children Not fashioning our selves according to the former lusts in our ignorance but as he that hath called us is holy so let us be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.13 14 15. O what manner of persons should we be in all holy conversation and godliness It is most reasonable that we should walk in Christ as we have received him both from the rules of ingenuity fidelity and equity 1. It is a rule of an ingenuous man that nothing be done to the prejudice of him from whom we receive nothing but the fairest expressions of favour and kindness God deals with his people in sweet expressions and carriages of condescending love bounty and good-will all his ways are mercy and faithfulness his with drawings or whatever God doth to his people it is for their good Now for any man to walk contrary to God that still goes on to discover more of the riches of his grace to him is to requite evil for good a piece of great disingenuity there is not only rebellion and disobedience but wickedness in it 2. 'T is a rule of fidelity whatever is given to a man to be disposed of upon such and such things and for such ends should be carefully imployed and laid out upon such things and for such ends according to the will of the giver A man may certainly dispose of his own as he pleases Now Christ was not given to us to live as we list or to walk in the vanity of our minds as other Gentiles Ephes. 4.17 Those that have received Christ and do not walk worthy of him do not improve him for mortifying the old man and putting on the new man and for holiness of heart and life they go against the will of him that hath bestowâ—d thâ—s gift upon them 3. 'T is a rule and principle of equity whatsoever we have received from another to occupy we should return it with all possible advantage being intrusted in anothers business an ingenious and just man will labour to advantage him in whose business he is employed as much if not more than his own If we receive this special gift and grace of God and instead of walking answerably we dishonour him by walking contrary to the grace we have received where is justice and ingenuity in this deportment As if a servant be employed in his Masters business he is to use his utmost skill and strength and put to his utmost endeavours to perform his duty exactly So we are servants and whatever we do is our duty Lâ—k 17.10 the stock we have received from another must be faithfully returned to the owner with advantage Mat. 25.27 A servant is not to mind his own advantage and profit but his masters the end why you perform duties and frequent Ordinances must not be meerly to be free from guilt and horrour and to escape Judgment and Hâ—ll that 's but as a servant that works indeed and does his masters business for his own ends but you must eat and drink work and trade pray and hear and all that you do for God and his glory For directions how we must walk in Christ You must walk in Christ as you have received him 1. You received Christ as one that hath taken upon him your nature and sanctified it Ioh. 17.19 and in this respect you should walk in him as those that are sanctified Ephes. 4 20 21 22 23 24. But ye have not so learned Christ c. 1 Thes. 4.4 As you have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more for this is the will of God even your sanctification that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour 2. As one that mediates and intercedes for you at the Throne of Grace and ye should be sure to walk in him come to God in this new and living way that your persons and services may be accepted and prayers answered 3. As one to whom you have resigned up your selves as your King and Lord ruler and governour that hath the sole ordering and disposing of you and all your affairs and ways and in this respect you should yield obedience and subjection to his commands and give up your selves wholly to him 4. As one that is your Saviour who is your strength and safety against all enemies and evils whose design and undertaking is to deliver you from the evil of sin Satan and the world in all your fears dangers temptations then you must fly unto him and relye upon him when he hath restored liberty to you captives and slaves you must walk in this liberty and make use of it not to sin but to serve him freely without fear and without distraction 5. As a guide and leader to shew you the way of life and happiness and 't is nothing but reason you should follow him and walk as he walked In a word he is your life and your all and so you should live not to your selves but to him and his praise and glorifie him in soul and body which are his that since he died for all 't is very reasonable that they which believe should not live henceforth to themselves but to him that died for them Rom. 6.22 â—3 Being made free from sin and become servants unto God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. CHRIST The Best MASTER Joh. 13.13 Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VOS me vocantes dicitis magister aâ— domine bene dicitis sum enâ—m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per enallagen as Mark 15.34 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod ponitur Mat. 27.46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are put 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Grammarians speak the Nominative for the Vocative case Vel est mutata forma orationis ut hoc dicatur vos compellando me utimur his vocibus magister dominus Unless we read it with Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Erasmus translates it Magistrum dominum for saith he it is not usual nor proper to call any thus unless he be present and they speak to him but now Christs Disciples did call him so when he was absent as Ioh. 21.7 This saith Beza is confessed but here the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred saintatis vel vocantes me appellatis being here used it may be understood of the common speech wherewith they spoke to Christ when present The Syriack word Rabban and Maran as in Maranatha the Lord cometh 1 Cor. 16.22 soundeth something more Sacred and Divine than ordinarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a teacher of Letters Manners or any Art in relation whereunto they were called Disciples or Learners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur qui pollet authoritate
