you give him not those things that are needful for the body what doth it profit Alas it is in vain to make complaints to such what doth it avail It may be some will pitty with good words be you warmed and filled but they give them not those things which are needful for the body thus many a poor creature looses his labour Thirdly When a poor creature makes complaints to man and cries to man it may be he shall make complaints to those that do pitty him and would relieve him with all their heart but it is beyond their power to relieve and so if a poor man that wants the things of this life it may be he goes and makes his complaints to another he pitties him and would help him but he that hath a will hath not power many times and it is not in his hand to do it and he cannot uphold anothers estate but he must break his own many times it is so And so when they come and make complaint of the weakness and infirmities of their bodies it may be they are affected and they would help ah but it is beyond their power And so when a poor soul comes and complains of distress of mind and shew the wounds of his spirit and lay them open it may be godly friends may pitty you and desire to help you but their hand is toâ— short to carry the plaister to your heart and conscience and to cause it to stick there and therefore after all it will go away unsatisfied in all these causes they that would help you if they could they may say as the King of Israel 2 King 6. 26 27. the woman there comes and makes a sad complaint in the time of famine at verse 26. And as the King of Israel was passing by upon the wall there cried a woman unto him saying help my Lord O King And what sayes the King to her verse 27. And he said if the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee Alas my bowels are towards thee but if the Lord does not help thee in vain is the help of man Fourthly When you make your complaints to men sometimes it falls out so that instead of ease from under your burdens your burdens are increased sometimes men may add to the burdens of the afflicted through unskilfulness not knowing how to speak to them and how to carry it towards them yea sometimes men may aggravate the burdens of the afflicted when they make their complaints wilfully through pride and disdain and covetousness And thus it was when David sent to Nabal he was in a great strait for provision and he sent to Nabal in his strait for relief and he sent him a churlish answer Who is David and the son of Jesse I know him not shall I send my corn and my oxen that I have killed for my shearers and give it to him I know him not And you know what Judas did meet withall when he went to the Pharisees and said I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud What is that to us a bargain is a bargain if you have sinned look you to that Whereas if he had gone to Christ with that complaint he might have had comfort but he went to them and they spake that which aggravated his sorrow and he goes and makes away himself So that I say in time of affliction faith causeth a soul to go to Christ for it doth discover what man is Fourthly There is this ground of the Point Faith will make a soul go to Christ alone for it discovers to the soul that in Christ there is all sufficiency to help it there is all in Christ that may pitty him and for the helping of him it is not in the creature but it is to be found in Christ for Christ is furnished with compassion there are bowels of compassion towards his poor creatures in distresse it is an impossible thing that Christ should be insensible as men are you may spread your complaints before some men and they never be moved no more then the stones in the street but the Lord Jesus he is not without compassion great bowels of compassion towards his people he cannot be insensible of any burden that lay upon a poor creature that comes to him In all their afflictions he is afflicted he bears our sickness he carries our sorrows Christ he feels the weight of all affliction and sorrow and burdens that do at any time lie upon his people Secondly As Christ hath compassion so he hath a will he is alwayes willing to do good to poor creatures that come to him Men as you have heard they are not alwayes willing they may give you a parcel of good words but give you not those things that are needful Now Christ he never puts off his people with good words though one good word from Christ be more worth then all that men can do for you but Christ he will not give you good words alone but as he opens his mouth in grace so he opens his hand in mercy he opens his mouth and his hand at the same time and he is very willing to relieve and therefore it is that he calls poor creatures to him you may see his willingness by the invitation that he gives to all poor creatures that are under any distress Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Whatever the burden be whether the burden of sin or sorrow Christ makes proclamation you have his invitation Come to me and I will give you rest and call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver How doth this testifie the willingness of Christ to relieve his poor creatures Thirdly He hath not only compassion but he also hath power in his hand Christ can do it he is able to do what he pleaseth Thou hast done whatsoever thou pleasest in heaven and earth and in all deep places The deepest affliction and sorrow that any of his people may sink into the Lord Jesus is able to stretch forth his hand and help them he hath all store of provision in his house there is an infinite treasure of mercy all mercies are laid up in Christ it shall not break his estate to uphold your estates for all the creatures in heaven and earth are the Lords the heavens and the earth are the Lords and the fulness that are in them therefore there is power in Christs hand to relieve his people Fourthly Christ cannot aggravate sorrow and affliction he will not aggravate the sorrow and affliction of any of his people that come to him Christ will never say to a poor soul as the Pharisees to Judas see thou to that When a soul comes and sayes Lord I have sinned Christ never gave such an answer see thou to that he never did neither can he aggravate the sorrows and burdens of poor creatures that come to him Now when faith discovers this to the soul and
be my anchor will hold I have an invitation to it Who is among you that walketh in darkness and sees no light let him trust in the Lord and stay upon his God Isa 50. 10. though it be in a storm at midnight let him cast anchor upon me saith God let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God this the poor soul hears and being encouraged by the Word of the Lord it cast anchor and makes a desperate venture That 's the sixt Seventhly The anchor is useful not only in a storm but the anchor is useful in a calm when the ship at Sea is be calmed and cannot sayl they cast anchor and so this anchor of hope it is needful in a calm for if it were not for this anchor of hope a believing soul could not have any settlement in a calm though a man hath never so much for the present if he hath not hopes that his goods shall be increased his heart will be disquieted and so hope is useful in the greatest calm to hope that the present good that they have shall not be lost that that measure of grace and spirit that the Lord hath given them shall be carried on from one degree to another till he hath perfected it if it were not for this the heart could not have any peace in the greatest of his enjoyments And thus you have seen the second particular First I have shewn you what saving hope is Secondly That this saving hope is the Anchor of the soul The third and last particular is To shew you that this anchor of a believing soul is sure and stedfast And it will appear in these few particulars First It is made of good mettle it is that which will not bow nor break it is not as the hope of an hypocrite the hope of an hypocrite is compared to a spiders web that breaks presently the spiders web it is a poor thing to hold a ship fast in a storm but this saving Hope that the Spirit of Christ doth work in the heart of believers it is made of good mettle it was not digged out of their own bowels but fetcht from Christ it is Christ that is the store-house of all grace it is made of gold of tryed gold Their faith is more precious then gold saith the Apostle and so their hope is more precious then gold and more firm and solid then gold the matter of it is sure and stedfast Secondly It is well wrought and therefore it must needs be sure and stedfast for it is an anchor of Christ's own working The God of hope sill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Rom. 15. 13. and saith the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead The hope of the Saints it is a grace that is of God's own begetting it is an anchor of Christ's own making and that which comes out of the hand of Christ must needs be sure and stedfast Thirdly It is sure and stedfast for the Cable that holds it is sure and stedfast and that is the Word of the Lord now the Word of the Lord which is the Cable that a believers hope is fastned unto it is twisted of many precious promises all being twisted together must needs be strong the least of them is stronger then heaven and earth Heaven and earth shall pass but not one jot or tittle of the word of the Lord shall fail till all be fulfilled The promises they are the cable which a believing souls anchor is fastned unto and therefore it is sure and stedfast Fourthly It is cast upon a sure ground What is the ground that a believers hope is cast upon I answer First It is fastned upon Jesus Christ first upon Christ crucified upon the death of Christ upon the sufferings of Christ by which Christ hath made satisfaction for sin and brought in everlasting righteousness to cover the nakedness of poor creatures their love is fastned upon the wounds of Christ the sufferings of Christ That 's the first ground for a believers hope to fasten upon Secondly The Anchor of a believers hope it fastens upon the Resurrection of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God that hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ that is a main ground for hope to fasten upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ the poor soul looks to Christ Christ dead and risen and in that Christ rose from the grave he hath given full satisfaction to his Father he hath paid the debt and is a common person for his people that come to him by faith so that the resurrection of Christ doth strengthen the faith of the soul exceedingly it gives the soul assurance that it shall be accepted with God the Father because Christ is risen again Thirdly It fastens also upon the Intercession of Jesus Christ He is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him for he ever liveth to make Intercession for them Now this gives great encouragement to a poor soul that is made sensible of his own lost condition of being far off from God it would fain draw nigh and know not which way to come when this is discovered that Christ sits in heaven to plead for poor souls and to make Intercession for all that come to God by him this causes the soul to give a venture to fasten upon Christ Secondly As the soul fastens upon Christ so also it fastens upon God the Father by Christ it goes to the Fathers and takes hold of him First It fastens upon the free Grace of the Father that infinite everlasting love which did finde out the way of Redemption for poor creatures that love which gave Christ at first and which gives poor creatures to Christ and which tenders Christ in the everlasting Gospel there the anchor of hope takes hold Secondly Hope takes hold of the strength of God He is a God mighty in strength he can overcome all difficulties all enemies that are betwixt him and my soul he can overcome all my unworthiness all my provocations yea he can overcome himself his own wrath and displeasure that which no creature can do this being presented to a poor soul that is in a sad doubting condition this helps through grace to draw the soul to Christ and to fasten it upon God Thirdly It fastens also upon the unchangeableness of God and this gives a sure hold to the anchor of hope He is not as man that he should lye Who is it that hath spoken Who is it that tenders Christ to poor creatures It is not the word of him that is the true and faithful witness Is it not the strength of Israel that cannot lye nor
