healed all the diseases of his soul and redeemed his life from destruction or from hel as the Chaldee rendreth it and crowned him with loving kindnesse and tender mercies turning away his anger and revealing those mercies which are from everlasting in election unto everlasting in salvation removing his sins from him as far as the East is from the West then a man will call upon his soule over and over againe and summon every faculty within him invite every creature without him to blesse the Lord and to ingeminate praises unto his holy name Psal. 103.1.4.20.22 And as David there begins the Psalme with Blesse the Lord O my soul and ends it with blesse the Lord O my soul so the Apostle making mention of the like mercy of God unto him and of the exceeding abundant grace of Christ in setting forth him who was a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious as a patterne unto all that should beleeve on him unto eternall life begins this meditation with praises I thank Christ Iesus our Lord and ends it with praises unto the King eternall immortall invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.12.17 It is impossible that soule should be truly thankfull unto God which hath no apprehensions of him but as an enemie ready to call in or at the least to curse all those outward benefits which in that little interim and respite of time between the curse pronounced in the Law and executed in death he vouchsafeth to bestow And impenitent sinners can have no true notion of God but such And therefore all the verball thanks which such men seem to render unto God for blessings are but like the musick at a Funerall or the Trumpet before a Judge which gives no comfortable sound to the mourning wife or to the guilty prisoner III. Vt medium Impetrandi As an Argument and motive to prevail with God in prayer For the Church here Praies for pardon for grace for healing not onely with an eye to its own benefit but unto Gods honour Lord when thou hast heard and answered us then we shall glorifie thee Psa. 50.15 I shall praise thee saith David for then hast heard me and art become my salvation Psal. 118.21 It is true if God condemne us he will therein shew forth his owne glory 2 Thes. 1.9 as he did upon Pharaoh Rom 9.17 In which sence the strong and terrible ones are said to glorifie him Isay. 25.3 Because his power in their destruction is made the more conspicuous But we should not therein concurre unto the glorifying of him The grave cannot praise him they that goe downe into the pit cannot celebrate his name Ps. 30.9 88 10 11. The living the living they shall praise thee Isa. 38.19 This is a frequent argument with David whereby to prevail for mercy because else God would lose the praise which by this meanes he should render to his name Psal. 6.4.5.118.17 c. God indeede is All-sufficient to himself and no goodnes of ours can extend unto him Iob 22.2 35 7. Yet as Parents delight to use the labour of their children in things which are no way beneficiall unto themselves so God is pleased to use us as instruments for setting forth his glory though his glory stand in no neede of us though we cannot adde one Cubit thereunto He hath made all men in usuâ— profundarum cogitationum suarum unto the uses of his unsearchable Councells He hath made all things for himselfe yea even the wicked for the day of evill Prov. 16.4 Yet he is pleased to esteeme some men meete for uses which others are not 2 Tim. 2.21 and to set apart some for himselfe and for those uses Psal. 4.3 Isay. 43.21 God by his wisedome ordereth and draweth the blind and brute motions of the worst creatures unto his own honour as the huntsman doth the rage of the dog to his pleasure or the Marriner the blowing of the winde unto his voyage or the Artist the heate of the fire unto his worke or the Phisician the bloudthirstinesse of the Leech unto a cure But godly men are fitted to bring actually glory unto him to glorify him doingly 1 Cor. 10 3â— 31. Ephe. 1.11 12. And this is that which God chiefly takes pleasure in Our Saviour bids his disciples cast their net into the Sea and when they had drawn their net he bids them bring of the fish which they had then caught and yet we finde that there was a fire of coales and fish laid thereon and bread provided on the land before Iohn 21.6 9 10. Thereby teaching us that he did not use their industrie for any neede that he had of it but because he would honour them so far as to let them honour him with their obedience And therefore even then when God tells his people that he needed not their services yet he calls upon them for thanksgiving Psal. 50.9 14. This then is a strong argument to be used in praier for pardon for grace for any spirituall mercie Lord if I perish I shall not praise thee I shall not be meete for my Masters uses Thy glory will onely be forced out of me with blowes like fire out of a flint or water out of a rock But thou delightest to see thy poore Servants operate towards thy