1 He presents the persons of his Saints before his Father saith Christ such a thing I plead for and behold here is the Person see what hee is in how near relation to me they are those that thou hast given me they are mine and they are thine see Lord they are no other I speak for 2 Hee presents all the wants of his Saints he spreads these before God Lord they want preserving grace persevering sanctifiing c. 3 He presents his owne merits and righteousnesse before his Father Lord saith Christ is there no righteousness in this poor sinner behold here is righteousness Doth thy Justice require satisfaction behold here it is I have glorified thee it may bee Lord these sin and dishonour thee but I have glorified thee 4 Hee mannageth their cause as his own in his own Name Hee takes up their cause and saith Lord their cause is my cause it is the cause I am ingaged in and have dyed for Joh. 17.10 I am glorified in them as to say Lord if it were onely for them indeed thou mightest deny mee but their cause is my cause their cause and mine their glory and mine is linked together 5 Hee useth arguments with the Father hee doth not barely plead but useth arguments What arguments in John 17. the pattern of Christs Intercession in heaven doth Christ use with his Father vers 6 7 8 9 10 11 c. Hee answers all the Objections that Satan brings against poor souls See Zach. 3.1 2. And hee shewed mee Joshua the high Priest standing before the Angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee is not this a brand plucked out of the fire 6 Hee useth authority in pleading Joh. 17.14 Father I will hee layes a kinde of heavenly command as I may say upon the Father hee leaves his petitions as his will which must bee fulfilled 6 The Prevalency of Christs Intercession 1 The person pleading is a great person Heb. 4.14 a great High Priest and that in a threefold respect First great indignity such will bee heard hee is King of Kings Secondly great in power and so able to give whatsoever hee pleads for and therefore undoubtedly will not let his prayers bee lost All power is given to mee So Joh. 14.13 14. And whatsoever yee shall aske in my Name that will I do that the Father may bee glorified in the Son If yee shall aske any thing in my Name I will do it If anything in heaven or in earth bee useful for Saints hee can command all Thirdly great in favour with God long acquaintance makes persons great in favour Christ was from eternity brought up with the Father near relation makes persons great in favour and Christ is the onely childe of God A man that is great in favour will prevail when another cannot 2 The person hee pleads with is his Father Hee is Gods Son his onely Son the pleading of a Son is very prevalent with his Father This the Apostle makes use of Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that wee have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Yea hee is such a Son as was ever obedient to his Father and hee pleads this his obedience Had you a childe that never angred you and hee should come and say Father I never angered you I pray do not deny mee such a request could you deny him when all the servants in the house cannot procure such a thing to bee done the Son doth but come and say Pray Father let it bee done and it is done Jesus Christ cannot but prevail because it is his Father hee pleads with 3 The cause hee pleads is a cause of Justice Many times when a great person or one in near relation to the Judge pleads though his cause bee unjust yet hee carries it what then will Christs pleading do who is so great in so near relation to the Judge and hath a just cause too think you Will not hee prevail 4 The person hee pleads with is our Father which further shews the prevalency of Christs Intercession If a Father have a childe hee loves dearly a little intreating will make him willing to do any thing for his good But now if another dearly beloved Son should come and plead for this childe with his father and the childes Father too how prevalent would that plea bee 5 God hath appointed him this as his office to plead Hee is an Advocate called by God Heb. 5.4 5. And no man taketh this honour unto himself but hee that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himself to bee made an high Priest Psal 2. Ask of me God would never have put Christ into this office were hee not willing to bee prevailed with whensoever Christ pleads God remembers that hee put Christ into this office and this makes his pleading very prevalent 6 God is as willing to give those things hee pleads for as hee is to plead for them If a man bee but willing to give there needs not much argument to prevail saith Christ Joh. 16.26 27. I say not I will pray the Father for you for the Father himself loveth you as to say I do not say that you shall have all meerly because I pray as if the Father were unwilling and my praying made him willing no nor so The Father himself loveth you and is willing to give you mercy though I pray not as to say I need not to pray for any want of love that is in the Fathers heart to you or willingness to give mercy if that were all I need never pray How willing then must hee needs bee when I pray 7 Why Christ is a Saints Advocate 1 Reason Because it is a part of his office viz. his Priestly office and Christ will not have any of his Offices lye vacant 2 Because it is much for Christs honour that the whole work of our salvation from first to last should bee so mannaged as that hee should still have a hand in it and every part thereof 8 How this makes for our support and comfort against and under all our sinnes and infirmities Answ In these three things 1 By Christs Advocateship God the Father is put in continual remembrance of that full and satisfactory sacrifice which was once offered for sin Hence Christ who intercedes for ever Heb. 7. his blood is said to speake Heb. 12.24 And to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel How did Abels blood speake Not with an audible voyce but by a teal representing Cains sin before God the Father 2 By Christs Advocateship there is a continual application of pardon to the soul Christs death did purchase his intercession doth apply and the application of pardon although it were perfected at once yet it