woman 〈◊〉 confessing him to be Lord and so every such confession doth acknowledge Christ to be eternâ—â— God to have the same being with his Father thâ—â— he is Lord and was Lord from eternity before there was any world made yet Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 then Lord he was the eternal God see what the Scripture doth hold forth of him Prov. 8. 2â—â— I was set up from everlasting from the beginningâ— it is spoken of Christ it is said of him that he 〈◊〉 from everlasting in the beginning before there 〈◊〉 a world before any sea before any earth before any mountains Christ was from everlasting and thus true faith doth acknowledge that he is eternal God Secondly When true faith doth confess Christ to be Lord it doth not only acknowledge him to 〈◊〉 eternal but omnipotent to be Almighty infinite 〈◊〉 power if he be Lord of all then he is infinite 〈◊〉 power he can do whatsoever he pleaseth that he can doe whatsoever the Father doth Christ witnesâ—â— of himself The same works the Father doth doe I 〈◊〉 which doth declare him to be the same God the same being with his Father for he had the same power True faith doth acknowledge that all the mighty works of Creation and Providence and that the world was made by him and upheld by him and governed by him according to that place Heb. 1. 10. And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the works of thy hands So that faith that doth confess Christ to be Lord doth acknowledge him to be infinite in power and that he by his fingers made the heavens and by his hands laid the foundation of the earth Thirdly That faith that doth acknowledge Christ to be Lord doth confess that he is infinite in knowledge and that he is omnipresent every where as God he is in all places though as man he sits in heaven yet as God he is every where according to that Scripture the Son of God hath eyes like a flame of fire he sees all things a flame of fire discovers all things in the room so the Son of God he knows all the corners of the heart and sees all things and needs not that any should testifie of man and that Christ according to his divine nature fills heaven and earth and with his gracious presence is with his people alwayes Loe I am with you to the end of the world Fourthly That faith that confesseth Christ to be Lord doth confess that he is the object of faith and of divine worship and that he is worthy to be believed on and worthy to be worshipped and worthy to be praised worthy that all the redeemed of the Lord should sing unto him that he is worthy of all divine honour the same honour that is due to the Father the Scripture doth witness as much and therefore the very Angels are called upon to worship him Heb. 1. 6. When he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith and let all the Angels of God worship him Now if Christ had not been eternal God it had been idolatry to have given divine worship to him but you see what that faith doth that acknowledges Christ to be Lord it doth acknowledge him to be eternal God and acknowledge him to be infinite in power and in knowledge and that he is present in all places and the object of divine honour Secondly Now let me shew you in the second place that it is necessary that every man and woman that doth expect help and salvation by Christ should come to him as the Lord Faith should pitch upon him as omnipotent and omniscient I say it is necessary that they should thus come to him that believe for else the foundation of our faith is overthrown There is no man that doth deny this can lay a right foundation of faith no man that doth not believe this that he is Lord eternal God can lay a right foundation he doth not lay that foundation which God hath laid the foundation which God hath laid is his Son the eternal God he with whom he entred into Covenant and made a Covenant with from eternity and therefore if there be any other foundation the foundation will not hold And indeed Christ cannot be a foundation to bear up faith if he be not eternal God and Lord equal with his Father he were not fit to be trusted And cursed is he that trusts in man and make flesh his arme And if Christ had not been eternal God he could not be a fit foundation and it is necessary that every soul that comes to Christ should believe in him as Lord in respect of that divine worship that is to be given to Christ else he cannot worship Christ aright nor give Christ that honour that is due to him and so all his worship is lost Thirdly It is needful in respect of the benefits of Christs satisfaction that men that come to Christ must believe that he is eternal God and one with the Father or else he cannot expect the benefit of Christs satisfaction for if Christ were not infinite God he could not have given satisfaction to infinite Justice if Christ were not God our sins are not purged away the righteousness of Christ is not infinite then no covering for our transgressions no price then of an infinite value for the saving souls no vertue in his blood for the taking away of sin therefore they that do blasphemously deny Christ to be eternal God they must deny the satisfaction of Christ and then all men are in their sins and so like to be lost for ever Fourthly True faith must come to Christ as Lord or else we cannot have any assurance that he â—an perfect the work of our salvation The work of our salvation it is put into Christs hand but if 〈◊〉 be not eternal God there is little hope that he should perfect the work of his peoples salvation 〈◊〉 not possible he should overcome all the enemies of his peoples salvation Therefore you see â—hat it is necessary that when any soul comes to Christ it should come to him as Lord so this woman did look upon him and close with him as Lord over all as he is eternal God having the same power and knowledge with his Father to whom 〈◊〉 due the same divine honour and who is the object of faith And therefore I beseech you Brethren look to it that your faith be rightly grounded if it 〈◊〉 not it will never hold if it be not grounded upâ—â— this foundation upon Christ as he is Lord the same eternal God with the Father if this be not the foundation of faith it will not hold you can never make a right confession of Christ and you will never make such a confession as he will own if 〈◊〉 do not come to close with him as he is Lord owâ— all infinite 〈◊〉 equal with his Father The Dâ—â— hath exceedingly endeavoured to overturn 〈◊〉
that can reach out mercy to the soul and speak a word of comfort and counsel God only can speak a word of strength a word of peace the creature cannot No it is God only I create the fruit of the lips peaâ—y peace Now when a soul looks up to the Lord and meets with nothing from him and knows that there is no answer to be expected from the creature this must needs be a great and a sore trial Fifthly it will appear to be a great trial if we consider that the flesh and Devil are exceeding ready to make a great advantage of this providence of God and dispensation towards his people for they will improve this to the dishonour of God and discomfort of the soul and therefore a great trial In two or three Particulars I shall shew you how ready the Flesh and Devil is to improve this to Gods dishonour and the souls discomfort First the Flesh and Devil will raise up many doubts and jealousies and mis-giving thoughtâ—â— both concerning God and concerning a man own condition and concerning the duties and services which are offered up to the Lord. They will make the soul to doubt of the goodness of God to doubt of the free-grace of God to doubt of the faithfulness of God of the truth of God Surely saith unbelief the Lord is not so gracious as thou hast taken him to be thou hast rested upon the Arm of his mercy and thou hast believed his grace to be sufficient for thee in every condition thou hast looked toward him as toward an infinite compassionate God but where are the compassions of the Lord now not to speak one word to relieve and comfort thee Thus will the Devil and the unbelieving heart object when the Lord doth not give out a present answer yea unbelief will be accusing the faithfulness of God Oh! where is his Word and his Promise He hath said that they that call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved He hath said Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me â—h where is the faithfulness of God God is unmindful of his promise Asaph was under this temptation Psalm 77. 7 8. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore And thus he goeth on making many Queries concerning the goodness and faithfulness of God Secondly as the Devil and the Flesh doth raise many doubts and jealousies concerning the faithfulness of God so there are many doubts cast into the soul concerning the eternal estate and condition of the soul and that upon this ground when as the soul hath sought the Lord and the Lord not answer presently the soul begins to doubt oh surely I am no child of God no sponse no friend God could not deal so with children not to give one word of comfort not one word of answer Oh surely I am an Hypocrite for the prayer of the upright is his delight and if there were any truth of heart in me the Lord would give out an answer and thus the Devil and the Flesh-raise many jealousies and fears about the souls eternal state Or Thirdly if the Devil and the Flesh prevail not so far as to cause the soul to question the goodness of God and the Truth of God or to question its own Sonship yet they will prevail so far as to make the soul question his services and his duties which it hath performed to God Oh! surely I have not spoken to the Lord as I ought surely I have not been fervent in Spirit serving the Lord my prayer hath been but words of my own not the teachings of his Spirit if it had been his own Spirit the Lord would have heard his own Spirit but my prayer hath been accompanied with so many infirmities as it hath not reached up to heaven And thus you see how many a poor soul is led into temptation upon this ground the Lords being silent to the prayers of his people But you will say wherefore doth the Lord thus try his people I answer sometimes indeed the fault is in our selves that we have no answer to our prayers for it is possible that a man or woman that hath faith in Jesus Christ may be remiss in their walkings they may neglect some known duty or they may connive and wink at some evil way and if so no wonder though the Lord be silent at their prayers If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer If David regard iniquity if there be any way of sin that his heart closeth with the Lord will be silent to his prayers if any iniquity be regarded no wonder though the Lord do not hear Yea sometimes Gods own people are found remiss in their duty and though they pray they pray remisly and coldly their prayer is accompanied with so much deadness and distraction there is so little life and so little spirit the Spirit speaks so low that the Lord cannot hear and he will not hear and when it is so that we pray coldly and lazily we make but a light matter of it and are not found crying to the Lord with our hearts no wonder though the Lord be silent to our prayers Yea sometimes Gods own people may miss of an answer because they do not look after an answer and then the fault is their own when as we shall put up our petition and shall not be looking after our prayer shall not be found looking up as David speaketh Psalm 5. 3. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up I will wait for an answer and hear what God the Lord will speak Psalm 85. 8. But when we do not regard our prayer then no wonder there is no answer I say therefore the Lord is sometimes silent to the prayers of his own people and the fault is in themselves But the Lord is not alwayes silent upon these grounds A gracious heart may walk close with God and may regard no iniquity and desire not to connive at any sin and it may wait upon the Lord for an answer and yet the Lord may be silent and give no present answer to the prayers of his people Why so why will the Lord deal so with any of his people I answer for gracious ends as First that they may exercise the spirit of prayer which is given out the Lord he loves to hear the cry of his people he loves to hear the voice of the children when they speak in prayer there is nothing on eath that God delights more in 〈◊〉 let me see thy face and let me hear thy voice saith Christ to his Spouse for thy voice is sweet Noâ— because the voice of faith in prayer 〈◊〉 sweet to the Lord the Lord he seemeth 〈◊〉 to hear or not to take notice for the present thâ—â— so they may pray the
in heaven Rejoyce in this that God hath chosen you and loved you that he hath loved you with an everlasting love and that he hath given you to his Son and will bring you to life and happiness to the praise of his grace in this rejoyce And therefore it is that the Spirit of the Lord is given out to believers that they might know their election it is one end of Christ's sending the Comforter the Spirit of the Lord who searcheth the deep things of God and so reveals them unto believers Now this is among the deep things of God God's eternal love this is one of the depths that made the Apostle cry out when he considered God's way from eternity to poor creatures The Spirit searcheth the deep things of God and reveals them to his people the Spirit of the Lord stood by when he did write the names of his children in the book of life the Son was present and the Spirit was present even from eternity before the world was made when God writ the names of his people in the book of life and therefore the Spirit it is one of God's Witnesses and is given to testifie this to his people he is sent by Christ to testifie what he saw from eternity that the names of such and such were written in the book of life God hath given us of his Spirit that we might know the things that are given us freely of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. Now this is one of the things that are freely given us of God this absolute choice this love of God that was from everlasting if ever any thing were free this is free now the Spirit of the Lord is sent to cause us to know the things that are freely given us of God Now when the Spirit of the Lord doth make known to a soul that it is elected somtimes it makes use of the testimony of the blood of Christ and of the testimony of Water and somtimes he declares this to the soul by his own immediate witness the Spirit of the Lord doth sometimes make it known mediately and somtimes immediately Mediately There are three that bear record in earth the Spirit the Water and the blood and these three agree in one 1 John 5. 8. Now the Spirit that â—â—â—keth the blood of Christ anâ— sprinkles it upâ— the soul and causeth faith to be wrought in the soul to lay hold upon the blood of Christ and then there is the witness of the Blood And so all the Spirit of the Lord doth change the heart and renew the heart there is the witness of the Water now when the Spirit of the Lord doth shine upon these the soul can thorow these draw comfortable conclusions concerning its own election And somtimes there is a more immediate witness The Spirit it self bearing witness that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. Add his own Testimony beside all others that a soul is loved of God so that you see the second general head which is this that this great mysterie of election may be known it may be known unto others and to our selves And therefore O that we might wait upon God for the discovery of it Men are found negligent in this great business because they think it is too high for them who can ascend into heaven say they they think it is presumption for them to ascend into heaven and who can know say they that they are loved from everlasting But O! know souls that there is an absolute Election of grace and this Election may be known it may be known to others and it may be known to our selves O therefore that we might give the Lord no rest and our souls no rest till this great mysterie be made out to us though it be a secret a wonderful secret Yet there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets saith Daniel to King Nebuâ—â—â—dnezzar Dan. 2. 28. Thongh it was a secret 〈◊〉 past my reach saith he yet there is a God in â—aeven that revealeth secrets and so I say though 〈◊〉 be a secret yet there is a God in heaven that â—ealeth secrets and therefore wait upon the â—rd that we may know that we are elected Matth. 15. 24. I am not sent but unto the lost shâ— of the house of Israel SERMON XIII BUt to come to the third part of 〈◊〉 Doctrine which is this That the Doctrine of Election is a comfortable Doctrine It holds forth solid ground of comfort and greâ— refreshment to the people of God Although â—â—ny spurn at it and carnal reason ready to rise 〈◊〉 against it yet it is a doctrine of sweet and solâ— comfort to God's people And I shall shew yoâ— how it is such a comfortable doctrine First This is a ground of comfort to poor soulâ— that God's love doth not depend upon any thing 〈◊〉 the creature a ground of unspeakable comfort that God he fetcheth all his arguments of lovâ— out of his own bowels not from any desert in thâ— creature Alas if God's love had gone by desert in us there had been but little hope And I do not know what solid ground of comfort they can lay that contend so for a conditional Decree grounded upon the creatures acting for if the Lord had not loved and chosen till he had seen some worthiness in the creature till he had seen some better improvement in us then in others if the Lord had suspended to love and to chuse till then O! what little hope might any creature have had that know the contrary workings of his own heart What little hope of being saved But now when all is of Free grace and the Lord overlooks all unworthiness and chuseth freely and loves freely O this is a ground of hope and great consolation Secondly There is another ground of comfort and refreshment from this Doctrine It doth assure us that the Lord is very ready to be entreated that the Lord is not hardly brought off to shew mercy to poor sinners that there is not an unwillingness in God to this work as unbelief and the Tempter would suggest why It was that which was the purpose of God from everlasting I say God from all eternity hath purposed it It was the counsel of God the great work of God that which God spent his thoughts upon from all eternity they were as I may say the first thoughts of the heart of God to love and pity and to save and to bring about that great work of saving sinners by the blood of Christ this was the great contrivance of God and it is a great ground of comfort and refreshment A poor soul may doubt whether God be willing to save and willing to be reconciled to him that hath sinned so and so O! This Doctrine doth comfort exceedingly for certainly if it were the great work of God from eternity the Lord is not unwilling now to do it Christ tells his Disciples That the Father himself loveth you That is
