blessed Mediator working greater miracles than ever did Moses so he is called our Rabbi or Master Mar. 23. 8. One is your master even Christ and ye are brethren The supream Authority the original hight is in Christ We are not Leaders and Teachers but Fellow Disciples so Heb. 3. 1. Consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession Iesus Christ. Again he is called the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. Christ with a great condescension took upon him the office of his Fathers Ambassador to the Church to promote the Covenant of Reconciliation between God and Man and make offers of it in preaching the Gospel and he it is that doth by this Spirit perswade the Elect and doth make his Covenant sure to them Once more he is called Amen the faithful and true witness Rev. 3. 14. there can be no prejudice against his Testimony he can never deceive nor be deceived it is so it will be so as he hath said Amen is his Name 2. By the Properties of his Office he hath 3 things to qualifie him for this high Office 1. Absolute supream Authority and therefore we must hear him and hearken to him This is usually made the ground and reason of the Gospel invitation to invite sinners to submit themselves to seek after God in this way As Matth. 11. 27 28. All things are delivered unto me of my father and no man knoweth the son but the father neither knoweth any man the father save the son and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden c. There is no true knowing of God but by Christ and the Gospel Revelation which he hath established therefore here must we seek rest for our souls So Ioh. 3. 35 36. The father loveth the son and hath put all things into his hands He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the son hath not seen life but the wrath of God abideth on him First his Mediatorial Authority is acknowledged and then Faith and Obedience to the Gospel is called for for to the sentence of the Son of God we must stand or fall So when Christ instituted and sent abroad his Messengers to invite the World to the Obedience of the Gospel Matth. 28. 18 19 20. All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you He hath absolute and supream Authority to gather his Church to appoint Ministers and Ordinances to bestow the Spirit to open and close Heaven and Hell as he pleaseth to dispose of all affairs in the World for the furtherance of the Gospel and to enjoyn the whole World obedience to his Commands and to embrace this Doctrine 2. All manner of sufficiency and power of God to execute this Office Ioh. 3. 34. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the spirit by measure to him The former Prophets had the Spirit in a limited measure bestowed on them by God for such particular purposes as best pleased him Therefore all their prophesies begin Thus saith the Lord as having for every particular Message and Errand new Revelation but on Christ the Spirit descended once for all and commanded the belief of all and obedience to all that he should say Therefore it is said Col. 2. 3. In him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge He is Ignorant of none of those things which are to be known and practised in order to our eternal salvation they are deposited with him to be dispensed to us 3. There is in him a powerful efficacy As he hath absolute Authority to teach in his own name and fulness of sufficiency to make known the Mind of God to us so he hath power to make his Doctrine Effectual As when he dealt with his Disciples after he had opened the Scriptures he opened their Understandings Luk. 24. 25. so he opened the heart of Lydia Acts 16. 14. He can teach so as to draw Ioh. 6. 44 45. He can excite the drowsie Mind change and turn the Rebellious Will cure the distempered Affections make us to be what he perswadeth us to be There is no such Teacher as Christ who doth not only give us our Lesson but an heart to Learn therefore to him we must submit hear nothing against him but all from him II. About Hearing him that must be explained also First What it is to Hear It being our great duty and the respect bespoken for him In the hearing of words there are 3 things considerable the sound that cometh to the Ear the understanding of the Sense and Meaning and the assent or consent of the Mind Of the first the Beasts are capable for they have Ears to hear the sound of words uttered The second is common to all Men for they can sense such intelligible words as they hear The third belongeth to Disciples who are swayed by their Masters Authority So that Hear him is not to hear as Beasts nor barely to hear as Men but to hear as Disciples to believe him to obey him to believe his Doctrines and Promises and to obey his Precepts For his Authority is absolute and what he doth say doth warrant our Faith and command our practice and obedience I gather this partly from the word Hear which not only signifies Attention and Belief but Obedience as 1 Sam. 15. 22. To obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of rams Where to obey and hearken are put as words of the same import and signification Partly from the Matter of Christs Revelation he hath revealed not onely Doctrines to inform the Mind but Precepts to reform the Heart and Practice If we assent to the doctrine but do not obey the precepts we do not hear him Therefore to hear him is to yield obedience to what he shall teach you and when Christ cometh to take an account of the entertainment of the Gospel he shall come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. Partly too from the intimate connexion there is between his Prophetical and Regal Office Christ is so a Prophet that he is also a Soveraign and doth not onely give us Counsel and Direction but a Law which we are to observe under the highest penalties If the Gospel were an arbitrary direction which we might observe or not observe without any great danger to our selves surely it were folly to despise good Counsel but it hath the force of a new Law from the great King and Law-giver of the World therefore it must not onely be believed but obeyed Heb. 5. 8. He that is the chief prophet of the church is also the king of saints
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God And Rom. 13. 12. Let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light Christs Baptism had the same general nature with ours not the same special nature the general nature is an engagement to God the special use of Baptism is to be a seal of the New Covenant or to be to us the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins Now this Christ was not capable of he had no sin to be repented of or remitted but his Baptism was an engagement to the same military work to which we are ingaged He came into the World for that end and purpose to War against sin and satan he engageth as the General we as the common Souldiers He as the General 1 Iohn 3. 8. For this purpose the son of God was manifested 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might destroy the works of the Devil His Baptism was the taking of the Field as General we undertake to fight under him in our rank and place 2. At this Baptismal engagement the Father had given him a testimony by a voice from Heaven this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and the Holy Ghost had descended upon him in the form of a Dove Mark 3. 16 17. Now presently after this he is set upon by the Tempter Thus many times the Children of God after solemn assurances of his love are exposed to great temptations Of this you may see an instance in Abraham Gen. 22. 1. And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham that is after he had assured Abraham that he was his shield and his exceeding great reward and given him so many renewed testimonies of his favour So Paul after his rapture lest he should be exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations there was given to him a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet him 2 Cor. 12. 7. So Heb. 10. 32. But call to remembrance the former days in which after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions i. e. after ye were fully convinced of the Christian Faith and furnished with those vertues and graces that belong to it Gods conduct is gentle and proportioned to our strength as Iacob drove as the little ones were able to bear it He never suffers his Castles to be besieged till they are victualled 3. Immediately before he entred upon his Prophetical Office Experience of temptation fits for the Ministry as Christs temptations prepared him to set a foot the Kingdom of God for the recovery of poor Souls out of their bondage into the liberty of the children of God verse 17. From that time Iesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Our state of innocency was our Health the grace of the Redeemer our Medicine Christ our Physician for the Devil had poisoned our humane Nature Therefore when he sets afoot his healing cure it was fit and congruous that he should experimentally feel the power of the tempter and in what manner he doth assault and endanger souls Christ also would shew us that Ministers should not only be men of Science but of Experience 4. The Place or Field where this combat was fought The Wilderness where were none but Wild Beasts Mark 1. 13. And he was there in the Wilderness forty days tempted of Satan and was with the wild beasts and the Angels ministred unto him Great question there is in what Wilderness Christ was their opinion is most probable who think it was the great Wilderness called The Desert of Arabia in which the Israelites wandred forty years and in which Elijah fasted fourty dayes and forty nights In this solitary place Satan tryed his utmost power against our Saviour This teacheth us 1. That Christ alone grapled with Satan having no fellow worker with him that we may know the strength of our Redeemer who is able himself to overcome the tempter without any assistance and to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. 2. That the Devil often abuseth our solitude It is good sometimes to be alone but then we need to be stocked with Holy Thoughts or employed in Holy exercises that we may be able to say as Christ Iohn 16. 32. I am not alone because the Father is with me Howsoever a state of retirement from humane converse if it be not necessary exposeth us to temptations But if we are cast upon it we must expect God's presence and help 3. That no place is priviledged from temptations unless we leave our hearts behind us David walking on the tarrass or house top was ensnared by Bathsheba's beauty 2 Sam. 11. 2 3 4. Lot that was chast in Sodom yet committed incest in the mountain where there were none but his own Family Gen. 19. 30 31 c. When we are locked in our closets we cannot shut out Satan II. The Reasons why Christ submitted to it 1. With respect to Adam that the parallel between the first and second Adam might be more exact They are often compared in Scriptures as Rom. 5. latter end and 1 Cor. 15. and we read Rom. 5. 14. that the first Adam was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the figure of him that was to come and as in other respects so in this in the same way we were destroyed by the first Adam in the same way were we restored by the second Christ recovereth and winneth that which Adam lost Our happiness was lost by the first Adam being overcome by the tempter so it must be recovered by the second Adam the tempter being overcome by him He that did conquer must first be conquered that sinners might be rescued from the captivity wherein he held them captive The first Adam being assaulted quickly after his entrance into Paradise was overcome and therefore must the second Adam overcome him assoon as he entred upon his office and that in a conflict hand to hand in that nature that was foiled The Devil must loose his Prisoners in the same way that he caught them Christ must do what Adam could not do The victory is gotten by a publick person in our nature before it can be gotten by each individual in his own person for so it was lost Adam lost the day before he had any off-spring so Christ winneth it in his own person before he doth solemnly begin to Preach the Gospel and call Disciples and therefore here was the great overthrow of the Adversary 2. In regard of Satan who by his conquest got a twofold power over man by tempting he got an interest in his heart to lead him captive at his will and pleasure 2 Tim. 2. 26. and he was made Gods executioner he got a power to punish him Heb. 2. 14. That through death he might
hinder them yet he directeth them for good to his people Therefore that power that Satan hath is not given but permitted not absolute but limited It is a lye that Satan can give these things at pleasure see these Scriptures Ps. 24. 1. The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof the World and they that dwell therein Dan. 2. 21. He changeth the times and the seasons he removeth Kings and setteth up Kings and verse 37. The God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom Power and Strength and Glory All the alterations that are in the Earth are of the Lord he pulleth down and raiseth up as seemeth good unto him Therefore this power of disposing Kingdoms belongeth unto God 2. That the Son of God is the right Heir of the World Heb. 1. 2. Whom he hath appointed Heir of all things To whom the Nations are given Psal. 2. 8. Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy possession Matth. 28. 18. All power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth And therefore it was impudence in him to arrogate this power and to promise these things to the Lord which were his before 3. Though this was a lye yet here is the colour of the lye God permitteth that men sometimes by indirect means to become great in Honour and Dignity in this World all which are done by the instinct of Satan and his help And evil men often succeed in their attempts and from hence Satan is called the Prince of this World Iohn 12. 31. Now shall the Prince of this World be cast out Iohn 14. 30. The Prince of this World cometh and hath nothing in me Iohn 16. 11. Of Iudgment because the Prince of this World is judged Yea Paul goeth higher and calleth him the God of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. In whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not but this is by usurpation not just right And the devils are called Eph. 6. 12. The rulers of the darkness of this World as the wicked consent to his Empire and evil suggestions But all this implyeth but a limitted and restrained Kingdom and the devils impudence and falshood lyeth in this that he interprets Gods permission for a commission his connivance for a conveyance Indeed there are two lyes in the devils offer one assertory as if the power and glory of the World were at his disposal the other promissory as if he would invest Christ in the full and peaceable possession thereof whereas indeed he went about to divest and dispossess the Son of God of his right or to tempt him to do a thing contrary to his Kingdom for he knew the abasement of Christ was the way to his glory the cause of mans happiness and the ruine of the Kingdom of the devil therefore he seeketh to prevent this by these magnificent promises 2. The Postulation or demand if thou wilt fall down and worship me Here the devil appeareth in his own likeness Before it was if thou be the Son of God now it is fall down and worship me Before he appeared as a Friend to advise him in his hunger then as a Divine to instruct him how to discover himself as the Messiah now as a plain usurper of Gods Worship And he demands but one act of prostration such as was given to the Kings of the East and the Jews in that manner did Worship God Therefore this was the vilest and most blasphemous suggestion which Satan could devise that the Son of God should stoop to Gods Rebell Here we see the devil not only importunate but impudent 2. The grievousness of the temptation that will appear in these considerations 1. Because it was represented in a matter grateful and pleasing It was unnecessary to turn stones into bread dangerous to throw himself down from a pinnacle of the Temple but it might seem sweet and grateful to behold the Kingdoms of the World and the glory thereof for surely the glory of the World is a bewitching object and would much move a carnal heart and therefore he produceth this tempting object and sets it before Christ himself Mark he shewed him the glory only not the burdens the labours the cares those storms of jealousie and envy which those encounter with who are at top This way did he now chuse wherewith to assault Christ. Had he really represented the World with all the vexations attending it the temptation had not been so great but he sheweth the Kingdoms of the World and the glory thereof the bait not the hook he talketh highly of small things commendeth what is pleasing but hideth the bitter of these luscious sweets he offereth Christ the glory of the Kingdoms of the World but dissembleth the cares the troubles the dangers Alass we see the best side of those that live in Courts their gorgious apparel their costly entertainments their power and greatness but their fears of being depressed by superiors jusled by equals undermined by inferiors are hidden from us Therefore the temptation was dexteroufly managed by the devil in that he shewed him the Kingdoms of the World and the glory thereof Temptations of the right hand are more dangerous than those of the left hand 2. He sheweth the bait before he offereth the temptation that the World might speak for him before he spake for himself and prepared the mind of Christ by this bewitching object before he cometh either with his offer or demand and then afterwards before he maketh his demand he premiseth his offer all these things will I give thee the offer is made before the spiteful condition is mentioned Observe the different methods of Christ and Satan Satan maketh shew of glory first but Christ of the Cross Satan offereth the benefit before he seemeth to require the service as here he doth first offer and then ask but fallaciously for indeed he requireth a present Act but only promiseth a future compensation I will give thee all these things Christs telleth us the worst at first Matth. 16. 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me The issue sheweth the fraud of the tempter and the misery of those poor deluded souls who hearken to him On the contrary the sincerity of our Lord and the happyness of those that obey him will soon appear The devil will have all payed before he part with any thing no Worship no Glory But I am carryed too far my purpose was only to shew his dexterity and cunning how he sets a colour upon sin before he mentions it by glorious promises and the manifold pleasure and profit which comes by it 3. He doth not seek to move him by naked Words but by the sight of the thing it self Objects move the senses senses draw away the mind nor are they the Porters of the soul so much as the corrupters Ps. 119. 37. Turn