is reiterated over and over every new manifestation being as it were a new application 3 By Christs Advocateship Satan our enemy hath his mouth stopped above The Devil is busie in accusing of Saints but now Christ comes and saith hee Lord this is an enemy what hee speaks is false and hee speaks it out of malice Just as wee see it sometimes at Sessions or Assizes such a one comes and layes an accusation against such a one but in comes some Councellor that is very great and inward with the Judge and saith May it please you my Lord such a one is a very honest man I know him well and yonder is a base fellow that accuseth him out of spleen and what hee saith I will evidence to bee false and hereupon the man hath his mouth stopped Lastly What wee may learn hence as our duty 1 Come to Christ poor soul not withstanding all thy sins and infirmities Thou hast committed such and such sins against Christ and therefore art afraid to come to him Consider Christ is an Advocate on purpose for the comfort and incouragement of thy foul against sin the Apostle layes down Christs Advocateship here as a refuge against sin Come Christ will sue thee out a pardon I do not say that this is all Christ is an Advocate for to deliver from the guilt of sin no Christ is an Advocate too to plead for all grace for thee But I say this is one special end of Christs being an Advocate and the great end laid down here in the Text to secure thee from guilt The ability of Jesus Christ to save to the uttermost Heb. 7. is put upon this Office of being an Advocate Object O but I fear Christ doth not intercede for mee were I sure of that I should come Answ Hee intercedes for those that come and therefore come and thou mayest bee sure hee intercedes for thee 2 Doest thou finde at any time the Spirit inabling thee to poure out thy soul with groans here below then assuredly Christ prayes for thee above Object But though Christ intercede for mee yet will hee continue to intercede Will not my sin make him give over interceding Answ Hee intercede alwayes hee ever lives to make intercession it is the work as I may say hee lives in heaven to do it is his calling and Christ should bee out of his calling should hee not do it Intercession is as much his work in heaven as dying was on earth Object 3. But I eye my own salvation much in coming to Christ will hee intercede for such a comer Answ Hee intercedes for those that come to him for salvation Hee lives to make intercession for them 2 Duty Let us hold fast our profession Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that wee have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession And Chap. 10. vers 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised Doth Christ own us above before his Father let us own him before men 3 Duty Let us love Christ more and minde his glory more Is his love such as that he here on earth did lay out himself for us and in Heaven hee is laying out himself for us Then let us love him more and minde his glory and his honour more 4 Duty Let us bee frequent in our addresses to God by Christ 1 Let us come with more boldness seeing wee have such a one to speak for us 2 Let us come with more confidence 5 And lastly Let us improve this Intercession of Christ First Improve it in all our wants Secondly In all our doubts and fears Thirdly In all our duties Fourthly In all our falls Fifthly In all our temptations Sixthly In the busling of all our corruptions And in it Let us improve first The continuance of it i.e. There is no time wherein Christ doth not intercede Secondly The perfection of it Thirdly The prevalency of it Fourthly The continual acceptance of it The onely way for Saints to bee delivered from the Errors and Evils of the Times IN Two SERMONS on 1 Tim. 6.11 But thou O man of God flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness IN the former verses the Apostle discovers and condemns the evil practices and opinions of sundry false reachers crept in amongst the Churches in his dayes In this hee warnes Timothy and in him all Christians for the words are not spoken to Timothy as a Minister onely but also as a Christian it being the duty of all Christians though of those in such place more especially to shun and avoid these men their principles and practices But thou O man of God flee these things which that they might do hee sets them about work of another nature Follow after righteousness godliness c. What is the meaning of this I shall not explain the several termes and things onely this learn they are all spiritual things and of another nature to those things the false teachers cryed up So that in general the meaning is Follow spiritual things Wouldest thou escape the Errors and Evills of these men Then do not as they do stand doting about empty questions but follow after pursue high and spiritual things make it thy work and business to minde and speak such things I shall speak only of the latter part of the words and of them only as they are a direction though more is in them given to Timothy and all beleevers how they may escape the Errors and Evills of false teachers Follow after righteousness Doct. The only and special way for a Saint to be delivered from the Errors and Evills of the Times hee lives in is to have his heart as much as may bee taken up with and his spirit exercised about high and spiritual things I shall prove this point from 1 Tim. 4. Where the Apostle having foretold the dangerous errors of the latter times vers 1.2 3. presently mindes Timothy of spiritual things as the onely preservatives against distempers of this nature Vers 7. and 12. Exercise thy self rather unto godliness Bee thou an example of the beleevers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith in purity 2 Tim. 2.22 But follow righteousnesse faith charity peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Having certified Timothy of the dangerous errors and fearful miscarriage of Hymenaeus and Philetus hee straightway gives him in charge to minde spiritual things as if hee had said Had Hymenaeus and Philetus laid aside their vain bablings and minded these things more they would never have miscarried as they have done So 2 Tim. 3. Having foretold of those perillous times which should bee in the last dayes vers 1 2. and given Timothy to understand that some there were already abroad whose temper and manners were like them which in after times should arise yers 6 8. hee presently mindes
it is not two Laws but one So it is here And hence it follows that rightly understood they cannot bee contrary each to other but must of necessity agree because they are one for were they contrary they then should cease to bee one Yea they should not onely cease to bee one but cease to bee contraries destroy each other for authority to enact a Law to bee thus and thus and contradict the same in the publication thereof makes both a nullity So that our Conclusion is this viz. The Salvation and Sanctification of sinners is the will of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ This General I shall branch out into two particulars 1 That it is the will of God and Christ sinners should be saved It is the will of God and Christ sinners should be sanctified 1 Both God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are exceedingly willing and earnestly and truly desirous that poor sinners should be saved This is proved Joh. 6.37 38 39 40. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Where we have the will of God and Christ set forth in several particulars 1 Christs will manifested 1 By his resolvednesse to entertain all poor sinners coming to him vers 37. I will in no wise not not i. e. nothing in the world shall ever make mee cast out that soul 2 By his great and long journey undertaken for and about their salvation vers 38. I came down from Heaven as to say do poor sinners doubt of my will to save them I do faithfully ingage my self to do it yea let them but consider what a long journey I have made about this work 2 God the Fathers will is shewed 1 By his act of Donation or giving of poor sinners to Christ putting them over into his hands to save them vers 37. All that the Father giveth me 2 By his mission of Jesus Christ vers 38. But the will of him that sent me which is put rather upon God the Fathers will than Christs not as if Christ had been unwilling but onely to convince poor sinners how much and how exceedingly the will of God the Father is in the thing as well as Christs Christ having before expressed his own willingnesse now assures them that hee could not bee more willing than his Father was yea of the two if any hee would make them beleeve that his Fathers will was firstly and mostly in the business 3 By that double charge that the Father layes upon the Son at his sending of him away 1 That none of those be lost which hee had committed to him vers 39. This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing as to say My Son I put over sinners to you commit them to your care and keeping look you to it that none of those I commit to you bee lost but that they bee all forth-coming in the day when I shall require them for I give them to you and I shall expect tale of them all from you again 2 That to every one beleeving on him hee should give eternal life vers 40. This is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have eternal life As to say My Son I send you down on earth among a company of poor sinners and when you come there you shall finde many poor sinners will beleeve on you this therefore is that I would have you to minde when you are gone and think of it as my will whosoever hee is that shall beleeve on you give him eternal life I charge you reject none but whoever hee bee give him eternal life This will of God and Christ in the salvation of poor sinners wee have also Heb. 10.7 8 9. Lo I come here is the will of Christ to do thy will O God here is the will of the Father When God said Sacrifice and offering I wil have no longer these will never satisfie my justice nor throughly save sinners whom I will have to bee saved but I have prepared and fitted thee to bee a sacrifice then saith Christ Lo I come here am I Father if sacrifice and offering will not do it here am I Father take my blood if that will do it or punish mee as thou wilt so that sinner may bee saved To this agree those words of Christ to his Disciples Joh 4.34 My meat here is the will of Christ shewed in his delight is to do the will of him that sent me here is the will of the Father And upon what occasion were these words spoken why upon occasion of the converting of a poor woman To our purpose likewise are those words of Christ spoken Joh. 17. in his last prayer to his Father vers 24. Father I will here is the will of Christ that those whom thou hast given me here is the will of the Father And very observable it is that as God the Father gave the Son a charge and command when hee went down to the earth that of all those which hee had given him hee should lose none Now Jesus Christ having done his work on earth and throughly saved them hee comes as it were in a way of commanding to his Father as if hee should say O Righteous Father you gave me a charge when I left heaven that of all those you had given mee I should lose none this command O righteous Father I have obeyed and of those which thou hast given mee I have lost none And now O Father I come to thee and this is my will which I will have to bee done that those whom thou hast given mee may bee with mee where I am Thus God and Christ seem as it were to command each other as though there were some unwillingnesse in either which is not so there being nothing that the hearts of both breathe more earnestly after than the salvation of poor sinners but onely speaking by way of condescention to our capacities to make us poor creatures sensible how exceeding willing they are to have poor sinners saved they speak thus The Father to shew his willingnesse layes a command upon Jesus Christ and doth as it were hasten him out of heaven about the work though yet there was no need of this it being the joy of his soul and his very meat and drinke to save sinners The Son likewise to shew his willingnesse having done his
against them c. but when we have done so to submit to his will who will have them remaine in us this I say is the way to come up to it the looking to Christs victory over them It is granted that the sight of Corruptions yet stirring in the soul is matter of very bitter mourning but not of despairing he that comes into the Field and seeth an Army of Enemies if some bee slaine some breathing out their last some bleeding c. hath not cause to despair though to mourn so here 5 In the Gospel we have a sight of Christ as engaged by way of standing Office to look to the keeping peace between God and his Children 1 Joh. 2.2 6 We have a discovery of the Saints being seized of all the riches of heaven and earth by being seized of Christ the great Gift of God and Gospel blessing Ephes 1.3 Hee that hath given us his Son how shall he not with him freely give us all things Rom. 8 3â— and they have Gods Bond for performance yea all things put into their best Friends hand for them He is head over all things for them Ephes 1.22 that they may look over all things and persons in heaven and earth with comfort so long as Gods security is good Christ remaines Lord of all things they shall never want what is good for them here nor misse of glory hereafter Psal 84. Hee shall give grace and glory The love of Christ in his blessed Gospel which this choyse Servant of the Lord had tasted abundantly of and the Spirit of Christ who doth take of Christs and shew it to his Saints and so glorifie Christ had made so great an impression on him that as a dear friend of the heavenly Bridegroome he was carried out exceedingly with Saul when converted Lord what wilt thou have me to doe and did much in drawing poor Sinners to Christ whereof there is good proof where hee lived and also in labouring to unite Saints and furthermore in studying and holding forth the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus not only in his Churches but over the Nations This being the designe of Christ at this day to possesse his owne right to take to himself his great Power and Reign to cause the Kingdoms of this World to become his owne Rev. 11.15.18 to set up in them his owne Administrations and Lawes instead of those Heathenish and Antichristian Laws c. that have been and are yet in a great measure in the Nations and appoint his owne Officers over them It is dangerous to hinder it in the least you know what a rebuke Peter met with from Christ when hee would speaking according to Carnal reason have hindred the present work and designe our Lord Jesus was about Get thee behind me Satan thou savourest not the things that be of God but the things that be of men How sad a thing is it then when the Lord doth so rebuke us as at this day speaking very