a ground of comfort there was a love in the Father towards you before I made a request for you though the Father now love you more and better yet the Father himself loved you before I made any request for you Thirdly This is another ground of great refreshment from this Doctrine That the love of God towards his people it is an ancient Love a love that did not begin yesterday a love that is not of a few years standing but an ancient love it is as ancient as eternity it is as ancient as the Ancient of dayes as ancient as God himself no beginning but from eternity O! That commends love exceedingly when as love is an ancient love when as one hath born love to such a Family through many generations and hath provided love for such a family for many generations to come that exceedingly commends the love of a friend when a friend shall take care that there shall be an Estate entailed to such a family for many generations to come that he should provide a portion for them before they had a being O! that is ancient love and that doth commend the love of a friend and truly it commends the love of the Creator and it is full of sweetness and Refreshment that God hath loved his people from eternity love hath run down that long Tract of eternity and he hath provided a portion from eternity an inheritance from eternity oh that the Lord should make such provision for poor creatures before they had any being not only thousands of years but even from eternity before they had any being when there was no world no creature no being but only in the mind of God that God then should chuse them and provide an inheritance for them truly this commends the love of God and makes it very sweet Fourthly There is this ground of refreshment that the Doctrine holds forth that this love of God to his people it is a distinguishing love oh that commends love exceedingly when it is distinguishing when it puts a difference where there was no difference that love that makes a difference and so vast a difference when no difference that love is very precious See what is said in Hos 1. 6 7. For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel but I will utterly take them away But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God c. See here at the very time that God said he would not have mercy upon Israel he would have mercy upon Judah and would save them oh how sweet was the discovery of that love And truly this is the love of God that this Doctrine holds forth a distinguishing love that when there was no difference in the creature and one not better then another and yet that God should take those and chuse those that were as bad as those that were left oh this distinguishing love it is very sweet and hath a great deale of refreshment Fifthly This Doctrine holds forth a ground of joy there is a great deale of true grounded joy lasting joy that may arise and doth arise unto the people of God from the knowledge of this that God hath chosen them and loved them from eternity with an everlasting love it doth administer the best ground of comfort that can be found in all the World See that place Luke 10. 20. But rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven The knowledge of this speciall love that God hath written the names of poor creatures in Heaven it is a ground of unspeakable joy rejoyce not that the uncleane spirits are subject to you why they might rejoyce more in that then in any outward mercy whatsoever that the unclean spirits were subject to them for it is more then if all the men of the world were subject to them ah but yet in this rejoyce not rejoyce not so much in this for here is a more lasting ground for your joy that your names are written in Heaven it will afford such joy and will kindle such a flame of joy as all the waters of affliction cannot quench When a soul comes to know this and can make out this that his name is written in heaven a soul may then rejoyce in every condition rejoyce in Tribulation rejoyce in Persecution rejoyce in Poverty and distresse yea though they may loose all the comforts of life yet when God reveals to them that their names are written in Heaven they may rejoyce for they have a portion that can never be lost an inheritance that can never be taken away from them though they meet with never so much scorn and reproach from the World though men should cast out their names as vile yet if their names are written in Heaven they may rejoyce for their names are precious before God when vise before men and it is written there where it can never be blotted out so that it doth administer matter of sound and sollid joy such joy as will hold out and cannot be quencht with many waters Sixtly Another ground of comfort that doth arise from the knowledge of our election is this that we have and shall enjoy that great priviledge and benefit of the ministry and service of the holy Angels When God comes to make out his love to the soul why it may conclude that the Lord hath given his Angels charge over them that the Angels shall defend and the Angels shall protect and the Angels shall deliver from many dangers See what the Apostle saith in Heb. 1. 14. speaking of the Angels Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation They that are chosen by God to an inheritance reserved in Heaven they have the ministry of all the holy Angels while on earth though we see it not with this bodily eye though we see not the Angels how they ascend and descend how they goe to Heaven and come from Heaven yet it is matter of faith the word of the Lord hath said they are all ministring spirits for the good of the Saints many a kindness the Angels doth us and we are kept from many a danger by the Angels He shall give his Angels charge and they shall bear thee up that thou dash not thy foot against a stone That is another ground of sweet comfort Seventhly It doth administer this ground of comfort that all that Gods people doe meet withall â—here in the world shall work for their good God will make an advantage of whatsoever his people doth meet withall See what the Apostle saith in Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose All things shall work together for good to those who are called according to his purpose according to that ancient love in the bosome of God all afflictions all crosses
doe give it some extraordinary signe oh this is a tempting of God and the Lord may leave such a soul for ever in its unbeliefe when it shall take up such a resolution that it will not believe though it hath the promise unless it hath a signe the Lord I say may leave such a soul in its unbeliefe And further in answer It is true this was Gods way formerly to satisfie his people by a signe by some extraordinary signe and vision but now since the coming of Christ God hath chosen to speak to us by his son see Heb. 1. 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son God formerly did reveale himself in an extraordinary way he did appeare sometimes and spake mouth to mouth to Abraham and Moses that was Gods way then but now God hath chose to speak to us by his Son God speaks by Christ and Christ speaketh by the Scripture heare him faith the Father Now Christ hath laid down a rule for our faith and for our obedience and know this that Jesus Christ by his Spirit can so make use of the word that it shall give as cleare and evident satisfaction to a soul concerning the love of God as if God should give a signe as if God should speak immediately from Heaven When the Spirit of the Lord will make use of the word of grace it shall satisfie the soul as fully of his love as if the Lord did appear from Heaven and speak to the soul mouth to mouth Further One thing more I shall speak to this Temptation you that desire a sign and would have an extraordinary sign that God loveth you why know that God hath given you a signe we have signs as well as our fore-fathers had what is the water in Baptisme but a signe to us and the bread and wine in the Sacrament but a signe to us that Ordinance of the Supper which we are partakers of this day the Lord hath condescended to us to give us a signe the bread is a signe and the wine is a signe and the sitting at the Lord Table a signe it is a signe unto faith to every beleeving soul these are signs that God hath loved it from everlasting and set it apart for communion with himself that he hath loved us and given his Son for us that Christ hath loved us and given his blood for us that he is reconciled and hath set us at his Table and we shall sit with him in his Kingdome here is a signe though not unto sence yet here is a signe unto faith We think that Abraham and the Prophets they were happy in that God did appear to them from Heaven and spake to them immediately When God appeared to Abraham and he called to him out of Heaven Now I know that thou lovest me and I have sworne by my self in blessing I will bless thee You think that Abraham and the Prophets were happy that he should tell them that he knew they loved him and that he would love them and would bless them But know it of a certaine that he hath dealt more graciously with us under the Gospel then with them in this very perticular in which we desire a signe in giving us these gracious signes for it was but seldome that God gave them a signe very seldome and it was but to some of them Abraham and the Prophets and Patriarks but now it is Gods ordinary way to give us a signe that which was very rare to them God hath made to us a standing ordinance so that we have a signe continually before us as often as we brake the bread and drink the wine the Lord gives a signe to faith and speaks to faith his everlasting love And therefore take heed that we doe not tempt God to seek another signe What saith Christ Math. 12. 39. The Scribes and Pharisees desired to see a signe from Christ vers 38. An evill and adulterous generation seeketh after a signe and there shall be no signe given to it but the signe of the Prophet Jonas They would not accept of the signe that Christ gave them no they would have other signs They are an adulterous Generation saith Christ and they shall have no other signe but the signe of the Prophet Jonas So when we are seeking for other signes and oh that God would worke extraordinary signes why saith God they shall have no other signes then the signe of the bread and wine and water these shall be sealing signes And know whereas we think some extraordinary sign should convince us and overcome our hearts such is the unbeleefe of our hearts that if we doe not believe when God gives us his word and these signes neither would we believe if God should speake in some extraordinary way from Heaven They have Moses and the Prophets saith Christ if they will not heare them neither will they hear if one rose from the dead Dives he was desirous that one should goe from the dead to his Brethren oh no they have Moses and the Prophets if they will not believe them neither will they believe though one rose from the dead Fourthly Another temptation may be this 〈◊〉 desire to be out of the World that so a man may know what that state is which God hath ordained him unto there may be such a temptation as this a hasting to dye and to goe out of the world that so men might know what their state in another world is what it is that God hath decreed and purposed concerning them I answer There is abudance of folly in this for let me say to such a soul under such a temptation 1. Either thou hast assurance of Gods eternall love or else thou hast it not 2. Thou knowest not but that thou mayest have it or 3. Thou despairest of ever having it Now to the first If the Lord hath given thee any evidence of his love and any hopes of blessednesse in the World to come thou dost very ill thus to make hast to be possessed of that which the Lord hath given thee thou shouldst rather waite the Lords time Remember what the Scripture saith He that believeth maketh not hast If thou hast faith if thou hast any hope of a blessed state in the world to come take heed that thou dost not make hast thou shouldst rather covet and desire to do that which is thy work before thou goest hence thou shouldst desire an opportunity of lifting up the name of the Lord before the Sons of men now there is no such opportunity of making the name of the Lord glorious in the grave and therefore thou shouldst rather desire to know thy work and to doe thy work before thou goest hence Secondly If it be so that thou hast no evidence of Gods love not any knowledge of it for the present yet thou art not without all hope
