received into his presence but it is for our good solely and certainly if the Queen of Sheba pronounced Solomons servants happy because they were alwaies in his presence how unspeakable shall the happinesse of all beleevers be who shall constantly behold and enjoy Christs glory But let us Consider more largely what was only hinted before viz. How much is comprehended in this expression of beholding Christs glory And first There is the immediate seeing and looking upon all that Majesty and Glory which God and Christ have This is often called by Divines Beatisical vision The sight of God which makes immediatly happy Now because God is an infinite and spirituall invisible Object It 's disputed whether we shall behold God by our bodily eyes That with our understanding which are the spiritual eyes of the Soul we shall behold him is acknowledged by all and clear by Scripture for then we shall see him face to face that is perfectly not as in this world And as for the beholding of God as a Spirit with our bodily eyes there are Divines that affirm it for although say they it be naturally impossible for a bodily eye to see a Spirit yet then God will in a wonderfull manner lift up the eye of the body above that which naturally it can do even as then God will make it a body without passion or heavinesse and as they say the torments in hell and the flames of fire there do by Gods power work upon the devils and the souls of men though spirits in hell But it may be a curiosity to determine this Therefore though it may be doubted whether our bodily eyes shall directly behold the glory and majesty of God yet consequentially we shall for we shall with our bodily eyes behold Christ in respect of his humane nature and body which he hath now in heaven so that the Glory which Christ as Mediatour hath in heaven is externally visible and to be beheld by the bodily eyes of a glorified Saint So that although God be a Light that no man can approach unto yet in and through Christ we may draw nigh unto this light Now this happinesse of the souls knowing and the bodies seeing of God and Christ in heaven must be unspeakable for there is an excellent consonancy and conveniency between the faculties and the objects how farre do men go to see objects of worldly glory It was Austins wish that he might have seen Rome in her temporal glory but what is all this to see Christ sitting on the right hand of God on the throne of glory 2. All our happinesse doth not lie in the meer beholding and seeing of God but in the enjoying of him as our happinesse and our good Therefore we are said to be Co-heirs with Christ and to be glorified with him yea in the Rev. 3.21 we are said to sit on the same Throne with Christ himself not but that Christ hath a prerogative in his glory and his glory is incommunicable yet in some proportion and according to our capacity we are made partakers of the same glory Therefore it 's necessary to take seeing for enjoying here and indeed it cannot be but that the immediate beholding of Christ should make men happy for he is an object filled with all sufficiency and perfection able to satiate and replenish the appetite of the soul even to the very utmost Oh therefore how easily should we mortifie our hearts as to earthly and worldly glory who would lose this heavenly glory to obtain that Let the devil shew thee all the glory of this world but know Christ in his word sheweth thee the glory of heaven and wilt thou fall down to worship the devil rather then Christ so that we do not only behold and see Christs glory without some enjoyments as Moses did see the Land of Canaan but was not admitted into it but we see the expression is Come thou faithfull Servant enter into thy Masters Joy Mat. 25.23 Not only behold it but enter into it Oh that our hearts were more affected in this 3. From the seeing and enioying of Christ there doth arise in the will infinite complacency joy and delight It 's disputed wherher happinesse be more in the acts of the understanding or the will and some conclude that it is principally in the will because that is an active appetite and predominant in a man Indeed the whole of a man Now in beholding of God the whole soul must needs be swallowed up for God is an object infinitely satisfying the knowledge and also replenishing the will so that nothing but God can satisfie the soul and this happinesse is the more encreased because God will then widen and enlarge the faculties of the soul that they shall be able to know more to love and delight more then they can do in this life Therefore our joy here is but a drop to this Ocean as we know but in part so we rejoyce and delight but in part Hence it is if God should communicate himself to us in this life as he will do in heaven we were not able to bear no more then the eye can endure the dazeling beams of the Sun it would be true that none can see God in this sence and live so that in heaven the souls of men will be enlarged to receive more of God then they can do in this life 4. From this joy and delight in beholding Christs glory their mouths will be filled with all praise and thanks-giving We reade of Angels and Saints continually praising of God in heaven so that whereas many duties will cease in heaven this of Thanks-giving will abide for ever there shall be no more the duties of humiliation and mourning the acts of patience and justifying faith will cease in heaven but the duty of praising and glorifying God will continue to all Eternity And no wonder if praise be our only work there for if upon some temporall Deliverance and particular eminent mercies the Church of God hath solemnly broken forth into all praises of him how much more in heaven when there is such an universall Deliverance from all Enemies that there will be no more tears or fears There will be no more matter of complaints either from within or without Oh then that blessed time which beleevers shall have in Heaven to all Eternity Nothing to do but with joy and gladnesse to sing forth the praises of God and that his Mercy endureth for ever Oh beloved how should this make the godly long for and desire that glory more Here they are in a Valley of Tears here they are sighing groaning exercised with one care one fear after another Thus we are groveling upon the ground while they in Heaven are full of joy and delight This should teach us to be weaned from these things 5. To the performing of all these things there is required a perfect Sanctification of all the parts and the faculties of the Soul as also a full
of Christ was the time of his sufferings concerning which he often said My hour is not yet come and when it was come he most readily yeelded himself Now in this hour many things are observable as 1. That all the power and policy that his enemies did use were not able to prevail over him till his hour came Though he preached every day and went up and down doing good by all which his enemies were the more provoked against him yet they were not able to take an hair from him and how observable is that when some bid him depart for Herod would kill him Go saith he and tell that fox behold I do miracles to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Neverthelesse I must work to day and to morrow The meaning is that maugre all his malice and power yet he should do his work and be preserved till his hour did come so that all endeavours all counsels are frustrated which meet not with Gods appointed time only Christ knew when his hour was which God keepeth sometimes secret from his people Again 2. Observe the wisedom and prudence of Christ when danger was come because then it was not his hour Sometimes he departed secretly and went from place to place to avoid the malice of his enemies yea his father and mother fled with him while a childe to escape death This teacheth us That it is our duty to preserve our selves from ruine when we have not a call or obligation thereunto So the Prophets in Jezabels time were hid by many in a cave and those Noble Worthies recorded by the Apostle that fled and hid themselves in caves and mountains they are said to do it by faith It was not sinfull fear but faith so that we are diligently to consider when it is our call our duty when God requireth of us as the time and hour of our affliction that we must lose all for him and in this we must not consult with flesh and bloud for that saith as Peter to Christ Master save thy self who had that severe Rebuke Get theee behinde me Satan Then on the other side when the time of Christs sufferings did come every thing brought it about A Judas a Disciple of his own he betraieth him and all his adversaries do easily insult over him and then he doth not as before depart out of the way no but though be knew he was to suffer at Jerusalem yet he set his face to go thither and though he could have commanded Legions of Angels to have rescued him and we reade that those who come to surprise him fell down immediatly being stricken with his Majesty yet he will not deliver himself No though his enemies did with so much scorn bid him save himself which teacheth us that when the hour of our afflictions is come when God manifestly discovers it must be the time of our trouble that then we do with all patience and chearfulnesse resign our selves into his hands And thus much as it relates to Christ Now let us consider of it in the generall and we shall see how God hath hours and times either of anger or mercy in the world As 1. When the Church of God hath been greatly corrupted by all manner of vice and idolatry so that there hath been an unclean Leprosie over the whole body God oath appointed an hour a time for its Reformation and purity which shall certainly take effect though all the world oppose it Men can no more hinder it then the Sunne from breaking out of the Cloud and oh how happy is it when such a time comes how wonderfully are mâ—ns hearts prepared to forsake all their former Idolatry and prophanesse This you have notably Joh. 4.23 Our Saviour tels that ignorant superstitious woman The hour is coming and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth This was in Christs time he came as Malachy cap. 3. prophesied to refine the Sons of Levi and to be like the Fullers Sope This was so terrible as that the Prophet crieth out Who may abide the day of his coming It was to the Pharisees and chief Priests as terrible as the day of Judgement Well though Christ goeth about to take away all that admired will-worship which was then exalted and this was so contrary to mens inclination and education yet the hour cometh that they shall worship him in spirit and in truth Thus it was at the first Reformation out of Popery when Luther though but one unarmed man and a despicable Monk by his profession set himself against the torrent of all that Idolatry and corruption which reigned in Popery Was it not as ridiculous as if a man had set his shoulder to some huge Mountain thinking to remove it It was so in all mens account and therefore when Luther opened his Councels to one great Doctor who did not approve of the Romish courses yet he bid him go into his Cell and say Lord have mercy upon us As if the case were desperate Now although it was thus unlikely yet we see how truth and purity did break forth to all mens amazement and which aggravateth this There had been many before Luthers time who witnessed against the practices and doctrines of the Church of Rome yet still they were vanquished till Luther came and then no water could quench this fire Now why was all this Gods power was as able to go along with Iohn Husse or Jerome of Prague as well as Luther but now was Gods hour now was his appointed time Thus till Gods time came for the removing of all the Jewish Rites they lay like that stone upon the Sepulchre that the woman could not remove yea neither men or Angels could remove and therefore it 's called the time of Reformation Heb. 9.10 2. God in his just judgement lets wicked men have their hour That is an opportunity of expressing all their wickednesse and impiety so that you would think God took no notice of the things done in the world and was as some Philosophers prophanely thought included within the circles of the heaven and had given the earth to the Sonnes of men to do what they would This our Saviour told his enemies who consulted and practised against him Luk. 22.53 This is your hour and power of darknesse Thus in the Revelation we see that Satan was let loose for many years and then he was bound up for many years which denoteth that God by his just permission did suffer Satan and his Instruments to prevail in the world And when this hour of darkness is all the praiers and all the tears of the godly shall not prevail till his time of deliverance come And this we may finde even from the beginning of the world since there was an Abel and a Cain that God lets some wicked men have their hour a power and season to act their impieties and yet Gods waies were alwaies just when
thus it is alwaies any errour any false way is more pleasing to corrupt men then the truth and hence it hath many followers People will run out to see to gaze and hear some new thing If a man be a dwarf or a gyant every one will run to see him but not the man of ordinary stature Vse Is this the end of the Ministry of all our labour and preaching to bring you to the saving knowledge of God Oh then may we not take up the Prophets complaint That we labour in vain the bellows is burnt the lead is consumed but the reprobate silver is not purged away Jer. 6.27 Do not many Families and persons proclaim they know not God for in this it is seen that they call not upon God there are no Family-duties no worshiping of him whereas our houses should be like the Temple of the Lord they are slies of sin rather Christ is to come in flaming vengeance against those that know not God May not the Ministers of God cry with Isaiah Isa 6.5 Wo be to us we dwell among men of polluted lips and lives It 's a Wo to dwell there Isaiah was much affected with it SERMON XXXI That Gods People are not of though in this world Wherein is also shewed the vast difference between them and the men of the world JOH 17.5 I have manifested thy Name to those that thou gavest me out of the world THE next thing considerable is The description of the Subject about which Christ did thus imploy himself and they are set out 1. From their original descent and heavenly rise These God hath given Christ but of this we have already treated and shall say more before we come to the end of the Chapter it being often repeated 2. From the term from which they are given out of the world They are given to Christ out of the world The Scripture in this Chapter makes a distinction of being in the world and of the world The people of God even as Christ himself and his Kingdom are in the world but they are not of the world As a Stranger in a forreign Countrey he is in that Countrey but not of it he hath not the nature the Language nor doth he accustome himself to the fashion of that place Thus it is with the godly Though they are born and so live in the world yet their natures and affections and conversations are not worldly As the Fowls that were at first created out of the water yet did not continue there but flew up to heaven and continue for the most part there As clouds though of the earth yet are carried about after the motions of the heavens They are not then given out of the world so as if every good man were presently upon his godlinesse removed out of this earth to heaven but in respect of their nature affections and conversation localiter they are not but in respect of heart and affections in which sence Paul said he was crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6.14 Now you must know that the word world hath several significations in Scriptures Est mundus cujus Deus est creator est mundus cujus Deus est redemptor est mundus cujus Satan est seductor Sometimes it is taken for the whole Fabrick and Vniverse with the parts thereof as when the world is said to be made by God and Christ a Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 Sometimes it 's taken for the greater part of the world as they said all the world did run after Christ or the world said to be taxed by Augustus Luk. 2.1 Sometimes for the power riches pleasures and glory of the world but then most commonly fot the wicked men of the world Thus often by John The world hath not known thee if ye were of the world the world would love you and now wicked men are called the world because their whole heart and desires are fixed on worldly things No worms no Moles delighting more in earthly things then they do and therefore they are the Serpents seed which live on the dust of the earth And then they are called the world because they are the farre greater visible and more flourishing part of the world Alas take these that are godly and they are but a despicable and contemptible handful to those that ruffle it in the world Obs That the people of God they are called out of the world He that is truly godly is no more a man of this world as we say of a dying man he is not for this world his heart his thoughts his desires are quite taken off Thus the godly are said to be dead and crucified to the world Gal. 6.14 They have not those carnal worldly affections and dispositions as formerly and from hence the people of God are called Ecclesia the Church as much as persons called out of the world not bodily but in respect of their souls and hence the world and the Church is opposed 1 Cor. 5.10 The Fornicators of this world in opposition to the Church so that by this we see there is none in the Church of God but they should have renounced the waies customes and sinnes of the world To be a Christian and yet of the world is a contradiction as if we should say a black Sun yet how is the garden of God made a Wildernesse how is the Church become the world So much prophanesse wickednesse and carnal living as there is so much of the world there is Oh that men did consider what an holy obligation their Christianity brings upon them Art thou a Christian and yet the drunkard of the world the fornicator of the world the proud the earthly of the world this ought not to be no more then the Angel a worm no more then a Starre a clod of earth The Apostle cals those of the world without What have we to do to judge those that are without 1 Cor. 5 ult but those of the Church within Oh but how many â—â—eâ— within according to Christs Rule ought to be turned out of Christs sheepfold To illustrate this necessary Truth let us observe those demonstrations or discoveries whereby it may appear that the godly are not of the world And first This makes it manifest because they have not the Spirit of the world but of God 1 Cor. 2.12 Now what is the Spirit of the world even a judgement and wisedom to discern only worldly things to see the necessity of them the excellency of them To be wholly affected with them To meditate on them day and night But the godly they have received the Spirit of God whereby they savour and discern spiritual things They have hearts alwaies depending upon God and they have hearts wholly fixed and placed upon God They see incomparable excellency in heavenly things above all earthly They say with David My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to God at all times
Motto which Solomon puts upon all these fading things here below shall likewise be set upon thy Religion and devotion Vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexatien of spirit It 's the promise that a godly man embraceth that he looketh after for even in holy actions truly so it 's not thy performance thy grace but the promise that bears thee out Therefore we are all said to be Children of the Promise Gal. 4.28 and heirs of the Promise and 2 Cor. 7.1 Having these Promises let us cleanse our selves If then thou art never so zealous though thou shouldst give thy body to the sire and have not a promise it would profit thee nothing Shouldst thou give away all thou hast Shouldst thou endure all hardship yet if thou hast no promise to this action thou art but a tinkling Cymbal Oh then let the people of God in all their acts of obedience minde the command for the lawfulnesse of them and the promise for the encouragement therunto if no command then no promise God will not water that plant or give encrease to it which he hath not planted And for this end Austin and others did condemn all those famous moral actions of the heathens as glittering sinnes because they had no promise belonging to them of Eternall life As they did them upon humane inferiour motived not supreme and divine so their recompence was but the cockleshels of this world not that weight of glory in heaven Thirdly Obedience must have a command because of the great corruption and pollution which is upon mans understanding so that it 's impossible it should ever choose or do that which is acceptable to God Rom. 8. They that are in the flesh cannot please God And the Heathens even those that were judged most learned yet were darkned in their Imagination Rom. 1. They became vain and the Apostle cals it their foolish hearts It is therefore a most absurd and insufferable indignity offered unto God for thee to take upon thee how thou wilt worship him how thou wilt serve him and for this it is that the Scripture so often complaineth that they went after the imagination of their own hearts So that by this you may judge of what little consequence those excuses are which some make for superstition That they were done out of pious Intentions and a fervent zeal for although such things may in some respects excuse a tanto yet not a toto Hence Vzziah though out of a good intention stopping the Ark not according to Gods order is stricken dead Paul persecuting the Church of God though out of zeal for he thought he was bound to do what he did yet was not thereby excused from being a blasphemer a persecutor and the greatest of sinners Nothing is to be added to Gods precepts Etiamsi vel bonum nobis videtur said Ambrose So that the right understanding of our deep pollution may justly make us afraid of any thing which is ours and hath not Gods command The Apostle Col. 3.2 condemneth even those things because not of God which yet had a shew of humility and great mortification Fourthly Obedience must have a command from the fulness and sufficiency of the Scripture It 's a perfect Rule Whosoever walketh according to this Rule Gal. 6.16 and David commends it for a Lanthorn and Light to his feet Psal 119. So that if our obedience might run out in such things where there is no word for it the Word would not be an adequate Rule It would be too narrow and then if once you grant a Rule besides that you go in infinitum yea we fall into manifest contradictions for how many times doth one mans spirit think that best which is contrary to another mans How comes that opposition in matter of Religion but that the word is not made the Rule but either there are reasons or lusts or temporal interests so that it 's necessary we have the Word for obedience else the Enthusiastical Revelations and Popish Traditions they will both pleade a good Title for acceptableness with God Lastly An Obedience must have a command because else we can never bear up our hearts in all the discouragements we meet with in doing Gods work What hardened the Prophets so that their foreheads were like brasse and iron but only this that they knew God had commended them and they went upon his message Shall Absalom use such an argument to the man when he had killed Ammon Be of good courage I have bid thee How much rather then when God commands 1 Cor. 15. Be stedfast immoveable in the work of the Lord knowing your labour was not in vain Let all the world oppose us when we know it's Gods command our hearts need not shrink within us Thus the Apostles Whether it 's better to obey God or man judge ye Act. 5.29 Vse 1. of Instruction Of how terrible and dreadful a judgement are they worthy of who are so farre from being obedient to Gods command that they live in open and professed disobedience to it if the most devotionall and Religious actions are refused by God for want of a command what shall become of those which are in plain opposition to it Such are all the works of the flesh Such are the works of most men when thou hast been wallowing in the mire of sin to which of Gods commands hast thou been obedient Nay sinne hath its command the devil hath his commands and thou givest up thy self a Servant to them Oh that the eyes of men shall not yet be opened nor their hearts yet mollified who is thy Father thy Master thy Lord Is it not the devil When God commands thee who is the Lord of Hosts who promiseth heaven and an eternal reward that God who hath all sharp arrows of vengeance in his quiver to shoot immediatly into thy heart That God though commanding thee thou refusest and the devil while he bids thee go and fullfill this lust and that lust immediatly thou goest That devil who deludes and deceiveth thee who is the known Enemy of thy soul and will be thy cruell tormentor to all Eternity Oh then lay it closer to heart I am under command either of God or the devil I am an obedient Servant to one or the other and thy works they quickly manifest it Vse 2 Vse 2. of Direction to people That they would be like those noble Bereans examine the ground of their faith and obedience Do not offer a Sacrifice without eyes Blinde obedience is contrary to that command offer up your selves a reasonable Sacrifice or a Sacrifice according to the Word as some expound Rom. 12 1. There are dangerous Syrens that would inâ—ice you out of this way we are apt to judge that a duty that most do not which God commands we think a multitude will dispense against a precept when yet Gods expresse charge is Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Exod. 23.2 The very heathen could
also in Divinity our own Righteousnesse our own good thoughts they cleave so close to us and so we are not able to put forth any spirituall sence But as even the Ethiopians think the flattest nose and the blackest colour to be the best beauty and the Persians the contrary and all because that they are so It 's a National property So it is here because our heart is ours our works ours our duties ours therefore we think them good and so put secret hopes therein and though in this high bloudy sinne yet our Consciences do not cannot smite us therefore fear Security more then all despair and trouble of Conscience for this is felt and discovered and thereby the better prevented but the other is a secret Impostume never manifesting it self but when immediatly killing 2. As it is a secret sinne hardly perceived so it 's a deep radicated one It 's our very nature and essence almost You see by these many disputes that Paul had against those who would joyn the works of the Law with the Lord Christ that it is not only imbred in us to put confidence in them but even to pleade for it and to justifie this doctrine and this was not only amongst the unbelieving Jews but even such as did acknowledge Christ also The danger therefore is that when we can cast away other sinnes yet this will cleave the faster to us The more we abstain from iniquities the more trust we are apt to put in our selves This our Saviour urged when he said unlesse a man become like a little childe he cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 18.4 And when he spake a Parable to this purpose that when we had done all we should say we were unprofitable Servants Oh then take heed of this sweet poison within thee Do not say within thy heart Such and such sinnes I have left I am none of the prophane ones of the world I have a constant care about all holy duties for if thy heart be hereby confident in these things it is Idolatry Though it be more subtle yet he that fals down before a stock or stone and worshipeth Idols is no greater an Idolater then thou art for thou makest thy self a Saviour and saist of thy duties as they did of the golden Calf These are the Gods that brought thee out of Egypt 3 This trusting in our own Righteousnesse and not in Christ solely is a Spirituall sin It 's a sicknesse not of the body but of the soul and so the greater sinne All sinnes that are immediatly subjected in the soul have the greater guilt and defilement ceteris paribus more then any bodily sinnes As the Schoolmens Rule is The sinnes of the Spirit are maioris reatus but bodily sinnes maioris infamiae We see it in the Devils Their sinnes are wholly sinnes of the Spirit and are therefore called vnclean spirits yet they are more sinfull then men Therefore they are called spirituall wickednesses in high places Eph. 6. Though then these sinnes of spirituall pride and secret confidence in our selves do not make a noise in the world and bring reproach as bodily sinnes doe yet in other respects they may be of a crimson colour 〈◊〉 â—loudy aggravation They are a corruption of the best and choicest part â—hin thee and therefore look not only to outward but inward heart-sins Lastly The grievousnesse of this sinne doth appear in the immediate contrariety and opposition it hath to Christ and the Gospel of grace There is no sinne doth so formally and immediatly reject Christ as a Mediatour as this self-fulnesse and self-righteousnesse as we may see by our Saviour and the Pharisees That which kept them from Christ was their self-justification They thought they had a Righteousnesse of their own which made our Saviour call them Blessed that did hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse That were heavy laden and burthened And indeed Reason will tell us that a false Righteousnesse set up against the true is more dangerous then open and plain sinnes and Christ must needs be more jealous of such a person Seeing therefore that God requireth a Righteousnesse there must be a Righteousnesse procured and this of Christs can onely be satisfactory it is an high sinne to set up thy Absalom King instead of this David Thou dost in effect say All that Christ did it was needlesse it was in vain for thou hast a Righteousnesse of thy own works thou wilt trust to and never think to wash thy self from this sinne because by thy words thou speakest the clean contrary There is none that professeth Christ will grosly and palpably own his works for Justification but there is an inward secret tickling of heart and confidence because of them so that God onely can charge this sinne upon men for he knoweth and trieth the hearts and reins of men But thus you will say If this Self-righteousnesse and trusting in what we doe be in some sence worse then all the grosse sinnes that are committed how should we become convinced of it and so forsake it Oh that we could tell how to get this Ivy from cleaving thus to us lest it consume all that is within us Now the ready and onely way for a man to be driven out of this self-righteousnesse is First Seriously convince and inform thy Judgement of that Originall pollution which cleaveth to thee as soon as ever thou hast a Being Remember those place In iniquity did my Mother conceive me Psal 51. The Imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are onely evil and that continuly Gen. 6. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean We are by nature the Children of wrath Ephes 2.3 Oh the true apprehension of this loathsome contagion will quickly make us cry out of our selves and any thing that is ours Secondly Remember the purity and perfection of the Law what it is that requireth even the perfect actings of all grace so that if there be wanting but one duty yea one degree of grace The Law rejects all and curseth all There is no way but Hell and eternal damnation Nâ—â— the knowledge of this must needs make a man cry out of himself because he fails in all things Thirdly Consider the examples of those that have been most holy and godly how still they would go out of themselves They would not have their own life to be the Rule to be justified by David that is so highly commended and who breaths out such divine affections to God 〈◊〉 saith If thou enter into Judgement with thy Servant who can be Justified Psal 133. Oh it 's not for us to stand upon our works and duties when God cals to account and Job Though he pleadeâ— his Integrity yet he humbled himself under his imperfections comparatively to God Paul likewise would not be found in his own Righteousnesse It would be shame to 〈◊〉 â—â—d guilt to him to be found so Fourthly The reliques and remainders of corruption still cleave to us
world lieth in wickednesse the whole world None are exempted till called out of it by Grace All the humane Grecian power though so famous for wit and morall vertues is included herein and then it lieth in wickednesse this denoteth the habitual custome of sinne as also the impotency even to help it self It lieth in wickednesse there is also their contentednesse and delight as the Swine lieth in her mud And then in wickednesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a troublesome wickednesse that makes trouble and vexation to those that are not in the same excesse of wickednesse with them In the explaining of this concerning the danger of sinne to a Godly man in this world it will appear how difficult it is to them to passe by these Syrens how hard it is to refuse every temptation that stands like Solomons Whore tempting every passenger to come in How many had escaped those flames of hell and had been now partakers of the Robes of Glory had not this world been a Dalilah alwaies enticing them Not only the prophane man but the professour who seemed to give up his Name to Christ even the world hath undone him as will appear For First Consider the infecting and contagious sinfulnesse in the world How hardly can we breathe and live but we must suck in this pestilentiall air As those that live in an infected Pesthouse or such as abide in a noisome Hospitall they cannot but have the smell and the disease of the place so to live in this world which is wholly set on wickenesse it 's a wonder of wonders if we smell not of it savour not of it Therefore pure Religion Jam. 1.27 is said to keep a man unspotted from the world Vnspotted that implieth what a noisome dunghill or fllthy infecting place the world is Oh then with what care and fear should the people of God walk in this world Every hour every day thou art in danger of getting some spots and defilements upon thee Thou art not in Heaven or Paradise but in a place where the devil hath his Throne He ruleth in this world and therefore pray and watch depend upon Christ little dost thou think what mire thou maist fall in if the arm of grace support thee not Did not our Saviour say to his very Disciples that they should take heed of surfetting and drunkennesse that their hearts should not be overcharged with the cares of this world Luk. 21.34 Who would not have thought the Disciples farre enough from this sinne yet they must take heed If the green Tree may so easily take fire what will not the dry do Secondly As there is the world infecting so there is the world tempting and seducing even by lawful comforts It infects by sinne it seduceth by lawfull good things and herein is great danger to godly men their Houses Wives Children their health wealth and whatsoever is a worldly good These are apt to insnare and seduce our hearts So that the love care and joy about these things shuts out that love to God 1 Cor. 7. The Apostle tels us that those who marry must be as if they married not those that buy as if they bought not and those that use the world as not abusing it So that there is using of this world and abusing it using it when we make all these comfortable things we enjoy instrumental to Gods glory and our good but abusing it when we do use them too much So abuti the Latine word is used sometimes when the Waters overflow the Banks But who can stand under this Truth Who can endure this glorious Light Is not the world a tempting world though not an afflicting Thou dost not communicate with the wickednesse and grosse impieties the world lieth in but thy heart is over-charged and surfetted with affections to lawful things Thou over-lovest over-grievest Thy trade is a snare to thee Thy Wife thy Children are snares to thee they draw thee into this and that immoderate affection One of the Ancients saw in a Vision that the world was full of Snares Thus indeed it is Thou canst not be at home or abroad Thou canst not be in this or that condition but there is a Snare Even as the Bird cannot light upon the ground but the Fowler hath set a snare for her every where Oh then how well is it that not only we pray but Christ hath praied to keep us from the evil of all these things To have riches and sinne not To have health and sinne not To have mercies and offend not Know then that Egypt was not fuller of Frogs and Lice in every chamber in every hole then rhe world is of Temptation to sinne There is no mercy no relation no condition but it will draw out a world of sinne if thou watch not every Creature is a kinde of a devil Christ warrants that expression when he said to Peter Get thee behinde me Satan Mat. 16.23 When he tempted him from his duty Thou hast cause sometimes to say to the best comfort thou hast in the world Get thee behinde me Satan Thou savourest not the things of God Thirdly A godly mans danger ariseth from the deceitfulnesse of the world with the things thereof Thus Mat 13. it 's called the deceivablenesse of Riches And 1 Cor. 7. the world is said to have a fashion That as in the stage there are pleasing gestures and representations but they passe away immediately and you think you see Kings and Queens but there is no such matter Thus it is with the world it promiseth thee peace joy comfort Oh if thou hast it thou art ready to think thy self made but it proveth a Sodoms apple Ezechiels Roll sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly Now because it hath such a present sweetnesse to allure whereas grace is for the present rather bitter therefore are the godly in so great danger There are sweet baits every where but dangerous hooks Judas thought his thirty peeces a sweet morsell but it proved wormwood and gall when it was devoured Achan thought the wedge of Gold a sweet bit and Gehezi Naamans Talents but alas it was gall though it had the colour of honey so that it 's very much if the godly man escape undoing himself Seeing there is so much deceivablenesse every where that which is real misery seems a desirable good That which is full of bitternesse yet appeareth as if altogether good So true is that Per fallacia mala itur and vera bona per fallacia bona itur and vera mala By seeming evils we come to reall good and by seeing God to real evil Fourthly The Godly man is in danger because of the sutablenesse of the worlds temptation with that corruption within So that he hath a dangerous Enemy about the Wals and a treacherous party within The world and his heart are in a Confederacy against the good of his soul so that thou canst not eat or drink or sleep in
Isa 6. called a fat heart from Cattell that doe grow fat in Fruitfull Pastures But above all places there is one more remarkable Eccles 8.11 Because Sentence is not speedily executed against the sinner Therefore the heart of the Sonnes of men is fully set in them to do evill Fully set There is nothing can divert them they are resolved come hell and come devils they will have their way 6. Hypocrisie or a deceitfull pretending to matters of Religion when yet at the same time their hearts are carnal vile and unsanctified this was the Case of Iudas he never from the beginning did truly love Christ or in a saving way beleeve in Christ as appeaseth Ioh. 6.64 It 's true his hypocrisie was the more wonderful because they left all and followed Christ They were exposed to all hardship and hatred from the world who would not think that only pure ends had moved Iudas but yet you see that even in the poor and low way Christ was in yet Iudas could have false ends and there were temptations to draw out his carnal worldly heart whether he was a convinced hypocrite that lived in sins against conscience at first is hard to say But after he became the Bag-bearer and did daily steal from that publike stock which Christ had for the maintenance of himself and his Apostles then no doubt but he knew he did not walk uprightly and so was a grosse hypocrite Now this hypocrisie all along he discovers especially Mat. 26.7 in this History of Mary who anointed Christs feet with precious Oyntment at a dear rate Iudas murmured at this Iohn the Evangelist mentioneth him only â—e other make all the Apostles to murmure but either it is an Eâ—allage the plural for the singular number or else Iudas was the beginning of the Sedition he was Ringleader and put others on it But in this complaint of this See how speciously and religiously be covered his wickednesse Ad quid perditio haec saith this Son of perdition It might have been sold and given to the poor This he said saith the Evangelist not that he cared for the poor but because he was a Theef If all that had been put into the bagge he could have stolen from it and so enriched himself This was his hypocrisie Another instance is when he had agreed with the Priests about betraying of Christ his Master he comes and kisses him with an Hail Master this which appeared such an obsequious expression of love was made the very sign by which they should lay hold on Jesus and carry him away It is true some of the Ancients have much excused Iudas as if he intended only to cheat the High-Priests of their money because he thought that Christ could escape out of their hands as soon as he was apprehended for Iudas had observed before that when the people took him and intended to throw him down the Hill that he did in a strange miraculous manner convey himself from them but this cannot be for our Saviour had informed them that he must die though as yet his hour was not come that one of them should betray him and that Iudas was earnest and reall in this Treachery appeareth by this expression Whom I shall kisse that is he take him and leade him away diligently as fearing Christ might have escaped them or as it is translated Mat. 26.46 Hold him fast Thus in his most devilish actions he hath fair pretences and under this Visor perpetrares his abominations in like manner Absalom when he was upon that Treacherous design of unnatural rebellion against his Father he pretends a Vow and Piety to perform it Thus that cruell bloudy and deceitful Doeg on whom David acted by Gods Spirit doth pronounce so solemn Curses yet it is said of him 1 Sam. 29.7 He was detained before the Lord Though he was upon some speciall Vow or otherwise serving of God yet he could even then take occasion to inform Saul against David and be the cause of the death of many innocent Priests of the Lord and the Pharisees were so hypocritically Religious that they would not enter into Pilates house lest they should defile themselves when yet they could crucifie Christ Thus when men can harden themselves as they think to cosen God and men no wonder if they fall into perdition Lastly Men who become Sons of Perdition are such as willfully despair of Gods mercy and conclude there is no hope for them Iudas had committed grievous sinnes especially in betraying innocent bloud but his despair at last was worse then all the rest Even that bloud he had shed would have washed away that grievous sinne of shedding it had he by Faith sprinkled himself with it What made Cain so desperately continue in rebellion as was against God though with constant trembling upon him it was his despair My sins are greater then I can bear Thus as the devil when he possessed some bodies threw them in the fire and water so when he doth the soul by despair he violently hurleth them into hell Thus you have heard the inward cause of selfâ—destroiers there are some outward causes mentioned in the Scripture And they are 1. Evil and wicked company Men imboldened in sinne labour to make others so As Joab said to the young man that trembled to runne his Spear into Absalom Fear not saith he have not I loved thee Thus such great Ones such rich Ones or such a multitude they bid thee doe thus Why then shouldst thou regard what Ministers or the Scripture saith Art thou so foolish and precise to be awed with such things Thus Prov. 1. Old hardened sinners are brought in enticing the young man to be one of their company 2. When Satan takes greater hold and possession of men then formerly Thus he driveth them to hell that as you reade the devil entred into some Swine and threw them headlong into the Sea Thus he possessth some men and throweth them as violently into hell Judas before he sets upon this Treachery is said Joh. 13.27 Satan entred into him he entred into him and took full possession of his Soul Thus before Ananias and Saphira did in so horrible a manner lye and dissemble it 's said Act. 5.3 Satan had filled their heart and thus the Jews are said to be of their Father the devil There is a generation of men that have by way of curse the devil often in their mouths but he is much more in their hearts and such men none can stop from hell Lastly God by a just and severe judgement withdraweth or denieth all mollifying and softening grace to some men for their former sinnes and when thus left by God they are in a sencelss stupid and impudent estate of sinning Thus Pharaoh was left by God and then he was so hardned that no Miracles did him any good Vse of Instruction Marvell not if such desperate mad men live amongst you though they come to Church though they hear never
he for them It is as ridiculous as if a man should delight in childrens baby-clouts Oh do thou remember of whom thou art born and thou wilt take the best things to rejoyce in Fourthly Heavenly Joy surpasseth in the certainty of it The joy which God createth in the soul cannot be taken away by any but God himself Though sicknesse come though poverty come though afflictions arise yet all these cannot take away his joy yea in death it self many times he doth most abound and overflow whereas all worldly joy under such calamities are turned into wounds into howlings and tremblings so that they know not what to do Fifthly It surpasseth in the Vniversality and Extent of it Joy in God is all Joy because God is an Universall Good There is no want but he can fill it no misery but he is a peculiar remedy to it whereas the Creatures have their peculiar Joyes Health is one Joy Wealth another Joy but no one Creature hath all Comforts in it Sixthly It transcends in the Fulnesse and Degrees of Joy Solomon speaks of worldly Comfort That even in laughter the heart is sad Even Seneca could say Think you of those many that laugh any one hath true Joy Res severa est Gaudium Digge to the bottome of the heart of these merry blades and you will finde terrours and fears there Vse of Instruction Which is the way to get true Joy A life in Christ a life of holinesse Omnis vita est propter delectationem Judge not jolly bodily delights worthy the name of Joy These will turn to bitter howlings and gnashings of teeth Oh what a bitter alteration will death make upon you Now laughing then roaring now excessive in drinking then crying for a drop of water to quench those eternal torments SERMON LXXIX The Excellent Effects of Christian Joy JOH 17.13 That my Joy might be fulfilled in themselves IN the next place Let us Consider the Effects of this Christian joy and they are admirable First It doth dilate and enlarge the heart so that the Soul rejoycing is far more capacious then otherwise it would be Some have died they say for joy because of the too much dilating and dispersing the spirits The Saints glorified in heaven enjoy more then ever they could here of God because their hearts are more widened and prepared Our Souls are narrow and streightned within us till joy doth extend them A man of a joyful spirit is like a Vessell of a broad mouth that receiveth far more of God and Christ then a dejected unbeleeving person so that when we are commanded to set open the doors that the Prince of Glory may enter into us It 's joy that will thus prepare us It 's the complaint of many of Gods Children of their narrownesse and straitnesse of heart that they have no room for Christ Fears they fill the heart Worldly cares they also fill so that as men in a Consumption complain of a stopping and streightnesse in their breast they have much ado to fetch their winde Thus do the Children of God oh they have such stoppings upon their hearts that they have much ado to pray or to do any heavenly duty Now joy is an excellent opener That removeth these sinful obstructions so that this should make thee endeavour after a joyful life it will make thee dilate in all dimensions of grace Thou wilt be a Christian of a higher pitch or like Daniels Tree whose branches spread themselves abroad exceedingly 2. This Joy makes a man active and serviceable to God Neh. 8.10 The joy of the Lord is your strength Weak hands and feeble knees which are the Instruments of action and motion are attributed to fear as the cause of them Thus on the contrary Joy makes strong hands and firm knees The Incestuous person when almost swallowed with sorrow could no more vigorously serve God then a piece of wood whose moisture is not yet dried up would be useful for building Hence any service done to God that is accompanied with dejections and sorrow hath a kinde of uncleanesse in it as we have a notable expression Hos 9.4 Their Sacrifices shall be unto them as the Bread of mourners all that eat thereof shall be polluted Lev. 11.1 Persons that mourned for others that were dead were accounted unclean and thus doth all sinful sorrow and dejection it makes thy duty unclean it polluteth thee for God loveth not only a chearfull giver but chearfulnesse in all duties and therefore we reade of Gods severe threatning for the neglect of this Deut. 28.47 One great cause of all those heavy Curses there mentioned is because they did not serve the Lord with joy and gladnesse of heart Adde to this Deut. 12.7 12. as also Deut. 26.14 where the person offering Sacrifices was to make this Protestation that he had not eat thereof in his mourning If you say God is of such infinite purity and holinesse that I being full of infirmities have cause to tremble before him We grant it yet remember the Psalmists Advice Rejoyce with trembling Psal 2. That is the fat of the Sacrifice Oh then thou that complainest of thy dulnesse listlesnesse and lukewarmnesse in Gods Service whose duties look like Pharaohs lean Kine and though they swallow down many fat opportunities as these did the fat Kine yet remain withered and ill-favoured still Consider whether unbelief and sinful dejections are not like Ivy to the Tree or like rottennesse in the bones so Solomon cals Sorrow The bones which are the chief strength of a man if they have rottennesse in them how weak must that man be Consider then whether thy want of heavenly joy be not the cause of the evil upon thee whether that do not make thee a barren Wildernesse and a parched heath whether thou hadst not fulfilled all Relations and opportunities more fruitfully if this Joy had been fulfilled in thee 3. Christs Joy fulfilled in the heart doth consume and expell all carnall and worldly and sinful joys He that rejoyceth in the Lord cannot rejoyce in sin because the Objects are clean contrary no more then a man at the same time can with one eye look upward and with another downward A body may as well be in two places at the same time as the soul be intensly affected with two contrary Objects so that if thou complainest of the pronenesse of thy heart to rejoyce in earthly and worldly things Know there is no such medicine to cure this as heavenly joy as they say fire will drive out fire so joy will expell joy Joy in the Lord Joy in the world What made David professe so much joy in God but the heavenlinesse of his heart and this greater joy put out the lesse As the Sun-beams will the fire Seeing therefore a man cannot live but he must have joy in something Do thou pray and endeavour that the joy of the Lord may take up thy heart for when this Sun is in thy soul the Starres cannot
the Earth earthly And then 3. If it be taken for the wickednesse of it Then Christ was never so of the world Therefore here is a difference between Christ and his Disciples for though they were not now of the world yet once they were plunged in sinne and corrupted through pollutions as others were but Christ never was of the world in this sence Therefore in the last place the particle of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not of equality as if the Disciples were in every respect not of the world as Christ was but in some resemblance only The words thus explained two Doctrines arise Doct. 1 First The not being of the world is that which makes wicked men hate the Godly If there were sutablensse of Naturee and Manners then like would agree with like Hence 1 Joh 3.12 when the Apostle instanced in Cains murther of his Brother because his own works were evil he saith v. â—3 Marvell not if the world hate you Never wonder at that but rather if it should not hate you Our Saviour speaks notably of this to his Brethren Joh. 7.5 7. For they did not beleeve in him though so greatly acquainted with him and saw his Miracles The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil It cannot hate you No wicked man can hate another viz. in respect of fundamental principles as a Godly man is hated It 's true wicked men may be at deadly fewd one with another but it is not from contrary principles of nature but from matter of profit and injuries or wrongs done As the Dogge doth not hate another yet for bones and other matters they will be ready to kill one another Though therefore Herod and Pilate cannot endure one another yet that opposition was upon carnal Interests it was not like that hatred which was to Christ Therefore when such Earthly Interests are removed they can heartily embrace one another but the wicked man can never love the Godly till his Nature he changed till he become godly also as the wolf can never love a sheep unlesse he be made a sheep To open this Let us Consider What it is not to be of the world And first It consists in Doctrine to be beleeved Such are not of the world who receive those hevenly Truths that the world cannot reach unto yea that it scorneth and derideth When Peter made that Solemn Confession That Christ was the Son of the Living God It was told him Flesh and bloud had not revealed this to him Mat. 16.16 There is a worldly Religion worldly Doctrines such as are sutable to the principles and Interests of the world and these are readily embraced The world loveth such Preachers and such Doctrines 1 Joh. 4. 4. The Apostle John speaking of the Antichristian Spirit that was coming into the world saith of such Teachers They are of the world therefore the world heareth them but we are of God and he that is not of God heareth us not Therefore there is a remarkable opposition 1 Cor. 2 12. between the Spirit of the world and the Spirit of God For by this only we come to know the things that God hath given us Then therefore are we not of the world when God shall so enlighten our mindes by Faith That we do assuredly beleeve those Truths God hath revealed in his Word that neither our corrupt Reasons nor our Education to the contrary nor the Opinions of the most men and great men in the world shall make us go contrary and certainly the Lives of men are so worldly because their Understanding is so We receive our Religion not as it 's revealed of God but as we can any waies turn it to our corrupt ends 2. Not to be of the world is to be Regenerated and born again To have another Nature then what we come with into the world another not substantially but qualitatively whereby we are said 1 Pet. 1.4 to be partakers of the divine Nature So that though at first made of the dust yet now we fly up to Heaven as the vapours though arising out of the Earth yet ascend up to Heaven and follow the motions thereof Joh. 3. and 2 Cor. 5.17 A man must be born again or from above and he is made a new Creature Old things are past away This is to be above the world not of the world and indeed seeing the Soul is not naturally of the world being created by God why shouldst thou voluntarily debase it and make it a Servant to every worldly Object to love the world To delight in the world To be ensnared by the world Oh pray for this Divine Nature beg for Regeneration for till this be done thou art all over earthly a worm is as good as thou art Thy Love thy heart thy thoughts thy all is nothing but earth 3. Not to be of the world is to have an Heavenly Conversation To live as one whose heart is with Christ already in Heaven It 's not enough to be once regenerated but the progresse of our Lives is to be spent on Heavenly motives and Considerations As the Fowls of the Heaven though they light upon the Ground to eat their meat yet immediatly fly up again Thus it is with the godly though they take the lawful comforts of this world yet their hearts are presently off ascending to God Thus the Apostle Our Conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3 20. And because we are risen with Christ we set our affections upon things above Col. 3.1 2. See our Lord Christ he was not of the world Did he not manifest it by his conversation when he made it his meat and drink to doe his Fathers Will when he was alwaies either praying to God or preaching to the people Oh then do thou endeavour after this life Though thou art in thy Family in thy Trade in thy Calling yet be not of the world because the choicest part of thy self is from God Thou canst say what are all these to the favour of God They are good to use but not to enjoy They are good sawce but not good meat a good Inne but not a good home 4. Not to be of the world is to partake of other joys other comforts then the world knoweth of and so to be exercised with other Temptations then the world understands with other joys Therefore it 's said It hath not entred into the heart of man to conceive of this 1 Cor. 2.9 It 's called Joy unspeakable in the holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1.8 David acknowledged God had put more joy in his heart then worldly men could have in all their abundance Psa 4. Alas what is thy carnal mirth and delight to that admirable and unspeakable joy which the godly finde in God This is a joy that will hold in tribulations and death it self when in such a Drought the wicked mans stream is quite dried up his temptations also are such as the world
accounts madnesse To be in spiritual desertions to have no sence of Gods favour to fear himself a damned Castaway to have no rest in his bones day or night To be assaulted with the devils buffetings to be filled with hideous thoughts These things the world also knoweth not and therefore they count them melancholy and mad Such as by their too much poring about Sermons and good Books put themselves out of their wits Lastly They are not of the world in respect of their Conversation Rom. 12. they are not conformed to the fashion of the world The one goeth Westward the other Eastward as it were Their words and language are different their actions are contrary What the Righteous man loveth the wicked abominateth and what the wicked loveth the godly man abhorreth Thus as they say of the heavens the primum mobile hath one motion of its own and the inferiour Orbes a contrary motion to that Thus the godly man he moveth one way toward heaven he presseth hard thither The wicked man he maketh as much haste to hell So as there were two strugling in the Mothers womb which encreased her pain Thus there are two striving upon the face of the world an Isaac and an Ismael a Jacob and an Esau the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent This enmity will not be extinct in this life Vse of Exhortation to the godly Remember what ye are Not of the world Therefore take heed of worldly affections worldly hearts For where your treasure is there will your heart be also If it be in God in Heaven there the heart will be If in Earth and in earthly things there it will be You tremble at the commission of grosse and grievous sins you think hell it self would immediatly devour you upon such sins Be afraid of the world Let it not be a Dalilah to thee a Judas to thee by kissing thee to destroy thee Consider therefore God hath put gall into all worldly comforts therefore every creature every condition in the world hath a sting in it that thy soul should be more on God Thou canst never live quietly till above the werld In heaven only there are no storms no waves no disquietings and this life thou maist attain unto He that is not of the world The troubles of the world hurt not him the losses of the world grieve not him The vexations of the world disquiet not him But because we are still of the world in part we are not compleatly and perfectly out of disquietnesse Therefore in this life we remain in a combating conflicting way that heaven may be the sweeter Doct. 2 Obs 2. That it is the honour of Beleevers that they are like Christ They are not of the world as he is not What a glorious condescention was this that he who is the God of all the Earth and hath all things at his command yet be in the world hated scorned and at last crucified That it shall be no better with him then it was with us Hence our Saviour added this as I am of the world both for consolation and information Information that they should look for such hatred misery and trouble as they saw him grapling with such a contradiction of sinners as he sustained and then also for consolation They could not think much if the Disciple were not above the Master so could they expect to be more loved of God then he Could they think to walk more wisely and holily then he did It must needs bring much comfort when we shall Consider that it can never be so bad with us but it was worse with Christ Are we hated so he Did he seem forsaken of God So may we be To open this Consider That there is a twofold conformity and likenesse to Christ The first is active the second passive An active conformity consists in the Imitation of Christ and resembling him in our lives That as Christ lived so we endeavour to do Although there be some things wherein it 's impossible for us to imitate him as in his actions which he did as God yet in those things which he did as being under the Law we are to conform to him We are to be humbles meek and patient as he was We are to do Gods Will and to seek Gods glory as he did Let the same minde be in you saith the Apostle which was in Christ Phil. 2.5 Christs life and death was chiefly satisfactory and meritorious but secondarily it was exemplary being as a Copy to write after Thus Paul bids them be Followers of him as he was of Christ Phil 3.17 Heathens have prescribed to have some grave sober man in our mindes alwaies to think him present but behold a greater then all men even Christ himself Check thy self when impatient discontented repining at sufferings saying Did Christ do thus 2. There is a passive Conformity of which the Text speaks To be like him in his Sufferings To have the same hard measure in the world as he had Rom 8. We are said to be predestinate to be conformable unto Christ in this very particular What befell Christ God hath so ordered that it should befal us Not indeed for the same end for Christs Sufferings were not for himself or because he had sinned but to make an atonement to God for us But our sufferings are for our sins not to satisfie Gods justice but to humble us and to make us in some measure to feel how much Christ suffered for us what the wrath and anger of God was he endured for us This passive resemblance then unto Christ in his state of humiliation God hath ordained all beleevers unto That as it behoved Christ to suffer and so to enter into Glory Thus it doth behove every godly man through many Tribulations to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven As he had a Crown of Thorns before a Crown of Glory as he must drink of the Brook and then lift up his head so it must be with all his Disciples and this is matter of Comfort though otherwise grievous to flesh and bloud For 1. Hereby we see that we may be never the lesse loved of God though greatly afflicted in this world For was not Christ though dearly beloved of his Father yet delivered up to the cruell mockings and rage of men Did not he cry out My God why hast thou forsaken me We may reade but of one Sonne of God without sin but not of one without chastisement even Christ himself drank deep of that Cup Do not thou then doubt of thy Sonship or Interest in the Fathers love because of the present afflictions that are upon thee Christ was a man of sorrows and yet God from Heaven said This is my well beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased 2. There is matter of comfort because hereby we are ascertained of our Conquest over them That no tribulation shall separate God and us for Christ hath undergone these conflicts as
be risen with Christ seek those things that are above and set your affections upon them Oh this is a great matter when not only our minde and tongue but our affections are set on things above The Affections are like wings to the bird like fire among the Elements it assimilates and turneth every thing into fire Thus where the beleever affectionately remembers he is not of the world he cryeth out as the Maid ready to be ravished under all inordinate and worldly thoughts What do you come to overwhelm me for He runneth away as Joseph from his Mistresse how can I do this and sinne against God The Apostle speaks in the Name of all Beleevers Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in Heaven Thus as the Sunne in Heaven though the Beams of it shine upon Dunghils and noisome Jakes yet it 's not defiled So the Godly though they live in a noisome sinful and wicked world yet they are not stained therewith because their Conversation is in Heaven and as the Bird as long as she soars on high is out of all danger from the snares and gins of the Fowler Thus the Childe of God as long as his thoughts and his affections are kept above and are out of reach they receive no defilement from these things below Oh then let the Beleever remember he is not of this world and this will inflame him it will be a fiery Chariot to carry him up into Heaven But because to be heavenly-minded is a general and particular things do most inform and affect Singularia sunt quae pungunt Let us branch it out in particulars and shew you wherein a Godly man remembring he is not of the world doth expresse his heavenly Conversation and that emptieth it self into these streams First He mortifieth and moderateth his heart and affections even to lawfull things 1 Cor. 7. The time is short Those that marry must be as if they married not Grace doth alter the pallat of Nature so that like old Barzillai they take not that delight which once they had in the comforts of the world Nature is content with few things but Grace with the one necessary thing which is God himself If then thy heart be like a water overrunning the banks and so be muddied stop thy self and remember thou art not of this world and therefore thou darest not over-love or over-desire or go beyond thy bounds Thou hast indeed these mercies but as if thou hadst them not Truly this is an excellent discovery of an heavenly heart when this Ivy doth not so cleave to thee as to consume thee When thou canst so eat drink and enjoy all earthly and worldly Comforts that yet thou do not distemper and disease thy soul Secondly An Heavenly Heart is in these worldly things when they are made but the secondary and the lesse principall They are the Stars not the Sun This our Saviour makes a fundamentall qualification to every Disciple He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me Matth. 10.37 The Godly man therefore hath Christ lying nearest to his heart There must be nothing above him equall to him as David expresseth this predominancy often Whom have I in Heaven but thee And My Soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thee at all times And God was his Portion The Light of his Countenance was better then Life and all Earthly Comfort If therefore thou remembrest thou art not of this world Earthly things shall be admitted only to the Court of the Temple not to thy heart which is the Holy of Holies They are kept at the bottome of the Hill not suffered to come up to the Mount There is no man if not truly regenerated though never so great in parts and expressions of Religion that giveth Christ the better part of his Soul That gives the Superiority to him As in the Sacrifices of old all the fat was to be burnt unto God Oh then awaken thy self in this matter if thou art not of the world then God and Christ are in the uppermost room of thy heart They are more unto thee then ten thousand Creatures To say thou arâ— no prophane person no wicked person is a poor and a small matter But art thou one to whom Christ is more then Wealth then honour and all Greatnesse Thirdly The man that remembers he is not of the world dareth not sinne against God to obtain the greatest advantages here below This doth necessarily follow from the former For if once he be so heavenly as to love God and Christ better then all then he will do nothing that he may lose them He will not be so foolish as to take Dirt and to lose Gold Hence those Hearers that had the Cares of the world choaking the good Seed and those Apostates that fell off in Persecution all these did serve Mammon and not God for when it comes to this here is an offer and choice either I must lose God or this worldly advantage If thou wilt take the present world and leave Christ this cannot stand with an Heavenly heart I do not speak of some particular passages for the Flesh sometimes overcometh the Spirit but of an habituall and constant course Therefore it was a full discovery that Moses was not of the world when he chose the Reproaches of Christ rather then all the Treasures of Egypt This an earthly heart would never have done Fourthly The man that remembers he is not of the world desires not neither rejoyceth in worldly things any further then thereby he is made more serviceable to God and instrumental te his glory All these earthly things they are Talents and we are called Stewards Now the Steward looks not upon the money and Rents he receiveth as his he rejoyceth not in them as his own He is to improve all for the best to his Masters use Thus the heavenly Christian doth This Health This Life These parts These Comforts they are none of mine I am but a Steward I must give an account what improvement I have made of them This is a notable discovery of thy heavenlinesse when thou art thus affected Fifthly He that Considers he is not of this world his Heavenly-mindednesse is discovered in that though he be in the midst of all these businesses yet he labours to keep his heart holy and fervent His Shop doth not dead his heart his worldly affairs do not dull the Edge of his Spirit but he can delight in God call him Father be fervent and effectuall in Duties Not but that the most Heavenly man which is findes and complaineth of much deadnesse and dullnesse They can be affected with worldly things but not Heavenly onely they are sensible and complain of this dead heart That as they mourn over a dead Friend a dead Childe so they do over a dead heart onely herein they strive and labour that no worldly thing may any whit abate their Affections to God That they