plainly and knocking aloud at our door by various Judgements by extraordinary Droughts and immediately upon the removal of them by general Sickness all the Land over by taking away many precious Saints from among us in this Nation of late c. his hand being yet stretched out that notwithstanding all these things when the Lord doth hearken and hear there is not a returne to him that smiteth but a revolting more and more in all sorts of persons from the highest to the lowest a going back againe by those very steps the Lord in a more than ordinary way brought us up to in this poor Nation appearing for us while wee were following him in some measure of sincerity and singleness of heart with such successes as made the very Heathen and Anti-christian World about us astonished I say a going back by those very steps we had gained towards Aegypt again c. Instead of following the Lord fully as Caleb and Joshua did behold a consulting with flesh and bloud and humane wisdome more than with the Word of God let us mourn before the Lord for these things and labour to live by faith and prepare for further sufferings And in order hereto with plaineness of heart read these things and read with an intention that they may bee read upon your conversation The Author writ and preached and walked the truth look not after Notions so much as the power of the truth which the Lord give thee and all of us grace to doe Peasen Hall 29th of the 9th Month. 1657. John Manning To the Reader Reader IT is an Argument of unspeakable favour and matchlesse condescention that the God of glory would vouchsafe to enter into the band of a Covenant with any of the Race of sorry Man and therefore the clearing up the Nature of the New Covenant made with Beleevers in Christ which is a great designe of one of these Treatises must needs be of choyse advantage to the Saints As estrangement from the Covenant is a depth of misery Ephes 2.12 so a special experimental acquaintance with it is a height of happiness When the Ark a signe of the Covenant was taken it was said of old The glory is departed from Israel but when men have this Ark of the Covenant with them there are the approachings of the greatest glory to them He that is owned within the verge of the Covenant hath an everlasting hold of God himself to such a Soul it may bee said thy God thy glory Tossed tempted Souls may finde support and succour here fainting sinking Souls reviving drooping dejected Soules refreshment yea when they have drawne and suckt the largest draughts out of these brests of Consolation yet they are still as full as ever It addeth abundance of sweetnesse to any even the lowest or least injoyments if they can bee discerned to have their conveyance in the way of the New Covenant to him that hath them yea a froward disquieted discontented heart will bee sweetly bowed into a submission unto the Will of God in the worst conditions if it can but descry the face of a reconciled God through a free promise therein And to help forward submission to the Will of God which another of these Treatises calleth for give us leave to adde a few words by way of direction 1 Keep a fixed eye upon God under the sharpest Dispensations if thou eyest the Rod more than the hand that useth it thou wilt manifest thy self a froward Childe under the gentlest fatherly Chastisements but if thy eye be ehiefly upon a Divine hand which smiteth thou wilt more quietly stoop unto it when it carrieth with it the greatest shew of enmity Good old Eli when such sad newes was sent unto him as should make the ears of all that heard of it tingle yet he keeping his eye upon God 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord hee freely submitteth Let him doe what seemeth him good 2 Keep affections unto Christ very high and to Creatures very low heart engagements
one with him When a King makes a League with another all his Subjects make League with him the VVill is King Lord chief Commander in the Soul when that closeth with God the whole man closeth when the VVill melts into Gods VVill and is swallowed up in it all the affections melt together and are swallowed up there-with 2 It conduceth greatly to a constant living in God and to him in improper phrase we use to say that a man is where his will is if our wills be in Gods our life is there Enoch is said to walk with God but how the Apostle tells us Heb. 11.5 He pleased God i. e. in effect to say he served not his owne will and desires but Gods 3 It is the nearest conformity that can be in us to the life of Angels Angels are perfect conformists to Gods VVill and therefore we are bid to pray that the VVill of God by us might be done on Earth as it is by Angels in Heaven 4 It is the most acceptable Sacrifice we can offer up to God Abels Sacrifice found acceptance because it was of the fat the will I may call the fat for it is the best part of man when this is offered up to God we offer up the fat Elies Sons made the Sacrifices of the People to be abhorred because they took the fat to themselves our services though never so many and great will be abhorred if this fat bee taken from them 5 It is abundance of Grace in one lump the exercise of much grace together or in one act as before I have noted 6 It is the most perfect imitation of Christ the highest act as I may so say of Christs obedience was his submission of his will to his Fathers therefore the Holy Ghost makes the whole of his obedience to lye chiefly in this Heb. 10.7 8 9. compared with Psalm 40.6 7 8. 7 It is better for us to submit to Gods VVill than to have our owne wills there is no grate acted in the one much in the other I am oft-times made worse by the one seldome or never better but alwaies bettered by the other Self-love is the root that the one growes upon but love to God the root of the other 8 It is the way to have our Mercies given to us again when we give them up to God in a way of submission to his will Abraham gives his Isaac to God and God gives him his Isaac again Job takes it well at Gods hands in taking his Estate from him God gives him his Estate double again V. The EVIL of not submitting to the VVill of God is very great for 1 IT is rebellion against the great God as he is absolute Lord and Soveraign of the Creature For a King to declare his VVill by a Law and the Subject to say I le not submit to it is among men rebellion in him as a Subject yet this case falls short of ours for no King is so absolute a Soveraign as that the bodies lives Souls of his Subjects are by right at his dispose yet such is God who therefore may command all and we are bound to submit 2 It is against Saints relation to God as a Father Christ as their Husband it is not fit for the Child to say when the Father saith do such a thing I will not doe it nor doth it become the relation of a Wife to say Husband I will love you only know this I will not submit to you when as it is the great duty of her relation 3 It thwarts our Christian Profession Christian Profession declares us to be the Servants of God it is meet the Servant should be ruled by the Masters