Christ when God hath discovered the mysterie of Christ to thee and in some measure hath drawn thy heart and made thee to lye at the feet of Christ for life and salvation and for faith to believe in him be diligent to make the best improvement of Christ Improve Christ for holiness and sanctification if thou desirest to have Election made out to thee improve Christ for holiness The Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 5. exhorteth them to this Giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and so he goes on and then follows at vers 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall In this way give diligence to make your Election sure improve Christ for holiness for grace for strength for more strength be diligent in waiting upon the Lord for the carrying on the work of holiness let Christians endeavour to be continually in the exercise of grace and in the performance of every duty that the Lord calls them to adde grace to grace and wait upon Christ that one degree of grace may be added to another knowledge to knowledge faith to faith temperance to temperance truly it is in this way that God comes in with discoveries of electing love I do not say it is for your diligence and for your improvement of Christ and adding grace to grace but this is the way when the Lord doth enable his people to be thus faithful and diligent in the improvement of Christ and in the exercise of grace and performance of duty to God and man God comes in that way and giveth a soul a more clear discovery of his electing love Fourthly Desire the Lord to set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits if you desire to have your Election cleared and made sure take heed of an earthly heart and O! Look up to God earnestly that he would set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits that you may be able to say Our conversation is in heaven our heart is there from whence we look for a Saviour we groan to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven Truly Brethren if we look too much downward if we be grubling below and be writing upon the dust we shall hardly see what is written in heaven Though your names may be written in heaven O! the looking too much upon this world keepeth many a Christian from seeing his name written in heaven What pains will Astrologers and Star-gazers as the Scripture calls them take to see into the second heaven the starry heaven How often will they look up And how long will they look up to see as they pretend what is written there what is the language of the Stars And O! What a shame is it to Christians that we should look up no oftner and no longer into the third heaven that we may see our names written there Truly Brethren it is no easie matter for a Christian to see his name written in heaven though his name may be written there we shall hardly see it if our hearts be not much there and our conversations much there we use to say if children look off their Books they will never learn their Lessons well Truly if we look so much on the world and so little into heaven we shall hardly learn to read our names written in heaven But when as the Lord sees that his people are desirous to have their thoughts in heaven and their conversations in heaven the Lord will come and say to that soul well I see that thine eye is in heaven and thy heart in heaven know for thy comfort that thy name also is in heaven thy God is in heaven thy Christ is in heaven and thy portion is in heaven O! Beg of God that he would clap a heavenly byass upon your spirits Fifthly Take heed of sinning against the Lord take heed of giving way to any sin as you desire to have your election cleared up to you take heed of turning out into any crooked way Let not Christians give way to themselves nor allow themselves in any way of evil You know what the Apostle saith in 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Lord knoweth them that are his Ah! but would you know your selves to be in that number Take heed that you do not give way to any sin do not allow your selves in any way of sin be not found in any way of iniquity every sin that is allowed it will cast a blot upon your Evidence and you shall not be able to read it This is the first Use unto those that have not God's electing love cleared up to them there is a necessity that every soul should give all diligence to have their Election made sure it is matter of infinite concernment and you have been taught in what way to wait upon God to make your Election sure The second Use is to those that have attained to the knowledge of God's electing love And it calls upon them First To be Thankful Secondly To labour to walk worthy of so great a mercy First To be Thankful O consider that it is the free love and the free grace of God that did make the difference between you and others Is there not cause then of Thankfulness You were no better then the worst in the world no better then those that are cast out of God's sight into utter darkness there is as much evil in our hearts as in Judas his heart that betrayed Christ O! It is free grace that hath put a difference if God hath made known to you that he hath chosen you know that it is free grace that hath put the difference O! Rich grace free grace that God should take you and leave another as deserving as you O it is free grace And that we may be stirred up to Thankfulness consider that all the mercies that ever you do enjoy or hope for spring from this Electing love O! What cause have you to admire this love Electing love it was a fruitful wombe all your mercies lay in it your comforts they all spring from it if the Lord had not given you his love from eternity he had never given you Christ as he did he had not given you the knowledg of Christ All the mercies and comforts that you do enjoy do spring from this love if it had not been for this love you had never known what pardon of sin had been you had never known what peace with God had been what a mercy it is to be reconciled to God your present mercies they all lye in this womb of God's Electing love O! what an engagement is this to Thankfulness Secondly Walk worthy of this love Christians you that see your Interest in
that which stayes the soul upon God and keeps up the soul that it faint not and sink not It is true indeed as the Apostle saith If our hopes were only in this life we were of all men most miserable If we had not a better hope and anchor then the men of this world have that have only hope for the things of this life But this saving Hope which is the sister of Faith that looks to the good things laid up in the Promise it is that which stays the soul and keeps it safe and stedfast in the midst of all storms whatsoever If a ship lye at Anchor it may ride safe at midnight though never so dark And truly that soul that hath cast anchor upon Christ it may ride safe in the darkest time in the saddest condition that can befal it while upon the face of the earth this great Sea If a ship hath a good anchor she rideth safe in the midst of the greatest raging sea though the winds rise though the waves be never so high This anchor of hope it causeth a soul to ride safe in the midst of all temptations Hope keeps the heart up Rom. 5. 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Verse 3. And not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience Verse 4. And patience experience and experience hope Because we have this hope therefore we rejoyce in tribulation in the midst of all storms we rejoyce we can sing for joy as Paul and Silas did at midnight because we have Hope for our anchor our ship shall ride safe in the midst of this Sea But for Application briefly First of all It lets us see the misery of all men out of Christ they that are without Christ are without hope the Apostle puts them together Eph. 2. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the world They that have no Interest in Christ have no hopes to do their souls good another day they may have the hope of the hypocrite that is like the spiders web that will perish but they have no true solid well-grounded hope It is a sad condition for a ship to be at sea and have no Anchor wicked men are at sea as well as God's people and if you have no anchor of hope to stay your souls when storms shall arise and the wrath of God arise against you how sad will your conditions be And truly thus it is with the greatest part of the men of the world their condition is sad though they do not lay it to heart their ship is at sea tossed up and down and have no anchor Every man out of Christ either he hath no hope no anchor or secondly If he hath hope his hope is not sure and stedfast it is no firm hope or thirdly his hope is not cast upon a good ground and if so it is not possible that the ship should be safe when the storms arise for it is a very rotten place that most men out of Christ do cast the anchor of their hopes upon most men cast their anchor downward but this anchor of hope must be cast upward it never takes place when it is cast downward it hath no ground to fasten upon But when it is cast within the Vail it takes hold upon the rock upon God and Christ and the Promise that is more sure then heaven and earth but most men cast their anchor downward their hopes is for the things of this life and that hope will not hold And some cast the anchor of their hope upon themselves and that is a poor ground to cast this anchor upon the anchor of most men that live under the Gospel that are not brought home to Christ their Anchor is cast upon themselves upon some works some duties some performances upon somthing that they have done truly this is a rotten ground and this hope will not stand you in stead there is no anchor will hold but that which is cast upward within the Vail therefore dear friends I beseech you examine whether you have that anchor that will hold have you this hope that is cast within the Vail O! that God would cause you to look after this hope you will not trust your bodies at Sea in a ship that hath no anchor you will say it is as much as your lives are worth if a storm should arise Will you not trust your bodies where there is no anchor and will you trust your souls where there is no anchor Yet this is the folly of thousands those that are called Professors they will trust their souls at sea without an anchor Alas What will they do when the storms shall arise when when the wrath of God shall arise what will you do O! that God would cause you to come to Christ that you may have this anchor that is sure and stedfast That 's the first Secondly Let not God's people wonder that they meet with storms temptations tryals and afflictions and at the rage of men against you Why you are like a Ship at Sea and a ship at Sea hath prepared for a storme if the waves do beat upon them they are prepared for it they are tossed up and down the sea and yet they hope they shall come to land And therefore you that fear the Lord do not wonder at your temptations and tryals and that the wrath of men is against you this is the place for storms heaven is the place of rest the Lord by this would imbitter the world to you he will make you know that the world is bitter and that heaven is sweet O! How sweet will heaven be when the soul shall come out of the midst of great storms and dark nights and many perplexities of spirits many tossings in their conditions both outward and inward the Lord by these storms will make heaven very sweet unto you heaven is the place of rest though this be the place of trouble and therefore do not wonder at it That 's the second Thirdly What a mercy is it that God's people are kept and preserved any moment It is a mercy to be kept at sea every man will say so but especially to be kept and preserved when the sea rages there is no heart almost so hard but will be affected with such a mercy to be kept in the midst of a storm when they expect to make their grave in the deeps this is a wonder and O what a mercy is it that God's people are kept in this tempestuous world it is a wonder that your bodies are not broken and that your spirits are not broken and that your comforts are not broken when so many winds strive upon the face of the earth this sea it is a great mercy