by his Instruments laying plots to take away his life as often but especially in his passion Luk. 22. 53. This is your hour and the power of darkness So Ioh. 14. 30. The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me Satan shall joyn with the Iewes to destroy me but they shall find nothing to lay to my charge nor indeed have they power to do me any hurt but that in Obedience to my Fathers Will I mean voluntarily to lay down my life for sinners So he had a permitted power over him and was the prime instrumental cause of his sufferings set aside his voluntary condescension to be a Ransom for sinners satan had not any power over him or challenge against him Well then though he lost his Victory he retained his Malice 2. The second Branch the access of the good Angels and behold the Angels came and ministred to him There observe three things 1. The Note of Attention Behold the Holy Ghost would excite our Minds and have us mark this the Angels are alwayes at hand to serve Christ but now they come to him in some singular manner some notable appearance there was of them probably in a visible form and shape and so they presented themselves before the Lord to minister to him as the devil set himself before him to molest and vex him As Christs humiliation and humane nature was to be manifested by the devils comming to him and tempting Assaults so the honour of his divine Nature by the Ministry of Angels lest his temptations should seem to derogate from his Glory When we read the story of his Temptations how he was tempted in all parts like us we might seem to take scandal as if he were a mere man therefore his Humiliation is counter-ballanced with the special honour done to him he was tempted as man but as God ministred unto by Angels 2. Why they came not before the devil was departed I answer 1. Partly to shew that Christ had no help but his own when he grapled with Satan When the temptations were ended then the good Angels came least the Victory should seem to be gotten by their help and assistance They were admitted to the Triumph but they were not admitted to the Fight they were not spectators onely in the conflict for the Battle was certainly fought before God and Angels but partners in the Triumph they went away to give place to the Combate but they come visibly to congratulate the Conqueror after the battle fought and the Victory gotten Our Lord would alone foil the devil and when that was done the Angels came and ministred unto him 2. Partly to shew us that the going of the one is the coming of the other When the devil is gone the Angels come Certainly it is true on the contrary 1 Sam. 16. 14. The spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him and it is true in this sense if we entertain the Temptation we banish the good Angels from us there is no place for the good Angels till the Tempter be repulsed 3. Why now and to what end was this Ministry 1. To put Honour on the Redeemer who is the Head and Lord of the Angels Eph. 1. 20 21. He hath set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principalities and powers c. and gave him to be the head over all things to the church So 1 Pet. 3. 22. Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him Christ not only as God but as Mediator hath all of them subject to him Heb. 1. 6. and unto the son he saith Let all the angels of God worship him They as subjects and servants are bound to obey him Therefore on all occasions they attend on Christ at his Birth Luk. 2. 13 14. A multitude of the heavenly host praised God saying Glory be to God on high on earth peace good will towards men Now in his Temptations the Angels came and ministred unto him At his Passion Luk. 22. 43. There appeared to him an angel from heaven strengthning him At his Resurrection an angel rolled away the stone from the grave and attested the truth of it Matth. 28. 2. At his Ascension the Angels declared the manner of his going to Heaven and return to Judgment Acts 1. 10 11. So now they come to attend Christ as Subjects on their Prince to tender their service and homage to him and receive his Commands 2. For his Consolation Inward and Outward 1. Inward as Messengers sent from God and so their comming was a token of Gods special Love and Favour to him and care over him The Devil had mentioned in one of his temptations he shall give his angels charge over thee this is a truth and in due time to be verified not at Satans Instance but when God pleased Therefore it was a comfort to Christ to have solemn Messengers sent from Heaven to applaud his Triumph 2. Outward they were sent to serve him either to convey him back from the mountain where Satan had set him or to bring him food as they did to Elijah 1 King 19. 5 6. And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree behold then an angel touched him and said unto him arise and eat And he looked and behold there was a cake baken on the coales and a cruse of water at his head and he did eat and drink and laid him down again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used is often taken in that sense in the New Testament Matth. 8. 15. She arose and ministred unto them that is served them at meat So Matth. 25. 44. When saw we thee an hungred c. and did not minister unto thee The name of Deacons is derived hence as they served tables or provided meat for the poor Acts 6. 2. So Luk. 10. 40. My sister hath left me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serve alone meaning to prepare provisions for the family so Luk. 17. 8. Gird thy self and serve me that is at the Table Again Luk. 22. 27. Whether is greater he that sits at meat or he that serveth or ministreth So Ioh. 12. 2. They made a supper and Martha served but Lazarus was one of those that sat at the table with him Thus the Angels ministred unto Christ. This sort of Ministry agreeth with what was said of his Hunger which was the occasion of Satans Temptations Secondly The Observations As Christ is a Patern of all those Providences which are dispensed to the people of God Doct. I. That the dayes of Gods peoples Conflicts and Trials will not alwayes last There are alternative changes and vicissitudes in their condition upon Earth sometimes they are vexed with the coming of the Tempter and then incouraged and cheared by the presence of Angels after stormes come dayes of Joy and Gladness the devil departeth and the angels came
fixed his residence there and the Angels serve him and attend upon him and he will be no less terrible to his foes in Sion that oppose the Gospel than he shewed himself in Sinai when he gave the Law Where the King is there his attendants are so where Christ is the Courtiers of Heaven take up their station Now Christ is with his Church to the end of the World therefore these thousands of Angels are there ready to be employed by him Now we may be sure of this Ministry 1. They delight in the Preaching of the Gospel and the explication of the mysteries of Godliness 1 Pet. 1. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into Eph. 3. 10. To the end that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God 2. They delight in the Holy Conversation of the Godly as they are offended with all impurity filthyness and ungodliness If good men be offended at the sins of the wicked as Lots righteous soul was vexed from day to day with their ungodly deeds 2 Pet. 2. 8. much more are these holy spirits especially when all things are irregularly carryed in the worship of God 1 Cor. 11. 10. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the Angels 1 Tim. 5. 21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the Elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiality 3. They fight against the devil and defend the godly in their extream dangers When the devil cometh into the Church of God like a Wolf into the flock they oppose and resist him Therefore there is said to be War in Heaven that is in the Church between Michael and his Angels and the devil and his Angels Rev. 12. 7. And there was war in heaven Michael and his Angels fought against the dragon and the dragon fought and his Angels In the highest heaven there is no War In short the Angels and Believers make one Church under one Head Christ and at length shall both live together in the same place Why doth God make use of the Ministry of Angels and how far 1. To manifest unto them the greatness and glory of his work in the recovering Mankind that their delight in the Love and Wisdom of God may be increased All holy Creatures delight in any manifestation of God the Angels more especially 1 Pet. 1. 12. Which things the angels desire to look into And Eph. 3. 11. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places may be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God Though they themselves be not the parties interested the spectators not the guests yet they are delighted in the glory of God and are kindly affectionated to the salvation of lost men and that they may have a nearer view of this mistery God gratifieth them by sending them often to attend upon the dispensation of the Gospel and to assist in it so far as is meet for Creatures They are present in our Assemblies see 1 Cor. 11. 10. 1 Tim. 5. 21. they see who is negligent in his office who hindreth the preaching of the Gospel they observe what is the success of it and when it obtaineth its effect Luk. 15. 7. There shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repeteth They are hereby more excited to praise and glorifie God and are careful to vouchsafe their attendance about the meanest that believe in him Psal. 91. 11 12. He shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes They shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone 2. To maintain a society and communion between all the parts of the family of God When God gathered together the things in Heaven and in Earth he brought all into subjection and dependance upon one common head Jesus Christ Eph. 1. 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him Men by Adoption Angels by Transition are taken into the family of Christ. Now there is some intercourse between the several parts thereof our goodness extendeth not to them but is confined to the Saints on earth in whom should be our delight yet their help may be useful to us they being such excellent and glorious Creatures But we are forbidden to invoke them or trust in them God doth imploy them in the Affairs of his people Their help is not the fruit of our trust in them but their obedience to God and it is seen in frustrating the endeavors of Satan and his Instruments and other services wherein Christ employeth them God shewed this to Iacob in the Vision of the Ladder which stood upon Earth and the top reached to heaven a figure of the Providence of God especially in and about the Gospel Ioh. 1. 51. Hereafter you shall see the heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man To carry on the work of the Gospel and to promote the glory and interest of Christs Kingdom in the World Thus far in the general we may be confident of 3. To preserve his people from many dangers and casualties which fall not within the foresight of man God imployeth the watchers as they are called in the book of Daniel chap. 4. 13 17. for he is tender of his people and doth all things by proper means Now the Angels having a larger foresight than we they are appointed to be Guardians This they do according to Gods pleasure preventing many dangers which we could by no means foresee They observe the devil in all his walkes and God useth them to prevent his sudden surprizals of his people as Instances are many 4. Because they are witnesses of the Obedience and Fidelity of Christs disciples and so far as God permitteth they cannot but assist them in their conflicts Thus Paul 1 Cor. 4. 9. We are made a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to men Now the Angels that are witnesses to their combates and sufferings cannot but make report to God Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my father which is in heaven The Angels which are appointed by God to be their Guardians have their continual recourses and returns to Gods glorious presence Now being so high in Gods favour and having continual access to make their requests and complaints known to him they will not be silent in the behalf of their fellow-servants that either the trial may be lessened or grace sufficient may be given to them 5. They do not only keep off hurt but there are many blessings and benefits that we are partakers of by their ministry As
the Angel of the Lord delivered Peter out of Prison Acts 12. 7. And behold the angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up saying Arise up quickly and his chains fell off from his hands c. but he doth not give thanks to the Angel but to God ver 11. Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his angel and hath delivered me c. He directeth it to God not to the creature The Angels do us many favours all the thanks we do them is that we do not offend them by our sins against God other gratitude they expect not 6. Their last office is at Death and Judgment In death to convey our souls to Christ Luk. 16. 22. And it came to pass that the beggar dyed and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom that so we may enjoy our rest in heaven In the last day they will gather the bodies of Christs Redeemed ones from all parts of the World after they have been resolved into dust and mingled with the dust of other men that every Saint may have his own body again wherein he hath obeyed and glorified God Matth. 24. 31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other That is from all parts and quarters of the World that their Souls may return to their old beloved habitations and then both in body and in soul they may be for ever with the Lord. USE Now this is a great comfort to the Church and People of God when the Powers and Principalities on earth are employed against them to consider what Powers and Principalities attend upon Christ. We serve such a Master as hath authority over the holy Angels to employ them at his pleasure and in their darkest condition his people feel the benefit of it As the Angel of the Lord appeared to Paul in a dreadful storm Acts 27. 23 24. There stood by me this night the angel of the Lord whose I am and whom I serve saying Fear not Paul c. So to Christ in his Agonies Luk. 22. 43. There appeared an angel to him from heaven strengthning him So against Satan the good Angels are ready to comfort us as the evil Angels are ready to trouble and tempt us Let us then look to God at whose direction they are sent to help and comfort us Doct. V. If God taketh away ordinary helpes from us he can supply us by means Extraordinary As he did Christ's hunger by the Ministry of Angels Therefore till Gods power be wasted there is no room for despair We must not limit the Holy One of Israel to our ways and means as they did Psal. 78. 41. They turned back and tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel THE TRANSFIGURATION OF CHRIST SERMON I. Matthew 17. 1. And after six dayes Iesus taketh Peter Iames and Iohn his brother and bringeth them into an high mountain apart With Luke 9. 28. It came to pass about an eight dayes after these sayings he took Peter and Iohn and Iames and went up into a mountain to pray I Mean to handle the Transfiguration of Christ which was 1. A solemn Confirmation of his Person and Office 2. A pledge of that glorious estate which is reserved for us in Heaven 1. It was a confirmation of his Person and Office as appeareth Matth. 