3.26 Who could repair the Image of God in us and restore the life of Grace when we were dead but Christ by his Spirit How could we ever put off the old man and put on the new die to sin and live unto God were it not for Christs death and resurrection Had not he sanctified himself for our sakes we had never been holy had he not born the punishment we deserved we had never been happy was not he given that whosoever believed on him might not perish but have everlasting life Tell me you that think Christ is a person that may be well spared c. who could ever have opened the eyes of the blind the ears of the deaf or healed a wounded spirit Who could have bound up a broken heart opened the Prison-dores broken off the chains of bondage and proclaimed liberty to the captives Who could have satisfied infinite justice born the weight of Gods Wrath removed the curse of the Law made reconciliation for iniquity and brought in everlasting righteousness certainly none but Christ. 8. Christ is a most gainful gift He is absolute and universal gain Christ is the most profitable gift to the soul that can be injoyed yea that can be imagined nothing more commodious nothing more enriching than Christ is to them that have him There is no man rich without Christ neither is there any poor that have him a man without Christ is a beggarly bankrupt but one that hath Christ is a wealthy King He that hath Christ hath all he that hath not him hath nothing Christ is not gain as worldly things are profitable in relation to their ends as wealth is good to supply want food to maintain life clothes to keep off cold air a bed to rest weary limbs but Christ is a rich and inestimable treasure to the soul without reference to any further end than himself he is to be desired even for himself his merchandise is better than silver and his gain than fine gold Prov. 3.14 Man knows not the price of wisdom of this wisdom Prov. 8.18 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir with the precious Onyx and Saphire there is no talking nor bidding in this Market so precious is this corner-stone No mention shall be made of corral or of pearls for the price of wisdom is above rubies The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it neither shall it be valued with pure gold c. Job 28.18 19. What the Apostle saith of godliness is very true of Christ he is profitable for all things and he is gainful at all times and to all persons both for soul and body for the life that now is and the life that is to come and for ever The salvation of the soul is better than the gaining of a whole world What is a man profited if he gain the world and lose his soul How much more gain then is he by whom a world of souls are saved 9. Christ is a most suitable gift He suits all persons and all conditions whether a man be poor or rich young or old noble or ignoble learned or unlearned bond or free high or low the richest have need of him as well as the poorest and the meanest may have him as well as the greatest be in what condition or relation soever he is suitable to all And O! how suitable is Christ to the lost condition of all men by nature man is an enemy to God Christ is the Peace-maker he is a Captive Christ is a Redeemer he is lost Christ a Saviour he is sick Christ a Physician he is dead Christ gives life he is poor Christ gives riches he is weak Christ is strength he is guilty Christ hath righteousness he is filthy Christ hath blood to wash him in he is naked Christ hath a Garment to cloath him he is hungry Christ is the Bread of Life he is thirsty Christ gives living waters O! how suitable how acceptable is Christ to poor sinners He that hath Christ may say here 's strength to support me Wisdom to direct me Power to protect me Gold to inrich me Cordial to comfort me and Fulness to supply all my wants He is made all things to all men eyes to the blind feet to the lame and a Father to the poor Christ is for every turn and fitted for every condition be it what it will or can he hath a sufficiency relative and suitable to it there 's no disease but this Physician can cure it no Case but this Counsellor can resolve it no Enemy but this Champion can conquer no difficulty but this mighty Saviour can overcome 10. Christ is a most seasonable gift Every thing is beautiful in its season all other things have their several seasons as food is good but 't is when a man is hungry so cloaths when a man is naked Physick when a man is not well Musick when a man is merry now Christ is never out of season A gift bestowed in the nick of time is most valued Bis dat qui cito dat 't is a double favour when done in time the right timing of things is a high point of practical wisdom and puts a beauty and value upon all things Now considering the state of man as lapsed Christ was the most seasonable gift that ever the world heard of This is set forth in the Parable Luk. 10.30 A certain man went down from Ierusalem to Iericho and fell among thieves which stripped him wounded him and left him half dead c. The man that travelled was our first Parent Adam the Thieves were the Divels who deprived him of all wounded him and left him not half but wholly dead the Priest and Levite came by and looked on but passed away neither would nor could help him but the good Samaritan so esteemed by the Iews Christ he comes had compassion on him went to him bound up his wounds with his own soft hands poured in Wine and Oyl and brought him to an Inn and took care for him that he should want nothing towards his recovery takes the whole charge of it to himself What can be imagined more seasonable than for such a compassionate Physitian to come by look on and undertake when a man lyes bleeding and dying in the high way Ezekiel 16 beginning doth excellently express the seasonableness of his coming to us Christ is sent to us when we are at an utter loss can neither help our selves nor all the world do us any good give the least relief When he comes into the world it is said Heb. 10.5 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure all the world was at a loss to please God What shall man do and whither will he fly for help Then even then said I lo I come in the volume of thy book it is written of me to do thy will O God Christ comes in the very nick of time when all mankind was ready to perish
shall call and knock and it shall not be opened Prov. 1.24 I shall add a word of admonition and serious warning to them who have not yet nor are now resolved to accept this incomparable gift of God and that in the words of the Apostle See that ye refuse not him that speaks from heavâ—n Heb. 12.25 yea that came down from Heaven to seek and save your lost souls Now that Christ is freely offered to you by the Gospel if you set at nought his counsel and make light of his invitations and receive the Grace of God in vain it had been better for you that you had never been born or never heard the Gospel Now that God hath proclaimed terms of peace and shewed himself so unwilling that ye should perish that he gave his only begotten Son for you and to you and exacted nothing from you but acceptance that ye might have in him eternal life If you still refuse this gift and reject this counsel remaining under unbelief it doth exceedingly aggravate your sin and judgment it makes your sin above measure sinful your sin is inexcusable your condemnation unavoidable and your punishment will be intollerable Consider what you do and be wise before it be too late you exceedingly dishonour God undervalue Christ gratifie Satan Sin most inexcusably and undo your selves utterly 1. If you do not receive and improve this gift when offered in the Gospel you do exceedingly dishonour God What greater reproach is there amongst men than to refuse a gift offered freely out of love without any ground motive or occasion from the party that is to have it or deny to accept of an invitation to a great feast or fair estate if intreated and solicited to take it 'T is a sowr unmannerliness