together and they languish together when faith is sick hope is infirm and when faith is lively hope is active yea they will expire together when a believing soul shall come into the bosome of Christ no need of faith and hope Faith that looks to the truth of the promise and hope looks to the good of the promise that is the difference between faith and hope Faith closes with the Promise because it is true and Hope that cleaves to it and expects the fulfilling of it because it is a sutable good which God hath promised so that by the opening of this description of hope you may in part see what that hope is which will be as an Anchor to a man's soul That 's the first particular But secondly I shall make it out unto you that this hope is the Anchor of the soul and I shall shew you that it is of the same use to the soul that the Anchor is to the ship First of all The Anchor is useful in time of storms the Anchor doth keep the ship from being driven up and down with various winds if it were not for the Anchor the ship would somtimes be carried back again after it hath gone a great way in its Voyage of the same use is Hope to a believing soul it is exceeding useful in time of temptation when contrary winds blow even such winds as would drive the soul back again if it were not for the Anchor of Hope It is said of Christ That for the joy that was set before him he endured the Cross despised the shame and that we bear up against the strong winds of temptation and against all the discouragements that we meet with it is by this Anchor of Hope if it were not for the hope of joy and glory in heaven it were not possible that a soul should bear up against so many winds of temptation Secondly The Anchor keeps the ship from tossing When the waves roar the Anchor is then exceeding useful it keeps the ship from being removed for though it may be moved yet not removed because the Anchor is sure though the waves rise never so high and be never so boisterous yet if they cast Anchor the Mariners lay them down to sleep they are secure because they have cast Anchor And of that use is this Grace of hope to a believing soul the waves many times rise high afflictions persecutions David complains of it Psal 38. 12. They also that seek after my life lay snares for me and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things and imagine deceit all the day long Verse 13. But I as a deaf man heard not and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth Verse 15. For in thee O Lord do I hope Thou wilt hear O Lord my God I was not moved by this saith he I cast anchor in thee O Lord In thee O Lord do I hope thou wilt hear me O Lord my God He cast Anchor in God and then he lies down and rests And so in Psal 42. There were many waves that did rise very high in his own spirit and what doth he do Why he casts anchor in God as in verse 11. Why art thou cast down O my soul And why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Hope still in God cast thy Anchor there and then rest for I shall yet see the time to praise him I shall overcome all storms and shall live to see a câ—lm and therefore O my soul cast anchor in God hope thou in God Thirdly The Anchor keeps the ship from splitting many times upon the sands and rocks when they are very neer danger almost running upon a rock the casting out of an Anchor somtimes doth deliver them Hope is of the same use to a believing soul it keeps the poor soul from splitting upon many discouraging rocks that are in the way to heaven Psal 27. 13. I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living If it had not been for the Anchor of hope I had split I had fainted and my soul had been split but I believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living the anchor of hope it is that which keeps the soul from splitting upon the rocks Fourthly The anchor keeps the ship close to the place where the Anchor is cast that it shall not be removed far from that place so the grace of hope in this respect is also useful it keeps the heart close to God and Christ that is the benefit of this anchor of hope the men of the world that have not hope in Christ they live at a great distance from God and Christ they dwell at a great distance from heaven they are far from God God is not in all their thoughts because they have not this Anchor of hope if the anchor of their hope were cast in heaven it were not possible that their souls should be at a distance from God the more there is hope the more nigher God it is want of this lively hope that men are so far from God That 's the fourth Fiftly The Anchor is made sure by a Cable that is fastned to it and so the hope of a believing soul will do no good without a Cable now this Cable it is the word of Promise it is the sure word of the Lord that keeps the soul fast If a Ship have a hundred anchors at Sea if they be not fastned to a Cable they will do no good and truly so is hope if it hath not a Cable if men pretend to have hope and that hope not fastned upon the word of the Lord so fast as it is cast it will be lost But the hope of a believing soul is fastned upon the word of the Lord the promise of the Lord and therefore it will hold Sixtly The Sea-man casts his Anchor at a venture he doth not know whether his anchor will reach the bottome or no he doth not know whether his Cable be long enough or whether his anchor will take hold or no and he doth not know whether his anchor will hold when it hath taken hold yet notwithstanding all he makes a venture when he hath need to cast his anchor and so it is with a believing soul when a soul comes first to God he makes a desperate venture he sees his faith is weak and his hope weak and he doth not know whether it will take hold of the rock or no will not my expectation fail All this is objected but the believing soul makes a venture faith is given and it makes a venture he sees that there lies a necessity upon it if I do not cast anchor I perish the winds blow hard and I see a rock before me a gulf and if I do not cast anchor I perish and if I cast anchor it may
make a close with Christ And to draw to a conclusion let us labour to help forward Gods design Doth God make choice of such O then we should help forward Gods work especially where any stand related to us weakness shall not hinder they may come to Christ and therefore be in the use of the means pray for them and speak to them and improve every talent that God hath given you even for the weakest and unworthiest And again take heed that we do not murmur against any of the dispensations of the Lord take heed we do not envy this dispensation and that our hearts do not rise up against it that we do not murmur when we see such and such profess the name of Christ and they are very forward and such as were young children and such poor weak women Now what a high profession do they make The Pharisees they were offended when as the rude people as they called them that knew not the Law they followed after Christ Oh this made the Gospel and Christ a stumbling block to them And so when as the children did confess Christ and sung Hosanna to the son of David the Pharisees were offended it troubled them at the heart that the children should cry out so it was a trouble to them Take heed that we be not offended when the Lord makes choice of young ones and they are too forward as some think why this is no more then what the Lord hath promised to pour out his Spirit upon young men take heed we be not offended at it we should rather rejoyce in it when you see young ones weak ones and sinfull ones come in to Christ and are high in profession oh you should rejoyce in it And let your souls wonder at this dispensation do not envy it but do you wonder at it The Evangelist Matthew he placeth a note of wonder behold a woman of Canaan it was a wonder and we should stand and wonder at Gods secret dispensation O here is the mysterie of the Gospel that weak ones and sinful ones are brought in to Christ And rejoyce in it as Christ did and bless the Lord for it though they have more then we have yet do not envy it but know that this pleaseth the Lord and the Lord will so have it I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth for so it seemeth good in thy sight Christs soul was taken with it O here is a wonder indeed for which God is to be blessed and praised And so if God be your Father when you see this do not envy it but rejoyce in it as Christ did though I have little I thank thee that thou art pleased to give out so much of thy self to such and such that weak ones and unworthy ones are brought in to Christ And last of all You that are weak in respect of parts and gifts and poor and unworthy and weak in respect of sex or of vile parentage and yet the Lord hath pluckt you out and vile and great sinners and yet the Lord hath brought you home to himself O bless the Lord for this his dispensation toward you If the Evangelist look upon the woman and say Behold the woman of Canaan O look upon your selves with admiration Behold the Grace of God which is revealed to you though poor wretches O know that you are ingaged to the Lord for this mercy that God should chuse you the weakest the unworthiest and the sinfullest And do you labour to walk worthy of this mercy Oh if the Lord hath chosen you that vvere the sinfullest O labour to bring much honour unto God as you have brought much dishonour and to hold forth the contrary graces to those great transgressions And if the Lord hath brought you in that are vveak ones women is there ever a vveak vvoman that the Lord hath made choice of O admire vvith fear this dispensation of God and bless him for his Grace to you and labour to adorn the Doctrine of God and your Saviour vvith a gracious conversation and study the Graces the Apostle Peter commends to you that you should be much in the exercise of faith and adorn themselves vvith a meek and quiet spirit O this meek and quiet spirit this sober and this modest conversation and obedience to Husbands these Graces Christ by the Apostle doth commend to you and you are ingaged to do all this and more for Christ because he hath had respect to the vveakest Matth. 