17. 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him So Peter who was one present urgeth it 2 Pet. 3. 16 17 18. We have not followed cunningly devised Fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of His Majesty For he received from God the Father Honour and Glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent Glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And this voice which came from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount and Iohn also Iohn 1. 14. We beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father they were Eye and Ear-witnesses and therefore could affirm the certainty of this Doctrine 2. It is a pledge of our glorious estate for Christs Body was adorned with heavenly Glory and he had spoken chap. 16. 27. of his coming in the glory of the Father and now he gives his Disciples a pledge and earnest of it In this Introduction four things are observable 1. The Time after six days 2. The Persons whom he takes with him Peter Iames and Iohn 3. The Place he bringeth them to into an high Mountain apart 4. The Preparative action he went up into a Mountain to pray First The Time The Evangelist Luke saith about an eight dayes Matthew and Mark after six days The Reconciliation is easie Matthew and Mark spake of the space of Time between the day of Prediction and the day of Transfiguration exclusively Luke includeth them both The Jews called that flux of time between one Sabbath and another eight dayes including not onely the intervening week but both the Sabbaths according to their custom Luke speaketh Matthew of the time between Secondly The Persons chosen to attend him in this Action Peter Iames and Iohn 1. Why Three 2. Why Those three 1. Why Three so great an Action as this was needed valuable Testimony for the Law saith in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every thing shall be established Deut. 17. 6. Now Christ would go to the utmost of the Law and would have not two onely but three Witnesses as the Apostle speaks of three Witnesses in Heaven and three on Earth 1 Iohn 5. 7 8. so here are three and three three from Heaven God the Father Moses and Elias and three from Earth Peter Iames and Iohn 2. Why those Three Many give divers reasons Peter had led the way to the rest in that notable confession of Christ Matth. 16. 16. and is conceived to have some primacy for the orderly beginning of Actions in the Colledge of the Apostles Iames was the first Apostle who shed his bloud for Christ Acts 12. 2. and Iohn was the most long lived of them all and so could the longer give testimony of those things which he heard and saw till the Church was well gathered and setled Others give other Reasons but to leave conjectures it is certain that these had many singular favours afforded them above the rest of the twelve as appeareth partly in this that Christ changed their names calling Peter Cephas or a stone and the other two Boanerges sons of Thunder which was a token that Christ loved these more then the rest Yea among these Iohn was his bosome Favorite and therefore called often the Disciple whom Jesus loved Partly because he was in the whole course of his life more intimate with these
keep up the Honour of his Justice and the Authority of his Law for sin is not a wrong done to a private party offended but a disobedience to Authority and disturbeth the order of Government 2. To declare his Holiness that he is a Pure and Holy God hating sin This was demonstrated in the Sufferings of Christ and the dear rate at which it was expiated for if this was done in the green Tree what shall be done in the dry USES 1 Oh then be affected with this great Mistery the death which the Son of God accomplished at Ierusalem look upon it under a double Notion with respect to his Fathers Command it was an Act of Obedience carried on with such Humility Patience Self-denial Resignation of himself to God Charity Pity as the like cannot be done by Man or Angel Rom. 5. 19. by the obedience of one many were made Righteous Phil. 2. 7. He humbled himself and became obedient to the death even the death of the Cross this commendeth Obedience to us it was an Act of Love Gal. 2. 20. Who loved me and gave himself for me Rev. 1. 5. To him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood He thought no price too dear for our Salvation let us love him again who loved us first 1 Ioh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us And be contented to suffer with him and for him that we may enter into his Glory Rom. 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together if he call us thereunto 2. Feel the Vertue of it in Heart and Conscience In Heart by our dying to sin then we are planted into the likeness of his death Rom. 6. 5. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness Then Glory in it Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I unto the world In Conscience 1 Ioh. 5. 10 He that believeth in the son of God hath the witness in himself c. Heb. 12. 24. And to Iesus the Mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel doth it appease our guilty fears and purge our Consciences from the stain and guilt of sin III. The State of Future Glory and Felicity 1. The dead in the Lord are not perished but live for ever with God in Heaven for here they appear long after their departure hence Luk. 20. 38. He is not the God of the dead but of the living for all live unto him They all live to God though they are gone out of the sphere of our commerce they have another Life with God Now fix this in your hearts for many carry it so as if there were no Immortality or Life to come we do not vanish into the Air when we die Moses is somewhere and Elias somewhere in the Hand of God and can appear when God will have them 2. The Saints appeared in a true and in their own Bodies to establish the Faith of the Resurrection their bodies were reserved for this use one of them was already in Glory in soul and body the other now raised out of the dust after many years Burial and why cannot God gather up our dust again and enliven it that we may accompany Christ at his coming 3. This Instance sheweth also the Degrees of Glory All the Saints have their Portion in Bliss but not a just equality Moses and Elias appeared in Glory not Enoch nor were any of the rest admitted to this solemnity Here were three choice disciples when the rest stood at a remote distance so two glorified Saints but the rest not admitted to this Honour but stood waiting for his glorious Ascension There is difference on Earth in the Worldly State some have greater Riches Honours and Dignity than others difference in the Church both in Gifts and Graces yea a difference in Hell some have a hotter others a cooler punishment so in Heaven according to eminency in Holiness and Faithfulness with God otherwise there would not be a suitableness in Gods dispensations 4. The perfect subjection of the glorified spirits to the will of God either to remain in the Vision of God or to be imployed in the service of their Redeemer we should think that a self-denial which they count an Happiness to come from Heaven to Mount Tabor they take up or lay down a body as God pleaseth Heaven is a state not onely of perfect Happiness but of exact conformity to God 5. We shall have the Company of the Blessed Saints in Heaven The disciples here did not onely enjoy the company and sight of Christ but the company and sight of Moses and Elias being glorified Saints so in the Heavenly Life Mat. 8. 11. It is made a part of our blessedness in the Kingdome of God to sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob And Heb. 12. 23. Ye are come to the general assembly and church of the first-born which are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect Here we are ioyned to them by Faith and Hope there by sight and Fellowship The company of wicked Men is now grievous and tedious to us Ezek. 2. 6. but we shall have better company hereafter here we often part with our choicest Friends and Acquaintance but there we shall meet and never part more It is not to be imagined but that we shall have the comfort of our glorified Fellow-creatures The Body hath its Objects and Felicity fit for a Body 6. The Saints shall know one another as the disciples knew Moses and Elias though not by Countenance having never seen them before but by Revelation Christ told them who they were and we who have known before our old Acquaintance shall know them again Memory is not abolished but perfected we shall make one body one society now we shall not converse as strangers Abraham knew Lazarus Luk. 16. 25. Ministers 1 Thes. 2. 19. What is our hope or joy or crown of Rejoycing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his coming Christs Argument Luk. 16. 9. Make to your selves friends of the mamon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations Angels know not onely themselves but all the Elect now how else do they Minister about them they know the least believer Math. 18. 10. Take heed that ye offend not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven And they are at length to gather them from the four Winds Matth. 13. 41. The son of
hear him hear him now hear him betimes the season falleth under the precept as well as the duty now while it is called to day 4. Your consent to hear him must be real practical and obediential verifyed in the whole tenour and course of your lives and actions for Christ will not be flattered with empty Titles why call ye me Lord and Master and do not the things which I say Luke 6. 46. if you pretend to hear his word you must do it also for you do not hear to please your minds with knowing but that you may make it your serious care and business to serve love and please God Many study Christianity to form their opinions rather then reform their Hearts and Practice The great use of Knowledge and Faith is to behold the love of God in the face of Jesus Christ that our own love may be quickned and encreased to him again If it serve onely to regulate opinions it is but dead speculation not a living Faith A naked belief is but the sight of a Feast it is the gracious soul doth eat and digest it when our Faith is turned into Love and Obedience that is the true Faith III. The reasons why this Prophet must be heard 1. Consider whose voice it is who speaketh the only beloved Son of God or God himself and surely when he speaketh he must be heard Heb. 12. 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh from Heaven for if they escaped not who refuse him that spake from Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven It is Christ doth speak and God by him commanding us to repent and believe the Gospel now to refuse him is a high contempt God when he gave the Law he spake on Earth but when he spake by Christ he spake from Heaven for Christ came from Heaven to acquaint us with the mind of God and having done it is returned to Heaven again from whence he sent down his Spirit on the Apostles who revealed his Gospel to the World This was a Mystery hidden in the bosom of God and brought to us thence by his only begotten Son surely with all humble submission we should attend unto and obey his Word Psal. 103. 20. Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his Commandements hearkning to the voice of his Word 2. The matter which he speaketh and we hear the Doctrine of the Gospel it is the most sweet excellent and comfortable Doctrine that can be heard or understood by the heart of man Prov. 8. 6. Hear saith Wisdom for I will speak of excellent things and the opening of my lips shall be of right things This is the brightest light that ever shone from Heaven The profoundest Wisdom the greatest Love and Mercy that ever was or can be shown to sinful wretches of the highest concernment to man because his Everlasting state lyeth upon it a state of Everlasting wo or weal. Three things I shall take notice of 1. The way of Reconciliation with God manifested and discovered out of his intimate Love to us Man had fallen from the Love of God to the creature and was conscious to himself of having displeased his Maker and so lay under the fears of his vindictive Justice Now God by Christ declareth his Love to the offender in the fullest and most astonishing way Reconciling himself to him and sheweth his readiness to forgive and save him 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief and 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself Oh what should be more welcom to the creature than this news of this pardoning Covenant founded in the Blood of Christ. 2. Our duty exactly stated with convenient motives to enforce it Not only the comfort of man is provided for but also our subjection to God and that upon the freest and most comfortable terms that we should serve him in love and glorifie and please him that we may be happy in his love to us for the sum of Religion is to love him and keep his Commandements Iohn 14. 21 23 He that keepeth my Commandements he it is that loveth me and if any man love me he will keep my Words to love him is our work and to be beloved of him is our Happiness and verse 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my saying and the word which you hear is not mine but the Fathers which sent me The Gospel is the very Word of God both the Fathers and the Sons it is an act of loving serving and pleasing God for this is the Word Christ preached that we love God and Christ loveth us again 3. A prospect of eternal Happiness 2 Tim. 1. 10. He hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel this is news but darkly revealed before and without this man knew not how to satisfie all his capacities and desires but was like Leviathan in a little Pool Nay we have not only a prospect of it but the offer of it as a reward appointed if we will be sincere in our Faith Love and Obedience 1 Iohn 2. 25. This is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal Life Everlasting Joy and Blessedness is propounded to us Oh then hear him if this be that he speaketh of 3. The Danger of not hearing this Prophet 1. For the present to continue to slight and contemn the Gosple is the mark that you are in a carnal perishing condition 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gosple is hid it is hid to them that are lost Iohn 10. 3. My Sheep hear my voice and verse 16. Other Sheep are there which are not of this fold and they shall hear my voice Christs Sheep whether Jew or Gentile they have all the same character they all hear his voice and verse 27. My Sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me They distinguish his voice own his voice obey his voice so Iohn 8. 47. Whosoever is of God heareth Gods Words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God so that you lose all this comfort if ye do not hear the voice of Christ and his faithful Servants 2. For the Future Deut. 18. 19. Whosoever will not hearken to the words which that Prophet shall speak in my name I will require it of him that is he must look to answer it another day Peter rendreth it Acts 3. 23. Whosoever will not hearken to that Prophet shall be destroyed among the people It is not a bodily punishment but eternal torment Iohn 3. 36. The wrath of God abideth on him Mark 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned Thus you see how dangerous it is to refuse this Prophet USES 1. Of Conviction to the carnal Christian for not submitting to Christs Authority All Christians do it in pretence but