will not his owne 4 It fights against the life of Faith what is the life of Faith but a constant reliance upon God this reliance being the act of the will ceaseth to be whensoever the will starts aside 5 It is to declare our selves wiser than God whilst we submit not our wills to his for this is certaine God bids us to vaile our wills to his in nothing but what he judgeth best for us for us therefore in this or that thing not to submit is in effect to say Lord in this or that thing I know what is good for my self better than thou dost 6 It makes our condition worse whatsoever it be A man in a Quick-sand the more he struggles the deeper he sinkes so it is with the Soul that struggles against the will of God his condition whatsoever it be is made worse by it 7 It makes our whole life uncomfortable and us weary of it Jonas his stout will made him at last even weary of his life Jonah 4.3.9 8 It renders us unthankful for mercy for note there is no dealing of God with his but hath mercy in it now when in this or that dealing I cannot submit to Gods will I do neither see my mercy nor am thankful for it VI. The RVLES IN THE GENERAL which may bring us to and further us in this submission are 1 SEt this alwaies before thine eyes and let it be thy Christian Motto GODS WILL IS BEST 2 Forbear making conclusions as touching Gods dealings with thee until such time as God hath given thee his light to judge of them or thou art come to the end of them Men ordinarily make conclusions by the light of their owne reason or whilst they are in the middle of a Dispensation This confounds them and makes them to quarrel with Gods dealings so as they can take nothing well 3 Keep thy heart and affections loose from the Creature if they are intangled and engaged that way they will draw in thy will with them then must it needs depart from the Will of God that motion that lies towards the Creature is from the Creator 4 Take not hold of Christs strength by fits only to serve thine owne turn when thou art at a dead lift but let him be thy daily strength thy strength to every action thy strength in every condition then shalt thou in all conforme to the Will of God 5 Apprehend thy will when it begins to start and give thy heart charge with it as with a run a-way The Cockatrice is best crushed when in the egge the Serpent in the will when he first begins to stir 6 Think not more hardly of God because of present dealings than thou findest thou hast cause to think of him for dealings past 7 Confirme thy self as much as may be in those thoughts that thou art a fool and dost not know in the least what is good for thy self the more thou hast drunk in this opinion of thy self the more willing thou wilt bee to bee at Gods dispose 8 Study the Covenant of Grace more the light of that in the Soul will expel the dark conclusions of carnal reason which doe ever oppose Gods Will. The knowledge of this Covenant is the only foundation of all good thoughts of God and his dealing
but thou shouldest submit to Gods will and take it well though thy portion bee lesse than anothers 5 Consider That thou mayest have fewer smiles than another and yet no lesse of thy Fathers love than he hath The young childe hath alwayes most smiles but the eldest as much of the Fathers love as it Put case I am continually sorely oppressed by Satan and buffeted through manifold temptations how shall I submit to the will of God in that condition Ans 1. Consider Thy condition is not worse than the condition of other Saints hath been yea than Christs himself was 2 Consider God hath the disposing of Satans rage and his design in it 3 Consider That temptations in themselves are gainful things Hence 1. Wee are not to pray against temptation absolutely because great good may bee in it 2 Wee are commanded to count it all joy when wee fall into divers temptations 3 A blessing is pronounced to the soul under temptation Quest But wherein is this gain of temptation Ans 1. Temptation makes discovery of that corruption that is in the heart which perhaps before we saw not Peter was confident and saw not that he was weak till upon a temptation he fell 2 Temptations are preventions oftentimes to other sins Pauls pride was prevented by his buffeting 3 Temptations make the soul more frequent in running to God many a Prayer is put up of him which had been omitted had not a temptation driven them Pauls temptation makes him pray thrice often 4 Temptations make us keep closer to Christ our refuge when a man knowes an enemy lies abroad he will keep close to his Fort or Hold another that feares no enemy wil wander 5 Temptations give a soul skill make him a wise experimental Christian often engagements makes a skilful subtil Souldier Temptations skill a man in the stratagems and method of Satan when a man knowes his enemies stratagems he can prevent him and in the methods and deceits of his owne heart whilst it juggles with Satan knowledge by temptation is learning dear bought that a man will keep 6 Temptations make a soul vigilant and watchful when men know an enemy is near they set Guards keep Centinels 1 Pet. 5.8 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the Devil as a roaring Lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour If a man knew a Lion was in the Field he would not as a drunken man lye sleeping there 7 Temptations shew us where and in what thing we are weakest 8 Temptations fit us to be a relief to others old Souldiers skilled in feats of VVarre are fit to be Leaders and Commanders God lets some be tempted to fit them to releive others 2 Cor. 1.3 4. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God 9 Temptations rub off the rust of our Graces by keeping them in continual action lay a thing by it rusts and we use it not temptation puts us upon necessity of using our Graces when else perhaps we should lay them by this keeps them from rust Temptations drive us to act faith forceth us to repent causeth us to be low humble sets our love to God on work when we see his pardoning grace 10 Temptations make us live upon glory in grace without strength without 2 Cor 12.9 And he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me 11 Temptations make the groanings of the soul after Heaven greater the thoughts of Heaven the sweeter We groan saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. begin being burdened burdening causeth groaning 12 Temptations prepare for consolation Christ after temptation hath Angels ministring unto him but note 1 That we must not expect the consolation upon the end of every particular temptation Christ had three great temptations and in these three temptations of all sorts were wrapped up and he passeth thorow them all before his consolation comes 2 Nor must we expect the consolation suddenly within a little while Christ is tempted forty dayes and nothing else but tempted hath no abatement all that time before his consolation comes Now consider the great gaine of Temptation and this will help thee to submit to the will of God in case he suffers thee to lye under them But put case my condition