15. 22. And cryed unto him saying have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David SERMON III. YOu have seen the woman and now you shall hear her speak She cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O Lord thou son of David Observe here is a declaration of her faith and that we shall first take notice of her faith is declared by a notable confession that she makes of Christ Her confession O Lord thou son of David it is short but a great deal is in it First of all she doth acknowledge him to be Lord Lord of all to be infinite in power the Lord of Heaven and Earth one that was able to do whatsoever he pleaseth one that was able to cast out the Devil by speaking one word for she comes in the behalf of her Daughter and closeth with Christ as Lord where she doth acknowledge his divinity that he was Lord over all God blessed for ever and had power in his hand and abillity to do whatsoever he pleased That is the first part of her confession she confessed that Christ was Lord. Secondly She confesses that he was the son of David O Lord thou son of David and therein she doth acknowledge his Humanity as she acknowledged that he was Lord so she acknowledged that he was true man 2. She doth acknowledge that he was the promised Messias that is comprehended in that title Thou son of David She doth acknowledge that he was that Messias that was promised should arise out of the House of David that should come of the seed of David the promised Messias that was promised to be the deliverer of his people so she doth acknowledge for she calls him the son of David he that was promised should come of the house of David whom God had promised to raise up to be a horn of salvation So you see her confession she confesses his Divinity comes to him as God confesses his Humanity comes to him as Man and she comes to him as the Messias one that was appointed of God to be a Saviour and one of the house of David Here is as full and as large a confession as any of the Disciples make of Christ Quest But it may be queried Why she calls him the son of David she might have exprest him to have been true man and called him the son of Adam why not the son of Adam or the son of Abraham why does she call him the son of David Answ I answer in general Christ
as an Anchor is to stay the Ship at Sea that it may arrive safe in the midst of all storms and not be carried upon the sands and so broken to pieces of that use is Hope to the believing soul as an Anchor is to the Ship And therefore the Apostle doth intimate to us these two things First That the soul of a Believer is compared to a ship at sea Secondly The hope of a Believer is compared to an Anchor Which hope we have as an Anchor c. The soul is the Ship and Hope that is the Anchor of the Ship yea it is a most excellent Anchor and he fets forth the excellency of it by divers expressions it is an Anchor of the soul and it is sure and stedfast and which entereth into that eye of God the Lord hath a hand in ruling them the sea though boisterous yet it is before the Throne And further it is a Sea of glass like unto chrystal there is held forth what this world is before the Lord it is glass and it is transparent even as chrystal to the eye of God the world lies open and he sees every thing that is done in it In a chrystal glass the least more and spot is seen by the eye of man so the world before the Lord and to the eye of the Lord 't is like to a chrystal glass though the world in it self be never so muddy and never so filthy yet the Lord sees all he sees that which is at the bottome of the sea he sees into the bottome of mens hearts he sees into the bottome of every mans actions and intentions there is not any thing in any man's spirit and conversation but it is clear before the Lord he sees it as thorow chrystal Thus you see it confirmed by Scripture that this world it is as the Sea and a believing soul that is in the world he is upon a sea as a ship upon the sea But I shall shew you first In what respect the world is as a Sea to a believing soul Secondly That every Believer is as a ship upon this sea First of all In what respect the world is as the Sea Why First of all The sea is no place to dwell upon no man builds upon the sea the sea is only for passage to pass over unto another land it is for transportation from one country to another but no man dwells upon the sea Truly so is this world the world is not to be continued in it is not for you to abide long in you are not to dwell here it were the fondest thing in the world to think of building a house upon the sea truly so fond a thing is it to imagine to continue here long yet how deeply is this rooted in the heart of man and how little do they think that they are passing over the sea into another world how little is this thought upon and remembred The Saints of old they have confessed that they were Pilgrims and strangers here and that they had here no abiding City but they looked for one to come whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11. 10 13. God's people are not at home here this is no place to dwell in here are Tents but no abiding City there is no Mansion here upon the sea of this world the mansions are in heaven In my fathers house are many Mansions saith Christ John 14. 2. And it is made as a discovery of an unsound Heart the description of a wicked man that he dreams of continuance here and doth not look upon the world as a Sea Psal 49. 11. Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations they call their lands after their own names Verse 12. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not he is like the Beasts that perish Verse 13. This their way is their folly It is folly to think of continuing here the sea is no place to dwell in neither is this world any place to dwell in Secondly The Sea is a most unconstant place the waves of the Sea are full of unconstancy full of Instability a great deal of instability is also in the things of this world The sea it is never constant it is alwayes in some troubled motion there is no rest in the Sea the waters they are rising and falling ebbing and flowing it is continually in an unsetled condition Truly thus is the world and all the things of the world they are full of instability there is nothing here that continueth He that had experience of all these things cries out Vanity of vanity that was the best he found in the world and in the comforts of the world it is an unsetled condition that God's own people are in while upon earth there is nothing that doth continue long all things vanish and are gone in a moment there is as much instability in all things here below as in the waves of the Sea See what the Wise-man saith Eccles 1. 4. and so on One generation passeth away and another cometh Verse 5. The Sun also ariseth and the Sun goeth down and hasteth to the place where he arose Verse 6. The wind goeth toward the South and turneth about unto the North it whirleth about continually and the wind returneth again according to his circuits Verse 7. All the Rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full And so it may be said of all the comforts of this world they are very unstable yea man himself he is full of instability he never continues in one stay even the best of men somtimes he is up and somtimes down abundance of instability in their spirits and conversations in their comforts and enjoyments in every thing like to the waveâ— of the Sea Thirdly The Sea is a Raging enemy it is full of rage they that are upon the sea they meet with nothing but tossing up and down What a mighty combustion is there in the waves of the Sea especially when the four winds do rise upon it O how troublesome is the Sea then Psal 107. 26 27. Verse 26. They mount up to the heaven they go down again to the depths their soul is melted because of trouble Verse 27. They reel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and are at their wits end Truly thus it is with the state of God's people while in the earth it is their portion to be tossed up and down even as upon the waves of the Sea Joh cries out of his tossings to and fro Job 7. 4. When I lie down I say When shall I arise and the night be gone And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day O what perplexities do God's people meet withal both in their outward and inward man somtimes lifted up and somtimes cast down Thou hast lifted me up saith David and cast me down Psal 102. 10. So Jonah he was lifted up he had communion