on to enterpose the Clouds between us and him for we are not able to bear his glorious and majestick presence Ioh 26. 9. He holdeth back the face of his Throne and spreadeth his Cloud upon it What would become of us if he should discover all his Glory this is his condescension to the lower World to appear under a vail and cover his Throne with Clouds But though we do not know his full Majesty yet there is enough discovered both to Faith Reason and Sense that God is great and glorious both in himself and in all his Works Scripture declareth it to Faith and Reason will soon subscribe to so evident a Truth that he that made and sustaineth all things must needs be a great God What other conceptions can we form of him when we look to the Heaven and this Earth which he sustaineth by his great Power and he declareth himself to Sense by his dayly Providence to be a God of great Majesty The proof of it needeth not so much to be spoke to as the improvement of it which we are called upon for every where 1. It is a Mercy that being so great he taketh notice of us Psal. 8. 3 4. When I consider thy Heavens the work of thy Fingers the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of Man that thou visitest him When we consider how the Majesty of God shineth forth in the heavenly Bodies and those many glorious Creatures God hath made besides us we may wonder that God should esteem of man and take care of man and be so solicitous about mans welfare who was formed at first out of so vile materials as the dust of the Earth and is still of so very frail infirm and mortal condition and hath carryed himself so unthankfully to God that he should take care of him above his whole Creation Psalm 113. 6 7. The Lord our God dwelleth on high who humbleth himself to behold the things in Heaven and Earth That the great God of such glorious Majesty should take notice of Worms and behold us not only by visiting over-seeing and governing the affairs of this lower World but should condescend to this low estate of ours in taking our flesh whose Excellency and Majesty is so great that he might despise the Angels of whom he hath no need but to stoop so low towards men is matter of wonder praise and adoration 2. We should be humble in our conversing with him considering what he is and we are Iob 42. 5 6. I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear now mine eye seeth thee therefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes This should keep his children in a holy awe Oh how low should we lye before this great God Gen. 18. 27. Who am I that am but dust and ashes that I should speak unto God 3. That we must not please our selves with the performance of ordinary service to him but we should raise it to an eminent degree of Worship and Adoration Psal. 48. 1. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God and Psalm 145. 3. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised Alass the best we do is much beneath God what low thoughts had Solomon of his stately Temple 2 Chr. 2. 6. Who is able to build thee an house seeing the Heaven of Heavens is not able to contain him who am I that I should build him an house Thus should we see that our best resolutions and performances come much short of the excellency and greatness of God All formality and lifeless service proceedeth from hence that we have not due and raised thoughts of his Majesty and Being Mal. 1. 14. I am a great King saith the Lord of Hosts The greatness of God calleth for other service then usually we give to him he gets nothing from us that is perfect But surely we should not put him off with our refuse but spend the best of our strength time parts and affections in his service Superficial dealing in it argueth mean thoughts of God it is a lessening of his Majesty 4. We serve a great Master and so may expect great things from him He discovereth himself unto his people according to the greatness and Majesty of his Being Ps. 126. 2 3. The Lord hath done great things for them yea the Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad Kings or Princes do not give pence or brass Farthings but bestow Gifts becomming their Magnificence The Heathens were forced to acknowledg it and the people of God do willing acknowledg it so Ioel 2. 21. Fear not O Land be glad and rejoyce for the Lord will do great things Be the Mercies never so rare the way never so difficult God is able to accomplish them 5. This should banish the fear of man as to any danger can come from them to us or to any attempts against God Matth. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both body and Soul in Hell fire they may threaten great things to us but God threatneth greater See Exod. 18. 11. Now I know that God is greater then all Gods for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly God was above them There is a greater being we have to depend upon 6. Because God is of such Majesty and Greatness we should quarrel at none of his dealings for he is too high to be questioned by the Creature and his Counsels are carryed on in such a way as we cannot judg of them no more then a Worm can judge of the affairs of a man he is great in Counsel and wonderful in working 7. This should keep his children in an holy awe Heb. 12. 28 29. Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear for our God is a consuming fire When we come in the Holy Assemblies Gen. 28. 17. How dreadful is this place In our general course we must not slight his frowns nor despise his favours all comes from a great God nor behave our selves irreverently in his presence but still walk as those that have to do with a great and glorious God II. That in this present state we are not able to bear any extraordinary manifestation of his Greatness and Majesty 1. Because of his Glory which would consume and swallow us up This was a Voice from the excellent Glory 2 Pet. 1. 17. Now if this excellent Glory by the Vail of the Firmament were not obscured man were not able to bear it Iob 37. 20. If man speak he shall be swallowed up 1 Tim. 6. 16. He dwelleth in light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see till we are received to Heaven Thus it is his Glory would kill us his Voice confound us There is a mighty disproportion between Mortal
42. Nevertheless among the chief Rulers also many believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue Whereas we must not be ashamed of Christ 2 Tim. 2. 12. If we suffer we shall also reign with him if we deny him he also will deny us Or that we need not be so strict and nice whereas all we can do is little enough Mar. 25. 9. Not so lest there be not enough for us and you In general the greatest mischiefs done us by sin are not regarded but the least inconvenience that attendeth our duty is urged and aggravated He perswadeth us to evil by profit pleasure necessity we cannot live without it in the World He hideth the hook and sheweth the bait only he concealeth the Hell the horror the eternal pains that follow sin and only telleth you how beneficial profitable and delightful the sin will be to you Prov. 9. 17 18. Stoln waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant But he knoweth not that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depths of Hell 4. While we are striving against temptations let us remember our General We do but follow the Captain of our Salvation who hath vanquished the Enemy and will give us the victory if we keep striving The God of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly Rom. 16. 2. Not his feet but ours we shall be Conquerors Our Enemy is vigilant and strong it is enough for us that our Redeemer is merciful and faithful in succouring the tempted and able to master the tempter and defeat all his methods Christ hath conquered him both as a Lamb and as a Lyon Rev. 5. 5. 8. the notion of a Lamb intimateth his sacrifice the notion of a Lyon his victory in the Lamb is merit in the Lyon strength by the one he maketh satisfaction to God by the other he rescueth sinners out of the paw of the roaring Lyon and maintaineth his interest in their hearts Therefore let us not be discouraged but closely adhere to him SERMON II. MATTH 4. 2 3 4. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterwards an hungred And when the tempter came to him he said If thou be the son of God command that these stones be made bread And he answered and said It is written Man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God IN these words there are three Branches First The Occasion Secondly The Temptation it self Thirdly Christs Answer First The Occasion of the first temptation in the second verse When he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterwards an hungred Where take notice I. Of his Fasting II. Of his Hunger And something I shall speak of them Conjunctly something Distinctly and Apart 1. Conjunctly In every part of our Lords Humiliation there is an Emission of some beams of his Godhead that whenever he is seen to be true Man he might be known to be true God also Is Christ hungry There was a Fast of forty days continuance preceding to shew how as God he could sustain his Humane Nature The verity of his humane nature is seen because he submitted to all our sinless Infirmities The power of his divine Nature was manifested because it enabled him to continue forty days and nights without eating or drinking any thing the utmost that an ordinary man can fast being but nine days usually Thus his Divinity and Humanity are expressed in most or all of his Actions Ioh. 1. 14. The word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten son of God There was a Vail of Flesh yet the glory of his divine Nature was seen and might be seen by all that had an Eye and Heart to see it He lay in the Manger at Bethlehem but a Star appeared to conduct the Wise Men to him and Angels proclaimed his Birth to the shepherds Luk. 2. 13 14. He grew up from a Child at the ordinary rate of other Children but when he was but 12 years old he disputed with the Doctors Luk. 2. 42. He submitted to Baptism but then owned by a Voice from Heaven to be Gods Beloved Son He was deceived in the Fig-tree when an hungred which shews the infirmity of humane Ignorance but suddenly blasted this manifested the glory of a divine Power Matth. 21. 19. Here tempted by Sathan but Ministred unto and Attended upon by a multitude of glorious Angels Matth. 4. 11. Finally Crucified through weakness but living by the power of God 2 Cor. 13. 4. He hung dying on the Cross but then the Rocks were rent the Graves opened and the Sun darkened All along you may have these Intermixtures he needed to humble himself to purchase our mercies but withall to give a discovery of a divine Glory to assure our Faith Therefore when there were any Evidences of humane frailty least the world should be offended and stumble thereat he was pleased at the same time to give some notable demonstration of the divine Power As on the other side when holy Men are honoured by God something falleth out to humble them 2 Cor. 12. 7. 2. Distinctly and Apart Where observe 1. That he fasted forty days and forty nights so did Moses when he received the Law Exod. 34. 28. And at the restoring of the Law Elias did the like 1 King 19. 8. Now what these two great Prophets had done Christ the great Prophet and Doctor of the Christian Church did also For the number of forty dayes Curiosity may make it self work enough but 't is dangerous to make conclusions where no certainty appeareth However this is not amiss that forty dayes were the usual time allotted for Repentance As to the Ninevites Ionah 3. 4. so the Prophet Ezekiel was to bear the sins of the People for forty days And the Flood was forty days in coming on the old world Gen. 7. 17. This was the time given for their Repentance and therefore for their Humiliation yet the forty days Fast in Lent is ill grounded on this Example for this Fast of Christ cannot be imitated by us more than other his Miracles 2. At the end of the forty days he was an hungred sorely assaulted with faintness and hunger as any other man at any time is for want of meat Gods Providence permitted it that he might be more capable of Satans temptations for Satan fits his temptations to mens present case and condition When Christ was hungry he tempteth him to provide bread in such a way as the Tempter doth prescribe He worketh upon what he findeth When men are full he tempteth them to be proud and forget God when they are destitute to distrust God If he sees men covetous he fits them with a wedge of Gold as he did Achan If discontented and plotting the destruction of another he findeth out occasions When Iudas
had a mind to sell his Master he presently sendeth him a Chapman Thus he doth work upon our Dispositions or our Condition most upon our Dispositions but here only upon Christs Condition He observeth which way the Tree leaneth and then thrusteth it forward Secondly The Temptation it self Verse the third Where two things are observable 1. The Intimation of his Address And when the tempter came to him 2. The Proposal of the Temptation If thou be the son of God c. 1. For the Address to the Temptation And when the tempter came to him There two things must be explained 1. In what manner the Tempter came to Christ. 2. How he is said to come then to him 1. How he came to him Whether the Temptations of Christ are to be understood by way of Vision or Historically as things visibly acted and done This latter I incline unto and I handle here because 't is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Tempter came to him Christ importeth some local motion and accession of the Tempter to Christ under a visible and external form and shape As afterwards when the Lord biddeth him be gone then the devil leaveth him ver 11. A retiring of Satan out of his Presence not the ceasing of a Vision onely Yea all along He taketh him and sets him on a pinnacle of the temple And taketh him to an high mountain All which shew some external appearance of Satan and not a word that intimateth a Vision Neither can it be conceived how any Act of Adoration could be demanded by Satan of Christ fall down and worship me unless the object to be worshipped were set before him in some visible shape The coming of the Angels to Christ when the Devil left him ver II. all understand Historically and of some External coming why is not the coming and going of the Devil thus to be understood also And if all had been done in Vision and not by Converse how could Christ be an hungred or the devil take that occasion to tempt him How could answers and replics be tossed to and fro and Scriptures alledged So that from the whole view of the frame of the Text here was some external congress between Christ and the devil If you think it below Christ you forget the wonderful Condescension of the Son of God 't is no more unworthy of him than Crucifixion Passion and Burial was 'T is true in the writing of the Prophets many things historically related were onely done in Vision but not in the Gospels which are an History of the Life and Death of Christ where things are plainly set down as they were done To men the grievousness of Christs Tempations would be much lessened if we should think it only a piece of Phantasie and imaginary rather than real And if his Temptations be lessened so will his Victory so will our Comfort In short such as was Christs Journey into the Wilderness such was his Fast such his Temptation all real For all are delivered to us in the same stile and thread of discourse Yea farther if these things had been onely in Vision and Extasie there would have been no danger to Christ in the second temptation when he was tempted to throw himself down from the Pinacle of the Temple Surely then he was truly tempted and not in vision onely yea it seemeth not so credible and agreeable to the dignity and holiness of Christ that Satan should tempt by internal false suggestions and the immission of Species into his fancy or understanding That Christ should seem to be here and there when all the while he was in the desert For either Christ took notice of these false Images in his Fancy or not if not there is no temptation if so there will be an Errour in the Mind of Christ that he should think himself to be on the Pinacle of the Temple or top of an high Mountain when he was in the Desert 'T is hard to think these suggestions could be made without some error or sin but an External suggestion maketh the sin to be in the Tempter onely not in the person Tempted Our First Parents lost not their innocency by the external suggestion but internal admission of it dwelling upon it in their Minds To a man void of sin the tempter hath no way of tempting but externally 2. How is this access to Christ said to be after his Fasting when in Luk. 4. 2. 't is said Being forty dayes tempted of the Devil and in those days he did eat nothing and when they were ended he afterward hungred I Answer 1. Some conceive that the devil tempted Christ all the forty days but then he tempted him invisibly as he doth other men striving to inject sinful suggestions but he could find nothing in him to work upon Ioh. 14. 30. But at forty days end he taketh another course and appeareth visibly in the shape of an Angel of Light He saith he came to him most solemnly and industriously to tempt him This opinion is probable 2. It may be answered Lukes speech must be understood Being forty dayes in the wilderness and in those days he did eat nothing and was tempted that is those days being ended There is by a Prolepsis some little Inversion of the order But because of Mark 1. 13. where 't is said He was in the wilderness forty dayes tempted of satan and was with the wild Beasts take the former Answer 2. The proposal of the Temptation If thou be the son of God command that these stones be made bread Certainly every temptation of the devil tendeth to sin Now where is the sin of this If Christ had turned stones into bread and declared himself by this Miracle to be the Son of God there seemeth to be no such evil in this Like Miracles he did upon other occasions as turning Water into Wine at a Marriage Feast multiplying the loaves in the distribution for feeding the Multitude Here was no curiosity the Fact seemed to be necessary to supply his hunger Here is no superfluity urged into Bread not dainties or occasions of wantonness but Bread for his necessary sustenance I Answer Notwithstanding all this fair appearance yet this first assault which is propounded by Satan was very sore and grievous 1. Because manifold sins are implyed in it and there are many temptations combined in this one Assault 1. In that Christ who was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness to Fast and so to be tempted must now break his Fast and work a Miracle at Satans direction The contest between God and the devil is who shall be Soveraign therefore it was not meet that Christ should follow the devils advice and do any thing at his command and suggestion 2. That Christ should doubt of that Voice that he heard from Heaven at his Baptism Thou art my beloved son and the devil cometh If thou be the son of God That it should anew be put to trial by some extraordinary work