may cry out and say O Lord how gladly would I be enjoying of thee but that this world will not let me Truly these strivings and resistings of the world do very much argue thy spiritual and heavenly heart Sixthly The Heavenly Heart would not be alwaies in the conflicting part of Grace but in the triumphing part which is the more heavenly work for as one Starre differs from another So one part of Heavenly work is more excellent then another To grapple with Lusts to figâ—â— with sinne this is Heavenly work But to enjoy God to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory this is more Heavenly Now the Israelites did not so much desire the destroying of the Canaanites that they might be refreshing themselves with the Milk and Honey of the Land As the People of God groan to be above an earthly a proud heart lustful heart that they might enjoy the sweetnesse of grace Seventhly The Heavenly Heart considering it is not of this world doth therefore long for and hasten the Coming of Christ We are daily to pray that Christs Kingdom may come and the Godly are described by this Expectation Heb. 2.29 They look for and hasten the Coming of Christ 2 Pet. 3.12 The Church cryeth Come Lord Jesus Come quickly She praieth vehemently as if she could not stay till he did come That as Sisera's Wife stood looking out of the Window expecting her Lords Coming in Triumph Thus do the godly and therefore they are to lift up their Heads Mat. 24. Then their Winter is over and their Summer is come Then shall there be no more sinnes no more cares no more clogs nor troubles thou shalt take thy leave of all these Lastly He that is not of the world delights in such things that doe either beget or encrease spiritual and Heavenly Life Now all the holy Ordinances of God are appointed for this end Praier Preaching of the Word the solemn Assemblies holy conference all these things are like Wood to keep the Fire alwaies burning You may see the Expressions David useth about the Ordinances The Word was sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb In his Banishment there was no earthly thing troubled him so much as to be restrained and kept from the Solemn and Divine worship of God That heart must needs grow cold and dead that is not often enlivened by these it will quickly be like a barren Wildernesse if these Clouds drop not on it The same Word that begat thee unto a spirituall Life must encrease and continue thee therein In the second general place It 's good to reminde our selves often that we are not of the world hereby to presse our selves to a Non-conformity and Non-compliance with it Rom. 12. Be not conformed to the world but transformed in your minde We are not to love or delight in what the evil world doth We are not to do as they do Though it be the greater part and though a multitude go that way yea though all the world go in an evil way and though but one man yet thou wilt not symbolize with it And truly this we ought to presse upon our selves how often are we ready to say with that man concerning the Masse Eamus ad communem errorem Let us go to the common Errour Who will swim against the stream Who is like that River Alpheus that though it empty it self in the Sea yet keeps its own sweetnesse and is not infected with the saltnesse of that water Oh what a comfortable Testimony of grace is it to be such an one that the world neither by its flatteries or its frowns is able to put thee out of a good path Thirdly The frequent meditating on this that we are not of the world will make us admirably love and commend the Grace of God For whose heart will not move within him when he shall consider how many thousands of the world live and die in that worldly disposition yet God hath seperated me from it Yea how many of thy acquaintance of thy Kindred of thy near Friends are yet of the world and thou art not So that the experimental knowledge of this will fill thy heart and mouth with joy and praises God hath in this done more for thee then if he had given thee the whole world Fourthly The knowing and thinking this that they are not of the world will make them be content and patient under the afflictions and troubles they meet with in the world For seeing they are not of the world they matter not how it is with them Their happinesse and misery is not bound up in this Orb They are Pilgrims and Strangers and no wonder if such do not matter the accomodations they finde in the way If they come to an unfurnished Inne they will make a shift they will say it is but for a night and thus if we are not of the world though God lay this chastisement upon us though he raise up that trouble against us yet it 's but a night they are not of this Countrey and therefore cannot be undone here In the 2d place The often reflecting upon this that we are not of this world will bring much consolation For 1. Hereby God will take the more special care of us and vouchsafe the more powerful protection unto us We are not of the world Therefore under all the wrongs troubles and injuries of the world we are to look up unto God if God love his own Name he will do good to such who are serviceable to all his 2 Here is Consolation Because they have the fit qualification of theso who come under Christs Praier You see that which makes Christ so earnestly commend them io his Father is because they are not of the world The effectual fervent praier of a righteous man prevails much how much more will Christs praier 3. Here is Consolation That because we are not of the world therefore God will at last take us out of it to Eternal glory The godly are of heaven and heaven is their proper place That as it 's said of our body Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return So of heaven thou art and to heaven thou shalt return Vse 1 Vse of Exhortation to the Children of God Art thou not of the world then dwell on this improve this do not make thy self like a worldling Are they proud passionate earthy envious Do thou abhor to be so Shall such a man as I make my self like the vile ones of the Earth Neither be thou daunted because the world revileth rageth and walketh contrary to thee Shall the Star leave its glory and come to be a clod of Earth Say with the Olive-Tree and Fig-Tree Shall I leave my fatnesse and become a bramble or a briar It 's the envy and malice of the world that sets against thee such soar eyes cannot abide any dazling lustre Vse 2 Vse 2. of Admonition to those wicked men that are
a Command yet withall sheweth the difficulty of it and whence it doth come to pass that the children of God sensible of their sins are so hardly brought to Beleeve As also why ungodly men think it so easie a thing SERM. XXXIX Further sheweth how acceptable it is to God to beleeve in Christ the Mediatour and setteth forth the dangerous nature of Trusting in our own Righteousness SERM. XL. Further setteth forth the Excellency and Necessity of pressing the Doctrine of Faith in Christ the Mediatour and of our being affected with it and invites the greatest sinners to come unto him for Salvation SERM. XLI JOHN 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine Of praying both for the Godly and the wicked with the Reasons and Motives thereof SERM. XLII The Excellency and Efficacy of Christs Mediatory prayer set forth in many Aggravations of it for the Consolation of the Godly SERM. XLIII Of the Extent of Christs Mediatory Prayer and of his Death That he praied and died not for all and every one of mankinde but only for the Elect and that the Scripture expressions of Christs dying for all are to be understood indefinitely and not universally SERM. XLIV Reasons why the Scripture speaks thus universally about Christs death when yet but some were intended Also what Benefits Reprobates have by Christ with some Arguments further proving the point of Christs dying not for every man but some SERM. XLV The Application of the former Subject setting forth the Necessity of Faith and Repentance as to the interesting us in Christ The Freeness of Gods Love The Qualifications of those to whom Christs death is made advantagious and also their priviledges above all others SERM. XLVI Of Free-Grace opposite to Arminianism tending to raise the hearts of those that are Godly to Joy and Thankfulness SERM. XLVII Of Gods Propriety in his people as the ground of all the good that accrueth to them SERM. XLVIII JOHN 17.10 And all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them The Deity of Jesus Christ cleared and defended against the Socinians SERM. XLIX Of mans glorifying of Christ and how many waies that is done SERM. L. JOHN 17.11 And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are Of Christs tender care of all his people in the greatest of their care and afflictions SERM. LI. Of the great danger of Gods peoples being in the world chiefly from its tempting and seducing to sin SERM. LII Of the danger Gods people are in in the world in respect of its hating and opposing of them with Reasons why the Lord makes the world such a disquieting place such a valley of tears unto his own people SERM. LIII The Exaltation of Christ improved for the Joy of all Beleevers SERM. LIV. That all Civil Governours as well as Ecclesiasticall from the meanest Master of a Family to the greatest Monarch have from Christ a spirituall charge of those that are under them and are above all things to endeavour the good of their souls SERM. LV. The great Lord-keeper of Israel from inevitable Ruine both of body and soul extolled SERM. LVI That it 's not enough to be put into a state of Grace unless by Gods power we are kept therein How farre men may acknowledge Gods help and yet with the Pelagians Arminians and Papists not give him his due Glory And also sheweth how many waies the power of God keepeth his people SERM. LVII Reasons proving the Necessity of Gods preserving his children in Grace That God keeps them by Faith Also why and how Faith keeps them rather then other Graces SERM. LVIII The greatness of the mercy of being kept sound in the Truth and the damnableness of Errour demonstrated SERM. LIX That it 's a speciall Mercy for the Ministers of the Gospel to agree in one Wherein their unity should be and the Reasons of the differences that are among them SERM. LX. The great Pattern of Unity the Nature and Property of the Unity that is between God the Father and the Sonne against the Socinians That the Ministers of God should endeavour after a perfect Unity even to be one as the Father and Sonne are Also some Rules guiding thereunto SERM. LXI JOHN 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy Name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled The great changes that even a Godly man is subject unto in respect of the having and losing those sensible supports both outward and inward which God at sometimes vouchsafeth to them Also what those sensible injoyments are and why God doth so change the condition of his people SERM. LXII Sheweth how prone men are for to know Christ after the flesh and wherein it appears SERM. LXIII Of the Saints Lord-keeper shewing how safe the Godly are kept to Salvation by Christ as a trust committed to him SERM. LXIV Of the manner of Christs keeping those that are his Of a four fold principle that is operative to the preservation of Beleevers And of the excellent effects of the Lively Meditation of this Doctrine of being kept by Christ to Salvation SERM. LXV Of the Perseverance of the Saints The Question stated SERM. LXVI Of the Perseverance of the Saints SERM. LXVII Arguments proving that every one that is in the state of Grace shall be preserved to Eternall Life SERM. LXVIII Of the sonne of perdition Shewing that some persons are wilfully set for to damn themselves though they have never so many excellent Remedies and Means to the contrary And what are the Causes that move them thereunto and Characters of such persons SERM. LXIX Of the son of perdition Shewing more Causes and Symptoms of such wretched persons that are desperately bent to damn themselves SERM. LXX Of the sonne of perdition Sheweth from the example of Judas that men may be eminent for a while in the Church of God and afterwards prove desperate Apostates SERM. LXXI Of the sonne of Perdition SERM. LXXII Of the sonne of Perdition SERM. LXXIII The great stumbling-blocks of Religion removed SERM. LXXIV Of the Scripture SERM. LXXV Of the truth of Scripture-prophesies and against Judiciall Astrology and Witchcraft shewing the vanity and wickedness thereof and of seeking to them SERM. LXXVI John 17.13 And now I come to thee and these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves The Joy of Saints handled both as a duty and priviledge as being one great end of Christs Prayer Command Promises and Ministry SERM. LXXVII Of Joy and Comfort shewing how many waies the Spirit of God works it in the hearts of his people SERM. LXXVIII The severall
others that knew not what they did many of them were converted afterwards and did beleeve in him whom they had pierced so that we need not doubt of speeding when we bring Christ with us Hence Joh. 16.24 Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you If we were to draw nigh in our Name If we did appear in our own Name we might justly look for anger in stead of mercy but God is not angry with Christ he doth not frown upon Christ Fifthly The praier of Christ had all those internall qualifications that are requisite to acceptation For first There was holy faith and confidence the Preface is Father which is not a bare Title but an expression from inward affection indeed Christ was not capable of justifying faith he was too perfect a subject to need such a grace yet as the habit of faith doth include no imperfection in the subject but a full dependance and affiance on God so Christ did beleeve and in this sence he cried My God My God why hast thou forsaken me My God My God were acts of fiduciall dependance As for repentance and sorrow for sinne which is requisite in all our praiers such also Christ was not capable of but then for love and zeal to God for heavenly affections c. The Sea is not fuller of water then his soul was of such enlargements No distraction no deadnesse no imperfection did cleave to his praier but as he himself was without sinne so also was his praier Besides the extrinsecall dignity and worth of Christs praier there was an inherent perfection and fullnesse of all graces in him Oh then though the godly labour and groan under manifold weaknesses Their praiers are so imperfect that they need to be praied over again and confession is requisite for our imperfect confession yet remember the perfection of Christs praiers There was no spot no blemish in this Sacrifice of his lips At the end of thy praier when thy heart smiteth thee for thy roving thoughts thy dulnesse thy distractions comfort thy self with this there was no such defect in Christs praier Christs praier was like that curious confection and ointment which had so many precious ingredients in it Sixthly Consider this Praier of Christs had that generall nature in it which all our praiers have to be a condition and medium to bring about the good things we desire For some have disputed about praier What use is there of it seeing God knoweth all things before we ask and he is unchangeable our praiers cannot alter his purpose To this it 's answered That our praiers are not to acquaint God with that he knew not or to change his will only God who hath decreed to do such things he hath appointed praier as a condition or means for the accomplishment of them Even as God hath ordained the earth to bring forth fruit but it must be tilled and sown and as mankinde is to be multiplied but by marriage so good things are appointed for the godly but by praier Mat. 7.7 This is therefore called the golden chain reaching from earth to heaven Ascendit precatio descendit miseratio and for this end is both a command of praier and a gracious promise to it so that he who praieth not presumeth grosly if he expect the fullfilling of any good thing to him As it is thus with praier in the general so also with Christs praier whatsoever Christ was to purchase at Gods hand for his people the same he was to pray for Psa 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance And thus in this Chapter he praieth for that glory which yet was from the beginning appointed for him so that Christs Praier was a speciall means to bring about all those admirable mercies promised to his people Seventhly Take notice of this that this Praier of Christ sanctifieth all our Praiers They become accepted of through him He is the Altar upon which the incense of the Churches praiers is offeted Rev. 8.4 As our tears need washing in his bloud so our praiers need Christs praier he praied that our praiers may be received There is not any one Praier could ever ascend to heaven were it not for Christs Intercession The Popish doctrine therefore is very injurious to Christ which inventeth other treasures besides the treasures of Christ They tell us of a treasure or bank of praiers which may be applied to this or that necessitous person They tell us of other Mediators in heaven besides Christ Mediators not of expiation but intercession whereas you see it 's Christs expiation and intercession that go together to work our redemption But if Christs praier be thus all in all what need we pray are not our praiers superfluous Answ No for they are not to that end which Christs was not for merit or mediation Even as though Christ suffered for our sinnes yet we also are afflicted but not for that end so our praiers are for other ends to set up God to debase our selves to quicken up our graces to give us an holy Communion and fellowship with him to shew our obedience to his command who doth in so speciall a manner require this duty Vse Are the people of God under the benefit of Christs praier then how happy and blessed are they what can be denied them There is no fear of having their requests granted for God looks upon them and Christ as one mysticall person as the head and members Who is able to preach of this Subject It is too glorious Christ is in heaven making Intercession for thee Wo unto thee every day every hour Were it not for this Advocate wo to thy own praiers though never so laudable were they not put up in Christs Name Oh how little do the people of God run to this Fountain when their hearts are like a dry wildernesse This is indeed the Key of heaven that opens it for thee and thy duties if not for my sake yet for Christs sake Though I am unworthy yet Christ is worthy to be heard But oh the terrible estate of wicked men I pray not for the world They have no benefit in this Mediation SERMON III. Sheweth how prevalent the Praiers are that are poured out to God as a Father And what disposition and frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every one that doth fervently pray to God JOH 17.1 These things spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to heaven and said Father c. THE next thing in order to be treated of is Christs Praier it self and that is first in reference to himself and therein we may consider 1. The matter of the Praier Glorifie thy Son 2. The Arguments to enforce this for that is the best praier which is most argumentative Many words without arguments is like a great body without nerves or sinews Now these arguments are several and strong 1. From the Relation he stands in to
God he is a Son and God is his Father Father glorifie thy Sonne 2. From the seasonablenesse of it Now is the time Tho hour is come 3. From the finall cause he desireth not this glory for himself only but he would be glorified that he might glorifie the Father Every one of these Arguments doth deserve at least a Sermon to open the excellency of it and 1. I shall begin with the relation expressed in that compellation Father Now it is true God is the Father of Christ in a farre more transcendent way then he is ours for that is a true Rule quod Christus naturâ nos sumus gratiâ That which Christ hath by nature we have by grace Christ therefore is Son to the Father yet so that he is of the same nature with the Father having all the properties of the Godhead with him but we are Sonnes only by grace and adoption and therefore cannot call God Father in that respect as Christ doth yet because a Father to both and that we may improve this Title for comfort with him our Saviour doth put these together in a most excellent manner Joh. 10.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Go and tell my Brethren so The Apostle admireth this that he was not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 and in this Praier how wonderfull are those expressions That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us Let not therefore the great distance between us and Christ trouble us in this dear relation for he is our Father as well as Christs though not in the same manner From this Argument further observe That those Praiers are successefull and are sure to speed which are poured out to God as a Father It 's this Title this relation that giveth life and efficacy to our praiers Dulce nomen Patris said he it works much both in the Father to move his bowels and in the Sonne to enlarge his affections and hopes Although that Faith whereby Christ called God Father was not like that in us which we call justifying in respect of that act for Christ did not need justification for himself because there was no sin found in him yet as faith in the generall betokens a fiduciall dependance on God and application of his favour so Christ did with faith call God Father Thus at other times we see Christ in his praiers using this compellation as the ground of his being heard and having all his requests granted him Luke 23.34 46. Joh. 11.41 Joh. 12.27 28. And that we may not think this Prerogative belongs only to him our Saviour in that Directory of praier which he hath left teacheth us to come unto him as unto a Father and this is the faith we must pray in else we are sure to be sent away empty Hence Christ Mat. 6. and Mat. 7 11. laieth all the ground of confidence and hope to speed on this because he is our Father an heavenly Father farre above all earthly Fathers Nemo tam Pater as one in another case I need not tell you that God is a Father either by Creation in which sence Paul alloweth that of the Poet We are his Offspring for this it makes not any thing to confidence in Praier for so the devils and wicked men had their being from God But 2. He is a Father by grace by adoption and reconciliation through Christ This is the relation that sweetens all This is that which makes us confident he cannot or will not deny any thing that is good to us When the Prodigal Sonne came with this Title in his mouth Father I have sinned the bowels of the Father immediatly moved and he runneth to meet him Luk. 15.18 First That every one by nature and through sinne is in a state of enmity against God God is so farre from being a Father to such that he is a Judge and an adversary to every wicked man so that it is a very rare thing and few there are who may call God Father Is God the Father of Drunkards adulterers proud and prophane persons It 's blasphemy and an high dishonour to God to think so No the Scripture telleth us of another Father to such Ye âre of your Father the devil Joh. 8.44 There are many may say Our Father which art in hell not which art in heaven This I would presse upon you that you may not blaspheme God by calling him Father when you do the works of the devil If children only and not dogs must eat the meat on the Table much more must they only be taken into the Fathers bosome The Scripture will inform you that none may presume to take this excellent Title into his mouth unlesse he shew his filiall fear and obedience Mal. 1.6 If I be a Father where is mine honour 1 Pet. 1.15 If ye call on the Father passe the time of your sojourning here in fear Hence it is resolved by Austin that none but a just and righteous man may pray the Lords Praier because God is not a Father to any but those that walk holily Oh that this might strike to the very heart of every ungodly man Thou hopest in thy praiers and trustest in thy praiers when yet thou hast no right to call God thy Father He owneth no such enemies as thou art for his Sonne Secondly This sweet relation of Sonship to God the Father is purchased at a dear rate by Christ He shed his precious bloud that we might be put into so happy a relation We that were afar off are made neer by him Hence it is that Christ is the Elder brother the Heir and we made coheirs with him so that we had nothing to do with God in any comfortable way we could not have praied to him but had been like the devil in hell had not Christ purchased this sure and comfortable condition for us It costs the mother much ere she be mother of a childe In sorrow she was to bring forth but Christ was a man of greater sorrow ere he could see his seed and his soul be satisfied Among Brethren what envy is there apt to be yea what murthers have been committed by one brother upon another that they might solely enjoy the dignity and great estate but how farre was Christ from this who though only beloved of the Father and heir to all glory yet grudgeth not to take in others to a copartnership well then This word Father or to be able to call God Father cost Christ dear even more then to make a world for there was but a word here were great sufferings Thirdly To be able to call God Father is so great a matter that there needeth the Spirit of Adoption to move us thereunto Gal. 4 6. He hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father Although it be easie for a presumptuous
self-justifying man to call God Father yet take the afflicted mourner for sinne who is sensible of the great dishonour he puts upon God it 's the hardest thing in the world to think God is a Father to him because therefore it is so great a work God sends his Spirit into our hearts that enableth us to cry boldly vehemently and notwithstanding all opposition Abba Father Where then we would use this compellation with power and life with successe and heavenly advantage there the Spirit of God must inflame the heart there all our servile fears and tormenting doubts must be removed Now who but the Spirit of God can command these windes and waves to be still There are groans and crys great commotions of spirit ere the soul can be perswaded of Gods fatherly love These things premised let us consider in the next place what disposition and frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every one that doth fervently pray to God And 1. It cannot but raise up the heart to great confidence and hope to speed Indeed if we look to our selves to our sinnes there is nothing but matter of despair Who can think of himself and not expect that answer Depart I know you not But then when we consider this gracious relation God putteth upon himself to be a Father what humbled sinner may then be afraid O Lord thou art not only a Lord a mighty and great God but a Father also and upon this Title I pleade Fathers use to lay up for children if it were an earthly Father Mat. 7. when the childe asketh bread he would not give him a stone and thou art an heavenly Father how long then shall I ask for such consolation pray against such corruptions and meet with the contrary Is not this to give a stone for bread If then God be a Father if thou maist conclude on this then expect every thing else Now this is a great sinne in the children of God they doe not improve this relation They do not think with themselves behold I am a Father I am a Mother will my bowels let me deny my poor children if afflicted any thing that I can give them why then shall I have such low thoughts of God He that giveth the father bowels shall not he much more have bowels If it be thus with a drop shall it not be much more with the Fountain 2. The meditation of this relation will cause fervency and zeal in our Petitions The more confidence to speed the more earnestnesse as on the other side where there is no hope there is fainting and languishing he said Qui timidè rogat docet negare we may say Qui tepidè It 's the fervent praier of a righteous man that prevaileth much and confidence quickens up to fervency As men that are pulling any weight the more they feel it coming the more earnest they are in pulling This divine hope puts wings to the soul addeth legges to its journey Indeed a bold presumption that God will vouchsafe him the matter of our requests is carelesse of praier because that looketh for the end without the means but an holy confidence that God will give us the good things we want but by earnest and fervent praier that makes the godly soul more zealous and active when we are sure our labour is not in vain As the Apostle encourageth to sufferings to wait and endure patiently because in due time they shall receive a recompence if they faint not Gal. 6.9 Oh then be afraid of those cold and lukewarm formall duties thou art so often in These argue no faith no hope in thee It 's a sign thou dost not much matter or regard the issue of thy Praiers whether God grant them or not 3. This Title in the lively improvement of it will cause a filiall reverence and humility even as the childe doth his Father as you heard If I be a Father where is my honour The good ingenious childe doth not abuse his Fathers kindenesse doth not contemne his favours but consider the great distance that is between him and his Father that he is never able to satisfie his Father for Aristotle saith There cannot be any justice between a father and son seeing therefore he hath all from him he is in a reverentiall fear and honour of his father Thus it is with those who have the Spitit of Adoption their fear is accompanied with their confidence Their boldnesse and hope doth not degenerate into security and contempt of God and if at any time they grow wanton under his mercies then as God is a Father to provide for us so he is a Father to chasten as the Scripture speaks often Do not then give way to thy corruptions do not eat too much of this honey till thou surfet lest God give Physick lest he chasten thee and seem as if he were no Father David upon security and other neglects into what sad darknesse is he cast He knoweth not how to call God Father he thinketh on God and is troubled as he saith Ps 77.5 God will deal with thee upon thy rebellion as David with Absalom Command thee out of his sight and this will work upon thee as it did with Absalom who desired to die rather then to be alwaies under such displeasure and herein the people of God upon their sinnes have a greater wound and deeper gash then the wicked have It 's against a Father they have sinned so mercifull and so gracious a Father this paineth them at the very heart 4. The Meditation of this Title will breed tranquillity and quietnesse of spirit free from all sinful cares and distrustful thoughts I have a Father in heaven and it is not my care my counsell my labour can provide for me but his goodnesse meerly Mat. 5.25 26. Our Saviour doth there at large give heavenly Physick to kill these worms these moths of cares that are ready to eat into us and devour us and amongst other helps this is one Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of As we see our little Children then eat and drink and take no care for their raiment for their food but go to their Parents such a quiet and composed frame of soul would God have all his Children have If you call me Father why do ye not commit all to my wisedom to my love Can a childe order his affairs better for himself then his Father Is it not well for the childe that it is not his wisedom and care but his Father that he must trust to How quickly would he undoe all Thus may God our heavenly Father say Cast your care and burden upon me how quickly would you undo your selves ruine your selves if all were left to you your happinesse lieth in my wisedome and love to you Oh what a chearfull quiet heart would the due meditation of this cause in us It 's my Father in heaven that doth all things that governeth the whole that dispenseth all
the causes were hid from us 3. God hath appointed an hour or time for judgement to judge the whole world To call all men to their accounts that the counsels and thoughts of all mens hearts may be made manifest This is an hour a day a set time that the word of God doth often speak of pressing every one to watch and pray lest it take us in our sinnes Luk. 12 12 39 49. c. how large and admirable is our Saviour in telling us such an hour is coming and that it will come unawares and that if any man knew at what hour of the night a Thief would come to rob and spoil he would watch and prepare how much rather now when this time is uncertain and the matter is of such everlasting consequence should we tremble and look to our selves and for this end God hath left the knowledge of that day and hour secret from men and Angels that every one might prepare themselves Oh how little do men think of this hour our Saviour saith it will come upon most men as the deluge did to those that were eating drinking and making merry or as a Snare to the Bird which is taken while she is skipping and hopping up and down Look we then to our selves Art thou in such a condition hast thou so repented of thy sinnes and made thy peace with God that if this hour were to come immediatly thou couldst think of it with joy and go out with lamp and oil enough to meet the Bridegroom 4. God hath for every particular man appointed the time and hour of his death When that fatall moment cometh no ransome can be given No art nor skill can prolong it I confesse this hath been greatly disputed whether a term be prefixed by God to every mans life beyond which he cannot goe but they must needs hold many absurdities that will tend grosly to the dishonour of God if it should be granted that our daies are not appointed by God in this world and the Scripture doth unquestionably assert it Job 4.5 His daies are determined the number of his moneths are with theâ— thou hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe This place is so clear that I need not mention more and whereas the Scripture saith Wicked men shall not live out half their daies that is in respect of second causes for they might if we do regard nature have lived long but God for their wickednesse removeth them away and whereas the Prophet told Hezekiah that â—e must die yet upon his praier fifteen years are added That was but a conditionall threâ—â—niâ—g neither were those fifteen years added to Gods decree but in regard of Hezekiahs expectation who upon the Prophets words looked for no other but present death Neither doth this doctrine bring a Stoicall necessity as if we need not eat or drink for God hath appointed the means as well as the end Even as Paul told those in the Ship Act. 27.31 with him that none of them should die yet he bids them use the means and some got planks and boards to get to the haven We should not make such captious conclusions but with fear and patience expect till this hour come 5. The Scripture speaks of a remarkable set time of grace There is a time whilest God may be found There is a time wherein he holds out the Scepter of grace The Fountain runneth and there is an Ho to every one that thirsteth to come and drink freely of it 2 Cor. 6.2 Behold now is the accepted time speaking of that season of grace God vouchsafed them and Heb. 4. To day if you will heare harden not your hearts Hence Luk. 19.44 Christ doth so bitterly bewail Jerusalem Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day and that thou hadst known the time of thy visitation This hour is of great consequence Jerusalem had her hour all the severall Churches of Asia had their hours England Sutton every place where the Gospel is preached they have their hour Oh that then you would learn of the Ant that gathereth her meat in the Summer time While you have the day of grace be busie in praying hearing meditating and treasuring up the things that belong to your salvation When the night cometh upon thee thou canst not work and it 's but a day of grace that hastens away neither canst thou with Joshua bid this Sunne stand still Oh the bitternesse and terrour of soul that will be upon thee when thou shalt see this hour passed away and thou hast got no good There is a set time for grace and our Saviour he threatens to remove the Candlestick when men walk unworthy of the light Rev. 13.11 12. The Apostle presseth this consideration Lastly God hath appointed for his Church a set time of afflictions and troubles as also an appointed time of salvation and deliverance which made Job say that affliction riseth not out of the dust and the Psalmist Promotion cometh not from the East or West Psa 65.6 As there are times of snow and rain of winter and hard weather so there are of calamities and exercises of the Church of God Jer. 30.7 This is the time of Jacobs trouble Rev. 3.10 It 's called the hour of temptation Rev. 2.10 Fear none of these things thou shalt suffer for the devil shall cast some of you into prison and ye shall have tribulation ten daies that is a set appointed but a short time Thus you see God in his wisedome doth appoint a dark black hour sometimes for his people and then afterwards he hath the time of their deliverance The time to favour her the set time is come as Christ had the hour to suffer in so he had the hour to be glorified in So that by all these particulars concerning Christ or the Church or every beleever you see there is no such thing as blinde Fortune or chance nor is it according to the counsels and purposes of men but the great God of heaven he appoints the hours and seasons for all things and they fall out accordingly Vse of Admonition Are the times and hours for all things appointed by God and they may be divided either into the hours of his anger or the hours of his mercy then labour we for the graces sutable to such hours In the hours of anger set upon these duties 1. Humble and debase thy self in these daies It 's a time wherein God cals for mourning and weeping As God doth every thing beautifull in his season so let thy graces be beautifull in season God complaineth that when he looked for mourning and sackcloth there was jollity and carnall mirth 2. Under this dark hour be patient and submitting to God be not over-hasty before Gods hour cometh We reade in the Scripture that the more extreme and desperate his peoples case was the greater was their hour of deliverance Hab. 1. speaks much to this 3. The hour of Gods anger is farre shorter
Christ and sometimes to the holy Ghost in their peculiar appropriation Christ by his Spirit is to be expected and praied for as the authour of all that grace and comfort we stand in need of 3. Although the power of Christ extend to the bodies and externals of men yet that which in the Text is considerable is that it reacheth to the hearts and consciences of men And this is more then any temporall power can do He bids Matthew the Publican Follow him and he leaveth all to follow him He casts an eye upon Peter and he presently goeth out and weepeth bitterly It 's upon the spirits and consciences of men this power of Christ is most conversant It 's by this their mindes are enlightned their hearts changed their lusts subdued and they made new creatures which made him say he was the life the truth and the way Joh. 14.6 he is all things efficiently for our salvation so that the great things we are to expect from this power is convictions of conscience and conversions of heart If the blindnesse of thy minde if the hardnesse of thy heart be too heavy a stone for thee to remove then lift up thy eyes to Christ Say O Lord thou hast power over all flesh Thou canst subdue and conquer every mans heart No man no Angel can do this Therefore take thou the sole glory in doing of it Fourthly As it 's the heart of a man this power reacheth to so the main and chiefest effects of this power are spiritual and such as tend to salvation To give faith to give repentance to men When I am lifted up said Christ I will draw all unto me Joh. 12.32 Though Christ as God made the world all things are supported and born up by him Heb. 1. yet these things are not so considerable as what is done to mans salvation Therefore he makes the great end of his coming into the world to save that which is lost he came to dissolve the works of the devil His Titles that he hath are in reference to heavenly advantages He is called Jesus because he saveth his people from their sins and Christ because furnished with all fitnesse and fullnesse to be a Saviour The Jews indeed they looked for a Messias that should deliver them out of the captivity and bondage they were in They hoped for such a power over all flesh that should restore them to their ancient temporall glory But this carnal prejudice was their undoing Fifthly This power must needs be infinite for although it doth not follow that because he hath power over all flesh that therefore he is omnipotent and infinite yet if you do regard the end why he hath all this power it must necessarily be infinite for it 's to gather and save a people out of the world to justifie their persons to sanctifie their natures It 's to judge all men at the last day Now how can he be judge of all mens lives yea their secret and heart sinnes if he have not infinite knowledge and although the humane nature of Christ be not capable of infinity and omnisciency yet the person that is the Judge must be so qualified This infinite power which Christ hath on one side proclaimeth unspeakable terrour to Christs enemies and on the other side ineffable joy to his friends Sixthly This power is arbitrary in the use of it He opens this mans heart and leaveth another shut he cureth this blinde eye and leaveth another in darknesse Mat. 11.27 When Christ had acknowled that soveraign arbitrary power of God in revealing the Mysteries of salvation to babes and hiding them from the wise of the world he addeth All things are delivered me of my Father No man knoweth the Father but he to whom the Sonne will reveal him So then this gracious power of Christ is not indifferently exercised upon all To some Christ revealeth the will of God effectually to others not There were many Publicans besides Matthew yet to him Christ makes known himself and not to others Many Pharisees besides Paul that were not so bitter and violent against the Name of Christ yet Christ makes him feel this glorious power on his heart and others not These things laid as Foundations Let us consider some of the remarkable particulars wherein Christs dominion over all flesh and especially the Church doth so appear that so we may take heed how we neglect him And First This is a remarkable Instance of his power to appoint a Ministery for the conversion and saving of peoples souls Whatsoever thy thoughts may be about the nullity or uselesnesse of it yet this is a clear effect of his power Mat. 28. when he said All power was given him in heaven and earth then he giveth his Apostles Commission to go teach and baptize all Nations Observe the reason why Christ beginneth with this Preface All power is given me c. and therefore Go and baptize Because it 's of high concernment to encourage and imbolden the Ministers of God to consider whose Servants they are whose work they go about They come from him who is able to defend them against the whole world how easily might the Apostles be dejected with the greatnesse of the work and their utter unfitnesse What are such poor and despicable men as they are to set against the lives and manners of the whole world but he that hath all power in heaven and earth bid them Go preach Go baptize and thus Eph. 4.11 The Ministry is there made the great and noble work Christ did upon his Ascension to heaven so that to oppose Christs Ministery to set against this is to set against Christ himself It 's not their power but Christs power thou wouldest destroy Secondly This power goeth further then to appoint a meer Ministery he blesseth it he giveth successe he makes it to bring forth much fruit This makes the Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians so much exalt Christ and advance him While one cried up this Teacher another that he bid them remember that all the Pauls and Apolloes in the Word though never so eminent were but Ministers by whom they did beleeve yea Col. 3.19 those that did so much admire and set up Angels who easily may be thought to do more then the best Ministers yet Paul throweth all such doctrine down to the ground and bids them hold the head Christ from whence all parts of the body receive their nourishment Oh this cannot be pressed enough on you Many are not so prophane to despise the Ministery to cry down Ordinances though there be such in the world but then they are without Christ in the Ministery without Christ in the Ordinances As the Apostle spake of some without God in the world So these are without Christ in the Church It 's not the Ministery or Ordinances but Christ in them and by them which communicateth vertue and efficacy Thirdly Christs power is seen in convincing
Jew after the Spirit would farre esteem the latter Thus it is here No power or works are judged great but what are temporall visible and in civill outward things we are apt more to look upon Alexander the great or Constantine the great because of their civill power then Christ who is the King of Kings and Lords transcending all these but in a spirituall way 1 Tim. 6.15 Christ hath this magnificent Title King of Kings and Lord of Lords It 's observed by Drusius a Learned man that those Titles were usually given to the great Kings of Persia then which there were none assumed more to themselves then they did yet the Apostle attributeth this to Christ to inform us that as God hath exalted Christ above all earthly power so we should magnifie and glorifie him accordingly certainly if we Christians did put forth our faith and meditations about the greatnesse of this power it would work great joy and confidence in us It would work an holy fear and trembling The Apostle Eph. 1. Phil 2. Col. 1. is even transported with the expressions about it Now this power of Christ is no where more glorious then in sanctifying and preparing an holy people for himself To give them of the same Spirit with him They that were dead and noisome in sinne to make them live in holinesse and to adorn them with all the graces of his Spirit Oh then let not the people of God be dismaiâ—d or discouraged with the apprehension of their own weaknesse and impotency how can they love God bear afflictions die in hope and comfort Alas thou thinkest on thy own weaknesse and not Christs power Remember Of his Fulnesse thou art to receive A thirsty man need not doubt whether the whole Ocean hath water enough to revive him Christ we reade gave wonderful power to his Disciples and other beleevers to work miracles This amazed and astonished all the world but certainly this power of changing mens hearts and reforming their lives is farre above this To open the eyes of the minde is more then to give bodily sight to say Ephatha to the heart is more then to say so to the ear To raise from the death of sin is more then to command out of the grave Austin said To make a man holy is more then to create a world Conversion is not usually called a Miracle yet it 's a greater wonder then a Miracle Let that soul then which hath found Christ thus powerfull upon him admire the unsearchable greatnesse of his Christ wonder at it as the most admirable expression of Gods power to thee Secondly Christs power is seen in that he doth not only give grace but he is able to bestow all that glory and happinesse the Scripture promiseth Now the reward or fruit of grace is either that inward peace and joy of heart here or eternal happinesse hereafter both which are in Christs power and munificence It was alwaies a flower in the chiefest power to be able to remunerate those that did great service and this is part of Christs Jus Regale For the first the peace of conscience and joy which accompanieth well-doing is exceeding great insomuch that if there were no heaven hereafter yet godlinesse brings a present sweetnesse and delight with it It hath present pay Now all this peace and comfort especially between God and the soul is wrought by Christ only who is called the King of Peace Isa 9. yea our peace Eph. 2.14 because he reconcileth God and man If those Peace-makers be blessed that make man and man to agree how much more is he that brings God and man to agreement But this Christ worketh Alas the heart troubled for sinne rageth and is like an hell till Christ bids it be quiet and still Hence he promiseth to send the Comforter and it 's his Spirit which is sent into our hearts making us to cry Abba Father Gal. 4.6 Oh then let the grieved and perplexed soul through the guilt of sin that can finde no rest no ease go to him that hath power indeed to command these waves to be still See with what love and power Mat. 11.28 this is expressed Come to me ye that are heavy laden and I will ease you Christ will give ease See how imperiously he speaks Let your sinne be never so terrifying your conscience never so disquieted The devils never so much troubling and tempting of you yet I will give you ease You shall finde rest for your souls No earthly power in the world can say thus truly Therefore this is to direct the godly in their black temptations They cry out It cannot be I should have peace I should have joy There may as soon come fire out of water as peace and quietnesse out of my heart Oh remember this Text The power Christ hath over all flesh Is thine excepted Christ can ease and quiet every mans heart but thine Be ashamed to think thy weaknesse more then Christs power Thy guilt more then his consolations The other fruit of a godly life is Eternal happinesse and this Christ doth also bestow upon those that are his At the day of judgement we reade of him putting them into possession Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdom prepared for you Mat. 25. Heb. 5.9 he is called The authour of eternal salvation he cals himself the bread of life he that eateth on him shall never die more so that all that happinesse and blessednesse which is in the life to come is attributed unto Christ both the purchase and authour of it It 's he that will say Well done good and faithfull Servant enter thou into thy Masters joy For those Parables that speak of a great King employing his Servants in such work and then so abundantly rewarding of them is Christ This should be a great encouragement in Christs service What a glorious and powerful Master do ye serve one who is able to requite thee with eternal glory and everlasting happinesse If we suffer with him we shall reign with him Rom. 8.17 The greatnesse and bounty of the Master doth quicken the Servant Haman was glad of Ahashuerus his emploiment because he could put such honour upon him But oh how should our hearts be enflamed to work for Christ what cannot such a Master do for us Ask any thing in earth or heaven he can bestow it on thee How unworthy is it when we grudge at the work Christ requireth when we repine at the Crosse he would have us take up This is not to attend whom we serve how great our Master is what Treasuries he hath out of which he can bountifully reward us Thirdly Christs power is seen in that he can forgive and pardon sinne Which is acknowledged by all that God only can do it Mar. 2.7 You have this power of Christ particularly opposed by his enemies but vindicated by him and that he hath power to forgive sinnes he proveth by his power to work Miracles Not that
favour they are to be ashamed that this is an effect of their being given to Christ as you heard Joh. 18.6 To be given unto Christ is indeed a secret Mystery transacted in heaven but to come unto Christ that is the sure effect of those that are given to him and those that come to Christ he will in no wise cast out So that the grieved contrite spirit ought to be so far from having any trouble herein that he ought exceedingly to rejoyce at it for the efficacy of all the promises will be to such They are blessed that hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse Mat. 5. These things premised let us consider what admirable treasures are bound up in this Truth that God the Father hath given and betrusted some with Christ that he should be their Mediatour and some things are considerable from the Father and some things from Christ From the Father First That the Original and Fountain of all the good and happinesse Gods People partake of is from the Father This primary and first Root was so farre from being merited by Christ that Christ himself is a fruit thereof God so loved the world that he gave his only Sonne that he that beleeveth in him should have eternal life Joh. 3.16 Howsoever therefore Christ be the meritorious cause of all the fruits of Election conversion justification and salvation yet of Election it self or that will of God to bestow eternall life on some and for this purpose to send his Son this is only from the Father The impulsive cause was the only good pleasure and counsell of God yet this love you must know was not a Law of reconciliation or amor amicitiae for so God is reconciled with us only in Christ but benevolentiae or beneficentiae a will to doe good and for that end to ordain efficacious means thereunto so then if we go to the Spring and root out of all those glorious priviledges Beleevers partake of it will be found the meer good-will and pleasure of God and certainly this should greatly enlarge us in thankfulnesse that when we could not have any thoughts concerning our selves when we could not so much as desire yea when we lay in the womb of nothing that God had a gracious purpose to us yea before the world was made Gods thoughts were upon thee The Apostle doth often mention this Secondly This doth imply that God the Father hath chosen some from others and given them as a charge or trust to Christ so that he doth expect their Salvation and happinesse by Christs means They are called Gods Jewels They are called his hidden ones all the other part of mankinde is but as refuse drosse these are his Pearls These are his Stars his peculiar people Though all the earth be his and all the men in the world under his dominion yet these have a peculiar interest No marvel then if God make such comfortable promises to them if all Angels must be their guardians If all things shall work to their good for God hath set his seal on them Oh the transcendent happinesse of those that are thus dignified Thirdly Hence it is that there is no cause of doubt to be made by the people of God whether God the Father will accept of Christs Mediation for them for it is as amongst men as if he should offer to lay down a sufficient prize to redeem such a captive considering that all this agreement came originally from the Father So that Christ saith The Father gave him these to he a Mediatour to them yea that the Father loveth him because he laid down his life for his Sheep This followeth unquestionably that whom Christ presents to his Father the Father will not refuse Oh then stand and admire at the felicity which the Scripture hath assured thee of Those whom Christ brings to the Father it was his will and antecedent purpose that Christ should mediate and is there any doubt then whether God the Father will embrace thee or no Fourthly Those whom the Father giveth to Christ that they may know this mercy by the effects of it shall assuredly one time or other finde this glorious work upon them that they shall come to Christ Though their temptations be never so great their oppositions never so many Though of all men in the world you would think such were the farthest off from Christ yet Joh. 6. They shall come to him God will so wonderfully change their hearts mollifie and soften them he will so overcome and conquer all contrary resolutions that of unwilling they shall be made willing Oh that is a commanding expression He shall come unto me and lest we doubt of it again it is said None can come unto me unlosse my Father draw him So the Father will draw him to Christ that is he will certainly and surely so overpower his heart that he will not he cannot withstand any longer the motions of grace upon his soul Lastly In that God the Father giveth some to Christ and not other we see all works all merits any supposed good or worth in us fals to the ground No wonder then if the Scripture doth so diligently exclude all the works that we have done giving all to grace for you see the great businesse of our salvation was accomplished between the Father and our Mediatour before we had any being or knowledge of it O that even such pestilentiall doctrines full of pride and haughtinesse should ever get footing in Christs Church for though the Scripture pleads the necessity of works yet wholly excludeth the causality of them In respect of Christ the Mediator There is observable 1. The transcendent love of Christ who did willingly undergoe this charge For when the Father gave them to Christ it was on those hard terms that he should live so meanly and die so ignominiously for their salvation This was a bitter cup for him to drink which made him pray If possibly it might passe away Mat. 26.42 howsoever he submited to his Fathers will What is man or the salvation of man to Christ that he should so prize it Could their salvation have been as easily obtained as Christ made all things by a word it had been something but it cost him many agonies He became a curse for us he seemed to be forsaken both of God and man so then stand and admire the terms upon which these are given to Christ God the Father saith thus to him I will that thou procure the salvation of these men but it can be no otherwise then by thy own bloud whatsoever curses justice would have inflicted on them thou must undergo Oh the tongue of men and Angels is not able to expresse this Were we not such cold clods of earth this love of Christ would set our hearts all on fire who would not part with his lusts with his sins for Christ who hath thus loved us to the death of the Crosse Shall
is the first and the second and so still all is passing and what is past we have not and what is to come we do not yet enjoy so that there is nothing but the present advantages that we are properly said to possesse now put eternal life to this and it 's the clean contrary even as Eternity is to time for whereas time is in a continual transient being Eternity is an whole and full possession of all together There is no past present or to come in Eternity but Eternity comprehends all these things together even as the greater wheel comprehends at once all the motions of the lesse wheel within it and certainly this consideration is able to swallow us up Thy comforts do not flow and reflow They do not passe and others come but thou art in a stable permanent way of enjoying all happinesse together Thou canst not be lesse happy at one time then at another Thou canst not expect greater joy then thou hast neither canst thou wish for any joy that is past so great a matter is Eternity In the Last place This Life is full of dissatisfaction even in the vertical Point of all its blessednesse The heart of a man morally as well as naturally is alwaies in motion never lieth still It 's alwaies hydropical the more it drinketh the thirstier it is still Solomon you heard that made it his study and endeavour to have content in this world yet it could not be he may as soon think to make an Oistershell hold the Ocean as that these earthly things can fill the heart What man is there who liveth a meer earthly life that can say he is satisfied he desireth nothing Indeed we reade of Paul Phi. 4. saying I have all things and abound but that is through grace because enjoying of God otherwise the Air can as soon fill the hungry stomack as earthly things the appetite of the soul But compare this eternal life hereto and there is all fulnesse and satisfaction They never desire a change they cannot wish it better with them We see Peter but in a taste of it yet cried out It 's good to be here Let us dwell here he would not have parted with joy The soul in heaven is arrived at its haven it 's come to its journeys end it 's now fallen to its center it cannot go any further It now cryeth out Here is enough Lord here is enough yet this fulnesse breeds not nauseating as they were weary of Manna No it exciteth desire and yet filleth it It provoketh love and yet satiateth it so that this particular likewise proclaimeth the madnesse of all wicked men for why is thy soul like the devil compassing about the earth seeking out for this comfort and then for another Even as children cry for this thing and then quickly weary cry for another and in the mean while doth neglect that which would be instead of all Thus have we handled it comparatively the last way is to consider it oppositely for that is an old Rule contraries put together illustrate one another the more The Sunne is most glorious after the breaking out of a black thick cloud Now the contrary to Eternal life is eternal death so that we may apprehend the good of the one by the evil of the other and indeed man is so slavish and bruitish that fear doth more prevail then love Therefore though we propound all the joys of heaven and invite to this eternal life yet few make that Question as he did to Christ Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life but if we speak of eternal death in all the terrour of it then fear may for a while at least awaken them Let us then consider wherein the contrary to this eternal life consisteth And 1. That is in the deprivation of God and an utter departure from him and this privative part of eternal death is the great aggravation of it At the day of judgement that dreadful doom runneth thus Depart from me Mat. 25. 41. That is worse then the eternal fire they are cast into you have heard that God was the fountain of all good every creatures goodnesse is but a stream from that Fountain At thy right hand said David Psa 16.11 are rivers of pleasure for evermore So that this eternal death takes thee from the light of his countenance Thou art never to be admitted in his presence and when God departs all comfort all hope departs with him Oh that wicked men would lay this to heart you that now bid God depart from you you will have none of his knowledge none of his commands God will requite you in your own kinde he will then command you to depart from him Were it not that Athiesm and unbelief did reign in your hearts this truth would make your ears to tingle and your heart to tremble while you hear it Was it not death to Absalom to be kept from his Fathers presence Why do ye not kill me saith he to Joab rather then let it be alwaies thus yet he was but an earthly Father he could not give peace and joy to the consciences of men but this heavenly Father is a Father of spirits whom he bids Depart from him all terrour and horrour immediatly seizeth on that man There is no quietnesse in his bones Michah had lost but an Idol-God Judg. 18. and he wringeth his hand and crieth out bitterly Oh but what roarings and yellings when we shall have lost the true God and his favour for ever 2. This eternal death brings all the positive evil that can be feared or imagined upon a man For as here we told you was not one kinde of comfort but an aggression of all therefore the Scripture delights to represent it under severall desirable good things so neither is hell one kinde of misery one kinde of torment but the Scripture represents it under every thing that is terrible Because death is so much feared therefore it 's called death because fire and brimstone are so terrible in burning it 's called that Because a dark dungeon and prison with chains in the darknesse are so miserable It 's resembled to that because men in extremity of pain and misery do use to weep and wail and gnash their teeth therefore is hell set out by all these dreadful things so that as the glorified in heaven have every thing they can desire there is no good they want Thus the damned in hell have every thing they fear There is no torment or pain imaginable but they partake of it and this they are filled with having not the least ease or respite Dives desired but a drop of water to cool only the top of his tongue and he could not obtain so much Oh that men who give themselves up to the pleasures of sin would remember these torments These howlings to all Eternity What are we preaching follies and fictions to you If you beleeve the
which relateth to eternity so that the first and the last thing thou hast to think on is how to come to this eternall life The Apostle useth an emphaticall word 1 Tim. 6.12 Lay hold on eternall life as a man that runneth in a race at the end thereof streacheth out himself to lay hold on the garland so that as he who runneth in a race neglects all the pleasant objects he runneth by and hath his eye only upon the prize Thus it ought to be with us neither riches honours friends or earthly advantages ought to be inordinately minded by us but eternall life that is the prize upon that our eye is to be after that we are to pray and strive But who may not blame himself and judge himself for neglect herein Oh how little is this eternall life in thy affections and hopes thy cares about thy body about thy estate will greatly condemn that sluggishness about eternall life 2. As this ought to be the great question we are to rise with and go to bed with so we must take the right way to answer it It 's not enough to make the question as Pilate did to Christ What truth was and never matter an answer but we are to be restlesse in our souls till we have a full answer till we know the way Now that we can only be instructed in from Gods Word John 6.68 Whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life The Scripture then is this Tree of Life the fruit thereof and the leaves likewise are for eternall healing Hence our Saviour in the next verse tels us what is the way to have this eternall life even by knowing of God and Jesus Christ As all the Heathens were in dark confused thoughts about immortallity so they were in Egyptian darknesse or like the blinde Sodomites groping and feeling for a way to it but could never get in Wouldst thou therefore be resolved in this How may I have this eternall life betake thy self then to the Scriptures make them thy counsellers do not attend to the waies of the world matter not what they say or what they do for that telleth thee the way to heaven is clean contrary to the manners and practises of the world If you do not rectifie your self by the Scripture and resolve to follow the light of this starre though you should hear many hundred Sermons of eternall life yet they would do you no good say then let me consider what way the Scripture would put me into my life I yet live is wholly repugnant to Gods Word whatsoever course that prescribeth though never so contrary to my lusts to my former practises yet I will gladly renounce all Do this and then expect eternall life 3. Consider this deeply that upon this little moment we have here depends all eternity Thou hast a short brittle life in this world and upon the good improvement of this depends all eternity Oh the searchings and turnings of heart this particular should make in you My everlasting condition that estate which is to be for ever and ever it wholly hangs upon this uncertain life It may be thou hast but a day an hour to live longer and all thy eternity depends on this Oh men foolish and unwise who will not lay these things more to heart God hath given us a candle to work by a short day we have to improve and if this passe over thy head then comes unchangeable eternity As at thy death thou art cast for eternall life or everlasting torments so it must be without ever any recovery or alteration Oh how precious should thy time be how dear should every day every hour be all this hath influence into eternity Well might the Apostle Ephes 5.16 command us to redeem the time Time is the most precious jewell in the world eternity depends on it and therefore wilt thou let thy lusts or wicked companions steal away this jewel that is more worth then all the world Oh let us so live every day every hour as those that say as I do now so will eternity be to me 4. Consider this that the most of men even called and injoying the means of grace shall misse of this eternall life What is a thunderbolt if this be not Luk. 13.24 There are few that enter into the strait gate and many are called but few chosen our Saviour used that apothegm more then once How formidable and dreadfull should these words many and few be unto us Many perish in the broad way few enter in the strait way What will make thee cast off presumption security and negligence if this do not The number of those who shall have this eternall life is very few a little flock they are comparatively to those many millions that are cast into everlasting flames Oh how long shall we hear these things and yet be void of all spirituall understanding If such an asseveration should be used concerning any temporall misery or calamity Many shall dye of the plague few shall escape Many shall be cut off by famine or the sword and a very few shall be preserved who would not fear lest he should be one of the many And yet in these things many are as idle having ears they hear not and hearts they understand not 5. Desire to have such thoughts and resolutions now as if thou wert already in eternity For if the damned in hell that see no escape from those everlasting flames were asked what they thought of their sinne how they loved it would they not make miserable howlings it 's that which hath undone us oh that is the sting that enters into the very bowels that 's the scorpion which pierceth to the very heart Oh we mad men and void of all understanding who though forewarned of this and threatned about it yet regarded nothing beleeved nothing but now oh now after millions of years in this tormented place we are as unlikely to come out as at the first Think you they are not then altered and changed do they not cry out of those bitter sinnes which were once so sweet Should God give them leave to be here again upon the earth would they not repent in sackcloth and ashes would they not day and night mourn after God and his forgivenesse Oh that every wicked man who findes pleasure and delight in his sinnes would think and say Do the damned in hell judge it so Do they feel sinne so sweet And thus also desire to have the same inlarged affections and delight in God as those glorified Saints in heaven have Dost thou finde thy heart worldly unruly distempered say Do those in eternall life rejoyce no more have they no more enlivened flames of zeal for God then I have Thus to judge as those who are in eternity would be an excellent spurre to all piety 6. Remember this likewise that it 's farre better thou hadst never been born then to misse of this eternall life