bee not only oppressions by temptation but temptation and corruption together corruption creeps in with the temptation and prevails what shall I doe how shall I submit in this case Ans Before I give in my answer take these Cautions 1 That the actings of Corruption being a thing contrary to Gods will I am not to understand submission to Gods Will in case of corruption thus as 1 That I should give place to corruption 2 Be contented with the breaking of it forth 3 Forbear praying against it or 4 Not be humbled for it or 5 Not watch against it 6 Lessen it if overcome thereby But I am to understand it thus viz. That sith corruption could not act were it not the will of God to suffer it therefore all the aforesaid things being done by me constantly and corruption notwithstanding prevailing I am then after this manner in such a case to submit to Gods VVill. viz. Lay my self before God and say O Lord if it were not thy will to suffer it this corruption could not prevaile against me it doth prevaile and I know not what to doe but here I lye I have deserved to be scourged with Scorpions and if it be so thou wilt whip me with the sharp rod of my corruptions here I lye though I abhor the thing it self yet as it comes in a way of deserved punishment so Lord here I am if thou wilt beat me with it here I lye Now having shewed the nature of this submission to help us in the thing for this is the bitterest Pill of all other to the gracious heart take these things 1 Consider that God in all the breaking forth of corruptions in his hath a designe that lies deeper than the Devils designe or the designe of thy owne heart The Devils designe in putting forward some corruption is to shake faith the hearts designe to please it self God hath a design lies deeper and when the time of mercy is come and the work ripe for God to put his designe in execution Gods designe which lies as a Mine at the bottome will spring and blow up the corruption and the designe of the Devil and mans heart therein altogether This is clear in the case of Peter in his fall was a great designe of Satan another of his cowardly heart but Christ had a designe lay deeper which afterwards takes place
Sinners the objects thereof 2 Of his Truth for God having decreed to save Sinners entred into a Covenant with his Son passed his Oath and given his Seal for the confirmation of it what high derogation would it now be to the glory of his truth and faithfulness should he not bee willing to save sinners 3 Of his Wisdome God in his infinite VVisdome having contrived so glorious a way as is that new and living way by the Bloud of Jesus for poor Sinners to be saved in how would it derogate from his Wisdome if after the contrivance of such a way he should be unwilling to doe that for which he contrived it 4 Of his Patience and forbearance Where would the glory of this Attribute be if God should forbear and forbear and yet have no will all this time to the Salvation of Sinners yet doe I not say that God hath a will so save all those whom in his patience he forbears or that God can have no glory of this Attribute in any other way than this of the Salvation of Sinners for I think that God shall have glory of this Attribute in many whom yet he will never save as Rom. 2.4 5. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance but after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of Wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgement of God but this is my meaning against part and indeed the greatest of the glory of this Attribute which ariseth from Gods shewing mercy to Sinners after his patience hath been long provoked would be lost should not God be willing that Sinners should be saved 5 Of his Justice one would think that if any Attribute of God should or could shine in the condemnation of the whole race of Mankind it should be Justice but yet Justice it self would bee so farre from gaining as that it would have its glory eclipsed should not God be willing that poor Sinners should be saved for it is every whit as much for the glory of Justice to give a discharge upon satisfaction received as to require paiment before satisfaction given and a failing in the one cannot be without a breach of Justice as well as in the other now Christ having given Justice satisfaction for a considerable number of the Race of Mankind should Justice now pass a Sentence upon all without exception it would be much to the dishonour thereof 4 Because God the Fathers exaltation of his Son Christ at his right hand engageth him to it which will appear if we consider two things 1 That God the Father hath called Christ to Heaven and set him down there at his right hand for this very end to be a Prince and a Saviour to poor Sinners Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins which cannot but have much influence upon the Fathers will in this thing for so long as he sees his Son Jesus Christ sitting at his right hand he is put in continual remembrance of the end of his calling him thither to wit the compleating of that most glorious work of the Salvation of poor sinners 2 That God the Father hath set him about a work there put the case God should forget it yet will continually remember him of it which is the work of Intercession whereby Christ spreads that bloud which once was shed here below on earth before the Throne of God in Heaven by which God the Father is put in continual remembrance of that Sacrifice that once here below was offered for sins and what engagements from thence lye upon him to bee willing that poore Sinners should bee saved 5 Because the delight of the Father in this work as it argues that he is willing to have poore Sinners saved so also that he must needs be so because otherwise a great part of his joy and delight which is in this work should be lost This we have Luke 15. where throughout the chapter by the joy of the Man for his Sheep the Woman for her peice of Silver and Father for his Son is set forth the great joy and delight that God takes in the conversion of Sinners that the joy here spoken of is the joy of the Father and not the joy of Angels is clear 1 Because it is no wherein the Chapter called the joy of Angels but joy in the presence of the Angels i.e. God rejoycing before the Angels v. 10. 2 Because the third Parable which is as it were a Comment on the other makes not so much mention of the joy of Servants as of the Father for his Sons return the greatnesse of which joy in this third Parable we have set forth in four or five particulars 1 The Father runs to meet the Son whilst yet the Son was a great way off v. 20. the Son it may be goes flowly but the Father runs to meet him 2 He falls on his neck and kisseth him Josephs salutation to his beloved Benjamin and the rest of his Brethren when he was so full of joy that he wept again for joy 3 He causeth the best robe to be brought forth for him with a ring on his hand when Pharaoh was exceedingly taken and delighted with Joseph he arraies him in rich attire and puts a ring on his hand 4 He makes a Feast and that of the best not only the Calf but fatted Calf vers 23. 