foolish devil who will appear in his own colours and ugly shape but with a devout devil who for his own turn can pretend to be Godly II. That he citeth such a Scripture which exceedingly conduceth to commend the happyness of the godly for God will not only be the Keeper and Guardian of them that fear him but hath also appointed the Ministry of Angels and the Argument of the tempter seemeth to be taken from the less to the greater for if it be true of every one that trusts in God and dwelleth in the shadow of the Almighty that God will have such a care of him much more will he have a care of his beloved son in whom he is well pleased Therefore you that are declared to be so from Heaven and having such an occasion to shew your self to be the son of God with so much honour and profit Why should you scruple to cast your self down But wherein was the devil faulty in citing the Scripture some say in leaving out those words in all thy wayes This was Bernards gloss in viis non in praecipitiis will keep you in your wayes or duties not in your headlong actions these were none of his wayes to throw himself down from the battlements of the Temple This is not to be altogether rejected because it reaches the sense yet this omission was not the devils fault in citing this Scripture for all thy ways signifyeth no more but in all thy actions and businesses and that is sufficiently implyed in the words cited by Satan But the devils errour was in application He applyeth the Word of God not to instruct but deceive rather to breed a contempt disdain and hatred of Scriptures then a reverend esteem of them to make the Word of God seem uncertain or if a reverence of them to turn this reverence into an occasion of deceit more particularly to tempt God to a needless proof of his power We are not to cast our selves into danger that Providence may fetch us off God will protect us in the evils we suffer not in the evils we commit not in dangers we seek but such as befal us besides our intention Thirdly The sorenesse of this temptation which appeareth in several things 1. The change of place for a new temptation he maketh choice of a new place he could do no good on him in the wilderness therefore he taketh him and carryeth him into the Holy City here was a publick place where Christ might discover himself with profit and the edification of many if he would but submit to the devils methods In the Temple the Messiah was as in his own House where 't was fit the Messiah should exhibit himself to his people There was an old Prophesie Mal. 3. 1. The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his Temple even the messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in And he was to send forth his rod out of Sion even the Law of his Kingdom Psal. 110. 2. If he would yield to this advice and vain glorious ostentation of his power before that numerous multitude which continually resorted to the Holy things performed in the Temple how soon should he be manifested to be the Son of God or the power of the great God The Devil doth not perswade him to cast himself from a Rock or top of a Tree in the Desart that had been temerity and rashness but from a pinnacle of the Temple an Holy place and a place of much resort But the Son of God was not to be discovered to the world by the Devils methods That had been such a piece of ostentation and vain glory as did not become the Son of God who came to teach the World humility But however the temptation is grievous in so good a design in such an Holy place there could no ill happen to the Son of God nor a better occasion be offered of shewing himself to many so to confirm the Jews in the Truth of the Oracle they had of late heard from Heaven 2. The change of temptations since he will trust the devil will put him upon trusting he shall trust as much as he will There he tempted him to the use of unlawful means to preserve his life here to the neglect of things lawful There that God would fail him if he were still obedient to the spirit and did not take another course then divine Providence had as yet offered to him here that God would not forsake him though he threw himself into danger There that he would fail though he had promised here that he would help though he had not promised That Faith which sustained him in his hunger would preserve him in this precipice if he expected his preservation from God why not now He had hitherto tempted him to diffidence now to prefidence or an over-confident presumption that God would needlesly shew his power It is usual with the tempter to tempt man on both sides sometimes to weaken his Faith at other times to neglect his duty He was cast out of Heaven himself and he is all for casting down 3. The temptation was the more strong being vailed under a pretence of Scripture and so Christs weapons seem to be beaten back upon himself The devil tempted him to nothing but what he might be confident to do upon the promise of God Now it is grievous to Gods Children when the rule of their lives and the Charter of their hopes is abused to countenance a temptation Secondly The Observations 1. Observe That the first temptation being rejected by Christ Satan maketh a new assault Though he get the foil he will set on us again like a troublesome fly that is often beaten off yet will return to the same place Thus the devil when he could do no good upon his first Patent against Iobs Goods and Children cometh and sueth for a new Commission that he might touch his flesh and bones Iob 2. 4 5. Skin for skin ye all that a man hath will he give for his Life But put forth thine hand now and touch his bone and his flesh and he will curse thee to thy face Satan is uncessant in his attempts against the Saints and is ready to assault afresh upon every occasion Now this cometh to pass by Satans unwearied malice who is a sworn enemy to our peace and wellfare he still seeketh to devour us 1 Pet. 5. 8. Also from Gods Providence who permitteth this that we may not be careless and secure after temptation though we have gotten the victory For our Life is a continual warfare Iob 7. 1. Is there not an appointed time for man upon earth The same word signifieth also a warfare Mans Life is a perpetual toil and a condition of manifold temptations and hazards such as a Soldier is exposed to therefore we must perpetuperpetually watch We get not an absolute victory till death Now this should the more prevail with us because many of Gods Peoplehave fail'd after some eminent
office it is to keep us in the way and to bring us into the place which Christ hath prepared for us he it is that must be obeyed by the people of God and pardon their transgressions in him is Gods Name for he will not communicate it to any other that is not of the same substance with himself God is in him and he in the Father and his name is Iehovah our Righteousness So Exod. 33. 14. My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest My presence that is my Angel spoken of before called the angel of his presence Isa. 63. 9. In all their affliction he was afflicted and the angel of his presence saved them This Angel is called Iehovah Exod. 13. 21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud c. This Angel of Gods presence was no other than Jesus Christ the conductor of them in the Wilderness who safe-guarded them and secured them all the way from Egypt to Canaan And we Christians may also tempt Christ for the Apostle warneth us against it We tempt Christ now he is ascended into Heaven when we disobey his Lawes question his Authority doubt of his Promises after sufficient means of conviction that he is the Messias the Son of God grow weary of his Religion lothing spiritual Manna and begin to be glutted with the Gospel and are discouraged in the way to our heavenly Canaan whither we are travelling 3. The Holy Ghost is said also to be tempted Acts 5. 9. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord Namely by their Hypocrisie and Dissimulation putting it to the trial whether he could discover them in their sin yea or no they had endeavoured as much as in them lay to deceive the Spirit by keeping back part of the price that is by that practice they would put it to the trial whether the Holy Ghost yea or no could find out that cheat and fallacy It is not barely to deceive the Apostle who was full of the Holy Ghost and had a discerning spirit though to them they brought their lye no saith the Apostle ye have not lyed unto men but unto God Ver. 4. and therefore they are said to tempt the Holy Ghost whether he could find them out or no though they had so many experiences of his care and respect to the Church and all affairs belonging thereunto and so the injury was done not to the Apostles but to the Holy Ghost himself Secondly The Act. What is this Tempting of God Temptation is the proving and making Trial of a Thing or Person what he is and what he will do Thus we tempt God when we put it to the Trial whether God will be as good as his Word and doubt of the cominatory and promissory part thereof or whether he will be such an one as he is taken to be Now this is lawful or unlawful according as the Trial is made humbly and dutifully or else proudly and sinfully whether God will do such a thing as we have prescribed him And again as the trial is made necessarily or unnecessarily sinfully we are said to tempt God when we make an unnecessary experiment of his Truth Goodness and Power and Care of us having had sufficient assurance of these things before 1. There is a tempting or proving of God in a way of Duty So we are bidden Malachi 3. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now therewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windowes of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it God there submitteth to a trial upon experience though we are to believe him upon his bare word yet he will have us to wait for the good things promised and in this sense it is said The word of the Lord is a tried word he is a buckler to all them that trust in him Psal. 18. 30. All those that build any hope upon it and wait to see what the Lord will do will find that God will stand to his Word This is a constant duty to observe Gods Truth and Faithfulness To suspend our belief till the event is distrust but to wait observing what God will do as to the event is an unquestionable Duty 2. There is an allowed trying of God in some cases I cannot say it is a Duty because it is only warrantable by Gods special indulgence and dispensation and I cannot say it is a sin because of Gods gracious condescension to his People Iudges 6. 39. And Gideon said unto God Let not thine anger be hot against me and I will speak but this once Let me prove I pray thee but this once with the fleece let it be now dry only upon the fleece and upon all the ground let there be dew The request was not of distrust and malice but of infirmity and from a weak Faith not out of Infidelity to tempt God but out of Humility being sensible of his own weakness he desired this help for the further confirmation of his Faith concerning his calling to this work as an Instrument authorized and the issue and success of it and also to assure others who followed him To this head I refer Thomas his proof and trial Ioh. 20. 25. Except I see in his hand the print of the nailes and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe Here was weakness in Thomas to suspend his Faith upon such a condition but an Apostle was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eye-witness of those things which were done especially of his Resurrection and therefore Christ meekly condescended to his request ver 27. Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing I put it among infirmities he alloweth him his trial of sense but with some rebuke To this head may be referred that of Hezekiah who when he was sick of a mortal disease and the Lord had extraordinarily promised him on his mourning that he should be recovered again he asks a sign for the confirmation of his Faith and God grants it him 2 Kings 20. 8 9. And the instance of Ahaz who when the Prophet bid him ask a sign he said Isa. 7. 12. I will not ask neither will I tempt the Lord. He believed nothing of what the Prophet had spoke and was resolved to go on in his way but he pretended a reverend and religious respect to God This kind of tempting God is tolerable being an act of condescension in God to the weakness of his People 3. There is a sinful Tempting of God and this is done two ways 1. Generally every Transgression in a general sense is a tempting of God Num. 14. 22. They have tempted me now these ten
ignorant and are superior to them in Reason and in Civility and Authority and besides present them a Religion far more credible than their own that they cannot easily withstand the light of it 2. Do not run into any wilful and known sin as if you would try how far the Patience of God will go nor abuse his fatherly goodness by going on still in your Trespasses When a man will try the patience of God without any regard of his Threatnings or the instances of his Wrath which are before his eyes he puts it to the proof whether God will punish him yea or no. Remember you are no match for him Isa. 45. 9. Wo unto him that striveth with his maker let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth As Abner said to Asahel 2 Sam. 2. 21 22. Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left and lay thee hold on one of the young men and take thee his Armour But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him And Abner said again to Asahel Turn thee aside from following me wherefore should I smite thee to the ground So if you will needs be tempting and trying Conclusions and making Experiments let men meddle with their Match those who are equal to themselves not challenging one infinitely above them let frail man cope with man but let him take heed of medling with God Ezek. 22. 14. Can thine heart endure or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee Many foolish people say as those in the Prophet It is an evil and I must bear it endure it as well as I can What endure the loss of Heaven endure the Wrath of the Almighty God! If Rachel could not endure the loss of her Children nor Iacob the supposed loss of Ioseph but sayes he I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning Gen. 37. 35. If Achitophel could not endure the rejectment of his counsel and Haman could not endure to be slighted by Mordecai and many cannot endure the loss of a beloved Child how wilt thou endure the loss of eternal Happiness The Disciples wept bitterly when Paul said ye shall see my face no more Acts 20. 38. What will ye do then when God shall say ye shall see my face no more Ah Wretch how canst thou endure the Wrath of God! Thou canst not endure to be scorched a few dayes with feavorish Flames thou canst not endure the acute pains of Stone and Gout when God armeth the humours of thine own body against thee thou canst not endure the scorching of a little Gunpowder casually blown up thou canst not endure the pains of a broken Arm or Leg and can you endure the Wrath of God when God himself shall sall upon you with all his might 3. When we are destitute and sorely distressed let us wait upon God with patience according to the tenour of his Promises and tarry his leisure without prescribing Time and Means God knoweth the fittest season and delighteth oftentimes to shew our impatience and try our Faith Matth. 15. 28. O woman great is thy faith And that his help may not be ascribed to chance or our industry and that we may the more prize blessings consider you cannot be more distressed than Christ was who seemed abandoned to Satans power distressed with sore hunger through his long fasting The Devil was permitted to have power over his body to carry him to one of the Pinacles of the Temple and yet he discovered an invincible confidence and trust in God that he would not step the least step out of Gods way for his preservation in so eminent a danger Now that you may not tempt God 1. Let your heart be deeply possessed with apprehensions of the Goodness Wisdom and Power of God The Scripture telleth us for his Goodness Psal. 119. 68. Thou art good and doest good and again Psal. 145. 9. The Lord is good to all For his Wisdom Isa. 28. 29. He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working His purposes are often hidden from us but he doth all things well God can do more for us than seemeth probable at the present And therefore let us not tempt him by confining him to our Time Means and Manner He may love us and yet delay our help Ioh. 11. 5 6. Iesus loved Lazarus and yet ver 6. When he heard that he was sick he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was Then for his Power and Sovereign Dominion there is not a better argument for confidence than the Preface and Conclusion of the Lords Prayer Whatsoever state you are reduced to God is still to be trusted who is Our Father which is in Heaven and whose is the kingdom power and glory 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Whatsoever our straits be he is a God still to be trusted 2. Be firmly perswaded of Gods Care and Providence over his people and so careth for you in particular This is assured to us by Promises and by Experiences By Promises 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you Phil. 4. 6 7. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Iesus Christ. By Experiences Matth. 16. 8 9. O ye of little faith why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no bread Do ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up Christ was angry with his Disciples that they should be troubled about bread since they had lately such experience of his power to provide bread at pleasure Use the means God puts into your hands and refer the success to him You need not be anxious about any thing in this World 3. Let all this produce in you an holy obstinacy of Trust and obedience or an invincible confidence in God and close adherence to him whatever your dangers straits and extremities be and this will guard your heart against all Tempting of God 1. A resolute Trust and Dependance Iob 13. 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him This is the Soul that is prepared to be true to God and contentedly to bear whatever he sendeth 2. A constant adherence to our duty Wait on the Lord and keep his way Psal. 37. 34. Do not go one step out of God's way for all the good in the World The greatest extremities are to be born rather than the least sin yielded to Dan. 3. 17 18. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of thine hand O king But if not be it known unto thee O king that we