and sawcy proud presumption to prescribe on what terms they will have or when they will not be beholding to their superiors 'T is a great dishonour to God that vile sinful dust and ashes will not accept of his gracious offer of his Son If a King should come to a Prisoner condemned by the Law to death and lying in Chains and offer to set him free or put his Son in his stead c. but he so loves his bondage and hugs his chains that he will not be delivered You cast dishonour upon all the gloâ—ious Attributes of God His Truth He that receives Christ gives as much glory to the Truth of God as possibly he can he sets to his seal that God is true Iohn 3.33 But he that receives not this gift believes not God and so makes him who is truth it self a lyar because he believes not the record which God gave of his Son 1 Ioh. 5.10 O what horrid indignity is this to the most faithful God! His Mercy wherein he delights which as it is above all his works so this of bestowing Christ on men is above all his mercies It is no less than spurning at bowels of mercy Rom. 2.4 and despising of riches of goodness His Power 'T is a sad diminution of the glory of his Power and Soveraignty as if he could not do what he hath promised if we accept his offers or what he hath threatned if we refuse it Abraham on the contrary was strong in faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform Rom. 4.20 His Wisdom It 's a rejecting the counsel of Heaven and contemning that unconceivable depth of wisdom that contrived a way for Mercy and Justice to meet that his Glory might be advanced and sinning and perishing man might be saved His Justice How great is the affront that sinners offer to his Justice that sinners go on to provoke him with their unbelief and wickedness and as it were dare him to punish them In a word his Infallibleness and Unchangeableness are called in question when his gracious promises are not believed and embraced men judg him a person not fit to be credited The giving of the lye is accounted the greatest injury and disgrace amongst men but especially this is a great injury to God because he stands more upon his word than upon any other part of his name Psal. 138.2 He hath magnified his word above all his name And we have more experience of God making good his word than in any other thing Thus not receiving Christ doth rob God of his declarative glory it rifles his cabinet and takes away his chiefest jewel even that glory which he saith he will not give unto another 2. You do very unworthily slight and undervalue Jesus Christ. When a gift is offered if you deny to accept it you not only dishonour him that offers it but you disparage the gift it self you disesteem it as not worthy your acceptance and is Jesus Christ so worthless and inconsiderable a gift as that thou wilt not take him at the hands of God O horrible ingratitude Be ye astonished O ye heavens for my people have committed two evils ah these two are thousands and millions they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters c. Is it not the voice of Christ in the Gospel Who will have me Who will receive me and is it not the Gospel-quarrel Ye will not come to me that ye may have life Joh. 5.40 'T is the greatest folly to set so low a rate on Christ for he is the sum and substance marrow and worth of the whole word and all the works of God the most excellent glory of all persons and things in the world 1. Survey the Word of God from end to end and you shall find that there is nothing of excellency but what is derived from or reduced unto Christ he is called by one verbum abbreviatum the contracted Word into which all words are reduced as the rivers into the Sea from this word they came unto this word they tend and within this word they are all contained 'T is observed by Ierome that the sum of all knowledg is Divinity the sum of all Divinity is the Scripture for that is sufficient to make the man of God perfect 2 Tim. 3.16 17 and every Christian wise unto Salvation The sum of the Scripture is the Gospel for that is the power of God for the salvation of them that believe Rom. 1.16 and the sum of the Gospel is Christ. For these things i. e. the Gospel were written that you might believe that Iesus Christ is the Son of God and that in believing you might have eternal life Joh. 20.31 If you consider the Old Testament it is nothing else but the vail shadow and promise of Christ observe all the Types the Tree of Life the Ark of Noah the Ladder of Iacob the Mercy-seat the brazen Serpent and all such Mystical Types and Typical figures we read of what are they else but Christ take away the substance and what is the shadow And not only so but even all the men of note Noah Isaac Ioseph Moses Aaron Ioshua Sampson David Solomon
use of him here and hath now taken him home to himself His afflictions temptations oppositions were above the ordinary rate which as they assimilated him to his Master so they promoted his greater usefulness here and fittednes for heaven the lintel-stones and pillars of the new Ierusalem suffer more knocks of Gods hammer and tool than the common side-wall stones God wearied him out of this world and made heaven welcome wish him not here again but labour to improve this dreadful breach by remembring his Doctrine imitating his exemplary practice and understanding Gods design in this so amazing stroke search out that Achan that hath troubled your camp lay to heart sin reform your lives live up to the Doctrines you have been taught and do these in particular which are here presented to your view and I am confident will be acceptable to you though wanting the warming-accent of his lively voice which was full of sparkling spirits you must see his face hear his voice no more in your solemn assemblies but yet this Elijah as he mounted up to heaven in a chariot of fire dropped down this paper-mantle amongst us which by the spirit of grace concurring may divide the swelling-waves of Jordan I mean separate betwixt precious souls and those abominations which at this day overflow all banks and bounds Oh that Gods Spirit may by these conduits convey spiritual life and marrow into your souls that you may live though Ministers die they die civilly naturally may you live spiritually eternally This servant of God spent himself as a candle to give you light if ever it might be said of a mortal man as of our Saviour The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up it may be said so of this choice servant of God who spent and was spent for souls who counted not his life dear unto him that he might finish his course with joy in labours more abundant But I purposely wave what concerns his person at present leaving a rough draught of his smooth life to a fitter season All I shall add is to give a brief account of these ensuing Treatises As to the printing of them though Solomon caution his Son against making and reading many Books Eccles. 