death truly to say Lord I have glorified thee in my life I have finished all the work I was to do This Subject will be very profitable and necessary you cannot expect health and life alwaies in this world your time is running your daies are decaying you are hasting to the grave who knoweth how soon God will put a period to thy life in this world What then should be more in your hearts and thoughts then this Whether have I lived to Gods glory whether have I faithfully discharged the work put upon me It 's not riches wealth greatnesse or any earthly advantages will then do you good This or nothing will then be a reviving to you We have two pregnant examples for this 2 Kin. 20.3 When that sad message was brought to Hezekiah that he must set his house in order for he must die and not live What is a comfort and a cordial to him under this bitter news Remember O Lord that I have walked before thee With an upright heart and done what was good in thy sight Hezekiah had great outward prosperity he had many earthly delights as a King but see how every earthly comfort vanisheth away That he had served God in the uprightnesse of his heart comforted him more then all earthly honour or greatnesse The other Instance is in Paul 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course a Crown of glory is laid up for me If all the glory of the world had been given Paul would it have comforted him like this Testimony of a godly conversation Oh how many dying men may say I have served the devil I have fullfilled his lusts and now I goe to my everlasting torments To quicken and affect you in this Point take notice of these Introductory particulars First That there is a day of Judgement when God will call every man to account We are not to live here as we list and to do all things without controul No God hath appointed a time when every man shall appear before him and he must give an account of all his time all his Talents all his actions all his thoughts of all things in this world that have been his The Scripture is very clear in this formidable Truth 2 Cor. 5. We must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ to give an account for what hath been done in the flesh Mat. 12.36 yea of every idle word we must give an account yea of every secret thing Eccl. 12.16 The Parable of the Talents Mat. 25.15 where the man with ten with five with two are called to give an account of their improvement doth evidently shew that there is no good thing we have let it be health wealth riches but we as Stewards must be reckoned with concerning the good improvement of them Oh beloved what an overwhelming consideration is this to think the time is coming when every thought every word every hour every day every opportunity every penny every thing I have had will be called for who can hear these things and not tremble Never think all thy sins are forgotten no the Scripture attributes a Book to God God writeth down every thing and those Books will be opened what manner of persons should we be who beleeve these things Rev. 20.11 Is it for you to live riotously to follow all vain pleasures and delights or not rather to pray and mourn and bethink your selves what is to be done at this time 2. Take notice That there is no man or woman though never so inconsiderable but they have their severall Talents They have their peculiar work to doe and their proper relations to serve God in There is none but they have their course to finish they have the work of God to do and therefore let no man think it may be for Magistrates for Ministers for great men for rich men to look to those things but not such inferiour persons as they No he that had but one Talent that is the least ability and opportunity to glorifie God yet because he was negligent he is called an unprofitable servant and is cast out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth So then barrennesse and unprofitablenesse in our places and relations will be a damning sinne yet who considers this Do I promote the glory of God Is God honoured by me in my place and calling Do not I hide my talent in a Napkin Am I able to answer for my great neglect For thy health who can speak for that For time and many daies given to repent who can speak for that These things will be fire in your bones They will be thunder in your ears and arrows in your heart though for the present thou dost not matter them Thirdly Though it be the duty upon all thus to glorifie God and do our work commanded yet none is able to be perfect in this None ever lived that could challenge a Crown of glory for his perfect service Indeed Christ he being God and man did all these things without sinne therefore he was a full Mediatour for us God had nothing the Law had nothing to object against him but every meer man hath a woe belonging to his best life to his best duties if God judge him in strict justice· Hence David praieth that God would not enter into judgement with him that he would not mark every thing done amisse Why because in thy sight no flesh shall be justified Psa 143.2 So David doth not only exclude himself for he had murther and adultery and many other things amisse in his life but no flesh shall be justified None though preserved from such fals And Paul whom you have heard acknowledging the good fight he had fought and looking for a Crown of glory yet doth not challenge any perfection for at another time he accounts all things dung and drosse and would be found in Christ Phil. 3. having the righteousnesse by faith so that all doctrines of perfection and a possibility to be without sinne in this life are but the proud dreams of carnal men Therefore Fourthly No service or works that we have done are any waies meritorious or have any causal influence upon our Salvation It 's very hard to preach the necessity of all holy and good works and not presently to look on them as merits and causes of Salvation but we see the Scripture doth both and therefore we are to reconcile them in our practise To be zealous of good works yet to rely only on Christs merits It 's not my purpose here to give you several grounds why the best holy action we do comes short of all kinde of merit It 's enough to inform you Rom. 4. that beleeving and working are opposed and so works and grace and indeed to hold the fulnesse of Christs merits and yet to pleade our own is to think that the light of the Sun is not able to make perfect day unlesse we light a candle
very considerable for the Pharisee at the close of his life may strive to say Lord I have fasted twice a week I washed my hands my house my pots c. thus I have glorified thee but what saith Christ In vain do ye worship me Mat. 16.9 and who hath required these things at your hands Thus the Papist if he say I have gone a Pilgrimage I have made such penall satisfactions I have said so many Ave Maries I have done penance I have received extream unction Now because this is not required or commanded work therefore it will have no reward So then it 's not enough to see thy work be not contrary to Gods will but look that it be according that it have Gods superscription and the stamp of his command upon it Though it be not malum yet it is aliud though it be not contra yet it is preter and indeed what is preter because not secundum must needs be contra It 's contrary to Gods will whatsoever is not commanded 3. They cannot have the texts comfort at all who are slothfull and negligent though they do not contrary or different yet they are sluggish and so will not work at all in Gods Vineyard This is represented by the Parable of him who had but one Talent yet because he did not improve it he is cast into utter darknesse Cast that unprofitable servant Mat. 25.30 He did not spend the Talent he brought it sure and safe to his Master but he is unprofitable and must be cast into utter darknesse So the tree that brings forth no fruit though it did not bad fruit must be cut down and cast into the fire Oh how greatly is this to be considered for whose life doth not appear to him as Bernards did aut peccatum aut sterilitas either the boggy mire of sinne or the parched wildernesse of barrennesse and if that be so great a sinne Christ be so ready to curse it no wonder if the most holy have sad thoughts about their death and the day of their accounts It 's not then a negative Religion that will truly comfort thee but a positive fruitfull one It will be no solid joy of conscience to say and no more Lord I have been no drunkard no adulterer no prophane person for God looketh for a zealous active fruitfull way in all holinesse yet how doth the meer negation of sinne make many have strong confidence of their excellent condition whereas if they did consider the positive fruitfull part of godlinesse and see how farre they are off it horrour would overwhelm them Consider then how fruitfull are thy duties are thy hours for God maiest thou not cry out many times hodie diem perdidi doest thou put that of the Apostle in practice to redeem the time Ephes 5.16 Heaven would not be heaven if it were only a negation of torment not a positive affluence of all happinesse so neither is that godlinesse which is a bare absence of sinne not a fruitfull abounding in the waies of holinesse 4. There cannot be any solid comfort at the time of account where there is a prevailing lukewarmnesse and formality though the work God requireth be done outwardly Eli cannot give a good account of reproving his sonnes though he did reprove them because there was remisnesse and coldnesse in it a partiall coldnesse and dulnesse is in the best service we do Paul having found the reliques of corruption rebelling against grace and contra vitia pugnamus non ut vincamus sed ne vincamus Jebusites will abide in the land but we speak of a totall plenary lukewarmnesse such which Christ condemneth Revel 2. when he wisheth she were either hot or cold but being lukewarm God would spew her out of his mouth That expression is to shew how noisom and intollerable such persons and such duties are to God Never then think a meer formall and customary way of Religious duties will ever be any comfort to thee no God will say Thy heart was not in these thou didst not serve me as the world as thy lusts and hereupon thou wilt wish Oh that my duties had been more spirituall more fervent more heavenly These very duties thou puttest thy trust in will run like sharp points into thy very heart Thus you have heard what persons cannot have any comfort at all Now we shall shew you What things even to the godly though they may have comfort for the main yet will greatly dishearten and diminish their joy then There will be fears against hope doubts against faith agonies against joy That even as nature and death will in a terrible manner conflict together so will their hopes and fears Yet this is not to be understood but that even a Christian walking most tenderly and circumspectly may at his death have no joy and assurance God for many just and wise ends doth sometimes dispense it so that he who lived very holily may yet die very uncomfortably It was so with Christ though there was a peculiar reason and why not with his members only when God dealeth so they are meer exercises to increase their Crown of glory they are not so properly afflictions for sinne as Job had those extraordinary trials not for sinne though he was not without sinne but triall and thereby to make him more glorious But I shall speak of such particulars as in their own nature tend to make our end very sad and heavy and therefore let him who would look on death as Jacob did on his sonne Josephs Chariot not with grief but with joy as a convoy to eternall happinesse take heed of these things as so many dangerous works And 1. Immoderate affections to lawfull things they do so dead the heart and clog the soul that when a man comes to die these earthly things lye upon the heart as too much undigested meat upon the stomack making thee extream sick and full of pain The Apostle then 1 Cor. 7. prescribeth a comfortable way to dye joyfully where he saith those that buy must be as if they bought not they that marry as if they married not The greener the wood is the harder to be consumed the more lively and active thy worldly affections are there must be the greater opposition to leave all and be with God The ripe aple falleth from the tree very easily the godly man dying is compared to ripe corn so that if these earthy and worldly affections be not dried up in thee it will much hinder thy joy this green wood will make a great smoak Hezekiah though he had this comfortable evidence yet saith the Text He wept soar some attribute that to the Old Testament dispensation where earthly and worldly happinesse was more generally promised then under the New and therefore death being a privation of that did more affect them howsoever this is sure an heart not weaned from the world and yet must be parted from is like a tooth not cut from
gates of hell fall to the ground The devil that had power over mens hearts and kept men captive in their lusts is wholly conquered Alas all the power done in temporal deliverances cannot be compared to this redemption It 's true the eye of faith and not of the body must admire this Lastly God is glorified in his Justice and that more then the heart of man can conceive for although in respect of us there be nothing but grace and all that we have and receive is mercy yet in respect of Christ there was exact justice God laid our sins upon him he became a Surety in our stead he undergoeth that wrath that curse that did belong to us God did not abate of any thing that Christ could suffer without sinne so that we have not the pardon of our sins upon any unjust and unlawful terms The Law and Justice cannot complain Gods justice then against sinne is abundantly seen in that though Christ was the only beloved of the Father yet he is not spared but must be made a curse and endure the wrath due unto us so that if a man would consider what arguments should keep him from sinne if he would be affected with Gods wrath against it let him look on Christ crucified oh how can it be that sinne should be so pleasing and delightfull unto thee which was so bitter and full of wrath to Christ Would not God spare his own Children but his justice must be satisfied through Christ then what may wicked men expect Are they able to conflict with Gods wrath Can they satisfie his justice This bloud of Christ though it speak better things then that of Abel to the godly yet it 's more terrible then that to the wicked for thereby it testifieth that God will have bloud he must have an atonement for sinne and that cannot be by thy sufferings though in hell Therefore Gods justice is more glorified by Christ then by the damned in hell for there they are never able completely to satisfie therefore they are kept in those chains to all Eternity The debt is never paid but Christ discharged all to the utmost and therefore the grave could not contain him Thus you see how in every respect God is glorified by our salvation through Christ Though to us a Son be given and to us a childe was born Isa 9.6 He was a Saviour and Mediatour in respect of us not himself yet all this did at last referre to Gods glory That was the Ocean in which this stream did empty it self Thus you have heard wherein God was glorified by Christ In the next place consider the end that Christ did propound in all his doings and sufferings I mean the ultimate and chief end not the proxime or immediate end and that also was to glorifie God his chiefest end was not either to glorifie himself or us these were subordinate ends 1. Not himself hence Joh. 8. I seek not my own glory but the glory of him that sent me It 's true he is said to have an eye to the end of his sufferings Heb. 11. and the Scripture makes his exaltation a consequent of his humiliation yet this was not chiefest in his thoughts The name and glory God gave him exalting him above every great thing was not principally regarded by him but the glory of God So that by this we see how precious the glory of God should be to us how deer in our esteem When we see Christ preferring it above his own glory The aim that Christ had did arise from that love and zeal he had to God for none can referre all things to Gods glory who do not love him above all things who do not give him the preheminency in every thing One said Fiat justitia ruat mundus Let the glory of God be exalted though the whole world be ruined thereby as love to God so purity of intentions and an excellent rectitude of the heart is requisite else self-love and self-respect will be more prevalent then Gods glory 2. As Christ did not principally intend his own glory so neither our happinesse but only as the means to glorifie God Because Gods glory is so deeply interessed in our salvation therefore did he procure it He did not glorifie God that we might be saved but he saved us that thereby God might be glorified yet this doth not at all derogate from the Love of Christ to us neither doth it make us the lesse beholding to him though he would not have saved us had it not been for Gods glory But hereby he demonstrated both his love to us and God at the same time he loved our souls and salvation yet not above the glory of God That would have been unlawfull Therefore at the same time he did demonstrate both his love to us and to God and yet kept the due order that ought to be in his love first to God and then next to us Now the ground and reason why Christ did referre all his obedience both active and passive to Gods glory is 1. Because God himself makes all his own actions to the glory of his Name The end of Creation of Redemption of Christs coming into the world All these were ordered by God for his own glory so that as the work was imposed on Christ which he was to aim at was also required by God Had it been possible for we may suppose impossibilities for illustration sake for Christ to have procured our salvation for other ends then to glorifie God it had been sinne in him for if God be so jealous of his glory that he will not have it attributed to any other beside himself how much would his jealousie have been provoked if this matter wherein his glory is most visible should have been given to any other Gods glory then is the supreme and universal end to which all are to subordinate themselves 2. The glory of God is more noble and hath greater worth in it then any thing else Therefore that which is most noble must be the end as the lesse noble the means Seeing then the glory of God is of infinite excellency even like God himself no wonder if Christ did referre our Salvation to that most high end and by this we are to see that it 's our duty to prize the glory of God above our salvation for our salvation is but the good of a creature but the glory of God is infinite even as God himself We are to judge of and rejoice in the glory of God as more excellent then our own happinesse yet this is not so to be understood as if a man were to be willing to be damned that God might be honoured For it 's our duty to will our salvation we are to seek for immortality and glory and Rom. 2 It 's not lawfull to be willing absolutely for Paul spake conditionally I could wish to be separated from the presence of God If it be not lawfully to will our bodily
of a state of sinne into pure and perfect holinesse It 's from seeing God in a glasse and obscurely to see him face to face Oh then how enamoured and ravished is the soul with the enjoying of this if the glimpse of this glory If the branches of this Canaan be so goodly what is Canaan it self If the Church praied so earnestly Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1. What then would the total and full enjoyment of God be never to be divided or separated more Glory is not only the advantage and welfare of a godly man the preservation of him from hell and misery or giving him happinesse but it is the ordering of him with all graces more glorious then the Sunne Hence the godly are compared to the Sunne and Starres in the Firmament for the great lustre God puts on them 3. This must needs be a great support because of the emptinesse and insufficiency in all these things here below to fill and satiate the heart The eye is not satisfied with seeing or the heart with wishing in this world but in the world to come there the faculties of the soul and all the parts of the body are fully replenished There is no want no desire no wish for more then they have It 's no wonder if Solomon who took all waies possible to satisfie his minde and to finde out happinesse in this life yet instead of happinesse found nothing but briars and therefore wrote upon all Vanity of vanities all is vanity For it cannot be otherwise Can an hungry man fill his belly with empty air Can a cold man warm himself at a painted fire Could these birds fill themselves that fled to Zeuxes painted grapes taking them for true ones no more can any thing in this world satisfie man No it 's only in the world to come that can fill up every corner of the soul Lastly Glory with God must needs be the only support because the way to heaven is full of briars and thorns Great are the afflictions and tribulations which abide all that go in this way to glory Were it not then that the heart is full of hopes in this matter it would soon be discouraged it would presently give over saying Why should I deny such pleasures and comforts as others take Do I not wrong my self Am I not a defrauder of my own comforts No saith this hope of eternal glory hold thy tongue from all grudgings and repinings There is glory coming will make amends for all Heaven in reversion is better then all the world in actual possession know then if at any time thy soul be dejected or cast down within thee if at any time thou art impatient and discontented It 's because this hope of glory doth not fill the heart In the last place this is farre to be desired above all humane glory and that although it be the Idol adored by the world if we consider how most men referre all their actions to this We may presently judge that description of man to be true That he is animal gloriae vanissimum all those actions the Heathens did were dedicated to honour Even as the Romans consecrated a Temple to it yea which is the highest degree of vanity men have made all their Religious actions to serve this Goddesse The Pharisees in all their alms fastings and praiers did all to be seen of men as our Saviour who knew their hearts condemned them Mat. 6.2 It went so far with some that they placed the chiefest happinesse of a man to be in honour and how prone this is to keep in the hearts even of godly men appeareth in the often prohibitions of it in the Scripture and our Saviours advice about private Praier and alms This is the Pirate that many times surpriseth the Ship which is come richly laden to the very haven it depriveth us of our duties and the benefit by them Well as glorious as it is yet it is no more comparable to this eternal glory then a straw to a Pearl For 1. It 's but the puff and breath of men whose breath is in their nostrils There is no solidity in it it brings no true solid joy and peace to the conscience What if men applaud thee abroad and thy conscience condemneth thee at home No doubt but the Pharisees humored and flattered Judas to betray his Master but what could that help him when he roared out I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud Gal. 5. Let every man prove his own work so shall he have rejoycing in himself and not in another That is terrible of Austin Many are praised of men who lie tormented in hell 2. All humane glory will not avail us if at our death God findes us in our sinnes To be praised by men and reproached by God to be blessed by men and cursed by God this will be little case Oh that men would look to this who look only to have the good words of men Alas can man save thee can man deliver thee from those eternal flames Gal. 1. If I should please men I should not be a Servant of Christ What an unworthy thing is this to pray to professe Religion for vain-glory and not for glory with God Our Saviour speaks it as a great curse to have a mans ends satisfied in that way Verily I say unto you they have their reward Vse of Exhortation so to live and so to walk as that you may be prepared for this eternal glory Oh what a glory will it be when God at the day of judgement shall say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you When God and Angels shall put honour upon you why should not the faith of these things raise up your spirits why should it no more affect you and that you may obtain this take heed of what will totally deprive you of it or else greatly weaken your thoughts and hopes about it That which totally depriveth is a constant wilful continuance in grosse sinnes Be not deceived neither whoremonger or drunkards c. shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 and without the heavenly Jerusalem are said to be dogs Rev. 22.15 The Scripture cals all wicked men such who lick up the vomit of their sin Oh then the hopelesse and damnable condition of most people Doth not the Land in every place mourn for the whoredoms and drunkennesse and oaths that are every where if God say the Lord shall spue out such Inhabitants God thinketh the earth too good for them will he bestow heaven on them And then 2. The godly who have a right and interest to this glory they weaken their hopes and entreat their fears when they walk negligently when they are earthly or dejected through diffidence you might have this glory here on earth and be in heaven before you are in heaven were you not wanting to your selves SERMON XXVII The Eternall Deity of
Hence it is that the Apostle Rom. 1. makes these creatures the Looking glasse to represent the wisedom and power of God and certainly the world had it made it self would have given a more glorious being to all the parts thereof so that it 's plain it was limited in its nature and parts as the authour thereof pleased and in the next place God was not necessitated to make it As the fire cannot but burn as the Bee necessarily makes it's curious honeycomb so that although some have said that as soon as the Sunne is so necessarily and immediatly the Sun beams will be also so as soon as God is there must necessarily be a world yet we must not conceive a lesse perfection in God then is in man who is a free Agent and works his effects of art when he pleaseth The Artificer is not necessitated to make a house or a garment then certainly much more must be allowed to God himself who doth in heaven and in earth what he pleaseth and this should satisfie those curious Questions why God made the world no sooner what he did in that long imaginary time before the world was the freedom of God and his absolute Soveraignty with his infinite wisedom may easily stop such mouths 3. To be from Eternity is the property of God God only is eternal and therefore no finite limited thing can thus be without a beginning The world is finite in its number it 's but one world whereas God might create more worlds as well as one It 's finite in nature It 's finite in its parts It 's finite in its use and it 's finite in duration Hence all the Nations of the world comparatively to God are laid to be but as a drop and as a little light dust Isa 40 15. Seeing therefore the world is not infinite but is every way limited it cannot be eternal and this is the reason why we Christians should lift our hearts above the world which had a beginning unto God who is God from everlasting to everlasting 4. The world was not without beginning but made in time because it 's corruptible It 's subject to a dissolution Now what is without a beginning is without an end If it had a beginnâ—ng it 's subject to an end though God indeed may perpetuate it as we see he doth Angels and Men Now that the world is subject to destruction some have proved it from this because there is a decay in nature They say the very Sun and heavens have not that power and influence they had formerly but I finde learned men utterly disavowing such a Position and they maintain that nature is still the same and is as constant and powerful in operation as ever Therefore from the Scripture we see clearly the corruptibility of it Rom. 8. The whole Creation is said to be subject unto vanity and corruption so that it groaneth for a freedome and 2 Pet. 3. We have there a large description of the Funerals of the whole world The heavens shall passe away with a noise and the Elements with a burning heat c. Indeed the learned do dispute whether the world in all the choice parts of it shall suffer an utter abolition or only a perfective alteration But whatsoever it be a wonderful change shall be made of it and therefore the Apostle from this amazing dissolution inferreth Seeing these things shall be what manner of persons ought we to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to admiration So that the consideration of the worlds beginning and so by consequence its end is not a cold bitten Subject You may not sit and run or sleep or wander in your hearts but excellent practical Uses may be made thereof and so we proceed to them As Vse 1 1. Did God make the world and that not from Eternity but in time about almost six thousand years agoe and no longer Then here we see he made it not because he needed it because he wanted it for if it had been necessary to God it would have been from Eternity but now seeing there is such a vast distance between Eternity and the beginning of the world It 's plain that he made it not for his use but mans use It was his goodnesse communicating himself to the creature not any want of it God then had been happy sufficient and blessed though he never had created any world for by what reason he staid so long and did not make the world he might have staied alwaies So that this serveth to magnifie the glorious nature of God that all the world with all the creatures therein make not at all to his happinesse They adde not to him All the obedience of Angels and men doth not profit God This should teach us great humility even under our best and rarest duties Think with thy self if God had never created me if he had never given me any being he would have been glorious howsoever What then is my drop to this Ocean Vse 2 2. Did God give the world a beginning whatsoever excellency usefulnesse and lovelinesse there is therein Did it come wholly from God then how might this raise us up to be with God and set our hearts upon him that hath all this perfection eminently in him Oh how unreasonable is it that we should delight in the world and not in God the Authour of the world if there be so much excellency in the creatures what in the Creator Therefore when the Psalmist speaks of all the Creatures in the world he cals upon them to blesse God How foolish and vain did the wise men of the world become in their imaginations when they robbed God of his divine glory and gave it to the Sunne and Stars and such Idolatry do we commit in our affections when we place them principally upon the creature and not on God himself Oh check thy self and say Who gave this delight this comfort this usefulnesse to the creature did not God What delight then must be in the fountain or Ocean if there be so much in a stream Vse 3 3. Did God create and make the world then it 's blasphemy and impudency to quarrell and repine at the things which are in the world This hath been a great Objection with many If God made the world why are there any evil or troublesome things in it How cometh it to be such a miserable wicked world This made the Manichees hold there were two eternal principles The one good from which cometh all good things The other bad from which comes all the sinnes and miseries that are in the world but you must know that the word world is used divers waies in Scripture by which this Objection may be answered Sometimes for the Fabrick of the Universe with all the parts thereof Sometimes for the wickednesse that is in the world and for wicked men because they are the greater part of the world Now if we speak of the world
in the latter sence God did not make it so Man wilfully sinning made it a wicked world so that the wickednesse of the world is not of God but by man as also death and hell is of man God onely inflicts them as just punishments upon ungodly offenders And thus likewise all the miseries pains and diseases that are in the world are by sinne The Ground was not cursed to bring forth nothing but briars and thorns till man had sinned So that the Principles of evil were the Apostate Angels and Apostate man Otherwise take we the world in an innocent sence for the Fabrick of it with the Creatures therein So it is wholly good and of God Therefore Gen. 1. God is said to look over all that he had made and they were very good Every daies work was good when they were put altogether then they were very good so that we are not to judge of every particular thing in the world by it self but in its Harmony and Union and so the world is like a curious peice of Arras or Tapestry admirably shewing the wisedom of the Creator Basil thought that before Adam fell the Rose did grow without any pricks and that there was no enmity between the creatures The Wolf and the Sheep the Lion and the Lamb and the Leopard and the Kid did dwell together c. But whether this be so or no is yet disputed Take heed of saying The world might have been better and this thing or that might have been made more compleatly this is to reproach God the Maker of it As that wretched Alphonsus King of Spain who said That had he been at the Creation of the world he would have ordered it better then now it is Vse 4 4. Is God the Maker of the world then it follows also he is the Preserver and governour of the world This must necessarily follow for the same power is required to preserve and govern as is to create And as it is grosse Athiesm to own any other Maker of the world but God so also any other Governour or Ruler Hence it is that God is so often called the Judge of the world that he is said to Reign that the hearts of Kings even the chiefest powers in the world are in his hand he can order them as he pleaseth That it is not as men think as they will or purpose but as the Judge of the world Faith in this Point while we live in this world is necessary The Lord reigneth let the world rejoyce Psa 97.1 said David And again The Lord reigneth let the world tremble Psa 99.1 There is matter of joy and matter of trembling because God governeth Matter of joy to the godly for he is a Supreme Ruler who is their God whose eye runneth up and down in their behalf who keeps up the world for their sake who takes care of every godly man so fully as if there were no creature else but he And it 's also of terrour to wicked men for God rules all who is an holy just and righteous God so that they must not think alwaies to hold up their heads They must not think God will be mocked but he will do righteously in the world For want of faith in this Point we see David Jeremiah and Habakkuk staggering exceedingly ready to commend the waies of wickednesse because they seem more prosperous in the world Vse 5 5. Is God the Authour of the world Then let us make that use of this world for which God created it As he had his holy and wise ends so do thou aim at them Now Gods ends in creating the world were such as these 1. To demonstrate his own glory Thus Psa 19. The heavens shew forth the glory of God They discover his wisedom his power his goodnesse and so there is not any one creature though never so little but we are to admire the Creator in it As a Chamber hung round about with Looking-glasses represents the face upon every turn Thus all the world doth the mercy and the bounty of God Though that be visible yet it discovers an invisible God and his invisible properties 2. God made this world so richly furnished for mans use And therefore man is to be enlarged in the consideration of this matter Think with thy self how comes there to be such a glorious Sun to wait on thee every day How comes the earth every Spring to be so richly cloathed for thy advantage Is not all this of Gods appointing He made a Summer and winter he hath given the appointed works of the harvest so that the world is nothing but Gods storehouse and great Granary that he hath given to man This is so great a matter that the Psalmist cried out Lord what is man that thou art so mindeful of him Psa 144.3 Thus Paul speaking of God the Creator of the world Act. 17. amplifieth it in this That he giveth us richly to enjoy all things 3. God made this world not for a dâ—elling place for thee Thou art not to abide here for ever He made the world as the Wildernesse to the Israelites They were to be Pilgrims in it and to seek after Canaan As Adam by his fault continued not in Paradise so neither by reason of death was he long in the world Therefore the Apostle saith We have here no abiding City Heb. 12. Oh then that we could remember to what end God made this world not to place our hopes and utmost desires here but to look upon this as the way and heaven as our journeys end But oh how much faith and heavenly mindednesse is required of every one to perform this Vse 6 Vse 6. Did God lay the Foundations of the world and that in time how greatly then are the people of God to be affected with his love in electing of them for God chose them before the Foundations of the world he loved them before the world was This sheweth the freenesse of Gods love This manifests his absolute tender bowels to his Children Alas his love to thee was not from yesterday or so many years but from Eternity Doubt not then of the efficacy of this love in all the effects of it He that hath chosen thee from Eternity will call thee will justifie thee will glorifie thee not that these are done from Eternity only God purposed to do them in time David would remember the kindenesses of the Lord that were of old but how old is this goodnesse of God in choosing thee to eternal glory Vse 7 Lastly Did God create the world out of nothing and that in six daies such glorious Heavens and all other parts from a dark Chaos and Abysse then this may teach us to depend on God in all publike straights of the Church or all thy Personal Temptations What a foolish thing was it in the people of Israel to say Can God provide a Table in the Wildernesse Cannot he that made this great world of nothing doe a lesse matter
is insufficient to salvation Therefore it 's a pernicious assertion of Venator the Remonstrant that the Heathens they had the Light as it were of the Starres The Jews of the Moon The Christians of the Sunne and all might be saved by their respective Lights 4. God is manifested by the Scriptures in a common way of Light Many men by an Historicall faith beleeving the Scriptures must also beleeve a God for there is no such clear evidence any way as by that and thus we may judge of most Christians they know there is a God they beleeve him to be because the Word doth so fully affirm it Lastly There is a knowledge of God in a practicall obedient way so to know him as to fear him to obey his Commandments to walk humbly before him and to depend upon him and this is the manifestation or knowledge the truly godly only have and the number of these is very few so that if you set aside those who know God only upon a natural conscience or by education or by a general historical Faith The residue who know him by speciall illumination and sanctification are like the gleaning after harvest so that we may hence conclude that whatsoever parts learning understanding men have in Religion yet till inwardly sanctified they know not God They are wholly estranged from him They live without God in the world Eph. 2. God is not in their thoughts in their hearts neither have they any enjoyment of him Oh that we could make every Auditor sensible of this I live in the world I know much I have great acquaintance but yet am a stranger to God Now these following particulars will plainly discover that the godly only do truly know God R. 1 First Because though men have this speculative knowledge yet they do not love him and delight in him above all things It 's Gods command that we should love him with all our heart our minds and strength yea above Father Mother life and every thing that is dear Insomuch that the Scripture saith Whosoever loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2.15 Now whence is it that we love these poor empty comforts more then God Is it not because we do not know God Had we clear manifestations of the goodnesse excellency and fulnesse that is in God our whole heart would be ravished with him As it is with the glorified Saints in heaven they have an immediate vision of God They behold him in this glorious beauty and hence it is that they cannot sinne The understanding seeth such infinite perfection in God that they abhorre all things that would divert from him As the eye dazled with the Beam-light of the Sun cannot behold any thing else As he that hath eaten honey findeth all things else unsavoury As the Saints in heaven do thus so the Saints on earth do in part and in some good measure They beholding the Image of God 2 Cor. 4. are transformed into the same Image The more we know God as revealed in the word the more our hearts pant after him as you see David often manifesting the breaking of his heart after God Well then by this you see that few know God if they did how could they leave the Ocean for a drop how could they part with God for every fading creature thy lusts thy sins are more then God in thy thoughts and affections Oh pray for a knowledge of God in Christ The blinde man doth not admire the glory of the Sunne because he cannot see it ignoti nulla cupido R. 2 2. No wicked man though never so great a Scholar knoweth God if he doe not fear him if he stands not in an holy awe and reverence of him who would not fear thee Isa 10. O thou King of Nations for to thee it appertaineth and sanctifie the Lord God let him be your dread Our Saviour likewise Fear not them that can kill the body Mat. 10.28 but I tell you whom you shall fear c. You see then that if we did rightly know God how pure and just he is how full of wrath and vengeance against impenitent sinners we would cry out with Joseph upon every temptation How can I do this and sinne against God I cannot I dare not Thus Paul Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5.11 Did men know the greatnesse and the terrour of God the power and Majesty he is cloathed with That no sinner though never so great can stand before him any more then the stubble before the fire That he can immediatly raise hellish torments in thy conscience That he can bid thee go out of this Church a trembling Cain a despairing Judas Did I say People know this God to be so great how could they riot it in all excesse as they do as our Saviour told the Woman Joh. 4. If thou hadst known who it is that asked water of thee thou wouldst have given him Had you or did you know that the God whom you offend all the day long is so great and terrible in Majesty it would have been a stop to all thy bold impieties but men know not God R. 3 3. Only the godly know God because they only are carefull to obey his Commandments and to walk in the way he requireth 1 Joh. 2. If we say we know him and keep not his Commandments we are lyars and abide not in the Truth Their knowledge of God and a carefull obedience to his commands cannot be separated The Apostle saith all others are but lyars and hypocrites Dost thou boast of knowledge and yet break his Sabbath wallow in the lusts of the flesh Thou art a lyar thou dost not know God Hence it followeth in my Text I have manifested thy Name to my Disciples and they have kept thy Word Oh then never talk of thy knowledge never speak of what thou readest or what thou understandest unlesse also thy obedience to Gods will be as manifest so that when we see any prophane wicked man indued with great parts you may say Lo there is such an one though he knoweth all Points in Religion though he knoweth every Chapter in the Bible yet he knoweth nothing of God for whereas God saith Be not drunk with wine c. and Wo be to those that are strong to drink yet every week if not every day he is drunk Though God saith Swear not at all yet some cannot speak without an Oath scarce Oh that these things might enter into you If you know God you would obey him you would say I dare not I must not do this or that God whom I know and serve commands the contrary Therefore the Prophet Hosea when he speaketh of much wickednesse in a Land swearing and whoring and injustice he saith There is no Knowledge of God in the Land Hos 4.1 Argum. 4 4. The godly man only knoweth God because he only hath these gracious effects of Gods grace upon his heart
Finis operantis the end of the worker and the end of the works as the end of the house built is to dwell in it The end of the Artificer who built is to have wherewith to maintain himself and his Family so it 's in the Preaching of the Word There is the end of the Ministry it self as appointed by God and of the Minister who preacheth Now indeed there should be alwaies the same end of both The Minister should aim at that end for which the Ministry is appointed viz. to enlighten men to bring them to a saving knowledge of God but such are mens corruptions that they many times take the office only for ambition or earthly advantages They preach that they may live they live not that they may preach It 's therefore a dangerous thing for a Minister of Christ to propound any other end principally at least but what is the end of the Ministery and that is wholly spirituall to be able to say Behold here I am and the spirituall Children thou hast given me 2. As the end of the Ministry is thus to bring light in the world so the end of all people that enjoy a Ministry in all their hearing and coming to Church ought to be thus likewise As the Minister sinnes greatly if he preacheth to advance his parts his Name to humour people in their sins so do the people sin dangerously if they come out of formality and custome or if they come to have the ear and fancy pleased but attend not at all to the saving knowledge of God Oh thou foolish and vain man thou makest not a good use or improvement of the Minister till it hath thus wrought upon thee Therefore the Ignorance and prophanesse of most men proclaimeth that they never made a right use of one Sabbath or one Sermon all their life time though they have heard many Oh then that every Sabbath day you would put this questâ—on To what end am I going to the publike Assembly Why go I to hear the Word preached If I do not attain to the end I lose my labour Is it not the end of preaching and the end of hearing to deliver me from my former Ignorance my former lusts how then comes it about that I am still as I was It is because I do not consider the end of these things Now the grounds why the Ministers end should be in all Preaching to bring his people to the saving knowledge of God are very weighty First From the necessity of this end which is in divers respects We are to press people to the right knowledge of God because R. 1 1. All by nature are ignorant of God They are in darknesse They have no understanding to doe good Hence it is that Christ and the Word as also the Ministers are called a light because they like the Sunne are able to remove the night of Ignorance Seeing then we are all by nature Bats and Owls not enduring the Light of the Sunne Seeing then we have innate darknesse and much voluntary blindenesse upon our mindes oh how diligent should the Ministers of the Gospel be to bring this light into peoples hearts Therefore our Saviour makes this the condemnation the great cause of condemnation That light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light Joh. 3. If then people did think they had a thick cloud upon their hearts or a vail upon their eyes how carefull would they be to attend upon the Word preached that they might of darknesse become light in the Lord. 2. There is a necessity of attending to this end if you consider the aversenesse and unwillingnesse that is in men to get this knowledge How many say with those in Job Let the knowledge of the most High depart from us Job 21.14 that when they are invited have this lust or that sin this or that worldly advantage to look after How many when wisedom crieth aloud do yet with the simple one passe by to their destruction The Prophets and the Apostles all along complained of this wretched disposition that their hearers had a deaf ear a stiffe neck and a rebellious heart and thus it will be to the worlds end Men whose waies are evil and they delight in them will hate the light will run from that Word which alwaies speaks terrible things against them Have not then the Ministers of the Gospel need to stir up themselves to use all holy violence when there is such a general contrariety in all people against the saving knowledge of God and his way That as the wilde beasts hide themselves in their dens when the Sun begins to arise So do wicked men cover and shelter themselves that the beams of the glorious Word of God may not shine into their dark hearts Men know that powerfull Preaching and their wicked lives cannot agree together oh they know that God and his Word are wholly against their conversation Therefore they will not know or understand lest they should be converted All wicked men are as unwillingly brought out of their sins as the Israelites out of Egypt Lot out of Sodom unlesse they be even driven or forced out they will not move 3. There is a necessity of pressing the Knowledge of God because of the horrible negligence and lazinesse that is in most men There being very few that will take pains to get the knowledge of God and his way Though Solomon useth so many arguments that we should seek and dig for this knowledge more then for silver or gold Pro. 3 That we are to say unto her She is our Mother and Sister yet the things of the world the profits hereof do wholly divert and whereas Heathens have taken such excessive pains to get humane knowledge we stir not for divine knowledge This sluggishnesse in men in Families whereby they will not take time that young and old may come to the knowledge of God is an universal reigning sin 4. The necessity of pressing this ariseth in that there is no salvation or eternall happinesse without the knowledge of God This is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God He would have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth 1 Tim. 2.4 Oh then for people to come to the knowledge of God is more necessary then to eat or to live or to get any earthly profit Oh then that both Ministers and people might be more zealous in this work for both must work together let the Minister of God be never so laborious so active yet if you are carelesse there cannot come any good and if a people be willing and ready and yet they have blinde guides still the work is not done Therefore let both set their hands to this Let Ministers teach Let people hear Let Ministers instruct Let people come with obedient ears otherwise though thou livest under the glorious light of the Gospel yet thy wickednesse and carelesnesse will make thee get
Psa 119.20 They cry out As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so do our souls after thee O God Psa 41.1 Thus when God calleth a man out of the world he giveth him another Spirit even an heavenly heart he was a beast before now he is like an Angel He did formerly no more understand or discern spiritual things then the deaf ear doth melodious sounds They were a wearisomnesse a burden to him but now they are his delight Secondly They are not of this world because they walk not after the rudiments or elements of the world Col. 2.8 20. The Apostle there sheweth how inconsistent such a life is with an heavenly life When we are risen with Christ Now what are those Elements of the world Even all such principles of Religion as men by humane and carnall wisedom take up to worship God by He cals them Elements or principles because the Jews made their traditionall worship the very foundation and beginning of all as if godlinesse were not able to consist it and Elements of the world because men by humane wisedom without the Scripture do presse them and do not walk by the light of Gods Word This then is an excellent discovery that we are not of the world when in the matters of Religion especially in our worship of God and the way of our justification we are not carried by the principles of a worldly Religion but by divine direction when we do not worship God according to custome to universality and such rudiments of the world as most do The Pagan the Papist discovers a very worldly Spirit in his Religion being able to say no more for it then Heathens have done and so in the matters of justification They say but very little more then Aristotle and the Philosophers of the world have done about righteousnesse whereas the righteousnesse and grace of the Gospel is wholly different from such principles manifest then by thy adoration of the fulnesse of the Scripture and sufficiency thereof that thy religion thy worship thy hopes of salvation are not meerly upon worldly principles and not supernaturall Thirdly The godly man is discovered not to be of the world by his constant life and conversation He doth not live as one that takes this world for his home They declare by their words and actions they seek for another Countrey Heb. 11. As the Israelites were to manifest the Wildernesse was not a place for them to abide in but Canaan Hence Rom. 12.1 They are not conformed to the fashion of this world They are as Pilgrims and Strangers They are in the world as bright Stars in a dark night so that this doth necessarily imply a singularity and exactnesse in the godly mans life comparatively to the world Men of the world are proud earthly bruitish running into all pleasures and following all excesse of riot but they dare not do so so that there cannot be a surer symptome that thou art still of the world then by speaking doing and living as most in the world do 2 Pet. 3.6 Even those that have but a common bare profession of the Christian faith are said to escape the pollutions of the world Though Godlinesse should not have a deep impression on you though it should not go to the root and bottome yet if it hath made any impression at all if it hath gone but to the skin if you have heard of it but by the ear onely it should make thee avoid such pollutions Jam. 1.17 What saith the Apostle James Pure Religion is to keep a man unspotted from the world Pure Religion There is a generation of devils rather then men that mock and deride at purity Thus the Apostle saith there must be a pure Religion and this pure Religion is to keep us unspotted from the world That doth imply the world to be some lothsome noisome dunghill that a man cannot be in it but he is ready to get soil and filth upon him how many trust to sin come and do as we do will you be so pure but whether will you beleeve the Word of God or the devil tempting by such beastly Instruments Fourthly He is discovered not to be off the world because he is principally taken up with heavenly priviledges Jam. 4.4 The friendship of this world is enmity against God and 1 Joh. 2.15 If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him It 's as impossible a man that is godly should be of the world in this sence as it is for Doves to be Moles they cannot live by digging into the earth Hence the godly man is said to be born of God he is said to be heavenly to be from above to he risen with Christ to sit in heavenly places to have his Conversation in heaven These are the noble descriptions of the godly man so that though they use the world and discharge their Relations therein yet they are not overcome by the world They have the world the world hath not them Oh how close may this discovery be for there are many who escape the pollutions of the world and yet are worldly The third kinde of hearers did not only cast off all prophanesse but made some great progresse in obedience to the Word but the love of the world and the cares about it choaked all Did not Judas appear as eminently for Christ as any at first but the love of the world discovered his rottennesse Did not Demas get approbation and that by Paul himself yet at last he did cleave to this present world so that not only prophanesse but immoderate earthly and worldly affections These are inconsistent with the power of grace The world is not only the prophaness thereof but the immoderate and excessive affections to the lawful things of the world Our Saviour doth not say He that loveth his sins or his lusts more then me but he that loveth his Father wife or life it self more then me is not worthy of me Mat. 10.37 See then the difficulty of grace and tremble under it Thou hast with much ado quit thy former sins but do not the inordinate affections about lawful things still ensnare thee Dost thou buy as if thou boughtst not Dost thou marry as if thou marriedst not 1 Cor. 7. Art thou rich as if thou wert not That is thou usest these things as comforts against thy necessities not as Masters over thy affections Fifthly In this it 's apparent they are not of the world because the world hateth them and is wholly opposite to them Joh 17.14 Because they are not of the world therefore that hateth them If they were of the world the world would love his own and 1 Joh. 4.5 They that are of the world speak of the world and the world heareth them There cannot be a better discovery then this The world knoweth his own Let a man be a wise worldly man that matters not religion that regards not the power of godlinesse nor strictnesse
Such a man this world adoreth But if a man be never so wise so excellent yet if powerfully godly will not conform to the evil waies of the world this marreth all This makes him envied and hated Who art thou then that hast some desires to walk in the way to heaven but the opposition the hatred and violence that is used against that way makes thee draw back Oh foolish and deluded wretch was it not thus with Christ with his Apostles Were they not told they should be hated of all men for his Names sake There cannot be a more comfortable sign of thy grace then to have all the wicked men where thou livest either thy hypocritical Friends or thy open enemies Jerome thanked God that he was worthy to be such an one whom the world would hate The Serpents Seed cannot love the Womans Ismaell will persecute Isaac glory therefore and boast in this if the malicious wicked man hath his mouth alwaies open against thee If he be alwaies censuring and backbiting For if thou wouldest be prophane dissolute if thou wouldst be a Minister to prostitute the Ordinances of God to every prophane man thou wouldst be as good as any in the world but now it 's not for thy infirmities but thy graces they malice thee Sixthly They are not of this world because they are members of Christ and incorporated into him Now Christ himself was not of this world nor was his Kingdom of this world Joh. 18.36 he came not with any earthly worldly advantages Now the godly they are to be wholly conformed unto Christ As Christ was so are they They bear the Image of the heavenly so that what life what actions were by Christ the same they are exercised in so that if we would follow the example of Christ make him our patern as our Christianity obligeth us then should we overcome the world not only in the persecuting part of it but the inticing part of it The heart that is united to Christ findes more excellency and sweetnesse in him then in all the pleasures of the world as we see by Paul Lastly They are discovered not to be of the world because their life is a life of faith The Just shall live by Faith Rom. 1.17 We walk by faith and not by sence 2 Cor. 5.7 Now a worldly life is only by sence and carnal reason It moveth only upon sensible grounds coming as far short of faith as a beast doth of reason but the godly man he looketh into the Word of God he seeth the promises and embraceth them This life of faith is a mystery it is a Riddle yea it 's a madnesse to the world To part with all present advantages upon faith for eternal that are to come this is to them extreme folly and truly herein a godly man is discovered exceedingly Doth he not live by his sensible props but by the Promises Doth he overlook all creatures and fix his heart upon God this is more then the world doth If you ask the grounds why the people of God are out of the world though in it There are three pregnant Reasons in one verse Gal. 1.4 Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world Observe first it 's an evil wicked world The whole world lieth in wickednesse saith John 1 Joh. 5.19 There is nothing but the works of sin and the devil in it therefore the devil is called the Prince of this world Joh. 16.11 because he reigneth in every mans heart Now how can those whose natures are made holy who will and love what God wils and loveth come to agree with sin how can they who are sanctified by the Spirit of God be where the devil ruleth 2. It 's the present world It 's but for the present the profits are present profits the pleasures are present pleasures whereas the godly man looketh to Eternity Dâ—mas cleaveth to the present world 2 Tim. 4.10 but Paul to the eternal world the world to come 2. Christ died that we might be delivered from it This is a pregnant reason one main reason of the death of Christ was that thou shouldst not be as the world is if the shortnesse and vanity of these things and their fading nature do not move thee let the bloud and death of Christ prevail with thee He was crucified that thou shouldst be crucified to the world he died that thou shouldst be dead to the world Vse of Exhortation To come out of the world in respect of your affections and conversations you cannot abide there no more then Lot in Sodom and be saved yet are not the greatest part of men of the Church thus of the world Oh how unworthy is this that whereas thy Christianity thy Religion engageth thee not to be of the world thy conversation proveth thou art Well as thou art of this world so shalt thou perish with the judgements of the world That lieth in darknesse and will be cast in utter darknesse this will be thy Portion and know thou must go out of the place of the world though thou wilt not out of the wickednesse of the world the world cannot will not hold thee alwaies SERMON XXXII Of the peculiar Propriety Gods People have in him and he in them JOH 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy Word THE former part of this Verse related Christs care and work to his Disciple This latter part giveth a description of them and all particulars therein are very argumentative to prevail that God should hear praier for them Now here is a threefold description of them wherein indeed is laid down divinely the Cause of mans Salvation with the effects flowing from it The two Causes are these 1. The Eternal Election and absolute purpose of God to save such Thine they were 2. The meritorious cause in and by which all the mercies they are elected to are obtained and that is Christ Thou hast given them me viz. as a Mediatour 3. The blessed effects of these causes that are hidden or at least every one may pretend to them but this is a discovering sign that excludeth many They have kept thy Word At this time I shall treat only of the first cause which indeed may be called causa causae the cause of all causes of our Salvation and that is Gods Election or gracious purpose to take some out of mankinde and to make them his in a peculiar manner For a people may be said to be Gods divers waies 1. By right of Creation and dominion which he hath thereby and so all things are his Psa 69.11 Both the reprobate and the godly are his in this sence it 's impossible but that every creature should be his because he cannot alienate his dominion and property 2. A people may be said to be his by an outward dispensation of the Covenant of grace Thus the people of the Jews are all of them called his people
to know this that he is now the Lords he hath cause with astonishment and amazement to fall down and admite the grace of God we did not make our selves his we could not become his people of our own strength 2. There was the power of God also greatly discovered for seeing by sinne we become the devils and he had a right to us he is the god of the world and he rules in the hearts of those that are disobedient Eph. 2. seeing I say he is their Father and they are of him and his works they do it 's impossible we should be recovered out of his hands till God who is stronger then he sets us free As our Saviour implieth in that Parable when a strong man keepeth the house all things are quiet till a stronger then he cometh Luk. 11.22 It was not then in the power of Man or Angels to expedite himself out of that bondage and slavery till God did wonderfully shew his power and as it was not in their power so neither in their will or heart Though it be such an unspeakable happâ—nesse to be the Lords yet no man naturally is willing to this he had rather be the devils and sins then the Lords such cursed wickednesse is in every mans heart and such enemies are we to our selves Fifthly Though this expression be short Thine they are yet it comprehends very many precious and excellent particulars For we are the Lords upon several and various titles therefore are we sure to continue his It 's good the godly man should know how many waies he is the Lords that his heart may be enlarged upon every particular For 1. He is the Lords by Election from all Eternity Thou wast the Lords before thou wast born before thou hadst a being when thou couldst have no thoughts of thy self he had thoughts of thee The Scripture doth often Eph. 1. Rom. 9. comfort the people of God and quicken up their hearts with this particular and certainly it 's a deep and overwhelming Meditation Who am I Lord when in the womb of nothing or when born yet wallowing in my bloud thinking speaking and living against thee and thou didst from all Eternity know this yet didst choose me to eternal life Oh how many thousands are past by and I am chosen Was it not enough Lord not to have created me It might have been mercy not to have created me that so I might not have been damned but positively to appoint me before the foundation of the world to such unspeakable glory this is that which astonisheth me Oh my Soul and heart is too narrow if I had the hearts of all the men in the world they would be too little to conceive of this goodnesse 2. We are the Lords or Christs for I make this all one by way of redemption and conquest We are bought with no lesse a price then the precious bloud of Christ and as the Apostle urgeth are therefore no more our own 1 Cor. 6.20 Oh then consider how great a matter goeth to make thee the Lords ere this propriety could be attained how dear did it cost Christ he therefore became man and did undergo all those evils and reproaches that we might be his It cost him more to redeem us then to create us so that it 's no wonder if the people of God may look upon themselves as the Lords peculiar for there is a good reason They are bought at an high rate Neither sin or the devil or the world have done so much for thee Oh then what shamefull ingratitude is it to live to them and not to God 3. We are his new creature and a spiritual Creation Thus he is said to create us and we are said to be his Children born of him We are Gal. 2.10 called his â—orkmanship created to good works so that in this particular the people of God are ramarkably his They have his Image put upon them They have a diviâ—â— nature bestowed upon them It 's he that hath made us not we our selves even 〈◊〉 this sence Lev. 20.26 That ye should be mine severed from all other oh then know if there be no more in thee then what is in the world or what thou hast by nature thou art not yet the Lords Doth thy nature thy frame of heart discover an interest in God then thou maist take comfort there are many who desire to be the Lords by Redemption but not by Sanctification They would have Christs bloud theirs but not his Spirit 4. We are the Lords by Covenant and by Promise and this is no mean foundation of our propriety in him The Promise runneth I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 We have Gods Word as well as his work causing us to be his and in this sence God is said to be the God of Abraham and the God of his Faithfull Seed viz. by a gracious promise This is that which may bear up the heart how often do we by our sins and infirmities break off our propriety and lose our interest as much as lieth in us If there were no gracious promise of God that for his Names sake and words sake we shall be his then all those uncomfortable Arminian Positions would take place that we may be the Lords people to day and the devils slaves to morrow Thus our propriety would be mutable every hour and as our lives so our hopes and comforts would be like a vapour and a bubble but we are children of the promise Gal. 3. And as that gave Isaac life when the barren womb had no power so it 's the promise of God begins and continueth our spiritual life It 's for his truths sake that sin and Satan shall not quite overwhelm us and how comfortable is this to pleade Lord we are thine not by any merits of our own not by any gracious works of ours but by thy promise We do not beleeve love thee or persevere and therefore are thine but because we are thine therefore we beleeve and persevere 5. We are the Lords by several peculiar relations all which administer their peculiar comfort We are the Lords house in which he continually dwels and is present We are his Temple in a peculiar manner consecrated to him We are his branches and that denoteth our intimate Union with him as also our supply from him We are his Servants we are his Children we are his Wife we are the members of Christs body Oh these similitudes are full of worth they demonstrate not only the dignity but the blessednesse of his people and the rich supply of comfort and grace from him By these is signified that we are the Lords in his most indeared affections That no Father to a childe no husband to a Wife is as God to us Isa 43.1 I have called thee by Name thou art mine Vse 1 The practical Improvement of this is very great First It informeth us that besides the general acts of faith a