that God is and that he ought to be worshipped It appeareth by our Saviours reasoning Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in Truth He giveth directions about the manner of worship but supposeth it that he will be worshipped When God had proclaimed his name and manifested himself to Moses Exod. 34. 8. Moses made hast and bowed himself and worshipped It is the crime charged upon the Gentiles that when they knew God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1. 21. They knew a divine power but did not give him a worship at lest competent to his nature God pleadeth his right Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is mine honour If I be a master where is my fear And God who is the common Parent and absolute Master of all must have both a Worship and Honour in which Reverence and Fear is mixed with Love and Joy So that if God be worship is certainly due to him They that have no worship are as if they had no God The Psalmist proveth Atheism by that Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God and ver 4. They call not upon God The acknowledgement of a King doth imply subjection to his Laws so doth the acknowledgment of his God imply a necessity of worshipping him III. That both Worship and Service is due to God him shalt thou worship and him shalt thou serve The worship of God is both Internal and External The Internal consisteth in that Love and Reverence which we owe to him the External in those offices and duties by which our honour and respect to God is signified and expressed Both are necessary both believing with the heart and confession with the Mouth Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation The soul and life of our Worship and Godliness lyeth in our Faith Love Reverence and Delight in God above all other things the visible expression of it is in Invocation Thanksgiving Prayers and Sacraments and other Acts of outward Worship Now it is not enough that we own God with the Heart but we must own him with the Body also In the Heart serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Psal. 2. 11. Such as will become the Greatness and Goodness of God with outward and bodily worship you must now own him in all those prescribed duties in which these Affections are acted The spirit must be in it and the body also There are two extreams some confine all their respect to God to bodily worship and external Forms Mat. 16. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their hearts are far from me They use the external Rites of worship but their Affections are no way suited to the God whom they Worship It is the Heart must be the principal and chief Agent in the business without which it is but the carcass of a duty without the life and the soul. The other Extream is that we are not called to an external bodily worship under the Gospel why did he then appoint the Ordinances of Preaching Prayer Singing of Psalmes Baptisme and the Lords Supper God that made the whole man body and soul must be worshipped of the whole man Therefore besides the inward Affections there must be external Actions whereby we express our Respect and Reverence to God IV. That both these Religious Worship and Service are due to God alone I prove it by these Arguments 1. Those things which are due to God as God are due to him alone and no Creature without Sacriledge can claim any part and fellowship in that Worship and Adoration neither can it be given to any Creature without Idolatry but now Religious worship and service is due to God as God he is thy Lord and worship thou him Psal. 45. 11. Our worship and service is due to him not onely for his supereminent Excellency but because of our Creation Preservation and Redemption Therefore we must worship and serve him and him onely Isa. 42. 8. I am the Lord that is my name and my glory will I not give to another nor my praise to graven Images God challengeth it as Jehovah the great self-being from whom we have received Life and Breath and all things This Glory God will not suffer to be given to another And therefore the Apostle sheweth the wretched estate of the Galatians Chap. 4. 8. When ye knew not God ye did service to them that by nature are no Gods that is they worshipped for Gods those things which really were no Gods There is no kind of Religious worship or service under any name whatsoever to be given to any Creature but to God only for what is due to the Creator as Creator cannot be given to the Creature 2. The nature of Religious worship is such that it cannot be terminated on any Object but God for it is a profession of our Dependance and Subjection Now whatever invisible Power this worship is tendered unto must be Omniscient Omnipresent Omnipotent Omniscient who knowes the Thoughts Cogitations secret purposes of our heart which God alone doth 1 King 8. 39. Give unto every one according to his ways whose heart thou knowest for thou even thou onely knowest the hearts of all the children of Men. It is Gods Prerogative to know the inward motions and thoughts of the heart whether they be sincere or no in their professions of dependance and subjection So Omnipresent that he may be ready at hand to help us and relieve us Ier. 23. 23 24. Am I a God at hand and not a God afar of can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. The Palace of Heaven doth not so confine him and inclose him but that he is present every where by his essential presence and powerful and efficacious Providence Besides Omnipotent Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high unto God who performeth all things for me Alass what a cold formality were prayer if we should speak to those that know us not and who are not near to help us or have no sufficiency of power to help us Therefore these professions of dependance and subjection must be made to God alone 3. To give Religious Worship to the Creatures it is without command without promise and without Examples and therefore without any Faith in the Worshipper or acceptance of God Where is there any command or direction or approved example of this in Scripture God will accept onely what he commanded and without a promise it will be unprofitable to us and it is a superstitious Innovation of our own to devise any
then with the rest of the Disciples You shall see when he raised Iairus his daughter from death to Life Luke 8. 51. he suffered no body to go in but Peter Iames and Iohn and the Father and Mother of the Maiden so these very Persons were those who in Mount Olivet were conscious to his Agonies Matth. 26. 27. he took with him Peter and the two Sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and very heavy Now these who were to be conscious to his Agonies are first in Mount Tabor beholders of his great Majesty and Glory for their better encouragement and preparation for his and their own sufferings Thirdly The Place he bringeth them into an high Mountain apart This Mountain is supposed to be Tabor though not named by the Evangelists a fit place both for height and secrecy both which were necessary to the double Action that was to be performed there either his Transfiguration or Prayer 1. To his Transfiguration height and secrecy were necessary 1. Height this work required not onely a Mountain but an high Mountain for his Transfiguration was a middle state between the infirmity of his Flesh and the Glory that he now possesseth So the top of a very high Mountain was chosen it is as a middle place between Heaven the Habitation of God and Earth the Habitation of Men. Besides since Moses and Elias were to appear in this Action and that with Bodies above the state of those natural Bodies which we have here below it was more agreeable this should be done in a Mountain then in the lower parts of the Earth yea moreover they were so nearer to Heaven to which they went back again 2. Secrecy was necessary to his Transfiguration for Christ was about a business which he would not have presently to come abroad therefore it was to be confined to the knowledge of a few who were to be called up from the rest into an high Mountain verse 9. Jesus charged them that they should tell the vision to no man till the Son of man was risen from the dead and what was done before many will hardly be concealed The due time for the general and publick manifestation of the divine Glory was not yet come therefore he would not have it unseasonably divulged And hereby he teacheth us modesty Christ was Crucified in the City before all but Transfigured in the Mountain only before a few 2. The other action of Prayer doth very well agree with height and secrecy 1. For Height Though God heareth us every where wheresoever we lift up pure hands without wrath and doubting yet a Mountain is not altogether disagreeable to this duty it is good to be as near Heaven as we can I am sure it is good to get up the Heart there We have a freer prospect of Heaven from a Mountain and may look up to those blessed Regions where our God is therefore Christ often chose a Mountain to pray in not onely now but at other times Matth. 14. 23. Certainly when we pray we should turn our backs upon all earthly things and have our Hearts and Minds carryed up to him to whom our prayers are directed and that place where he dwelleth 2. Secrecy is necessary for this Duty partly to avoid ostentation Matth. 6. 6. When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut thy doors Publick prayer must be performed before others but not private for fear of Hypocrisie so also to increase fervency secret Prayers are usually most ardent Ille dolet verê qui sine teste dolet My soul shall weep sore in secret places Ier. 13. 17. And Peter went out and wept bitterly Matth. 26. 75. And Iacob wrastled with God alone Gen. 32. 24. Frequency of objects draws away the Mind obstructeth our Affections abates the vehemency of our zeal fills us with carnal thoughts therefore Christ retireth himself and his three Disciples that being separated from all Distractions they might attend the Prayer and the vision without interruption Fourthly The Preparative Action In Luke it is he went into a Mountain to Pray Christ had two ends he told his Disciples the one but concealeth the other He spake only of Prayer the more to hide the thing from the rest of the Apostles which would soon be evident enough to those whom he took along with him Now this telleth us that every weighty business should be begun with Prayer when we go about the performance of weighty and serious Duties we should withdraw ourselves from all occasions which may hinder us and distract us therein as our Lord being to give himself to Prayer goeth apart into a Mountain In this Introduction I shall only take notice of two things 1. The choice of his Company 2. His preparative Action he Prayed and whilest he prayed he was Transfigured I. Of the choice of his Company He took Peter Iames and Iohn That Christ doth not use all his servants alike familiarly in every thing Partly because he had his liberty for in matters of free favour it is not tance of Persons to pass by some and admit others no not in the most necessary spiritual dispensations Matth. 11. 27. All things are delivered to me of my Father and no man knoweth the Son but the Father and he to whomsoever the Father will reveal him The plea of the Lord of the Vineyard will ever hold firm and valid Mat. 20. 15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own But this is a thing of another nature the dispensing of his arbitrary respects acceptance of Persons in Judgment is a violation of Justice but not in matters of free favour Partly because he would consecrate and hallow spiritual Friendship and commend it to us by his own example and therefore though he loved all his Disciples yet he choose out some for intimacy and special converse these were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the flower of the Apostles either because of their sutableness he had a special inclination to them or for their sincerity and eminency in Grace he delighted in them more then in the rest sicut se habet simpliciter ad simpliciter ita magis ad magis if I love all that are godly I love those most who are most godly Now as Christ consecrated holy Friendship in his own Person so was it exemplified in his Disciples for I find a great Friendship between two of these mentioned in the Text Iohn and Peter you find them mostly together Iohn 20. 2 3 4. Mary Magdalen runneth and commeth to Peter and to the other Disciple whom Jesus loved Peter went forth and the other Disciple and came to the Sepulcher so Acts 3. 1. Now Peter and Iohn went up together into the Temple at the hour of Prayer Iohn 21. 7. The Disciple whom Iesus loved said unto Peter It is the Lord and Iohn 21. 21 22. Peter seeing the Disciple which Iesus loved said Lord and what shall this man do as willing to know the
is a sin God hath severely punished witness Eutychus Acts 20. 9. And there sat in the window a young man named Eutychus being faln into a deep sleep and as Paul was long Preaching he sunk down with sleep and fell down from the third loft and was taken up dead Mark though the Sermon continued till midnight and it was a youth that slept yet he fell down as dead it was a small sin a sin of infirmity a boys sin yet God would leave this warning I do not animadvert too severely upon this infirmity only give you caution Christ praying all night on mount Tabor this weakness prevailed on these choice Apostles and elsewhere during the time of Christs Agonies yet we are to strive against it and be sure it may be said of us as of them Mark 26. 41. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Make conscience of avoiding this sin do not compose your selves to sleep do not come to these duties spent with labours and Worldly cares nor clogged with excess of meat or drink nor having defrauded our selves of necessary refreshing by sleep by vain pleasures the night before Secondly Their carriage when they were awake when they awaked they saw his Glory and the two men that stood with them they saw Christ transfigured before they fell asleep but I think they saw not Moses and Elias before but now saw them that they might give testimony of it to the Church not by common fame and hear say but as eye Witnesses and they knew Moses and Elias either by information from Christ or some secret instinct and Revelation of the Spirit or as hearing some part of the discourse they heard enough to shew what they were or what the general matter of their discourse was But that which is most remarkable is Peters motion and proposal It came to pass to pass as they departed from him just as they were parting Peter said Lord it is good for us to be here let us make three Tabernacles one for Thee one for Moses and one for Elias He mentioned no distinct Tabernacle for himself and fellow Disciples because they would be with Christ attending on their Master in his Tent. The Motion in the general is rash sudden and unadvised but being made by a good man though under a passion there is something good and something bad in it 1. That which was good in it is he yet retaineth his Reverence 1. That he submitteth his proposal to the judgement of his Lord and Master wherein he expresseth his Reverence of Christ Lord if thou wilt he desireth a continuance of this dispensation leaveth it to his consent acknowledging herein his Wisdom and Authority 2. It sheweth the valuableness and felicity of conversing with Christ and the glorified Saints for when but two of them appear in Glory talking with Christ Peter said it is good to be here to continue and abide in this place together with thy self Moses and Elias What a blessed dignity is this the Glory of Heaven is so ravishing and satisfactory to the soul that the soul can rest in the least glimpse and degree of it If a glimpse what is the fulness if the splendor of his humanity not yet Glorified be so great what is the Glory of his Godhead If a fight of these things at a distance what is the participation when the Glory shall be revealed in us or we shall appear with him in Glory If Moses and Elias what is the company of all the Saints and Angels If it be thus at Mount Tabor what will it be in Heaven when all the World is renewed and refined and the Church gathered together in one great Assembly 3. The nature of a state of Glory and how easily it maketh us to forget all things here below Peter had a Family and Houshold affairs to mind for we read in the Gospel that his Wives Mother was sick and cured by Christ Matth. 