5 He triumphs his joy was so great vers 24. all which serves to set forth the exceeding joy and delight of God in the conversion of poore Sinners to declare which upon occasion of Pharisees murmuring at Publicans and Sinners following of Christ is the main scope of this Chapter in all the three Parables 2 For Jesus Christ his will is and must needs be in it as well as the Fathers 1 Because it is the will and command of his Father that hee should save sinners This will of the Father Christ himself layes down as one great argument which moved him to take this work in hand grounding his own willingness upon Gods Joh. 6.37 38. All that the Father giveth mee shall come to mee and him that cometh to mee I will in no wise cast out For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent mee As if hee should say I will not cast out any poor sinners coming to mee because the Father hath willed mee I should not Yea God the Father hath not onely willed the thing but given Christ an express command to go about the business which is somewhat more than bare willing I may will a thing to bee done and that such a one should do it and yet not presently give an express command for the doing of it This command wee have Joh. 10.18 where Christ speaking
bring me under wrath for I am delivered from it What slavish fear is here 2 Here is no working for Heaven or the reward for how can a Soul be said to work for Heaven when he knowes and firmly beleeves that Heaven is his before he works If a Father make over his Estate to his Son by Deed of gift and put him in possession thereof and the Son after he is possessed of his Fathers Estate doth more for his Father than ever before will you say he doth it that his Farther might give him the inheritance No that he hath and his Father cannot now take it from him therefore all that now he doth is from ingenuity That Holinesse therefore which ariseth from this motive must needs bee Gospel-walking because it is free of those qualifications which are necessary to a legal work and legalwalk 4 And lastly When our ends in our obedience are Gospel-ends Quest What are Gospel-ends Ans Such as these That I might testifie my thank fulnesse to God for his love towards me What shall I render to the Lord saith David for all his benefits towards me Psal 116.12 God hath done great things for me O what shall I doe for God again This is the language of a Gospel-soul What shall I render to the Lord I was under such a Temptation desertion God hath delivered me O what shall I render to the Lerd I wanted such a Mercy and sought God and he gave it me O what shall I render to the Lord I was some months years agoe in a sore outward affliction and God delivered mee O what shall I render to the Lord Not long agoe my condition was such as that I thought as certainly Hell was my portion as ever it was Judases or the portion of any of the Damned there and I went about crying out I am undone I am Damned for ever and now God hath not only freed me from these Horrours which made my life a burden and earth a Hell to me but also filled my soul with joy unspeakable by shewing me that he hath loved me in his Son with an everlasting love and that nothing shall ever be able to separate mee from his love but come life come death come what will come come what can come all shall further my eternal good O what shall I render to the Lord O what shall I render to tht Lord How shall I ever walk worthy so great love what shall I doe for this God who hath done so worthily and gloriously for my soul 2 That I might recover the Image of God againe The first man lost the Image of God by his disobedience this Image of God wee recover againe in Christ our second Adam who was obedient now the more inlightned any soul is the beleeving and holy the more doth he recover of this Image of God which consists in knowledge righteousnesse and true holinesse Now saith the beleeving Soul my intent is to recover the Image of God which the first man lost by his disobedience and therefore doe I seek to know and in all things to obey the Gospel because in conforming my self hereunto I shall recover the Image of God for as I lost this Image by partaking of the disobedience and pollution of the first Adam so shall I recover the same by partaking of the obedience and holiness of the second Adam which obedience the Gospel holds forth unto me Hence I exercise my self in duties of Holiness because I know the more holy I am the more shall I bee like God who is Holy and Holinesse it selfe and the more shall I recover of this Image which consists in perfect Holinesse 3 That I might imitate Jesus Christ Christ in the Gospel proposeth his Holiness to beleevers as the pattern of theirs Learne of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Love one another at I have loved you Now the beleeving Soul reading these things over saith to himself it is my duty as much as may be to imitate Christ to walk as he hath walked when hee was here upon earth Now how did Christ walk why Christ was humble meek lowly he prayed to his Father was thankful to his Father went about doing good was full of compassion to poor Sinners denyed himself in his reputation and honour with men and willingly took up the Cross the shame and reproach of the World was in all things submissive to his Fathers will contenting himself therewith was not impatient in his Sufferings but took all well and in good part from his Father was not revengeful towards Instruments for when he was reviled he reviled not again being falsly accused buffeted condemned nayled to the Cross he threatned not but committed all to him that judgeth righteously being persecuted cursed he returned blessings for cursings and prayers for persecutions yea hee fulfilled all the righteousness of the Law Now saith the soul It is my duty to follow Christ and to draw out my life by the copy of his and therefore to the end I might imitate Christ and bee like him I obey and love God for I know Christ did so love my enemies and pray for them because Christ did so do good to all as I have opportunity because Christ did so despise the honor and reputation of the world because Christ did so continue in prayer because Christ did so desire of God humility patience meekness thankfulness submissiveness to the will of God and contentedness therewith because I finde all this was in Christ strive to be holy in all manner of conversation and if it were possible to bee perfect because I know Christ was so All this I press after to the end I might bee like Christ that if it were possible there might bee nothing in mee but what was in Christ nothing done by mee but what Christ would have done nor left undone by mee but what Christ would have left undone 4 That I might keep up my communion with God Although the union which Saints have with God by means of Christ depends wholly upon that which is without viz. their being married to Christ and cloathed with his righteousness yet the communion which Saints have with God by meanes of the Spirit hath much dependence upon a Saints walking So that let a Saint walke carnally and loosely though hee shall not break the mariage knot and loose his union yet hee shall grieve the Spirit and loose his communion And on the other side let a Saint walke spiritually and as becomes the Gospel as his union remaines so shall his communion also bee kept up fresh and in the life and sweetness of it hee shall feel the same in his own soul Yea experience tells a Saint that when as at any time hee hath walked as an obedient childe observing and doing with delight and in simplicity his Fathers will hee hath then held up much sweet communion with God and contrariwise when hee hath been vain and wanton and given too much liberty to his