Christian ought to have particular applicative ones It 's not enough to beleeve in the general God is the God of those that fear him that trust in him but also in particular with Thomas to say My Lord My God Ioh. 20.28 Hence are those expressions frequent I am thy God and the Lord your God The childe that walketh in darknesse having no light is exhorted to trust in his God Isa 50.10 Oh it cannot be well with thee while thou art in generals only if God be a stranger to thee if apprehended to be none of thy God or if doubted of all this while thou art in a wildernesse not in the Land of Canaan thou art but in the porch not taken into the presence-chamber It 's a great sin of the godly that they are not more particularly here In other things you take no delight unlesse it be yours a pleasant garden if not yours health if not yours makes no comfort Propriety is the cause of joy Oh then let not Satan nor the black doubts of thy own heart make thee keep at a distance from God Let not Popish or Arminian Doctrines that presse no more then a general faith any waies move thee but as God is thine so labour to beleeve and know he is thine Vse 2 Vse 2. Is God the godly mans God May he say I am thine Lord then what a comfortable support is here what enlargement of heart may this make several waies 1. It should cause holy boldnesse and earnest fervency in praier Thou art not praying to God that is an adversary a stranger or unknown to thee It may be he will hear it may be not Oh such diffidence is very sinful it 's very pleasing to God to pray to him in this propriety because hereby thy hope to speed will be greater Thy thankfulnesse will be more Thy delight and joy in him will encrease and flourish and tormenting fears will be overcome 2. It will uphold against all temptations within in desertions in blackness of soul yet if thou trustest on God as thy God though thou dost not feel him to be so this is good O Lord thou dost but seem to withdraw thy self O Christ thou art my brother Joseph though thou speakest thus roughly 3. In opposition from the world O Lord though all the world hate me yet I rejoyce because I am thine And why do the devils and wicked men hate me Is it not because I am thine If I were one of theirs they would love me Lord am I not thy treasure thy Jewell and if the devil or the world destroy me is it not thy losse as well as mine 4 Contentation in every condition Is God thy God what needest thou more If a man have the Sun doth he need the Stars Oh our froward hearts in this particular If God deny not himself will he deny other things necessary 5. Here is a great argument to duty If God be thine and thou his Oh then live to him why is not thy heart Gods thy tongue Gods Wouldst thou be the Lords in counsel and not in duty Oh think all I have is not mine but Gods Lastly It 's terrour to wicked men this is the Fountain of all their calamity and ruine God is not their God and then mercy is not their mercy pardon is not their pardon heaven is not their heaven Oh it 's a beggarly thing to boast in the wealth thou hast in the pleasures thou hast but as for God he is none of thine That Criples case was miserable who when the Pool stirred had no man to help him Oh but thine is more miserable that hast no God to pity thee no God to pardon thee The God you will cry to the God you will pray to at death the God you must appear before is none of your God SERMON XXXIII The truly Godly man onely is obedient to Gods Word Or The Great Character of a Christian JOH 17.6 And they have kept thy Word WE passe over the second description which is Gods giving of some of mankinde to Christ as a Mediatour so that they are his trust and it lieth upon his faithfulnesse to procure salvation for them Only it 's good to consider that within six Verses he doth thrice use this expression They are given him by the Father for this laieth the Axe to the very root of Arminianism It 's not their free-will nor their good improvement of the means of grace but Gods gracious giving of them to Christ that makes them have an Interest in salvation and the phrase doth imply that there is a stint number and defined of such There cannot be more or lesse so that the Arminian Dagon must needs fall before this Ark but this is spoken to already I therefore passe on to the effect of both these divine causes of our Salvation There was you heard the efficient cause Gods Election the meritorious cause Christ and now we have the effect of these which is by way of signe to describe who they are that are the Lords and thus given to Christ for they being hidden causes and every one apt to pretend to them This is the differencing and evidencing mark They keep the Word of God So that by this we see who are truly and indeed given of God to Christ even such as keep his Word He doth not say that heareth it or remembers it or that understands it but that keeps it The Scripture hath equivalent expressions to this sometimes John 8.31 it 's called continuing in his Word because it 's not enough for a while to cleave to it unlesse we persevere The Scripture giveth sad Instances of many that did not only hear but with joy for a season did receive Christs Word yet they did not hold it fast to the end they did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is Mat. 13. against all opposition whatsoever The contrary to this is in the same Chapter v. 37. My Word hath no place in you Our Saviour speaks it there as the cause of all the wickednesse that the Jews committed because his Word had no room in their hearts You seek to kill me because my Word hath no place in you This expression seemeth to denote such as are hardened and given up to a reprobate sence for the godly sometimes may not understand or delight and receive the Word but that the Word should at no time finde any place in a mans heart that is the mark of an hardened sinner look to it then and tremble all you who have many years lived under the Word preached and yet to this day it hath had no place in your hearts This is the dreadful condition of many thousand hearers sometimes this keeping of the Word is called hearing of the Word as in the same Chapter v. 43. Ye cannot hear my Word because ye are not of God where hearing the Antecedent is put for the consequent obedience and the reason is because Faith and Obedience comes by hearing and
God draweth him out to hate it and in duties good because it 's good doth move him Now the least sinne is sinne and we kill young Serpents as well as old ones and the least good is acceptable to God and he will reward it Reasons 4 Lastly In respect of the privative part of the punishment of sinne all are equall which is the losse of God and Heaven The least sinne depriveth of the happy Vision of God as well as the greatest so that in this sence we may say there is no little sinne no more then there is a little God and so likewise for the good of any duty The least shall have heaven as well as the greatest though not such degrees Even a cup of cold water doth not lose its reward Mat. 10.42 Vse To discover that Hypocrisie and falshood in many men some sins they avoid others again they embrace Is not all sinne poison Is there any good sinne Were thy heart sound those beloved and customary sins of thine could have no more welcome in thy heart then toads in thy bosome SERMON XXXVII Sheweth That Gods People are ready and willing in Obedience Whence it is that they are so Tending to rouse men up from dulnesse and Formality in Gods service JOH 17.8 For I have given them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them THere remaineth two things more considerable in the description of the Disciples Obedience The next thing to be considered is their readinesse and willingnesse implied in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They did not cavill or dispute They did not draw back or maliciously oppose but they were like melted wax ready to receive any impression like white paper whereon Gods Will and Law might be immediatly written and indeed if you observe the Disciples all along from their first call to this present time there appeared much readinesse in them Christ did no sooner speak the word commanding them to follow him but immediatly they leave all and obey though it was so much to their outward disadvantage though it was to fall in the Whales mouth yet they readily resign themselves and although sometimes they shewed dulnesse to beleeve and unwillingnesse in his service yet our Saviour excuseth it saying The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak and certainly had there not been a ready free spirit in the Disciples to take Christ above all and to cleave to him only they could never have devoured these troubles with so much patience as they did Obs That it 's a sure character and property of the children of God to be a willing ready people in obedience They are not as hypocrites kept from sinne by constraint meerly from a principle of fear within but Psa 110. They are willingnesses in the day of Gods power To explain this a little First There may be the presence of dulnesse and unwillingnesse sometimes in the Children of God but this is not reigning nor is it habitually consented to but resisted and with much agony praied against There is no garden but hath some of this weed in it No gold but some of this drosse No godly man but now and then hath wearisomnesse and unwillingnesse to holy duties seizing upon him Thus we reade the Church when Christ knocked at the door though he had stood all night and his locks were wet with the dew yet the Church out of a dull sluggish humour doth refuse to open to him Cant. 5.2 3. So Rev. 2. There the Church is reproved for suffering her graces to decay and that her duties were not filled up with fervency and solidity yea we may reade of the Church complaining of this slothfulnesse and coldnesse when she said Draw us and we will run after thee Cant. 1.4 And at another time Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear Isa 63.17 So that it 's too manifest the people of God have much coldnesse and negligence in them What is that which fils their hearts with so many complaints but this what makes them so full of fears and doubts about their spiritual condition Is it not want of life vigour and willingnesse Oh they finde their hearts can take delight and be willingly drawn out in earthly affairs but they are like so many lumps of earth in heavenly things when yet there is farre more excellency worth and dignity in holy things then in all the whole world to draw out the heart so then let the godly for their comfort distinguish between the presence of unwillingnesse and the power of it Between unwillingnesse in the command and power over the soul and the reluctancy and striving against it The Apostle speaketh generally of sinne Let it not reign in your mortal bodies Rom. 7. Non dixit non sit sed ne regret This stumbling-block removed let us consider why the people of God must needs be so willing and ready in their obedience And first The sence of their guilt and all the misery sinne hath brought upon them puts them into a melting yeelding frame while mens hearts are hardened and they are not apprehensive of the damnable estate they are in while they are not in the fire of Gods displeasure they are stubborn and untractable but when they are kindely humbled for sin then they will do anything Thus Paul He that was mad in his oppositions against Christ no sooner did the Lord touch his heart with the sense of his sins but he crieth out Lord what wilt thou have me to do Thus David when the Lord had humbled him and used afflictions for his sinne see how humbly and obediently he speaks If he say he hath no delight in me behold here I am let him do what he pleaseth 2 Sam. 15.26 and the Church Mic. 7. I will hear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Nothing then will so humble and mollifie the heart to make a man do and be any thing as a deep sence of sinne Thus the cold hard Iron is put into the fire and it may be beaten into any shape Secondly As the sence of sinne so the sence of Gods goodnesse and grace in being reconciled notwithstanding all our provocations doth much more enlarge the heart to thankefulnesse and obedience The love of Christ saith Paul constraineth us We cannot hold we cannot keep in as you may see David upon the apprehension of Gods goodnesse to him resolving to take the cup of salvation and to praise God in the great Congregation Psa 116.13 Gospel grace doth not in a filiall spirit harden and make wanton but doth more soften and enflame to an active obedience This made Paul run like the Sunne in the Firmament You see it 's the grace of God which lieth kindling and warming of him This is like the Spirit in Ezechiels wheels the dejected unbeleeving soul is not so readily obedient An Evangelical frame of heart assured of Gods love carrieth out to filiall fruitful
when some eminent calamity comes near unto thee Then thou cryest out of sinne then thou speakest well of godlinesse but all this is forced It 's a Land-floud It 's a Morning dew why didst thou not in thy prosperity shew forth willing affections to God Vse 2. of Direction To humble the people of God that though there be so eminent and pregnant Reasons for their willing obedience yet they should be so dead so heartlesse so full of excuses as they are Oh is not this the sinne of every godly man May he not cry out of his slothfulnesse and barrennesse Are the things of God and Heaven as operative and lively upon thee as the things of the earth Oh how hard is thy heart many times like the Mountains of Gilboa whereon no dew fals Oh how often do they keep the door shut even when Christ knocketh so that if you ask wherein may the people of God fear their ruine most It may be said In their unwillingnesse in their deadnesse and coldnesse Oh how many times are we not so much as capable of that excuse our Saviour gave the Disciples The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak for how often is thy flesh weak and thy Spirit unwilling also For these things Gods children have cause to have poverty and shame of spirit within them We come to the fourth and last observable particular viz. That these words are such as the Father gave Christ to communicate to his Disciples so that Christ himself did not take upon him any other doctrine or preach any other matter then what he had received Hence he did so often say The doctrine was not his but his Fathers Joh. 7.16 Neither did he speak of himself but what he heard the Father Obs That the Ministers of the Gospel are to preach that and only that which they have out of Gods Word As Paul said That which I have received of the Lord that I delivered unto you And the Prophets Introduction is commonly Thus saith the Lord If Pythagoras Disciples were satisfied with nothing but ipse dixit how much rather must the beleever whose Faith in the very nature of it doth relate to some word or Testimony Hence it is that they are called the Embassadors of God 2 Cor. 4. And such must not go a word from their Commission We are to be Conduits not Fountains The Word of God must exire per te non a te as Bernard It 's the good thing committed to our trust 2 Tim. 1.14 We must therefore give the same that is committed unto us we have received gold we must not deliver copper Thou art not author but custos Religionis not Res ingenii but doctrinae To open this Consider It 's first Their duty So that they will be found guilty of high crimes if they doe otherwise To mint false coin or to forge a mans will are hainous faults amongst men Thine is greater for thou counterfeitest Gods Truth yea thou putst a lye upon God thou attributest that to him which belongeth to thy folly The Apostle saith If it be a mans will or Covenant none may adde to it or disanull it Gal. 3.15 how much rather should this be so in Gods Word Oh then consider thou wilt be found guilty of high Treason against God if thou speakest any thing but his Truth 2. As it 's our duty so it 's our glory It 's the greatest honour we are capable of to have such divine Mysteries committed to us the Truths of God have onely Majesty in them they onely convince the Conscience and awe it They onely breed reverence and admiration so that although humane Learning and parts have a subservient excellency yet if the Word of God and the Truth of God be not principall there is no mastering of the Conscience and captivating of it Hence are those commands to attend to their doctrine 1 Tim. 3.13 15 16. and to give themselves to reading that so they may deliver only Gods will as it is revealed in Gods Word It 's their glory as well as their duty for the glory of a thing lieth in the excellency of its due and proper perfection The glory of a King is a higher thing then the glory of a Peasant and in another nature All arts and Offices have their peculiar Glory Logick in disputing well Rhetorick in speaking well and the Glory of Divinity lieth in divine Arguments and Motives so that those who preach onely humane or moral matter they goe below the Majesty of Divinity Those that study words and fancy-fall things that may tickle the ear these regard not the gravity of their office nor of their emploiment But as in the Ecclesiastical History the Heathen said all the while a Christian argued with reason he could answer him but when he brought forth the Authority of the Word Thus saith the Lord then he had no more to reply Thus it 's here all the while thou hast strains of wit and preachest like an humane Orator not as one speaking the Oracles of God Men will hear thee and applaud thee but they will retain their lusts still they thâ—nk thou art not in earnest That thou lookest more to an expression that may please then to an Argument that may wound the heart and conscience It 's therefore the glory of a Minister to be potent in divine Scripture Truths 3. It 's his comfort and safety as well as his glory His comfort because his own heart tels him he hath not dealt deceitfully he hath not purloined he hath not corrupted or mixed the Word of God to serve mens lusts and pleasures He did not like the False Prophet daub with untempered mortar Paul found this a great Testimony of Conscience to himself 2 Cor. 3.17 Thou wilt have more comfort in Preaching Gods Word powerfully then in all the applause of hearers for thine own subtle Inventions Now as it 's their comfort so it s their safety They are sure not to do hurt to their flock when they alwaies break of the Bread of Life they may be sure this will nourish but thy own thoughts are many times poison and destruction Lastly It 's most usefull and profitable For they are the Scriptures only that are able to make us wise to Salvation 1 Tim. 3. From this Brook we can only get stones that will kill the Goliah The Word of God is an Hammer and a Fire and a two-eged Sword so that although to the swelling proud fancy of the world it may seem dulnesse and plain simplicity yet to the good and honest heart it 's the power and wisedom of God Vse of Instruction To the Ministers of God how narrowly they are to look to their Commission To preach Scripture-Truths such as will endure a fiery Triall For the Apostle saith Every mans work must be tried and he that builds hay and stubble shall suffer losse and he himself with much ado shall be saved Vse of
call one Nation more then another Neither are means of Salvation inclosed in one Countrey more then another It may very well be called the whole world that Christ died for for commonly the Scripture comprehends all the men of the world under this division the Jew and the Gentile Hence there is that command Go preach the Gospel to every Creature that is to Gentiles as well as Jews Mat. 26. and certainly this seemeth to be the most genuine Reason why the Scripture speaks thus universally about Christs death Observe a notable place for this Rom. 11.15 where the casting aâ—ay of the Iew is said to be the reconciling of the world i. e. the Gentiles are taken in while the Jews are cast off so that the world there is opposed to the Nation of the Jews 3. As it 's used in opposition to the Jews so also to abate and confound the pride of the Iews who because the Messias was to come of them were apt to be puffed up with this priviledge and to envy or murmure that the Gentiles should be made partaker of this grace This our Saviour represented under the Parable of the Prodigal Son entertained at a Feast and the elder Brother murmuring at it Luk. 15.30 We see how hard a thing it was to bring the Jew off from those priviledges he enjoyed and the Righteousnesse of the Law so as to be beholding to Christs Righteousnesse only 4. This might be because when Christ came into the world few of the Iews were converted to Christ comparatively to the Gentiles For Rom. 11. you see the Apostle speaking of a Veil upon their eyes and that hardnesse of heart was come upon Israel and those former branches are said to be broken off that new ones may be grafted in Therefore it might well be said That Christ died for all and that he was a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world because the Nations of the world of all parts did now come in and worship Christ whereas few of the Jews did receive him Therefore consider the time when those passages were written and then you will easily understand those Scriptures 5. Therefore the Scripture doth thus make an universal Proposition and Oblation of Christs death in the benefits of it because now no Nations or particular persons are excluded For although there be an Election of some onely and Christ had a special love in his death only to those that the Father had given him yet because who these individual persons are is not manifested by God Therefore the outward propounding of it is universall not excluding any Thus all the Invitations and commands are universal Christ cals all that are heavy laden all that thirst to come unto him And although it he true that many even where the Gospel is preached are given up to blinde eyes and hard hearts That the Gospel of Christ is a savour of death unto many yet we not knowing who are thus inwardly withered and cursed are to hope that to all those to whom the offer of the benefits of Christs death extends even to them the death of Christ it self reacheth and this may be thought the main reason why the Scripture useth such expressions about Christs death 6. It may use such expressions For although the greater part of the world are such that perish and Many are called but few are chosen Mat. 22. yet if we judge of those for whom Christ died absolutely in themselves they arise to a great number So that as Austin made two Cities the one of good Men and Angels built by God the other of wicked men and devils whose authour is the devil Thus according to the Scripture we may divide the world into two worlds the world of those that are to perish and the world of those that are to be saved The former is the greater part the latter the better part yet this better part is very numerous as appeareth by the many thousands in the Revelation that are said to be sealed so that we may not wonder if it be said Christ died for the world seeing the number of those he died for in all Ages have been so many Lastly No wonder if the Scripture useth such an indefinite expression because we see it doth in other things also when yet there is an acknowledged necessity by all that it might be restrained and speaking of Christ it 's said All flesh shall see the Salvation of God Luk. 3.6 Now it 's confirmed by experience that there were many in Christs time who yet did not see him either bodily or spiritually Thus Act. 2. I will powr my Spirit upon all flesh and their Sons and Daughters shall prophesie when yet all know they were but some that had those extraordinary gifts especially that famous Promise That all Nations of the earth should be blessed in Abraham is clear for our purpose For the Apostle Gal. 3. doth plainly limit it to the spirituall Seed of Abraham Thus you see that it 's no new thing to use expressions of universality when yet there is a necessity of restraining their sence We might also adde those places Mat. 3.5 Jerusalem and all Iudea are said to go to Christ and Mat. 9. the whole City is said to meet Iesus yea all the world is said to run after him Therefore it 's not the meer bare words but the coherence and other places must direct us herein Secondly Although we cannot say Christ had a special love intending his Death a ransome for all and every one yet it 's very plain that even the Reprobates and those who for their sinnes are eternally condemned do receive much good and benefit by his death Indeed in some respects their condemnation is the greater but that is their own sinne who wilfully refuse him and will not have him to be their Lord and King as Ioh. 3. This is the condemnation that Light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then Light And again If I had not come unto them they had had no sinne Joh. 15.22 So that all those who live under Christs gracious offer as their sinne is greater so their condemnation will be greater it being better for them if there never had been a Christ or that he had not been crucified Though mens voluntary wickednesse make it thus yet several mercies do redound even to the Reprobate by Christs death 1. There is no man but may for his particular that liveth under the means of grace be encouraged to repent and to beleeve for his Salvation Every one may with a great deal of hope be encouraged to the duties of Repentance and humiliation Whereas you see God hath left the Apostate Angels as without remedy so without all hope It 's not said to any of them Repent and beleeve and so be saved Whereas there is no particular man but this is enjoyned him Therefore this very consideration that there is hope for any individual person that his case is not
hast an Interest in Christs Death thou art not only dead to sinne but to the world God forbid that I should glory saith Paul but in the Crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I to the world Gal. 6.14 Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead Col. 3.2 3. Therefore not onely grosse prophanesse doth exclude from a propriety in Christs Death but an immoderate frame of heart to these lawful things below Indeed if thy overflowing affections to these things be a burthen to thee and matter of daily conflict then it 's plain these immoderate affections are not in a quiet pacifical dominion over thee and so they are the evil thou wouldst not do And then these can never hurt non sensus but consensus nocet But if they do withall delight so possesse thy heart that they quite dead thee to God and heaven Thou sindest no rellish in heavenly things comparatively to the earthly Thou canst say contrary to David when thy Wine and Oyle encreaseth thou hast more joy then those that trust in God Psal 4. Then art thou to fear Christs Death and his Praier doth not as yet belong to thee Hence it is that the efficacy of Christs death is much discovered in the godly by this twofold Death it works on them a death to sinne and a death to the world Even his Resurrection manifests it self in quickning of us to all holinesse and seeking of those things that are above Let us then see by the effects that Christs Death belongs to thee 3. They that have an Interest in Christs Death they make that an example of all patience and humble Resignation 1 Pet. 2.21 24. Christs Death is not onely efficacious and meritorious but exemplary also So that if the Lord afflict us it is no more then what hath been done to his only Sonne already Though he were a Sonne yet he learned Obedience saith the Scripture by those sufferings Heb. 5 6. Now then behold Christ in all his sufferings when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not What threatnings might not Christ have denounced against the Jews because they killed him who was the Prince of glory and so dear to his Father but he is like a Lamb that opens not his mouth before the shearer or the killer Oh then how should this shame us for our unruly passions for our impatient workings and commotions of soul Oh silence thy Soul saying Did Christ bear his afflictions no otherwise Did Christ refuse the bitter cup that was given him to drink Did he not say Not my will but thy will be done 4. He that hath advantage by Christs Death looks upon the bitternesse and uglinesse of sinne as being so foul that nothing but the bloud of Christ could wash it away The very thoughts of Christs Death presently makes him say Oh the cursed and foul nature of all sinne Neither men nor Angels could take away the spot of it but only Christs Death Wicked men therefore they are said to trample under feet the bloud of Christ Heb. 10. Because they have not those right precious thoughts about it as they ought to have Though the bloud of Christ speaks better things then that of Abel yet it doth in some respects speak more terrible things because by that we see how infinitely God is displeased with sinne how unsatisfied his justice was till such an atonement was made So that if we look into hell if we behold all the torments and miseries there it doth not so fully represent the foul guilt of sinne as Christ crucified on the Crosse sweating drops of bloud and crying out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me 5. They that shall have advantage by Christs Death they are infinitely affected with that love of God and Christ therein As you see in Paul That love of Christ giving himself for us sinners and enemies to be reconciled thereby to God Oh how mightily did it constrain Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us holds us in an extasie working on us as the Spirit did on the Prophets in their illuminations and prophesies And why so Because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead To consider from what a dying damning estate Christs Death doth free us must needs be like fire burning and inflaming a man all over If we had not been desperately dead dead every way dead in sin dead in guilt dead in respect of all earthly hope Christ would not have died for us Oh then the unspeakable affections and enlargements which the Death of Christ works in those that have a propriety therein 6. They that have a propriety in Christs Death will resign all they have up unto Christ and now live no longer to themselves or to worldly motives but unto Christ Rom. 6.10 11. 1 Pet 2.24 so 1 Cor. 6.20 the Apostle urgeth because we are bought with a price therefore we are none of our own and we should glorifie God in soul and body He then that can claim a Title to Christs Death looks not upon his body his estate his health his parts the faculties and affections of his soul as his own his love is not his anger is not Oh how rare then are they who may urge this Argument Christ died Christ was crucified for me for unlesse thou art a redeemed man and that from thy self and all creatures in the world to live wholly to Christ and to resigne all up to him here is little hope for thee Observe then these qualifications and if upon true search they can be found in thee then proceed to make an application of all those glorious priviledges that come by Christs death Fear not let not the devil or thy own guilty heart keep thee off from tasting yea eating abundantly of this honey Hearken what Christ speaks to his Church concerning priviledges and gracious favours Cant. 5.1 Eat O Friends drink â—ea drink abundantly And 1. Those that can pleade Christs Death may also pleade his Resurrection Intercession and whatsoever glorious actions of his are done for his people If Christ died for thee he rose again for thee he interceded in heaven for thee When thou saiest he is an Advocate to pleade thy cause Rom 8. It 's Christ that died who is risen again so that the Death of Christ is the foundation of all his other gracious acts Hence it is that the remission of our sins is attributed to the shedding of his bloud The atonement of our iniquities is given unto his death because in it he did manifest the greatest obedience unto the will of God and the lowest humiliation of himself for us Phil. 2. If then thou hast a propriety in the death of Christ Christ hath done the utmost for thee even to die for thee You see that put him upon the greatest struglings and agonies if he would have refused in any thing it would
appropriated if no man had the light of the Sun but one or few men Oh what a price would be put upon it It 's then proptiety both with God and man that is the Fountain of all good of all care and brings about all the blessednesse that Gods Children have To open this Point and not to fall in with what you have heard already 1. Take notice That a people becomes the Lords peculiar ones his Jewels solely by his grace and goodwill He hath chosen us and not we him he loved us first The great God of heaven who might have made other people other persons his treasure did out of his own meer goodnesse take thee and thee into such a blessed relation The Apostle doth every where in his Epistles reduce it to this cause The counsell of his will and out of his meer grace and certainly if Deut. 9.5 the Lord doth again and again inform the Israelites that it was not for their righteousnesse or any good in them but meerly because be set his love on them that he made them his externall people by an outward Covenant how much rather must it needs be the meer grace of God to make a people inwardly and spiritually his so that whosoever finde themselves thus appropriated to God to be able with the Church to say as she doth many times because our blessednesse lieth in this I am my well-beloveds and my well-beloved is mine Cant. 6.3 Oh let such be deeply humbled and even astonished under the discriminating Grace of God I am the Lords when the devils are not when such men of parts abilities and great Revenues in the world And if the Lord would have looked to any thing in man how many thousands are there that if converted would have been more glorious Instruments of Gods glory then I am 2. As it is the meer goodnesse of God to make a people his so it is not out of any want or any necessity any need that he hath of us that he did thus make us his and this also is a quickning consideration Husbands have Wives because they want such helps Masters have Servants because they need them Even the greatest Monarchs want their people But it is otherwise with God My goodnesse extends not to thee saith David Psa 16.2 And thus Job was told that if he were perfect and righteous he did not advantage God God is the Elshaddai the Allsufficient God blessed and happy enough in himself Though he had never created the world Though he had not appointed one man to Eternal glory yet such was his goodnesse that he would have those Objects to whom he might communicate of his fulnesse And therefore God of many thousands hath made such and such his not that he wanted their graces duties or praiers but that they might partake of his riches 3. When Christ saith here They are thine he doth not exclude himself from having a propriety in them nor the holy Ghost neither For this is the infinite priviledge of the Godly that they are both the Fathers and the Sons and the holy Ghosts not only because whatsoever one person hath the other hath as Christ saith All mine are thine and thine are mine but in an appropriated consideration Thus Christ saith they are the Fathers They are thine in the present tense he had formerly at the sixth Verse used the preterperfect tense Thine they were but now he useth the present tense to shew that though the Father had given them to Christ yet he had not abdicated or quitted himself of his interest in them he had not so given them to the Sonne as that the Father had no dominion or right to them but they did still continue the the Fathers possession though they were given to Christ And as they are the Fathers so they are the Sons purchased people also They belong to Christ in an indeared manner which makes them to be called bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Eph. 5.30 To be his members and body as he is the head They are also the holy Ghosts and therefore they are said to have the Spirit dwelling in them and they are his Temple and they are led by the Spirit and walk in the Spirit We are the Fathers by meer grace and therefore are given to Christ as a Mediatour We are Christs by merit for he purchased us by his bloud We are the Spirits by operation for he works the holy Image of God in us Oh then that our hearts were enlarged in this matter that we might wonder how and why we who are not worth the owning or the the looking after should yet be made the Lords in such indeared respects 4. When the Godly are said to be the Fathers though it doth not exclude the other persons yet it doth all other creatures By this we are delivered from all other proprieters and interest whatsoever and this makes the phrase to contain in it a Treasure of happinesse as first Seeing we are the Fathers therefore we are no longer the devils We are no more in his possession and under his dominion We may see by the Scripture in what a wofull and cursed state all men by nature are They belong to the devil they are his proper goods The devil hath them as his even as he hath the damned in hell though in this life there may be hope of delivering them whereas the damned have none Eph. 2. The devil who is called the God of this world is said to rule in the hearts of the disobedient Hell is not more the devils place then the heart of a wicked man and therefore 1 Tim. 2.26 they are said to be Captives to the devil to be like tamed birds and our Saviour tels the Pharisees They were of their Father the devil Joh. 8. And why because they did his works So that whosoever doth the works committeth the sins that the devils do the devil is their Father Though they rage and are mad at such a charge and this is the reason in part why the glorious fruit of Christs death is called a Redemption and why he is called a Redeemer because we were wholly in bondage and captivity to the devil We were his he had a proper right to us till Christ redeemed us Oh that the ungodly men of the world should hear this and not tremble Whose art thou To whom dost thou belong Who may challenge thee but the devil There are a cursed sort of men who give themselves to the devil by compact in the waies of witchcrafts Now all wicked men though not by such an expresse Covenant yet implicitely by their wicked waies give themselves up to be the devils Oh what a terrible thing is this to consider that though thou canst say These grounds are mine these Cattell are mine these goods are mine yet thou thy self art the devils Oh consider that the devil will have his own when thou diest he will lose nothing
and the merits of their own works eclipse Christ Hence they are like the Moon which though it receiveth all light from the Sunne yet is the only thing that obscures and ecclipseth it by its Interposition 3. To glorifie Christ is not thus only to acknowledge him and to rest on him for these are only internal acts of the soul and so a spiritual inward glory known by God only but it 's greatly seen in the outward confession and profession of him and that to the greatest reproach and danger which can be in the world Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeveth but with the tongue profession is made to Salvation He that will be saved must in the greatest danger and most scornful reproaches own Christ and his way Thus our Saviour Luk 12.8 Whosoever shall not confesse me before a crooked generation of him my Father and I will be ashamed Certainly in this particular the Disciples did highly honour Christ for we know Christ himself was both by birth and life in a most contemptible manner There was no comelinesse or desirablenesse in him and then at last was crucified in a most ignominious manner Now for the Apostles to look on him as the Messias to have such high and indeared thoughts of him when all the world held Christ wretched and accursed and would not upon any terms be of his followers this was greatly to honour him Therefore our Saviour said Blessed is he that is not offended at me Mat. 11.6 It was the greatest wonder in the world not to stumble at Christ We see the wise men the great men that lived then they were all offended at his meannesse Is not this the Carpenters Son Mar. 4. Oh how hard would it have been for us to have received him as the Messias if we had lived in those daies for those that followed Christ they were but a handful comparatively and they were of the more despicable sort and they were accounted illiterate and mad simple people that adhered to him 4. They glorifie Christ who receive him as a Lord and King to whose Laws they willingly submit themselves For the self-love of a man may make him glad of Christ as a Saviour but then to resigne up themselves in an obediential manner to all the commands of Christ in this they draw back Christ is not to be considered only as a propitiation for our sins but also as a King who doth govern his people by holy and spiritual laws and hence we may reade that he interpreted the Law in a more spiritual and strict way Mat. 5. then the Pharisaical Doctors had done and laid the axe to the very root of all corruption within us he forbids heart-lusts heart-passions these Embers in the fire though they never flame out he cals upon all to deny themselves to take up their crosse and to follow him To love him more then Father or mother If therefore we would honour Christ it 's our duty to forsake all those rebellions we are guilty of To lay down our opposition and enmity against his commands to take his yoke upon us and to think it light and easie What an honour was it to Christ to have men leave all their outward subsistence and earthly comforts to follow him Did they not hereby declare that they prized the service of Christ more then all the world and that they accounted more of his commands then the greatest Monarchs in the world So that all who walk disorderly and contrary to Christs command they say with those in the Parable Christ shall not reign over us Though he will reign over them maugre all their disobedience if he do not govern them with the Scepter of grace he will break them with a rod of Iron 5. Those that suffer and endure all persecutions willingly for his Name and Truth They do in an high degree glorifie Christ In a special manner did Christ take notice of his Disciples because they had accompanied him in his Temptations and the Apostle Peter doth at large shew how God is glorified when men suffer not for ill doing but as Christians That as they glorifie Christ so Christ makes a spirit of glory to rest upon them 1 Pet. 4.14 Those marks Paul did bear on his body They were so many Trophees Even as Souldiers count wounds a mark of honour they have received in fight for their commander When the Disciples went away rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer any thing for Christs sake This did greatly redound to Christs glory Oh then let not the people of God be afraid or shrink at reproaches dishonours and troubles for Christs sake for wherein can they glorifie him more Or can the world say upon better grounds Behold how they loved Christ and his Truth better then their estates or their lives Those millions of Martyrs that have died for Christs sake brought an astonishing even to the very heathens No Emperour or Monarch No Master or Teacher ever had such a multitude of Disciples readily sacrificing their lives so that we mistake if we think the glory of Christ hath been in such an outward pomp as earthly Kings have been No by sufferings by revilings by the most cruell deaths that malicious men could invent they made the Name of Christ glorious through the whole world Even as Christ called his own death a glorifying both of himself and his Father so did the miseries and calamities of his Children redound greatly to his honour for greater love and esteem they could not shew then by laying down their lives for him 6. Those honour Christ and glorifie him who walk in an holy and worthy manner to that calling whereby Christ hath called them 2 Thes 1.12 That the Name of Christ may be glorified in them And how was that by walking worthy of their calling Even as on the other side when men live prophanely and wickedly they reproach Christ and make the Gentiles to blaspheme the Christian way Oh that this were sadly thought upon by most Is not every Town every Family full of cursing swearing drunken and unclean persons Now these are a Reproach to Christ they make the Christian Religion a scorn and the name of it even to stink Even as Salvian a zealous Writer against the prophane lives of Christians said The heathens by way of scorn might say Christiani sanctè vixissent si Christus sancta docuisset They thought the reason why Christians had no more sober chaste and godly lives was because Christ was not an holy Law-giver he did not give them holy precepts The loosenesse and prophanesse of a Servant is a disgrace to his Master and what dishonour must this be that those who call upon Christs Name yet should live according to the devils temptations that they should say they are for Christ and their lives for Satan 7. They honour and glorifie Christ who live chearfully and comfortably in the midst of all their troubles and exercises For
afflictions It 's disputed whether we may or no but we may not because they are an evil and so no fit object of our desires and in themselves they do no good unlesse sanctified but if the Lord chastise us we are to submit and therefore when Jeremiah praieth Jer 10 21. Correct me but not in thy wrath It 's a concession or submission Lord if thou wilt correct me and it cannot be otherwise then do it with much mercy and love Do not then make thy afflictions an argument of Gods withdrawing or leaving of thee but rather of love to thee Christ loves his Disciples dearly yet not so as to keep them from dangers he will let them be in the world and put them to hardship only he will then take the more care of them But the godly heart doth make this ordinary Objection It 's true in those troubles which are for Christs cause as the Apostles were It is no wonder if Christ take such special care of his if he account all the troubles and losses they have upon his score if he say to them as Abiathar the Priest I was the occasion of all the Priests bloud therefore stay with me thou shalt be as I am and I as thou art but my troubles and afflictions are the fruit of my sin It 's not for Christs Name but want of love to Christ it is my dulnesse and lukewarmnesse that hath brought anger upon me To this consider 1. It cannot be denied but that there is a great difference between those afflictions that are exploratory which are to draw out the graces of the godly and to encrease their glory which comforted one Martyr who said he thanked God though he had sins yet it was not for his sins but his duties they put him to death and those which are castigatory for some sinne committed yet even such are not to cast away all comfort because though there is not so much yet there is great cause of joy even to such if humbled and sensible of sinne under Gods hand for 1. Though it be bitter because it 's for sin yet it 's comfortable to feel thy sin and to repent of it Oh then though thou mournest because thy sinne hath brought this on thee yet rejoyce because thou hast an heart to repent of it The true penitent de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet So that the brokennesse and tendernesse of heart is an evident testimony of thy ground to rejoyce 2. Consider thy voluntary accepting of thy afflictions and judging thy self for them maketh all thy afflictions to be a kinde of Martyrdome It 's required we should accept of the punishment of our sinne Levit. 26.41 And 1 Cor. 11. We are to judge our selves 2 Cor. 7. The Corinthians repenting had a holy revenge upon themselves Now when we do thus kisse the Rod and willingly accept of this affliction It 's a kinde of Martyrdom It is for Gods cause and out of love to him that thou dost with patience endure it 3. Thou hast the chiefest ground of comfort which ever Christs Sufferers have though not that particular they have For the Martyrs did not rejoyce in their Sufferings as matter of merit and as that which was equal to Eternal Glory No They could not but finde many Imperfections even in those noble undertakings And therefore desired pardon even for their very dying for Christ that they had no such perfect faith and patience as they ought It was therefore Christ and his Sufferings administred them all their comforts and this thou maist take though thy sinnes have caused thy afflictions Vse of Instruction what Treasures of comfort the Godly have With what triumph and joy they might live even in the greatest afflictions if beleeving this But oh our leannesse our leannesse whence come all those dejections those outcries I fear this and that may undo me but because Faith doth not present Christ with his open arms ready to preserve them well is beleeving called Eating of Christs flesh and Drinking his bloud Joh. 6. For as a man though he have never so much dainties yet if he eat not they do him no good so it is here Though Christ have never so much love and pity towards thee yet if thou beleeve not this it helpeth thee not Vse 2. of woe to the wicked that are cast out of all his care let the devil tempt them let sin overcome them let hell devour them yet Christ hath not taken them into his special favour SERMON LI. Of the great Danger of Gods Peoples being in the world chiefly from its tempting and seducing to Sinne. JOH 17.11 But these are in the world OUR Saviours Argument you heard in the behalf of his Disciples was partly from the state and condition of Christ who was now leaveing of them and partly from the Apostles who were still to continue in the world as sheep without a Shepherd and that amongst Wolves Therefore the danger they were in is made an Argument why Christs Praier should be heard for them This troublesome and dangerous estate of the Apostles is described in these words But these are in the world Where Note 1. The adversative particle 2. The condition it self The adversative particle is expressed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whereas the Learned observe that that particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used three waies in Scripture 1. Which is most common as conjunctive 2. As adversative 3. As argumentative Here we see it used in all these respects in one Verse And I am no more c. But these are in the world for I go to the Father so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated here As for the Condition it self To be in the world is no more then to have our abode here amongst men who by nature are all set against God and his waies and so daily conceiving and plotting mischief against the Kingdom of Christ So that to say They were in the world was to say They were in the midst of the Sea under the power of all windes and tempests without any haven wherein every moment they might expect utter destruction Obs That the godly mans life in this world is full of spiritual danger and outward trouble For To be in the world these two things are implied To be in a place of wickednesse where are daily temptations to sinne and in a place of misery where are constant troubles and pressures and indeed the former is the greatest evil though we fear the latter more Therefore our Saviour praieth v. 15. that the Father would keep them from the evil of the world They must be in the world but let not the evil thereof infect them it being no lesse a miracle to be kept from the sinnes of the world while we live in it then for those three Worthies not to be burned while in the fiery Furnace The Apostle John excellently describeth the foul contagion of the world 1 Ioh. 5.19 The whole
safety because of the adversary without and the Traitor within If thou hadst Argus his eyes they would be too little to look about thee in this matter for an Angel who is free from any inward filth to be sent into this world and to be here doing the will of God it 's no danger there is no fear that an Angel should sinne because though the world should tempt in all the allurements of it yet there is nothing within to receive those sparks but now man carrieth about with him prepared matter of sinne he hath a body and law of sinne within him and therefore the world doth no sooner knock at the door but this root of sinne betraieth all sets open all insomuch that the godly man is hardly saved because there are so many Spies laid in wait to damn thy soul as there were to kill Now the Apostle John 1 Joh. 2.16 when he had exhorted not to love the world or things in the world He doth divide all the things of the world into three heads and who is there that liveth in the world that is not in danger of being insnared and overtaken by one of these 1. There is the lust of the flesh that is all those things that draw out the pleasure and delights of a man immoderately Thus the young man he findes the Word a very whirlpool Beware of too much pleasure as eating of too much honey it will quickly turn to a Surfer 2. There is the lust of the eyes Expositors say this is Covetousnesse for so aceording to the Scripture an earthly heart is described because whatsoever profitable thing it seeth it 's ready to desire it Another mans land another mans house another mans goods so that the eye like hell is never satisfied and thus the world is a dangerous Whirlpool to the old man who as in his body he is every day growing nearer to the earth so his soul also groweth more earthly desiring it most of all when he shall have the least need of it 3. There is the pride of life and that is all those things that draw out ambition pride and desire of great things in this world To have power greatnesse and preheminency above others this is the middle age sinne so that the Apostle doth lay down three main capitall Springs of all the evil in the world and makes them like three predicaments to which all other things may be reduced Now do but consider what a Sympathy and fitnesse there is between these Objects and mans corrupt heart and it must needs be that every man will inevitably sink in these Waters unlesse Grace doe keep him up Fifthly A godly mans danger in this world to sinne is because of the clogging and dulling disposition all things in the world work in respect of heavenly things The earth is the most heavy Element and therefore a stone the product thereof fals down speediy Thus men of the world they are the most sencelesse heavy and stupid men about heavenly things that are They incline with all might to these things below This is the reason why the Scripture so often saith a man cannot serve God and the world Friendship of the one is Enmity to the other As a stone cannot ascend upwards Jam. 44. So that though a godly man be never so powerful in grace yet the world doth cool him dull him and indispose him It causeth dust in his eyes and lead in his heart To pray to hear with worldly thoughts is to swim with a Millstone about a mans neck Hence Mat. 13. the cares of this world are said to choak the Corn that came up so hopefully As the Lark doth not sing sweetly till she is got aloof from the earth towards the heavens so neither can the soul full of earthly and worldly thoughts May not then the godly cry out O Lord I would fain meditate with delight on thee but this world will not let me I would gladly serve thee without dulnesse and distraction but this world will not let me Oh that while we are in our callings in our worldly businesses we would think of what danger we were in Korah and Dathan were swallowed up in the Earth bodily take heed thy soul be not spiritually that is a more grievous judgement Sixthly A godly mans danger iâ— in respect of the discouragements and disheartenings the world puts upon godlinesse that is man must be endowed with great might from above that can despise all the reproaches and shame the Word of God meets with Therefore a great encouragement is put upon the Confession of Christ before a crooked and wicked generation Mat. 10.35 To be godly in the world To own the strict and powerful waies of God in the world is to laugh amongst Lyons to dance among Serpents to contemn all dangers The Scripture tels us often that the world cannot but hate the Disciples of Christ for they are as Light and Darknesse together Now then where there is continuall opposition for thee to be stedfast is a great matter Oh how many have suffered shipwrack because of the shame and reproach of the world In mundo nihil nostrâ refert nisi ut quam primum de oe exeamus Now these discouragers in Heavens way are not only the profane and wicked sort of men but many times their dearest Friends their Parents their Husbands their Wives What will you be wiser then others Will not you doe as most doe Will you be a by-word where you live Thus there is no time when Christ is to be born as it were but there is some Herod or other to kill him Insomuch that many Children had been saved but that their worldly Parents hâ—ndred them Many Wives but their worldly Husbands like Pharaoh to the Israelites would not let them go out of Egypt to serve God This made our Saviour say He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me Matt. 10.37 This made him say That he came to set Father against Sonne and Mother against Daughter and to make those of his own Houshold a mans Enemies vers 36. Because where Christ is obeyed there will be greater opposition to the contrary Oh then Consider the Word of God convinceth the Ministry urgeth Conscience presseth but I have this or that worldly Friend and he dasheth all But if thy worldly Friends cannot hinder thee in the main for Godlinesse yet they hinder thee in the degree and fervency of it Thou art not so forward so active as thou shouldst be This is to endanger thy Salvation for the lukewarm God will spue out of his mouth Revel 3.16 Oh take heed of saying I dare not be more forward I shall displease my Parents in doing thus thou caust not please God at all If thou wilt be Godly be Godly as God and his Word would have thee Doe not be stinted by carnall worldly Friends How many think they can never have Wealth and Riches enough yet think they
may quickly have too much of Godlinesse and that this strictnesse will marre all Sed modus diligendi Deum est sine modo Seventhly A Godly mans Danger in this world is because the worldly Snares that are be improved to the utmost by the Devil whose the world is and in which he reigneth 2 Corinth 4.4 He is called the God of this world that blindeth the eyes of men And he is said to have men captive in his Snares 2 Timoth. 2.22 So that though God made the world and it 's his good Creature yet as it is a wicked world as it is immundus mundus So iâ—'s the Devils Seat and so some expound the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole world lieth in wickednesse and in danger to be the Devils If there were meer snares and baits to sinne it would not be so dangerous but when they are Snares of the Devils setting Baits of his making that is so cunning and subtle a Serpent sliding into a mans heart every way This makes the case more desperate You see the Devil could tempt Eve to sinne when there was no Corruption or Lust within though she was pure and upright how much rather when he hath to do with men corrupted and depraved inwardly This is so great a matter that Ephes 6.5 it is said We wrestle not with Flesh and Bloud but with Principalities and Powers in High places As if the Temptations of the world were nothing to those of Satan And therefore he is called the Tempter 1 Thessal 3.5 Oh then the danger of a Godly man the world tempts his own flesh tempts the Devils tempt May not this make every one in this world to look upon himself as Jonah in the Whales Belly To cry out as zealously and as fervently to be delivered as he did Lastly The Danger of a Godly mans being in this world appeareth by Examples recorded in Scripture Those who have seemed to be putting one Leg into Heaven have yet been pulled back by the world When men had escaped the grosse pollutions of the world yet the cares and love of the world did wholly undoe them The third kinde of Hearers that began so hopefully did miscarry because of the world Judas that wrought Miracles and could say with the rest That he had left all to follow Christ was undone by the world If you ask Paul what made his dear Demas that had been so long his Companion in the Gospel to forsake him and to leave him the reason was because he did cleave to this present world 2 Tim. 4.10 Vse of Instruction why there are so many duties to pray to watch to be working out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling Why is all this We are still in an evil World Every Day Every moment we may undoe our selves We are not out of Egypt yet in Canaan We cannot see all our Enemies drowned in the Red Sea Alas It is not thy Praier thy Fasting had not Christ praied could keep thee from the evil of the World Thou couldest no more live the Life of Grace in this wicked world then they say Birds can live near the Lake Asphaltites that by its Sulphureous Smell kils them while they fly over it Doe not think to say all the Jebusites and Wilde Beasts are destroied I may now bid my Soul take its ease Oh let the fearfull Fals of so many Godly in the Scripture be Pillars of Salt to thee who knoweth ere thou goest out of this World what a Judas thou mayest prove what an Hell thou mayest make thy self For though the Godly are kept by Gods power that they shall persevere yet they may get many Fals tumble in the mire seem the Devils Swine rather then Christs Sheep for a while and all is because they doe not labour to keep their Garments lest their nakednesse appear They meet with searching Tempests therefore let them keep their garments close to them SERMON LII Of the Danger Gods People are in in the world in respect of its hating and opposing of them With Reasons why the Lord makes the world such a disquieting place Such a Valley of Tears unto his own People JOH 17.11 But these are in the world THe Condition of the Disciples described by this that they are said to be in the world makes them the fit Object of Christs Praier and Petition such are the Snares to sinne and the outward troubles opposing that were it not for this Praier of Christ still putting forth its efficacy None could arrive safe to the Haven We have handled the danger of being in this world as it is tempting and seducing to sinne Now let us consider it as it is an hating and opposing world of those that fear God as it is an Egypt Before we handled it as it was a Sodom We considered the honey of it now the sting The world fawning now the world fighting As it was a glistering Serpent now as a roaring Lyon So that the Subject we intend to pursue is That the Godly are in this world as Daniel thrown amongst Lyons as Sheep among Wolves As the Disciples in the Ship that were tossed up and down ready to sink every moment This is so sore a Temptation that our Saviour doth often forewarn them of it that they may be forearmed Joh. 15.18 19. There he foretels their Portion to be hated of the world Hatred is the highest degree of a mans enmity it 's circa speciem not individua It 's not enough to destroy one Disciple one Godly man but they would rase the whole kinde out of the Earth Expect no mercy from any wicked man he hateth thee and did not God restrain him he would utterly undoe thee That every godly man is not devoured by the wicked is as great a Miracle as that the waters should stand still and not overflow the Israelites It 's not for want of malice and a will only God who chained up the devil their Master that he could not hurt Job any further then he was permitted doth also confine his Children and Instruments Our Saviour gives the reason why they will hate them for it might seem strange why the Godly should be so opposed they wrong none they defraud none they injure none Oh but saith our Saviour You are none of the worlds you are not of them Would you drink swear run into the same excesse as they do then it would love you and embrace you Likewise Joh. 16.33 Our Saviour tels them again of this trouble from the world And why again Because it 's a very heavy burthen to bear To live among Neighbours as among so many Serpents and Scorpions among unreasonable men as Paul cals them and he praieth to God to be delivered from them 2 Thes 3.2 Unreasonable men that are carried by no Religion no Conscience no reason but their lusts and passions Men that will hate you because they will hate you absurd men as it is in the Greek You see Paul