8. 14. he had Friends and a Brother called Andrew who was one of the Disciples of Christ left below in the Valley Iohn 1. 40. nay he forgot his own present condition of Life which could not long brook his remaining in that Mountain without the supply of Food and other necessaries Now all this sheweth that when we are translated to Heaven we shall be so ravished with that kind of Life we shall have there as that all sense and memory of things that we have left behind shall cease as Peter being ravished with this sight and spectacle thinketh not of Kindred Friends or Houshold or any kind of Worldly comfort but saith onely it is good to be here so that it teacheth us that the delights of the other World make us forget all our concernments here below all shall be forgotten and swallowed up in that heavenly delight we shall have there 2. That which was Evil in it 1. That he mistook the nature of the present dispensation this was to be a representation not a Fruition to be transient and momentany for confirmation not possession rather a viaticum a bit by the way then a Feast It was good and commendable to be affected with joy and delight in the presence and company of Christ and Moses and Elias but it was not to be rested in as their full Reward 2. If this request had taken place the work of our Redemption had been hindred what had become of Christs Death and Passion which he should accomplish at Ierusalem all our happiness dependeth on that and if God should give way to our carnal desires what mischief would ensue If Christ had hearkened to him he would not have gone up to Ierusalem to suffer nor would any man living have dared to lay hands upon him while he continued in this Glory and Majesty 3. This request was injurious to Moses and Elias that they should utterly forsake their Heavenly Mansions for an abode on Earth and therefore to desire their continuance there was to desire their loss they were a little time to appear on Earth with Christ and then to return to their blessedness or to the enjoyment of the sight of God in the third Heavens 4. It was injurious to Christ to hope to learn something from Moses and Elias which Christ could not teach them and to equal them with his Lord and Master in building Tabernacles for all three alike and without difference was some lessening of his respect to Christ. If they were to learn any thing from them they were to consult the Books not the Persons Luke 16. 29. They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them and the desires of extraordinary means argueth a contempt of ordinary 5. It was an error to imagin that Tabernacles were necessary for Moses and Elias who now appeared in such Heavenly Glory in the Mount they needed not earthly Houses and Tents to dwell in to defend them from the injuries of the weather neither had they such present conveniencies to prepare them Thirdly The
censure of the Holy Ghost Luke saith not knowing what he said In Mark chap. 9. 6. He wist not what to say for they were sore afraid They were words of a man in a Rapture or surprized with great astonishment There were two affections dazled with the Majesty of this Glory and transported with joy there was also a great fright usually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such things as bring a hurt occasion fear and also things of excellent Glory such as surpass our present meanness as here the change of Christs Person and the glorious Appearance of the great Prophets so long since separated from the commerce of mankind Observe before we proceed the inconvenience of great and excessive Passions they make us speak we know not what Peter is an instance in Scripture let us keep to him you see him surprized with a great passion of fear when at Christs command a great draught of Fish came to hand in an unlikely time Luke 5. 8 9. Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord. For he was astonished and all that were with him at the draught of Fishes that they had taken you find him at other times transported with a passion of excessive Reverence or Humility Iohn 13. 8. Lord thou shalt never wash my feet With a passion of Love or Pity to his Master Lord let it be far from thee this shall not be unto thee when his Master had foretold his death Mark 16. 22. in case of contempt of Christ here with a passion of joy or ravishment or transport of soul Lord it is good for us to be here Now all these passions were religiously exercised but it is dangerous when Religion which should bridle and govern our passions is made the matter and fuel of them Passionate joy or passionate fear passionate reverence or passionate zeal and anger may easily transport us to some uncomely action or motion for though in all these there was Religion at top yet sin at the bottom and therefore you see how much it concerneth us to moderate and reduce our selves to a due temper for passion causeth us to do things without and against reason yea to speak and do we know not what and when Religious matters over heat our affections we may erre exceedingly Now having opened this part of the History let us observe something that conduceth to our practical instruction I. Doctrine That the state and condition of the glorified Saints is a most delightful state and condition For when Peter had but a glimpse of it in the transfiguration of Christ it seemed so ravishing and transporting that here would he abide and stay by it so was he affected with joy in the company and presence of Christ and Moses and Elias appearing with him that all his natural comforts and relations were forgotten This would compensate all if once we be gotten into this blessed estate we shall never desire to come out of it and part with it this which the Disciples had was but a little glimpse and tast of the Life to come this must needs be so it is called joy Mat. 25. 21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord and fulness of joy Psal. 16. 11. In thy presence there is fulness of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore no better estate can be expected The Soul is at rest as having obtained its end And it is also proved by the priviledges and benefits the Saints shall enjoy in the world to come 1. A Freedom from all Evil which here are matter of Grief to us And 2. The Fruition of all Good which may any way bring Ioy and Delight and Contentment 1. There is a Freedom from all Evil. There is a twofold evil either of Sin or Punishment In Heaven there is neither Sin nor Misery 1. To begin with sin that is the worst evil because it maketh us hateful to God and grieveth the Saints most Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this Death If any man had cause to complain of Afflictions Paul much more being often imprisoned whipped stoned but his lusts troubled him more then scourges and his captivity to the Law of sin more then Prisons Gods children are most weary of the World because they are sinning here whilst others are glorifying of God and enjoying God and the company of his blessed Ones Now in Heaven there is no sin Eph. 5. 27. there is neither spot nor blemish nor wrinkle on the face of the glorified Saints their faces were once as black as yours But now they are washed in the Lambs blood and fully cleansed now with much ado we mortifie sin but then it is nullified but if we subdue the power of sin we do not get rid of the being of it but then we are rid of all at once of all sin and temptation to sin There was a Serpent a tempter in Paradise but there is none in Heaven the devil is shut out and the old man is left in the Grave never to rise more 2. There is not the least evil of Affliction Rev. 21. 4. All tears shall be wiped away from their eyes whatsoever is painful and burdensome to nature is a fruit of sin a brand and mark of our Rebellion against God Therefore when sin is done away Affliction which is the fruit of it is done away also In Hell there is Evil and onely Evil in Heaven Happiness and onely Happiness here our wounds are healed but the scars remain something to put us in mind that we have sin yet dwelling in us but there all the effects of it cease there is neither death nor sorrow nor crying nor any more pain 2. They shall enjoy all Good things which shall bring Joy and Comfort to them in blessedness there is a confluence of all Good our joyes are full and eternal 1. There is the immediate sight and presence of God and Jesus Christ who shall be all in all to them 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part then shall I know as also I am known And John 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovest me before the foundation of the World We are brought into the presence of him who is blessedness it self 2. The society of all the blessed Angels and Saints glorified Mat. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven 3. The perfection of all Heavenly gifts both in soul and body 1. In Soul that is the Heaven of Heaven 1 Iohn 3. 2. Now are we the sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be but this we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him
sense and the conceits of the sufferer When we are but newly under the affliction we feel the smart but do not presently find the benefit but within a while especially in the review it is good for me It is matter of Faith under the Affliction it is matter of Sense afterwards Gods Physick must have time to work That which is not good may be good though it be not good in its Nature it may be good in its Use and though for the present we see it not we shall see it Therefore good is not to be determined by Feeling but by Faith The Rod is a sore thing for the present but the bitter Root will yield sweet Fruit. If we come to a Person under the Cross and ask him What is it good to feel the lashes of Gods correcting hand to be kept poor sickly exercised with losses and reproaches to part with Friends and Relations to lose a beloved Child he would be apt to Answer No. But this poor Creature after he hath been exercised and mortified and gotten some renewed Evidences of Gods Favour ask him then Is it good to be afflicted Oh yes I had been Vain Neglectful of God wanted such an Experience of the Lords Grace Faith should determine the case when we feel it not Well then Let us learn to distinguish between what is really best for us and what we judge to be best Other Diet is more wholesome for our Souls than that which our sickly Appetite craveth It is best many times when we are weakest worst when strongest all things are good as they help on a blessed Eternity so sharp afflictions are good That part of the World that is governed by sense will never yield to this You cannot convince a Covetous Man that the loss of an Estate is good or a worldly rich man that Poverty is good or an Ambitious man that it is good to be despised and contemned or a sensual Voluptuous Man that it is good to be in Pains that the Body be afflicted for the good of the Soul they will never believe you But those that measure all things by Eternity they know that Poverty makes way for the true Riches and Ignominy for the true Glory Want for fulness of Pleasures and Misery mortifies Sin SERMON V. MATTH 17. 5. While he yet spake behold a bright Cloud overshadowed him and behold a voice out of the Cloud which said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him IN this branch of the story two things are remarkable and there is a Behold prefixed before either of them to excite our Attention First they see a bright Cloud and then they hear a voice out of the Cloud First Of the Cloud and while he yet spake behold a bright cloud overshadowed them it was not a dark cloud as upon Mount Sinai when God gave the Law but a bright one yet not so bright and lightsome but that it was mixt with some obscurity It was no natural and ordinary cloud such as are commonly engendred in the air above us but extraordinary and supernatural created by God for this occasion The use of it was double 1. To convey Moses and Elias out of their sight when this conference was ended therefore some expound that which is said Luke 9. 34. They feared as they entred into the Cloud after this manner the Disciples feared when they saw Moses and Elias entring into the Cloud that is involved and covered in it It is said of Jesus Christ himself when he ascended into Heaven Acts 1. 9. A cloud received him out of their sight 2. To be a token of the extraordinary presence of God whose voice immediately came out of the cloud as also to vail the glory thereof which was best done by a Cloud a thing of a middle nature between terrestrial and Celestial bodies When Solomon builded the Temple the Lord shewed his special presence thereby filling the House with a Cloud 1 Kings 8. 10. This way of Apparition God useth to moderate the splendor of his excellent Glory We are not able to behold God as he is and must not pry into his Glory there is a Cloud and vail upon it Secondly They heard a Voice and behold a voice out of the Cloud which said this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him 1. Observe That there was a voice distinctly and audibly heard Though God did sensibly now manifest his presence in the Mount with Christ and did audibly speak to them yet he did not appear in any distinct form and shape either of man or any other living Creature but all was done by a voice out of the cloud so Deut. 4. 12. Ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude and verse 15. take good heed to your selves for ye saw no similitude in the day that the Lord spake to you in Horeb least ye corrupt your selves and make to you any graven Image The similitude of any figure c. The voice of God may with less danger come to us then any sight or representation of him 2. The matter or what this voice said This is my beloved Son hear ye him By this voice there is 1. A Testimony given to Christ. 2. A command to hear him Or 1. The dignity of Christ he is the beloved Son of God in whom he is well pleased 2. A suitable respect bespoken for him The words are few but yet contain the sum of the whole Gospel and they are spoken not by a Man nor by an Angel but by the Lord himself and therefore they should be entertained with the more reverence The Apostle Peter who was one of the parties present could never forget this Testimony of the Father concerning his Son Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 17. He received from the Father Honour and Glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent Glory This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and besides what Christ speaketh of another voice from Heaven is true of this Iohn 12. 30. This voice came not because of me but for your sakes not so much to encourage him in his suffering as to our edification and instruction All the testimonies given unto Christ from Heaven tended to point him out to sinners as the true Messiah approved and accepted of God therefore these words should ever be in our minds especially when we draw nigh to God in solemn duties I shall begin with the Dignity Honour and Glory of Christ solemnly declared from Heaven there are three things in it 1. The Relation between him and the Father He is a Son 2. The dearness of that Relation His beloved Son 3. The complacential satisfaction which he taketh in him and the price of our Redemption paid by him in whom I am well pleased Doctrine That it is the main and principal point of the Gospel and of great necessity to be known and believed to Salvation that Iesus
