particulars 1. Do you hear the Word of God as often as you may not only now and then when you have nothing else to do and when you have no other business to withdraw you but constantly on all occasions do you attend upon it as your main and chief business do you for the love you bear it neglect and set aside and under-value other things this is the Wisemans admonition Prov. 23.23 Buy the Truth and sell it not Sell it not for a little profit in the field or in the shop but rather buy it and redeem it with your loss of outward things Do you conceive that David of whose high affections you have heard would neglect any opportunity for being made partaker of the Word of God Oh how did he bewail the want of it How would he have struggled for it How eagerly would he have taken it with any outward disadvantage And this is that which Christ commendeth Mary for not for a work of supererogation as doing more then she was bound to do but for a regular account and estimation of the Word setting aside her houshold business that she might be partaker of it Luk. 10.42 Not only they that will not hear the Word of God at all but they that hear it seldom that suffer every worldly business to withdraw them from it will be found not to have loved it and esteemed it as they ought to do How shall we escape saith Paul Heb. 2.3 if we neglect so geeat salvation 2. Do you exercise your selves as in the hearing so in the reading and in the meditation of it Do you converse with the Word of God in private Doth it dwell with you in your houses as the Apostles phrase is Col. 3.16 For this you must know my Brethren that though you should be ordinary hearers of the best Ministry beneath Heaven yet you must not rest in that but you must exercise your selves in reading of the Word of God in private It was the Lords Commandement to the King himself that though he might plead want of leisure more then many others and though he had the ordinary help of the Levites Priests and Prophets more then others as David had both Gad and Nathan yet he must have his Bible still and must be constant in the reading of it as you may see Deut. 47.49 And it was that which cheered and supported Job in his affliction Job 23.12 that he could say uprightly in the presence of the Lord I have esteemed the Word of his mouth more then my necessary and appointed food More duly then he kept his meals he tyed himself to read and meditate in Gods-Word Among the Jews under Antiochus it was made capital for any man to have the Book of God by him And in Queen Maries days you know the danger was not less and then how did they prize a little piece of Holy Writ how did they value a few Chapters of the Bible If a poor a man could get a leaf or two how safely would he keep them in his bosom next his heart as the most pretious things he had How would he wear them out with reading in them God hath dealt more gratiously with us there is now no danger to have a Bible and therefore if we be not constant in the reading and the meditation of it we shew not such affection to it as we ought to do That is the first thing then if you love the Word of God you will desire on all occasions to converse with it both in publique and in private 2. If you love the Word of God you will endeavour to be inwardly acquainted with it we converse with many men with whom we are not intimate And so there are abundance that hear and read the Word of God and yet know little of the meaning of it But if you love it as you ought to do you will not satisfie your selves with this that you read so many Chapters in a day that you attend on every Sermon that is preached unless you find that you do in a measure understand the mind of God and the mind of Jesus Christ in those things If I affect a man exceedingly I shall endeavour what I can to get within him as we use to say not to know his face and to hear his words only but to be inwardly acquainted with his disposition and the purpose of his heart And so if you affect the Word you will strive to get into the bosom of it You will not be contented with a formal superficial knowledge of the letter of it but you will dive into the very bowels of the