wrong one another Doth not the Apostle James tell them of their envyings and their devourings of one another Iam. 13.16 Why doth our Saviour above all things pray in this Chapter for the Disciples Vnity That they might be one but because of the pronenesse that is even in Gods Children to fall out with one another as Iacobs Children did Hence we see Beleever against Beleever Christian against Christian pursuing one another even to death It was Cyprians Complaint of old Madet orbis Christianus mutuo sanguine quod cum privati fecerint homicidium dicitur eum publice geritur virtus vocatur Oh what a sad thing is it not to see Sheep and Wolf but Sheep and Sheep devouring one another Doth not experience convince of this Are not many godly mens Enemies of the same house of the same Religion of the same Christian Faith with him Oh this is hard to bear if it were a prophane and wicked Instrument of the devil I could bear it but it is such an one with whom I have praied often humbled my self often They acknowledge the same principles of godlinesse the same experiences upon their souls yet are like Lyons 5. God hath made the world a troublesome world in all Conditions in all Relations so that none can finde this place any other then a Valley of Tears The Apostle 1 Cor. 7. sheweth the condition of Married Persons that they shall have trouble in the Flesh The Married Condition hath it's trouble the single hath its Trouble There is trouble in Husbands Wives Children in all Callings The Husbandmans The Citizens God will not let us have a Paradise in this world lest we do as the Reubenites that desired to sit down in a Countrey fruitful for Cattell and cared not to enter into Canaan It was Basils Opinion that the Earth before Mans Fall brought forth no Thorns or Thistles and that the Rose did grow without pricks But here is no such Blessednesse now Out of the same Fountain comes bitter and sweet From the same Root grow Figges and Thistles Grapes and Thorns There is no Mercy or outward Comfort but hath its Insufficiency and there are as many drops of Gall as there are of Honey Which made Job say That man who is born of a Woman is full of Trouble even as the Sparks fly upward Job 14. It 's as naturall as for the fire to ascend so that as it would be a miraculous and wonderfull thing to see the Fire descend downward no lesse would it be to see a man without some Trouble or other We reade of one Polycrates that never had any Adversity in his Life time and he endeavoured to put himself upon some Losse but could not for once he threw a Ring of a vast price into the Sea intending to lose it yet afterwards it was found in a Fishes Belly and he had it again But though he had no trouble for a long season yet at last he was taken by an Enemy and put to Death with most exquisite torments Though wicked men have the good things of this life yet these good things are not meerly and universally good They have a Sting as well as Honey They have Trouble as well as Comfort The Godliest men have acknowledged that their daies have been few and evil in this world Oh then expect not a Summer alwaies in this world God hath subjected all these created Comforts to changes after a Glorious day to have a dark Night Thou shalt have this Condition this Relation this Comfort thou desirest but thou shalt also have the burthen and the trouble of it which thou dost not desire Onus transit cum honore Lastly A mans Trouble doth arise from his own self If there were no devil no wicked men to trouble yet such is the Unbelief and the Discontents that are apt to rise in a Godly man that he would be a Trouble an Enemy yea a Devil to himself Doth not David often speak of the frettings and heating that his heart was in and who put him into it What made his Soul like a Foaming Sea Was it not his own diffidence his own froward heart Austin cried once Libera me Domine a meipso tanquam maximo hoste which holds true not onely in a sinfull way but in a troubling way Oh how many times doth a Christian raise up his own Fears his own Jealousies and his own Doubts So that as the Linnen breedeth the Moth that corrupteth and destroyeth it as the Tree the worm that eats it Thus from a mans own heart arise such troublesome Thoughts and Cares and Fears that he may be called a Mager Missabib Fear round about him We see then in how many particulars God is pleased to make this World a troublesome Place to us while we live and continue in it and also a very dangerous place That we should as much fear to be in it as in Sodom when Fire and Brimstone was ready to fall down from Heaven to consume it Let us in the next place Consider the Grounds and Reasons Why the world is thus made by God a disquieting and troublesome place to the Godly That they are but as Pilgrims and Strangers in it and therefore are little esteemed by it Reasons 1 And first That our Hearts may not be immoderately and inordinately cleaving to this world We see there are many strict Commands against the Love of it Now if we are so ready to love it though so troublesome what if it were nothing but content If saith Austin though it be Mundus amarus a bitter world thou lovest to eat and to feed of it what if it were dulcis a sweet world If it be Mundus periturus a perishing world and thou art so doting upon it what if it were Eternus everlasting If we can handle it with delight though full of pricks what if smooth and plain Certainly every Godly man should wean himself from these Breasts Seeing God hath rubbed them with so much bitternesse and affliction When therefore thou meetest with Crosses with Troubles with the Deceitfulnesse and Inconstancy of worldly Comforts say This is to instruct and teach me that I am not to expect an Heaven here The world is an Enemy thou must not love it though commanded to love our Enemies Here may be an over-loving an over-desiring Here the Rule is much more true then in Physicks Appetitus non est Regula Concoctionis Thou must hunger after these Earthly things no more then thou canst concoct or improve for Gods Glory and thy own particular good And let the Godly know Their greatest danger lieth in these inordinate Affections more then in grosse sinnes These Cares will grow up with Duties when open prophanesse makes a man wholly to despise them Reasons 2 Secondly The Lord makes the world thus full of Enmity to us that we might remember what our Condition is that we are but Pilgrims and Strangers and therefore are not to settle our abode here
flying Roll that had curses written on it within and without This is proved by the Parable of the Talents where he that had but one was not pardoned but must give an account and for his negligence be condemned Now by a Talent is meant every thing that a man is betrusted with thereby to glorifie God and it 's called a Talent because of the high price and worth that is in every the least opportunity we have to serve God Oh then let all Superiors tremble at this how great and unexpected will thy account be If thou hast endeavoured to be good thy self and holy yet if thou hast not attended to have holy Children and an holy Family thy Condemnation will be exceeding great Think not to say with Cain Am I my Brethrens Keeper What have I to do with others I am no Preacher or Minister for in that thou hast a trust thou shalt give an account of thy godly improving of it 3. All those sinnes that Inferiors do commit for want of thy care and instruction will be thy sinnes and thou wilt be the cause of their damnation That Rule in morality is also true in Divinity qui non dat vitam aufert Ezechiel must be judged guilty of the Israelites sinnes and God will require their bloud at his hands if he do not his duty to them Eze. 3.18 And therefore Paul protested he was free from their bloud because he had made known all the Counsell of God Act. 20.26 Who then will be able to stand under this burthen Hast thou not sinnes of thy own but thou must have thy Childrens sinnes thy Servants sins also to lie upon thy back as an heavy burthen Will Christ at the day of Judgement condemn men because his poor Members were sick and they visited them not They were hungry and they fed them not And will he not much rather be provoked because there have been sick sinful wicked persons under thy care drunkards and thou didst not admonish Swearers and thou didst not frown on them Shall God make Inquisition for the bloud of the body upon Murderers And will he not for the bloud of Souls Shall Abel though dead speak and cry Vengeance and shall not Children Servants Inferiours damned in hell cry out saying It was the negligence the prophanesse of my Superiors that hath brought me hither Were not men stones and Rocks these Considerations would make them melt and tremble Vse of Exhortation to Governours especially Parents and Masters Take our Saviours example here and follow it see his care was that his Disciples might not sinne that they might be kept in all holinesse Oh then blame and condemn thy self saying my thoughts My cares have been to make them rich to provide for them in the world but not at all have I looked to their Souls Do they not lye swear drink Do they not prophane the Sabbath and live dissolutely yet these things are no trouble to thy heart Canst thou say of thy Children as was said of Austin to his Mother Monica It was impossible that a Childe of so many Teares should perish Are thine Children of praiers and tears and careful instruction How many are too like that Woman of Zebedee she comes to Christ with this Petition That her Sons might sit with Christ in his Kingdom one on the right hand and another on the left dreaming of some earthly temporal greatnesse Thus we are apt to think we will provide so much leave such Estates and in the mean while their miserable Souls are undone to all Eternity Be moved hereunto because 1. This is the greatest love and charity to them You cannot discover greater compassion then by taking care of their Souls Their Souls are more worth then all the world how highly did Christ esteem of Souls when he came into the world and endured all that misery for Souls only He died only to make them blessed 2. Consider that thy evil example who art a Governour doth encourage and embolden Inferiours in their wickednesse They are the more obstinate because thou shewest no dislike no frowns on them they think they have cause to sinne then It 's well observed by Lactantius speaking of this particular about Example The nature of man is proclive to all vice and would seem not only cum veniâ but ratione peccare and this they never do more pleade then when their Superiours are such as act Wickednesse or else doe countenance it 3. Be moved hereunto from the Certainty of the Souls good and uncertainty of all worldly things When thou hast consumed thy self in thoughts and cares about thy Children Solomons Observation will hold true Who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a Fool thou hast laboured for Eccl. 2.19 But now if he hath been instructed in the fear of God This will abide to all Eternity In the next place we come to the Compellation Holy Father From that attribute given to God he is an holy Father and so being a Fountain of all holinesse may easily communicate it to others Obs That God is an holy God and so able to make others holy For we are not to consider of this Attribute meerly as a glorious property in God but to improve it for our good that we also might be made holy This glorious Attribute Isa 6. the Angels of all others do single out and with great â—cclamation praise God saying Holy Holy Holy Yea this is the only Attribute we are to imitate Be ye holy as I am holy not be omnipotent as I am Now God is holy several waies And first He is essentially holy his holinesse and his nature are not two things as it is in Angels and men In this sense Christ said None is good but God God is a pure act and so whatsoever is in God is God His holinesse therefore is not only in that he worketh all things holily but his very nature is holy Hence God is called Jehovah and I AM Exod. 3.14 because what he is he is essentially and therefore seeing his nature is incomprehensible so is his holinesse Seeing we are never able to define what he is so neither can we what his holinesse is Quicquid de Deo dici potest eo ipso indignum est quia dici potest Our dwarfish Nature cannot measure these Pyramides Our shell cannot contain this Ocean Though Astronomers by their Instruments guesse at the magnitude of the Sun yet we cannot reach unto the greatnesse either of Gods Nature or his Attributes Secondly He is not onely essentially holy but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and oppositely holy to those false Gods mans corruption hath set up and in opposition to the Devils who are called unclean spirits Hence he is often stiled the Holy One of Israel because they only worshiped the true God Those ancient Christian Writers Arnobius Austin and others who wrote in defence of the Christian Religion did convince Heathens of their Impiety by worshiping such for gods
Birds Now what is the reason that wicked men have not their will of destroying the Godly It is onely God that keeps them yea God keeps every part of them He keepeth their feet Every stone else might be their Death Yea Psa 34 20. He keepeth all their bones he maketh their Beds in their sicknesse What an expression is that There is no Nurse can so diligently and tenderly look to the sick as God doth to a godly man diseased Oh then that we should attribute our Estates to such care and diligence of our lives to such places to such second causes and not rather look up to God who keepeth us all the day long His keeping of all the godly doth not diminish his care in keeping every particular man for it's God that keepeth every man and that keepeth the Church in generall How could this Ark that had no Sails no Pilot no Stern have been kept in the midst of the Deluge but that God preserveth it Psa 121.3 God is said to be the Keeper of Israel and such an one that neither flumbreth or sleepeth Certainly could the people of God for their Estates Lives and all they have commit all to this Keeper they would live with more joy Thou saist who will keep me Who will keep mine Oh remember a better Keeper then if thou hadst all the Monarchs in the world Whence then arise your fears and doubts but because you are your own Keepers or Friends must keep or such an Estate and so much wealth must keep you See what David tels us Psal 121.1 Except the Lord keep the City even the Watchmen watcheth in vain Though he watch and doe not sleep yet there must be a better Keeper Say so of thy House of thy Family of thy Children and of all outward worldly things Therefore let the Use of this Branch of the Doctrine be to all that are godly to cast off all fears and perplexities about any worldly thing They have a faithfull Keeper all their mercies are in his hand The world nor the devil cannot take them away Is not the Childe secure because he hath a Loving Father who keeps all things for him We are not our own Keepers no more then our Creators And if thou losest any outward comfort stay thy self with this I have a wise and an holy Keeper who would not have suffered this or that losse to fall out but that it was best for me to do so and thou maist be encouraged to this holy Security because 1. God is an Omnipotent God None saith Christ is stronger then my Father Joh. 10. We betrust men with things and there comes a stronger then they who takes all away but none can do so here 2. He is a faithfull and wise Keeper He will not lye or deceive thee Thou wilt have no cause to complain as Jacob did to Laban That he had defrauded him so many times Thou canst not trust in riches or in men for these are unfaithfull These are a lye but God is not like man he will not deny himself 3. He doth not onely keep thee himself but appoints others also to keep thee Armies of Angels are appointed by him to keep thee yea all the creatures are a Safeguard to thee The stones in the Field are at peace with him who feareth God Did not thy Faith lie asleep in thee as Christ in the Ship there would never be so many dangerous Tempests to overwhelm thee But I proceed to the second part which is more principally intended by our Saviour and of greater consequence to the godly for what iâ— their Goods and their bodies be kept but their Souls lost Will this keeping avail them if he keeps us that an hair of our head do not fall to the Ground but our graces they are lost a man could take little comfort therefore let the godly know of a Truth That it 's the power of God that keeps them to Salvation 1. It 's God onely that preserveth and keeps the Truth of Grace once wrought in thee We see Adam and Angels lost their precious Treasure of Grace And can we think to be better Conservators then they were No thou wouldest immediately of a Paradise become a noisome dunghill and a hell did not the Lord keep thee Hence the Apostle praieth so often that God would strengthen and settle them No Leaf would fall sooner to the ground then our Graces wither did not God keep them We see then upon what Rock the godly are built what it is that though they are in the midst of spiritual Thieves and Robbers yet their Jewels are not stolen it is because God keeps them Hence is the perseverance of the godly Hence it is that Peters Faith is not totally and finally lost David and Peter were in sad and great Temptations in danger to lose all the Truth of grace put into them and all had been gone but that God kept them So that as in natural things God is not only the Creator but Preserver of all things And if he did not uphold them by his arm they would fall into their first nothing Thus did not God graciously keep thee thou wouldest fall into that old desperate state of impiety again and be as prophane and wicked as ever before 2. The Lord doth not onely keep the habits and being of grace but also all the quickenings and actuall stirrings of the Soul to good Such Sparks would quickly go out did not the Lord keep them alive We might say of them as of mans life They are but a Vapour and a Bubble Thus 1 Chro. 29.18 When David and the people had with so much willingnesse and delight offered unto God he praieth that God would keep this for ever in their hearts If then thou finde thy heart at any time raised up to actual hungrings and thirstings after God if it break for the longing it hath to God alwaies then runne to God that he would keep this excellent frame of heart alwaies in thee That the world and the Temptations thereof may not bring thee down again from this Mountain of Transfiguration Say O Lord It 's not in me to keep this frame of heart alwaies I shall quickly lose it Something or other will take away this live Childe and put a dead one in the room of it Oh therefore O Lord do thou help me and keep me I renounce my own strength I see my own weaknesse and certainly if we are to pray to God for daily bread though we have a Bâ—rn full of Corn because he can immediatly blast all and within an hour or moment make us like Job how much more have we cause to pray for this daily Keeping even though we were the strongest Christians for we see what many of the chiefest Rank in Piety even David and Peter did when without this actual Custody or preservation They fell into the Dunghill and from thence would have fallen into hell had not the grace of God
God We act with subordination and dependance on him we keep our selves because God inableth us to do so as the less wheel is moved by the greater as the greater orbmoveth the less so that here is no glory or praise due to us no more than the pen that writeth or the hatchet that cuts for we depend wholly upon God both quoad esse the essence and being of grace would not continue did not he uphold it as also quoad posse and quoad operari Therefore our keeping is not contra-distinct or separate keeping from God as if he were one partial cause and we another as when two lift one burden but ours is from him by him and under him as the Master guideth the hand of the Scholar to write Hence in the third place We may acknowledge Gods power to help us and that several wayes and yet not not give the full glory that belongeth to him All the Erratical Starres that have been in the Churches firmament have at last acknowledged some power some auxiliary help of grace but yet justly condemned by the Orthodox as robbing grace of its due praise for if a man should say It 's Gods power that helpeth us because he created us at first with a rational soul so giving of us understanding and will whereby we are inabled to choose what is good here Gods power is acknowledged but at a remote distance Here like some Heathens we sacrifice the wax to God but keep the honey to our selves thus Nature and Grace is confounded Pelagius at first thought this would serve But if a man should go further acknowledging Gods power in revealing the object though he worketh nothing upon the subject Here God is acknowledged but at a low rate Thus also Pelagius said It was the grace and power of God to make known and reveal the objects of faith but when revealed then we have power to believe them as a man cannot see till the Sunne arise but of himself he hath perfect eyes to behold the light Here is power given to God but not enough who doth not onely prepare the object but fit and sanctifie the subject Further If a man confess the power of God to help Not absolutely to do that which is good but to do it more easily and willingly as Pelagius at last did yeeld Here is Gods power acknowledged but still here is not glory enough ascribed to God God will have all the glory or else none Lastly If we acknowledge the help of God to keep us necessarily yet if we make it a general indeterminate cause and not efficacious till by mans will it be particularized Here is something attributed to God but yet still much ascribed to man Therefore though the Jesuites have many large Tractates De auxiliis gratiae yet because they do not make Grace efficacious in it self antecedently to our will but our will to improve that Therefore still we say They advance not Grace for it 's not Grace unlesse it be Gratuita omni modo Thus then you see a necessity of informing your judgements in this Point That no subtill Hereticks under fair pretences and acknowledgements of Grace do deceive you For Pelagius deceived the Eastern Bishops by this means yea Sulpitius was seduced by the Pelagians who had been a long enemy to them which when he perceived he was so grieved that he enjoyned himself perpetual silence as the Centuriators observe In the next place Let us consider How many waies the power of God doth thus keep us and let it not be thought tedious if I be long on this Text I do not compell the Text to go one mile one Sermon further than it would The honey drops from the comb without any crushing of it And First The power of God keepeth his people in the way of grace inspirando by inspiring and breathing into the Soul such holy thoughts and quickning meditations that thereby we are kept in the fear of sinne and love of God alwayes The Apostle saith We are not able to think of our selves any thing tending to our own good or the good of others but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3 7. How vain idle and distractive would our thoughts be if the Spirit of God did not suggest and put in other things Therefore that is promised as a remembrancer to bring to our mindes such things as we let slip when the Church prayeth Arise O North and blow O South Cant. 4.6 that her garden may give a smell it 's a prayer for the heavenly and holy breathings of Gods Spirit into the soul Secondly The power of God helpeth excitando by stirring up and quickning those habits and principles of grace which are in us Our faith our love are apt to lie dormant in the soul till they be awakened Thus David though in the state of grace prayeth often That God would quicken him that he might keep Gods Commandments Psal 119. And this the Church prayeth for Cant. 1. Draw me and we will run after thee so that were there not this drawing this quickning the people of God would be like so many lumps of earth they would be very Idols in all their duties seeing they would not see and though knowing yet not understand This exciting grace is as necessary every moment to thee for spiritual life as the air is for thy natural Thirdly The power of God keeps inclinando by inclining and determining the heart For though the heart have grace in it habitually yet the world and sin tempt strongly so that these habitual principles work not till God incline and determine the heart as Ezek. 36. besides an heart of flesh God promiseth to cause him to walk in his statutes David prayed That God would incline his heart to keep his Law This determining grace is that which Pelagians Arminians and Jesuites object against whereas if the power of God doth not this our power will have the greater part in our Salvation Fourthly The power of God keeps us dirigendo by directing and ordering our steps so that we do not fall We are very weak and unskilfull and like babes who are said Heb. 6. to be unskilfull in the word of righteousness Christ and the way of faith is unknown to us a strange thing to us As Sampson being blinde needed one to direct him where the beams were Thus we need direction concerning the Author of our strength and how we may be made partakers of it When David was in Saul's armour he could not tell how to weild or manage it The Lord Christ he it is that strengthens his people a kinde of omnipotency is communicated to them by him I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 But there is much skill and an heavenly act required to make use of Christ and to derive power from him Therefore the Lord helpeth us by directing our hearts unto the love of Christ and faith in him 1 Thess 3.5 Hence David many
Reformed Church by all which we see the necessity of Christs Praier for Unity There being such corruptions in our hearts and Satan so busie to make differences and dissentions That though Legions of Devils can agree to be in one man yet he will not suffer two Doctors to agree in one Church 2. The Unity that the Officers of Gods Church ought to have consists in these things 1. Vnity of Faith That they beleeve the same doctrine called therefore Eph. 4 5. One Faith And 1 Cor. 3. There is no other Foundation but one even the Lord Christ And indeed this must be the ground of all other Unity when the Papists would make Unity a note of the true Church We say Unity without true Doctrine is but a Faction a Conspiracy The Turks have Unity The Jews have Unity but yet because they have not the true Doctrine it 's not true peace and concord So that true Doctrine that is the Soul the fountain and the root of all 2. A second Unity is in the same Confession and acknowledgement of Faith and that in the samâ— words and truly this is very desirable not only to hold the same doctrinal Points but the same words also for new words bring in new Doctrines Hence the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 pressing for Unity doth not only exhort them to be of the same minde and judgement but to speak the same thing 2 Tim. 1.13 Timothy is exhorted to hold fast the form of sound words Though they be but words and a Form yet he must hold them fast and this made the ancient Church so tenacious of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because by that all heretical Opinions were excluded It 's a remarkable expression Luk. 1. God is said to speak by the month of all the holy Prophets Though they were many yet it 's mouth not mouths They had all but one mouth and spake the same thing Thus it ought to be but one mouth of all the Ministers of the Gospel to beleeve We are to know what all Teacheth by what one Teacheth 3. There must be Vnity of affection and hearts as Act. 1. In the beginning of the Churches encrease their Unity of affection is greatly commended ver 14. They continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So also Act. 2.1.46 especially Act. 4.32 The multitude of Beleevers were of one heart and of one soul Though a multitude yet they had but one soul one heart Thus you see what kinde of Unity there ought to be among the Ministers of the Gospel In the next place let us Consider the Grounds why it 's such a mercy to have Unity amongst Church-Officers 1. Because fortitude and strength is in Vnity Vis unita fortior A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand saith our Saviour When one peice of the Wall divides from the other it foretels ruine As that Heathen to his Sonnes giving them a Quiver of Arrows intimating thereby as long as they agreed they were invincible All the united power of the Church is little enough against their common enemies and shall they weaken themselves 2. As Unity strengthens so it opposeth the Enemy more successefully which is the devil and all his Instruments What is there that the Popish adversary doth more insult with then to upbraid with the divers Sects that are among the Protestants for although we can retort and tell them of their divisions and that in fundamental Points yet it is our shame and grief that such a charge is in some measure true though not in that height the Adversaries do revile for none of the Reformed differ in Fundamentals As for the Socinians though they do vehemently oppose Popery yet we take not them to be of the Reformed Church who overthrow the Foundations of our Christian Religion But this is certain The Protestant differences give advantage to the Papists thereby they gain upon unsetled persons Look you say they they have no certainty among themselves They know not where to stay The Lutheran spirit judgeth the Calvinisticall diabolicall And thus unconstant inconsiderate persons look upon this as a great Argument against the Truth whereas even in the Apostles times the Church of God had sad divisions amongst themselves as 1 Cor. 3. Oh then let us bewail the corruption of the best that they should be so far transported with passion as to neglect the Truths of God by giving advantage to the common adversary 3. Unity is of great consequence amongst the Ministers of the Gospel because their divisions breed divisions amongst the people The differences of Teachers breed irreconcilable distractions amongst people as if the Heavens should be confused in their motions it would distract and destroy sublunary things We see in the Church of Corinth when the Teachers were divided what divisions also were there amongst the people some for Paul and some for Apollo 4. Pray to God for Unity among Church-Officers because their Controversies bring a main neglect of the chief work of their Ministery which is to come out and to build up souls in heavens way This is the end why God hath called us now when we fall out with one another and set up Opinion against Opinion The work of the Ministry is much retarded Hence the Apostle enjoyneth Timothy to fly such disputations and quarellings as are unprofitable because they fret away godlinesse and are like thorns and nettles among the Corn hindring the growth thereof 5. Unity is to be desired because this agreeth with their office and call They preach the Gospel of peace and God is the God of peace Christ is the Prince of peace and Col. 3. he is our peace reconciling all things Why then should the Ministers tongue be a tongue of war as if they were Priests to Bellona rather then the Ministers of the Gospel So that if all these grounds be considered we may well pray with our Saviour Lord make the Ministers of the Gospel as one man for divâ—sions as Jerom said are amicorum dispendia inimicorum compendia and publica divinae irae incendia In the next place what are the Causes you may say that may make the Ministers of the Gospel thus to dissent And 1. In the general It 's corruption and sin which lurketh in the hearts of all So that it 's more to be wished for then expected for to have Jerusalem a City compact within it self Never expect in this world to see such a time wherein the Ministers of the Gospel shall have one Faith one heart one mouth This is reserved for Heaven where there will be no difference of Calvinists and Lutherans of several forms of Church-government The Church of God hath alwaies been on fire only as when an house is on fire some cry for water some for Ladders some to pull down the House so some have cried for more moderate means some for fierce and vehement 2. Corrupt affections of pride ambition and covetousness These things are charged upon the false Teachers
spiritual Vnity Insomuch that some have called the Spirit of God the holy bond of the Trinity It 's not a carnal bodily Unity but spiritual and thus ought the Ministers of the Gospel to be though they be of the same nature of the same flesh and bloud yet if they have not the same spirit composing and sanctifying of them they will be like ropes of sand This the Apostle urgeth admirably 1 Cor. 12. 4 c. and vers 13. where enumerating the several gifts and operations of Gods Spirit he still addeth It 's the same Spirit and by one Spirit we are all baptized in the same bond This then ought to be our Unity the holy Spirit of God is to move work and guide all our hearts and affections As it 's the same Soul that informeth all the parts of the body or as some Philosophers said There was one intellectus agens that was universal to all men There may be agreement for civil and political considerations but this will never hold till there be a spiritual Unity As Tully observed That all friendship founded upon bonum utile or jucundum would never endure unlesse they added bonum honestum We may adde further Even that moral honest good is not ground enough unlesse it be bonum spirituale If then the Spirit of God did work the same measure of illumination and sanctification in all there would not be any disagreement but though all godly men have the same Spirit yet not the same gifts or graces or degree of graces and for want of this cometh contention Secondly The Vnity between Father and Son is constant and individed There can never be a separation between them The Father and Sonne were alwayes one though the manifestation of this is more under the Gospel-light then it was under the Law and thus ought the Ministers of the Gospel to agree constantly perpetually for if at any time contention breaketh forth it proveth like a dead flie in a box of ointment it makes all the other good they have to be ill spoken of Let them never be so learned so godly so zealous yet discord will scandalize all and this constancy of Unity is to be preserved against all outward or inward causes of difference outward is the persecution and opposition of enemies to the Church of God inward is from our own corruptions and distempers Against both these we are to watch that so our peace be not weakned Thirdly The Vnity of the Father and the Sonne is an holy Vnity They are one in that which is holy and heavenly They onely will what is good and the Sunne may sooner become a dunghill then they will what is evil such an Unity let the Ministers of God endeavour after An unity in errour an unity in mischief and wickedness is such an unity as the devils have amongst themselves That unity amongst Papists which they boast of is it not like the unity of Herod and Pilate both agreeing against Christ Fourthly The Vnity of the Father and Sonne is full of love and bowels to mankinde They both are one in this to procure the salvation of believers The Father he wils to send his onely begotten Sonne to die that reproachful death and to be an atonement for mans sinnes The Sonne doth voluntarily and readily undertake this bitter cup then they are one to procure the salvation of man If the Father and the Sonne had disagreed no salvation had been possible Oh then that the Ministers of the Gospel would make this use of their Unity that they might all as one man endeavour the conversion and edification of souls How happy would it be to lay all differences and disputes aside that they might bring people to the saving knowledge of God What a spur should this be to us Shall the Father not think his Sonne too dear Shall the Sonne not think his bloud too dear for mens souls and shall we ruine souls by contentions Do we not take the devils work then upon us and not Christs Fifthly The Vnity of Father and Son is a well-ordered Vnity Though there be a Unity of Nature yet this breedeth not a confusion of the Persons The Father is the Father and the Sonne is the Sonne for all this Unity they are not unus though they he unum and thus the unity amongst Gods Ministers and the people must not degenerate into confusion The difference between shepherd and sheep between Governours and governed in the Church must be maintained When the Devil cannot divide then on the contrary he would bring unity into confusion The difference of gifts and offices shall not be kept up as Corah and his Company told Aaron They took too much upon them all the Congregation was holy as well as they But the Apostle though he presse unity fervently and that because we are one body yet he sheweth a difference between the members in that body every member is not the eye so neither is every one a Preacher an Officer in the Church This unity ends in all schism and disorder at last Lastly The Vnity of the Father and the Sonne is most perfect and absolute It 's an essential Unity and although we cannot have this Unity yet this should teach us to aâ—m at the highest degree of unity we can not to suffer the least grudging and repining thoughts not the least proud or envious thought against one another to love more then father or children then husband or wife or any kinde of relation that causeth unity for they are but one flesh This calleth for an higher unity We have heard the duty and necessity of unity as also the causes that break it what good remedies may be prescribed to keep this excellent harmony Although I shall not lanch into this whole point deferring it till vers 21. yet I shall name some First We are earnestly to pray to God to bestow such a spirit of concord It 's not the industry or policy of all the Conciliators Moderators and Pacificators in the world to bring this about but God onely can bend mens hearts for it Hence we see our Saviour praying to the Father for this agreement and God is called The God of peace because he only can make it in the Church and State It 's from Gods anger and wrath when an evil contentious spirit is amongst the Prophets as well as when he sends a lying spirit amongst them when the Temple was to be destroyed the rending of it was a prognostique of the desolation thereof and when God will unchurch a Church and make a Garden a Wilderness commonly divisions are the antecedent causes of it A second Rule is To rejoyce in the parts and gifts of others as much as our own when God is glorified by them and to be compassionately affected in the weaknesses and failings of others These two are necessarily joyned together and they are able to cement and unite all differences The former is to
yet we may be undone to morrow we may alter or Christ may alter No he is faithfull and true He is Christ to day yesterday and for ever Heb. 13. 3. There is his love and compassion for this quickens both power and fidelity and sets all on work It is his love to us that will not let his people perish and certainly if he loved his Children so as to die for them and that when they were sinners then it follows invincibly that he will do that for us which is lesse then death It is but speaking the word whereas before it cost him many a praier and strong cry it put him in agonies and made him sweat drops of bloud Again it is otherwise with us then formerly When we are Enemies he died for us and now being reconciled how much rather wil he finish what he bath begun Rom. 5 4. There is his wisedom for though there be power and love yet through imprudence we see amongst men it often miscarrieth but now in Christ are hid the treasures of all wisedom And Isa 9. he is called the Counsellor as having wisedom to direct and power to deliver in all the sad Trials they are plunged into He is called often the wisedom of the Father Now then put all these together Omnipotent Power unsearchable Wisedom Infinite Love and Immutable Fidelity and you must conclude that the godly mans safety is firmer then Mount Zion or the Earth that God hath established for they may be removed but these cannot be no more then Christ Christ and they will stand or fall together And lastly because more is to be said to this in the words following this implieth a strong tye and obligation upon Christ to keep them for they are given him as Sheep to the Shepherd and as Jacob was to answer for every torn or killed one so must Christ They are given him to keep as Benjamin was to his Brethren Look saith Jacob you see not my face unlesse you bring him safe Insomuch that if Christ should not preserve those that are given him all the glory of his Mediatourship will fall to the ground You see how he declareth his diligence None is lost For if he had lost some of them then had not Christ gone through with the work of Redemption and so could not expect the glory he praied for neither could he have said I have finished the work thou hast given me yea it would have behoved him to come and die again to be crucified again if he had not by one Oblation once perfected for ever the Godly Heb. 10 14. Vse of Exhortation to the godly to take heed of all unbeleeving and dejecting fears in the way to Heaven perswading themselves Oh they shall never hold out one time or other they shall be devoured by such and such sinnes Is not this to be ignorant of the relation you are in to Christ Will Christ be an unfaithfull Steward It lieth upon Christ more then thee that thou beest preserved Is not Christs honour and glory more then the salvation of thousands such as thou art Now if thou shouldst perish and not get to Heaven it would be Christs dishonour It would be because he was not either able or willing Indeed thou art to walk with an holy fear or trembling thou art to despair in thy self but thy faith and confidence in Christs strength should make thee couragious Stronger is he that is with thee then he that is against thee It is true thy corruptions are strong thy Temptations are strong but Christ is stronger Live not with such anxious fears as a Cain fearing every thing may kill and damn thee Interpose Christ between thee and all fears and dangers Say you may overcome me but can you Christ In the next place we come to the manner how he kept them In thy Name And here name may be taken in all the significations mentioned in the former Verse But I will not trouble you with that This may be spoken in a two-fold respect Either to shew what kinde of preservation it was viz. not a corporal or carnal one though he was bodily present among them but a spirituall one in the name of God He did not keep them as the powers of the world keep their Subjects by the outward force of the Sword but as Paul said of the Ministry Our weapons are not carnall but spirituall So was Christs defence or else it might be spoken by way of humility for Christ in respect of his office was inferiour to the Father And therefore he speaks of himself in this Chapter as one sent or an Embassadour from the Father who is to doe all things in his Name and to follow his will only in this latter sence we take it principally Obs That if the Lord Christ though God yet in respect of his office and Ministry doth attribute all to God how much more ought the Ministers of the Gospel who are frail sinful men Shall Christ say he kept them by the Fathers power Shall he say It 's not my Doctrine but the Fathers Shall he say I seek not my own glory but the glory of him that sent me How much more ought the Officers God hath appointed in the Church take their Auditors off from them and carry them to God wholly It is Observable That Christ did still inform his Disciples and Hearers to look up unto the Father and the Apostles they laboured to take off beleevers from applauding of them but to look up to God Thus Paul 2 Cor. 3.5 6. even when he advanceth his Ministry to the Highest yet left men should therewithall advance the persons put thereinto as Hortensins said of Tully that he commended Eloquence to the Heavens that he himself might be lifted up with it See what corrective expressions he useth Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing our sufficiency is of God All is attributed to God Paul though endowed with so many excellent gifts yet saith of himself he is not able to think he doth not say to doe to convert and change mens hearts but he cannot think and he doth not say he cannot think some choice sublime admirable thing but he cannot think any thing the least thought in reference to the salvation of others And therefore he addeth ver 6. It is God that hath made us able Ministers The Ministers of God may as well say they create the world They work Miracles by their own power as say they enlighten the mindes or soften the hearts of those to whom they preach Thus 1 Cor. 3.5 When the people through vanity did rest too much upon the Officers of the Church and attributed that to them which belonged to Christ Paul doth severely expostulate with them 1 Corin. 1.13 Was Paul Crucified for you Were you Baptized in the Name of Paul What are these but Ministers by whom ye beleeve Two errours in the extreme we are to avoid 1. That because the Ministry
as those Spies did of the Land of Canaan saying It 's impossible for any man ever to come thither and with the Disciples to say Who then can be saved but with God nothing is impossible To open this Doctrine consider that there is a fourfold principle which is operative to the conservation of the believers First There is an inward vital and vivifical principle of grace abiding in the godly which will never fail Not but that of it self it would as in Adam and Angels but as God could confirm and establish the grace of Angels that it never shall perish so doth God that supernatural principle of holiness put into his people 1 John 3.8 He that is born of God he neither doth sinne or can sinne viz. so as to be given up wholly to it and that because the seed of God abideth in him Though there be different thoughts about this seed what it is I do now suppose it to be that inward principle of supernatural life from whence all gracious operations do flow This God hath set in the heart and inward parts of his people never to be rooted out Thus John 4 14. The believer is said to have in him a well of water springing up to eternal life Here is a fountain that cannot be dried up Therefore it 's said He shall never thirst more viz. with a thirst of a total indigence and want Even in the greatest deficiencies and barrenness of Gods people there hath been sap in the root when the branches seemed dead A second principle thus conserving is That daily help of grace quickning and corroborating the soul in all holinesse The former grace is permanent and habitual this transien t actual and by way of motion This latter doth compleat and actuate the former For as it 's not enough to have a naturall life unlesse there be a further concourse of God by which we actually move and stirre So in our supernatural life it 's not enough to have that principle of life infused but we are to receive the daily impressions and powerfull quicknings of his holy Spirit and this is to have both the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posse and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 operari the will and the deed These are the two internal principles of our conservation for the Lord Christ doth not keep us immediately but by means in a subordinate manner In the next place there is a two-fold principle extrinsecal of our preservation And The first is Our Election that is the fountain of all our perseverance This is the first round in that ladder by which we ascend to Heaven Rom. 8. It 's from Predestination that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Rom. 11. It 's Election hath obtained that elected remnant shall never perish and thus in this prayer of our Saviours all security of the godly it 's because the Father had given them to Christ viz. by Election as the root and source of all their good This is so cogent a truth that many who hold a falling away from true grace do yet maintain That no Elect man can ever perish finally because then God should be frustrated of his purpose and the counsel of man should make void the counsell of God This Election of God is the vivificall cause of all Preservation As by this they were Called and Converted from a state of sinne Election did bring them in so the same Election when they are Converted doth protect and keep them if they fall doth raise and repair them whereby they safely at last arrive at Eternity so that their Perseverance is not a merit or reward of their former holinesse but it 's a free gift of God and an effect of Election as their effectual Vocation was The second externall Principle is The Covenant and Promise of God made in Christ to the Godly So that the Covenant of Grace being confirmed by Christs death In whom the Promises are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 being among other glorious ends to perpetuate and continue the work of Grace in them it 's impossible that hell or the world should quite put them out of the way to Heaven Jerem. 32.40 God there promiseth an Everlasting Covenant a Covenant that shall abide for ever And what is the Priviledge vouchsafed in that Deed of Gift It 's the putting his fear in their heart that they shall not depart from him You see by this notable place That it 's not we our selves but God who keepeth us and for this we have his Promise So that the godly may triumph in an holy Confidence because of it Many other Promises that are branches of this Covenant the Scripture declareth which should be sweeter then the honey and the honey-comb For what can be more precious to hear then that God will safely preserve thee in the way to Heaven so that no fraud or force without nor any lust or corruption within shall hinder thee of the Crown of Glory Isai 40.29 30 31. He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength c. God in the verse before is said Himself not to faint or to be weary Though he created the Earth and doth still preserve it yet he is not weary and because he is thus he will make his people so They in themselves may be fainting and weary but he will renew strength And he illustrateth this from natural strength Though young men in their full strength may be weary yet these shall not And again he compareth their strength to the Eagle that mounteth up with wings to the Heaven and is not weary Thus God will enable the godly soul Though they runne or walk they shall not be weary What a reviving place should this be to the dead dull and languishing believer Why do I lie groveling on the ground Let me flie up to Heaven like an Eagle We have also a remarkable Promise of Divine Protection Isai 4.5 6. where God by two similitudes doth notably declare it First by an allusion to that wonderfull Preservation of the people of Israel It was not enough that God had brought them out of Aegypt they would have perished for all that without his Protection Therefore we may reade the History Exod. 13. how God created a directive Protection for them both by day and night In the day time there was a Cloud and smoak and a shining flaming fire by night Thus God promiseth he will do upon every dwelling-place in Zion and upon her Assemblies by these are figured the several Churches that are assembled to serve God For upon all the Glory shall be a defence By Glory is meant the Ark which is here made a Type of Gods people and they may be called Gods Glory both because they glory in God and God is glorified by them So that the meaning is Look what care and defence God did once show to the Israelites to preserve them from
of sinne but when it is turned into a stone and made like an adamant then it 's sensible of nothing Pharaoh though he had such wonderfull miracles wrought before him that never such things were heard of in the world before yet because his heart was hardened therefore doth he sinne presumptuously to his own ruine And thus it was with the Jews when that spirituall judgement spoken of Isa 6. was accomplished in them to have blinde eyes and hard hearts Thus all the Prophets at first and all the Apostles afterwards yea Christ himself with all his miracles did not mollifie them yea by these remedies as all incurable diseases do they grew worse and worse what motions relentings must we expect from stones Lapidi loqueris is a proverb Truly such is all preaching and the whole Ministry to men given up to a hard heart Though the Prophet when he spake to the Altar of stones crying O Altar Altar that immediatly rent yet the hearts of men are more sensless Pray therefore of all judgements not to fall into an hard heart Though thou mayest fall into hard times into hard dealings from others into many hard distresses yet as long as thou hast not an hard heart there are some hopes for thee Fourthly Inordinate and immoderate love to some lust or sinne When a man is once enslaved to some lust though he hath never so much light so much conviction yea though he have never so many afflictions upon him yet he will break thorow all to have his lust satisfied As Nero's mother said Occidat modo imperet Let him kill me so he may reign Thus let such sinnes damn me so that I may have my will and desire satisfied What made Judas though he had received so much love and kindness from Christ Yet so perfidiously betray him into the hands of those who had long sought to kill him but only he was a thief and had an immoderate love to worldly-gain It was thirty pieces that made him lose body and soul Oh it 's an heavy thing to be captivated to any one sin Thou must have such and such sins for thy darling sinne Oh this Dalilah will be thy ruine as it was to Sampson Who would have thought that Sampson a godly man as he is recorded Heb. 11. seeing what deadly enemies the Philistims were would have discovered where his strength was But this Dalilah can perswade him to his ruine And thus Herodias can prevail with Herod to kill John Baptist though he knew him to be a just man and had a reverential fear of him thy lust thy sinne thy whore thy unjust gain can make thee fall down and worship the devil without any trouble of conscience Fifthly Decayings from former expressions of holiness or quenchings and extinguishing of such motions as formerly have greatly affected us These commonly seek the Kingdom of darkness as Christ speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven by force and are violent for hell Heb. 6.4 2 Pet. 2.20 The Scripture speaks of some that have had great gifts of the holy Ghost and have escaped through the knowledge of Christ the pollutions of the world if such are intangled again they are worse then ever and there is no hope of recovery Therefore none are in such a desperate condition as those that once had greater workings of heart and hopefull movings of conscience but since are grosly apostatiz'd the prophanest men that live who never cast an eye towards heaven are in a more hopefull condition then such relapses are more dangerous in the soul then in the body Mat. 12.45 when that unclean spirit was cast out but returned again he brought seven other spirits more wicked then himself and so the last state of that man is worse then the first Look to this and tremble you who have had often checks of conscience and often wounds of heart take heed they plunge thee not into an incurable condition The water once heated if cold again is cooler then ever These frequent aguish fits will at last end in a consumption Take heed lest thou turn a derider and a persecutor of what once thou wert forward for SERMON LXIX Of the Sonne of Perdition Shewing more Causes and Symptomes of such wretched Persons that are desperately bent to damn themselves JOH 17.12 But the Sonne of Perdition THe Words have been Explained and the Doctrine gathered which was That there are some men wilfully and desperately set to damn themselves though they enjoy never such means to the contrary We gave in some Characters of such wretched persons and now proceed to instance in some more And the first in order shall be A long and constant Vnprofitablenesse under means of Grace When men have for a long time sate under the powerfull means of Grace yet are as ignorant as prophane and unreformed as formerly These men commonly are resolute in their damnation They have so often heard and heard they are so accustomed now to the remedies that they despise them and get no good by them This the Apostle affirmeth Heb. 6.8 The ground which often drinketh in rain and yet bringeth forth nothing but briars and thorns is nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burnt This was the case even of the whole body of the Jews they being accustomed for many years to the threatnings of the Prophets were so farre from trembling under it that they made a scorn of it Jer. 23.33 because the Prophet Jeremy did so often tell them of the Burden of the Lord that is the heavy Sentence and Judgement of God threatned against them they did impudently and prophanely make a scorn of it Even as many hardened sinners will now adaies at the name of hell and damnation Oh then let all such who for many years together have been under the Sunne of the Gospel fear lest when we speak of a Son of Perdition it be said Thou art the man for as when the body that hath been accustomed to often Physick doth yet remain diseased it 's a great Argument of its incurablenesse Thus it is here When there are daily importunities of thee constant expostulations with thee and yet thou art averse and obdurate this may prove fatall and dreadful to thee 2. Sinful and ungodly prejudices taken up against those Prophets and Ministers of God that do in his Name admonish thee and warn thee against thy sinnes Oh when men instead of hearkening to their Counsels take occasion to slander them to oppose them these men have hastily tumbled into confusion Mat. 23. This Christ complained of O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets c. how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldst not And it was of old the Jews wickednesse to persecute and oppose all such as came from God to admonish them of their sinnes and therefore at last they crucified the Heir even Christ himself The Wise man speaks peremptorily to this Prov. 29.9 He that being often reproved hardeneth his
Christ What put thee upon forwardness in this way Was it the Spirit of God through the Word then this is of God and will endure I adde through the Word because of those many delusions many have in them which being not according to Gods Word as they come from darknesse so they will end in darknesse The Childe mishapen in the Conception will ever after be a monster Secondly Then will beginnings and endings be alike when grace is radicated and enters â—â—ep enough into the soul Though thou hast never such affections such enlargements yet if there be not a rooted and deep work of grace upon thy soul it will never hold This our Saviour pressed Matth. 13. The seed that grew up hopefully miscarried because it had no rooting and thus the house on the sandy foundation was ruined because the builder did not dig deep enough Hence the promise of Regeneration is Jer. 31. to put the Law of God in their inward parts in the most intimate and deep parts of the soul and therefore grace is called the inward man and the hidden man of the heart But ô how superficial and overly How formal are most in this matter They undertake to own the wayes of godliness before ever they have laid a deep foundation Hath thy repentance been deep enough thy faith thy love been rooted enough If so then the gates of hell shall never prevail against thee Thirdly Good beginnings will have bad endings when men professe Christ not out of love to Christ and pure intentions to him but from sinister and worldly respects Oh this covering and hiding will never hold The Wolf will be at last a Wolf for all it's sheep-cloathings and this was Judas his case his end was not pure his eye was not single and therefore his Apostasie was inevitable To follow Christ for loaves or to know him only after the flesh will never endure All flesh is grasse Isa 40 6. but the word of God abides for ever that is not only the body of man is mortal but all those wayes of righteousnesse and holinesse which are not indeed regeneration will certainly vanish This is a great part of the meaning if you compare this place with the whole context 1 Pet 1.23 24 25. Jehu begins with zeal as hot as fire yet his latter end was like Jeroboams for he walked in his wayes and all because his ends were not pure Oh this is the summe of all This is the soul and life of all Observe diligently thy heart in the intentions and motions of it Is it to have applause Is it to be reputed of Is it to accomplish great things for thy self Thus we may say of thy godlinesse what is it thy body Dust thou art and to dust thou wilt return The time is coming thou wilt not have a stone left upon a stone of that religious building though once so many did admire it Fourthly Then hot beginnings will end coldly when the judgement of a man is not well instructed and informed in the truth Hot affections but a weak judgement will quickly reel up and down as a man that hath strong vapours from his stomack but a weak brain Therefore our Saviour prayeth in this Chapter That they may be sanctified through the truth Hymeneus and Philetus when they made shipwrack of the faith then they cast away a good conscience So that a sound minde and judgement is a special preservative to perseverance What is the reason children are tossed up and down with every new thing But because their understandings are weak and Ephes 4. we are forbidden to be like children in this respect As there must be a sound judgement in the truth so a well advised Meditation about the nature of grace and how dear it will cost thee to be Christs Disciple To come into the company of the godly before thou hast throughly bethought thy self what is required of a Disciple How much he must do and suffer What he shall meet with in the way is the cause of great hypocrisie Our Saviour doth fully expresse this under two Parables One of a man going to warre and another who undertakes a great building Luke 14 31. There is none will set upon a warre or building but with much councel whether he be able to go through with it or no Whether he shall not be mocked as one that began and could not make an end Thus do thou reflect upon thy self What shall I go and joyn my self with those that fear God Shall I be in the number of those that will own Christ more strictly then the world Am I fit for such a great work Am I mortified to all sinne Can I endure to lose all for Christ Do I love him better then all relations and life it self If I do not it 's no climbing up this hill I shall tumble back again with greater danger then ever I shall adde no more particulars because all miscarriages may be reduced to one of these heads Use In the first place of Instruction Though zealous beginnings may terribly degenerate yet it 's a blessed and an happy thing to be working for God betimes Though a man called at the twelfth hour into the Vineyard shall be rewarded yet it is a blessed thing to be one of the first in Gods Vineyard to be as Timothy was godly in the youth The wicked world as they have many Proverbs to encourage themselves in their wickednesse so this is none of the vilest A young Saint an old Devil This Gerson cals a blasphemous Proverb and saith His heart did often tremble to hear men say Angelicus Juvenis senibus satanizat in Annis Men take up this ungodly Proverb to procrastinate their conversion to delay their repentance to discourage early lookings towards heaven as if all that did begin so soon would turn devils at last Though Judas did thus play the hypocrite yet Timothy godly from the youth did not Therefore beginne even this day this hour onely look thy beginnings be sound and sincere 2. Use of Exhortation To take heed of proving a Judas How odious is his name It 's a Proverb to expresse a treacherous false hearted man to say He is another Judas and Judas his name is so abominated that though in it self it be a good name signifying as much as one that confesseth and praiseth God yet I think there was scarce ever any Christian would name his childe Judas his actions are so abhorred and yet for all this How many are like Judas and so sonnes of perdition Apply it but in this one thing Judas his high iniquity was out of his covetousnesse to betray Christ for thirty pieces of silver for a little profit he would lose Christ Now is not this the case of most wicked men in the world Whosoever loveth any pleasure or profit more then Christ he is like Judas The drunkard is a Judas he sels Christ and his soul for his drink The whoremonger is a Judas the
tense into the present and what God saith he will do to take as done already Lastly There is the comminatory or threatning part Here is Mount Ebal as well as Mount Gerizim The Scripture hath it's sting as well as honey In this Ark there is the Rod as well as Manna Christ hath not only a Scepter of grace but a Rod of iron and those threatnings are farre above the terrors of the most cruell men that ever lived for it 's not onely a threatning of bodily miseries but of hell of eternal wrath and vengeance on the soul as well as the body which no earthly man can do Therefore whatsoever the word of God hath said against an evil man let him look for it as if he were already under that doom Is not Judas here called a son of perdition yea is he not said to be perished in the present tense because of the certainty of it Doth not the Scripture say He that believeth not is condemned even already Joh. 3.8 As when God at first threatned Adam In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die This was made good though Adam did not actually die at that time because he was put into a state of death and every moment that sentence might be inflicted on him Thus it is with every wicked man whatsoever curse whatsoever vengeance is denounced against thee this night this day this moment it may be fulfilled on thee The ground why the Scripture must be fulfilled is plain Because it is Gods word and therefore it is immortal like himself it will stand as he stands for what should hinder it There was no defect of knowledge or wisdom in God nor of power and strength and therefore the word being out of his mouth who can contradict it Vse of Encouragement to the godly The Scripture hath as many promises for thee as thou canst desire It 's full of glad tidings to thee that fearest God There is not a Chapter but it speaks some good or other to thee Oh do not think these things are spoken in vain and not to be good to be true What shall the holy Spirit of God become false to deceive and delude thee Farre be such blasphemous thoughts from thee Go then and rejoyce say I have enough I have all things the Scripture abounds with all consolations and not one drop of this precious wine shall be lost or spilt to the ground but on the contrary it speaks woe and trembling to wicked men Oh how well were it for you if the Scripture were a book of fables and lies Then thou mightst eat and drink and rise up to play and sport but at the last thou wilt finde every word of it to be true Why then can thy bold heart endure any longer Is there not terrour enough in the Scripture to break it in peeces though it were of iron Thou wilt finde at last God only true but man and the world and thy own heart a liar SERMON LXXV Of the Truth of Scripture-Prophesies And against Judiciall Astrologie and Witchcraft Shewing the Vanity and Wickednesse thereof and of Seeking to them JOH 17.12 That the Scripture might be fullfilled I shall at this time conclude this Text which hath been so fruitful in spiritual matter but before I come to make the last Observation let us Consider In how many sences the Scripture may be said to be fulfilled For there are divers waies of understanding this and indeed there is scarce any thing more difficult in Religion then to make an happy reconciliation of the places quoted in the New Testament with the Old At the first view of many of those allegations you would think there were violent deflections of the Scripture to another sence then was intended but we Christians beleeve that the same Spirit which breathed on the Prophets did also inspire the holy Apostles for the right interpretation of them Though therefore the Solution of every difficulty surpasse the ability of the most Learned Interpreter yet we are to captivate our understandings to the Truth of the Scripture and not the Scripture to our Understandings and nothing will better facilitate a right Understanding of Scripture-allegations then to know that the Scripture may be said to be fullfilled two waies 1. Properly 2. Improperly and by way of accomodation Properly and that two waies Either in a literall sence or a mysticall sence A literall sence either is simply so when it 's a meer prediction of what is to come and hath no Type for the present to be verified in of this kinde or sort are many Examples especially Isa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Matth. 1.22 applied to Christ This was onely true of Christ and his Mother not applicable to any else for as for Musculus and Grotius who conceive that this was done in a Type and that same Virgin in those daies did marry and bear a Son which was a Type of Christ is wholly improbable and diminisheth this glorious Mystery of Christs Incarnation As for the second kinde of fulfilling which is a compounded sence of the Type and Antitype that is often Thus these things which were fulfilled about the Paschal Lamb the brasen Serpent about Jonah Solomon and David were also applied to Christ as the Antitype As also Hos 11. that of bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt unto Christ Though these places also may be said to be fullfilled in a mystical sence and in this manner the Scripture speaking of Judas his perdition Psa 41. and Psa 109. is to be understood for David in those Psalms literally speaks of his present enemies but typically and mystically this was to be applied to Judas An improper or accomodatitious application is when the Scripture is said to be fulfilled because there falleth out something like that So Christ Mat. 15.7 8. repeateth that to the hypocrites of his time which the Prophet Isa 29 13. applieth to those that lived in his time viz. that they drew nigh him with their lips but their hearts were farre from him This explained observe Obs That it 's a sure Argument and Demonstration of the Divinity of the Scripture That it doth foretell things which long after do come to passe Judas his perdition in the Text was prophesied of many hundred years before As God endowed men with such illumination that they could tell what was done many years before they lived as appeareth in Moses his writing of the History of the Creation so it doth no lesse wonderfully appear in a prediction of such things as shall come hereafter and therefore both the Old Testament and the New have two Books that are wonderfully prophetick of what shall befal the Church in after Ages Daniel prophesied so in his time and John did the like in his Revelations To open this Doctrine Consider First That it is only Gods property to foreknow things to come We matter not those wretched Socinians who