with God and by and by cast down into the bottome of the Sea O what a raging enemy is the Sea when the four winds strive upon it Truly there are dangerous winds that do stir up the rage of this Sea and make this world so boisterous to God's own people The devil raiseth a wind yea somtimes all the four winds strive together temptations of all sorts as Christ was exercised with so are the people of God The devil raiseth many a cross wind to drive them back again that if possible they might not look toward God and Christ And there are winds that do arise out of their own bowels many times the wind of manifold corruptions disturb the wind of passion the wind of pride the wind of vanity the wind of unbelief and O what disturbances do these winds make that do arise out of their own bowels There is such a combustion that the poor soul is forced to run to Christ and cry out O Lord rebuke these disturbers And if Christ should not arise to rebuke them the soul would be over-â—et by them such is the rage of this Sea when the winds strive upon it Fourthly The Sea is full of sands and dangerous splitting Rocks Truly so is this world there is the rock of persecution and many a goodly ship is split upon that rock there is the rock of offences many are offended at the ways of Christ and offended at the people of Christ and so split upon that rock This world is full of rocks and full of Sands it is true if Christ be in the ship the passengers shall not be lost though the ship may be split and all the burden of the ship may be loft The Saints that have been split upon the rock of persecution they have lost all their comforts and their lives too for the Name of Christ in the Sea of this world but though they have lost their ship the body and all their loading yet their souls have been saved and are arrived safe in heaven Fiftly The Sea is full of Pyrats and Robbers The world is not without these dangers to God's own people there are many robbers that lye in wait to rob and take away all their loading the devil lies in wait to take away from the people of God all their precious loading that they have been trading for but they shall carry it home to heaven in spite of all the devils in hell yea their own hearts are robbers and pyrats a man 's own heart will do him more hurt then all his enemies beside a vain heart a worldly heart a frothy heart an unbelieving heart these would rob us of all our comforts whatsoever and take away all the loading that is â—â—ecious but the Lord Jesus he is Commander of the Sea and he is nigh with a Convoy and he will guard every believing soul through all these robbers and carry them safe to heaven Sixtly The waters of the Sea are very salt and brackish no man can drink the Sea water without prejudice Even so is this world and the comforts of it they are all salt and bitter and it is not possible that they should satisfie and quench the thirst of any poor soul How many men do deceive themselves they think that the world should satisfie their desire and therefore their desires are so eager after the world but they shall finde another day that they are in an error the waters of the Sea cannot quench their thirst a gracious heart will say so and he knows it by experience that it is better for him to drink of the waters of life and therefore he cries out Lord these are all sour waters yea the best comforts have some mixture of salt and bitterness Lord give me evermore to drink of those waters of life that run at thy right hand for evermore It is true the men of this world that know no better they drink freely of this salt water because they know not what sweet waters are but that soul that hath tasted of the sweetness of Christ and how good the Lord is that soul cannot be satisfied with all the comforts of this life but looks only to Christ that he may satisfie his desire And so you have seen in these six particulars that this world to a believing soul is as the Sea That 's the first But secondly Every Believer is as a ship upon this Sea they are making of a Voyaâ—â— over the Sea of this world to the Land of Promise they are set forth from the world and from sin and they are bound to the Land of Promise that 's the state of every Believer he is as a ship upon the Sea Indeed Christ is the Builder of this ship Christ is the Owner of this ship it is Christ that lancheth the ship and that loads the ship all the precious Commodities that a believing soul is carrying home with him it is Christ's he hath the great Venture in every believing soul and if it should miscarry Christ should have the greatest loss for he hath the greatest Venture in the ship and because the Venture is Christs therefore Christ will go Master in the ship his presence shall be with his people all the time of their continuance upon the face of this earth he will not leave them till he hath brought them into the Haven of rest But I shall follow the Metaphor in two particulars briefly thus First The Ship at Sea cannot move without a Wind. Secondly It cannot rest without an Anchor First A ship at sea cannot move without a wind Many times it lies a long time for a wind and when the wind blows then the ship moves but it cannot move without a wind and truly so it is with the souls of God's people they cannot move without a wind they are bound for heaven but they cannot move the least without the spirit of of Christ though they have never so many opportunities and never so many Ordinances and Promises yet if the Spirit of Christ doth not help the soul forward the soul is becalmed and cannot move It is true the ship at sea may be ready they may turn the Sayls to the Windward but not move till the wind blow and so a believing soul may do somthing when once the Spirit of Christ is in it the soul may stand waiting for Christ and be breathing after Christ but till the Spirit of Christ shall breath upon the soul and fill the sayls of the soul it is not possible that it should rid any way And therefore the people of God have found that it hath been for their advantage to cry out for the breathings of the Spirit of Christ so the Spouse in Cant 4. 16. Awake O North-wind and come thou South Blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out But Secondly The ship cannot rest without an Anchor no more can any poor soul rest without this Anchor of Hope this anchor of hope is
to be kept and therefore acknowledge it to the praise of God it doth appear and the Lord doth make it evident that the sea is before the Throne If the sea were not before the Throne of God God's people should be swallowed up every moment the rage of men and of devils would swallow them up but the sea is before the Throne before the eye of God and therefore wonder that you are safe in this raging sea Fourthly It calls upon you that are the Lord's people to watch and pray for you are at sea he that will not pray in a storm he will never pray the worst of men will pray hard in a storm The heathen Mariners Jonah 1. 5. Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every man unto his god therefore there is a Proverb That men go to Sea to learn to pray Truly the Lord sends his people to sea for this end that he might learn you to pray and cry mightily to him the Saints shall not need to pray when they come in heaven there all their desires shall be satisfied and they shall want nothing and therefore no need to pray But the Lord he sends you into the sea of this world that he might learn you to pray and he raises many storms for this end that so you might cry mightily to the Lord The Disciples when in a storm they cryed Lord save us we perish Brethren you are at sea in the midst of storms and therefore you had need watch and pray and cry mightily that you may be delivered from temptations and saved in the midst of your fears and be delivered from the Rocks and the Sands and from Pyrats enemies many dangers you are in therefore remember what Christ saith unto his Disciples Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation Fiftly Engage the presence of Christ with you If Christ be in the ship all is safe you had need engage the presence of Christ with you every moment for it is a dangerous sea you are in and if Christ be not with you you will be split upon some sand or other and therefore O beg the presence of Christ do not set forward in any duty without the presence of Christ Do not sayl one League without the presence of Christ but urge it before the Lord that you are upon a troublesome sea where there are so many dangers and desire of God that the presence of Christ may be with you for if Christ be with you all will be safe Sixtly You that are the Lord's people do you open the sayls of your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ If you would make a Voyage to heaven know that you can do nothing till the Spirit of Christ breaths in you indeed you may turn the sayls of your souls that way and be waiting for the Spirit of Christ but till the Spirit breathe in you you cannot sayl one League but O what a comfortable Voyage shall you make when the Spirit of Christ shall fill your hearts with holy motions and carry you God-ward and heaven-ward therefore wait for those breathings of the Spirit as the Spouse in Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out And so do you beg of God that the Spirit of Christ may breathe upon you and fill the sayls of your souls that you may be carried heaven-ward Open your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ and that is the way to make a comfortable Voyage Seventhly You that are the Lord's people if you be Christs ship at Sea look for good Loading be not content to go home empty Christians should labour to be filled with the Spirit to be loaden with the fruits of Righteousness this the Lord calls for truly it is a dangerous Voyage that you make and therefore you had need be loaden with rich Commodities you had need seek after much of that durable riches that abides for ever the Lord does not love that the ship should come home empty O that you that fear the Lord would remember that you have but once to pass over the sea of this world and then there is an end for ever and therefore do not return empty but O go and beg of the Lord that he would fill you with the fruits of righteousness that you may go home loaden with Faith and Righteousness so shall you be an honour to God and there will be much joy in heaven when you come home Eightly It is a word of much comfort to those that fear the Lord and have an Interest in Christ know though you be at sea and meet with many storms yet you need not fear you have an Anchor that will hold it being cast upon a sure ground your Anchor it is entred it is fastned upon the Father's free grace and the Son 's everlasting Righteousness which is sure and stedfast and if so do not fear though storms arise it shall go well with you for Christ is the owner of the ship and he will go Master in the ship and so long as the presence of Christ is with you you may be comforted what-ever you meet with If Christ be in the ship he will rebuke the wind and the waves yea he will tread upon the proud boisterous waves that his people meet with yea and he will make his people also to tread upon them too and therefore fear not for Christ is the Master of the ship he is with you the Loading also is Christ's and as I said before you need not fear splitting and losing your Loading for then Christ should lose more then you If thy soul should be lost at Sea then Christ should lose his honour and his honour is more to him then thy soul to thee and therefore let all Gods people be comforted in the midst of all storms and tryals persecutions afflictions and sufferings though this world be a Sea and an evil sea a troublesome sea yet be comforted for though the ship of the body may be split and all your outward Loading may be lost yet so long as Christ is the Owner of the ship so long as Christ is in the ship so long as the Anchor of the ship is cast in heaven there is not one passenger shall be lost for though the outward man be lost yet the soul shall be saved in the day of Christ I now come to consider what is the Use and the Excellency of this Grace of Hope It is an Anchor sure and stedfast though it is not alwayes sure to sense not alwayes sure in apprehension The hope of the Saints may have its shakings and it may seem sometimes to be cut off in their apprehensions but it is sure and stedfast in respect of the ground of it in respect of that sure hold it hath upon God and Christ it hath sure hold upon that which is within the Vail And it