failings in one thing or other It is a divine maxime there is no man that doth good and sinneth not All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Jew and Gentile saith the Apostle are all under sin Quest But why doth God suffer sinne to bee in his people Answ God hath many gracious ends in it as 1 To keep them humble Paul had a thorne in the flesh that hee might not bee exalted above measure Spiritual pride is one of the Saints greatest enemies God therefore suffers sin to bee in his that so they might bee kept low that they might alwayes see something in them as a ground or matter of humiliation something that they might bee continually reflecting upon to keep them low 2 To teach them to live by faith Should there bee no sin in us there would not bee that need of faith and of living by faith that by reason hereof there is The more a Christian falls the more hee is taught to live by faith When I see righteousness in my self I am prone to rest too much upon and to live upon that but when I can see no righteousness at all but do instead thereof see daily and hourly a great deal of unrighteousness I am led hereby to live out of my selfe upon anothers righteousnesse and hereby faith is kept in daily exercise 3 To prevent security The more enemies a man hath about him and near him the more watchful hee is thereby made Now God suffers these enemies to abide in his children that they may hereby bee continually awakened by the hourly alarms of these enemies and thereby kept from security 4 To exalt his own grace towards them The more sin is in those that are saved the more grace appears in their salvation 1 Tim. 1.13 14. Who was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and injurious but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbeleef And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 5 To shew forth more of his power in them 1 In strengthening them against sin 2 In upholding them under their falls 3 In mortifying sin in them 6 To make them the more compassionate of their fellow-brethren under the like infirmities Gal. 6.1 Brethren if any man bee overtaken in a fault yee which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also bee tempted Heb. 5.2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that hee himself also is compassed with infirmity 7 To make them more to long to bee dissolved 8 To permit wicked men hereby to bee stumbled and offended at the wayes of God Use Then bee not discouraged at the sight and feeling of sin in thee but seek God that hee would work and wait upon him for the accomplishing of these and such like gracious ends in thee thereby Thus much in a word of the first thing in the Text viz. the SUPPOSITION If any man sin I come now to the second viz. The REMEDY prescribed or what that is which may support and comfort Saints notwithstanding this sin that dwells in them and that is the Advocateship of Jesus Christ Wee have an Advocate Doct. The Advocateship of Jesus Christ now hee is in heaven is a great ground of comfort and support to Saints against and under all their sins and infirmities In the opening of this I shall shew 1 What this office of an Advocate is 2 What manner of Advocate Christ is 3 Whose cause hee pleads 4 What hee pleads for 5 The manner of his pleading 6 The prevalency of it 7 Why Christ is a Saints Advocate 8 How this makes for our comfort and support 9 What wee may learn hence as matter of our duty 1 What is this office of an Advocate Answ The word Advocate is in Scripture no where used but in this place therefore to finde out what it is wee must look to the first rise of it Now it is a borrowed speech taken from the Civil Law in which those are called Advocates which wee in the Common Law call Councellors Now in Law the office of an Advocate is this to plead in a way of Justice and from principles of equity and justice anothers cause who is not so well able to plead it himself Christs office then as an Advocate is this to plead the causes of poor sinners who cannot themselves plead them and that in a way of Justice Here is the great difference betwixt Christs pleading and ours Whensoever wee plead wee plead but as petitioners but when Christ pleads hee pleads as an Advocate A petitioner hee brings his cause to the foot of mercy and leaves it there hee dares not appeal to Justice lest hee bee cast but now an Advocate hee pleads in a way of justice hee brings his cause to the bar of Justice and is willing it should bee tryed by Justice and stand or fall there When wee come with our causes to God wee must as petitioners throw them down at the foot of mercy and stand to the verdict of mercy but when Christ takes up our causes hee goes boldly to the bar of Justice and pleads them there hee makes appeals to Justice and saith Do but speak O Justice whether it bee not a fit and requisite thing that this poor sinner should have the cause go of his side I have dyed satisfied for him purchased this is it not a just and equal thing that it should go well with the poor sinner and his cause I will be tried even by thee O Justice 2 What manner of Advocate is Christ Answ 1. Hee is an Advocate in the superior Court An Advocate in the superior Court is better than in the inferior because there may bee an appeal from the inferior and a sentence there passed is not determinative because it may bee reversed above but now the Laws and Decrees of the superior Court they are binding and determinative there can bee no appeale thence but whatsoever is ratified there carries the authority and force of a Law with it Now Christ is an Advocate in the superior Court hee is an Advocate with the Father as in the Text and so Heb. 9.24 it is said that Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands but heaven it selfe the High Priests under the Law when they were to plead which was a part of their office they entred into the holy places made with hands they pleaded here below But now Christ our High Priest and Advocate hee is gotten into heaven it self and there hee pleads in Gods presence at the highest bar hee pleads So Heb. 4.14 Wee have a great High Priest which is passed into the Heavens Heaven now is the place where Jesus Christ is Priesting of it and where Christ is pleading with the Father for us And hence it comes to pass that whensoever Jesus Christ gets any sentence to bee