Snewing how many waies the Spirit of God works it in the hearts of his People JOH 17.13 These things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fullfilled in themselves IT 's Christs speciall Care and will as you have heard that his people should walk joyfully Severall Demonstrations have been thereof Christs Commands to rejoyce in his promises his Ministers are appointed for their joy In the next place This will appear true if yeu consider the works of Gods Spirit and Christs end of sending them into his Church The Spirit of God is not only to convince of sinne To sanctifie and make holy but it is also to comfort Hence he is four times called the Comforter Joh. 19.16.26 Joh. 15.26 Joh. 16.7 Even those who pleade to render the word Advocate and not a Comforter yet it comes to this at last Seeing the end of all his actions is to bring Consolation into the afflicted Soul That as the Spirit of God moved at first on the waters to make a lightsome and glorious world so he doth on the waters of the broken in heart to make as it were New Heavens and a new Earth there where was nothing but horrid confusion That as the devil is the Prince of darknesse is alwaies accusing and troubling the godly endeavouring to bring them to horrour and despair Therefore he kept the possessed party about the solitary Tombs and endeavoured that the Incestuous person should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow So on the contrary the Spirit of God is wholly to comfort to support to revive and to make glad the grieved in Spirit insomuch that the Hebrews have a Proverb Super maestum non cadet Spiritus Sanctus for this Reason say some Learned men the Prophets before they could prophesie sometimes took an Instrument of Musick to play on as Elijah Isaac would eat of Venison to refresh his Spirits before he did prophetically blesse his Children Howsoever the Spirit of God being expresly called a Comforter it 's plain that in all his operations and workings he intends solid and true joy called therefore Joy in the holy Ghost not only objectively but efficiently because it is wrought by him and indeed we need the Spirit of God to comfort us for we cannot attain to this joy by our own strength That as we need the Spirit of God to regenerate us because dead in sinne So also to comfort us because under the guilt of sinne We are like so many Judasses and Cains Naturally we are a barren wildernesse not only in respect of graces but also of Consolations Look upon many afflicted and tempted Children of God No Friends No Ministers can comfort Reade the Promises apply them never so powerfully yet they cannot be comforted till God work it in them Now the Spirit of God is a Comforter to his people several waies 1. By way of Instruction and conviction It informeth that it 's a sinne not to beleeve in Christ that it 's not humility but frowardnesse when we keep off from the Promises That as it would be self-murther not to eat or drink so it 's Soul-murther not to eat or feed on Christ which is called beleeving Joh. 6. Hence this Spirit of God is said to convince the world of sinne Joh. 16 9. And wherein or what sinne especially Even because they would not beleeve in Christ Oh this is a speciall mercy when the Spirit of God hath by the Gospel so farre convinced thee that thou seest it thy duty to beleeve to rejoyce for who is there when once feeling the burthen and weight of sinne doth not with Adam run and hide himself doth not conclude his sins are greater then he can bear It 's not for such a wretch as I am to have a drop of water to refresh me much lesse a drop of Christs bloud yea his whole bloud Hence when we come to a tempted Christian we may admire at the subtleties and strong Objections he can bring against his comfort Never did any Heretique more subtilly and pertinaciously oppose the Truth of Christ then such an one will object against the Promises So that you heard it was the tongue of the Learned Isa 50.4 that could know to speak a word in season to such wearied persons yea to this day are not the Protestant Writers conflicting with the Papists about the particular application of Christ to every Beleever asserting that it is every Christians duty to say with Paul Gal. 2. who loved me and gave himself for me Now this particular appropriation of Christ to a man is the foundation of all joy and peace And do not the Papists bring all those Objections that a tempted Christian is apt to produce Such as these Gods Promises they are indeed true I doubt not but God is able only I question my self whether I have such conditions and qualifications as are required for the Promises Again the Promises are general whosoever shall beleeve or repent shall finde mercy but my great fear is whether I do truly repent or beleeve Yet again They object as Bellarmine the heart is deceitfull how many have perswaded themselves they do repent and love God when indeed they doe not and it may be I am such an one Lastly They doubt not of Gods power they say or of his ability to pardon all their sins and to justifie worse sinners then themselves Only here is the Question whether God will or no God hath no where in his Word said Thou such an one thy sins are forgiven thee These and the like Objections which Popish Writers urge with much vehemency The tempted Christian presseth with great strength because such are in a contrary disposition to beleeving and so feel nothing but sinne in the guilt of it and Unbelief doth as much deceive and disturb the soul as Melancholy or madnesse will the fancy I have been large in this to shew what mighty and gracious work of Gods Spirit that is to instruct and convince the heart of this duty to beleeve and rejoyce to be able to say God delights not in these perplexed thoughts as he saith of these superstitious duties so these immoderate fears and dejections Who hath required these things at your hands I shall answer for unbeleeving sorrows as well as carnall mirth for those dejecting fears and unquiet troubles of soul Thou art to fear hell and damnation as well as for Licentious jollities 2. The Spirit of God doth not only inform of the duty of Comfort but also directs unto the way of comfort It doth leade into the true way of Justification Joh. 14.16 The Comforter will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance As he is the Comforter he will teach them what way to take that they may have true Consolation for as by nature it 's an ingrafted principle in all to desire happinesse Ask any man in the world and he will answer affirmatively to this Question So every man troubled and
be seen David saith At Gods right hand is fulnesse of joy Psa 16.11 If then the Soul have already fulnesse it doth not desire any other Object If a man have the Ocean he wants not the stream If a man have the Sun he needeth not the Candle Thus he that hath fulnesse of joy in God wanteth not the joy of other creatures Insomuch that he who hath this heavenly joy may be said to be in Heaven while he is here on earth No life comes so near to that of the glorified Saints in heaven as an holy life accompanied with this joy If there can be an heaven upon this Earth this is it This is the Mount of Transfiguration that changeth a mans heart and his countenance that makes him say It 's good to be here Oh what enemies are we to our selves Thou makest thy house thy chamber a prison yea an hell by thy distrustfull fears when every place would be an heaven 4. This Joy of Christ will exceedingly wean a mans heart from the world it will make him undervalue all these earthly things which the world so much admireth Psa 4.7 Thou hast put more gladnesse in my heart then in the time their Corn and Wine encreaseth If then the soul have more joy and gladnesse in Gods presence and in his favour then in all earthly contentments whatsoever no wonder if the heart he loose from the one and fixed upon the other As he that hath eaten honey findes an unsavoury taste in other things compartively or as he that hath stddfastly beheld the Sun is so dazeled with the lustre thereof that he cannot see other inferiour Objects Thus the heart that is once ravished with the sweetnesse and glory that is in God and Christ knoweth not how to stoop to these inferiour fading joys No man then sets so loose in heart from earthly Comforts as he that hath this heavenly joy Every thing tempts him to his losse Shall he lose his fatness and sweetnesse by embracing the Creatures 5. This Joy of Christ will facilitate all holy and religious actions They will make us think the time short and grudge the work of God is so soon over Your worldly joy is called pastime and thus is heavenly upon a better account When a man rejoyceth in the Sabbaths and cals them a delight then they do not as those worldly wretches in the Prophet Amos c. 8.5 say when will the time be over that we may be buying and selling There is nothing makes the duties of holinesse so burthensome to thee as want of joy if they were matter of delight thou wouldst with joy wish that the Sun would stand still be grieved to give over Isa 61.3 It 's called the Oyle of Joy as the Oyl makes the Wheel go speedily or the yoke easie so doth a joyfull heart The voluptuous man The worldly man thinks not the day or week long enough to enjoy his delights much lesse doth the godly man the time of enjoying of God Hence Eternity doth not glut the Saints in heaven and make them weary of God 6. This Christian Joy will bear up the heart above all afflictions and tribulations Thus Jam. 1. They are to account it all joy when they fall into tribulation and 1 Pet. 1.8 he speaketh of those who for the present were in heaviness through manifold temptations yet at that time did greatly rejoyce and that with joy unspeakable and full of glory They could glory over all their tribulations This joy you heard is compared to Oyl and that will alwaies keep us above the waters Oh how happy is it when thy Temptations do not devour thy joy but thy joy takes away the sting of thy Temptations This made the Martyrs and Confessors finde thorns grapes and thistles figs Oh we think that it 's impossible ever for such weak and infirm wretches as we are to go through such Tryals as the Godly have done but if we had their joy it would be no more to us then it was to them 7. Joy as it is participated in this life encreaseth more hungring and desire after the object we desire to have more of it still Take any Object of delight which we do not perfectly enjoy and oh how it quickens and stirs up the appetite to have more still for although perfect joy doth fully satiate the desire and extinguish all thirst because as Aquinas saith well Gaudium se habet ad desiderium sicut quies ad motum and so when the stone is come to the center it moveth no further yet because in this life we have not a perfect fruition of God only have some bunches of the Grapes of Canaan not Canaan it self Therefore the sweetnesse we have in God or Christ doth more stir up the desire after God as you see in David those inchoate enjoyments of God did make him restlesse and impatient for further Communion with him Hence David exhorteth to taste how good God is if once we had but an experimental sweetnesse of the Excellency of his love we should still be breathing after him as David Psal 119. My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to him at all times But especially the heavenly joy produceth this admirable effect so contrary to flesh and bloud that it makes a man look for the coming of Christ and hastening it in his praiers and desires as that which will compleat his joy Here sorrow and joy will be mixed together but there is pure and unmixed joy and that to all Eternity Oh what a wilderness what a place of banishment is this world to such a tempered heart This is the valley of Tears and that is the mountain of joys Now to all this may be Objected That it cannot be a Christians duty to be alwaies rejoycing for many times they lie under sad Temptations especially there are times and seasons when God cals to mourning Is any man afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalms And Solomon of old said There is a time to weep and a time to laugh David also saith Psa 126.5 Such as sow in tears shall reap in joy which implieth a time of tears only To this Consider these things 1. It may not be denied but that there are some times wherein God doth in a peculiar manner call to the duty of mourning fasting and humiliation Insomuch that the Prophet Isay complaineth that when God called to mourning they went to their mirth and jollities Isa 21.12 And thus when God shall plainly afflict thee for any sins thou hast committed as David with the losse of his Childe for his Uncleanesse In such cases it is our duty to be humbled and to mourn under his hand But these humiliations and fastings lie in the abstinence of that natural and lawful joy we might take in the Creatures not in spiritual Joy In daies of humiliation it 's a duty to rejoyce in the Lord and such joy will like fire melt and thaw the heart This joy that
till at last they put him to death in the most scornfull and reproachfull manner Consid I To open this consider That God out of his great love to mens souls hath appointed a Ministry and Officers in his Church that should be as Embassadours to intreat Reconciliation with God But because there could not be any commerce or communion between God absolutely considered and man fallen therefore the Lord Christ interposed and made peace but that what he had merited and purchased might effectually be applied to such as shall be saved among other instruments he set up Officers in his Church whose whole study and care should be to informe and reforme men So that people do enjoy the Ministers of God upon a two-fold special account First Gods great and special love to them That God hath taken care to send such is more then the creating of a world for you or vouchsafing all the temporal mercies you enjoy Hence it 's so often spoken of 2 Chron. ult and in other places that God sent his Prophets rising up early This is spoken as the great love of God to them And then Consid II The second Foundation of the Ministry is Christs Death and Resurrection his Ascending into Heaven as Ephes 4.11 He gave some Apostles some Pastours and Teachers Oh then how ingratefull and wicked is the world which doth no more regard this love of God and purchase of Christ in the Ministry Hence by the Prophet God promiseth That he would give them Pastours after his own heart Jer. 3.4 Though he feed them with the bread of adversity and drave them into corners Isai 30.20 Hence when God threatens a people with his uttermost wrath it is to remove the Candlestick and to make the Vision cease and to make no Clouds to rain upon them How much would people complain under a drought and want of Rain if for many years together there should not be so much as a Cloud seen But the gracious heart would think the removing of Christs Ministers not onely the taking away of Clouds but of the Sun and Stars in Heaven Secondly God and Christ who are thus the cause of their Office hath appointed them their worke and endowed them with abilities thereunto Their imployment is to publish the Word of God which is two-fold 1. The Word of the Law to convince men of sinne to inform of duty to make them sensible of their undone and damnable estate they are in Thus they are first to be wise Phisicians to detect and discover the disease the danger and cause of it Then secondly There is the Word of the Gospel which are the glad tidings of Gods favour and Reconciliation with those that are humble and contrite before him This is to publish the acceptable year of Jubilee to such as were spiritually indebted and under the thraldome of Gods wrath This is a work in it self absolutely necessary for what doth a sinner more want then these two things the Law in it's use and the Gospel in it's use Men in their temporal necessities respect the Physicians the Lawyers but soul necessities are not apprehended And as the necessity of it is so cogent so the dignity and excellency is admirable As the Soul and Heaven do farre exceed all earthly things so doth this subject all other Consid III Therefore in the third place God and Christ do justly expect that the world should with all gladnesse and obedience receive these his Messengers For shall God purpose so great love and Christ at so dear a rate purchase such Officers and must not the world set open the doors to receive them Shall not they cry Blessed are the feet of such as bring the glad tidings of the Gospel Are they not to be affected as the Galatians once to Paul To pull out their very eyes to serve him Certainly if David did so celebrate Gods goodnesse in creating Heaven and Earth and appointing the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field for mans use much more ought we in this great matter of the Church Consid IV Yet in the fourth place Though so much love be in this Institution and God expects so much thankefulnesse and obedience because of it it may make us tremble to see how little entertainment their Office and work hath in the world We speak not in regard of their outward honour and esteem For as Paul saith so ought we pray men might do no evil though we be accounted as reprebates 2 Cor. ult but we complain of the unsuccessefulnesse of it in respect of the divine operations of it We take up our Saviours complaint That light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light John 3. Oh this is that which the Scripture doth so bitterly complain of Who hath believed our report and I told them the wonderfull or great and honourable things of my Law and they accounted them a strange thing Psal 119. This sad usage in the world made Paul cry out That they were the off-scouring of the world worse then the dust of the feet and were made a spectacle to the world and Angels 1 Cor. 4.9 Consid V Fifthly The Devil knowing the excellent end and use of this Office and worke doth by himself and all his instruments oppose it He rageth and the world rageth when this work is set up So that as when Christ sent his Disciples to preach he saw Satan fall like lightning Thus if it were in his power he would have Christ and his Officers be thrown down As they are to destroy his works and dispossess him so he labours to do to them It being thus thou that in the Ministry we may see Gods great love and mans great wickednesse Let us consider the cause why it should thus stirre up the wrath of men that they should be moved like so many hornets And First This work of the Ministry is contrary to the Nature and inclination of the world That as the Sunne is burdensome to the Owl and other night-birds and sweet smels to swinish creatures Thus is the glorious Gospel and the precious favour thereof abominable to corrupt men They can no more love godly and holy preaching then fire and water can agree therefore the more thy heart and tongue is set against it the more thou discoverest that hell which is in the bottome of thy heart Now the true preaching of the Word of God is contrary unto the world in these respects 1. The very nature and frame of their hearts admits not of Christs word till regenerated The old house must be pulled down even with the very foundation of it Thus Jam. 1. God is said to beget by his Word and our Saviour here Sanctifie them by thy truth Now this is directly contrary to mans nature to account all that he is and all that he doth damnable to judge every thing he hath done fit fuell for hell so as to have no comfort in any thing he hath
troublesome world that hereby they may be exercised and made stronger in their graces As God would not immediately put the Israelites into Canaan but did lead them into many dangers and assaulted them with many enemies that so their valour in themselves and their dependance upon God might be more discovered God will not train up his children idly no sooner doth he make them his but he lets the world and the devil loose upon them and why is all this but to draw out their graces to teach them all spiritual military Discipline as Ephes 6. they are to fight as the good souldiers of Christ and to put on the whole Armour of God because they wrestle not with flesh and blood onely but principalities and powers The world then is a field wherein spiritual battels are to be fought The Lord he is the Spectator and beholder of them Thus it is also compared to running a race where there is no time to be idle or sit still but to have thoughts and the whole heart upon the Crown they strive for Expect then exercises and occasions to draw out faith zeal and heavenly fortitude Thirdly God will not take us presently out of the world but leave us here comâ—ating with the reliques of corruption that so being humbled therein we may the more esteem Christ and his righteousnesse When we reade Rom. 7. of a Paul captivated by his lusts and miserably crying out What shall he do See how powerfully this driveth him to Christ I thank God through Jesus Christ It 's true in Heaven we shall give all glory and honour to Christ as that Mediator who hath brought us thither So that Christ shall never be forgotten no not to all eternity by the godly yet in Heaven that particular manner of Justification we have here on earth shall cease for now Rom 4. Justification is of the believer but a sinner and one that is not able to stand upon his own terms before God Therefore Christ is his righteousness and he desireth with Paul to be found in him Phil. 3. not having his own righteousness so then Gospel-righteousness and our evangelical Justification differs from that in Heaven which will be for inherent righteousnesse but it hath pleased God in this life to exalt imputed righteousnesse and to place the cause of all hope and joy without us Therefore that we might for a season be sensible of our unworthinesse and be groaning under our corruptions thereby to be longing after Christ to magnifie his love and all that he hath done for us it 's necessary we should be kept in this conflict here below for we are much affected by sense and experience when therefore every thing within us crieth out for a Christ and the grace of God through him when we feel our selves sinking and even dropping into hell This will make us importune for the favour of God as Christ was experimentally tempted that he might know how to have compassion on us so God will have us experimentally finde the bitterness and weight of sin that so we may the more love Christ who did bear Gods wrath for us Fourthly God will not take his people immediately out of the world that so his goodnesse mercy and providence his wisdome and faithfulnesse may be the more discovered to us In Heaven there the Church is at rest it 's out of all danger there are no waves no rocks So that the Wisdome and Providence of God in keeping his Church there is not at all discovered When the waters were dried up there was no necessity of an Ark for Noah The Lord therefore will have us in these dangers and temptations that so his care and love may be the more manifested yea the greater the dangers are the more is his faithfulnesse discovered In the Mount God will be seen Is it not an admirable thing to consider how God hath preserved a Church a people faithfully to serve him when hell and the world hath conspired to destroy them But God by this means hath been made known to the world The Artificers skill is seen about his metal when it is in the fire The Pilates art is manifested when his Ship is on rocks and waves and under many tempests Though the world be a place of our dangers and temptations yet it 's the glasse to represent the glorious Attributes of God and the effects thereof to his children where God is known not only by Adonai but by Jehovah even by every name Fifthly God will have his people to be in this world that so Heaven may be the more welcome that they may desire that eternall glory the more earnestly The labouring man that hath wrought hard is glad at night of his resting time The Scripture cals Heaven a rest Heb. 4. There remaineth a Rest for the people of God Oh how welcome will it be after all the troubles calamâ—ties and miseries thou hast been tossed with at last to have Rest Here in this life thou hast no Rest sinne troubleth thee the world troubles thee thy own heart troubleth thee but there remains a Rest And how happy must that be to thee We are Pilgrims and it 's their blessedness to get home at last God therefore will have thee lie under all kinde of conflicts spiritual and temporal he will create one exercise after another that thou mayest say We have no abiding place here Should all things be according to our carnal desires we would with the Reubenites take up on this side Canaan because the ground was pleasant and rich Never did those endangered passengers in Paul's Ship desire more to get to the haven out of all their dangers then we are out of all these troubles into Heaven Sixthly God will not immediately take us into Heaven because it 's fit that we who have served sinne in this world should serve God as much in this world Thy life hath been a reproach and a dishonour to him It 's fit it should bring glory to his Name Though it be thy loss to be kept from Heaven though every day be thy great hinderance yet for Gods glory thou art to deny thy self Remember thou hast given up thy self to serve sinne Remember how much service the devil hath had from thee so that if thou lovest Gods glory more then thy own thou art to be willing to spend thy self for him as thou hast done against him Seventhly God doth not remove His immediately out of the world because of the dependencies and relations that They have Children need their godly Father the wife her godly husband So that although it be better for them to be in Heaven yet not for theirs Indeed when they have finished their course then they are obedientially to resign as our Saviour said to his Disciples If ye loved me you would be glad Joh. 14.28 because I said I go to my Father So we all ought to rejoyce in that our friends are taken out of this world into glory but yet
so farre as their presence was comfortable and necessary to us we may grieve God would not have the old bird killed with her young ones and he that would have mercy shewed to the fowls of the air will much more shew it to his people It is true God in his wisdome many times takes his own children betimes out of the world even too soon for them we would think being in the prime of their service and too soon also for their children and dependents on them but therein God is even mercifull though for the present we do not perceive it For this you know God hath determined in mercy the time of our abode in this world Thou canst not follow me now said Christ to Peter but he should in his time John 13 3◠Lastly It 's not alwayes best to have the best good immediately but in it's time It 's true to be with the Lord to be freed from sinne is best in it self absolutely considered but then respectively if this and that be considered quoad hic nunc it 's not best God doth every thing beautifull in his season None could be more loved of the Father then Christ himself he came from the bosome of his Father yet till he had finished his course he is kept from him We say even the best and holiest thoughts or desires may come in unseasonably into our hearts and so not be best at that time As the childs duty is not to learn the best book at first but what he is most capable of Though Heaven and glory be best yet not at this time for thee partake of it So that when it 's best to go out of this world must be left to the wisdom of God But you will ask Is it never lawfull to pray unto God that he would take us out of the world May we not desire to die and to be freed from sin Are we not to pray that Christ would come To this I answer First It 's never lawfull to desire to go out of the world from impatiency or discontent because we have troubles and vexations in this world Thus Elijah sinned when he prayed to God to take away his life for this was through the discontent then upon him So Job when he breaketh forth into those dreadfull imprecations about himself expostulating with God Why life was continued to such who sought for death more then for hid treasures Look then to this that no impatient discontented thoughts make thee weary of this world Secondly Earnest desires to be with God and hearty affections for eternal glory are lawfull and a special duty Thus we are to pray Gods kingdom may come and thus the Saints are said to long for and hasten to the coming of Christ 2 Pet. 3.12 Thus if we speak abstractedly take the thing in it self Our hearts ought to be so heavenly that we are to be as pilgrims here longing for heaven our rest Thirdly It 's never lawfull absolutely and peremptorily to desire of God that he would take us out of this world though our hearts be heavenly but with submission and resignation If Lord I have done my work I have finished my course as we see Christ in this Chapter I have done the work thou gavest me to do therefore glorifie me Austin expresseth this disposition well when he said O Lord if I be yet necessary to my people I do not refuse to live not refuse because in another place he saith Some godly men have need of patience to live as others to die It must be alwayes therefore conditionally If you object Many Martyrs for I mention not those Circumcelliones that would force men to kill them hereby glorying in a contempt of death who willingly offered themselves to the persecutors when none accused them To this some say They were some Hereticks that did so not the true Christians But yet Histories record it of true Christians and then that was an extraordinary spirit in them which as we cannot condemn so neither must we imitate we must live by precepts not examples no not of holy men Vse Do not thou break out into impatient discontents about any exercise or temptation thou art afflicted with say not Why doth not God remove it from me or me from it Consider this in the Text I pray not thou shouldst take them out of the world What did Christ say when Peter drew out his sword Could not I pray for legions of Angels and the Father would send them to help me but the Scripture must be fulfilled So do thou say God could deliver me from all these troubles he hath thousands of ways to put me into rest but I open not my mouth because thou Lord dost it Indeed if they should never be taken out of this world if thy troubles were eternal as the torments of the damned in hell thou mayest justly cry out in the horrour of thy soul But God hath put a period he hath set his time for thy being in this world when thou art ripe thou shalt be cut down and carried into Gods barn When thy service is done then God will call thee to glory SERMON LXXXVI That it is a greater Mercy to be kept from Sinne and all Evil in our Afflictions and Troubles then from the Afflictions themselves JOH 17.15 But that thou shouldst keep them out of the Evil. THis is the positive part of Christs Explication of himself in his Petition for his Disciples viz. to keep them from the evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes this is applied to the thing or matter which is evil as in the Lords Praier Mat. 6.13 Deliver us from evil 2. To Persons Thus often in the Scripture Mat. 12.45 So it shall be to that wicked generation in that day Sometimes it 's applied to the devil as the Original of all wickednesse who also tempts to it So Matth. 13.19 Then comes the wicked one 1 Joh. 2.13 Ye have overcome the evil one Now there are some who limit this to the devil keep them from the devil because it is with the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but that is not necessary as appeareth Matth. 5.37 Whatsoever is more then this cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Mat. 5.49 Resist not evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that cannot be the devil for we are commanded to resist him but we may take the word generally both for sinne and the devil and sinful persons That the sence may be thus Though I pray not that thou should keep them free from all evil and afflictions yet I pray that they may be preserved from sinne thereby that whatsoever may befall them yet they may not sinne and here we see also that it's Gods gift to keep men in their afflictions that they sin not Otherwise they would undo themselves and through many tribulations they would go not into the Kingdom of Heaven but of hell from misery here to misery hereafter Obs That it 's a greater mercy to
of the world not to think it strange if there are some who dare not run into the same excesse of Riot with them Do not complain of their rigidnesse and singularity that they have no good fellowship with them and so are not fit to live in the world How can two walk together except they be agreed vnlesse there were the same natures the same principles never think there can be the same hearts yea do thou by them be admonished and hasten out of this world by an heavenly change upon thee It 's no staying in this Sodom in this Babylon SERMON LXXXIX Of growth in Grace shewing that and how many wayes a Godly man may be more sanctified JOHN 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth HItherto our Saviour hath pray'd for the preservation of his Disciples in this world from the evil thereof We now proceed to the second main general part of his Petition which is their Sanctification So that in this verse we are to take notice of the Matter it self prayed for Sanctifie 2. The Subject Them 3. The Instrumental cause Through thy truth 4. The Description or Explication of this Thy Word is Truth We will conjoyn the Matter prayed for and the Subject together Sanctifie them The word to sanctifie is of a large signification in the Scripture but to our purpose here are two principal ones First To sanctifie is often to consecrate and set apart to an holy use and thus many expound it that our Saviour doth by this prayer commend them unto God in their Ministerial labour That as the Priests of old were sanctified by many external Rites so are the Disciples in a spiritual manner by Christ at this time and this appeareth probable by the verse following As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world This therefore is part of the meaning but I shall referre the considering of that notion to the next verse The second general and frequent use of the word is to make inwardly holy by renewing all the parts and abilities of the soul to walk in an holy manner and in this sense it is partly to be taken here because the Word of God is the instrumental cause of it And if you ask How could Christ pray for the sanctification of his Disciples who were already sanctified To this the Answer is easie That he prayeth for the continuance of and increase in sanctification That they may be more and more increasing in holinesse for no man is come so farre that he cannot go further he is not at the utmost of holinesse Hence we see the Scripture speaking of or supposing persons already godly doth yet exhort and command Sanctification still 1 Thess 5 23. I pray God sanctifie you wholly and preserve your whole spirit soul and body blamelesse Here those that are already sanctified yet are prayed for to have a further degree and deeper rooting of Sanctification So Ephes 4.23 24. There he writeth to such as are already converted That they be renewed in the spirit of their minde and that they put on the new man yea to these Disciples our Saviour speaketh Matth. 18.3 Except ye be converted c. By this you see That even those who are sanctified or converted may be more sanctified and converted more closely to God For although it be true That if Sanctification be strictly taken for the same with Regeneration then it 's the infusion of a supernaturall life at once So that as a man is born but once naturally so we may say he is regenerated and sanctified but once yet take it more largely for the improving and increasing of grace thus put into us then we are to be more converted and more sanctified daily and in this respect Sanctification is said to differ from Justification because the former doth admit of degrees and is more or lesse but so is not Justification Observ That whereas the Disciples though already sanctified and made holy yet are prayed for that they may be more sanctified We may gather That the most holy men that are are yet to be more holy It 's not enough to be once called or converted but we are to grow in grace As it is not enough for a childe to be borne but he must grow up to be a man Thus Revel 22.11 He that is holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be holy still and 1 Cor. 7.1 Perfecting holinesse This is a very necessary point for our Saviour John 15. saith He chooseth us that we may bring forth more fruit Doest thou increase in thy faith in thy heavenly-mindednesse in thy zeal Thou canst blesse God when thou findest thy health and bodily strength better when thou findest thy estate increase and why then art thou not more desirous and rejoycing to see thy heart grow better to see thy soul more sanctified And indeed concerning the former things our Saviour saith Which of you by taking care can adde one cubit to his stature But here by fervent and constant prayers we may adde many cubits But to open this Doctrine Let us consider How many waies a godly man may be more sanctified and that is seen in several particulars First He may be more sanctified intensively by adding more and more degrees to the grace he hath received Our Love our Faith our Patience even all our Graces are capable of augmentation It 's not with us as with Christ who received the Spirit without measure so that Christ could not be more holy then he was he could not do any thing more obedientially to God then he did nor love God more then he did but we may all cry out with that man Lord I believe help my unbelief Lord I love help my want of love Therefore James 1.4 we are exhorted to let patience have her perfect work Even as Apelles upon all his Pictures would write Faciebat non fecit because he would still be perfecting it thus are we to all our graces Hence are those daily exhortations To grow in Grace Even a Paul even the tallest Gyants are to grow in Grace Paul saith He knoweth but in part 1 Cor. 13. and then he can but love in part and believe in part Oh then this is of great concernment to think that thy best graces may yet be made farre better Thy Grace is nothing to a Pauls and a Pauls is nothing to the Law or the Rule Look to it then and be as desirous to grow in Grace as ever thou wert to get into the state of Grace Secondly We may be more sanctified extensively in regard of the Objects about which our Graces are to be exercised and in respect of our Relations 1. There is an extension in respect of our Objects of Grace As we are bound to do better then we doe so to do more then we doe What godly man is there that can say he hath done all things God required
Art thou not guilty of many omissions of duties Thou hast not reproved mourned prayed for others Thou hast not done that spirituall and temporall good thou shouldst Paul excused the Philippians that they would have done good but they wanted an opportunity Phil. 4.16 But how many times have we an opportunity and we want hearts John could write to that pious Gaius his Host 3 John vers 2. to wish that his body may be in health even as his soul prospered What a glorious commendation was this It was better with his soule then his outward man Now wee cannot say thus of our selves because we are not diligent and industrious to doe more then we doe Certainly every godly man may be astonished when he shall consider how broad the Commandements of God are and how narrow his heart is growne in doing more then thou hast done 2. Thou mayest be sanctified extensively by the Relations that thou doest take upon thee when made an Husband a Wife a Minister a Magistrate here thy holinesse is to extend further God requireth more of thee and that godlinesse which would have served thee before will not now While the Apostles were private men they needed not that Sanctification which they were to have as Apostles Hence we see the Apostle diligently in his Epistles informing Husbands Wives Children and Servants of what they have to doe And certainly the grace of our Relations is an excellent evidence of our holinesse in the main If the Heathen could say He was not Bonus vir that was not Bonus civis not a good man that was not a good Citizen So may we say He is not a good Christian that is not a good Minister a good Magistrate a good Husband a good Servant The Apostle bids Archippus fulfill his Ministry And thus Ministers are exhorted to look to the flock over which God hath set them Oh then see if thou mayest not be greatly sanctified in thy Relations if they may not be filled with more Wisdome Patience and exemplarity of Conversation Alexander wept because there was no more Worlds he wanted work But to be sure thou hast more then ever thou canst turn unto Every Relation requires a new grace or a new exercise of grace So that here is no time for thee to sit down or to be still as if all thy enemies were conquered Thirdly We may be more sanctified in the deeper radication of Grace in our hearts It 's a Philosophicall Dispute Whether accidents are intensed by addition of degrees or a deeper radication of them in the subject We may conclude That grace in the heart is both wayes improved and for the rooting of it in the soul This is so great a matter that the temporary believer is in this respect as well as others mainly differenced from the true believer Though they had some root yet they had not root enough and the unwise builder did not dig deep enough for this therefore the Apostle prayeth even in reference to such as were already rooted in Christ that they may be more rooted Colos 2.7 Rooted and built up in him And to this purpose are all those Exhortations of being stedfast and immoveable of being strengthened stablished settled 1 Pet. 5 10. as there the Apostle prayeth remrkably There is no man hath laid so sure a foundatinn but he may make it more sure No man is so established but he may be more established Is it not a terrible thing to see the fall of many Cedars in Lebanon of many Starres from Heaven And why is all this They were never established deep enough they never took more root downwards like unwise builders they attended to make a glorious upper-room and stairs in the house but mattered not the foundation and certainly though the childe of God even of the lowest form be so farre rooted that he shall never fall away yet this establishment and stedfastness of his is not by his own power and strength it 's God that keeps him neither is it continued but in the constant daily exercise of holy means Oh then every day be indeavouring after this Lord grace is not rooted in me enough it 's too superficiall Oh that I could say I no longer live but Christ within me Oh that it were like leaven diffusing it's power over me the Promise is Jer. 31. I will write my Law in thine inwards parts in the midst of them So that grace shall be habituated in thee and sink as deep as ever original sin did in thee Fourthly We may be more sanctified Subjectively that is every part of the soul may be more throughly sanctified every day as in that place 1 Thess 5.23 Hence to the converted Ephesians the Apostle exhorts as you heard both a further renovation of the minde and of the will and affections Ephes 4.23 24. In the mind How greatly may we be more sanctified have more illumination more heavenly knowledge of God and Christ Thou art to grow in knowledge more and more Paul was once like a childe but he became a man The Apostle Heb. 6. doth severely reprove those that continued babes and were not carried on to further perfection It 's both a shame and a sinne that thou hast yet no more knowledge and heavenly understanding by the Ministry thou hast enjoyed so many years Again the minde is to be more sanctified by a more firm and solid faith the Apostle then directs That they should be stedfast and sound in the faith not tossed up and down with every winde of doctrine Their increase of faith may be both in the Objects believed though for the things necessary to salvation the knowledge of them by the Spirit of God is promised to every believer yet there the superstructions in Religion which according to the means we enjoy we are to believe Therefore the Apostle 1 Thess 3.10 sheweth his earnest prayer to come to the Thessalonians that he might perfect what was lacking in their faith which could not be meant in regard of foundations but superstructures not essentials but additionals Thus they are to grow in the doctrine of believing but then in the manner of believing that is the proper way for all to grow To believe more certainly more firmly more practically Therefore though the fundamentals of Religion cannot be augmented No necessary truth to salvation can be revealed which was not known before yet it may be more strongly and clearly believed And this is the end of all Authors that write against Heretiques of all sorts not to bring a new Religion into the world or new Articles of Faith but to cause a more clear and firm assent to those things which the subtilty of Heretiques had obscured Further Their mindes are to be more sanctified by holy thoughts heavenly-Meditation For what godly man doth not perceive vain thoughts creeping into his soul as the Froggs did into Pharaoh's Chamber whether he will or no and as for a fixed heavenly-Meditation it 's an
Spirit of God Subjectively preparing and fitting a man by it So that as to an Archer there are two things that are necessary The Mark to aim at and an Eye to see What could an Archer do without Eyes Thus it is with us in all our Actions The Scripture that is the Mark and therefore Sinne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it misseth of the Mark and then the Spirit of God that must give the Eye Light and Wisedome unto the Understanding The Scripture then is Truth because by it Gods Spirit doth direct and leade us into all Truth Now there is a three-fold Truth that we cannot attain unto without the Scripture 1. True Doctrine 2. True Piety and godlinesse 3. True Consolation and Comfort The want of the first Truth causeth Errour and Heresie The want of the second Hypocrisie and prophanesse The want of the third Distrust and Despair and happy is that man who hath this three-fold Truth and indeed one begets the other True doctrine begets true Godlinesse and true Godlinesse true Consolation For the first Only by this Truth are we guided into true Doctrine whatsoever is brought in contrary or beside this though he were an Angel he is to be accursed Galat. 1. This is the Rule and so what is not according to this must be oblique and crooked Therefore never expect Truth from that man who is not diligent in the Scriptures the Rule of Truth This hath been the Cause why most Heretiques have either accused or despised the Authority of the Scriptures because they know that this Sunne and their darknesse could not consist together They saw their Doctrines and the Scripture could no more stand by each other then the Ark and Dagon Therefore they would rather fall out with Scripture then with their own Opinions as if their own hearts and Consciences were more infallible then the Bible and as if they were not to be made conformable unto the Scripture but the Scripture to them 2. Only by the Scripture do we come to true Piety and Godlinesse You see in this Text Sanctification is by the Truth and James 1.18 God doth beget us by the Word of Truth and many times David doth commend the Word of God for this Effect that it forwarneth man of Sinne That it giveth the Simple Vnderstanding and that even young men may be cleansed from their lusts by taking heed to Gods Word Psalm 119. We see by these Texts that there is no Regeneration or true Reformation but what is wrought by and through the Scripture Therefore Conversion is called the writing of Gods Law in a mans heart So that this makes it clear that though many Heretiques may live civil and externally Religious Lives yet they have no true Godlinesse for false Doctrine begets false Piety when there is falsum in Intellectu that must necessarily produce malum in voluntate And the Reason is plain because Godlinesse is nothing but Truth incorporated Truth digested Truth put into practise It is Gods Law in the heart as you heard Hence as Poison can never nourish a man or afford good Health So neither can any false Doctrine help to any true Piety or Holinesse Men may have seeming Devotions but as the Serpent though it shines and glisters yet is full of inward Poison so whatsoever external Acts of Piety Zeal and Charity Hereticall men may put forth yet by them they cannot be Sanctified if their Errours be Fundamental It was Jeromes Speech Rarò Hereticus fuit pudicus and Vbi malè creditur ibi nec benè vivitur but that is not to be alwaies understood of their External Conversation for many Heretiques have been admirable in their Externals They have had a Sheeps-cloathing upon them and like the Panther have allured others because of their colour till they had devoured them Know thy Errour will make thee more proud loose and it may be at last outwardly prophane and contemning of Integrity for God will not blesse any thing that is not of his own Institution to spiritual Ends. 3. Only by the Scriptures come true Consolations So the Apostle Through the Consolation of the Scriptures 2 Corin. 1. No man hath true solid Joy but the true Orthodox Godly man It is true that as the devil may transform himself into an Angel of Light of Truth So also of Consolation and many Erroneous persons in their way have a great deal of comfort and joy yea they have said they never had so much peace and case as since they have taken up such waies but as their Piety was a counterfeit one so is their joy The holy Ghost that leads into Truth and is the Authour of Sanctification makes such only to rejoyce in him and gives them this Fruit of the Spirit 6. The Scripture is said to be true oppositely to all the Opinions Doctrines and Religions which men set up by their own fancy For every man is said to be a Liar and the Antichristian Doctrines which many are delivered up to beleeve are called a lye by the Apostle 2 Thes 2.11 Turcisme Paganisme is a lye Popery Heresie are Lyes Though they may be never so much pleasing to flesh and bloud Though men carried by humane Arguments may dote on them as they did about Diana's Temple yet all is a lye yea in practicall things whatsoever seduceth thee to do otherwise then Gods Word commandeth this is false Sinne lieth the world lieth the devil lyeth for all that they do is contrary to Gods Word That saith What will it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his soul Mar. 8 36. That saith the pleasures of sinne are but for a season Luk 13.3 Now thou wilt not beleeve this Truth but thou hearkenest to the world to thy own heart and all these betray thee and lye to thee Therefore let the Vse be to perswade and assure thy self of Scripture-Truths walk and live according to the directions thereof SERMON XCIII The transcendent Properties of the Scripture JOHN 17.17 Thy Word is Truth IN what sense the word of God is said to be truth we have declared Let us now come to the Properties of it And 1. It 's the truth of God a divine truth In the Text it 's called thy truth So that Divine Truth must needs transcend Humane or Natural Truths as much as God is above man In humane Authorities we say Thus saith Aristotle Thus saith Plato or thus say such Fathers and Councels but in divine things we must say Thus saith the Lord for because it 's divine or of God it hath an immediate dominion and awe upon the conscience So that whereas in humane Authorities and Philosophical Disputes we may boldly argue against them we may bring our videtur quod sic and quod non yet where truth comes to us as from God there must be an immediate submission though our reason and sense and all the world should contradict yet we must
be thought too much above Reason if they be thought too strict or precise to contrary to flesh and bloud blame not us It 's not our truth we did not make the Bible It 's not our Scripture Thirdly Truth is necessary to them if you do regard the Effects of the Ministry or the Ends why God hath appointed it and certainly the Sunne may as well be without Light and Heat as the Ministers of the Gospel be without Truth One main effect is Conversion and Regeneration to make men reform their lives upon just and holy Grounds This can never be without Truth James cap. 1. He hath begotten us by the Word of Truth Lyes and false Doctrines can no more convert then dirt can make clean then darknesse can give Light An erroneous or heretical Minister may pervert many but not convert he may subvert the Souls of thousands he may glory in this and rejoyce in the multitude of Disciples but all this while they are sent of the devil and they do his work destroy souls The Ministers of God are like publique Springs if they be performed instead of refreshing they kill instead of giving the bread of life they give stones and serpents 2. Another Effect of the Ministry is to promote the work of grace begun It 's to water where any Seed is sown as Ephes 4.11 to bring us to a full stature in Christ Now a Minister without Truth can no more help forward the growth of the Godly then a dead Mother can nurse her Childe We encrease in grace by the same way we are converted and therefore they who think by an erroneous Ministry to advance their Heavenly Life do as if an hungry man should get up to an high Hill and think by swallowing down the winde to live and grow stronger A Third Effect of the Ministry is to direct and guide the tempted and troubled Soul to speak a word in season to him But now a Minister without Truth is like a Physician without skill Come to the diseased wounded Soul that lieth under this doubt and that Case of Conscience he knoweth not how to direct him yea such do more trouble the godly as God complaineth of the False Prophets Eze. 13.22 they made sad the heart of the Righteous whom God would not have made sad 4. A great Effect of the Ministry is to prevent Errors and false Doctrines at appeareth Eph. 4. That we henceforth be not led aside with every winde of doctrine Men destitute of solid grace are as apt to be carried away with errours as chaff with the winde A sound Ministry is appointed to reprove these as the Sun is to dispell darknesse but if the Minister be seduced himself by errour how can he leade others into the Truth Will not our Saviours Proverb be made good the blinde leade the blinde and both fall into the ditch Thus you see the necessity of Truth In the next place there must be Thummim as well as the Vrim There must be burning as well as a shining light as John Baptist was and holinesse of life is required of the Minister 1. For his own sake his condemnation will be the greater for he sinneth against greater light and knowledge he knoweth his masters will he sinneth against a peculiar engagement because he is bound to draw nigh to God Oh the confusion that will be when he hath preached to others he himself to become a Castaway Attend to thy self and to thy doctrine to life 1 Tim. 4.16 as well as studies Suth are like the water in baptism that after it hath been in a Sacramentall way is thrown into the kennel No condemnation like theirs they are from the pinacle of the Temple thrown headlong into hell 2. In respect of others For a godly life is a Testimony to confirm the Truth we preach when we preach there is a God there is a day of judgement and live accordingly this confirmeth to all that we our selves beleeve it to be a Truth an holy life is like a miracle to confirm our doctrine As the Apostles were endowed with Miracles to establish the Truth they preached they could cast out devils tread upon Serpents and take no hurt if they did eat any deadly thing Thus it is a wonderfull thing to confirm the Truths we preach when though we live in the temptations of sinne and tread upon Serpents yet acquire no spiritual hurt to our souls 3 Our holy life will awe and keep in fear the Consciences of wicked men Not only powerful and sound preaching but consciencious and unblamable living will awe mens Consciences Why did Herod fear and reverence John Baptist though he was a King but because he was a just and a holy man Mark 6.20 Thy godly mouth will stop their mouths and convince their consciences Lastly The necessity of it doth appear by the devils polecy who hath alwaies stirred up Instruments to traduce their lives to lay such things to their charges as they were never guilty of and why because if that be once received that they are wicked hypocrites they can never do any good Christs life was traduced that he was a friend to sinners that he kept company with Publicans You see they quarrelled even at his life Athanasius was traduced for an Adulterer by the Arians and this hath alwaies been the custome of the devil and his Instruments to throw so much dirt and mire upon the godly Ministers of Christ that men have not known what they are I could tell you what the Papists say about Luther and Calvin that you might think they were the vilest Monsters that lived and this is because a godly life is a great conviction in the world and aweth even the Enemies Conscience Vse of Instruction What is the duty of people even to follow Christ In this Praier he being to send out his Apostles this he desireth as a chief thing Truth and Godlinesse a sound minde and a godly heart and the Apostles thought this to be of so great a consequence that when Ministers were ordained and set apart to the work They spent that day in fasting and praiers You cannot discover wicked and ungodly men better then in this they care not what a Ministry they live under or whether they have any at all The more erroneous the more prophane and loose he is they like him the better Is this to pray as Christ did for thy Sanctification God makes it a great judgement when he removeth faithful and wise Pastors and sendeth foolish and wicked men in their rooms 2. Where God doth settle a Ministry rightly qualified prize it for the works sake See whether the Ministry hath been a converting instructing and edifying Ministry to thee Fear lest thou lie under a spiritual Curse or some Soul-judgements that so no preaching can do thee any good A second doctrine observable from the Coherence of the Apostles mission with Christs Petition is That Christ hath a peculiar love and special care
within my heart Psal 40.8 So that though the work was bitter to the humane nature which appeared in those prayers he poured forth with so much agony If it be possible let this Cup pass away yet he offers himself with all willingness to do this work Oh no wonder if this dispensation be called a mystery not only in respect of the revelation of it but also because of the incomprehensibleness of it we are never able to comprehend this length and breadth and depth of love which is in Christ Jesus Eighthly We may consider of a two-fold Office Christ was sent to which yet cannot be well distinguished because one is contained in the other 1. There is the Office of a Mediator whereby he was sent to be a Saviour of his people from their sins and this is the sending the Scripture so much speaks of But 2. There is a sending as a Prophet to teach and guide his Church and of this kinde of sending the text speaks for we may not think that this is the meaning that as the Father sent Christ to redeem the world and purge it from it's iniquities so the Apostles were also sent to be Redeemers and Saviours but as Christ was to be the great Prophet whom the Father would send to be a light to the world so he did appoint the Apostles as subordinate lights to take away the ignorance and prophaneness that was in it Christ then is sent as the great Doctor and Teacher of his Church who doth not only externally teach but internally by giving a seeing eye and an understanding heart These things are implied in Christs Mission now let us consider the Properties of it And first Take notice of the necessity of it Had not the Father sent his Son into the world there had been no difference between the damned Angels and mankinde The world had been an hell though the world had many Platoes and Aristotles many Alexanders and Caesars yet all this is nothing if Christ had not been sent into the world Oh then look upon this as the foundation of all truth and consolation Christ is sent into the world We could not have had a drop of comfort any more then Dives in hell a drop of water had not Christ been sent into the world 2. The mercy grace and goodness of God that it was his only begotten Sonne he sent He sent Prophets and he sent divers Messengers but never was such mercy as when he sent his Son Heb. 1. The very Angels though the benefit of his sending did not directly belong to them yet for this they sing Glory be to God on high on earth peace and good-will towards men Though God is good in giving food and raiment in creating the world for us yet all come short of sending his Sonne to us 3. Christs Mission is the original and root of all the Church Mission that is As the Father hath sent me so I have sent you So that Christ being sent is thereby made the head of his Church all Church-power is seated in him as the original and therefore all the Missions of Church-officers now is reduced to this as the fountain of all Therefore they are the Ministers of Christ the Embassadours of Christ they administer all things in his Name and every thing is done by his Authority It 's disputed in Politiques In whom all civil power is immediately and originally seated whether in the people or no or in the supream Officers But here in Divinity about Church-power the Scripture doth easily resolve it Mat. 28.18 19 20. All power is given me in heaven and in earth Therefore he appoints Officers and Ordinances in his Church and so the Ministers of God have their Church-power from Christ Though the people may choose and design the man and Church-officers put him into the Office yet the Office and Power it self is of Christ 4. Take notice of the compleatness and perfection of this Mission Heb. 1.1 God who at sundry times spake by his Prophets and by several wâ—yes doth now speak only by his Son So that since Christs mission we are not now to expect any other extraordinary missions Christ he came as the fulness of all and as he said That all those who went before him were thieves and robbers viz. who pretended to be the Christ and did not come in his Name so all those are that shall come after which come not in his Name What a sad judgement are the Jews once the people of God delivered up unto that look still for a Messias to be sent and so have a veil upon their eyes and their hearts 5. Consider the seasonableness of the time when he was sent Gal. 4.4 It s called the fulness of the time When the Church of the Jews was become like a wilderness or a dunghill when all the former Prophets were forgotten when there was an universal blackness upon the Church then Christ was sent Even as Moses was sent to the people of Israel when their oppression was doubled God sent Christ seasonably Lastly Consider the manner of his sending it was in an humble low and contemptible way in the eyes of the world none took him to be the Messias to be the light of the world Though he was sent how few did believe in him because of the outward meannes in his way And some think the Prophet alludeth to this Isa 8.6 They refuse the waters of Shiloah that go softly They neglected Christ and looked to external power and glory Vse 1. Is Christ sent by the Father then take heed how you refuse him The Apostle aggravateth this Heb. 10.28 We may refuse men for their errours their falsities We may pretend many excuses but how can you reject Christ still speaking by his Word to you SERMON XCVI Of the Publike Office of the Ministry Some Distinctions concerning it And the Necessity of a lawfull Call thereunto Also shewing wherein private Christians should exercise their Gifts both ordinarily and in extraordinary Cases JOH 17.18 As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I sent them also into the world WE have handled Christs Mission and the matter imported in that Expression We come now to the Apostles Mission wherein there is considerable 1. Their Office under this notion of sending 2. The Person sending I have sent them 3. The Subjects Them 4. The Term of their Mission Into the world 5. The Pattern As the Father hath sent me They have the same common vocation Every particular will afford its proper usefulnesse And 1. Let us begin with their Office It 's called a sending This doth imply that they did not intrude themselves into it They did not usurp upon the Office but they were called and lawfully authorized thereunto It had been sinful presumption in any of the Apostles to undertake that Office till Christ gave them this Commission There is no difficulty in the words only it 's questioned why our Saviour speaks in the
acquit the guilty that will render to every one according to his works Oh saith the poor sinner at this I tremble under this I bow down but now by Christs Priestly-office justice is made on our side not only grace is for us but justice also now our very enemy once doth speak for us Justice I am satisfied I can require no more then justice would be unjust if it should require the paiment of the same debt twice This is ingraffed in mans heart to make a satisfaction and compensation to God but that was altogether vain which man did attempt to do therefore Christ came to satisfie for all 2. Herein Christs Priestly-office did exceed those Priests in the Law That they were only typical and did outwardly cleanse but they did not reach to the soul neither would they effect any immediate advantages upon it The Apostle diligently presseth this in his Epistle to the Hebrews and in his Epistle to the Galatians is severe against those who rested upon those external Sacrifices or any works of the Law neglecting Christ and this truth belongs to Christians also for the blood of Christ is not esteem'd we think Baptisme will clear us our tears for sinne or duties will compensate Thus Christ is not in our thoughts and in our hearts Therefore whosoever doth not in every prayer in every duty look to the blood of Christ to cleanse him he forgets this truth that Christ sanctified himself for us we walk as if our duties or Sacraments or Ordinances were sanctified to be our Mediatours It 's the blood of Christ only that cleanseth away our sins and that purifieth our persons and consciences 3. This Priestly-office of Christ is not only in the oblation of his body but also in his prayers for us Thus the Priest did in the Law so that his prayers had more in them then any private man it being a prayer by one authorized and appointed thereunto Christ in this also is our High priest his prayers were of two sorts 1. Those that he prayed for while here on the earth whereof this described in the Chapter is a chief one and the other is that Intercession which he still makes in heaven for us they differ in the manner of petitioning for those on earth were with great cries and groans debasing himself but this in heaven is nothing but the presentation of his will that what he had pray'd for and obtained for his people should be applied to them Now Christs prayer is infinitely above the High priests prayers for this is the prayer of him who is God as well as man it 's of him who is the beloved Son of the Father so that nothing can be in justice denied to Christs prayer because it 's a meriting and an obliging prayer 2. It transcends in love because Christ is so dear unto the Father What shall we say to these things that are so unspeakably happy for the members of Christ 4. Consider the adjuncts of this Priestly-office He is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech In Gen. 14. we reade of Abrahams tything unto Melchisedech the tythes of his spoil who is there called The Priest of the most high God It would be endless to tell you what the learned think about this Melchisedech as also to discuss all the difficulties about him It 's enough for us that the Psalmist Ps 110. prophesied of this long ago and the Apostle applieth it to Christ Heb. 7. Now to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech doth imply 1. The conjoyning of a Kingly power to the Priesthood In the Old Testament God had separated the Kingly and Priestly Office none might undertake both and therefore when Vzziah though a King took upon him to offer Incense which was the Priests Office God struck him with a leprosie and the Priests withstood him but in this Melchisedech they were both joyned together Christs being then a Priest after the order of Melchisedech doth imply that by vertue of his Priestly office he did attain to a Kingly and therefore the Scripture speaks of that glorious condition he was exalted unto after his sufferings even to be above all Kings and Potentates and therefore it was providential that this Melchisedech though a Priest should have such a name as to be a King of righteousnesse and a King of peace and truly had Christ only sanctified himself to be a Priest for us without this Kingly office we should still be under the power of our lusts and dominion of our sins and should have wanted a spiritual Prince of Glory against that prince of darkness It 's a Kingly Priesthood so that there is not only religion but power accompanying him 2. This implieth the spirituality of his Priesthood for Melchisedech though a Priest yet brought only bread and wine by way of refreshment to Abraham It 's a wonder to see how men of great learning and parts would finde out a real Sacrifice in that fact of Melchisedechs but it is easily proved that Christ after that bodily oblation of himself hath now appointed no other Sacrifices but spiritual There is now nothing bodily or carnal in the Sacraments It 's sursum corda and we are to prepare faith not our teeth for the Sacrament The Priestly-office of old was in a carnal bodily way suitable to all the other religious exercises But now the external way of Christ is spiritual we are to offer spiritual Sacrifices and our prayers are spiritual Sacrifices 3. There is implied the perpetuity of it Melchisedech was a Priest for ever There is no abolition or translation of this Office no Successour to it therefore Christ doth abide for ever That once oblation of himself perfected for ever those that were his So that if he had offered up himself an hundred times more it could not have been more effectual then this once oblation 4. This Priestly-office was confirmed by an Oath God swore to the perpetuity of it The Apostle doth greatly aggravate this Heb. 7.21 That God did not onely promise but confirm it with an Oath Every word of God is as sure as an oath can be but this was done to establish our faith for it 's the hardest thing in the world to a troubled soul for sinne to believe that Christ hath made such an attonement or to believe such a reconciliation therefore God did not only promise it but swore to it Vse To fill the heart of those that do truly believe with unspeakable joy Christ sanctified himself to bring about thy peace Here is oyl enough if thou bring cruises to receive it Is it not sinne in the power of it and the guilt of it that troubleth thee Doth not that raise a great gulph between God and thee Behold Christ hath sanctified himself that sinne should be as if it never had been This is the Paschal Lamb that you are not to eat boiled or raw but rosted with fire not with waterish empty speculations but