thou hast loved me and ver 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them that is by the gift of the Spirit and Everlasting Glory Though Christ was the beloved Son yet his state was but mean and despicable in the world he was afflicted a man of sorrows pursued to the Death even a shameful painful accursed Death yet all this while he was full of the Holy Ghost of his Graces Comforts and afterwards received to Glory and so will he love us At this rate and Tenour his love bindeth him not to give us worldly greatness but if we have the Spirit and may be welcomed to Heaven at the last we have that which is the true discovery of Gods Love So he manifested his Love to the onely begotten Son and therefore the adopted children should be contented with this Love if by the Spirit they may be inabled to continue with Patience in well-doing till they receive Eternal Glory and Happiness 3. The next thing is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom I am well pleased This is to be interpreted of Christ as Mediator or God Incarnate for this was twice spoken at Christs Baptisme Mar. 3. 17. and now at his Transfiguration both imply his Mediatorship For his Baptisme had the notion of a Dedication he did then present himself to God as a Mediator for us to be the Servant of his Decree as we in Baptisme dedicate our selves to fulfil the Precepts which belong to us and as we are concerned to promote his Glory in the World Christ presented himself as a Mediator that is as a Prophet to acquaint us with the way of Salvation as a Priest to pay a perfect Ransom for us as a King to give us all things and defend and maintain all those who submit to his Government till their Glory be perfected and they attain unto their final Estate of Bliss and Happiness Now then God from Heaven declared himself well pleased and now again when Christ had made some Progress in the Work confirmeth it for the assurance of the World This then must be Interpreted 1. As to Christ. 2. As to those who have benefit by him and interest in him 1. As to Christ. He was well-pleased Partly as to the Design the Reparation of Lost Mankind Partly as to the Terms by which it should be brought about Partly as to the Execution and Management of it by Christ. 1. As to the Design God was well-pleased that lapsed Mankind should be restored at the first God was pleased with his Creation Exod. 31. 17. on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed that is recreated in the View of his Works as the effects of his Wisdom Power and Goodness And Psal. 104. 31. The Lord shall rejoyce in his works The Lord saw all to be good in the beginning and working not to be repented of This was Gods Rest and Sabbath to take delight in his Works When he looked on it altogether behold it was exceeding good but afterwards Man the ungrateful part of the Creation though the Masterpiece of it in this visible and lower world fell from God his Creator and preferred the Creature before him to his Loss and Ruine then God was so far displeased that he had Reason to wish the destruction of Mankind it is said Gen. 6. 6. That it repented God that he had made man That is he was displeased with us estranged from us no more contented with us than a man is in what he repenteth of For properly God cannot repent but this is an Expression to show how odious we were grown to him Psal. 14. 2 3. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and did seek after God They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Alas there is a lamentable appearance of Mankind to Gods sight now nothing good to be found in them an universal Defection both in Piety and Humanity But then Christ undertook the Reparation of Mankind and the Design was pleasing to God that he might not lose the glory of his Creation and all flesh be utterly destroyed Col. 1. 19 20. It pleased the father that in him should all fulness dwell and having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things to himself The restoring of fallen Man to Friendship with God and all things tending to it were highly pleasing to God namely that Jesus Christ the second Person in the Trinity should become a Mediator for that end he had a great Affection and liking to this thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the same word used here the thing is highly pleasing to God that the Breach should be made up that man who had lost the Image Favour and Fellowship with God should be again restored by renewing his Heart reconciling his Person and admitting him again into Communion with God who was was so justly provoked by him God stood in no need of our Friendship nor could any loss come to him by our Hatred and Enmity onely it pleased the Father to take this way Isa. 53. 10. For it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his dayes and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands 2. He is pleased with the Terms God who is the Supream Governour of the world and the offended Party stood upon these Terms that the Honour of his governing Justice should be secured and the Repentance and Reformation of man carried on Strictly these must be done or else man must lye under his Eternal Displeasure if one be done and not the other no Reconciliation can ensue Now that God is highly pleased with the satisfaction and compensation made to his governing Justice Heb. 10. 6 7. In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast no pleasure Then said I lo I come to do thy will O God Ver. 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all God rejected all other sacrifices but was fully satisfied with this as enough to expiate the sin of Man Christ delighted to give it and God delighted to accept of it He paid a perfect ransom for us besides or above which he craved no more but rested fully content in it for the other the Renovation of Mans Nature to put him into a capacity to serve and please God for God would not admit us to Priviledges without change of heart and disposition Acts 5. 31. God exalted him to be a prince and saviour to give repentance and remission of sins In short God is so satisfied with these Terms that 1. He seeketh no farther amends for all their wrongs Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to
that Christ the Son of the living God 4. For this End the Scriptures were written These things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name Ioh. 20. 31. By obedience to his Laws dependance on his Promises 5. This is the ground of Submission to Christ in all his Offices why we should hear him as a Prophet in this place which I shall more fully make manifest in the next Sermon why we should depend on him as a Priest for the vertue of his Oblation and Intercession if God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8. 32. 1 Ioh. 4. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 Ioh. 2. 1. If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous The blood of Christ is of high Esteem and infinite Value both as to Merit and satisfaction to purchase all manner of blessings for us and to satisfie Gods provoked Justice for our sins And if the Father be so well-pleased with him what can he not obtain at his hands which is an encouragement in our Prayers and Supplications So for our Improvement of his Kingly Office which respects Duties and Priviledges our duty with respect to the Kingly Office is Subjection Psal. 2. 12. Kiss the Son left he be angry and you perish in the mid-way Because Christ Jesus is the Son of God he should be submitted unto and embraced with the heartiest Love and Subjection for to Kiss is a sign of Religious Adoration Hos. 13. 2. as they kissed the Calves and offer Homage and hearty subjection as Samuel kissed Saul because God had anointed him to be King over his People 1 Sam. 10. 1. So for Priviledges he is God co-equal co eternal with his Father able to protect all those that apply themselves to him till he bring them to Eternal Glory and Happiness and therefore it is said 1 Ioh. 5. 5. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God That is the fortifying Truth this both cautioneth us against all the delights and snares and supports us against all the terrors and fears of the World If we have the Son of God for our Prophet Priest and King we ought to carry our selves with greater Reverence Trust and Subjection USES 1. Believe it lay up this Truth in your Hearts by a firm and sound Belief There are in Faith three things Assent Acceptance Dependance The Matter in hand calleth for all these 1. A firm Assent For here we have the Testimony of God concerning his Son the Apostle tells us that he that believeth not hath made God a liar because he believeth not the Testimony of God concerning his Son 1 Ioh. 5. 10. The great Testimony is this that we have in hand that Jesus is his beloved Son with whom he is well pleased that he will give Pardon and Life to all that hearken to him embrace his Person receive his Doctrine believe his Promises fear his Threats obey his Precepts the strictest of them Oh labour to work it into your Hearts that indeed it is so In matters of Fact we receive the Testimony of men two or three credible men why not in matters of Faith the Testimony of God evidenced to us by this solemn action an account of which we have from Ear-witnesses and Eye-witnesses who were men that hazarded their all for the delivery of this Truth and yet referred us to the surer word of Prophesie 1 Pet. 1. 19. He was owned as a Son Psal. 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee As a beloved Son in whom God is well-pleased Isa. 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold my elect in whom my soul delighteth If you be not wanting to your selves you may have this witness in your hearts 1 Ioh. 5. 10. He that believeth on the son of God hath the witness in himself Oh let us not give the flat lye to God Rouze up this languid Faith is this true or is it a cunning devised Fable 2. Faith is an Acceptance of Christ or an entring into a Covenant with God by him You must have the Son 1 Ioh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life Ioh. 1. 12. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them which believe on his name Receiving respects Gods offer God gives Christ and we receive what God giveth to what End why he giveth him as King Priest and Prophet to dwell in our hearts by Faith to rule us and guide us by his Word and Spirit and maintain Gods Interest in us against the Devil the World and the Flesh till we come to everlasting Glory 3. Dependance He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him therefore on him alone should we depend for all things necessary to Salvation Two things perswade this dependance 1. That nothing can be done without Christ Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Nothing can be done without Christ that may be effectual to our recovery either for the paying of our Ransom or for the changing of our Hearts Alas what could we do to please God or profit our own Souls The work would cease for ever if it should lye upon our hands 2. That he can do what he pleaseth for the good of his redeemed ones Ioh. 17. 2. As thou hast given power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him All that Christ did for our salvation did highly content and please the Father he is satisfied with him he can make us lovely in his sight Eph. 1. 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved And will now joy in his People Isa. 65. 19. and rest in his Love Zeph. 3. 17. Well then let us believe Faith is a ratifying Gods Testimony concerning his Son we believe what God hath said that Christ is his Son we receive him as he is freely offered and subscribe to this declaration The Father saith from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him so penitent Believers must answer back again This is our beloved Redeemer in whom we are well-pleased let the Father hear him He hath somewhat to say to the Father as well as to us his Doctrine concerneth us but his Intercession is made to God II. Entertain it with Thankfulness that such a Remedy should be provided for us argueth the unspeakable Love of God 1 Ioh. 4. 9. In this was manifested the love of God to us
Their Comfortable and Gracious recovery by Christ verse 7. 3. The Event and Issue of all verse 8. 1. Their Astonishment they fell on their faces and were sore afraid their falling on their faces was not out of Worship and Reverence but consternation as those Iohn 18. 6. As soon as he said to them I am he they went backward and fell to the ground The causes of their fear must be enquired into These were holy men the flower of Christs Disciples they were men in an holy action for Belshazar in his cups to tremble were no news they were not in the presence of an angry God it was a Gospel-voice that they heard This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him They had not a full dispensation of his glory but only a glimpse of it and that under a cloud and revealed in Mercy yet they were sore afraid Upon any Visions and Apparitions of the divine Majesty Gods Servants fell to the Earth Ezek. 1. 28. When I saw the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of God I fell on my face Paul when Christ appeared to him from Heaven he fell to the Earth Acts 9. 4. Rev. 1. 17. When I saw him I fell at his feet as dead Abraham was cast into great horrour Gen. 15. 12. when God appeared solemnly to enter into Covenant with him So Isa. 6. 5. Then I said wo is me for I am undone So Daniel chap. 10. 8. 9. When I saw this great vision there was no strength in me for my comeliness was turned into corruption and I retained no strength yet I heard the voice of his words then was I in a deep sleep upon my face and my face was towards the ground Now I shall give the special reasons why the manifestation and appearance of God to his great Prophets did breed this astonishment and Fear 2. What general Note and Observation may be concluded hence for our profit 1. The special Reasons why these manifestations and appearances of God to his great Prophets do breed this astonishment and fear they are Two 1. To humble them to whom he vouchsafed so great a favour To humble them least the Glory of these heavenly Visions should too much puff them up Therefore there was ever some weakness discovered in those that did receive them Iacob wrestled with God but came off halting and maimed though he prevailed Gen 32. 31. when he came off from seeing God face to face he halted on his thigh Paul was wrapt into the third Heaven yet presently buffetted with a messenger of Satan least he should be lifted up with the abundance of Revelations 2 Cor. 12. 7. Corruption remaineth in us and we are not able to bear these favours which God manifesteth to his choice Servants and therefore there is something to humble them in the dispensation and to keep them from being puffed up with pride something that is a ballance to the great honour wherewith God hath honoured them 2. All those that received Visions from him to teach his people God would season them by leaving a stamp and impression of his excellency upon them This was the preparation of the Prophets and a preparation of the Disciples to fit them for the work of the Gospel A due representation of Gods glory and excellent Majesty doth qualifie them for their duty they are fittest to carry Gods message and describe him to others who are thus qualified and prepared and have some reverence and awe of God impressed upon their own hearts and have felt the power of his great Majesty 2 Cor. 5. 16. Knowing the terrors of the Lord we perswade men The General Conclusion and Observation which we may draw from thence is this Doctrine That God is of such glorious Excellency and Majesty that we are not able to bear any emissions or extraordinary Representations thereof in this state of frailty 1. I will prove that God is a great God and of glorious Majesty 2. Give you the Reasons why we are not able to bear the extraordinary manifestations thereof in this state of frailty 1. That God is a God of great Majesty and ought to be reverenced by all that have to do with him The point being a matter of sense and evident by natural light needeth not to be proved so much as improved 1. Scripture representeth him as such Dan. 9. 4. He is called the great and dreadful God so Deut. 7. 21. A Mighty God and terrible and Nahum 1. 5. A great and terrible God is he and again Job 37. 22. With God is terrible Majesty 2. This eminently shineth forth both in his Works of Creation and Providence 1. Creation in the stupendious Fabrick of the Heavens Ier. 32. 17 18 19. Ah Lord God behold thou hast made the Heaven and the Earth by thy great power and outstretched arm and there is nothing too hard for thee c. In that mighty Collection of Waters in the Sea we cannot look upon that vast expansion of the Firmament that huge body of Waters in the Sea without some religious horrour what is the God that made all this Ier. 5. 22. Fear ye not me saith the Lord will ye not tremble at my presence which have placed the Sand for a bound to the Sea by a perpetual decree that it cannot pass it and though the waves thereof toss themselves yet can they not prevail though they roar yet can they not pass over it 2. Providence whether in his way of Mercy or Judgment Mercy what a Majestick description of God is there Ps. 50. 1 2 3 4 5. yet there his presence in his Church is described The drift of the Psalm is to set forth Gods Power and Majesty when he comes to call the Gentiles and to set up the Evangelical way of his Worship when the light of the Gospel shall shine forth from Sion Psalm 5. 5. by terrible things in Righteousness wilt thou answer us Oh God thou God of our Salvation Though God is a God of Salvation yet the way of his delivering them carryeth Majesty and Terror with it So his Works of Judgment Psal. 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgments when the wicked of the Earth are put away like dross A Lyon trembleth to see a Dog beaten before him and it is imputed as a fault to the wicked that they do not take notice of it Isa. 26. 10. They will not behold the Majesty of God 3. His Greatness and Majesty is such that we cannot comprehend it Iob 36. 26. Behold God is great and we know him not nor can the number of his years be searched out The Greatness of God cannot be known but only by way of Negation that he hath none of those infirmities which may lessen his being in our thoughts or by way of comparison that he is above all God is greater then man Ier. 36. 12. 4. So great that he is fain to put a covering