12.12 yet that only sounds a retreat to luxuriant wits in a scribling age as to writing upon some subjects or for vain glory but doth not simply condemn writing Books which hath been the key of discipline an Herauld of the Gospel and a notable mean to propagate true Religion As for these discourses upon common subjects I pickt them out of a vast bundle of variety of excellent discourses upon such accounts as these 1. Because I do not remember any such full Treatises upon these heads 2. Yet they are needful and useful pleasant and profitable 3. They are handed out in a taking-method and manner 4. His heart was much carried out in preaching Christ to sinners he professed most delight in it these Sermons then are the lively idea of his Gospel spirit 5. God made them savoury and delectable in their first verbal delivery and why not upon a second review 6. This servant of God is likely to preach no more but hereby being dead he yet speaketh 7. The importunity of such friends as deserved to be gratified extorted this labour of love to the souls of sinners nor shall it repent us to expose it naked to the worlds censures so it may by Gods blessing profit any For Treatises themselves though carried on by way of similitude and resemblance yet are not therefore to be despised or rejected the Prophets used similitudes Lumen supernum nunquam desendit sine indumento Rab. Cup. in Synt. Apost p. 177 178. Christ preacht much in Parables and this way sweetly instills Truths with delight and clearness into the mind and affection so that Cyprian's caution be well regarded that they be not stretcht too far He instanceth in leaven I may instance in this gift of God Iesus Christ is not so a gift but that he is also a Lord not to be ruled by us but to rule us To us a Son is given Isa. 9.6 but how that yet the government might be upon his shoulder As he is the Lords Christ so he is Christ the Lord who will rule where he rests and reign where ever he is received he will be Lord as well as Life a Master as well as a Treasure he will sway his righteous scepter over us as well as vouchsafe his glorious benefits to us he expects we should be his servants as well as his friends we must be the Lords Nethinims given to God yea by our selves as we expect this blessed Donative from God he that will not be ruled by his golden scepter shall be crushed by his iron rod. And as Iesus Christ is a gift so he is food bread of life heavenly manna yet this must not be stretcht too far for in this he is contrary to ordinary corporal food for though he feed souls he turns them not they him into his holy heavenly nature Christ as the gift of God is the matter of this feast Christ as Lord is the master and maker of this feast All this must be understood suitable to the majesty of the Son of God and according to the nature of Metaphors otherwise saith Cyprian If they were the same they were not examples but the things rather which they illustrate But all these similitudes fall infinitely short of the perfection of him who is above finite excellencies Nec similitudinem substantiae in facturis suis habere potest ille qui factor est omnium All I shall add further on this account is that caution of his in a like case Et jam hoc loco mundior auditus requiritur purior sensus Let your senses be raised to spiritual objects Having hinted a few words concerning the Author and Treatises give me leave having this fair opportunity to be speak the once constant attenders upon this good mans Ministry and those are either sinners or Saints As for unconverted sinners that attended such powerful awakening preaching and have sitten out these loud calls and pathetical intreaties and rational Interrogatories Perswasives Expostulations I may now say Lord have mercy upon you your case is miserable hath your Minister killed himself to save your souls and yet will you not be saved have you worn him to the stumps and quenched his natural light with your spiritual deadness Have you stifled all those convictions you have had under his Ministry And have you not reason to fear that Gods Spirit will strive with you no more Where will you find such another upright Nathaneel such a rouzing Boanerges such a melting Barnabas Shall he that studied travelled sweat wept sigh'd and suffered be brought in as a testimony against you He was mighty in prayer were you stupid when he wrestled with God for you and was loath to be put off without a soul at a Sermon Did you look about
more mischief than a storm a lethargy of security is more dangerous than a feaver of soul-trouble Take heed to your selves that you lose not what you have wrought but that you receive a full reward let this gift of God make you aspire after the highest enjoyment of God in eternal life which is also the gift of God 3. Live upon and live up to this blessed gift of God improve Iesus Christ. The height of true Christian perfection is a full view of this lovely Iesus a conformity to him and deriving all influences from him there 's fresh springs in him new unheard-of treasures an unknown-land of grace and delights in him set your cistern under the cock put the mouth of faith to the full breasts of Gospel-promises made in Iesus Christ. Pray much give God no rest tell God there 's enough in his Son of that you want in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg Col. 2.3 why should you want when there 's enough laid up for you why should you be afraid to ask when all is of free-gift God is more willing to give than you are to receive it easeth his heart as it were to give of the riches of his grace to sinners King James gave to Sir Henry Rich after Earl of Holland 3000 l. at once who had wisht for so much money You think saith the King now you have a great purchase but I am more delighted to think how much I have pleasur'd you in giving than you are in receiving Gods gifts finding room and welcome in your hearts is infinite content to an open-handed giver but you must neither slight nor trifle away his gifts you live all of begging beggars must not be wasters Nemo prodiger qui mendicat own God in all give him the glory When thou hast thy best Suit on remember who bought it made it put it on keeps it on what hast thou that 's not received thank thy good Master for so bountiful an alms 4. Admire free-grace in this great gift I have heard of a gracious Christian that lying down in his bed and rising up had this in his mind and mouth Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift Iesus Christ is such a gift as never came out of the hands of God and was never received by the hands of man a gift that consecrates all other gifts as the altar sanctified the gift laid thereon all Gods gifts to us without this would in some sort be giftless gifts crumbs cast to dogs as Luther call'd the Turkish Empire without which all our persons and performances are no better than dung in Gods account yea in Saints esteem as so many cyphers without a figure yea without Christ we our selves had been dead and damn d wretches Christ is the darling of Heaven the delight of Saints the object of Angels admiration If Heaven and earth were consolidated into one massy Pearl it would not be as the dust on the ballance to blessed Iesus cast in all the holy Angels and rational souls they would all be but trifles compared with this Lamb of God He is the best part of heaven all heaven more than heaven the King makes the Court his presence makes heaven which would be a black nothing a Tohu and Bohu an hell without his company Oh that real Saints were transported with admiration of Gods love in giving Christ and Christs love in giving himself for and to them this will be their work for ever begin it here and cry out with the Martyr in the flames None but Christ none but Christ. Be content to be burnt in this heavenly Sun so you may more fully see and admire him Long to see his blessed face upon his Throne though you could not see his face in the flesh Live to him here that you may live with him hereafter Since he is given to you give your selves back to him Come and see make strange discoveries the nearer you approach to him the better you 'l like him We are dim-sighted and unaffected here but perfect faculties and an endless eternity will compleat our praises of Him Thy best is reserved till the last Read and live and learn what Christ is but die and learn better sight will make you perfect Scholars Whither this Christ-admiring friend is gone whither I pray God bring your immortal souls with Your Souls real friend in Christian Offices O. H. Joh. 4.10 Iesus answered and said unto her if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water THE first thing that God created in the world was Light Gen. 1.3 and the first work of God in the renovation or new Creation of lost man is to create light in the heart of such as dwell in the region of darkness and sit in the shadow of death The natural man is darkness and knoweth not the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned And Ignoti nulla cupido what we know not we do not we cannot desire one great reason then why men submit not themselves to the government and ways of Christ is because their minds are not enlightned thorowly and in a manner suitably to the nature and worth thereof so long as they feel no necessity of Christ see no beauty or excellency in him they keep themselves at a distance from him and their own happiness Hagar was near the Well but her eyes were not opened and therefore she made not towards it So this Woman to whom Christ spoke in the Text was near the well of living water the fountain of all grace and comfort yet her eyes were shut and she knew it not of which Christ does admonish her in these words If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee c. They are the words of our blessed Saviour to the Samaritan woman at Iacob's Well near the City Sychar and part of that conference he had with her in his Disciples absence In this Chapter you have a relation of Christs Journey from Iudea by Samaria to Galilee together with the occasion thereof 〈◊〉 many observable passages in the way I shâ—ll only and but lightly touch upon those that concern this Woman in whose person is exemplified that saying of the Prophet Isa. 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not I said behold me behold me to a Nation that was not called by my name The story is this Our Saviour Christ leaving Iudea retires to Galilee now the way to Galilee lay through Samaria as he went there fell out an extraordinary thing or as Calvin calls it a happy chance for coming to Sycâ—ar which place though its name be no where else mentioned in Scripture is commonly thought to be Sichem situated on the side of mount Gerizzim the inhabitants whereof were murdered by Simeon
undeserving and ill deserving mankind such a gift so transcendently superlatively excellent and wonderful that if God the Lord should create an understanding-faculty of man or Angel millions of degrees more apprehensive and vigorous than if all the men and Angels that are or possibly might be created were contemperated in one yet could not their understanding so see the incomparable worth and superexcellent beauty of this gift but that there would remain unseen treasures of loveliness and oceans of excellencies never known to the amazement and admiration of all creatures to all eternity Nay it implys an eternal contradiction that the Creatures should see to the bottom of the Creator or that which is finite fathom that which is infinite This gift is promised in the Old and those Promises are fulfilled in the New Testament Hear what the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa. 9.6 Vnto us a child is born a son is given A Child born in respect of his Humanity a Son given in respect of his Deity and both as already done in regard of Gods purpose and the infallible certainty of his promise which is as sure as if it were already done and in regard of the fruits and benefits thereof to men though it was to be accomplished above 700 years after and in the fulness of time God sent his Son actually given both to us and for us to effect our Salvation Ioh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed on him should not perish but have everlasting life All I purpose to do in the prosecution of this Doctrine is to shew the excellency of this gift and then make Application A great attempt indeed and far above the utmost reach of a finite capacity for who can declare his generation what pen though dipt in the river of life that flows under the Sanctuary what tongue though shap't out of all the Angels in Heaven and watered with the milk and wine of that good land can sufficiently express the glory and excellency of this heart-ravishing flower of Angels this living Ark of heaven the song of Angels and glorified Saints the joy and glory of that new land the crown and garland of his Fathers delight the sweetness of the garden of God the wonder of wonders for eternity to Angels and men that fair tree of life the branches whereof cannot for the narrowness of the place have room to grow within the huge and capacious borders of the Heaven of heavens How impossible is it therefore to contain him in the narrow compass of the words or thoughts of any mortal creature I cannot better express what he is than by telling you I cannot express him Yet something I shall endeavour to speak of his inexpressible worth under the notion of a Gift in these particulars Christ and Heaven cannot be praised Hyperbolically No danger of excess speak I as much think you as much as we can of Christ. 1. Christ is a most free gift we use to say what 's freer than gift I may well add What gift freer than Christ whether we respect the giver or look on the receiver 't is easie to judg that this gift is absolutely free and undeserved In relation to God it is beyond all doubt that there was nothing in man that might move God to give him Christ no worthiness in man no profit by man nothing but loathsomness The promise of Christ coming in the flesh was an absolute unconditional promise Hence 't is said Christ is not only sent delivered c but given not paid nor sold he is not returned to us by way of payment for who hath given ought that he should be repayed neither is he sold to us in consideration of ought to be paid by us for what can we return to God that is not his own already Rom. 11.35 36. 1 Chron. 