for our comfort that every believer though yet unborn was in Christs purpose and intention when he laid down his life as if they had been existent in the land of the living In the sixth place By this intention of Christ in his prayer and death it will inevitably and immutably be brought about that they shall in time be converted they shall believe and be brought into communion and fellowship with Christ For seeing as we have heard Christ could not but be heard in what he prayed for and the Father alwayes granted his Petition therefore it cannot be but that all those who are given to Christ shall one time or other be wrought upon by the Word Thus it 's said They believed Act. 13.48 as many as were ordained to eternal life and the Apostles were to go and preach in such places because God had much people there Act. 18. and Rom. 9. the Apostle doth fully shew That Election is the cause of all mercies vouchsafed in time and those who were not elected they were hardened and given up to a spirit of slumber Oh then the admirable love of God to those that are his there shall not be one of them but the Word of grace will finde them out They that were not his people shall be made his people Joh. 10. I have other sheep saith Christ that are not of this fold and those he will bring home Hence Rom. 8. we have that golden Chain which all the Arminian subtilties can never dissolve Whom he hath predestinated he hath called and whom he hath called he hath justified and those he hath justified he hath glorified To expound calling only of vocation to afflictions and to the cross and Justification only of the vindicating of their persons and cause against the calumnies of the world is too dilute and repugnant to the scope of the Apostle in that place we may then absolutely conclude of the conversion and believing of such who belong to Christ and that the Word preached will sometimes or other be effectual upon them In the last place It 's plain from hence That Gods Election and so Christs dying for us is not conditional or upon the supposition of our believing but our belief is the true and genuine effect of Election and Christs death For whereas Christ here prayeth for those who shall believe The Question may be Whether this belief be supposed as a Condition Antecedent to Election and Christs death or as an absolute Effect of both so that Christ doth not only pray for believers but also that they may be believers There is a great Controversie between Arminians and the Orthodox for they say God elected some such persons to eternal life indeed and gave them to Christ as a Mediatour but it was upon a supposition and fore-sight that they would believe and persevere in that faith to the end But the Orthodox do more consonantly to the Scripture and to the greater exaltation of Gods grace and magnifying of Christ affirm That God by one single act of the same time did elect a man both to grace and glory both to salvation and faith So that God did not elect us because he foresaw we would believe but he did elect us to believe as well as to salvation So that faith is not a condition but the effect and fruit of our Election This is a necessary truth to be proved and therefore the next day it is to be considered for the present I take it for granted That those who shall believe are such not who by their own power shall either believe or dispose themselves to it but who by the grace of God shall be inabled thereunto For the present consider the aggravation of this love of God in Christ to us before we had a being And 1. There is remarkable freenesse in it of grace if positively and absolutely considered For what could there be in us to move God to this mercy when we could not think or cry or pray or do any thing for our good even then God set his love upon us It was nothing in us seeing we were in the womb of nothing 2. This freeness is aggravated if comparatively considered for it 's the grace of God that makes some to believe and leaveth others in their natural corruption The Apostle considered this discriminating love of God to Jacob and Esau Rom. 9. before they had done either good or evil Oh then sit and admire the depth of grace the unsearchable riches of grace for what art thou to so many learned and noble men in the world to so many of thy own kindred and family that God hath past by yet took compassion on thee Didst thou not lie equally in the same mass of corruption and bondage to all sin 3. There is the Eternity of this love it was before the beginning of the world So that we cannot imagine any moment of time wherein Gods thoughts were not upon thee Lastly The unchangeablenesse of this love for the Councels of God and his purpose are immutable There is no change or shadow of change in him and therefore if once loved alwayes loved he predestinated thee before the world called thee out of the world justifieth thee in the world and will glorifie thee after the world Vse What infinite cause of praise and glory the people of God have Well mayest thou call upon thy soul and all within thee to praise God Well may this be the burden of every Psalm For his mercy endureth for ever yea if thou hadst the hearts of all men and Angels this were not enough neither can Eternity be long enough to glorifie God in this particular SERMON CVI. Of both the Moving Cause and Effects of Election and of Christs Prayer and Death Against Arminians and others JOH 17.20 But for them also who shall beleeve in me through their Word WE come to a Second Observation from the circumstance of the future tense Who shall beleeve in me For as was intimated there may be a twofold sence of these words 1. That this future Faith is mentioned as an effect and fruit of being given to Christ as also of Christs Prayer and Death for them So that he doth not only pray for them which shall beleeve but also that they may beleeve and in this sense the Orthodox interpret it Or 2. It may be interpreted as if Faith were here supposed as a condition on our part antecedaneous both to Gods Election and also Christs Intercession and death So that the sence should be These were given to Christ and Christ he praied and died for them because it was foreseen by God that such would beleeve upon the means of grace offered and others not In this sence Meisner a Lutheran urgeth it and thus all Arminians and others must take it who hold that we were Elected from a foresight of our Faith and perseverance therein But that this cannot be the meaning of our Saviour is evident because the ground of
all in matter of Sanctification he comprehends all in love John 13.34 A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another A new Commandment not but that the duty was old onely envy and malice had so prevailed amongst the Jews that to love was a new thing as if it had not been a duty required before In John's Epistles it's called both new and old 1 John 2.8 And then again new because there are new motives and a new patern Love one another as I have loved you There was never such a Patern and President before so that it 's not every kinde of love and unity which will give content but that which is in the highest degree of unity it's added vers 35. By this shall all men know ye ' are my Disciples if ye love one another not if ye work miracles if ye cast out devils but if you cast out discord and variance and therefore there is not a greater scandal to Religion and holines then when those that do believe are as the Levites Concubine that was cut into many peeces Again Ch. 15.12 This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you This is Christs Commandment as if there were nothing else he required but this and as if this were not enough at verse 17. These things I command you that ye love one another as if he should have said If bare information will not do it if instruction will not do it I lay my command and charge upon you Secondly This Vnity and Love is a special means to bring the world to believe the truth and receive Christ So that what the preaching of the Word and Gifts yea miracles use to do that unity and agreement may do This is twice affirmed to be the consequent of unity vers 21. vers 23. That the world may believe thou hast sent me It 's a special way to convince all the enemies of the truth Thus Chap. 13.35 Men shall know ye are my Disciples if ye love one another and do we not see by experience That Papists Heretiques and all prophane men are confirmed in their wickednesse by nothing more then the differences and opinions of such who are godly Do they not by books and otherwise in derision say One Sect saith that hath the Spirit of God another saith that hath and yet both are contrary one to another Can the Spirit of God be contrary to it self Can it be a Spirit of truth in one and a Spirit of falshood in others Now although this be no good argument because the Spirit of God is communicated but in measure to the godly they know but in part and so they love but in part many errours and divisions we are prone unto yet this is a very great stumbling block and therefore woe be to that godly man who by his pride self-conceit or erroneous Doctrine shall bring such a scandal to Religion what if many perish in hell because of thy froward spirit It is true there ought to be zeal against errours and corruptions though in the godly You see when Peter did not walk right Paul resisted him to the face and would not give place to him or other false teachers no not for an hour Gal. 2.5 Mark that No not for an hour Some think let them alone they will recover themselves they will do no hurt truth needs not be afraid yet Paul was afraid that an hours forbearance might do hurt Therefore he addeth That the truth of the Gospel might continue amongst you as if an hours forbearance might hinder the continuance of truth so that we are to use Scripture-zeal and Scripture-means to convince even those that are godly when erring in Doctrine Therefore the Scripture doth not commend an unity and love so as to let all errours and prophanenesse alone but in that which is good unity in that which is truth and holinesse is that which Christ meaneth here in his prayer and where this is it 's very potent to winne all gain-sayers It 's admirable to mollifie the hearts of the opposers Hence it 's so often reported of the primitive Christians That they were daily with one accord together Therefore the Evangelist Luke records it at least five times so that if nothing else should make thee tender about causing any breaches in the Church of God this should thou dost as much as lieth in thee to hinder any man that knoweth thee ever to believe and to be converted Thirdly This Vnity is promised as a special part of the Covenant of Grace That very Covenant which promiseth to write the Law of God in our hearts and to put his fear in our inward parts that also promiseth unity at the same time Jer. 32.39 I will be their God and they shall be my people I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever Insomuch that it 's one main branch in the Covenant of Grace So Zech 14.9 In that day there shall be one Lord and his name one The meaning is They shall not worship many gods or serve in different wayes of worship but they shall be one To this purpose Ezekiel prophesieth Chap. 37.16 22. which is not to be limited to the Jews only but also to all the believing Gentiles Oh then in these times of differences and breaches amongst the godly What should we runne unto What should we plead in prayer but these promises O Lord to be thus divided to have Altar against Altar Church against Church Prophet against Prophet Is this to have one heart and one way But you may say If God hath thus promised it and Christ hath prayed for it who was heard of the Father in every thing How comes it about that the contrary appeareth This is to be answered in it's time Fourthly Vnity is necessary because hereby a serviceable and beneficiall helping of one another in spiritual things is preserved The people of God are compared to living stones built up together while the stones keep in the building they bear one another but if once removed it fals down They are compared to members in the body while they are joyned together There is a mutual ministration to each other but when divided from the body no part can receive any nourishment Thus it is here while the people of God are in union Oh the wonderfull help they are to one another they provoke one another they stirre up one anothers graces but take these coals from one another and then the fire goeth out And this may be the reason why our Saviour doth not mention the Sanctification and holinesse of believers but their unity because this is a special means to preserve and increase holinesse Two are better then one because of heat and of help saith the Wise-man Eccles 4.10 and so it 's in this work of Grace two are better then one to warm one another How may thy zeal help against anothers lukewarmnesse
me and I in thee for God is called the Father of all men To which purpose the Apostle alledgeth that of the Poet We are his off-spring Act. 17.27 Thus also he is called the Father of Believers in respect of Adoption for so our Saviour Joh. 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father but he is called the Father in respect of a true and proper generation of his Son as is more to be shewed The Socinians would have him called the Son of God partly because of that extraordinary conception and birth partly because of the constituting and sanctifying of him to the Office of a Priest and partly but principally because of his Resurrection and Exaltation to that great power and dominion which now he hath but these things are only declarative and consequential to that eternal generation whereby indeed he is the Son of God properly and thus the Jews understood it when they accused him for blasphemy because by saying He was the Son of God he thereby made himself God which our Saviour doth not deny or refuse but proveth it more firmly Lastly In that he is called the Father it is thereby implyed That he is the fountain and original of divine being to the Son Thus John 5.26 As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given the Son to have life in himself To have life in himself is only proper to God Now as the Father hath it so also hath the Son but he hath it by donation or communication from the Father In this sense it is that Christ saith He speaketh nothing of himself but as he heareth of the Father still reducing all things unto him not that the Divine Nature is begotten but the second Person who hath the Divine Nature Secondly The property of the Son is to be begotten of the Father And herein lieth the true proper difference of those two Persons The Father is of himself not begotten the Son is of the Father and begotten Now this doth imply that Christ hath not his being by creation as Adam had and Angels who therefore are called The sons of God but truly and really by generation for so the Scripture appropriates this to him That he is the only begotten Son of God only you are not to measure this spiritual and eternal generation with that of the creatures but to abstract it from all such humane imperfections and therefore though it be truly a generation yet it 's not of the same univocal nature with that of creatures So that as God is not in a predicament neither is there the same univocal being to God and the creature Thus it is also in this generation Let us not therefore judge of this mystery by examples and instances from the creature for as the nature of God is incomprehensible so also is this generation Vse 1. To bewail the doctrinal errours and blasphemies whereby the devil hath seduced many in this point Oh pray to God to preserve thee from such poison Many desperately preach and write that Christ is not truly God nor the eternal God and so make us guilty of horrible Idolatry and withall overthrow the pillars and foundations of Religion By this we see that blasphemy and damnable heresies are in our nature which we should be plunged into if God leave us unto our selves Vse 2. Of Exhortation To take heed not only of unbelief in respect of the promises but also the doctrinals This gift is also of God It 's he that inableth and confirmeth the heart in this particular also and indeed dogmatical faith is the foundation of salvifical Vse 3. To admire the love both of Father and Son in procuring our salvation for us The Fathers love is seen to send his only begotten Son the Son of his love in whom he delighted more then in all creatures into the world and to die such an ignominious death for us enemies And then the Sons love is seen in leaving that glory and blessedness he had for a while to be in a state of wrath and anger for our sakes No wonder if the hearts of men and Angels can never be sufficiently enough taken up with these things Vse 4. To indeavour after such an unity as the Father and Son have It 's the president in the Text Doth the Father and Son ever disagree Doth the Son will one thing and the Father another Neither ought there to be any disagreement amongst believers SERMON CXVIII The Glorious Mystery of the Saints Vnion with Christ and with the Father by him Opened JOH 17.21 That they all may be one as thou Father art in me c. IN these words we have the nature and quality of the godly mans Union declared 1. That it is an holy and godly Vnity they are one in Christ not in the devil or sin as wicked men are 2. It 's not a bodily Union and visible but spiritual and invisible because it 's an Unity in the Father and the Son 3. It 's not absolutely and adequately equall to the Union between the Father and Son for our Saviour doth plainly separate and make a difference he said not before As thou Father art in us and we in thee but in me and I in thee distinguishing himself thereby in a transcendent way from the creature so neither in this place doth he say That they may be one with us though that also is true in a mystical sence Christ the Head and the Church his body being one in that respect because that might imply Unity of nature and essence but one in us Now for all believers to be one in the Father and the Son may admit of a twofold Exposition 1. The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per for so it 's often used and then the sence would be That they may be one by us that is by thy grace for it 's not nature but grace that makes this Unity Thus Eph. 5.8 we are said to be light in the Lord that is by the Lord But this seemeth not so genuine therefore the 2d Interpretation is more received which makes the expression to be declarative of that terminus in which all the godly are united The Center in which all the lines meet The Head in which all the members The Root in which all the branches The Spring in which all the streams are conjoyned and he saith in us for though we are proximely and immediately united unto Christ our head yet thereby we also are united to the Father Obs That all believers are united to Christ and in him to the Father This Union of Believers with Christ is an unspeakable mystery The Scripture represents it under many similitudes yet we cannot conceive of it according to its dignity But as the hypostatical Union of the two Natures in Christ into one person doth exceed our comprehension so likewise doth the mystical Union of believers with Christ and in him with the Father
imperfections let them quicken up praier upon this consideration The glory Christ had he will give to beleevers Why had he such fulnesse but for thy emptinesse Why had he such glory but to make thee glorious Shall our vile bodies be made glorious like his glorious body and shall not our vile and corrupted souls be also made glorious like his soul This is excellently illustrated 2 Co. 3.18 where we are said te be transformed from glory to glory that is from grace grace is glory so much godliness so much glory thou hast and because it is not perfect therefore we proceed from glory to glory and how is this done by the Gospel for we beholding the glory of God in Christ are thereby changed Thus 2 Cor. 4.6 the glory of God is said to be seen in the face of Jesus Christ the meaning is that whereas God is in his own nature invisible and we are not able to conceive of him aright in Jesus Christ We see the infinite wisedom and grace of God so that we become glorious in grace by faith looking on God in Christ this makes heavenly this changeth and altereth the heart That as Moses by communing with God did obtain external glory which was so dazeling that the Israelites could not behold it So the people of God by Faith beholding God in Christ are thereby enlivened and made more heavenly every day Thus we see what those effects of glory are which Christ gives of that treasury of glory to us In the third general place Consider that none are made partakers of that Glory of Christ but by Vnion with him Now this Union is twofold either meerly external in the outward Ordinances in which sence our Saviour Joh. 15. supposeth a branch may be in him and yet not bring forth fruit By vertue of this Union we may obtain many glorious gifts and common graces from the Spirit So that we may have much spiritual glory in the eyes of others or else there is an internal and invisible Union and by this only we are made partakers of Christs glory Therefore none may be contented in any outside of Religion let thy duties be never so ravishing and affectionate yet not these but faith in the Olive Tree is that which maketh us partakers of this fatâ—ess so that the Union of Christ with the believer is the foundation of all grace and glory for as a branch separated from the vine or a member from the body doth not partake of any vital act and nourishment So neither doth that soul which is disjoyned from Christ if the beams of the Sunne had not immediate dependance and emanation from the Sun they could not have such lustre and Glory So neither were not believers joyned to Christ and made one with him they could not put forth such glorious acts of grace as they do for if power to work Miracles and transcend nature be called a glory how much more to perform the acts of grace which do also surpass the course of nature It 's a glorious thing to beleeve to be patient to be heavenly-minded to be zealous for God In these actions the spirit of Christ which is also the spirit of glory doth reside upon us 4. As union with Christ makes us partakers of glory So the foundation and Original of this is because Christ is one with the Father and one with us He is the Mediator between God and man So that by this means he receiveth glory from the Father which otherwise would be incommunicable to sinners and doth convey it to such as are his members So that still our eyes are to he fastened on Christ as a Mediator for none can or may approach to God in his own ablolute nature but as those who cannot look upon the Sun behold it in a basin of water where the reflexion is Thus we who could not draw nigh to that infinite wise and pure God having a Mediatour that both partaketh of Gods Nature and mans thereby is afforded an admirable passage of conveyance of glory from the Father through Christ to us as the light is conveyed from the Sun through the glass into the house Vse To make us admire the dignity and excellent condition of a Christian united to Christ for all the glory of Christ redounds and diffuseth it self to them Whatsoever priviledge or glory Christ hath it is proportionably communicated to thee therefore lift up thy head by faith and live joyfully in the meditation of this Doth not the woman though contemptible when married to an honourable person forget her Fathers Cottage and rags and saith Now she shall have the riches the glory the honour the state that her Husband hath since thy Soul hath been united to Christ all thy old poor despicable things are laid aside Truly the ground of all a godly mans discouragements and perplexities ariseth for want of faith herein SERMON CXXIII Practicall Conclusions from the fore-going Doctrine JOHN 17.22 And the Glory which thou gavest me I have given them c. HAving cleared the sense of this Text and shewed what that glory is which Christ giveth us Let us proceed to make some Corollaries or practical Conclusions from this Doctrine And hence therefore in the first place this Conclusion is to be asserted That no man till he be united unto Christ hath any true and solid glory For if the glory of a Christian be in Christ the fountain as the Sunne-beams are in the Sunne then till partakers of Christ we do not receive any of his glory And this truth may quell the vain brags of the world and the boasts of carnal men Some account riches their glory their birth their glory outward honours their glory but these are not worthy the name of glory Christ came not into the world to give men riches honours greatness but a spiritual glory The Hebrew word for glory signifieth a weight and the Apostle alludes to this when 2 Cor. 4.17 he cals the happiness in Heaven an eternal weight of glory Let therefore a man be never so much exalted in this world yet if not given to Christ he doth not partake of Christs glory This earthly glory is no more true glory then a glow-worm is the Sunne The Scripture cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer fancy that presently passeth away All humane glory is but like Jonahs gourd that is presently consumed or like Herod Act. 12.21 who being arayed in royal apparel and blasphemous acclamations made to him he was immediately eaten up with worms Be not then any longer like children that account a toy a glorious thing thou art no wiser when riches greatness beauty c. are accounted matter of glory an obedient ear to Gods word is more glorious then an ear full of jewels interest in Christ is greater glory then all that of the world which our Saviour was tempted with yet is there any thing that is more apt to ensnare our hearts then this
glory and therefore that state of happinesse is properly called a state of glory yet we have the first fruits of it here In part Christ doth invest us with his glory but this is nothing to what shall be hereafter Even in this life the things are so great That no eye hath seen neither hath it entered into the heart of a man to conceive How much more then will eternal glory surpass all our imaginations Should not then the consideration of this glorious portion we in part have and expect more fully make us walk comfortably be chearfull in our afflictions passe through this world with joy Certainly we put not forth our fixed contemplations on this glory if we did our hearts would scarce ever be taken off it Eudoxus was so affected with the glory of the Sunne that he thought he was born onely to behold it How much rather should we think it our duty all the day long to behold this glory As the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.17 professeth that all the afflictions he went through and he had many yet they were but light and but for a moment to that eternal weight of glory and what made him think so While we look not at the things which are not seen If then thy heart is at any time dejected disquieted oh think of this glory provided for thee it will make thy soul silence it's crying and mutterings immediately yea this will conquer the fear of death and make the thoughts of it lovely and welcome Fourthly Doth Christ give spiritual glory to his Then let this consume all love and desire of vain-glory and esteem of men This love of glory hath been and is the worm that eateth up the best fruit when lusts and sins have not been able to undo a man glory from the world hath Therefore our Saviour makes such a temper inconsistent with grace How can ye believe and seek glory of one another and seek not the honâ—ur which comes from God onely John 5.44 This vain-glory Chrysostom called The mother of hell and indeed How many religious duties doth it corrupt The Pharisees prayed and gave alms to be seen of men yea there is no external duty in Religion but this may put a man upon it But as love of Christ will kill the love of the world fear of God will overcome fear of man so a love to this spiritual glory will quickly out vain-glory It 's good to observe That though all other things in this world be vain man is vain beauty is vain wealth is vain yet custom of speech doth appropriate it only to glory calling it vain-glory Oh then remember there are more glorious things to affect and enlarge thy heart with then these applauses of the world Fifthly Doth Christ give his people glory Then let them faithfully do Christs work notwithstanding all the reproaches and scorns wicked men load them with David rejoyced in that he was despised and contemned while he danced before the Ark I will be more vile still saith he 2 Sam. 6.22 And thus the Apostles rejoyced they were accounted worthy to suffer for Christs sake It 's a great glory to lose thy glory for Christs work Oh this is that which makes men afraid boldly to venture in holy things they shall be censured they shall be contemned Remember that Scripture Those that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 It 's a miserable slavery to live dependently upon the breath of others who many times do as children put a Garland upon one of their fellows heads and then laugh at him behinde his back so though they applaud thee to thy face yet secretly backbite thee Be therefore diligent to do Gods work and content thy self with the glory God bestoweth upon thee Doth a man running in a race regard the bird singing upon the tree Eye Christ more and man lesse The Moon that hath but a borrowed light is sometimes full sometimes at the wane never certain Thus a man that liveth upon the applause of others and not approving his conscience to God he is sometimes lifted up and then dejected down even as outward supplies come to him Sixthly Doth Christ give glory to his Then admire the bounty and freenesse of his grace Of all things we would think he would not communicate of his glory to us and indeed God saith He will not give glory to another neither will Christ give his Mediatory glory to others only in some passages of glory he is willing we should reign with him and be co-heirs with him This sheweth how much he loveth us For certainly no man is willing to have another co-partner with him in his glory yea how apt are we to envy the gifts and graces in others that may overshadow us but Christ giveth of his glory to us Lastly Doth Christ give glory to us Let us then glorifie him again Christ indeed he giveth glory to us really and inwardly but we only to him verbally and declaratively Let not the Heavens that are natural creatures exceed us They declare the glory of God and shew his handy-work and shalt not thou then in thy life in thy conversation declare the glory of Christ The title given to Church-officers 1 Cor. 8.23 is in some sense to be applied to all believers they are the glory of Christ SERMON CXXIV That Jesus Christ though God Co-equall with the Father had many things given him by the Father And how that can be JOH 17.22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them WE have treated of the nature of that glory which Christ giveth to all beleevers The next considerable is the description of the manner and way how Christ comes to have this glory and that is said to be by way of gift The glory which thou gavest me Now this seemeth very hard to understand how Christ being God could receive any thing for as God can have nothing given him so it should seem Christ neither could have any thing given him insomuch that this place with many others of the like fence is brought by the Socinians as an unanswerable Argument that Christ was not truly and essentially God for they heap up many places of Scripture where all that Christ hath is said to be given him and from hence conclude he cannot be God But the weakness of this will appear in further discovery of this Truth which that it may be more clearly understood Observe That Christ though God had many things given him of his Father The Fathers giving of many things to him doth not take off from his divine Nature This Truth will be profitable both to inform your judgement in that main Article of Religion and also is of that practical consequence Therefore to clear this Consider 1. That we may conceive of a two-fold giving that which is natural and necessary 2. that which is free and voluntary so that it might or might not be given for a naturall and necessary giving So Christ
is overflowing superabounding grace only remember that here is not only priviledge but duty also Here lieth a powerfull obligation upon us to love him with our highest and chiefest love let his glory his love be next to thy heart Oh be ashamed that thy love can burn no hotter towards him In the next place we are to consider the scope and end of our Saviour in mentioning this preheminent priviledge and it is That the world may know this love It 's not enough for believers to be thus highly loved by the Father but the world is to know and to be perswaded of it From whence observe That it 's of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are loved of God It would quicken them to many duties and restrain them from many sins if this were once fully setled in their hearts that those whom they oppose and deride are the beloved ones of God It 's true it 's of great consequence even to the godly themselves to be fully informed in this they go bowed down and very much languish because they are not so perswaded of this Hence 1 John 3 1. The Apostle cals upon the godly to attend to it Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God So that under all the hatred and opposition of the world it 's necessary that this love of God should bear up thy soul though none loveth thee yet the Father doth Thus I say it 's necessary even for believers themselves to know how greatly they are beloved but here our Saviour speaks of the worlds knowledge and the necessity of their being informed therein Now the usefulness of the worlds conviction herein will appear in these respects 1. Hereby they may be provoked to come out of their wicked condition and be made one of that number which God so loveth For will not this work naturally and genuinely upon them when they shall think Loe these that pray that walk strictly and contrary to the principles of the world are those whom God loveth in a special manner they are his favourites his delight is upon them but as for me and the company I keep God is angry with us all the day long we are the men cursed by him for us he hath appointed hell and eternal torments When any natural man shall upon these convictions argue and reason with himself How can he abide any longer in that sinfull way Oh then that God would perswade thee more of this that those whom thou malignest against whom thy heart riseth are such on whom Gods gracious love is fixed and that it is thou thy self and such as thou art that the anger of God abideth on continually this would quickly make thee another man Therefore there is not a more deadly principle thou canst swallow down then to be prejudiced in thy spirit against such who truly fear God 2. A perswasion that such only are loved by God as it would make thee to be of their number so also it would draw out thy dearest and sincerest love to them Thou wouldst presently begin to think Why should not I love those most whom God loveth Certainly they are the choisest and best objects upon whom God is pleased to cast his gracious eye then as David said My delight is to be with the Saints upon the earth Psal 16.3 Thus also it would be here when once perswaded that such are the endeared ones of God then thy affections thy heart will be to such also 3. By this perswasion upon the heart of the world that they only are loved of God hereby the world will cease to hate and persecute them to give them such ill entertainment as they do When our Saviour possesseth his Disciples with that universal hatred they shall have in the world and that the world cannot do otherwise whence is all this but because they do not know Christ nor believers neither But as they took him for an Impostor and one not worthy to live so they do judge his members to be a company of heretiques not worthy to be suffered in the world and all this malice ariseth from their blinde hearts for did they know who they were as they oppose they dared not to proceed Even as the Scripture saith If they had known Christ they would not have crucified the prince of glory 1 Cor. 2.6 So that all thy hard words and thy hard actions they arise from this thou dost not know what the godly are how accepted with God and how precious to him for this consideration would immediately make thee draw in thy arm thou wouldst see it was a foolish thing to set against such whom God loveth that it is but kicking against the pricks It 's attempting an impossible thing if thou couldst get God not to love them then indeed it were something but as long as God thus loveth them all thy endeavours against them is as vain as Balacks was against Israel No inchantment or divination can prevail As it 's an impossible thing so also it 's dangerous for seeing they are to God as the apple of his eye and he hath given such a command even to Kings that they do not touch his anointed ones How can it be that God will let all the injuries and offences done against them so dearly beloved go free Therefore perswade thy self more of this love of God to them lest thou incurre Gods forest displeasure Again It 's not only dangerous but foolish also for the more the world sets against believers the greater their rage is the more is Gods love drawn out to them So that by thy hatred they do become glorious and are more esteemed by God and receive a greater crown of glory Thus if these things be duly considered we must needs say it 's of great consequence for the world to know that believers are so highly loved by God But in the next place It 's very difficult for the world to be thus perswaded For 1. There is naturally an enmity and antipathy of the wicked against the godly and where malice is they will never believe any good of those whom they hate Insomuch that though God doth with never such a signal love demonstrate himself to them yet they will never be perswaded such are loved of God for as they are affected so they judge of God himself and because they think them worthy of all hatred and evil they conclude God doth so also Thus this distempered palate judgeth every thing bitter it tasteth 2. The love of the Father to believers is chiefly in spiritual things such as Justification Sanctification Adoption Now these things are no more apprehended by the world then curious melody by a deaf ear The Apostle speaketh to this 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. admirably shewing That the Spirit of God revealeth these spiritual things to us and that without the Spirit we cannot know the things that are
freely given us of God which he illustrateth by a similitude from a man As no man can know the things of a man but a man so neither can a man meerly of himself discern the things of God Hence the white stone and the new Name Rev. 2.17 are such things that no man knoweth but he that hath them 3. The world of it self cannot know Gods love to his children because they have not the experience of it in their own hearts And therefore though they may read and hear of such a thing yet they cannot conceive what it is As a man that never tasted honey cannot guesse what the sweetnesse is It 's the want of this experimental knowledge that makes the world so despise the priviledges of believers Balaam had but a glimpse of this and immediately he breaketh out into those wishes That he might die the death of the righteous and his latter end might be like his Lastly It 's hard for the world to know the Fathers love to the godly because his outward administrations are so clouded that by the external events you would sometimes judge they were the only people whom God hateth Even as it was with Christ himself though he was solemnly from heaven pronounced to be the beloved of his Father yet in outward consideration he was a man of sorrows and contempt insomuch that the Prophet saith Isa 53. we thought him smitten of God for his sins and at his death they insulted over him as being forsaken by God Vse of Admonition to all wicked men Let this bridle their hearts and tongues and pray God would open their eyes to understand this blessednesse and happinesse of believers Then Saul would be amongst these Prophets then thou wilt desire to live and die one of them that your soul might be in their souls stead Then your cry will be We fools and miserable wretches thought them the vilest and most miserable men in the world but how greatly doth God honour them SERMON CXXXIII Of the Connexion between Grace and Glory and that Glory even to the most Godly is the free Gift of God JOHN 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am c. THis verse containeth a new and distinct Object or Matter of Christs prayer for whereas before he had prayed in reference to his Disciples for their Sanctification and Vnion now he prayeth for the last and ultimate priviledge they are capable of which is their eternal glory So that in the words we may observe 1. The Compellation Father 2. The Subject of his prayer Those thou hast given me 3. The Object matter of it That they be where I am 4. The Manner of petitioning this expressed in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will Lastly The ultimate End of all this That they may behold my glory which thou hast given me From the general Connexion of this prayer with the fore-going petitionings and that prayer-wise two things are observable 1. That without grace here there is no glory hereafter 2. That even to the most gracious that are Glory is given by God as a gift obtained in prayer After they have done all yet still they must pray for it For the former we see that truth established from the order and method that Christ useth having before earnestly prayed for their Sanctification and Unity in this life he stayeth not there neither is his love confined within the things of this world but it extends it self to the world to come as the chiefest of all As happiness and glory is the ultimate end of man concerning which every natural man mistakes so grace is the only path that leadeth thereunto and there is as great a mistake about grace what it is as wherein happiness doth consist So that although it be very convenient to discover what grace is and when a man may be said to be godly yet I shall wave that as to a large discourse about it Only to clear the Doctrine Consider That by grace we mean that new creature or those holy divine and supernatural principles within a man whereby he is carried out to work all holinesse in his life For the Scripture describeth this gracious man sometimes by that inward work as the root and foundation of all sometimes by the outward fruits of holinesse as being the visible demonstration of it So that in the discovery of grace we must alwayes attend to these two things 1. That our religious duties be upon a root deep enough that they proceed from a supernatural principle within that no external motive be the only principle to put it into action And then 2. That we do not content our selves with any supposed inward work of grace upon the heart but do accordingly as occasion invites manifest the powerfull efficacy thereof in our lives for thus the Prophet Ezekiel declareth Gods promise for both The writing of his Law in their inward parts and making of them to walk in his wayes Ezek. 36.28 Secondly Men are very prone generally to delude themselves in this particular thinking to obtain glory hereafter though they have no grace here Hence are such exhortations Be not deceived 1 Cor. 6.9 No fornicator or idolater shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven c. Who would think the Apostle needed to set such a prohibition or signal mark upon that for we would think no body could deceive himself in such a thing notoriously known as that is yet there is nothing more ordinary for if all the grosse visible sinners should be asked one by one Do you hope to obtain eternal happinesse he would answer with great confidence and expectation of it and yet how grosly and notoriously doth he deceive himself Is it not as plain as that he liveth that such pleasures of lusts shall be rewarded with eternal torments and yet he hopeth otherwise Thirdly Grace here is not meritorious of glory hereafter Rom. 4. To him that worketh the reward is of debt but eternal life is called the Gift of God Our Saviour in this Chapter doth pray for one as well as the other We may justly wonder to see how prone men are naturally to look upon grace as meritorious of glory that the Roman Church should so confidently maintain it Doth not all this arise because men are not acquainted with those reliques of corruption that cleave to the best things we do Certainly that which is meritorious of hell can never be of heaven that which deserveth eternal vengeance can never procure everlasting favour but this proud opinion creepeth subtilly into mens hearts under pretence of advancing grace even while it debaseth it for so the Papist would perswade us that they give more to Christ then we because they make him merit that our grace may be meritorious insomuch that they say we give little or nothing to Christ but to hold Christ merited that we might merit is to evacuate the merit of Christ and to
should be justified Though David was Gods servant and that after his own heart yet he could not be justified and so not saved unless God did graciously forgive what was imperfect Oh then how greatly should this humble us when we shall consider we never did any thing in our lives though in the most holy manner but it needed a pardon as Nehemiah when he mentioned the many particulars he had done for God and desired to be remembred for them yet added also that he might be spared and have mercy shewed unto him Nehem. 13.22 2. It 's the gift of God because any gracious action is so farre from making a man to merit at Gods hand that he is thereby the more obliged and bound to God So that the more holy he is the lesse he can deserve because in that he is the more indebted unto God So that it is absurd to think that because God hath heaped more mercies upon us that therefore still we deserve more but rather to acknowledge that both grace here and glory hereafter is wholly from the gift of God 3. Glory cannot be the proper and natural reward of our grace Because of the vast disproportion and distance which is between one and the other Alas what is an act of faith or love or patience or all of them put together which have been in the short time of this life unto all eternity If thy body hath endured the pains of Martyrdom for an hour what is that to have honour glory and freedom from all pain with unspeakable joy and delight to all eternity Vse To humble the best of Gods servants under the highest exercises of grace How often doth the devil and thy own corrupt heart upon any holy duty puff thee up and make thee secure and confident seeking for Justification by something in thy own self How apt to think thy self better then others and to trust in thy own heart Is not this to say thou comest to heaven and happinesse by thy own power How often doth God speak to the people of Israel that they should not say they entered into the Land of Canaan for their righteousness If for a temporal mercy they were to take heed their hearts were not lifted up much more for heaven it self If Jacob said Gen. 32.10 He was lesse then the least of Gods mercies much more then the greatest SERMON CXXXIV Of immediate Enjoyment of and Communion with Christ in Heaven as the Complement of mans happinesse JOH 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am THE next thing considerable is the object matter of this Petition which is two-fold 1. To be where Christ is 2. To behold the glory which the Father had given him Let us Consider the first particular To be with Christ where Christ is and Austin doth well observe that he doth not pray They may be where he is for though a man be wretched and miserable he is where Christ is but not with Christ as saith he a blinde man may be where the light is but not with the light It 's therefore added to be with him where Christ is and that denoteth the gracious and happy enjoyment of him Some understand it of Christs gracious presence here vouchsafed to beleevers but the context doth more genuinely comprehend the former For our Suviour was now to be no longer in this world and besides the expression of being with God and Christ in the Scripture-sence is proper to that eternal felicity and glory which they are made partakers of only the doubt may be if it be understood of glorious presence with Christ why Christ speaks in the present tense where I am Some answer that this is to be understood in respect of his divine nature by which he was alwaies glorious Others understand it spoken in the present because he was very immediatly to be glorified every way and then it may well be received There are some who make this Argument that this must be understood of a glorious presence not a gracious because say they of a gracious presence the phrase alwaies is God is with us but of a glorious presence We are with God but though this may be admitted as the most common expression yet some few instances may be shewed to the contrary Therefore the former Reasons especially if we adde the words following That they may behold my glory which seem to be exegeticall of what went before will evidence that we must understand the sence of that happy eternall presence with Christ in heaven Obs That the greatest part of our glory and happinesse which we shall have in heaven lieth in this that then we shall be with Christ and have immediate Communion with the Lord Though we are apt to look upon the happinesse of heaven as it freeth from all pains and torments as it delivers us from the curse and vengeance of God yet that which is indeed the sublime and chief part of our happinesse is that we shall there have an immediate enjoyment of God and Christ It 's asserted as a Truth that the greatest misery in hell is in the poena damni not in the poena sensus and Chrysostome considering that dreadfull Sentence pronounced Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire makes these words depart to be farre more terrible then eternall fire The doctrine of heaven and hell was not so fully and evidently preached in the Old Testament as in the New yet even then we have David thus breaking forth into an holy passion Whom have I in heaven but thee and whom in earth in comparison of thee Psal 73.25 Whom in heaven but thee implying that heaven would not be heaven if God were not there and that in heaven he looketh not to Angels or Saints there but God himself Now though the happinesse of heaven be described from other particulars yet that this is the sum of all may appear from these two places Phil. 1.23 where you finde Paul in a divine perplexity and heavenly streight whether he should desire to live or die and although for the Churches good he is contented to live yet absolutely and simply his desire was to depatt and why because this was to be with Christ which is farre better So then this was that which so moved Paul to be no longer in this world viz to be with Christ No doubt Paul had many godly Friends in seeing whose faces and enjoying their company he took great delight and this he often expresseth but all these are nothing to Christs Company Thus to godly hearts though it be a great comfort to enjoy their Wives and Children yet when raised by grace they can preferre the company of Christ above all The second place is 1 Thess 47. when the Apostle in a divine and ravishing manner had treated on the Resurrection then he mentioneth this as the summe and Complement of all our felicity that we shall be with the Lord for ever To
on Earth she conflicts with desires after Christ hence are those vehement Petitions Come Lord Jesus come quickly The Spirit and Bride say Come Rev. 22.17 20. If then these desires be turned into actuall enjoyments and it 's no longer Come Lord Jesus but he is come then there must needs be all matter of joy and rejoycing he that drinketh of this living water in this life shall never thirst more Joh. 4. viz. with a total thirst So as to be weary of Christ and desire some other Object how much rather will this be true in Heaven Then it 's impossible to be weary to be desirous of something else besides God for there love is joyned to the Object as fully and as nearly as possibly it can be As Philosophers say the matter of the Heavens desireth no other form whereas in sublunary things it constantly doth and all because of the actuality and perfection of that form Thus it must be with the glorified Saints in Heaven They can never be glutted never complain as they did of Manna by the constant use of it but God is as richly as delightsomely enjoyed by every Saint in Heaven to all Eternity as at the very first entrance into Heaven But you will say May not I then desire Heaven as a place of happinesse Is it hypocrisie and insincerity to desire that state of glory Must it be Christ only there The Answer is That is in the principall and first place to be desired but yet secondarily Heaven as it is our happinesse and our glory may be fought after for which many Texts might be brought Vse of Exhortation To moderate all thy desires to this life and the Comforts therein What makes Death so grievous but to part with so dear a Husband so dear a Friend so sweet Children Oh remember Christ is above all and dearer then all So that if Faith were lively in representing Christ to us we should need even patience to live as you see it was with Paul we should finde it to be to our great losse to be enjoying Friends while we might enjoy Christ But on the contrary the wicked mans misery is to be trembled at for there Christ saith Father I will that where the devil and his Angels are to be tormented to all Eternity that those also be with them SERMON CXXXV Of an humbled Christians improving in his Prayers the sweet Appellation of Father JOH 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am ETernal glory we heard our Saviour prayed for all those that should believe in him which is expressed thus indefinitely To be with Christ where he is He doth not name the place because this is it which makes heaven to be heaven that we do enjoy Christ there From this we proceed to other things considerable As 1. The Compellation Father This our Saviour useth three times as being a name denoting the most intimate and sweet relation as also causing the greatest confidence why Christ cals God Father hath been discussed already against Socinian glosses he is not a Father to Christ in the same manner as he is to believers neither did Christ use this Title to subdue and overcome any unbelieving and doubting thoughts in him or to quicken up his confidence which otherwise might fail but hereby to demonstrate the near relation between them as also his dependance upon him So that from Christs example herein we may observe That it is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think on those attributes and relations in him which may excite and stir up holy confidence and boldness When we come unto God we are to draw nigh to him as our heavenly Father whose bowels do exceed all parents affections in the world if they were put together Therefore it is our Saviour in that rule of prayer directs to that title and compellation of a Father To open this Consider First That no wicked or unregenerate man is in a state or condition fit to pray or approach unto God upon these termes If God be thy Judge thy enemy and thy adversary then it is not for thee to call him Father As God expostulates in Mal. 1.7 If I be a Father where is mine honour It 's true there is a paternity by way of creation and thus God is the Father of all but we speak onely of that paternity which is by Adoption and the Covenant of Grace Let therefore every wicked and ungodly man conclude that while he abideth so he cannot pray acceptably he may not come to God as a Father It 's blasphemy for such prophane wretches to say to God Thou art my Father The Scripture tels us That such are of their Father the Devil See then if the Devil thy father will bless thee if he will make thee happy Oh that wicked men would but consider what a wofull condition it is to lie in that they cannot pray that they cannot call God Father Thou doest but blaspheme with thy tongue all the while what God the God of wicked and prophane enemies to him No he is a Judge and a consuming fire to all such Secondly It 's of great consequence and advantage for the humbled Christian in his prayer to improve this relation of a Father To such all the sweetness out of this honey-comb To improve this Meditation till it be like fire in his bowels For 1. To the tender heart humbled for sinne it is the greatest temptation that he conflicts with to be perswaded God is his Father Such are the discoveries and experiences of his own sins and infirmities that he concludeth though other may call God Father yet he cannot Is not this the great dispute in the breast of a godly man Whether God be his Father or no Doth he not argue against it from the several corruptions that are in his soul Oh how can this and this be in me if God be my Father As also from the many sad afflictions and exercises he meeteth with more then others If God were my Father would he thus break and bruise me more then many in the world making me the Butt against which all his arrows are delivered So that you see it 's necessary to compose the spirit against this temptation which doth so naturally breed in the heart of a tender Christian Insomuch that to call God Father cordially and upon sincere grounds is a great mercy 2. It 's necessary to be perswaded of and call God Father because Satans great temptation is against this if he overthrow this all is gone if once he can tempt thee to this that God is not thy Father What horrour and what confusion yea what an hell will not presently overwhelm thee You see the devil working with this engine upon Christ himself knowing this was to set the axe to the root of the tree If thou be the Son of God do thus he would have him put that to the trial and
prayed to Christ they said Master we will But seeing this prayer of Christs is from him as a Mediator we may well acknowledge that there is more then a meer humble supplication such as meer men make but some powerfull declaration of his will that he will have it so For to this purpose he speaks Joh. 12.26 Where I am there also shall my servant be Christ by his own power and authority will cause it to be From whence I shall touch only on this Doctrine That Christs prayer for his people will certainly and infallibly prevail for them I will saith Christ that they be where I am Though we may many times doubt of the efficacy and successe of our own prayers yet there is no cause at all to question the successe of Christs Intercession and the grounds are these 1. Because he hath merited and purchased at Gods hands those benefits he prayeth for Therefore though whatsoever God doth to us be of grace in respect of us yet it is of justice and right to him so that it can no more be that Christs prayer for us should not speed then that God should be unjust and that not in respect of promise only to Christ for he hath likewise promised to us but of justice So that now Christ may well say Father I will their glory and happiness because I have purchased it at so dear a rate 2. Christs prayer must needs be effectual because it lieth in his power also to do that and accomplish for us which he doth desire Though therefore as man he prayeth yet as God he can fulfill and bring about what we stand in need of If therefore Christ saith Father I will that they be sanctified that they be glorified who shall withstand this 3. Christs prayer will alwayes take effect because his will and the will of the Father are the same So that as Christ argued None could take his sheep out of his hand because he and the Father are one So also it followeth Christs will in prayer cannot be gainsaid or hindred by any because the Father and he are one if indeed the Father had one will and Christ a contrary will to it then we might justly doubt of the successe of it but it is not as Christ wils the Sanctification and glorification of his people so doth the Father also So that all our confidence is to be in Christs prayer and not ours Vse 1 Vse of Consolation and comfort to the children of God who mourn under the sinfull imperfections of their prayers yea are ready to cry out that God shutteth out their prayers Oh let them remember what a glorious treasure is here laid up for them Though their own prayers are weak yet Christs are not Look therefore again and again see the things Christ hath prayed for and then doubt not but they will be accomplished in thee Oh let not thy heart sink and be troubled within thee when thou seest such a remedy provided for thee Urge Christs name urge Christs prayer Vse 2 Vse 2. Of Terrour to wicked men who have no interest in Christs prayer or intercession If it were so terrible a judgement not to have Samuel or Jeremiah pray for some persons it argued their incurable condition how much more may it strike horrour and amazement into the hearts of all wicked men as Christ minded thee not in his death so neither in his prayer I pray not for the world But into the hardned and impenitent heart no terrible woe can enter SERMON CXXXVI Of the State of Glory Shewing what it is to behold Christs Glory in Heaven JOH 17.24 That they may behold the glory that thou hast given me IN these words is contained the final cause or end of our Saviours Petition in behalf of his Disciples He praieth that they may be with him in Heaven and why That they may behold the glory which the Father hath given him In which words take notice of the Act the Object and the Cause of it The act is that they may behold ut videant saith Austin non ut credant because Eternal vision in Heaven is the reward of faith here on earth Here it 's believing in Heaven it's beholding Although there are some that limit the sence to this life as if here they were by the experience of Faith to behold the glory and majesty of Christ as Mediatour but the context doth principally relate to the enjoying of glory in Heaven Others they observe Non dixit ut habeant sed ut videant he did not say That they might have but that they might behold for Christs glory is incommunicable but the word is not to be limited for it comprehends 1. To behold and see and that immediatly opposite to the way of faith and knowledge which we have of God in this life which is but darkly 2. It denoteth fruition and enjoyment of this glory for we shall be glorified with Christ and thus the word videre is often used for frui To see life is to live To see death is to die To see the Kingdom of Heaven is to enjoy it So that the godly shall not be meer idle Spectators of this Glory but they shall be taken into fellowship with it 3. It denoteth all the effects and consequents of such a beholding of this Glory which are infinite delight and joy Immortality and Eternity So that there shall never be any end of it all this is comprehended in seeing but the greater Question is about the glory that is mentioned What is understood by that and some relate it to that infinite and incomprehensible Glory which he hath as God but generally it 's understood of that Glory which he hath as Mediatour for so the Father after his sufferings did infinitely exalt him and give him a name above all names So that Christ as Mediatour is glorified in a transcendent manner by God So that Christ hath his essential glory as God and his Mediatory glory as Mediatour Now these two kindes of glory do not differ really but only in several waies of administration for he that is Mediator must needs also be God Obs That the great end of our being in Heaven is to behold and enjoy the Glory of Christ As the Queen of Sheba took a long journey to behold the glory of Solomon which did so ravish her that her spirit even fainted within her which yet was but a temporall fading and earthly glory how much more transcendent and ravishing will that heavenly Glory be to us when we shall behold the Majesty and Greatnesse that Christ shall then be in sitting upon his throne at the right hand of God To behold and to be ravished with this glory of Christ is the great work we have to do to all Eternity for our Saviours will to have us where he is is not for any want or necessity that he had of us Christs glory would have been admired by Angels though we should never be
in Christ while the world did oppose and persecute them this did greatly commend their ftith In the words you may observe the Subiect and the Attribute The Subiect is the world This word is taken variously yea in this very Petition it 's used differently for sometimes it 's taken for the wicked perishing and damned world the reprobate world Thus he said I pray not for the world but those thou hast given me The world is there the immediate opposite to all Elected persons but sometimes it 's taken indefinitely or negatively as when he saith That the world may know thou hast sent me Now in this verse we must take the word world for the company of perishing and damned men because they are opposed to the whole kinde of saving believers In the next place you must know that though the word world be for the most part opposed to the Church or number of believers yet some may be externally in the Church yet really and indeed of the world such are all who though outwardly professing Christ and submitting to his orders are yet unregenerated and so in the state of gall and bitternesse These know not God in a saving manner though they have a barren speculative knowledge of him It may therefore fall out that many may be of the world taken indefinitely not as limited to the reprobates who yet in respect of Gods purpose shall in time become his in an effectuall manner And again many may be in the Church of God who yet in the issue will be of the perishing damned world Some that are wolvs for the present shall become sheep and some that are sheep for the present in appearance at the day of judgement will be discovered to be goats 2. You have the attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not known thee This is put for the present tense as among the Latines Novi is sometimes for it doth not only denote that this hath been the custome heretofore but that still for the present and for the future The world is full of blindenesse and darknesse and doth not comprehend the light There is the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added in the Original And the world hath hot known thee Some think that this addeth some affection and emphasis for either they expound it intensively for as much as etiam or adversatively for as much as quamvis although in both which sences the Hebrew particle Vau is used but it may be taken as a meer redundant particle which is very familiar to the Scripture-language and so it seemeth our Translators did take it who wholly omit it in the English The words thus explained observe That the world is ignorant in a saving manner of God Heaven is no more in hell then the true knowledge of God is in the heart of a wicked man In the pursuing of this I shall take the word world largely not only for that heathenish part of it who never heard of Christ but for that Christian part of it who though in the generall professe they know God yet in works do deny him and so the word shall be equipollent to every unregenerate man whether in the Church or out of the Church but because of this world there is two sorts as was hinted before One of those who though for the present have no saving knowledge of Christ yea do oppose it and rage at it as Paul for a while did and all converts once did serve divers pleasures and lusts And another of those who for a while give great and ready obedience to it but for want of a true root fall off wholly from God as Judas and many other Apostates I shall chiefly frame my discourse to the perishing wicked world though not excluding the other Bt before I go further you must take notice of what kinde of knowledge it is which we speake of and deny to the world It 's an effectuall saving knowledge for it 's plain the Heathens had some knowledge of God and unconverted Christians who will die and go to hell in their sins may have wonderful gifts and admirable knowledge with the utterance thereof in matters of religion yet have no saving knowledge So that knowledge doth not make happy unlesse it be practicall If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13 17. This premised let us proceed and 1. That the unregenerate world doth not or cannot know God may appear several waies 1. From the original pollution and pravity improved by actual wickednesse wdich is upon all till sanctified by grace Joh. 1.10 where though Christ be said to be the light of the world and the world was made by him yet it knew him not and Joh. 3.19 This is the condemnation of the world that light is come into it yet men love darknesse rather then light What a horrible and dreadful condition is this to love darknesse rather then light Hence 1 Joh. 5.19 The whole world lieth in wickednesse So that it 's no more wonder if the world do not know Christ then that the night is not the day that weeds are not precious flowers They are in darknesse and so cannot see and this reason doth not only prove the act they are not knowing of God but the defect of all power and ability they do not neither can they know God To which purpose the Apostle fully 1 Cor. 2.14 The natural man receiveth not the spiritual things of God neither can he know them This removeth both the act and power Therefore at the 12. verse he cals it the spirit of the world which is opposed to the Spirit of God that only makes us know the things of God Oh then the sad condition of all unregenerate men this darknesse is not dreadfull to them they are as men that are asleep yea or blinde who have a visive faculty though actually they cannot see but as men dead in sinne yea this original pollution doth still carry the demonstration higher for it doth not only negatively or privatively remove both the act and power of the knowledge of God but doth positively incline to the hating and opposing of all knowledge both of God and Christ hence the world is said so often to hate the godly and to hate the light and the reasons given because its works are evil So that it 's but a little wickednesse comparatively in the world that it doth not know for it hateth all knowledge it rebelleth against all light and therefore the wisedom of the flesh is said to be enmity it self against God Rom. 8 7. Is it any wonder then to see wicked men carried out with bloudy malicious and irreconcilable hatred to the knowledge of God for it cannot be otherwise There is a spirit of contrariety of opposition and madness against God for if Gods truth and will be received then there corruptions and lusts can no longer stand The world cannot endure that the light of the word should make naked
all its idolatry impiety and that it is indeed wholly at the will of the devil And this suggests a 2d Demonstration that the world doth not know God because the devil is the immediate Prince of it He that is called the Prince of darknesse is likewise said to be the god of this world This is fully expressed 2 Cor. 2.4 where the god of this world is said to blinde the mindes of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine into them Therefore you have a notable description of the devils from the Soveraignty and power they have Eph 6.12 where they are called principalities and powers and rulers of the darknesse of this world how wofull then is the condition of the world of ungodly men who are thus made captive to the devils and are ensnared at their will That as they themselves are reserved in chains of darknesse so do they keep all their vassals they are chains of darknesse such as those who are in a dark dungeon and such as they cannot break neither have the wicked any desire to do it and therefore they never say to the devils chains as the ungodly do to Christs dominion Let us break his bonds asunder and cast his yoke away Psal 2. As long then as this strong one keeps the house for the whole world is his house no wonder if he make it like hell it self yea he makes the world by his ruling in it worse then hell in some sence for in hell he is tied up in some degree of torments but in the world he is let loose to infect and damn others though not without his torments 3. The world must needs be without all saving knowledge of God from the defect or absence of those causes which do alone cause saving knowledge So that as the world at first when it was a confused Chaos without form and void could not make a glorious light to appear upon it but that was Gods work whom the Apostle doth therefore describe as him that worketh darknesse out of light 2 Cor. 4 6. alluding to the work of grace which is now upon the world So neither is the world wallowing in its filth and thick darkness able to create the least light of saving knowledge but must for ever perish if God vouchsafe not his grace Now these causes are wanting which necessarily infer ignorance in the world Even as the absence of the Sun makes night 1. There is not the external Revelation and propounding of the doctrine to be believed unless God in much mercy send it Hence you may see that once in Judea only was the true knowledge of God and the whole world besides groped in more then Egyptian darkness and now though God hath commanded this light to shine over the whole world So that it is not limited to any one Nation yet a great part of the world still is heathenish So that they are darkned and become foolish in all their imaginations The denying of the Gospel is a greater misery then if the Sun should be denied to shine to such a people Now it 's God only that makes this light to shine in one place leaving the other in its darkness Even the Pelagians of old did acknowledge this grace of God necessary viz. a revelation and proposition of the object 2. Besides this external light the world wants that internal light of illumination without which the Gospel though never so gloriously preached is but like the Sun shining at noon day to a blinde man for this is made the work of Gods Spirit only Joh. 16.8 to reprove the world of sin and of righteousnesse Till the Spirit of God doth illuminate in both these the world doth not understand the horrible guilt and aggravation of sin the damnable estate and condition it is in thereby Neither doth it know what is that righteousnesse which only can justifie and where it is to be had so that the world even the wisest and most learned thereof are but like so many blinde moles digging constantly in the earth Neither affected with their disease or with the remedy till Gods Spirit doth wonderfully convince them and this is evidently seen in the Christian world For doth not the glorious light of the Gospel compasse men about yet they are like owles the blinder because of this light Insomuch that such blindenesse of minde is not amongst heathens as amongst impenitent and hardened Christians for besides the natural blindeness which they have common with heathens there is a judicial blindenesse that God smiteth them with for unfruitfullnesse and contempt of the Gospel Thus they are twice blinde as some are said to be twice dead Is it not matter of astonishment that a people living many years under constant and powerful preaching should yet he as brute beasts and understand nothing of their misery and the remedy Surely all this is because that judgement is come upon Israel even blindeness of minde and a veil upon their hearts 3. The world knoweth not God because it hath not that ultimate and compleat cause of all saving knowledge which is the spirit of regeneration and the work of a new creature upon their souls for till God give this heart of flesh and remove an heart of stone all the illumination and strongest convictions which men have upon them is not enough to make them know as they ought to know The Apostle Tit. 1.1 speaks of an acknowledgement of truth after godlines now that is only when a mans heart is mollified as well as his minde is enlightned It 's true the Scripture speaks of some 2 Pet. 2.20 who by the knowledge of God did escape the pollutions of the world but that was only in respect of external conversation for they were in their natures Swine still and not sheep It cannot then be that the world should know God and Christ as long as there is that corrupt enmity and spirit of rebellion and contrariety in it to what is holy Christ told Peter that it was not flesh and bloud which had revealed Mat 16.17 that glorious Confession of faith unto him If then the world be thus without the spirit of God enlightening and converting how then can it in any saving way acknowledge God Vse of Instruction Concerning the terrible condition of the perishing world whether within or without the Church yea it is most terrible to those who are the world really but the Church nominally You are shut out from the face of God and Christ You are without hope in the world Oh your greatnesse your pleasures will not avail to keep you from destruction This is Eternall life to know God and Jesus Christ This then is eternal death not to know him 2. That no knowledge of God or Christ which is not practical and saving deserveth the name of Christian knowledge The world though both by nature and supernatural revelation may know much of God yet because lying and living in
some while he was here on earth or mediately and that is by the discovering of the work of grace upon our souls whereby we gather Gods love toward us and this is the ordinary safe way that we are to take otherwise under the pretence of immediate revelations we may fall into sad delusions and this way the Scripture suggests viz. that by our love to the brethren by keeping his Commandements we may gather that we are loved of God Do not then expect as if thou shouldst hear a voice from heaven in a glorious manner as Christ did Thou art my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased but begin at the work of grace and Sanctification in thy heart by which thou maist certainly conclude of Gods love as by the Sun-beams we may conclude the Sun risen yet this must be necessarily added that we can neither discern of the work of grace in us or have such full perswasions of Gods love thereby but by the spirit of God as in Rom. 5.5 we of our selves through the sight of the imperfections of our graces would run from the presence of God only it 's the spirit of adoption given unto us which makes us have an Evangelical boldness before him Lastly This love of God perceived and felt by the godly is of a transcendent and incomprehensible nature So that if we should spend our whole life in the meditating of it yet we are never able to go to the bottom of it This is admirably expressed Eph. 3 19. that ye may know the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge from whence followeth that we are filled with the fulness of God for this love to us is the same in kinde though not in degree with that whereby he loveth Christ himself Christ and his members are comprehended in the same act of love what an unspeakable consideration is this to a poor believer Again the love of God is such that he gave his only begotten Son to the vilest and most ignominious death for them which the Apostle puts also upon it Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world and this love was to us while enemies while adversaries and it 's not to bring about a temporall mercy for us but eternal even everlasting glory and lastly this love is immutable and unchangeable God will never alter his love or cease to love such Certainly such a love is that which the heart of a man can never sufficiently comprehend must needs inflâ—me the soul there cannot be any cold Ice under this torrid Zone Therefore in the next place let us consider the great advantages that a believer hath which hath this powerful sence and feeling of Gods love within his heart And 1. It doth in a wonderful manner encourage and embolden the soul and that under the thoughts of death and the day of Judgement If so be this were to be the next moment if this voice were heard Arise and come to judgement yet the experimental feeling of Gods love would keep the heart so far from being dejected and perplexed that it would rather rejoyce a man and make him lift up his head 1 Joh. 4.17 Herein is love made perfect that is not our love but Gods love to us as the Greek intimateth that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgement That day which is so terrible to the wicked the very name of it is dreadful to them that bringeth much comfort to him who is loved of God Now what a desirable life is this who would not give the whole world to enjoy it viz. that he may walk in such powerful apprehensions of Gods favour that though death come though the day of judgement come yet his heart is not terrified within him The Apostle John speaks of Gods love perfected in us 1 Jo. 4.12 that is in respect of manifestation and discovery as Gods power is said to be perfected in our infirmities or faith to be perfected by love which sheweth that though God doth love us yet till this be manifested and discovered to us his love is not perfected to us 2. The sence and feeling of Gods love doth make us patient and contented yea even rejoycing under all tribulations the more grudgings and discontents thou art assaulted with under any exercises it 's an argument thou hast the less feeling of Gods love upon thee for if this did diffuse it self thou wouldst be more then a conquerour in all these things and certainly if Calvin said gravely from the former consideration out of the place mentioned in John That so far a man is proficient in faith as he is well composed in his heart for the expectation of the day of judgement We may also speak in this particular that so far a man hath profited in Christianity as he can from the sence of Gods favour rejoyce and be above all tribulations whatsoever This the Apostle mentioneth Rom. 5.5 the cause of all those glorious graces mentioned viz. patience and glorying in tribulations as also hope which will not make ashamed all cometh from that love of God shed abroad in their souls and Rom 8 It 's the love of God which he felt in his soul that made him triumph in so glorious a manner that he challengeth all things as not able to hinder him from this love of God 3. This sence of Gods love is a notable inflamer and quickner of the heart unto all godliness to all holy duties How dull how cold and lukewarm are all such performances that flow not from this fire within All is but formality and a meer outside in Religion till we have some apprehension of Gods love toward us yea those that are truly loved of God but yet not assured of it how heavily do they move in any holy duties how sad and divided with unbelieving thoughts how prone to yield to such temptations that because God doth not love them therefore it 's a vain thing to seek his face any longer but if once God let this love shine in upon his heart then it 's like oyl to his bones then it 's like Ezechiels spirit in the wheels then many waters cannot quench this love So that any duty performed out of the apprehension of Gods love is in some respect worth a thousand of those done without it Oh therefore labour to keep this fire alwaies upon the Altar of thy heart 2 Cor. 5.14 the Apostle there saith that the love of Christ constraineth him the word is thought to be used of those Prophets who being immediatly wrought upon by the spirit of God could not keep in what they felt but they must deliver it and thus it is with a man strongly possessed with the feeling of Gods love he cannot keep it in he is in an holy extasie and ravishment he praieth he heareth he doth all things with all his might 4 This apprehension of Gods love will make us wonderfull heavenly It will take us from all things here below As a man on
a high tower thinketh great towns and cities but little things thus a godly man raised up with the evidence of Gods love toward him judgeth all the world but a drop to God As the eye that hath looked on the Sun is so dazeled that it cannot behold other things Thus it was with Paul he was so affected with this that Christ loved him and gave himself for him Gal. 2.20 that he professeth he did no longer live but Christ in him It 's this apprehension that will carry us up unto the mount of Transfiguration every day It 's no wonder then if Satan be so busie to tempt us in this Point above all to unsettle us about the love of God in Christ to us for he knoweth herein lieth the strength of Sampson as it were if this be taken away any green cords will tye him he will not have strength to overcome the least temptation But as long as this love of God can be preserved and kept alive in the soul so long neither the devil or the world is able to do us any hurt so long we are like the bird flying on high that is not in danger of snares SERMON CXLV Directions how to obtain and alwayes to preserve the Knowledge and Assurance of Gods Love in our Hearts JOHN 17.26 That the Love wherewith thou lovest me may be in them THe sense of Gods love in our hearts is of such consequence that our Saviour doth conclude his prayer with it and as you have heard glorious and blessed are the effects of it I shall therefore in this last Sermon give some Directive Helps How to obtain and alwayes to preserve this Assurance and Knowledge of Gods Love to us but before we declare them it 's good to take notice of some particulars that may rightly inform our understanding in this point And First You are to know That it 's the devils great work to keep the children of God in darknesse and in continual doubtings He is the tempter not only in respect of lusts but also unbelieving and distrustfull thoughts of Gods grace and mercy That as the work of Gods Spirit is to comfort called therefore a Comforter as also to assure and witness unto us That we are the children of God yea to enable us to cry Abba Father So on the contrary Satan that unclean spirit his whole business is if he cannot tempt to sin yet to walk in a discouraged tormenting and afflicted way representing God as some terrible Judge catching at all the advantages to destroy us Now the way that the devil takes thus to deject and sadden the hearts of the godly is two-fold for either he doth thus by suggestions immediately to the soul taking the occasion when our spirits are darkned and clouded or when God for holy ends hath withdrawn his light of favour from us Or by his instruments which he raiseth up he causeth such tares of Doctrine to be sown amongst the good seed that the childe of God shall not only walk without the perswasion of Gods favour but think it is his duty and that he is obliged to reject all such comfortable thoughts for certainly this is one Doctrine of the devils amongst others in Popery that they forbid the penitent soul any assurance or certainty of Gods favour encouraging doubts as the mother of humility keeping the humbled sinner as the devils did the demoniack person among the tombs in sad and dolefull objects not discovering to him the glorious and comfortable light of the Gospel So that in Popery it 's one high point of Religion with them that no man without an extraordinary revelation can attain to a certainty of Gods love to him he may they will grant have some moral conjectures but a certain perswasion cannot be ordinarily attained But the Orthodox do abundantly confirm this truth against them Therefore I only instance in their opinion as an engine of Satan whereby he would by this temptation take off the understanding as by the former way he would unsettle the heart and affections But let our wisdom be to take the greater diligence to keep that pearl which we see Satan would so constantly rob us of Secondly Observe this That it 's possible for the sense of Gods favour and love to consist with some doubtings and sad shakings of heart about it at some times Even as the light of the Sunne may make the day yet at the same time there be some dark and gloomy clouds which though not able wholly to remove the Suns light yet do in a great measure obscure it We see it in Davids Psalms some whereof you would think were not made by the same man at the same time for happily in the beginning he had sad dejecting and expostulating thoughts with God and with his soul also and yet ere the Psalm be ended he is able to break out in comfortable perswasions and assurances of Gods love Insomuch that as Paul findes Rom. 7. in respect of grace a daily combate so also in respect of certainty about Gods love we believe and yet crave help for our unbelief and the word used by the Apostle 1 John 3.19 We assure our hearts is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we perswade our hearts implying that our hearts have many objections and cavils so that this assurance comes by perswasion even as the Greek word to comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used also to exhort because this consolation is hardly received into the soul there must be argument upon argument exhortation upon exhortation ere it will be satisfied Do not therefore expect that which yet some vainly boast of thou shouldst alwayes walk in such predominant assurance of Gods love that there should not any time arise the least cloud or fear in thy soul no such a blessed estate will only be in heaven Thirdly Consider that the sense of Gods love may consist with a feeling of a spiritual combate within us between the flesh and the spirit For this assurance of Gods favour doth not arise from a total absence of all sinne that there is now no corruption in us at all but from Gods gracious favour in Christ pardoning those reliques of corruption within us It 's not therefore the perfection of grace within us that our sense of Gods love is built upon but the promise and truth of God in his Word the not attending to this hath made Gods children labour under heavy and sad burdens of minde Oh they feel much corruption in themselves they daily finde stirrings of sinne within them by which means they are tempted to many doubts about Gods love towards them But this is their infirmity for did not Paul in a very grievous manner complain of the body of sinne within him that he found evil present with him when he would do good that he was a captive even sold under sinne and yet for all this he saith I thank God through Jesus Christ and concludeth That there is no
or because that can adde any thing to his happiness but because thereby thou art made capable of his love and so he can communicate of his goodness to thee do not then take comfort so much from thy graces as the evidence of Gods love to thee thereby 5. Take notice that it 's most acceptable and well-pleasing unto God that thou shouldst walk in such sense and feeling of his goodness to thee For why are all those commands to rejoyce in him and to bless his name continually Why doth he invite thee to call him Father And why are there such thunderbolts in the Scripture against unbelief and distrust Why is it the main scope of the Scripture to represent God under all love and loving considerations but that all our thoughts of him should be hopefull and comfortable Do not therefore think thou goest beyond thy bounds or it's presumption in thee to draw nigh to God upon such assured apprehensions of his grace No the Scripture expresly commands the contrary Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace and Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Hearken not then to all those doubting temptations within nor all those deceitfull arguments of humane reason without but consider what the Scripture saith and certainly it 's preposterous humility as in Peter refusing to let Christ wash his feet to keep off from the Throne of grace when we are commanded to come to it Besides without this sense of love how can our hearts be raised up to bless and glorifie God It was Davids apprehension of Gods goodness to him that made him call upon his soul and all within him to bless Gods holy Name 6. Consider that this sense of Gods love is the proper and genuine effect of faith in Christ as a Mediator Thus our Saviour doth here make it the consequent of it They have known me whom thou hast sent that the love whereby thou lovest me may be in them It 's not enough to believe in the general That Christ is a Mediator to such as believe in him but with Paul Gal. 2.20 we are to appropriate him who loved me and gave himself for me with this Evangelist John we are to lean our heads as it were in Christs bosom with Thomas we are to say My God and my Lord. Now the genuine but not the necessary and inseparable effect of such an appropriating faith is the sense and assurance of Gods love to me in particular which love of God is so attentive to one believer as if there were no more in the world As they say of the soul it 's tota in toto and tota in qualibet parte so is the love of God totus in universis fidelibus and totus in singulis God loveth a particular believer as much as if there were no more believers in the world Though the objects of his love may be diversified yet his love is not divided or by division diminished Lastly Fix this alwayes upon thy heart that Christ hath prayed for this sense of the Fathers love upon thy soul You see in this prayer where he mentioneth all the great and consequential things unto believers this is brought in at the last as the adorning and sweetning of all the rest for if sanctified if hereafter to be glorified if Christ be in us and we in Christ yet if the experimental knowledge and assurance of this be absent we are as the Disciples under storms and tempests crying out We perish we perish Let the summary Use of the whole be by way of Exhortation to all believers to hunger and thirst yea to have their souls break in longing after the enjoyment of this love of God in us Oh bid all things stand aloof off till thou art made partaker of it Say How long Lord how long is it that thou absentest thy self When shall I have the imbracements of thy love When will the glorious Sunne break out and dispell all the dark clouds that are upon my soul Give not over importuning for it Because of this very prayer of Christ know to thy encouragement that this prayer abideth for ever Though it was once uttered by him upon the earth and he ceased to pray any further yet it still liveth in the efficacy and power of it yea that continual intercession of his in heaven what is it but the reviving of this prayer So that by the vertue of this prayer through his blood we are sanctified we are justified and shall hereafter be for ever glorified FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Chief Heads contained in this TREATISE A Afflictions IT 's a greater mercy to be kept from sinne and evil in our Afflictions and troubles then from the afflictions themselves 444 The Grounds and Reasons why it is so 446 Antichrist That Antichrist should prosper and prevail in the shedding of the blood of so many Martyrs is a dangerous temptation c. 388 A two-fold Antichrist ibid. Apostasie Apostasie and decay in grace may be in several particulars 350 c. Those that plead for the Apostasie of the godly grant there is a distinction to be made 354 Apostats That men may be eminent for a while in the Church of God and yet afterwards prove dreadfull Apostats 372 Arians Arians confuted 73 149 Ascension The benefits of Christs Ascension 291 Assurance Assurance may be attained 356 Astrology How vain and wicked it is to go to Astrologers or Witches or be such 396 Arguments against Astrology and witchcraft 396 397 Atonement Christ was a Priest to make Atonement for us 507 Attributes It is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think to those Attributes and relations in him which may excite and stirre up holy confidence and boldnesse 657 B Beginnings THen Beginnings are hopefull when the Spirit in the Ministry or other means of grace did work upon us 382 Then will Beginnings and endings be alike when grace is radicated and enters deep enough into the soul 383 Good Beginnings will have bad endings when men professe Christ out of sinister and worldly respects ib. Hot Beginnings will end coldly 383 Behold What is that glory which they shall Behold shining in Christ 663 Beholding How much is comprehended in this expression of Beholding Christs glory 662 Belief Our Belief is the fruit and effect of Christs death and our election 537 Two opinions about this ib. The state of the Question in some particulars ib. Arguments to confirm us in the truth 538 Believe Why Gods children are so hardly brought to Believe 211 Why prophane men think it easy to Believe in Christ 213 Why Believing in Christ is so acceptable to God 213 214 Believer In what respect Christ did as much for one Believer as another 525 In some particulars the poor weak Believer hath more love and affection from Christ then a stronger 528 The particulars wherein ib. Wherein God sanctifieth their weakness and
upon this will bring much Consolation Considering 1. Gods taking the more care of them 2. Their being quaiified as that come under Christs Fraier 3. And that God will ere long take them out of the world Quest Answ Observ How many wayes a godly man may be more sanctified 1. Inrensively 2. Extensively 3. In the deeper radication of grace in our hearts 4. Subjectively 5. Efficienter Growth in Sanctification illustrated by the contraries unto it which are these Reasons Vse Observ That the word of God is the instrument of our sanctification The explication of the point The necessity of learned officers in the Church The Word is Gods instrument and faith is mans The Word is not the principal or efficient but the instrumental cause The necessity of Gods efficiency Without Gods blessing men may by the Scriptures through interpretation be corrupted Instrumentall Causes are physical natural or moral One cause must not be opposed to other causes The Word is the ordinary means The word to some through their wickednes becomes an instrument of greater sinfullness Doct. The Word of God is Truth In how many particulars Gods Word is true I. In regard of the efficient Cause God II. It 's the Rule of all Truth III. It 's true materially IV. Qualitatively V. It 's true Instrumentally There is a threefold Truth we cannot attain to without the Scripture 1. True Doctrine 2. True Piety 3. True Consolation VI. The Scripture is true oppositely to all the Opinions Doctrines and Religions that men set up by their own fancy The excellent properties of the truth of Scripture 1. It 's the truth of God 2. It 's infallible 3. Eternal 4. Universal 5. Supernaturall 6. A holy truth 7. A precious truth 8. A bitter truth Doct. Truth and holinesse are requisite in Ministers of the Gospel Why it is requisite Ministers should be endowed with soundnesse of judgement Why Ministers must be holy Vse T Doct. 2. That Christ hath a peculiar love of those who are in Church-Office according to his rule and way In what particular Christs care is shewed to his Ministers Observ Christ was sent of the Father and did not of himself undertake that office he was imployed in while on the earth Of Christs Commission consider these things The necessity of Christs being sent Observ None may undertake the publike Office of the Ministry without a lawful Call thereunto Dist 1. There is a two-fold sending Mediate and Immediate Dist 2. The substance of the Ministerial Office is the same with that which every Minister hath Rules for private Christians exercising their Gifts Whether reading be preaching Heinsius Grotius Vocation to the Office of the Ministry consists in these things I. Inward qualifications II. Outward Distinct ult That there is a distinct Oâ—fice of the Ministry That none may enter into this Office without an authoritative mission Doct. That Christ set himself apart to be a Sacrifice for us In my Treatise of justification What Christs sanctifying himself implieth I. His purity and holinesse II His ready offering himself for us III. His fitnesse for the office of a Mediatour 1. The fitnesse of his Person 2. His fitnesse in regard of his Offices 1. Prophetical 2. Priestly 3. Kingly IV. He is prepared for this work Benefits of Christs sanctifying himself V. That he was wholly set apart for us VI. That if by faith we improve him not for those ends God appointed him we make him a Christ in vain VII It denotes him a sinner by imputation VIII That he was a Priest to make atonement for us Concerning Christs priestly-office Consider these things Wherein this prayer and his intercession in heaven differ The adâ—unct of his Priestly Office Observ That Christ was not only the Priest but the Sacrifice it self Propositions concerning Christs Priesthood I. That Christ was both Priest Sacrifice and Altar II. What things are necessary to a Sacrifice III. He offered himself to God IV. It was by way of Expiotion V. The necessity of it The properties of Christs Sacrifice I. It hath infinite worth in it II. Though Christ offered himself as a Sacrifiae yet the application must be as God hath appointed III. Christs bloud washeth away not only the guilt of sin but the filth of it IV. The vertue of his Sacrifice abides for ever V. It 's continually useful VI. It 's prevalent with God VII It 's that Christ presents to his Father VIII The purity of it IX The vertue of it Observ Christ died not only for our justification also Concerning this point consider I. How many wayes is the Christ is the cause of our Sanctification II. What is implied in our being sanctified by Christ III. What may be inferred from our being sanctified by Christs sanctifying himself IV. Wherein the truth of Sanctification lieth Doct. That Christ though God yet as man did pray unto the Father Upon what grounds Christ who was God as well as man did pray The difference between Christs praier and ours What advantage Beleevers have by Christ Doct. In what respects Christ did as much for one believer as another There is some difference between beleevers in respect of Christs Death Observ That such is Christs care and love to his remembred in his prayer and death even before they had a being Doct. Reasons Doct. That the faith which â—ustififieth and saveth us maketh us wholly to depend on Christ The several kinds of faith The object of faith It 's an act of the will as wel as the understanding The seat of faith These things are required to justifying faith I. Of faith under the notion of receiving Christ The receiving of Christ implyeth 1. That we have nothing of our own 2. That we are wholly passive in justification 3. That faith doth not justifie for any intrinsecal worth in it 4. Faith is excluded as it is a work 5. And why faith and no other grace doth justifie II. This receiving is not a bare receiving but an imbracing also III. In this act of faith there is a fiducial reposing of the soul upon Christ IV. An application of Christ V. This recumbent act of faith may not only thus receive Christ but we may be assured that Christ is ours Faith hath two acts a direct and a reflex Quest Observ God hath appointed a perpetual Ministry to the end of the world Quest Answ Doct. Consider That there is a two-fold Unity among the godly I. Invisible II. Visible III. 1. The excellency and necessity of unity among Christians appears by the vehement and affectionate praier for it 2. It s a means to bring the world to believe the truth 3. It s promised as a special part of the Covenant 4 Hereby a serviceable helping of one another in spirituaâ—l things is preserved 5. God suffers sad persecutions to befall them that thereby their discords may be removed 6. Unity strengthens 7. It is beautifull and comely 9. Divisions are the fruit of the flesh 10. Because all things
are reduced to one Quest Seeing God hath promised one heart and way and Christ praied for it how comes it to passe there are so many breaches among the godly Answ 1. True unity is from Christ and terminated in him There is a wicked unity 2. A directed and ordered unity 3. It is consistent with such graces that yet have an outward appearance of dissolving unity Remedies for the preventing and healing divisions in the Church False wayes of unity 1. By Papists 2. By Socinians The true uniting principles As to true Doctrine II. Rules to keep up unity in Church-order and to prevent Schism III. Rules for Unity in respect of love to prevent wrath and quarrellings Observ The Father and Son are two distinct Persons yet one in Nature and Essence Consider 1. God considered absolutely and relatively 2. There is notwithstanding but one God 3. This Doctrine of the Trinity is an object of faith and cannot be demonstrated by reason The characteristical properties of the Persons in the Godhead Observ That all believers are united to Christ and in him to the Father I. Consider those Scripture-expressions to represent this Unity II. There must be an unition before there can be an union III. There is a naturall union with Christ and a supernatural IV. This union is wholly spiritual V. It 's also reall VI. The necessity of this union with Christ VII The excellecy of it VIII IX X. XI Observ That Unity among believers is a special means to inlarge the kingdom of Christ Consid I. That notwithstanding the Doctrine yet unity simply as such is not an infallible note of the true Church The Papist answered Unity without true Doctrine no note of a true Church The Papist no such cause to boast of Unity Why Unity is an attractive loadstone to bring others unto the faith What those proper sins are that divisions amongst the godly are apt to breed in the world Observ That the believing of Christ being sent unto the world is the foundation of our conversion unto God Of the nature of Faith as it is dogmaticall or historicall 1. It 's wrought by the grace of God By means of the Word 3. The heart of man is naturally not only unfit but contrary and opposite to the way of beleeving heavenly truths 4. This faith may be without sanctification of the inward man 5. Where this faith is there will be some kinde of pious disposition of heart 6. The motive of it is divine 7. It s grace though but common grace 8. It s the foundation of conversion The properties of it 1. It lifts a man above his natural reason 2. It contradicts not reason 3. It s the substance of things hoped for c. 4. It hath universality in its assenting Observ That the glory which Christ hath he communicates one way or other to his people Consider I. Christs personal glory is incommunicable II. What are those effects of that glory which Christ vouchsafeth to his III. None are made partakers of that glory of Christ but by union with him 1. No man till he be united unto Christ hath any true and solid glory In what respects humane and earthly glory comes short of heavenly Corollary II. That the meanest Christian surpasses Solomon in all his glory Corollary III. IV. It consumes all love and desire of vain-glory V. Let them faithfully do Christs work notwithstanding all reproaches wicked men load them with VI. Admire the bounty of his grace VII Doct. Christ though God had many things given him of his Father There is a twofold giving What things were given Christ of the Father Observ Unity among believers is part of that glory which Christ as Mediator hath obtained for them Consid I. Unity is the Churches glory Their glory actively and passively II. Christ purchased as Mediator this priviledge as well as others Christ said to be in believers several wayes 1. By communication of the same nature with us 2. Sacramentally 3. By his Spirit 4. By a gracious inhabitation and sanctifying presence Doct. How Christ lives in a believer The false ways of Christs being in his people How or in what manner Christ is in his people How Christ is in his people more particularly The fruits and effects of Christs being in us Doct. As Christ is in us so the Father being in Christ is also thereby in us How the Father is in Christ Quest How the Father and Son can be in believers and yet they have such great remainders of sinne in them Answ Doct. The Father and Christs being in believers is the cause of that perfect and consummaâ—e unity which they ought to have of themselves What is implied in their being made perfect in one The causes of this unity Doct. That faith is knowledge What knowledge faith is not 1. Not a knowledge by sense 2. Not a perfect comprehension and intuitive vision of the thing we believe 3. Nor like those imperfect acts of the soul which are called Suspicion opinion or doubting 4. Nor is it from the evidence of any internal principles What knowledge the knowledge of faith is Reasons why faith must be knowing or have knowledge accompanying of it Observ God the Father loveth believers even as he loveth Christ I. Wherein the love of God to Christ and believers is not alike II. Wherein Gods love to Christ and believers is alike 1. In loving Christ and them as one mystical person 2. In the properties of it 3. In regard of the effects of it Obj. Answ Doct. It 's of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are loved of God The usefulness of the worlds knowing how greatly the Saints are beloved of God will appear in these particulars How difficult it is for the world to be so perswaded Observ Without grace here there is no glory hereafter What we mean by grace Doct. 2. Glory is a gift Observ The greatest part of our happinesse that we shall have in heaven lies in this that then we shall be with Christ and have immediate communion with the Lord. Of immediate communion with Christ in heaven Consider these things The grounds why Gods presence in heaven is that which makes the happinesse of a glorified beleever Doct. It is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think on those attributes and relations in him which may excite and stirre up holy confindence and boldnesse Consid I. No wicked man is in a condition fit to pray or approach unto God upon these terms II. It s of great consequence for the humbled Christian in his prayer to improve this relation of a Father Doct. 2. Christs prayer for his people will certainly and infallibly prevail for them Doct. The great end of our being in heaven is to behold and enjoy the glory of Christ How much is comprehended in this expression of beholding Christs glory What is that glory which they shall behold shining in Christ Doct. Christ as Mediator had his glory given him Propositions aâ—out this point Christ as God cannot have any thing given him unless by way of manifestation and external celebration Obj. Answ Doubt Sol. Doubt Sol. Doubt Sol. Socinians Argument Answered How many wayes we may glorifie Christ Doct. 2. That it s no free-will or preparatory work in man that begins either his grace or glory but the sole gift of God Observ That God the Father loved Christ as Mediatour and thereby all believers in him from all Eternity How righteousness may be attributed unto God Observ God whether considered as a Judge of the world or a Father to beleevers is righteous in all his wayes I. God is just in all his administrations to devils and wicked men II. The righteousnes of God as a Father to his people in all their afflictions Observ The world is ignorant of God in a saving manner Demonstrations of the Point The causes of salvation Observ Christ is the original and fontal cause of all the knowledge that believers have Propositions about the point Doct. That it 's an indearing respect of believers to God that they do own him and cleave to hint when the whole world go quite contrary Propositions clearing the Point Doct. That Believers do not only at their first conversion but in the whole progress of their life need constant illumination and teaching from God I. In respect of the object II Observ That it is not enough for the people of God to be loved by him but they are to endeavour after the sence and apprehension of this in their own hearts Conside I. The love of God is taken two waies in Scripture II. God may love a man and he know it not III. The sence of Gods love to be laboured for IV. The sence of Gods love may be immediate or mediate V. The love of God to his is incomprehensible The advantage a believer hath by having the powerful feeling of Gods love Propositions to inform in this point I. II. It s possible for the sense of Gods favour to consist with some doubtings III. The sense of Gods love may consist with a feeling of a spiritual combate within us Helps to get and keep this favour of God
all honour and glory shall be given by the Saints in heaven to all Eternity to the Sonne only it shall be to him as the meritorious and procuring cause whereby we are brought to enjoy the Father Having thus considered Christs intentions in all his works that the Sun cannot be free◠from spots then his holy will was from all oblique and sinister respects Let us consider man who being a meer creature having all both in being and continuation from God as the beams from the Sun and the streams from the Fountain it lieth as unavoidable upon him to be affected more with Gods glory then his own good This is a very hard task to flesh and bloud but self-love and de-ordination of the faculties of the soul hath made it thus difficult Now we may divide the good of a godly man into two sorts Either that in heaven his treasure laid up there in the upper Region Or all the good he can have in this life in the lower Region And of both these we commit a kinde of horrible Idolatry when we desire them upon any other terms then in tendency to God If it be so great a sinne to alter the bounds and change the Land-marks which the Laws of a Nation have set how much more to break that good and excellent order which God hath appointed between him and the creature Let us consider the first kinde of a godly mans good his eternall felicity and salvation even this glory he is to desire in subordination to Gods glory For if Paul could make a conditionate wish and veleity that he might be accursed from Christ Rom. 9.3 to serve his brethren how much rather might this be done for the glory of God yet take heed of a mistake here some have gone so farre as to say that a godly man is never truly humbled till he can be willing to be damned for Gods glory and that it 's unlawful to look at the reward in heaven This is dangerous as well as false for it 's not lawfull but a duty to seek our salvation Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for honour and glory and Moses is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have a fixed earnest eye upon the reward Heb. 11.26 So that it 's a Speech full of vanity and no man can speak it truly that he is willing to be damned for Gods glory for such a thing cannot be and our salvation we are bound to desire so that we must take heed lest by overmuch wringing a good truth we make bloud come out instead of milk yet though this be so it 's no contradiction to say that a godly man hath such an holy principle within him that would carry him out to the obedience of God though there were no heaven and that the glory and honour of God is his principal end that it 's dearer to him then his own soul and truly if we see in nature God hath so ordered it that every particular denieth it self to preserve the universall The water will ascend upwards that there may not be a vacuum and the particular orbes are carried about against their own motion according to the power of the first mobile how much more must this hold in man and God all his life comforts and happinesse it self is to give place for Gods honour and glory Let God be glorified and ruat mundus but I shall not insist on this Let us descend to those particular good things we have in this world riches honour greatnesse and parts We shall see it 's the greatest reason in the world that we should not desire these things to advance our selves to satisfie our appetites but only thereby to glorifie God but who doth this yea who is able to bear this truth to take this yoke till a renewed nature hath made it easie And therefore let us first consider the causes procreant or principles constituant of such a gracious disposition as to be able to say O Lord I begge for health for a good name for outward comforts in this world but it 's not for my own sake so much that I do this as that hereby I might glorifie thee And 1. He must necessarily be born again or from above he must be partaker of a divine nature that can ascend thus high He that is of the earth is earthy he that is of heaven is heavenly Till a man have the Image of God and be made like him he cannot but minde earthly things When men are made godly you cannot say O Curoae in terras animae No then their souls as well as their bodies are made streight up towards heaven A worm can never do as the Lark soar up on high singing as she goeth but when descending towards the earth silent as if she were grieved Till then God hath made us new creatures given us new hearts and a new spirit within us we cannot desire these worldly comforts for any other end but our selves To be rich to be great to be wise only for our selves 2. There must be great love to God that can make us relate all things to him Jacobs great love made him do every thing to obtain Rachell and so a strong love to God will make us sacrifice all to him insomuch that our love is of so great an operation that God in a speciall manner commands that for himself and that not a meer love but love with all the heart and might Mat. 22.37 Nothing is to be left out love is fire and where that is it will burn separat heterogenea it divides all heterogeneous matter if riches if honors if friends oppose this it trampleth on them all and for this reason it is that our Saviour saith If a man hate not Father and Mother he is not worthy of me Luk. 14 20. so that the love of God is not kindled in mens hearts if it were as fire assimilateth all things into it self so would this love make us referre all things to him whom our souls love Thus David Whom have I in heaven but thee and Paul the love of Christ constraineth me 2 Cor. 5. Oh that we had the experience of this more Dost thou not see what the love of money puts the worldly man upon What the love of pleasures puts the voluptuous man upon They doe all things in reference to such corrupt ends Thus where there is an heavenly love that makes use of every thing to glorifie God that studieth and meditateth how may I advance and set up the honour of God by these things This love would quickly put out all carnall and worldly love as the beams of the Sun will put out the materiall fire 3. Mortified affections to every thing here below when we can perform the Apostles commands To buy as we bought not to weep as if we wept not 1 Co. 7. This duty of mortification the Scripture often speaketh of as a
necessary companion to the minding of heavenly things There is no externall duty of praying or hearing that will make the heart moderate and regular in the use of all comforts unlesse it be accompanied with mortification Let not then the waters overflow the banks Do not over-love over-desire over-grieve about these earthly comforts It 's an argument thou lovest them for their own sakes or thy own sake and not for God who art thus over-sollicitous about them so then to say I desire no temporall mercy but to honour God thereby requireth an heart mortified and crucified if we would speak the truth and not deceive our own souls Till therefore we be thus divinely qualified within You may as soon gather grapes of thorns and figs of thistles as the honour of God from such men In the next place take notice of the Reasons why we are to pray for all our comforts in reference to Gods glory And 1. Because God himself doth all things for his own glory His own actions are for it and therefore much more ought ours to be God made the world God saveth his people and all this is for his own glory and indeed as Gods wisedom is only able to comprehend himself so his own love is able to love him in quantum est amabilis yet we are commanded to be holy as he is holy Now as his holinesse is in willing of his own glory and all things in reference thereunto So our godlinesse consists in willing and procuring Gods glory and improving all we have for that purpose If God made the world for his glory do thou use it for his glory If God give thee parts and gifts to glorifie him oh do not abuse these against their good and lawfull end 2. From the nature of Gods glory and all these earthly comforts respectively that is the ultimus finis and these are the media and morall Philosophy teacheth us that media movent bonitate finis it 's not absolute goodnesse in the means but the relative goodnesse of the end in the means that excite and provoke the appetite It 's not Physick for Physicks sake though never so sweet but for healths sake that we take it Lay this as an undeniable argument upon thy own soul These good things are but the means they are not the end Now they are desired not in an unlimited but commensurated manner If a man would quench his thirst he doth not desire all the water in the Sea but as much as will quench his thirst If a man desire a garment to cover his nakednesse he would not have all the cloth in the world but what is proportioned for his body So it 's here Thou art not to will as much wealth as much honour and greatnesse as may be had but what will be serviceable to that great end the glory of God otherwise thou art in thy abundance as David in Sauls armour It was too great for him and in stead of being serviceable was cumbersome and truly hence ariseth the inordinate sinfulnesse of our sences in all earthly comforts we desire them for their own sake and so are infinite and never satisfied still saying Give whereas this regulated desire would much moderate us Appetitus non est regula concoctionis the appetite is not the rule of our concoction is in Divinity true as well as in Philosophy 3. Consider the greatnesse of Gods glory It 's more worth then all the world all thy wealth estate and greatnesse is nothing to this glory of God neither thy soul or body no nor all mens souls and bodies are to be compared to this Better we all perish then that God should lose his glory Oh then how should this make us whatsoever we do to do all to his glory 1 Cor. 10.31 because the Sun is far above one Star the Ocean above one drop 4. If we desire not all things in reference to him we are guilty of spirituall Idolatry we set up another God besides him or we attribute that supreme dominion to another which belongs only to him unlesse we were God himself we might not do so how severe was God against that Jewish Idolatry in worshiping Idols his glory he would not have given to another Now this is not the lesse Idolatry because it 's not so bodily The more secret and hidden it is the more abominable Herod was eaten up with lice because he was not displeased when others said The voice of God and not of man Act. 12.23 He was tickled with it and received it well enough I tell thee such sins as this are committed when thou takest thy wealth thy honours and exaltest thy self thereby and not God Vse of Instruction How few then take notice of this doctrine who desire mercies only to serve God thereby riches and greatnesse to promote God therewith If this were so there could not be those immoderate and unsatisfied affections in thee Thou wouldst be more solliciuous bow to improve all for God Thy heart would tremble lest God receive not more glory by giving thee more mercies We give thee of thy own said David 1 Chro. 29 14. and certainly if we have any thing to glorifie God by both the gift and the good use of it is wholly of Gods grace What wilt thou do who takest the good mercies of God and usest them as weapons against him Thou servest thy own lusts and the devils Will the patience of God alwaies bear this SERMON VII The Text Vindicated from Arians Vbiquitarians and Papists And the power and dominion of Christ observ'd and applied to the comfort of his Disciples and terrour of his Enemies JOH 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternall life to as many as thou hast given him THe Verse before spake of the mutual glorification which is between the Sonne and the Father Now this second verse is specificative or declarative of that wherein or whereby the Sonne may and doth glorifie the Father viz. by the power that he hath in the whole world more especially in the Church of God giving eternal life to them that do beleeve So that this Text containeth one principall way or manner how the Sonne doth glorifie the Father All the wondrous works that are done in the world bring not so much glory to God as the spiritual works which are wrought by Christ in the Church In the words we may take notice of Christs power and the use or exercise of it The power is mentioned in the former part The exercise in the latter Concerning the former observe 1. The power expressed in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which say some doth not signifie a meer power but a power with right and so difference it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if that signified any power this only is just and lawfull As among the Latines potentia and potestas are diversified but this is not universally true for 〈◊〉
a gainer as well as thou art It 's no wrong or losse to God if he give pardon to thee yea thou art able to make it out of Scripture grounds that God is more glorified hereby and so when the salvation of our souls shall prove Gods interest more then ours this must needs greatly encourage First therefore The grace mercy and goodnesse of God is by our redemption through Christ admirably exalted Now Gods goodnesse and his mercy is that which doth highly exalt him When Moses desired to see the glory of God Exo. 34.6 then God made this Proclamation that he was merciful long-suffering ready to forgive Those attributes that declare his mercy they make him glorious Now there never was or can be such an Instance of Gods grace love and goodnesse as in our salvation by Christ God never did any thing by which he can have such a Name for mercy as in this The Church of God hath had many deliverances and great external favours for which she hath been much in praising and glorifying of God but God never exalted himself and made himself so glorious as by this The Church was greatly affected Psa 136. with the goodnesse of God when enumerating the severall Instances of Gods mercy she addeth in every verse For his mercy endureth for ever For his mercy endureth for ever Oh but how maist thou go over all those things Christ did for thee adding His mercy endureth for ever He died and rose again for the remission of thy sins for his mercy endureth for ever he obtained the sanctification of thy nature For his mercy endureth for ever And in those temporall deliverances though Gods mercy as an attribure in him endured for ever yet the effect of his mercy did not for both these mercies and they themselves perished but here the effects of his mercy will endure for ever So then seeing God doth all things for his glory and his name insomuch that Joshua urged this as a great argument with God Josh 7.9 What wilt thou do unto thy great Name It cannot be but that our redemption by Christ must needs be acceptable to him because his Name is most exalted thereby we may say Gods thoughts his heart and delight was more upon this then any thing else he ever did These attributes of God his goodnesse his love his long-suffering his grace Divines makes a distinction of them but in our salvation through Christ they were all conjoyned There they were all in their highest glory Gods love is that whereby he wils good to the creature now in his creation or preservation he doth not will that good which he doth in our redemption Gods goodnesse is that whereby though full in himself and sufficient yet he would communicate unto the creature Now in nothing did God ever communicate as in this in other things he giveth creatures here he giveth himself In other things he vouchsafeth fading decaying comforts here is eternall In other things he giveth but drops and crums here he giveth the ocean he fils us up with happinesse that the soul saith it hath enough especially Gods grace is seen in no thing but this the Creation of the world and bestowing other mercies is never attributed to grace this is peculiar for our salvation Oh then what hope is here when we shall consider there never was there never can be any thing wherein God may be so glorified as in our salvation by Christ urge this duty at the Throne of grace O Lord It is not my cause but thy cause The devil opposeth not so much my salvation as thy glory thereby As they said to David Thou shalt not go with us Thou art worth ten thousand of us Do thou urge Let not thy glory be in danger that is worth all our souls 2. The wisedom of God is greatly glorified by Christs Mediation for us 1 Cor. 1.24 We preach Christ the wisodom of God why so Because never was the wisedom so discovered as in finding out and procuring such a remedy for undone man as he hath through Christ if you do regard by the remedy it self Christ God and man the use of this remedy by faith only excluding all works we may then cry out Oh the unsearchable depths of the manifold wisedom of God The Apostle cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even as in a curious work of Tapestry there are several expressions of arts David is affected with Gods wisedom in making every part of him Thou didst curiously work me in my Mothers womb as so much choice Needle-work Psa 139.15 but farre more wisedom was seen in redeeming and saving especially the wisedom of God was herein wonderful that whereas upon man fallen his estate seemed desperate and incurable on one side Mercy was willing to help and releeve but on the other side Justice did interpose and said it could not Now the wisedom of God found out such an excellent temperament that mercy might plentifully demonstrate it self yet Justice be satisfied so that in mans salvation there was a merciful justice and a just mercy cooperant together Solomons wisedom was greatly admired for deciding that hard controversie about the living childe but here was a greater instance of wisedom to finde out a way for our salvation We reade of an excellent temperament found out by one Law-giver who having made a Law that every adulterer should have both his eyes boared out it so hapned that the Law-givers own Son was taken in Adultery Now mercy on one side moved the Father to spare him yet Justice on the other side hindred The Father therefore commanded one of his Sons eyes should be put out and yeelded that one of his eyes should be put out for the other eye of his Sonnes Here the Law and Justice was satisfied as also the mercy of the Father discovered This is greatly applauded in histories though hardly is the fact justifiable but it is a meer shadow to this excellent temperament the wisedom of God found out Oh that ever any soul under any perplexity whatsoever should be cast down or say how can I be delivered in this how shall this ever tend to my good for what is it greater then to finde out a way to save thee yet God hath done that 3. The power of God is hereby glorified We reade of many instances wherein God hath revealed his power to the world That all the world hath been forced to say Great is the might and Majecty of God Who is a God like the true God doing great and wonderful things But this of our salvation by Christ transcends all Therefore 1 Cor. 1.14 Christ is called the power of God for by this means a greater power then any earthly power is subdued even the principalities and powers of hell Now saith Christ when he was to suffer the Prince of this world is judged Joh. 16.11 By the blowing of Rams horns the wals of Jericho fell down but here by contemptible and weak things the
are equal in Nature and Dignity they are all God and infinitely blessed for evermore yet the Scripture doth represent unto us an order in their operations ad extra to us-ward especially in the work of our Redemption one operation is appropriated to the Father another to the Son and another to the holy Ghost To the Father is constantly applied the sending of Christ his Sonne into the world as at the second verse of this Chapter Gal. 4.4 In the fulness of time God sent forth his Son and 1 John 4.9 it 's the Father that sends him So that the original of all our peace and salvation is the love of the Father 2. That which is appropriated to the Sonne is to be sent To be the Person that shall procure our Redemption And 3. To the holy Ghost that he is sent both by the Father and the Son for the application of those benefits which he shall procure for us Therefore the Father is said to send him Joh. 14.16 and Christ saith He will send him Joh. 16 7. Thus he is called The Spirit of Christ as well as the spirit of God because now he is sent by Christ as a Mediator The holiness in Adam was wrought by the Spirit of God as the third Person in the Trinity absolutely considered but now it causeth holiness in believers relatively as the Spirit of Christ So that in Gods dispensations about mans salvation there is an appropriated order in the operations of the three Persons Secondly The mission or sending of Christ here spoken of doth not relate to him as the second Person but as he is Mediator for so as he is the Son of God he is not sent but begotten And thus the Scripture when it speaks of him in that respect calleth him The only begotten Son of God but this mission is in time and of a voluntary dispensation whereas the other was natural and of eternity Christ was alwayes the Sonne of God but not alwayes sent to be the Mediatour of his Church unless in the purpose and decree of God So that this sending of Christ respects him as God and man and denoteth that incarnation of his with the discharge of all those duties that thereby he undertook Thirdly Gods sending of him doth signifie the authoritative Mission and calling of him to that work The Apostle diligently presseth this Heb. 5.5 that Christ glorified not himself but was called by God to his Priesthood called of God to be â— Priest after the order of Melohisedech yea Ch. 7.21 the Apostle presseth this that he was made an High-priest by an oath The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever And certainly this must needs be of great comfort to us when we shall reade that Christ was so solemnly invested with this power to forgive sins to sanctifie our natures to procure our salvation Things that are done by those that have not a Call are said to be null and invalid they have not powerful efficacy and success but Christ was authorized by God to be thy Saviour he had his Commission to do it he would not take this work in hand till he was called unto it Fourthly The Father did not only call him thus to this wonderfull imployment but he did qualifie and fit him with all abilities for that work he poured out his Spirit upon his humane nature without measure So that as those in the Old Testament when called to any Office were anointed Thus Christ had not a temporal but a spiritual Unction Psal 45.7 there God is said to anoint him with the oyl of gladness Therefore Joh. 6.27 the Father is said to have sealed him to this work Thus Christ acknowledgeth when he saith a body thou hast prepared for me the meaning is he had an universal fitness for the work and this also is of great comfort that Christ is not only called to be our Saviour but he is qualified with all sufficiency thereunto there is nothing that a poor humbled sinner could desire in a Saviour but there is a treasury of it in him Col. 1. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Oh then why do not the people of God believe more firmly and walk more comfortably What do they want which is not in this Christ Shall Christ send his Officers to work and endue them with proportionable power and shall not the Father send him with all fitness and fulness to that work Fifthly In that Christ is said to be sent there is implied that the fountain from which our salvation doth arise is the meer good-will and pleasure of God the Father So that although our Justification Sanctification and Glorification be to be attributed to the merits of Christ and it 's for Christs sake that we enjoy them yet the sending of Christ into the world and giving him to become our Mediator is wholly from the absolute good pleasure of God Christ did not merit his Incarnation he did not merit that he should be sent into the world No this is said to be Gods love Not that hereby we are to make comparisons as if the second Person loved us lesse then the first as the Socinian would divide but to admire the great love of either in their distinct operations That conceit also is vain of some that say God upon the fore sight of the will of Christs humane nature to become our Saviour and presupposing this determinate choice did therefore appoint him to be our Mediator This they think will reconcile Christs necessary Obedience and his free-will together but then the Scripture would not have attributed it to Gods love and to the Fathers love but Christs love as a man which yet it doth not Sixthly In that Christ is said to be sent there is implied that he is under an Office and Obligation of faithfulness and trust So that as it lay upon the Apostles faithfully and diligently to accomplish their Office thus also it did upon Christ and therefore he doth so often call it the command that he had from the Father implying that if he did not accomplish all that for which he was sent he should be guilty of unfaithfulness and disobedience and here also is contained much consolation for why should the believer doubt of Christs willingness and readiness to pardon sanctifie or heal him seeing that Christ is under a command to do this he is betrusted with this work he would be found blame-worthy if he did not accomplish all that he was call'd unto As it 's thy duty to believe in him so he hath voluntaily submitted to make it his duty to give thee rest and ease Seventhly Though Christ be sent and be thus under command yet we are not to think that this is done against his will as if the Father did compell him to this work against his desire No how readily doth he profess his coming into the world Loe I come to do thy will O Lord thy Law is