glory to see them not forced by power but by love to shew forth thy praises And this we shall never doe till sinne be pardoned God can bring light out of light as the light of the Starres out of the light of the Sun and he can bring light out of darkenes as he did at first but in the one case there is a meetnes for such an use in the other not Now we are not meete Subjects for God to reap honor from till sinne be pardoned till grace be conferred Then we shall give him the praise of his mercy in pittying such grievous sinners and the praise of his power and wisedome in healing such mortall diseases and the praise of his glorious and free grace in sending Salvation to those that did not inquire after it and the praise of his patience in forbearing us so long and waiting that he might be gracious and the praise of his wonderfull providence in causing all things to worke together for our good and the praise of his justice by taking part with him against our own sinnes and joyning with his grace to revenge the bloud of Christ upon them A potsheard is good enough to hold fire but nothing but a sound and pure vessell is meete to put wine or any rich depositumn into IV. Vt principium operandi As a principle of Emendation of life and of new Obedience Lord take away iniquity and receive us into favour then will we be thankfull unto thee and that shall produce amendment of life Ashur shall not save us neither will we ride upon horses c. A thankefull apprehension of the
Repentance and by consequence is incurable To speak against the Son of man that is against the doctrine Disciples ways servants of Christ looking on him only as a man the leader of a Sect as master of a new way which was Pauls notion of Christ and Christian Religion when he persecuted it and for which cause he found mercy for had he done that knowingly which he did ignorantly it had been a sin uncapable of mercy Acts 26.9 1 Tim. 1.13 thus to sin is a blasphemy that may be pardoned but to speake against the Spirit that is to oppose and persecute the doctrine worship ways servants of Christ knowing them and acknowledging in them a spiritual Holiness and eo nomine to do it so that the formal motive of malice against them is the power and lustre of that spirit which appeareth in them and the formal principle of it neither ignorance nor self-ends but very wilfulness and Immediate malignity Woe be to that man whose natural enmity and antipathie against Godliness do ever swel to so great and daring an height It shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come Matth. 12.32 That is say some neither in the time of life nor in the point or moment of death which translates them unto the world to come Others not in this life by Iustification nor in the world to come by consummate Redemption and publick judiciary absolution in the last day which is therefore called the Day of Redemption in which men are said to finde mercy of the Lord Ephes. 4.30 2 Tim. 1.18 For that which is here done in the Conscience by the ministery of the Word and efficacy of the Spirit shall be then publickly and judicially pronounced by Christs own mouth before Angels and men 2 Cor. 5.10 Others Shall not be forgiven that is shall be plagued and punished both in this life and in that to come Give me leave to add what I have conceived of the meaning of this place though no way condemning the Expositions of so great and learned men I take it By This world we may understand the Church which then was of the Iews or the present age which our Saviour Christ then lived in It is not I think insolent in the Scripture for the words Age or World to be sometimes restrained to the Church Now as Israel was God's First-born and the first fruits of his increase Exod. 4.22 Ierem. 31.9 Ier. 2.3 So the Church of Israel is called the Church of the First-born Hebr. 12.23 and the first Tabernacle and a worldly Sanctuary Hebr. 9.1.8 and Ierusalem that now is Gal. 4.25 And then by the World to come we are to understand the Christian Church afterwards to be planted for so frequently in Scripture is the Evangelical Church called the World to come and the last dayes and the ends of the world and the things thereunto belonging Things to come which had been hidden from former ages and generations and were by the ministery of the Apostles made known unto the Church in their time which the Prophets and righteâ—us men of the former ages did not see nor attain unto Thus it is said In these last dayes God hath spoken to us by his Son Heb. 1.1 And Unto Angels he did not put in subjection the world to come Heb. 2.5 and Christ was made an high Priest of good things to come Heb. 9.11 and The Law had a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10.1 and the times of the Gospel are called Ages to come Ephes. 2.7 and the ends of the world 1 Cor. 10.11 Thus legal and Evangelical dispensations are usually distinguished by the names of Times past and the last dayes or times to come Hebr. 1.1 Ephes. 