29.11 12 13 14. If Iacob could say He was not worthy of the least of all his mercies Gen. 32.10 Who can pretend to be worthy of this greatest but Christ is given freely bestowed of his meer grace and bounty without respect of ought in us that might invite or induce him thereunto Rom. 5.6 8 10. Tit. 3.5 without any expectation of ought from us that might be beneficial to himself Can a man be profitable unto God Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that a man is righteous Is it any gain to him that we make our ways perfect Job 2â— 23 35.5 8. No our goodness cannot extend it self unto God Psal. 16.2 Look on man and what is there to be found in him but sin and misery He is not only without strength and so despicable cannot help himself but ungodly also and so loathsome deserving no help from others What is man that God was thus mindful of him a poor naked indigent helpless and wretched creature and all this wo and misery is brought upon him by his own choice and act he is not only miserable but wicked a rebel as well as a beggar not only cast out into the open field to the loathing of his person but found in the field of war treacherously fighting against his Lord and Maker Man was in a state of darkness slavery rebellion poverty pain ignominy banishment nakedness filthiness deformity sickness death perdition every thing that 's naught and miserable all the woes in the world were they a thousand times greater are but a faint representation of the miseries of man by nature Now if a gift may be free when bestowed on a friend how much more when given to an enemy why God gave us his Son to reconcile us to himself when we were not only strangers from him but enemies to him Col. 1.21 O the riches of his meer mercy and grace Is not that gift free that is bestowed on sinners strangers enemies Ephes. 2.12 13 14 God never did nor never will sell his Grace his Son to any none can have Christ but those that come empty a full hand can hold nothing Fix your thoughts on the terms expressed in that Evangelical Proclamation Isa. 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price 2. Christ is a most full gift He is full of Grace and truth Joh. 1.14 Col. 1.29 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell he fills all in all There is in this gift of God a fulness of sufficiency and a fulness of redundancy enough for himself and to fill all persons all things there is enough in Christ for every soul and for the supply of every want whatever the heart of man can want or wish is to be had in Christ. That 's a very full expression Col. 2.9 In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Fulness in the abstract he is not full only but Fullness it self fulness not of the cistern but of the fountain Gods
and Master to guide and govern your hearts and thoughts and lives by his Laws and Statutes and is it your ordinary purpose desire and endeavour to obey him even when he commands the hardest duties and those which most cross the desire and interest of the flesh and 't is your sorrow when you break your resolutions herein then Christ is yours But if you are only content to be saved by him from Hell when you dye in the mean time he shall command you no further than will stand with your credit or pleasure or worldly estate and ends and did never heartily consent that he should rule over you nor resign up your souls and bodies to be governed and disposed by him nor took his Word for a Law and Rule of your thoughts and actions but if he would give you leave you had rather live after the world and flesh than after the Word and Spirit he is not yet yours though you may in words call him Lord and Master yet in your works you deny him He is his Friend and Disciple that keeps his commandments Iohn 15.7 14 but they that would not hearken to his voice would none of him he gave them up to their own hearts lusts Psal. 8.11 3. Have you received the Spirit of Christ The Apostle makes the former and this characters of such as have received Christ. 1 Joh. 3.24 He that keepeth his commandments dwells in him and Christ in him hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us Well then do ye obey the Laws of Christ and walk in his ways conform to his example and live the life of Jesus He that doth not thus may say he abides in Christ but he doth but say so 't is not so in truth and reallity 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abides in Christ ought to walk as he walked Further Let me ask you the question the Apostle asked the Disciples at Ephesus Acts. 19.2 Whether have you received the Holy Ghost If God have given Christ to you Christ hath given you his holy Spirit For if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 1 John 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit The Spirit not as residing in Christ but as given to us is an evidence that we have received Christ. Well then let every one of you be now inquisitive and put such interrogatories as these to himself Have I the Spirit is he given to me doth he dwell in my soul have I the spirit of illumination and revelation Eph. 1.17 Do I see such things as I never saw before as the inexpressible vileness and loathsomness of sin the greatest beauty in holiness c. Have I the spirit of life in Christ Jesus to quicken me and raise me up from the dead Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 3.6 Have I felt the spirit of conviction to convince me of sin righteousness and judgment Iohn 16.8 The spirit of grace and supplication stirring up to and assisting in that heavenly duty of Prayer Zech. 12.10 The spirit of holyness to sanctifie me 1 Pet. 1.2 to mortifie my sins and corruptions Rom. 8.13 and work up my heart to all holy obedience Ezek. 36.27 Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind is Gods Image repaired in me am I transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord Am I growing in grace perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord Do I walk in all Gods Ways and Statutes freely regularly constantly Am I willing to sacrifice an Isaac a Benjamin an Absolom a Delilah Herodias and hew with Samuel delicate Agag in pieces or with David keep my self from mine own iniquity Is the old man dead the flesh with all its cursed retinue mortified do I detest and loath every sin in thought word and deed and that not so much for its effects as for its nature and hate it rather as Hell than for Hell Enquire what do you find of these high and gracious operations oâ— the spirit in your selves he is always an active working Spirit is he so in you Doth he raise your hearts to heavenly things and draw forth your souls to Christ O deal faithfully with your own souls let the search be deep and thorow go to the bottom of your deceitful hâ—arts bring things to an issue be sure that you be not mistaken 4. If Christ be received there will be a more earnest intent desire and breathing of soul after him he that hath once tasted the sweetness of his grace and seen the splendor of his beauty will be so far from being satisfied that he will still more and more thirst after him the more excellency the soul apprehends in him the more vehement and restless are his desires towards him Thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 2.3 4 5 â—he had a glance of him and cries out As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons Here the Spouse seems to be strongly moved with affection and before her beloved had well ended his speech breaks out into an affectionate Elogy of him which she is not able to express but conquered with her own passion she sits down and breathes for comfort I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste Here the soul receives and applys Christ with sweet rellish to her palate comfort to her heart He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love she still tasts more of the riches of his Grace and what was the effect of this did she surfeit with eating his fruit and banquetting no she is more ravisht with desire Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love I am wounded nay slain as some Interpreters with love which by the sweet vehemency and insatiability of it makes the heart to burn and weep groan and sigh to forget all and drive away all but him on whom alone she fixeth and would rest but cannot center till she enjoy him in glory till then she is sick and weary and lives not in her self but in him in whom her life is hid As Plato defines love an ardour or flame of a soul dead in its own body and living in another One thus writes to his friend I have for the present a sick life much pain and love-sickness for Christ. O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in his bosom O when shall we meet O how long is it to the dawning of the marriage-day O sweet Lord Iesus take wide steps O my beloved come leaping over the mountains of separation O that he would fold the heavens together like an old cloak and shovel time and days out of the way and come away Well have you pain and sick-nights for Christ do your thoughts continually run on
enemies Col. 1.21 Those that are afar of are made nigh by the blood of Christ he hath broken down the partition-wall and slain the enmity Ephes. 2 16 17 18. If thou hast some dear friend who bestows a gift on thee in token of his dear love and respect to thee and there should be afterwards some disagreeing and falling out betwixt you wouldst thou shew this gift a pledg of league and amity c. thus hold up Christ to God 3. Or though it be not thus yet thou wantest the sense and feeling of his love and art comfortless in the want of it O then make use of Christ in this case who is able to make all Consolations abound and fill thy soul with joy and peace in believing He hath said Ioh. 14.18 I will not leave you comfortless Tristatur aliquis nostrum veniat in cor Iesus Is any man sad saith Bernard let that sweetest name Jesus come into his heart and so he shall have that peace and comfort that the world cannot give neither can the world take it away from him Christ is a most soveraign Cordial apply and use him and your joy will be full 4. Or art thou terrified in Conscience and groaning under the insupportable burden of a wounded spirit art thou affrighted with accusing and condemning thoughts O go to Christ who as he can make peace in the Court of Heaven so he can create peace in thy heart and still the crys of Conscience and make a calm there also though the waves roar and the winds blow c. thy soul shall have peace in him which passeth all understanding Col. 1.20 And will say in me ye shall have peace be of good cheer let not your hearts be troubled though your hearts ake and tremble yet he is greater thaâ— your hearts who is nigh to justifie you Isa. â—â— 8 so that you may triumph with the Apostle Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Rom. 8.34 Expect no peace in laying aside Christ. 5. Are you afraid of death and judgment to come in this case also make use of Christ. It 's reported by Cassander that in ancient times sick and weak dying persons were directed and accustomed to make use of Christ at that time especially interposing him betwixt them and Gods Judgment saying these words Lord we put thee the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betwixt us and thy judgment But what need we look into Historians the Scriptures shew what languishing souls and drooping spirits must do Psal. 23.4 5. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death yet I will fear no evil c. Christ hath destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2.4 taken out the venome and malignity of it Death lost its sting in Christs side And now O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 57. Or fearest thou judgment look to Christ and thou shalt not die the second death but he will raise thee up at the last day Ioh 6.49 50. Having Christ thou maist stand in judgment and lift up thy head with joy for 't is the day of thy Redemption then the redeemed of the Lord shall return with joy everlasting and you shall appear with him in glory 4. Fourth Branch of Exhortation Be â—ery thankful for him yea let your whole soul go out in thankfulness be ever praising and magnifying God for his unspeakable mercy in Christ your Sacrifice your Redeemer your Saviour often call upon your sluggish hearts and say Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Psal. 103.1 and 116.12 What shall I render to the Lord for this the greatest of all his benefits O be thankful not in a common ordinary formal manner but in the most lively enlarged and raised manner that is possible where the mercy is high and great the thankfulness must bear some proportion to it O let your apprehensions be widened to conceive the vastness of this mercy that your affections may be more enlarged to praise God for it O how shall we get our hearts affected with it what thankfulness can be enough for such a gift should not the whole soul be summon'd in to give its most united acknowledgment of so signal a mercy for God to give his only begotten Son to be a Saviour for sinners Here 's the wonder of wonders God never did the like before and he 'l never do the like again and blessed be his name there is no need he should It would have been admirable mercy if God would have sent some other person upon this Errand to redeem and save undone sinners If send he will why did he not send an Angel or body of Angels to try their skill and see what they could do Nay why did he not send an Angel as once he did with a flaming sword in his hand to keep off sinners from the Tree of Life O this did not comport with his gracious designs though it did too well with the creatures merit therefore he would not do it no his own Son shall be pitcht upon he is the person whom God will send Surely here was love great love great to the degree of infiniteness Millions of Angels were nothing to one Son to one such Son his first-born his only begotten Son the Son of his love who lay in his bosom had been his delight from everlasting O astonishing mercy O admirable goodness and condescention how may we cry out here Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him and the Son of man that thou makest this account of him Psal. 8.4 and 144.3 or as Iob 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him Here was God so loving so as can never be expressed never be comprehended Ioh 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed on him might not perish but have everlasting life The Heavens and the Earth were once called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the ingratitude of a sinful people Isa. 1.2 May not now Heaven and Earth Angels and men all creatures whatsoever be called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the stupendious love of God! O Christians what influence hath this upon your dull and sluggish hearts what are you made of that you are no more in the sense of it drawn out in blessing loving admiring and adoring of God Pray if there be any holy ingenuity in you take some pains with your selves that you may be much more affected with it and give not over till you have such thoughts and affections upon Gods giving his Son raised in you as may in some measure answer to those thoughts and affections which you shall have about it when you shall be in Heaven The Angels never reaped that advantage that we do yet they were at praising-work as soon as ever Christ was born
his wrath O do not thou lift up the heel against him to whom thou must one day bow the knee if thou wilt not now kiss the Son thou shalt shortly lick the dust of his feet if thou be not now in the number of his willing people in the day of the power of his grace in the day of his wrath his arrows will be in thy heart as one amongst his enemies In a word if thou wilt not stoop to his golden Scepter thou must be broken in pieces with his rod of iron 6. Give up your selves to Christ and you shall be your own and be happy look when and how much you resign your selves to this absolute Lord even then and so muâ—h you are your own and no more you are never your own but when and while you are his what you deny him or steal from him you give to the Devil the World and the Flesh you lye at the command of every vile lust or black devil till you become his subjects O quam multos habet dominos qui unum non habet O how many how ignoble how poor how cruel are the Lords of that man who hath not this one Lord But the way to secure your selves and whatever is dear to you is to give up all to Christ. He that loseth himself and his life shall find it and he that labours to secure himself another way loseth all Matt. 16.25 If you be his you are happy but if you be your own you are most miserable Can you support preserve or provide for your selves who shall save you in the hour of temptation and distress know ye not yet so much of your own insufficiency and do ye not yet feel your selves to be such a daily burthen to your selves that you have enough of your selves ere now as to beg of God above all your enemies to save you from your selves and to save you from being forsaken oâ— God and given up to your selves Remember that none in the world hath sufficient power wisdom and goodness to take the full care and charge of you but Christ none else can save you or sanctifie you or keep you alive one hour and therefore it will be your happiness and honour that you are his He will use you only in safe and honourable services and to no worse an end than your endless happiness Consider a little how unfit you are to be your own Lords and how unable to govern your selves so blind and ignorant so byassed by a corrupt will so turbulent are your passions so uncessant and powerful is the temptation of your sence and appetite that 't were as fit for a man to be govern'd by a servant or a rider by his horse But he is most perfectly fit to govern you and all the world you can desire nothing reasonably in a Lord and Governor which is not in him He hath perfect wisdom to know what is best perfect goodness and therefore will be most regardful of his subjects good and will put no evil into his Laws Almighty to protect his Servants and see to the execution of his Laws most just and therefore can do no wrong but all his Laws and judgments are equal and impartial He is our very end interest and felicity our dearest friend and father and therefore loves us better than we love our selves and therefore we have greatest reason to submit to his Lordship and obey him as one that rules us to our own felicity 7. Let him be your Lord to rule and save you or you must needs perish everlastingly it 's a folly to think Christ should save you while you serve his enemies in vain do you expect the dignities and priviledges that come by Christ and not submit to the duties and services that are due to Christ. He is the author of salvation to them that obey him Heb. 5.9 The Gospel is a message of eternal life only to those to whom it is a rule of spiritual life and the true believer does not only cast himself into the arms of Christ to be saved but also casts himself at Christs feet to serve him never man had Chriâ—t for his Saviour unless he took him for his Lord. There is no possible escape for Christs enemies If they had another Lord or Potentate that could match Christ in strength they might fly to him to defend them from Christ but Christ is the only Lord and woe unto them that have him for their only enemy Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day when this Lord shall deal with thee Ezek. 22.14 Jer. 4.13 Foolish sinner dost thou contend with thy Maker wilt thou set bryars and thorns against him in battel as smoak contend with the wind the wax with the fire the stubble with the flame or the snow-bâ—ll with the Sun 'T is hard to kick against the pricks there 's no flying from him but by flying to him Isa 10 3. What will ye do in the day of visitation and in the desolation which shall come from far To whom will ye sâ—â—e for help And where will ye leave your glory Will you call upon the rocks and mountains to fall on you and cover you from the wrath of the Lamb when the great day of his wrath is who shall be able to abide Rev 6 15 16 1â— Were it not better now to enter into the rock and hide your selves in the clefts of this rock Isa. 2 10. No way to escape the wrath of God one spark whereof will horn the guilty sinner to destruction but by kissing the Son Psal. 2. ult 2. Branch of exhortation to all them who have given up their names to Christ and are his listed 〈◊〉 servants Let me perswade you to 〈…〉 serve 〈◊〉 great and blessed Lord O 〈◊〉 him with greatest diligence and fervency of spirit 〈◊〉 best Lord must have your best service darâ— not to offer to this Lord that which cost you nothing the blind and â—â—me are too bad for your ordinary lords this Lord muâ—â— have your all the whole of your created abilitiâ—sâ— Hâ— deserves and his work requires your all he hath much more business then all the time and strength of his servants can bring about if every hair of your heads were an hand you might have your hands full of work O let none do his work negligently how great was his goodness to take such unprofitable servants as we are into the family of his Church what saw he in us more than in Heathens that he should put such an honour upon us I shall first instruct and then excite you 1. For your direction I shall lay down 1. Rules 2. Meanes 3. Manner of this service 1. Rules about Christs service 1. Live and act wholly to and for this your Lord do all you do for Christ Phil 1.21 For to me to live is Christ. Christ is the scope and end of all his life Rom. 14.6 7 8. None of us liveth to himself and no man