3.9 10. Colos. 1.25 26. The one an Earthly and Temporary the other an Heavenly and abiding administration and so the Septuagint render the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 9.5 Everlasting Father which is one of the Names of Christ by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father of the world to come The meaning then of the place seems to be this That sinnes of high and desperate presumption committed maliciously against known light and against the evidence of Gods Spirit as they had no Sacrifice or expiation allowed for them in the former world or state of the Iewish Church but they who in that manner despised Moses and his Law though delivered but by Angels died without mercy Numb 15.27 30 31. Hebr. 2.2 3 3. so in the World to come or in the Evangelicall Church though grace should therein be more abundantly discovered and administred unto men yet the same Law should continue stil as we finde it did Hebr. 2.2 3 4 5. Hebr. 6.4 5 6. Hebr. 10.26 27 28. neither the open enemies of Christ in the one nor the false professors of Christ in the other committing this sin should be capable of pardon This doctrine of Apostacy or Back-sliding is worthy of a more large explication but having handled it formerly on Hebr. 3.12 I shall add but two words more First that we should beware above all other sins of this of falling in soul as old Eli did in body backward and so hazarding our salvation if once we have shaken hands with sin never take acquaintance with it any more but say as Israel here What have I to do any more with Idols The Church should be like Mount Sion that cannot be moved It is a sad and sick temper of a Church to tosse from one side to another and then especially when she should be healed to be carried about with every winde Secondly We should not be so terrified by any sin which our soul mourns and labours under and our heart turneth from as thereby to be withheld from going to the Physician for pardon and healing Had he not great power and mercy did he not love freely without respect of persons and pardon freely without respect of sins wee might then be affraid of going to him but when he extendeth forgivenesse to all kindes iniquity transgression sin Exod. 34.6 and hath actually pardoned the greatest sinners Manasses Mary Madalen Paul Publicans harlots backsliders we should though not presume hereupon to turn Gods mercy into poyson and his grace into wantonness for mercy it self will not save those sinners that hold fast sin and will not forsake it yet take heed of despairing or entertaining low thoughts of the love and mercy of God for such examples as these are set forth for the incouragement of all that shall ever beleeve unto eternall life 1 Tim. 1.16 And the thoughts and wayes which God hath to pardon sin are above our thoughts and wayes whereby we look on them in their guilt and greatnesse many times as unpardonable and therefore are fit matter for our faith even against sense to beleeve and rely upon Isa. 55.57 58. Now followeth the Fountain of this Mercy I will leve them freely Gods love is
of theirs brings it to passe and when by their owne intentions they are enemies to it by Gods wonderfull ordering and directing they are executioners of it Romans 9.19 Psalme 33.11.115.2 Proverbs 19.21 Esay 46.10 Ioshua 24.9 10. 5. According unto this distinction of Gods will wee are to distinguish of his Call Some are called voluntate signi by the will of his precept when they have the will of God made knowne unto them and are thereby perswaded unto the obedience of it in the ministry of the Gospel in which sense our Saviour saith many are called but few chosen Matth. 20.16 and unto those who refused to come unto him that they might have life he yet saith These things I say that you might be saved Ioh. 5.34 40. Others are called voluntate beneplaciti ordained first unto eternall life by the free love and grace of God and then thereunto brought by the execution of that his decree and purpose in the powerfull calling and translating of them from darknesse unto light And this is to bee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according unto purpose Rom. 8.28 namely the purpose and counsell of shewing mercy to whom he will shew mercy Rom. 9.18 6. They who are called only as the Hen calleth her chicken with the meere outward Call or voyce of Christ in the Evangelicall Ministry may and doe resist this Call and so perish Corazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum were outwardly called by the most powerfull Ministeriall meanes that ever the world enjoyed both in Doctrine and Miracles and yet our Saviour tels them that they shall be in a worse condition in the day of Judgement then Tyre Sidon or Sodom Matth. 11.21 24. So the Prophet complaines Who hath beleeved our report or to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Esay 53.1 which the Evangelist applies unto the argument of conversion Iohn 12.37 40. for so the hand or arme of the Lord is said to be with his Ministers when by their Ministery men doe turne to the Lord Act. 11.21 And the same Prophet againe or Christ in him complaines All the day long have I stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainesaying people Esay 65. 2. Rom. 10.21 So disobedient and gaine saying that wee finde them resolve sometimes point blank contrary to the Call of God Ier. 44.16 27. Ier. 18.11.12 Ier. 2.25 Matth. 23.27 7. They who are called inwardly and spiritually with an heavenly Call vocatione altâ secundum propositum with such a Call as pursueth the Counsell and purpose of God for their salvation though they doe resist quoad pugnam and corruption in them doth strive to beare up against the grace of Christ yet they doe not resist finally and quoad eventum unto the repelling or defeating of the operation of Gods effectuall grace but they are thereby framed to embrace approve and submit unto that Call God himselfe working a good will in them captivating their thoughts unto the obedience of Christ and working in them that which is pleasing in his own sight Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 10.5 Heb. 13.21 And this is done by a double Act. 1. An act of spirituall teaching and irradiating the minde and judgement with heavenly light called by the Prophet the writing of the law in the heart and putting it into the inward parts Ier. 31.33 2 Cor. 3.3 and by our Saviour The Fathers Teaching Iob. 6.45 and the holy Spirits convincing of sinne righteousnesse and judgement Iohn 16.8 11. and by the Apostle a demonstration of the spirit and power 1 Cor. 2.4 A spirituall revelation of wisedome out of the word unto the conscience Eph. 1.17 For though we are to condemne fanatick revelations besides the word and without it yet wee must accknowledge spirituall revelation or manifestation of the divine light and power of the word by the holy Spirit in the mindes of men converted for the word of God being a spirituall Object doth unto the salvificall knowledge of it require such a spirituall quality in the faculty which must know it as may be able to passe a right judgement upon it for spirituall things are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 It is true that hypocrites and other wicked men may have very much notionall and intellectuall knowledge of the Scriptures and those holy things therein revealed Heb. 6.4 2 Pet. 2.21 But none of that knowledge amounteth unto that which is called the Teaching of God and a spirituall demonstration for the mysteries of the Gospell were unto this end revealed that by them we might be brought unto the obedience of Christ and therefore the knowledge of them is never proportioned or commensurate to the object till the mind be thereby made conformed unto Christ till the conceptions which are framed in us touching God and sin and grace and heaven and eternall things be suteable to those which were in the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 Evangelicall truths are not fitted unto meere intellectuall but unto practicall judgement It is such a knowledge of Christ as may fill us with the fulnesse of God Ephe. 3.18.19 A knowledge that must work communion with Christ and conformity unto him Phil. 3.10 A knowledge that must produce a good conversation Iam. 3.13 He that saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his Commandements is a lier and the truth is not in him 1 Ioh. 2.3 4. We doe not know Christ till wee know him as our chiefest good as our choycest treasure as our unsearchable riches as Elect and precious and desireable and altogether lovely and the fairest of ten thousand and worthy of all acceptation in comparison of whom all the world besides is as dung The knowledge of Christ is not seeing onely but seeing and tasting Psal. 34.8 Psal. 119.103 And therefore they who in one sense are said to have known God Rom. 1.21 are yet in the same place verse 28. said not to have God in their knowledge It is an excellent speech of the Philosopher That such as every man is in himselfe such is the end that he works unto and such notions he hath of that good which is his end And therefore it is impossible that a wicked frame of heart can ever look upon any supernatuall object as his last end or as principally desireable If I should see a man choose a small trifle before a rich jewell however hee should professe to know the excellency and to value the richnesse of that jewell yet I should conclude that hee did not indeed understand the worth of it a right And therefore unto the perfect and proper knowledge of supernaturall things there is required a speciall work of the grace and spirit of Christ opening the heart and working it to a spirituall constitution proportionable to such kinde of truths about which it is conversant The Scripture every where attributeth this worke unto God and his Spirit It is he that giveth a heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare