darknesse and light are all one to him Oh this is a precious and necessary effect of the knowledge of God when it makes a man cry out with Joseph though in the most secret temptation How can I do this and sinne against God Gen. 39.21 Those wicked men incouraged themselves in their wickednesse by this Doth the Lord see and is there knowledge in the most high Psal 73.11 And on the contrary he that truly knoweth God dareth not be wanton unjust dishonest because the eye of God is upon him wheresoever he is David is much affected with this omnipotence and omniscience of God Psal 139.2 4. Thou knowest my downsitting and uprising yea every thought thou knowest afarre off How could there be such works of darknesse such sinnes committed in secret that are not fit to be named but because men do not know God in a right and true manner By this we see there is little true knowledge of God in most towns most families because men live not as sensible of the just and revengefull eye of God beholding them alwaies 4. Where there is a saving knowledge of God there is a good and holy use made of all afflictions and miseries that fall upon them They know they are strokes from God and they come because of sinne that their end is to humble â—s and debase us under the hand of God and thus all the godly have done They have looked up to God and considered not so much the blow as the hand that gave it so Job The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Job 1.21 not the Sabeans not the devil but the Lord but men that are ignorant of God they discover it in nothing more then in their afflictions they look only at second causes they minde only the help of inferiour instruments they fret they rage they are discontented and thus they think not of God nor their sinnes that have procured these Consider thy self therefore under any exercises and afflictions Is thy heart presently thinking of God dost thou search and enquire into the cause what sinnes of mine have thus offended God have deprived me of my good things I enjoyed this is in a saving way to know him Wo be to that man who like Ezechiel's pot hath boiled in the fire of affliction but his scum hath not gone off 5. A true knowledge of God and Christ will make a man readily suffer and lose all when it 's required and if at any time we are unwilling we love our wealth our life better it 's because we know not the excellency of Gods glory and what an unspeakable reward is laid up for those that deny themselves for him 2 Cor. 4. This made the Apostle say We account these light afflictions not comparable to the eternall weight of glory What made Moses choose the afflictions and reproaches of Christ Heb. 11. rather then the treasures of Egypt it was because by faith he saw him that was invisible The Martyrs were no fools though their enemies judged them so for they knew how great that God was whom they feared how able to reward them infinitely above their sufferings and therefore their greatest wisdom was to lose their lives that so they might save them It 's ignorance of God and Christ that makes us unwilling to bear the crosse he requireth of us In the next place let 's consider the ground why knowledge if not thus accompanied is ineffectuall And first Because knowledge in it self is only a perfection in the understanding and seeing that the whole heart is fully corrupted it must be universally healed else there cannot be any salvation I pray God ye be sanctified throughout in spirit soul and body 1 Thess 5.23 Yea this knowledge is but a morall perfection not a gracious As we see in the devils who have great abilities in their understanding And hence it is that a man may be very knowing and yet very vicious because this doth only dispell ignorance from the minde it doth not sanctifie the heart and affections to love and delight in what is good Knowledge is requisite to bring in grace yet knowledge meerly is not grace So that howsoever it be a necessary duty to get knowledge yet when that is obtained there is a greater work behinde in the cleansing and purifying of the heart Praevolat intellectus sed tardus sequitur affectus with the eye we may discern many miles off in a moment but our feet cannot so quickly go thither 2. Knowledge must have practise following because doing is the end and accomplishment of knowing It 's not knowing the rules of Hippocrates will bring health unlesse there be a practicall use of them Hence beleeving is called eating and drinking of Christ John 6. A man that is hungry though he know never so much of excellent meats yet that will not satisfie him unlesse he eat It 's a rule Scire malum non est malum so God he knoweth evil yet this knowledge is not evil so Scire beâ—â—um non est bonum Philosophers make this distinction between the understanding and the will the understanding draweth the object to it self but the will is drawn by the object to it so if I understand any thing I am not in a morall sense that I understand but if I will any thing or love any thing I am what I love Anima ubi amaâ— not ubi anima 3. Knowledge meerly speculative will not save because Religion lieth most in the affective part Knowledge is desired as a prerequisite but the power and sweetnesse of it lieth in the hearty imbracing of what we know Hence Divines say our eternall happinesse in heaven is initially and radically in the understanding but formally and compleatly in the will Oh then know that all the while Religion is but in thy head and thou hast it out of books and by hear-say thou hast but the shadow of it the substance and sweetnesse of it lieth in the cordiall imbracements and enjoying what we know 4. Knowledge without the effects of it is so farre from saving that it condemneth the more He that knew his masters will and did it not was beaten with more stripes Luk. 12.48 What makes the condemnation of those Christ preached to greater then of the Sodomites the worst of men but because they sinned against more knowledge Vse of Instruction How vain a thing it is to boast of knowledge and learning if an holy life doth not follow it As Absalom was hung by the hair of his head he gloried in so will the knowledge of thy head damn thee Austin said such knowing men go quick to hell oh there are too many such that have much knowledge but no grace that know the Scripture speaking against grosse sins yet they wallow in them The hottest flames in hell are for a knowing wicked man Vse of Exhortation to put all thy knowledge into practise If I know what faith is let me exercise faith If I know what Christ
What will not men say rather then come out of Egypt 2. Is God the only true God then observe the first Commandment Let us have no other Gods besides him for not only the Heathen that worships Stock and Stone is an Idolater but every Christian that puts this hope and confidence in any creature that placeth the chiefest of his affections and desires otherwise then on God he is a spirituall Idoloter Thus covetousnesse is called Idolatry Col. 3.5 Charge them that are rich that they trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God saith Paul 1 Tim. 6.17 If I have made gold my hope saith Job chap. 31.24 There is no earthly covetous man that placeth his affections and trust in wealth but he renounceth the only true God and yet how hard is it to have wealth and not to put confidence in it for whereas our Evangelist saith It 's as hard for a rich man to be saved as a Camel to go through the eye of a needle another saith for a rich man that trusts in his riches Take heed then of this subtill spirituall sinne Is thy heart inwardly supported Do thy spirits rise because of thy wealth this is Idolatry So likewise the voluptuous man he maketh his pleasures his lusts a God Whose belly is their God Phil. 3.9 Yea no godly man can with such hearty affections and joy constantly serve God as the voluptuous man doth his lusts so that whatsoever a mans heart doth inordinately runne out upon that creature he loveth more then God this makes him an Idolater As he said of Baal Why halt ye between two If God be God serve him If Baal be God serve him So we may say Why halt ye between God and the creature If God be the only true God let him have the only true love and joy of thy soul If riches and lusts be God then let them have all thy heart As there is practicall Idolatry so there is doctrinall Idolatry viz. When we attribute that to our own power or free will which belongs only to God Thus all those proud and arrogant opinions which advance free-will make it able to work with God in conversion this is to derogate from God he shall not then be the God from whom every good and perfect gift doth proceed The Apostle 1 Cor. 8.2 saith To us there is but one God the Father from whom are all things and to him are all things so that God is there made the first cause of all the good things we have and the ultimate end to which we do referre all Certainly if it be a forsaking of God to set up any Authors for temporall mercies and temporall salvations then much more for spirituall for which is greater the work of nature or the work of grace Therefore let us walk humbly and because he is the onely true God from whom are all things and to whom let us say Not to our own power but thy grace be all glory given 3. Is God the onely true God Then let those that know him and obey him walk with all comfort and encouragement He is the true God and so will never fail thee he hath a twofold truth first a truth of his essence he is God and none else beside him and opposite to this an Idol is called a lye and nothing How should this support us that the God whom we serve is God indeed How often did the Prophets bid the Idolaters fly to their Idols pray to their Idols and see if they could help them As he is thus true in his Essence called therefore the living God so he is also true in his Promise in his Word and this the Scripture speaks of often and although his Promise be of it self true that we need not doubt yet he added his Oath also that so we might not be shaken in our minde Though it be said of man he is a liar and there is no trust to be put in the great one of the world yet in God there is no change or shadow of change Though therefore the Olive tree fail and the Fig tree do not blossom Hab. 3.17 though every thing in this world lieth and proveth false yet thou maiest put confidence in God 4. Is God the onely true God Then what cause have we who are called to the true knowledge of him to blesse and praise his Name that he suffered us not to perish in our black and horrible darknesse for what are we more then all those Heathens and Pagans that sit in darknesse and have no light Why should God cause the Sun to shine on thee to pity thee and suffer others to walk and stumble in their darknesse What cause have we Christians to honour God! How great will our condemnation be if we neglect so great salvation Our Saviour would have affected the people of Capernaum Mat. 11.23 and other places with this mercy He was the light that came into the world and men love darknesse rather then light John 1. Now in these respects we shall be found very guilty and sinfull 1. If we do not highly prize and esteem the knowledge of the true God if the means of this heavenly wisdom be not more then any other mercy whatsoever But oh how great is our condemnation in this particular The more and the longer we have enjoyed the light of Gods Word the more we have despised it and contemned it This will provoke God to do with us as he did to the Jews and to other Churches who are now made waste and become a wildernesse he will take the light away and carry it to a people sitting in darknesse that will make better use of it 2. Our condemnation will be great if we do not come to the knowledge of God when we have the means Some have not the knowledge of God saith Paul I speak it to your shame 1 Cor. 15. Oh to how many persons to how many families may we say you have not the knowledge of God! What shalt thou be in the School of Christ and yet know no more then an Heathen how inexcusable is it 3. This also will greatly condemn if we do not live according to the knowledge of this true God If our lives are full of Atheism full of ungodlinesse how shall we be able to appear at the dreadfull judgement seat when God shall say You were no Heathens you were no Pagans you cannot plead Lord we have not known thee we have not heard of thee Oh how should our hearts bleed within us to think it will go worse with us then Jews or Heathens because we have enjoyed more 5. Is God the true God Then how great and hainous a sinne is it to have any communion or commerce with the devil or his instruments and yet this is a sin too commonly practised If men have lost any thing if they be in any pain or disease then they presently run to such as they call wise men though
But you see it is a most pleasing thing to God for which he commends his disciples as much as their obedience that they did thus receive him In the next place consider the circumstance of time when this is affirmed of them Now they have known c. What is the sence of that Did they not know and beleeve in Christ before Yes but he speaks here of their proficiciency and growth Now they have known and beleeved more assuredly then ever So that it 's not simply their faith but their growth and encrease in faith that our Sauiour takes notice of From whence observe That it 's not enough for the people of God to have grace but they are to thrive and grow in it To be as the Disciples more assuredly beleeving so as if they did not at all beleeve before Thou art so farre to exceed thy self over what thou wast once that thou maist say my faith my heavenly-mindednesse my love to God was none at all comparatively to what it is now This is a necessary Subject to preach on when you see so many withered Trees so many sick of a consumption in grace Alas of how many may you say the contrary They did once beleeve they were once zealous but now you may say they have none of these respectively to what they had God is not satisfied with the truth of grace unlesse there be also growth in grace If thou have received a Talent and canst not say Thy five hath gained a ten there is a fearful curse against thee as an unprofitable Servant Joh. 15.2 See what quick work God makes and how it is growth he looks at Every branch in him that bringeth not forth fruit he taketh away God loves not slothfulnesse and unprofitablenesse no more then prophanesse He doth not say If it bring forth poisonous fruit or wilde grapes but if it bring forth no good fruit and if any doth fructifie then he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit See here the Husbandmans care is still for more fruit If thou art no better then thou wast if thy faith thy love have not an encrease Gods expectations are not answered Hence Heb 6. those that are babes in Christ are severely reproved and they are to be carried on to perfection Not to grow is a kinde of barrennesse yea it 's a degree to Apostatize Therefore the Apostle in that place threatens such Non proficients with that dreadful sinne of Apostacy 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us perfect holinesse in the fear of God It 's not enough to have holinesse but we are to perfect it and he that hath any fear of God will thus endeavour and certainly if the rich man would have more wealth the great man more greatnesse how much rather the godly man more godlinesse To open this let us consider how many waies the graces of Gods people are to grow and thrive And first In respect of their degrees and measure The weak faith is to grow a strong faith their strong faith a stronger and thus of their love of God Therefore love is required with all the soul and all the might Mat. 22. The duty of growth in grace is required of the highest Gyant as well as the lowest dwarf in grace Phil 3. See how Paul stretcheth out himself to run as if he were but a new beginner There is not in the growth of grace as in nature a term or stint then they go no further No but as they say of the Crocodile he groweth as long as he liveth and when he ceaseth to grow he ceaseth to live Thus it is in the work of grace There is a necessity of growing while any Christian life is in thee Thy grace may be made better and more confirmed grace That man knoweth not what godlinesse is that can say Soul take thy ease thou hast godlinesse enough No they cry out Their leannesse their poverty they are climbing up the hill but cannot get to the top Let then the man that feareth God study the improvement of his graces Oh say There is a greater measure and further degrees yet to be had I am ashamed to see how short I come of what â—ought to be I stagger and reel through doubts and unbelief My heart is divided between God and the creature Oh how often is my heart even as cold as a stone There are no burning affections 〈◊〉 hot zeal I see a better way Oh that I could attain unto it Secondly Their growth ought to be in depth and rooting of their graces As the Apostle speaks of the dimensions of Gods love it hath a depth and a breath Eph. 1. Thus the love of the godly and all their graces have their spirituall dimensions and as before we spake of their growth in height so now of growth downwards in a better setlâ—ng and deeper radicating of their holinesse within them Our Saviour speaks of a foolish builder who did not dig deep enough nor build on a rock Mat. 7.26 and the three sort of hearers did all miscarry upon this Point There was not root rnough What makes the backsliding Demas the apostate Judas but neglect of rooting Oh then look every day that thy Repentance root it self more in the heart That thy faith be more deeply implanted in thee otherwise when a temptation or storm ariseth thou wilt be plucked up by the roots and certainly we may see this is the root of all evil to professors They measure their graces by the boughs and branches thereof not by the rooting whereas we see in all trees the deeper the rooting is the better they are enabled to spread abroad sear then lest thy graces be not got to the bottome of thy heart fear lest something lie closer and deeper in thy heart then grace doth Thirdly They may grow in the extension and kindes of all graces It 's the Apostle bids them adde vertue to temperance and so chains graces together 1 Pet. 1. The people of God they sometimes are careful to avoid such and such sins but then there are others either that they are not convinced of or do not attend unto and there they sail frequently but the godâ—y man is to grow in extension he is to avoid one sinne as well as another He is to perform one duty as well as another Oh then remember the work of grace is an exact and circumspect thing There go many things to make a man godly we may leave out many necessary ingredients and then marre the whole box of ointment David praied to be cleansed from secret sins Psa 19.13 such as he did not understand to be sins Oh it 's happy when the godly are thus growing that they leave off many foolish customes they once practised That they set upon many duties they once wholly omitted These disciples how hardly were they drawn off from many doctrines that they had been brought up in Fourthly They are to grow not only in their
That there remaineth no hope for us then we may fly to Christ The Law saith Do this and live Do all things in the highest degree else you cannot live Now into what horrour and despair doth this put men till we come to hear that voice Beleeve in Christ who hath fullfilled the righteousnesse of the Law When therefore we preach the exactnesse of the Law and the severity of Gods Justice it is not that we should stay here Alas who can say It 's good to be here no They will cry out as the People of Israel did at the giving of the Law when there was so much terrour But our aim is that by this commotion and trouble upon you you might lay hold upon Christ We would burthen you that Christ might ease you 4. This Doctrine is indeed the very essence and marrow of the Gospel This is the glad tidings that when we of our selves were eternally undone Christ as a Mediatour reconcileth the offended God and offending sinner It was this that the very Angels though it did not so immediatly concern them sang for joy Glory be to God on high Good will to men and peace on the Earth Luk. 2.14 This is that which we finde the Apostle Paul so magnifying every where This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 Great is the Mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16. Oh then we should never be weary of this Subject It 's eyes to the blinde It 's meat to the hungry Clothes to the naked mercy to the sinner grace to the afflicted one This is the fatted Calf and the Robe for the distressed Prodigall Truly as he said he did not love to reade no not Tully because he did not finde the Name of Christ so should all Sermons and Subjects be dull and tedious that do not directly or indirectly mediately or immediately bring us to him All other Points are but accessary or preparatory this is the Substance It 's such an excellent Subject that the Angels desire to be informed more in it and take infinite delight in the knowledge of it 5. This is the more to be pressed because the devil in all ages hath laboured to obscure this doctrine above others Insomuch that Luther called this Articulus stantis cadentis Ecclesiae when the devil could neither overthrow the humane or divine nature of Christ by Heretikes Then he laboured to overthrow his Office of being a Mediatour That if there must be a Christ yet he might be a needlesse and uselesse one so that by this Point only we differ not onely from Jews and Pagans but all Heretiques and Papists The righteousnesse of Christ our Mediatour imputed to us is the Treasure in the Church only This Pearl is hid in this Field only The excellency therefore and dignity of this Point is seen by the devils opposition and his Instruments raised up to obscure and darken it And then on the other side God hath raised up choice Instruments in his Church to vindicate this Truth Luther of all Points was most affected with this and God prepared him for it by laying soul exercises and heart temptations upon him insomuch that he said he often wished he had never been a man Oh the trouble and darknesse that was upon his soul and he used all the Remedies prescribed in Popery to comfort himself but still his heart was as unquiet as ever till at last he was by studying in Scripture directed to beleeve in Christ the Mediatour and in particular to be cloathed with Christs righteousnesse in stead of his own and thus it is still the more spiritually tempted and exercised any man either Minister or private Christian is The more he walketh in darknesse and hath no light The more doth he come to prize and esteem this fulnesse in Christ None love this honey-comb but those who hunger after a righteousnesse that they cannot finde in themselves These particulars discover the necessity of pressing this often and often Therefore the second Use is to bring your hearts in rellish with this Doctrine Oh that thou wert such an Auditour that this Truth might breed a sweet pleasure in thy spiritual appetite If this be the Gospel If this be the glad Tidings If this be the Pearl and the Treasure be thou in the number of those that will part with all to be partakers of it But you will say How may we fit Subjects for this Truth how may we come to prize it more then the honey or the honey-comb Take these Directions 1. Feel sinne as a burden as a weight let it be more to thee then all temporal evils in the world for so Mat. 11. Come to me ye that are heavy laden and I will ease you David Psal 32. when his sinne was ready to overwhelm him then he crieth out Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne When Mary Magdalene hath her head and heart a Fountain of water because of her sins then she is greatly indeared in her affections to Christ Those love much to whom much is forgiven as our Saviour at large sheweth Luk. 7.46 If then thou art not perswaded of thy debts or if the thoughts of them do not afflict and grieve thee never think that Christ will be chief in thy heart Oh then begin here lay this for a Foundation saying All these precious Truths will be spilt like water upon the ground until I be of a broken contrite heart for sinne The Prodigall never regarded the bread and Fulnesse in his Fathers House till he comes to want even husks themselves Joab would not come to Absalom till all his Corn was fired Neither do we readily and willingly runne to Christ till God hath shot his arrow into us tiill he hath wounded us at the heart till we feel sinne the greatest burthen and that because God is dishonoured and provoked and indeed this may be a very good motive to Repentance and humiliation because there is such an excellent Remedy Thou needest not fear going into the depths of this water because Christ will preserve thee therein No wonder if a man not beleeving or acquainted with this Truth be afraid to think of his sinnes That with Luther he hates the word Repent for there is nothing but despair and hopelesnesse about sinne till this Truth be discovered Oh then be no longer afraid to have thy sinnes brought to thy minde Say not They are a greater burthen then can be born for had Cain beleeved in Christ Had Judas beleeved in Christ Their sick and wounded Souls had quickly been healed It 's not the greatnesse nor the multitude of thy sinnes It 's not the terrible aggravations of them may wholly overwhelm thee if so be thou dost but cast Anchor upon Christ 2. If you would have an high esteem of this Point labour for a spiritual heavenly heart For as Christ in his Mediation is wholly spirituall
the Earth earthly And then 3. If it be taken for the wickednesse of it Then Christ was never so of the world Therefore here is a difference between Christ and his Disciples for though they were not now of the world yet once they were plunged in sinne and corrupted through pollutions as others were but Christ never was of the world in this sence Therefore in the last place the particle of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not of equality as if the Disciples were in every respect not of the world as Christ was but in some resemblance only The words thus explained two Doctrines arise Doct. 1 First The not being of the world is that which makes wicked men hate the Godly If there were sutablensse of Naturee and Manners then like would agree with like Hence 1 Joh 3.12 when the Apostle instanced in Cains murther of his Brother because his own works were evil he saith v. â—3 Marvell not if the world hate you Never wonder at that but rather if it should not hate you Our Saviour speaks notably of this to his Brethren Joh. 7.5 7. For they did not beleeve in him though so greatly acquainted with him and saw his Miracles The world cannot hate you but me it hateth because I testifie of it that the works thereof are evil It cannot hate you No wicked man can hate another viz. in respect of fundamental principles as a Godly man is hated It 's true wicked men may be at deadly fewd one with another but it is not from contrary principles of nature but from matter of profit and injuries or wrongs done As the Dogge doth not hate another yet for bones and other matters they will be ready to kill one another Though therefore Herod and Pilate cannot endure one another yet that opposition was upon carnal Interests it was not like that hatred which was to Christ Therefore when such Earthly Interests are removed they can heartily embrace one another but the wicked man can never love the Godly till his Nature he changed till he become godly also as the wolf can never love a sheep unlesse he be made a sheep To open this Let us Consider What it is not to be of the world And first It consists in Doctrine to be beleeved Such are not of the world who receive those hevenly Truths that the world cannot reach unto yea that it scorneth and derideth When Peter made that Solemn Confession That Christ was the Son of the Living God It was told him Flesh and bloud had not revealed this to him Mat. 16.16 There is a worldly Religion worldly Doctrines such as are sutable to the principles and Interests of the world and these are readily embraced The world loveth such Preachers and such Doctrines 1 Joh. 4. 4. The Apostle John speaking of the Antichristian Spirit that was coming into the world saith of such Teachers They are of the world therefore the world heareth them but we are of God and he that is not of God heareth us not Therefore there is a remarkable opposition 1 Cor. 2 12. between the Spirit of the world and the Spirit of God For by this only we come to know the things that God hath given us Then therefore are we not of the world when God shall so enlighten our mindes by Faith That we do assuredly beleeve those Truths God hath revealed in his Word that neither our corrupt Reasons nor our Education to the contrary nor the Opinions of the most men and great men in the world shall make us go contrary and certainly the Lives of men are so worldly because their Understanding is so We receive our Religion not as it 's revealed of God but as we can any waies turn it to our corrupt ends 2. Not to be of the world is to be Regenerated and born again To have another Nature then what we come with into the world another not substantially but qualitatively whereby we are said 1 Pet. 1.4 to be partakers of the divine Nature So that though at first made of the dust yet now we fly up to Heaven as the vapours though arising out of the Earth yet ascend up to Heaven and follow the motions thereof Joh. 3. and 2 Cor. 5.17 A man must be born again or from above and he is made a new Creature Old things are past away This is to be above the world not of the world and indeed seeing the Soul is not naturally of the world being created by God why shouldst thou voluntarily debase it and make it a Servant to every worldly Object to love the world To delight in the world To be ensnared by the world Oh pray for this Divine Nature beg for Regeneration for till this be done thou art all over earthly a worm is as good as thou art Thy Love thy heart thy thoughts thy all is nothing but earth 3. Not to be of the world is to have an Heavenly Conversation To live as one whose heart is with Christ already in Heaven It 's not enough to be once regenerated but the progresse of our Lives is to be spent on Heavenly motives and Considerations As the Fowls of the Heaven though they light upon the Ground to eat their meat yet immediatly fly up again Thus it is with the godly though they take the lawful comforts of this world yet their hearts are presently off ascending to God Thus the Apostle Our Conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3 20. And because we are risen with Christ we set our affections upon things above Col. 3.1 2. See our Lord Christ he was not of the world Did he not manifest it by his conversation when he made it his meat and drink to doe his Fathers Will when he was alwaies either praying to God or preaching to the people Oh then do thou endeavour after this life Though thou art in thy Family in thy Trade in thy Calling yet be not of the world because the choicest part of thy self is from God Thou canst say what are all these to the favour of God They are good to use but not to enjoy They are good sawce but not good meat a good Inne but not a good home 4. Not to be of the world is to partake of other joys other comforts then the world knoweth of and so to be exercised with other Temptations then the world understands with other joys Therefore it 's said It hath not entred into the heart of man to conceive of this 1 Cor. 2.9 It 's called Joy unspeakable in the holy Ghost 1 Pet. 1.8 David acknowledged God had put more joy in his heart then worldly men could have in all their abundance Psa 4. Alas what is thy carnal mirth and delight to that admirable and unspeakable joy which the godly finde in God This is a joy that will hold in tribulations and death it self when in such a Drought the wicked mans stream is quite dried up his temptations also are such as the world
unknown duty amongst Christians Thus as the minde is to be more sanctified so we might shew all other parts of soul and body The will of a man is to be more bowed and made more vehement and powerfull in the things of God To overcome those velleities and incompleat wishings which are so apt to undo us To go beyond Paul as Paul himself desires to overcome himself Rom. 7. What I would not that I doe To have this no longer but what I would that I do And for the Affections who is not sensible what further Sanctification they need Sanctified anger sanctified desires How beautifull and comfortable would they be Who doth not finde them overrunning and going beyond all bounds so that nothing can order them within their limits The Body likewise though that be the bruitish part yet the Apostle prayeth for the sanctification of it which is then done when it 's no more instrumental to sinne the eyes the hands the tongue have an holy watch over them and are imployed for God Thus you see that every part of the whole man admits of further Sanctification A man cannot look over all that he hath and doth as God did on his works and see all exceeding good so as to rest thereupon and worke no more We may see every day more to be done and so never come to a full Rest till we are in Heaven Fifthly We are to be more sanctified Objectively that is Those objects revealed in the Scripture we are to partake more of to receive more sweetness and fulness from Doth not the Apostle pray for the Ephesians of whom he affirmeth the glorious priviledges of the Gospel Yet Chap. 1.17 18 19. That their eyes may be inlightned to know what is the exceeding power of God to them that believe And again Ephes 3.17 18 19. That Christ may dwell in your hearts that ye may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and depth and length of Gods love And lest it should be thought that we are able to do this to the full he addeth And to know the love of God which passeth all knowledge Yea the very glorious things of the Gospel even in this life are such 1 Cor. 2.9 That eyes have not seen neither hath it entred into the heart of a man to understand There is as much in God in Christ in Faith in every Scripture-truth that thou mayest make it new to thee every day Christ may be a new Christ Heaven a new Heaven for every divine Truth is like some stately and magnificent Palace wherein every room affords thee some new wonder and delight and this is the reason why John 4. Christ saith He that drinketh of that water which is Christ shall never thirst more Oh then this is our great sinne and our hindrance also that such dainties are in the Gospel and we do not suck them out There is no heavenly promise or comfort but if thou didst go to draw out of it thou wouldst finde it a deep Well which can never be drawn dry Oh then know if Christ and holy things do not ravish thy soul it 's because thy heart is narrow How can a vessel with a narrow mouth receive all the water of the Sea into it SERMON XC The Contraries to Growth in Grace A Comfortable Advertisement to such as mourn under their Sence of not Growing With Reasons of the Necessity of Growing in Grace JOH 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth THose that are already sanctified may yet be further sanctified and that in several particulars as you have heard There remain some other Instances to be added wherein this encrease of Sanctification may appear And the first which is also very remarkable is That our Sanctification is to grow efficienter by way of inviting exhorting and bringing home others to it For thus we are more sanctified when we are enlarged to sanctifie others instrumentally This some take to be the meaning Joh. 15.8 where Christ tels his Disciples that herein his Father is glorified if they bring forth much fruit And vers 16. I have ordained you that you should go and bring forth much fruit which is in respect of their ministerial emploiment So then if thou askest how may I be more and more sanctified The Answer is ready Be sanctifying others actively and instrumentally Think it the greatest honour in the world if thou art a means to make others holy for though God would use no means or Instruments in the Creation of the world yet he will in the Creation of the New Creature Now Ministers they are by Office appointed to sanctifie others The word or Truth which is the Instrument of Sanctification is published by them Therefore a sanctified Minister doth desire nothing more then to have a sanctified people he desireth that it may be a Vineyard a Garden not a Wildernesse that he is to till and look to he crieth out with Rachel in a spirituall sence Give me Children else I die All his Study and Sermons tend to this that his Hearers may be sanctified and certainly if Christ himself endured all that reproach and shame for Souls he desireth to have the same minde that was in Christ That as Christ is promised to see his Seed after the Travell of his Soul So doth he pray that after all his pains and endeavours he may see an holy Seed So that your Sanctification is that for which we pray and preach yea private Christians in their way are to encrease in their Sanctification by promoting it in others Psalm 51. when David had recovered out of his sinne then would he teach transgressors their waies When one Disciple was converted presently he goeth and calleth his Brother Oh the admirable Zeal that Paul shewed to his Kinsmen after the Flesh that he could wish to be an Anathema for them You that are Parents grow in this active Sanctification Let not God alone by Praier untill your Children be sanctified What a Comfort would it be unto you to be both the Natural and the Spirituall Fathers of your Children Thus ye that are Masters grow also in Sanctification by Sanctifying Servants by having a Sanctified Family Oh it 's to be be feared thou knowest not the Worth and the Excellency of a sanctified Estate or the danger of an unsanctified one that art no more diligent to call others out of it if rightly apprehensive herein Thou wouldst do as the Angel did to Lot while he lingered and tarried in Sodome pull him out by violence as it were that he might not perish Philosophers say There is this difference between those Creatures that are generated of putrid matter and such as come of their kinde that the former though they live and move yet cannot generate the like or propagate individuals because they come of putrid matter and certainly it 's thus here Those that are indeed born of God and have that Divine Seed in them all their Care and Delight is to
variety and difference in gifts in graces in offices in outward conditionr yet they must all be one 3. You have the patern of this unity As thou Father in me and I in thee 4. The nature and quality of this unity That they may be one in us 5. The benefit and fruit of this union That the world may believe thuu hast sent me I shall first consider the benefit praied for That they may be one and observe That union rmongst the godly is of so great necessity and consequence that Christ doth in their behalf principally and chiefly pray for this Though in this Unity be included grace and sanctification yet that which is expresly mentioned is their agreement I have handled this Union as it related to Officers in the Church from v. 11. I shall pursue from this Text union amongst believers themselves and because our Saviour doth enlarge himself about it I shall also insist upon it To Open this Truth Consider 1. That the is a two-fold unity or union among the gtdly Invisible and Visible Invisible Unity is that whereby they being united to Christ their head by the Spirit on Gods part and faith on our part do receive spiritual life and encrease in which some Beleevers are compared to the several members of the body and Christ to the head because of that spiritual life and motion they receive from him This is the foundation of our visible union and without this though we may be outwardly of the Church yet we do indeed receive no saving advantage by Christ Of this union the Text speaks not because it 's such an Union that the world seeing it may thereby be induced to believe Therefore 2. there is a visible Vnion whereby Believers do outwardly and visibly expresse their compacted nearnesse to one another and so those particular Churches of Corinth and Ephesus are called Christs body in respect of their external union as well as internal for not only by faith but also by the Ordinances we have fellowship with Christ and with one another Of this visible Unity the Text speaks and this is made a special means to bring the world to believe Whereas on the contrary differences of Opinion and sad rents and sects in Religion is the only way to confirm men in their impiety and to think there is no truth and no religion at all In the second place This visible Union doth diffuse it self in many Branches As 1. There is an unity of Faith and profession when they all believe and speak the same thing This must be laid as the foundation of unity for unity in errour and idolatry or false waies is not peace but a faction or Conspiracy This unity of faith is reckoned among the many unities the Apostle mentioneth Eph. 4.5 Phil. 2.2 They are exhorted to be of one minde and the Apostle notably presseth this 1 Cor. 1.10 that they speak the same thing being perfectly joyned together in the same minde and the same judgement What a sad breach then hath the devil made upon Gods people when there are so few of the same minde and do judge the same things but as you heard it must be a samenesse and unity in the true Faith for the Jews they are one amongst themselves the Mahumetans are one the Papists are so one that they boast of it and make it a note of the true Church Now though this should be granted though they have a thousand divisions amongst themselves yet unless it be unity in the faith unity in the sound doctrine it is nothing at all 2. There is an unity of affection and love in the heart and outwardly one to another Love is called the affection of union and makes a man to be the object he loveth as much as his own and we see the praier of Christ abundantly fulfilled in this respect concerning the Primitive Christians for Act. 4 32. it 's said they were of one heart and of one soul Those thousands of believers were as if they had but one heart and soul among them and thus in Tertullians time the heathens did admire at the love Christians had to one another our Saviour makes it a surer sign of discipleship then if they wrought miracles Joh. 3.35 3. This union is seen in the publike worship and Ordinances which God hath appointed as God said of man at first it was not good he should be alone So it 's true of every believer he is not to serve God alone to think that a private Religion is enough Therefore you have the examples of the primitive Christians Act. 2.1 Act. 5.12 how they met with one accord in one place and that to have the enjoyment of publike Ordinances they praied together the Word was preached to them they received the Sacraments together and the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.16 17. sheweth how the Sacrament of the Lords Supper did declare their union and communion one with another Hence Heb. 10.25 The Apostle reproveth those whose manner it was not to assemble themselves together This vâ—sible union of believers in Church-Ordinances is their highest beauty and their chiefest advantage Hence David professeth his ravishment herein How beautiful are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hosts and Psa 110. it 's called the beauties of Holinesse and Hag. 2. this temple is said to be more glorious then ever the former was and that because of Christs presence therein preaching and reforming all abuses and corruptions When the Ark was taken Phinehas his daughter cried The glory is departed from Israel Hence the Ordinances even in this life are called the Kingdom of heaven because of Gods glorious presence therein David when banished Psa 63.2 longed to see the glory of God as he had seen it in the Sanctuary And then it s our greatest profit and advantage for Gods presence is promised to these So that the Christian Ordinances are the life of the Church There is a larger dispensation of Gods gifts and graces here then otherwise 4. This unity is seen in that publike order and government which Christ hath appointed in his Church as God hath appointed some to be Shepherds and to govern so others to hear and obey he hath commanded admonition and in some cases sharp reproof and where obstinacy is to cast out Now it 's very hard to have unity in this respect for as 1 Cor 14. it appeareth private Christians do difficultly keep within their sphere every member would be an eye as the Apostle there chargeth so it 's hard to meet with an obedient ear though to a wise and godly reproof It 's therefore a blessed thing as to have unity of faith so also of order That is to see every member of the Church with its relation in an harmonious way as it 's in the body though they be heterogeneal parts yet they all harmoniously consociate in their operations This unity of order is like the nerves and ligaments to this spiritual society 5. This
a high tower thinketh great towns and cities but little things thus a godly man raised up with the evidence of Gods love toward him judgeth all the world but a drop to God As the eye that hath looked on the Sun is so dazeled that it cannot behold other things Thus it was with Paul he was so affected with this that Christ loved him and gave himself for him Gal. 2.20 that he professeth he did no longer live but Christ in him It 's this apprehension that will carry us up unto the mount of Transfiguration every day It 's no wonder then if Satan be so busie to tempt us in this Point above all to unsettle us about the love of God in Christ to us for he knoweth herein lieth the strength of Sampson as it were if this be taken away any green cords will tye him he will not have strength to overcome the least temptation But as long as this love of God can be preserved and kept alive in the soul so long neither the devil or the world is able to do us any hurt so long we are like the bird flying on high that is not in danger of snares SERMON CXLV Directions how to obtain and alwayes to preserve the Knowledge and Assurance of Gods Love in our Hearts JOHN 17.26 That the Love wherewith thou lovest me may be in them THe sense of Gods love in our hearts is of such consequence that our Saviour doth conclude his prayer with it and as you have heard glorious and blessed are the effects of it I shall therefore in this last Sermon give some Directive Helps How to obtain and alwayes to preserve this Assurance and Knowledge of Gods Love to us but before we declare them it 's good to take notice of some particulars that may rightly inform our understanding in this point And First You are to know That it 's the devils great work to keep the children of God in darknesse and in continual doubtings He is the tempter not only in respect of lusts but also unbelieving and distrustfull thoughts of Gods grace and mercy That as the work of Gods Spirit is to comfort called therefore a Comforter as also to assure and witness unto us That we are the children of God yea to enable us to cry Abba Father So on the contrary Satan that unclean spirit his whole business is if he cannot tempt to sin yet to walk in a discouraged tormenting and afflicted way representing God as some terrible Judge catching at all the advantages to destroy us Now the way that the devil takes thus to deject and sadden the hearts of the godly is two-fold for either he doth thus by suggestions immediately to the soul taking the occasion when our spirits are darkned and clouded or when God for holy ends hath withdrawn his light of favour from us Or by his instruments which he raiseth up he causeth such tares of Doctrine to be sown amongst the good seed that the childe of God shall not only walk without the perswasion of Gods favour but think it is his duty and that he is obliged to reject all such comfortable thoughts for certainly this is one Doctrine of the devils amongst others in Popery that they forbid the penitent soul any assurance or certainty of Gods favour encouraging doubts as the mother of humility keeping the humbled sinner as the devils did the demoniack person among the tombs in sad and dolefull objects not discovering to him the glorious and comfortable light of the Gospel So that in Popery it 's one high point of Religion with them that no man without an extraordinary revelation can attain to a certainty of Gods love to him he may they will grant have some moral conjectures but a certain perswasion cannot be ordinarily attained But the Orthodox do abundantly confirm this truth against them Therefore I only instance in their opinion as an engine of Satan whereby he would by this temptation take off the understanding as by the former way he would unsettle the heart and affections But let our wisdom be to take the greater diligence to keep that pearl which we see Satan would so constantly rob us of Secondly Observe this That it 's possible for the sense of Gods favour and love to consist with some doubtings and sad shakings of heart about it at some times Even as the light of the Sunne may make the day yet at the same time there be some dark and gloomy clouds which though not able wholly to remove the Suns light yet do in a great measure obscure it We see it in Davids Psalms some whereof you would think were not made by the same man at the same time for happily in the beginning he had sad dejecting and expostulating thoughts with God and with his soul also and yet ere the Psalm be ended he is able to break out in comfortable perswasions and assurances of Gods love Insomuch that as Paul findes Rom. 7. in respect of grace a daily combate so also in respect of certainty about Gods love we believe and yet crave help for our unbelief and the word used by the Apostle 1 John 3.19 We assure our hearts is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we perswade our hearts implying that our hearts have many objections and cavils so that this assurance comes by perswasion even as the Greek word to comfort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used also to exhort because this consolation is hardly received into the soul there must be argument upon argument exhortation upon exhortation ere it will be satisfied Do not therefore expect that which yet some vainly boast of thou shouldst alwayes walk in such predominant assurance of Gods love that there should not any time arise the least cloud or fear in thy soul no such a blessed estate will only be in heaven Thirdly Consider that the sense of Gods love may consist with a feeling of a spiritual combate within us between the flesh and the spirit For this assurance of Gods favour doth not arise from a total absence of all sinne that there is now no corruption in us at all but from Gods gracious favour in Christ pardoning those reliques of corruption within us It 's not therefore the perfection of grace within us that our sense of Gods love is built upon but the promise and truth of God in his Word the not attending to this hath made Gods children labour under heavy and sad burdens of minde Oh they feel much corruption in themselves they daily finde stirrings of sinne within them by which means they are tempted to many doubts about Gods love towards them But this is their infirmity for did not Paul in a very grievous manner complain of the body of sinne within him that he found evil present with him when he would do good that he was a captive even sold under sinne and yet for all this he saith I thank God through Jesus Christ and concludeth That there is no
15 16 463 Acts. 17 23 91 17 27 585 20 27 424 26 22 388 Romans 1 21 92 1 17 174 6 19 206 9 5 99 10 2 77 12 1 456 12 10 431 1 Corinthians 1 14 115 1 2 516 2 17 424 3 8 563 6 20 257 6 7 587 8 4 5 90 8 2 94 11 19 389 15 22 44 15 47 435 2 Corinthians 2 15 348 4 6 606 5 16 334 11 20 17 Galatians 1 4 175 3 28 524 4 16 430 6 17 126 Ephesians 2 2 189 2 3 363 4 1 3 4 571 5 2 502 Philippians 2 10 28 2 2 407 2 15 514 3 1 401 3 20 454 3 9 549 4 18 502 Colossians 1 16 150 2 20 45 2 20 171 2 5 596 2 9 629 2 19 635 3 1 454 1 Thessalonians 2 13 478 2 Thessalonians 1 3 189 3 2 254 1 Timothy 1 16 532 4 16 484 5 10 424 6 20 424 6 2 526 2 Timothy 1 9 149 1 9 533 3 16 390 3 15 479 Hebrews 2 7 46 4 9 126 5 14 633 10 29 464 11 26 32 11 24 18 11 3 155 13 18 151 James 2 11 201 4 3 7 4 6 153 5 16 141 1 Peter 1 3 146 1 5 307 1 23 24 479 2 20 554 2 7 686 4 18 355 4 12 389 4 14 15   16. 421 2 Peter 1 6 273 3 17 316 3 12 456 1 John 2 20 513 2 2 278 2 19 360 3 8 344 3 19 552 5 16 230 3 John  2 460 Jude  3 316 Revelation 3 4 364 21 27 364 22 12 464 FINIS * Of the reason why Christ imposed on some new names see Casauâ— ad Annal. Exerc. 13. In his Apology pag. 8. To all Instructions and Consolations Praier is necessary for their good effect Reasons I. On Gods part 1. God is the sole fountain and authour of all grace 2. That all the praise may redound to him 3. Because God in anger many times doth blast the Word to men for their sins II. From the nature of Preaching and what kinde of cause the Word is of conversion 1. The Word converts not necessarily 2. Nor as a natural cause 3. It s efficacy is only by Gods Institution according to his command and good pleasure III. Because of mans inability to what is good Vse Doct. That all our praiers should come from a spiritual and heavenly heart The requisites to spiritual praier 1. The Spirits enabling and moving the soul to this duty 2. An heavenly heart 3. When the heart and affections are purified and made fit for the enjoyment of God 4. Heavenly praier moveth the heart to more love and delight in heavenly things Vse Why we should pray with the tongue In vocal praier there must be a threefold attention How Christ being God could pray Doct. That all the godly are under the benefit of Christs Mediatory praier I. The matter of Christs praier for his Children 1. All grace 2. Pardon of sin 3. 4. Glorification II. The nature of his praier by way of Mediation III. The dignity of the Person praying IV. His relation to God the Father Whether Christ was heard in every thing he praied for or no. V. Christs praier had all the qualifications requisite to acceptation VI. A condition or medium of good things Why Praier is needfull notwithstanding Gods knowledge and unchangeableness VII Christs praier sanctifieth our praiers Doct. Those praiers successefull that are put up to God as a Father To open this Consider 1. All by nature are in a state of enmity against God 2. The state of Sonship is purchased by Christ 3. We cannot call God Father but by the Spirit of Adoption What frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every childe of God Why the Title Father so much prevails with God Vse Doct. That God doth appoint times and seasons for his great works I. In relation to Christ II. Gods other dispensations 1. A time is set for the Reformation of his Church 2. God lets wicked men have their time 3. A set time for judgement 4. The hour of every mans death is set 5. There is a remarkable set time of grace wherein God may be found 6. The times of the Churches troubles and deliverances are set Vse How Christ who is God can be glorified Whether Christ did merit glory for himself Doct. It was the holy and wise will of God to glorifie Christ Christs being invested with glory redounds to the advantage of his members 1. It 's a demonstration of his conquest over all our enemies 2. Because of rhat near relation that is between us 3. His glorification a cause of ours 4. In his glorified estaâ—e he is pleading for us 5. It encourageth us to lift up our hearts to heaven The nature of this glory which Christ praied for There were three degrees to it Wherein this glory of Christ doth consist Doct. We should desire comforts and advantages chiefly that God may be glorified I. Christ did so 1. In his humiliation 2. In his exaltation II. Much more should all men be affected more with Gods glory then their own good The goods of a godly man 1. Heavenly 2. Earthly The principles constituent of such a gracious disposition 1. He must be born again that can do it 2. He must have great love to God 3. And be mortified to the world Reasons 1. God doth all things for his own glory 2. From the nature of Gods glory and all earthly comforts respectively 3. Because of the greatnesse of Gods glory and the value of it 4. Else we are guilty of spirituall Idolatry Vse The Text vindicated against 1. The Arians 2. The Ubiquitarian Lutherans 3. Papists Doct. Observe these particulars to clear the nature of Christs power I. Christs dominion universal II. The administration of Christs power is by his Spirit III. Of Christs dominion over the consciences of men IV. The chief effects of Christs power are spirituall V. It is infinite power VI. It is arbitrary in the use of it In what particulars Christs dominion appears 1. In appointing a Ministry for the conversion of souls 2. In giving successe to the means of grace III. Enlightning the Understanding IV. V. The Fountain of Grace VI. The giver of glory VII Forgive and pardon sin VII The great Law-giver IX And supporter and comforter of his people X. The Judge of the world XI And the subduer of his and his Churches enemies Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Vse 6. Vse of Consolation Doct. That not all but some of mankinde are given by God the Father to Christ to be redeemed by him How warily the doctrine of predestination should be preached The Doctrine repeated Corollaries from hence I. From the Father giving 1. The Father is the original Fountain of all good 2. That the Father expects the salvation of those he hath given to Christ 3. No cause to doubt of Gods accepting of Christs Mediation 4. All that the Father gives to Christ shall
unto all his Disciples even in this life and of Union with him as the ground of it SERM. CXXIII Practicall Conclusions from the foregoing Doctrine SERM. CXXIV That Jesus Christ though God co-equall with the Father had many things given him by the Father and how that can be SERM. CXXV Unity among Christians is part of that Glory Christ hath purchased for them SERM. CXXVI JOHN 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me Of Union with Christ Shewing how or in what respect Christ is in every Beleever and how he is not SERM. CXXVII Shewing somthing of the Nature Manner and Effects of Christs being in Beleevers SERM. CXXVIII Of the Fathers being in Christ of both their being in Beleevers and how that can be and yet they not quite freed from sin and sorrow SERM. CXXIX Of the Unity of Beleevers of the cause and nature of it and what makes to the perfect consummation of it SERM. CXXX Sheweth that every one that beleeveth knoweth the thing that he beleeveth Against the Popish implicit faith and what Knowledge the knowledge of Faith is SERM. CXXXI Of the unspeakable love of God to Beleevers shewing wherein Gods love to Christ and Beleevers is alike and wherein it differs SERM. CXXXII Sheweth of what high concernment it is to the men of the world to know how greatly Beleevers whom they hate and persecute are beloved of God SERM. CXXXIII JOHN 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Of the Connection between Grace and Glory and that Glory even to the most Godly is the free gift of God SERM. CXXXIV Of immediate Injoyment of and Communion with Christ in Heaven as the Complement of mans Happiness SERM. CXXXV Of an humbled Christians improving in his prayers the sweet Apellation of Father SERM. CXXXVI Of the state of Glory shewing what it is to behold Christs Glory in Heaven SERM. CXXXVII How Christ as Mediatour had his Glory given him although as God he could not properly have it given him except by way of Manifestation Against the Socinians SERM. CXXXVIII Of Gods love to Christ as Mediatour and in him to all Beleevers from all Eternity SERM. CXXXIX JOHN 17.25 O righteous Father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me Of the Righteousness of God as Judge in his Administrations to Devils and Wicked men and as a Father unto his own people SERM. CXL That every unregenerate man whether in or out of the Church is destitute of the true saving Knowledge of God SERM. CXLI Christ is the great Teacher of his Church SERM. CXLII Setting forth the singular Christian cleaving to God though the multitude go another way and how his Godliness in that case endears him to God SERM. CXLIII JOHN 17.26 And I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them Of Christs teaching Beleevers Shewing what great need the most illuminated Christians have still to be taught SERM. CXLIV Of the powerfull sense and feeling of the Love of God How it is attained and what a great advantage it is to him that hath it both in reference to Duty and Comfort SERM. CXLV Directions how to obtain and alwaies to preserve the Knowledge and Assurance of Gods Love in our Hearts IF any thing in the Contents of this Book appear incongruous either to the Author or his Work let it be hereby known that not the Author but a Friend of his gathered them as well as he could T. U. CXLVI SERMONS Upon the whole Seventeenth Chapter of the Gospel by St JOHN SERMON I. The Necessity of adding Prayer to Preaching for its good effect Shewing also what kinde of cause the Word is of Conversion And what are the requisites of Heavenly and Spirituall Prayer JOHN 17.1 These words spake Jesus and lift up his eyes to Heaven and said c. MY Purpose is God assisting to go through this Chapter being the Praier of Christ immediately before his Passion If the words of a dying man are much to be regarded how much more of a dying Christ And words put up in a Praier way which came from the most serious and heavenly affection within Christs love was sincere and naturall Now as in naturall motions the nearer the body comes to the center the swifter the motion is Thus Christs Love though great alwaies yet the expressions of it were overflowing most at last His best wine was at last And certainly if it be lawfull to preferre Scripture before Scripture we may say Though all be gold yet this is a Pearl in the gold Though all be like the Heavens yet this is like the Sun and Stars Oh that both my heart and your hearts were purified with a coal of fire from the Altar for this Subject Not onely parts but great grace is required both to preach and hear this Subject But let us enter into this Land of Canaan The Apostle John of all the Evangelists is compared to an Eagle because he treateth of the highest and most sublime matter For as it is commonly received He outliving all the other Apostles there were damnable Hereticks risen up that denied Christ to be God at the Churches entreaty therefore he wrote this Book mainly asserting Christs Godhead and handling those things especially which the other Evangelists had left out especially insisting upon those excellent discourses and dialogues Christ had with the Pharisees As also those divine Instructions and consolations he gave his Disciples at his departure from them of which the other Evangelists record nothing at all Now when our Saviour had been large in instructing and confirming them he bends himself to earnest praier for them that what he had said might take place in their hearts so that in the Chapter you may take notice of 1. The Introduction to the matter and 2. The Matter it self The matter is Christs earnest prayer and that for a threefold Object 1. Himself 2. His Apostles 3. All others who in time should beleeve in him For the Introduction there we have 1. The order of Christs Praier and 2. the description of his gesture The Order is These words spake Jesus that is after Christ had finished those admirable and comfortable Instructions then he betakes himself to praier From whence observe That to all Instructions and Consolations Praier is necessary for their good effect Christ himself doth not think it enough to plant but he prays there may be a watering from above Thus all Ministers and all hearers are to take Christs way Even as at other times we reade that Christ spent the day in Preaching and the night in Praying For
self-justifying man to call God Father yet take the afflicted mourner for sinne who is sensible of the great dishonour he puts upon God it 's the hardest thing in the world to think God is a Father to him because therefore it is so great a work God sends his Spirit into our hearts that enableth us to cry boldly vehemently and notwithstanding all opposition Abba Father Where then we would use this compellation with power and life with successe and heavenly advantage there the Spirit of God must inflame the heart there all our servile fears and tormenting doubts must be removed Now who but the Spirit of God can command these windes and waves to be still There are groans and crys great commotions of spirit ere the soul can be perswaded of Gods fatherly love These things premised let us consider in the next place what disposition and frame of heart this compellation Father may breed in every one that doth fervently pray to God And 1. It cannot but raise up the heart to great confidence and hope to speed Indeed if we look to our selves to our sinnes there is nothing but matter of despair Who can think of himself and not expect that answer Depart I know you not But then when we consider this gracious relation God putteth upon himself to be a Father what humbled sinner may then be afraid O Lord thou art not only a Lord a mighty and great God but a Father also and upon this Title I pleade Fathers use to lay up for children if it were an earthly Father Mat. 7. when the childe asketh bread he would not give him a stone and thou art an heavenly Father how long then shall I ask for such consolation pray against such corruptions and meet with the contrary Is not this to give a stone for bread If then God be a Father if thou maist conclude on this then expect every thing else Now this is a great sinne in the children of God they doe not improve this relation They do not think with themselves behold I am a Father I am a Mother will my bowels let me deny my poor children if afflicted any thing that I can give them why then shall I have such low thoughts of God He that giveth the father bowels shall not he much more have bowels If it be thus with a drop shall it not be much more with the Fountain 2. The meditation of this relation will cause fervency and zeal in our Petitions The more confidence to speed the more earnestnesse as on the other side where there is no hope there is fainting and languishing he said Qui timidè rogat docet negare we may say Qui tepidè It 's the fervent praier of a righteous man that prevaileth much and confidence quickens up to fervency As men that are pulling any weight the more they feel it coming the more earnest they are in pulling This divine hope puts wings to the soul addeth legges to its journey Indeed a bold presumption that God will vouchsafe him the matter of our requests is carelesse of praier because that looketh for the end without the means but an holy confidence that God will give us the good things we want but by earnest and fervent praier that makes the godly soul more zealous and active when we are sure our labour is not in vain As the Apostle encourageth to sufferings to wait and endure patiently because in due time they shall receive a recompence if they faint not Gal. 6.9 Oh then be afraid of those cold and lukewarm formall duties thou art so often in These argue no faith no hope in thee It 's a sign thou dost not much matter or regard the issue of thy Praiers whether God grant them or not 3. This Title in the lively improvement of it will cause a filiall reverence and humility even as the childe doth his Father as you heard If I be a Father where is my honour The good ingenious childe doth not abuse his Fathers kindenesse doth not contemne his favours but consider the great distance that is between him and his Father that he is never able to satisfie his Father for Aristotle saith There cannot be any justice between a father and son seeing therefore he hath all from him he is in a reverentiall fear and honour of his father Thus it is with those who have the Spitit of Adoption their fear is accompanied with their confidence Their boldnesse and hope doth not degenerate into security and contempt of God and if at any time they grow wanton under his mercies then as God is a Father to provide for us so he is a Father to chasten as the Scripture speaks often Do not then give way to thy corruptions do not eat too much of this honey till thou surfet lest God give Physick lest he chasten thee and seem as if he were no Father David upon security and other neglects into what sad darknesse is he cast He knoweth not how to call God Father he thinketh on God and is troubled as he saith Ps 77.5 God will deal with thee upon thy rebellion as David with Absalom Command thee out of his sight and this will work upon thee as it did with Absalom who desired to die rather then to be alwaies under such displeasure and herein the people of God upon their sinnes have a greater wound and deeper gash then the wicked have It 's against a Father they have sinned so mercifull and so gracious a Father this paineth them at the very heart 4. The Meditation of this Title will breed tranquillity and quietnesse of spirit free from all sinful cares and distrustful thoughts I have a Father in heaven and it is not my care my counsell my labour can provide for me but his goodnesse meerly Mat. 5.25 26. Our Saviour doth there at large give heavenly Physick to kill these worms these moths of cares that are ready to eat into us and devour us and amongst other helps this is one Your heavenly Father knoweth what you have need of As we see our little Children then eat and drink and take no care for their raiment for their food but go to their Parents such a quiet and composed frame of soul would God have all his Children have If you call me Father why do ye not commit all to my wisedom to my love Can a childe order his affairs better for himself then his Father Is it not well for the childe that it is not his wisedom and care but his Father that he must trust to How quickly would he undoe all Thus may God our heavenly Father say Cast your care and burden upon me how quickly would you undo your selves ruine your selves if all were left to you your happinesse lieth in my wisedome and love to you Oh what a chearfull quiet heart would the due meditation of this cause in us It 's my Father in heaven that doth all things that governeth the whole that dispenseth all
these do accuse thee say if a discharge had not been fully made how could Christ be glorified 2. It makes much to our eomfort because of that near relation which is between us so miserable and afflicted here and Christ our head now glorified What can be a greater cordiall then in the midst of all those exercises and trials and reproaches the people of God are debased with then to think they have a glorified head in heaven Though they be contemptible he is not This is but a conformity to him in his sufferings that we may also resemble him in glory 3. It is much to our comfort and advantage to hear of this because his glorification is a sure and effectual cause of ours so that our hearts may greatly rejoyce at this truth For as the Apostle argueth from Christs Resurrection If he be risen then shall we also certainly rise So doth the Argument unavoidably follow if Christ be glorified then shall we also be glorified with him so that when those innumerable Objections do arise how shall these vile bodies ever be made glorious How shall these corrupt and weak souls ever be made happy and blessed The answer is easie What is already done to Christ glorified will in time be fulfilled to us Death and the grave had no dominion over him no more shall it have over us Hence it is that the Scripture saith We are already set down with Christ in heavenly places Eph. 2.6 because he is our head Fear not then such a glorified head will not forget his members He said He went to provide a mansion place Joh. 14.2 It cannot then be but that Christ will set you on Thrones of his glory as well as he himself is set So that this doctrine is wholly for thy comfort 4. It may much rejoyce us to hear that Christ is glorified because in this state of glorification he is mindeful of us and pleading for us So that howsoever the greatest parts or effects of our mediation were seen in the time of his humiliation by his life and his death The Scripture attributeth all the mercies we do enjoy yet since he ascended into heaven and is partaker of all this power he maketh intercession for us his daily will is that the priviledges he purchased should be applied to us He daily acts as a King subduing our lusts conquering our corruptions applying his comforts and consolations to his people Well then Christ is glorified not for himself only neither is he exalted for his own honour meerly but it is for our glory as well as his for our honour as well as his As Joseph was lifted up in Pharaohs Court not for himself meerly but for his brethren to succour them in their necessities And as the glorious effects of the Sun are not so much for it self as for us the Creatures below oh then let thy soul cast off all unbelief and trouble when it heareth of Christ glorified for in all this glory he doth not forget thee he is not ashamed of thee Lastly This advantage the soul may make of this Truth thereby to lift up our hearts to heaven and to desire to be there where our glorified head is Thus the Apostle he longs to depart to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 and the Church longs for and hastens the coming of Christ from whence we look for Christ saith the Apostle Phil. 3.21 Who shall change our vile bodies into his glorious body Oh this should make us draw off all our affections and desires from other things Christ glorified should be the loadstone we should not be at ease or quietnesse till we come to him which made Austin say That as there were some men who needed patience to die so there were others who needed patience to live for the love and desire after Christ did so burn in their hearts that having tasted of this honey they judged every thing else gall and wormwood so that this Truth may be like fire burning in our bones In the next place let us consider the nature of this glory which Christ praied for And 1. There were three degrees to it The first and immediate beginning of this glory was upon his Resurrection After the black and dismall clouds this Sunne had been in the first glory of it began to appear in its Resurrection from the grave By this he was conqueror of death and the grave By this he judged the Prince of the world Till this was in all mens thoughts Christ seemed to be overcome in all appearance he was now brought under the power and command of death and Satan He was judged weak till this power discovered it self and this resurrection being not only by the Fathers power but his own He being the Sampson that brake the barres and bonds of death it was thereby made manifest to all the world that he was the Sonne of God Resurrection is such an impossible thing to humane reason and so incredible that Paul was cried down for a vain babler Act. 17.18 in promulging such doctrine and only in the Church of God Was ever such a thing heard of But this Resurrection was remarkable in Christ who not only raised himself from the dead but also caused many others to rise with him here was the first degree of his glory 2. The second degree was his ascension into heaven and this did exceed his Resurrection for though he was risen yet he conversed with his disciples did eat and drink with them occasionally so that he was to partake of greater and fuller glory when he ascended into heaven This Ascension of his into Heaven was great matter of wonderment and astonishment to his Disciples They all stood admiring when he was carried up thither Act. 1. 3. The last and chiefest degree of this glory was sitting down at the right hand of God By which expression is meant that great and wonderfull honour which God put upon him he sitteth at the right hand that demonstrateth a full and compleat victory over all his enemies and a quiet possession of this glory In these three things lieth all the glory Christ praieth for Resurrection Ascension and sitting down at Gods right hand all which immediatly followed his passions and sufferings and God had appointed such an order that one must be before the other and such a way God also doth take with his people They must have a Crown of thorns before they have a Crown of glory In the third place let us consider some of the most eminent and chiefest particulars wherein this glory of Christ doth manifest it self And 1. It lieth in that spirituall command and authority which he hath in his Church This is expressed when he saith All power is given to me in heaven and earth therefore go make disciples and baptize Here you see the Institution of Sacraments is founded upon that power given to Christ and from this it is Eph. 4 That upon his Ascention He led
all honour and glory shall be given by the Saints in heaven to all Eternity to the Sonne only it shall be to him as the meritorious and procuring cause whereby we are brought to enjoy the Father Having thus considered Christs intentions in all his works that the Sun cannot be free◠from spots then his holy will was from all oblique and sinister respects Let us consider man who being a meer creature having all both in being and continuation from God as the beams from the Sun and the streams from the Fountain it lieth as unavoidable upon him to be affected more with Gods glory then his own good This is a very hard task to flesh and bloud but self-self-love and de-ordination of the faculties of the soul hath made it thus difficult Now we may divide the good of a godly man into two sorts Either that in heaven his treasure laid up there in the upper Region Or all the good he can have in this life in the lower Region And of both these we commit a kinde of horrible Idolatry when we desire them upon any other terms then in tendency to God If it be so great a sinne to alter the bounds and change the Land-marks which the Laws of a Nation have set how much more to break that good and excellent order which God hath appointed between him and the creature Let us consider the first kinde of a godly mans good his eternall felicity and salvation even this glory he is to desire in subordination to Gods glory For if Paul could make a conditionate wish and veleity that he might be accursed from Christ Rom. 9.3 to serve his brethren how much rather might this be done for the glory of God yet take heed of a mistake here some have gone so farre as to say that a godly man is never truly humbled till he can be willing to be damned for Gods glory and that it 's unlawful to look at the reward in heaven This is dangerous as well as false for it 's not lawfull but a duty to seek our salvation Rom. 2.7 To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for honour and glory and Moses is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have a fixed earnest eye upon the reward Heb. 11.26 So that it 's a Speech full of vanity and no man can speak it truly that he is willing to be damned for Gods glory for such a thing cannot be and our salvation we are bound to desire so that we must take heed lest by overmuch wringing a good truth we make bloud come out instead of milk yet though this be so it 's no contradiction to say that a godly man hath such an holy principle within him that would carry him out to the obedience of God though there were no heaven and that the glory and honour of God is his principal end that it 's dearer to him then his own soul and truly if we see in nature God hath so ordered it that every particular denieth it self to preserve the universall The water will ascend upwards that there may not be a vacuum and the particular orbes are carried about against their own motion according to the power of the first mobile how much more must this hold in man and God all his life comforts and happinesse it self is to give place for Gods honour and glory Let God be glorified and ruat mundus but I shall not insist on this Let us descend to those particular good things we have in this world riches honour greatnesse and parts We shall see it 's the greatest reason in the world that we should not desire these things to advance our selves to satisfie our appetites but only thereby to glorifie God but who doth this yea who is able to bear this truth to take this yoke till a renewed nature hath made it easie And therefore let us first consider the causes procreant or principles constituant of such a gracious disposition as to be able to say O Lord I begge for health for a good name for outward comforts in this world but it 's not for my own sake so much that I do this as that hereby I might glorifie thee And 1. He must necessarily be born again or from above he must be partaker of a divine nature that can ascend thus high He that is of the earth is earthy he that is of heaven is heavenly Till a man have the Image of God and be made like him he cannot but minde earthly things When men are made godly you cannot say O Curoae in terras animae No then their souls as well as their bodies are made streight up towards heaven A worm can never do as the Lark soar up on high singing as she goeth but when descending towards the earth silent as if she were grieved Till then God hath made us new creatures given us new hearts and a new spirit within us we cannot desire these worldly comforts for any other end but our selves To be rich to be great to be wise only for our selves 2. There must be great love to God that can make us relate all things to him Jacobs great love made him do every thing to obtain Rachell and so a strong love to God will make us sacrifice all to him insomuch that our love is of so great an operation that God in a speciall manner commands that for himself and that not a meer love but love with all the heart and might Mat. 22.37 Nothing is to be left out love is fire and where that is it will burn separat heterogenea it divides all heterogeneous matter if riches if honors if friends oppose this it trampleth on them all and for this reason it is that our Saviour saith If a man hate not Father and Mother he is not worthy of me Luk. 14 20. so that the love of God is not kindled in mens hearts if it were as fire assimilateth all things into it self so would this love make us referre all things to him whom our souls love Thus David Whom have I in heaven but thee and Paul the love of Christ constraineth me 2 Cor. 5. Oh that we had the experience of this more Dost thou not see what the love of money puts the worldly man upon What the love of pleasures puts the voluptuous man upon They doe all things in reference to such corrupt ends Thus where there is an heavenly love that makes use of every thing to glorifie God that studieth and meditateth how may I advance and set up the honour of God by these things This love would quickly put out all carnall and worldly love as the beams of the Sun will put out the materiall fire 3. Mortified affections to every thing here below when we can perform the Apostles commands To buy as we bought not to weep as if we wept not 1 Co. 7. This duty of mortification the Scripture often speaketh of as a
Holy Lord God of Hosts And this is that which makes wicked men so carelesse about it They rather desire a bruitish sensuall life Let us eat and drink as if they were so many Swine but as the life of a Beast is not comparable to that of a man so neither are the pleasures and joys of the flesh like those of holinesse Hence it is that those who live holily have a taste and firstfruits of this eternal life He that beleeveth hath eternal life Joh. 6.54 He hath it already both in respect of a sure Title and interest as also of the taste and pledges of it in his soul Wonder not then if you see men given up to their lusts no waies diligent to obtain this life The holinesse of it is no motive to them no more then a Pearl doth affect a Swine They must be holy who desire such an holy life 5. It 's a spirituall life that differs from the former because it 's opposite to that animal life we live here The body is made a spirituall body we shall there no more hunger or thirst no more eat or drink All those civill and natural actions will be done away No more delight in Father in Wife in Children for the soul is wholly swallowed up with the love of and delight in God As when the Sunne ariseth we cannot see the Starres so when God shall come to fill the capacity and potentiality of the soul no more earthly comforts can be discerned by us It 's a true Rule that spirituall delights are farre more transporting and affecting the heart then any bodily can be As those who are in an extasie and rapture they minde no worldly thing Paul did not know whether he was in the body or out of the body yea the delight in study did so transport Archimedes that he was drawing lines when Syracuse the City he was in was taken so that as David said of prevailing grief some Philosophers could say of their delight in study They forgat the time to eat their bread Now spiritual delights must needs elevate higher then all these Hence it is that Divines say The beatificall vision or fruition of God makes it impossible for the Saints to sinne They cannot leave God so excellent and full to cleave to any creature As a man that hath tasted honey doth not like the taste of other things or as he who hath long gazed on the Sunne hath his eyesight taken away to behold other things The Apostle tels us 2 Cor. 4.15 that while we behold the glory of the Gospel we are transformed into his Image If faith in God in this life is so able to assimilaâ—e us unto God that he purifieth himself as God is pure If Moses by speaking with God face to face had such glory communicated to him that the people were not able to behold the glory of his face what a Transmutation will that immediare beholding of God make in us We see the Disciples in a transient sight of this were so transported that they said It is good for us to be here let us build Tabernacles They would never have gone to their former lives again If a drop do thus work what will the Ocean do Vse Of Instruction to Inform us That true happinesse which is Eternal life cannot be had on this side heaven It 's said the desire of happinesse is imbred in all No man can refuse the desire of it Ask every man in the world what he would have he will answer you happinesse Only here is the miserable corruption in us we mistake where it is we seek for it where it cannot be had The voluptuous man would have it in his pleasures The Ambitious man in honour and earthly greatnesse All seek for it in this world But how do you like the blinde Sodomites grope and feel after that which you cannot finde Go home and say I am not yet happy I am rich but not happy I have worldly comforts but this as no more happinesse then a Landfloud is to the Sea yea for all this happinesse thou hadst better never have been born Every worm every toad is happier then thou art Oh then perswade thy self thou art not yet in the haven Thou art in the Wildernesse not yet in Canaan Nulla verior miseria quam falsa laetitia and such joy such comfort such delight is all thou hast who hast not God SERMON XII A Consideration of Eternal Life compared with this present life And with its contrary viz. Eternal Death JOH 17.2 That he should give to them Eternal Life ETernal life in the nature and some properties of it hath been treated on There remains one more which I shall mention viz. that in the Text Eternall Therefore take the best wine at the last That which crowneth all and without which whatsoever happinesse or glory might be had it would in time fall as the leaf from the Tree and this is Eternity And here again we must be more in our acclamations and divine amazements at it then descriptions of it The Schoolmen they tell us that Eternity is like a fixed starre now whose whole is altogether There is no succession no former or latter in Eternity but all is together I shall not perplex you with such intricacies Eternity it self being only a fit space to know what Eternity is This only take notice of That a thing may be said to be eternal in a twofold sence 1. Absolutely and simply so that it hath neither beginning or ending and thus only God is eternal Thus Deut. 33.27 God is called the Eternall God Or else Eternal is used for that which had a beginning but never shall have an end this is called Eternum a posteriori and so this blessed life is called eternal for although it had a beginning yet it shall never have an end but after millions and millions of imaginary years they are to continue in this life as if it were the first moment Let us then consider as much as we are able what an infinite and incomprehensible happiness this is which shall be for ever Then shall we be with the Lord for ever saith Paul 1 Thes 4.17 Who is not put into extasies and raptures while he seriously meditateth on these things Alas in this life if we had the confluence of all desirable comforts yet because our life is short and uncertain our joy also can be no longer But there whatsoever glory thou dost once partake of thou shalt never lose it It will be thy Crown for ever thy Kingdom for ever thy glory is ever lasting glory O the depth and unsearchablenesse of this grace and love of God well might Christ say he would give it and Paul call Eternal Life the gift of God Rom. 6.23 For who can think that these duties which we do here are meritorious of such eternal glory for grant they were perfect and had no drosse in them yet there is no proportion in the
is the first and the second and so still all is passing and what is past we have not and what is to come we do not yet enjoy so that there is nothing but the present advantages that we are properly said to possesse now put eternal life to this and it 's the clean contrary even as Eternity is to time for whereas time is in a continual transient being Eternity is an whole and full possession of all together There is no past present or to come in Eternity but Eternity comprehends all these things together even as the greater wheel comprehends at once all the motions of the lesse wheel within it and certainly this consideration is able to swallow us up Thy comforts do not flow and reflow They do not passe and others come but thou art in a stable permanent way of enjoying all happinesse together Thou canst not be lesse happy at one time then at another Thou canst not expect greater joy then thou hast neither canst thou wish for any joy that is past so great a matter is Eternity In the Last place This Life is full of dissatisfaction even in the vertical Point of all its blessednesse The heart of a man morally as well as naturally is alwaies in motion never lieth still It 's alwaies hydropical the more it drinketh the thirstier it is still Solomon you heard that made it his study and endeavour to have content in this world yet it could not be he may as soon think to make an Oistershell hold the Ocean as that these earthly things can fill the heart What man is there who liveth a meer earthly life that can say he is satisfied he desireth nothing Indeed we reade of Paul Phi. 4. saying I have all things and abound but that is through grace because enjoying of God otherwise the Air can as soon fill the hungry stomack as earthly things the appetite of the soul But compare this eternal life hereto and there is all fulnesse and satisfaction They never desire a change they cannot wish it better with them We see Peter but in a taste of it yet cried out It 's good to be here Let us dwell here he would not have parted with joy The soul in heaven is arrived at its haven it 's come to its journeys end it 's now fallen to its center it cannot go any further It now cryeth out Here is enough Lord here is enough yet this fulnesse breeds not nauseating as they were weary of Manna No it exciteth desire and yet filleth it It provoketh love and yet satiateth it so that this particular likewise proclaimeth the madnesse of all wicked men for why is thy soul like the devil compassing about the earth seeking out for this comfort and then for another Even as children cry for this thing and then quickly weary cry for another and in the mean while doth neglect that which would be instead of all Thus have we handled it comparatively the last way is to consider it oppositely for that is an old Rule contraries put together illustrate one another the more The Sunne is most glorious after the breaking out of a black thick cloud Now the contrary to Eternal life is eternal death so that we may apprehend the good of the one by the evil of the other and indeed man is so slavish and bruitish that fear doth more prevail then love Therefore though we propound all the joys of heaven and invite to this eternal life yet few make that Question as he did to Christ Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life but if we speak of eternal death in all the terrour of it then fear may for a while at least awaken them Let us then consider wherein the contrary to this eternal life consisteth And 1. That is in the deprivation of God and an utter departure from him and this privative part of eternal death is the great aggravation of it At the day of judgement that dreadful doom runneth thus Depart from me Mat. 25. 41. That is worse then the eternal fire they are cast into you have heard that God was the fountain of all good every creatures goodnesse is but a stream from that Fountain At thy right hand said David Psa 16.11 are rivers of pleasure for evermore So that this eternal death takes thee from the light of his countenance Thou art never to be admitted in his presence and when God departs all comfort all hope departs with him Oh that wicked men would lay this to heart you that now bid God depart from you you will have none of his knowledge none of his commands God will requite you in your own kinde he will then command you to depart from him Were it not that Athiesm and unbelief did reign in your hearts this truth would make your ears to tingle and your heart to tremble while you hear it Was it not death to Absalom to be kept from his Fathers presence Why do ye not kill me saith he to Joab rather then let it be alwaies thus yet he was but an earthly Father he could not give peace and joy to the consciences of men but this heavenly Father is a Father of spirits whom he bids Depart from him all terrour and horrour immediatly seizeth on that man There is no quietnesse in his bones Michah had lost but an Idol-God Judg. 18. and he wringeth his hand and crieth out bitterly Oh but what roarings and yellings when we shall have lost the true God and his favour for ever 2. This eternal death brings all the positive evil that can be feared or imagined upon a man For as here we told you was not one kinde of comfort but an aggression of all therefore the Scripture delights to represent it under severall desirable good things so neither is hell one kinde of misery one kinde of torment but the Scripture represents it under every thing that is terrible Because death is so much feared therefore it 's called death because fire and brimstone are so terrible in burning it 's called that Because a dark dungeon and prison with chains in the darknesse are so miserable It 's resembled to that because men in extremity of pain and misery do use to weep and wail and gnash their teeth therefore is hell set out by all these dreadful things so that as the glorified in heaven have every thing they can desire there is no good they want Thus the damned in hell have every thing they fear There is no torment or pain imaginable but they partake of it and this they are filled with having not the least ease or respite Dives desired but a drop of water to cool only the top of his tongue and he could not obtain so much Oh that men who give themselves up to the pleasures of sin would remember these torments These howlings to all Eternity What are we preaching follies and fictions to you If you beleeve the
Scripture you must beleeve those things to be the portion of every unreformed sinner O what a vast difference will there be between thy pleasures here and eternal torments hereafter and not to have a drop of ease in all thy misery 3. This eternal death as it hath fulnesse of torment so likewise Eternity For heaven and hell have no period There is no time set when the fire of hell shall go out called therefore unquenchable fire So that these two properties easelesse and endlesse might startle and amaze every ungodly man Why wilt thou buy these eternal torments at so dear a rate for a moments pleasure to have everlasting woe So that here are two Eternities before thee an Eternity of happinesse an Eternity of misery Sinne saith and the devil saith taste of the honey of sinne God saith There is eternal gall for this Now which wilt thou beleeve either sinne tempting or God threatning Was not Eve at first undone because she would hearken to the devil against God What fruit or profit had Judas for thirty peeces procuring to himself eternal horrour and trembling Thus you have seen eternal life in the contrary to it We have been upon the Mount of Blessing and upon the Mount of Cursing If good things will not allure let dreadfull things astonish and terrifie Only you must know the grand difference between eternal life and eternal death in the manner of coming to it So you see in the Text it 's given by Christ and it 's called the gift of God but eternal death comes by desert It 's the wages of sinne Rom. 6. ult Our sinnes deserve hell but our graces do not heaven and whereas it might be thought an unjust thing in God for a transient sinne to inflict eternal torments yet that is no wonder For 1. We see amongst men that Malefactors for a crime committed by them which was acted in a very short time do yet suffer death which as to this world is their eternal destruction they can never come back to live here again 2. All sinne being committed against God who is of infinite glory hath thereby an infinite guilt and so deserveth eternal damnation Hence it is that Dâ—vines say Omne peccator punitur citra condignum Even hell it self is not a punishment adequate to the nature of sinne for Gods honour is more worth then ever our sufferings can make up again And lastly There is no injustice because all those torments can never make any satisfaction For hence it is that thy misery is eternal because thou canst not pay the utmost farthing Thou art never able to discharge the debt therefore thou must for ever lie in prison Thus there is justice in every mans damnation and there is only mercy in every mans salvation For 1. Those graces and good works thou dost have no proportion to this Eternal and glorious reward The Apostle did not account his suffering which seem to be the most efficacious for salvation any whit comparable to that eternal weight of glory If a man should have the whole world given him for lifting up a straw that is not so great a disproportion as to give heaven for Martyrdom the highest act of love to God And 2. It 's only of grace because he who giveth the Crown giveth us legs and strength to runne in the race Coronat dona sua non merita nostra so that we are so farre from meriting by good works that the more we do the more we are beholding to the grace of God Vse Of Invitation Who is there of you that hath heard of the nature and properties of this eternall life that is not brought in love with it Who is there that hath heard of this pearl that will not sell all throw away every sinne to enjoy it If there were nothing but this it might work on thee Hast thou any lust that will be equivalent to eternall life that will be in stead of that to theâ— What wilt thou do when a mortall disease hath surprized thee thy friends weeping thy children crying and thou dying Will these lusts then help call to them and see if they can give thee eternall life What wilt thou be worse then Balaam he wished Oh that I might dye the death of the righteous and his later end might be like his And shall there be not so much as a desire as a sigh though if there be no more if thy life be not the righteous mans life thy death cannot be his SERMON XIII Weighty Considerations upon Eternity JOH 17.2 That to as many as thou hast given him he should give Eternall Life ETernall Life is the glorious gift mentioned in the Text and though I was concluding this verse yet the consideration of this glorious matter shall make me once more endeavour throughly to possess your hearts therewith It was the fault of one of the Kings of Israel that he did not strike arrows often enough to the ground 2 King 13.19 for then he should have obtained more victories It shall therefore be my endeavour if possible that the arrows of this truth may be stricken often even through and through your hearts And that I may further quicken you hereunto consider these particulars as so many effectuall conclusions upon this subject And first The chief and most principall and necessary question which every one should seriously propound ought to be that Luk. 18.18 What shall I do to inherit eternall life Not indeed upon such a corrupt opinion as he did who thought by his own works meerly to obtain this eternall life No that cannot be it 's the gift of God and when we have done all this eternall life is of grace not merit but in a right sense viz. what way ought we to walk in what is to be done that at last we may not eternally perish This I say is a most noble and necessary question if this were more studied and practised it would advantage the soul ten thousand times more then other unnecessary and impertinent disputations The best method in morall Philosophy is to begin first with the end because that is the chiefest there must be first a knowledge and desire of that Now all Divinity agreeth with morall Philosophy in this it 's wholly practicall The first thing then in your thoughts and meditations should be What is that end for which I was made how may I obtain that eternall life for which I came into this world Oh why are we busie in unnecessary things for what end and purpose were you made Was it to heap up wealth To satisfie the lusts and pleasures of the flesh No it was at last to injoy this eternall life The Heathen did well call man the orizon of time and eternity for in respect of his body he partaketh of time in respect of his soul eternity So then the chief and more excellent part of thee that which makes thee differ from a beast it is that
plain by that of our Saviour If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them John 13.17 Therefore meer knowledge without doing is not happinesse And this we see the very Heathens could pitch upon that happinesse did not consist in a speculative knowledge but in virtuous actions Yea Aristotle observed that a prophane dissolute life did not corrupt speculative sciences as Geometry and the Mathematicks but it would immediately morall habits So then Knowledge with affections and good effects is that which leadeth to eternall life Hence wicked men are many times said not to know God because though they have never so much speculative understanding yet because by their lives and ungodly waies they dishonour him therefore they are said not to know him Now the concomitants or effects rather of this knowledge are of two sorts either internall in the heart or externall in our actions We will enumerate the first and then the later Saving knowledge hath this internall effect 1. That it makes a man have a firm and divine immoveable assent to Scripture-truths For if we should have all the knowledge of men and Angels yet believe nothing what advantage could it be to us There may be knowledge meerly apprehensive as those heathenish Writers Julian Porphyrius and others who argued and disputed against the Christian Religion in this they knew what it was else they could not have disputed against it but they did not believe it to be true The Pharisees that so much opposed Christ they knew the sense and meaning of this doctrine but did not believe it so that if knowledge be not accompanied with faith though we had the highest degree of it yet it would profit nothing Therefore Christians are not called knowing men so much as Believers that is their frequent title because the firm assent they give to Gods truth is that which is most available to salvation Enquire then after thy faith men of great knowledge are many times great Atheists or Scepticks they can say as much for one way of Religion as for another and hereupon are alwaies wavering and doubting but have no determinate fixing of the heart upon God yea Aquinas observeth that a knowing man hath more temptations against his faith then one more simple It 's well then when with thy knowledge thy faith is also firm and stedfast 2. Then is thy knowledge saving when the main and noble act of the will doth presently follow which is to choose and take God for our chiefest good and to imbrace the goodnesse of all those things we know for the devils they have knowledge enough called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of their exceeding great knowledge yet they are most maliciously opposite to God because by their wils they do not choose and imbrace that which is good The two main pillars of the soul or the chief faculties thereof are the understanding and the will The object of the understanding is truth of the will is good Now the understanding is to be like a torch or starre to guide the will and whatsoever the minde discovers to be true and good that the will is readily to receive so that then our knowledge doth attain it's proper perfection when it prevaileth upon the will and moveth that the understanding is the counsellour the will is the Queen if that then be moved to choose the good discovered then hath the understanding obtained its end See then how it is with thee thou knowest God and Christ but how as the chiefest good as to be chosen above any worldly excellency and therefore thy will cleaveth fully to them this is rightly to know While something is done upon the will till that be bowed and changed the strongest hold stands out against God Oh then pray and again pray that thy knowledge may so farre prevail on thy will that it shall renounce all other things to adhere to God only 3. This knowledge of God must draw out those eminent affections of love joy delight and fear of God You see God in the Scripture is made the proper object of all these affections as if we had them for nothing but God our love that God will have all Thou shalt love him with all the heart and so for our fear that is often required Sanctifie the Lord God and let him be thy dread and we are often commanded to rejoyce in the Lord So then seeing God is the proper object of these affections and we may not place them any where but on him and things relating thereunto it behoveth us to see whether our knowledge do thus kindle and inflame us after God or no. Certainly it 's the greatest reason that our knowledge should have such Divine operations for if we know God as he is revealed in his word he is there discovered to be so great so glorious full of all goodnesse that we cannot but give him the superiority in all things 4. Another inward effect must be a melting sorrowfull and grieved heart that we have provoked God by our sinnes For who can but grieve and lament his folly when he knoweth how great and terrible a God he hath provoked Thus Manasseh after his great troubles and afflictions laid upon him when he had prayed mourned and humbled himself it 's said Then Manasseh knew that God was the Lord Then he knew not before 2 Chron. 33.13 A man then truly comes to know God when through the apprehension of his Majesty and glorious power he abhorreth himself is afflicted because of his rebellions As you see when Job had a further discovery of Gods greatnesse how greatly he debased himself 5. A genuine and proper effect of the knowledge of God and Christ is trust and dependance upon them This is so great a matter that it 's called the just mans life The just shall live by faith Heb. 2.4 Now this grace of trust or dependance is branched into two parts First A trust on God for his protection care and providence over us This is the trust David doth so often speak of in his Psalms and the Prophet makes him accursed that makes not God his trust Jer. 17. The rich man trusts in his riches the idolater in his Idols the great man in his power but all these set up another God besides the true God They that truly know God viz. that he is the Lord of hoasts that he is the principall efficient and all creatures are but instruments depending on him both quoad esse and operari will quickly see it a sacrilegious and idololatricall sinne to trust in any but the true God Psal 9.10 They that know thy Name will trust in thee All our unbelief diffidence and distrust all distracting cares about these things below argue our want of knowledge of God Therefore Mat. 5. when our Saviour forbids these dividing cares he saith All these do the Gentiles seek after they that know not Gods power and his goodnesse they are solicitous sinfully about
Ghost is also requisite to Eternal Life appeareth in that we are baptized into his Name so that it 's a principle and Foundation to be instructed about the holy Ghost as well as the Father and the Sonne We reade that the Apostle doth in most of his Salutations pray for grace and peace from God the Father and the Lod Jesus Christ yet none may from thence gather the Spirit is excluded for 2 Cor. 1.13 14. There is the communion of the Spirit added to the love of God and the grace of Jesus Christ 3. You may demand If the Knowledge of those things be enough to eternall Life what then needs the Ministry or Preaching to a man that knoweth these If a man have these is he not above Ordinances and the Ministry This indeed some have arrogantly thought But 1. There is no man knoweth as much about God and Christ as may be known The Apostle that was lifted up to the third heavens yet he saith We know but in part 1 Cor. 13. If Paul then knew but in part what must others do We see the Angels themselves desire to have the Mystery of Christ made more known to them Eph. 3. so that it 's a foolish conceit to think thou knowest enough already for though our knowledge shall be perfected in heaven yet even there we cannot know God as much as he is known for the infinite object cannot be comprehended by a finite faculty 2. Suppose thou couldst not grow in knowledge which yet is impossible yet the Ministry is necessary for thy heart and affections The devils know more then any man but there will is obdurate and hardened in wickednesse So thou maist have great knowledge and understanding yet thy heart may need much quickening much mollifying and for this end the Ministry is appointed 3 If thou didst not finde a need of them either for understanding or heart which yet is more impossible then the former yet God having appointed such a way thou art only for obedience sake and to testifie thy submission to God to do it Christ needed not to be baptized for he wanted not the grace signified viz. remission of sinnes Yet to shew his obedience he did it Adam though created in a state of integrity yet had a command of triall to manifest his obedience and so though never so perfect yet thou canst not be exempted from obedience to Gods commands Vse of Instruction to the full self-righteous man that is not burthened and loaded with the sence of his sinnes whatsoever knowledge thou maist have yet thou canst not know any thing in a saving manner about Christ Till thou be affected with thy misery and the remedy thou art not yet a knowing man in Christs School or to those who labour and are greatly affected with their sinne They know sin They know the Law They know the terrors of an angry God but they know not Christ Consider how Paal was affected herein he knew nothing but Christ crucified 2 Cor. 2.2 All things were accounted dung and drosse for the excellency of this knowledge Phil. 3.8 Consider Eternal life is as well in knowing of Christ as in knowing of sin or what duties God requireth of thee SERMON XIX Sheweth how a Godly Life though it merit no good is a Ground of Comfort at the hour of Death JOH 17.4 I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do IN this Verse our Saviour addeth a new argument for that Petition mention mentioned v. 1. Glorifie me Why because I have glorified thee on earth I have finished my work Now his work is done he expects his reward These words our Saviour doth not speak out of ostentation and boasting but to shew the order God appointed that by his sufferings when perfected he should enter into glory In the words we have Christs profession of the end he intended in all things I have glorified thee on earth 2. The manner how or the means by which I have finished the work thou gavest me to do I have glorified thee though Christ as God had all divine glory due to him yet as Mediatour in the state of humiliation so he was inferiour to the Father and in this sence he did glorifie him To glorifie is either when really that glory is exhibited which was not before and so God glorifieth us or else when we celebrate acknowledge and declare that glory which is already possessed and thus we glorifie God For when we glorifie God we adde nothing to him we do not make him more glorious then he is indeed We cannot advantage him but our selves by serving of him as a man by seeing doth not profit the Sun but himself nor the thirsty Traveller by drinking refresh the Fountain but himself Christ then being by the state of humiliation made lower then God yea lower then Angels had this purity of intention in all that he did and all that he suffered to glorifie God Q. If you say Was not the redemption and salvation of these the Father gave him his end how then is the glory of God his end A. The Answer is the ultimate and chief end is Gods glory The proxime and immediate was the salvation of man and therefore in respect of the chief end this is the manner or the means of glorifying of God and this is intended when he saith He had finished his work 2. Consider the restriction or limitation of this glorifying of God from the place where I have glorified thee on earth That is mentioned because here only on the earth was he to be in a state of debasement here only he was to work in heaven he was to receive his glory The Schoolmen use to call a man while he was in this life the way to heaven viator and when he is possessed of glory they call him comprehensor Now they say That Christ was both viator and comprehensor together but if they mean that in this life he possessed all that glory which he should have in heaven that is false for we see him here praying for it and other places God promiseth it as a reward of his obedience and sufferings Indeed the humane nature of Christ was alwaies united personally to the godhead but there was a suspension of that glorious influance and happinesse while on the earth 3. Consider the time when Christ makes this profession at the end of his daies when he is to go out of this world This was the ground of his confidence in his Petition Now although we are not able in the same degree and perfection to say as he did yet for the main we ought to be like him in this when Death comes when our daies are to be finished to be able to say Lord we have glorified thee we have finished the work thou gavest us to do and of this particular I shall treat Obs That it is a blessed and most happy thing to be able at the time of
degrees and subjective perfection also yet Cursed is he that doth not continue therein Gal. 3.10 as you see Adam did not but Christ from the beginning to the end of his daies held it out yea his love did most appear at the later end for then was the greatest and hardest parts of his work to undergo but though in all that reproach contempt and scorn yet he was not weary he did not give over his work he did not fail or faint in the later end Thus Christ was our David fighting against Goliah and in his conquest we did overcome Lastly He so finished it that he hath left nothing to be done either by Angels or men in that way and kinde as he did Therefore all these doctrines that maintain free-will that hold the mediation and intercession of Saints in heaven that maintain merits and satisfactions all these blaspheam the sufficiency of Christ and say Christ hath not finished his work for either Christ was a totall and perfect Mediator or else a partiall if a totall and perfect then there needeth no more one Sun is sufficient all things added are superfluous if a partiall Mediatour then he did not finish his work then he did it by halves and so Angels and Men are to share with him in his glory It 's true they have many distinctions to mince the matter but these fig-leaves cannot cover Adams nakednesse and it 's made the sinful property of man fallen to seek out many inventions God made man upright but they have sought â—ut many inventions Eccl. 7.29 They have many colours and pretences many distinctions and excuses to cover their sins with But you will say If Christ hath done all and we are to doe nothing then what need we be diligent and zealous in the waies of godlinesse Sin or not sin it will be all one Christ hath done all therefore we may eat and drink and rise up to all excesse of riot No that is a Non sequitur For our duties are not required to that end which Christs was but yet they are necessarily commanded for other ends Though Christ did work and finish his work yet thou must work and endeavour to finish thy work too But how It 's good to understand this for here Popery and the true Religion part here they oppose one another We pleade the necessity the presence the command of good and holy works as well as they only we differ in the end They presse them for such an end as Christ did his work for us for merit for justification for our salvation This we say is to derogate from Christ This is to make Christ of no effect whosoever repents beleeveth doth any holy duty for this end is guilty of spiritual Idolatry he maketh another Christ to himself besides the true Christ but then there are other ends for which we do these duties partly because God hath commanded them as the way to walk in if ever we will be saved so that though our holy life deserve not heaven yet our wicked and ungodly life deserveth hell and then partly to glorifie God and to testifie our thankfulnesse and love to him yea there is an inseparable connexion between a man interested in Christ and a holy life as there is in the fire with heat and light In the next place Consider the properties of this work Christ â—â—â—nished And 1. It was a work of infinite value and worth whatsoever Christ did it had a transcendent excellency because he was God as well as man so that we are not to consider those works he did as of a meer man though never so holy but as one of a divine nature 2. They were Mediatory works all that he did and suffered tended to a propitiation and reconciliation with God so that as the nature of them was infinite so the end of them was precious and admirable what should man have done if Christ had not done thus 3. It was not only his work but our work Alas Christ was not obliged to these duties for his own sake but it was for our sake so that the godly with great affection may consider of these works of Christ for they concern thee They are our works both impetrativè they merit for us they procure good for us and imputativè we are made the righteousnesse of God as our sins were accounted his 4. The necessity of this working and working so perfectly and that doth appear from the justice of God and purity of the Law and partly from our impotency from the justice of God for that being infinite nothing could satisfie him but what was of infinite worth It would have been injustice in God to have given us heaven otherwise and then partly from the holinesse of the Law that admits of no works but perfect pure and holy Therefore to say God accepts of imperfect holinesse and accounts that as compleat which is not so is to attribute false judgement unto God and lastly our own impotency proclaimeth the necessity of Christs perfection for take us as we are in our selves so we are nothing but sin and a curse In stead of working Gods work we do the devils and take us as regenerated then though we be partakers of Gods grace yet the remnant of corruption within us doth staine and infect all that we do Lastly Here is the glorious visibility of Christs perfect working in his resurrection ascension and now sitting at the right hand of God in glory which could not have been had not Christ perfected his work for what is the reason the devils and damned in hell are detained to Eternity in those prisons of darknesse Is it not because of their insufficiency to perfect their sufferings to make them adequate to Gods justice to bring as great glory to God as ever sin did evil or dishonour In that therefore Christ hath overcome the grave and the bonds of death we have an infallible evidence of his perfect working Vse of Instruction how dangerous all those doctrines are which proclaim free-will merit under any notion whatsoever As they give that to man which belongs not to him so they take that from Christ which is due yet this is a most natural sin in all either in whole or in part to take off from Christ not to be beholding to him only God hath commanded us to come out of our sins by repentance and our own works by faith and the Apostle doth not only exclude sins but even working also from Abrahams Justification Rom. 4. There is a danger of being a Pharisee when thou ceasest being a Publican Vse 2. of great Consolation to the broken-hearted sinner This is the glad tidings of the Gospel to those who sit under the sentence of eternal death Christs works will abundantly answer all the temptations about thy own works Two things lie like two Mountains upon the godly The weakness of their graces and the strength of their corruptions If
we are said to be in the Olive Tree viz. Christ and to receive of the fatnesse thereof by Faith Rom. 11. Thus all Beleevers they are branches in Christ the Vine Joh. 15. So that you see there is great reason why Faith in Christ as a Mediatour should be preserved because that enableth to all lively and active Obedience Heb. 11. You see it was Faith that put all those Worthies upon such notable Obedience And when Christ praied for Peter he praied that his Faith might not fail him Luk. 22.32 why not his courage and boldnesse but because Faith is the root of all So that in Christianity we by Faith in Christ come to be holy and then beleeve in Christ Per fidem venitur ad opera non per opera ad fidem Insomuch that it 's a grosse mistake in the people of God when they think to attain to such a degree of Repentance and mortification and then they would beleeve in Christ whereas by Faith in Christ and coming to him they would have strength to such duties Thou dost as if the branch separated from the Vine should think thereby to grow and flourish 5. Faith in Christ is so well pleasing to Christ because that only will put us upon such a life and conversation as is acceptable to him which is joy and thankefulnesse It 's very pleasing to God that those who are his would walk chearfully and thankfully that all the world may see it 's better to serve the Lord then sinne Hence you see the Psalmist so often calling upon the Righteous to rejoyce and be glad yea to shout for joy and in the New Testament Rejoyce and again I say rejoyce Hence it 's called Joy unspeakable and full of glory And for thankfulnesse we should have our hearts and mouths filled with praises Praise is comely for the upright Psa 33.1 It is very fit that he who is full of Gods love and his mercies should also be full of Thanks-giving In all things give thanks 1 Thes 5.18 So that you see joy and thankfulnesse should be the constant life of a Christian he cannot honour Christ or the Gospel more but how can these be unlesse there be faith in Christ Being justified by Faith we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 where there is no peace there is no joy no thankfulnesse and indeed all those bitrer briars and thorns which the godly have arise from that bitter root of unbelief Why is it that they go bowed down and none seem farther from comfort and thankfulnesse then they do but because they exercise not this faith in Christ It 's more pleasing to God to be filled with heavenly joy then tormenting doubts and this joy is the daughter of faith If then all these things be duely considered by the godly Convert he may be awakened and wonder how he indulged himself in such doubting fearing and unbeleeving thoughts he may cry out what glory have I rob'd Christ and the Gospel of What heretiques and Papists with their corrupt doctrines have done against Christ the same did my perplexing inflaming fears do I lived not as if I had received the Spirit of Adoption but of bondage and fear Thou wilt then finde the dark Cloud with Lightning and Thunder to passe away and the clear Sunshine to appear Thou that wast like the Disciples afraid of Christ as if he had been some formidable Spirit wilt then know what Christ is and how ready and willing to receive afflicted sinners Thou wilt then stand and wonder how could I be so injurious by my low and narrow thoughts of Christ Was it for a light matter that Christ should leave all his heavenly glory and come to endure all that reproach and misery for our sakes But we proceed to some Uses And Vse 1 First Is Faith in Christ as a Mediatour so acceptable to God even above all Obedience so that as he said in some sence he would have Obedience rather then Sacrifice so may we say in some respects He will have Faith rather then Obedience Then let it instruct us in the hainous and dangerous nature of that close secret and unperceivable sinne of trusting in our own Righteousnesse Let there be no secret depending upon thy good heart thy good life thy good duties for if contraries are known by contraries then as faith renouncing all we are and have to be found in Christ is of so great acceptance Then to rely upon any thing we do to have inward restings upon our own actions is a sinne highly offending God We can hardly commit a sinne worse The Publican in some respects is better then the Pharisee as those Diseases which are quickly discerned are more curable then those that are not discovered Ille morbus vix est sanabilis qui sanitatem imitatur Our Saviour found this untoward disposition in the Pharisees as that which was plainly their mortal disease had not this besotted and benummed them they had sooner set open the gates of their soul for the Prince of Glory to come The Apostle makes this desire and endeavour to set up their own Righteousnesse to be that which wholly undid them and our Saviour himself looks upon this as the root of all bitternesse and therefore laid the Axe to it when he told them They were such as justified themselves but what was highly esteemed amongst men was abomination before God Luk 18. So that not only prophane and grosse sins but the civil Pharisaical man who stands on his own bottome and feeleth not the absolute necessity of faith in Christ is in a perishing condition And because this undoeth thousands as well as grosse wickednesse Let us see whether we can pierce the Scales of this Leviathan whether we may remove this Mountain and throw it into the Sea of Repentance and humiliation The greatnesse therefore of this sinne is seen in the unperceivablenesse of it A man may with 〈◊〉 whole might trust in himself and yet think the clean contrary Paul said 〈…〉 alive once he was at hearts ease Rom 7. judged himself in a secure safe condition because of his spiritual estate but when his eyes were opened and he awakened by grace those things that were once a gain and a priviledge he accounted dung and drosse But Paul while in that Pharisaical Righteousnesse was as senceless of any such spiritual confidence in himself as any dead man of the greatest burden upon him Oh then what hopes have we to make such men see the black dungeon they are in and the cursed opposition they stand in to Christ For the principium is loesum Christ came not to call the Righteous but sinners to Repentance Mat. 9.13 The Righteous are such as the Pharisees who trusted in themselves thought all well with them Now such can never hunger and thirst after Christ They are full of themselves as they say in Philosophy the sensible Object put upon the sence hinders all sensation as in the eye or ear Thus it is
it self and the effectuall application of it For all do acknowledge that Christs death in it self is of value enough to redeem thousands of worlds if there were so many It cannot be otherwise because it 's the obedience to death of that person who is God as well as man and by reason of his Deity there is such a merit and satisfaction upon his death that all the sins of men and devils are not able to counterpoise it Therefore it 's great Unbelief to be cast down as if the greatnesse of thy sins exceeded the greatnesse of Christs Sufferings As the Heavens exceed the earth in magnitude so do Christs merits our transgressions but then if we speak of the Intention and purpose of Christ in laying down his life that is onely for his Sheep Joh. 10. I lay down my life for my Sheep And if that be true which Truth it self speaks Greater love then this can no man shew then to lay down his life for another Our Saviour if he had died for others besides the Elect had vouchsafed the greatest love that could be to them and certainly to become a Surety for another to die in anothers stead must needs be an high expression The Scripture useth two words when it speaks of Christs death for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now although they may be used promiscuously yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a great deal more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vice alterius in stead of another So that what generally he was to undergo the Surety did it in his room but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for the good of another though not in his stead as Paul said he suffered his afflictions for the bodies sake or the Churches sake Col. 1.24 that was not in their stead but for procuring of some good It cannot be denied but that all mankinde even reprobates themselves do obtain a world of Mercies through Christs Death yet to say that Christ died for them viz. in their stead to suffer all that anger of God which was due to them is to say the highest mercy that can be If we say that such are justified such are glorified it 's not so much as to say Christ died for them as Rom. 8. Christs death is made the foundation of all other mercies and the Apostle argueth from the greater to the lesse If he hath given us Christ how shall he not with him give us all things else Therefore to say Christ died for all is in effect to say Christ will actually save and glorifie all We may as well say Universal Salvation as Universal Redemption For Christs death is by the Scripture made the highest and greatest expression of love as also the cause of all other priviledges 4. The special and particular love of Christ in his death and Intercession to some rather then others is no ground of despair Nor no just cause for any troubled conscience to be perplexed about his estate but if a man will act according to reason it 's more hopeful then for a man to be left to such an universal uncertain benefit of Christs death which yet they confesse none may be actually saved for all that for this is acknowledged by some that hold universal grace and redemption That Christ by his death did obtain a sufficiency of Salvation for all but through mans corruptions it may fall out that they refuse this fruit of Christs death and so have no actuall application of it at all Now then Is it not more desirable to have such a special love whereby to be sure some will be saved then such a general one by which no man may receive salvation at all But especially this is no ground of despair for we can give as large encouragements and comforts to any humbled sinner as the adversaries can For these Universalists do not so hold Christ died for all that whether all repented or not beleeved or not that still they should be saved No they hold these conditions necessary unlesse men repent and believe they cannot have any benefit by Christs death Now so all the Orthodox say If thou art a Believer If thou repentest question not but that Christs death extends to thee It 's for such as hunger and thirst and therefore whatsoever soul lieth under any burthen of sinne and doth desire the grace of God through Christ let him not stagger but confidently goe unto him Therefore we can administer comfort to all those that are in a Gospel-manner qualified and the Vniversalists can do no more So that here is no dreadfulnesse nor terrour in this Point but rather much comfort and encouragement to all those who finde sinne a burthen and as for others that love and delight in their sinnes that doctrine cannot be of God which would speak any comfort or peace to them 5. In this Point of Religion as in all others we must not go according to our carnal affections and desires but the direction and revelation that is in the Scripture For the way of Salvation being wholly depending upon Gods Will None are able to judge of it but so farre as he discovers his will therein Therefore the Gospel is said to be Light come into the world The world had not this Light of it self We cannot say of the things of the Gospel as the Apostle doth of the things of the Law that they do them by nature and know them by nature No it 's necessary these things should be revealed from heaven therefore when thou goest to study this Point do as in all other Mysteries lay aside thy own thoughts thy own imaginations become an abrasa tabula have none of thy philosophical or natural principles within thee This dust or humour in the Eye will hinder thee from beholding perfectly this Object It 's true it 's a very specious and taking doctrine that Christ died for all that grace is universal but if a man would therefore embrace it because it 's so pleasing to flesh and bloud then there is that of Origens which goeth further and is much more pleasing That all even devils and all shall be actually saved Therefore to hold universal grace or redemption is nothing so pleasing as to hold universal Salvation Alas though men hold Christ died for all yet they grant the most of them are damned Therefore that doctrine is nothing so desirable as that which maintains the salvation of all If then you say that is too broad a way the Scripture gainsays that Thus it followeth also If the Scripture gainsay the other we are to attend to what that saith and not to what our own hearts would have Therefore throw away the head of the Sacrifice as God commanded all thy own thoughts and natural Imaginations in this matter 6. It cannot be denied but that the Scripture when it mentioneth the Subject for whom Christ died speaks indefinitely of all As all died
by Adam so all shall be made alive Behold the Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world 1 Joh. 2. He is a propitiation not for our sinnes only but the sinnes of the whole world Thus in many other places the Scripture doth expresly affirm such an universality Therefore the Question is Whether this must be understood so generally as that it shall reach to all and every singular Man and Nation and that in all Ages or only indefinitely he died for all sorts So that now no Nation is excluded nor particular person as it was among the Jews and certainly unlesse we will make Scripture both ro contradict it self and experience We must take all those phrases indefinitely and not universally 1. Because we see the Scripture expresly limiting Gods love and Christs death to some only So that those places could never be reconciled without this distinction as Joh. 10. I lay down my life for my Sheep Rom. 8. Upon Christs death we are justified and saved and above all in this Chapter we see Christ often and often again restraining all his praier and Mediation to those that the Father had given him If he would not pour out a praier will he pour out his bloud If he would not shed a tear will he shed his bloud for them So that if we will keep up other places with this we must needs say That Christ died for all indefinitely not universally Even as when we have to do with the Anthropomorphites Those that held God is a body We grant that there are innumerable places of Scripture which speak of Gods eyes arms and his hands yet we say that Scripture may not oppose Scripture There are other places though few which describe him to be a Spirit therefore we are necessitated to say the Scripture speaks so to our condescension thus it is here Though many places of Scripture speak of Christs death in such an universal sence yet other places do plainly limit is to certain persons who are Elected and given by the Father to Christ 2. We must needs interpret it so because those places which are brought for this Universality speak of the actual benefit and fruit of his Death Now it is granted by all that none do actually partake of Christs benefits but the godly as 1 Joh. 2.2 He is a propitiation not for our sins only but the whole world He is a propitiation in an actual sence and he is so a propitiation for the sins of the whole world as the Apostle saith He is for ours viz. actual believers Now then if the whole world should extend to all makinde it would follow that all are actually pardoned and saved so 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all died even so in Christ all shall be made alive By being made alive is plainly meant a Resurrection to glory as the next Verse sheweth Christ the first-fruits Then they that are Christs So that if all be taken universally it would follow all and every man should be raised to glory So in that famous place The Lamb that taketh away the sinne of the world that taketh it away in an actual sence and therefore to say Christ died for all and there is universal Redemption and yet to say all are not saved is to speak not only false doctrine but meer contradiction Indeed to say universal Redimibility by Christs death may have some colour but universal Redemption and yet not all actually redeemed Universal Propitiation and yet not all have their sinnes pardoned is to say the Physician cured such a man but yet he did not cure him or a Magistrate delivered such an one out of prison yet the man was not delivered Lastly We are necessitated to limit such phrases because of experience For if Christ died for all men intentionally how is it that in the Old Testament excepting some few Proselites the offer of grace was onely to some few and though since Christs time the Gospel be said to be preached to every creature yet how many Nations and much more particular persons have there been to whom Christ with his benefits have never been offered Now who can say that Christ died for those to whom he never discovered so much as the very Name of his death It 's true this should make us adore the goodnesse of God that gives us to live where this Gospel-grace is plentifully offered What are we more then all those Heathens and Pagans who sit in darknesse and have no light who never heard of a Mediatour but oh wretched and miserable if we neglect so great salvation SERMON XLIV Reasons why the Scripture speaks thus Vniversally about Christs Death when yet but some were intended Also what Benefits Reprobates have by Christ With some arguments Further proving the Point of Christs dying not for every man but some JOH 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world WE are explaining this Doctrine that Christs Mediatory Praier and so his death is not for all and every one of mankinde Many introductory particulars have been commended to you The last whereof was That though the word useth universal expressions about Christs Death as all men and the world yet we are necessitated both from Scripture reason and experience not to take them in a large universality but restrained and indefinite specialis quaedam universalitas est there is a special Universality as Austin said We shall go on to further considerations And 1. There may be very good reason given why the Scripture speaketh thus universally about Christs death Not that we should deduce an error from thence contrary to other Scriptures which restrain it to those the Father hath given him Joh. 6. and Joh. 17. But 1. It may be to shew that this great benefit purchased by Christ was designed for man and not Apostate Angels For Isa 9. It is said To us a Son is born to us a childe is given not to Angels and the Apostle doth amplifie this love of God Heb. 2.17 h at Christ took not on him the nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham Hence it 's that the Scripture speaks of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seeing that God so loved the nature of mankinde that he gave his Son for those that should beleeve in him passing by innumerable Angels who might have done him more service It might well be said that Christ gave himself for the sins of the world viz. men the Inhabitants thereof 2. This might be in opposition to the Jews For a long time the means of salvation were only amongst them as Joh. 4. Salvation is of the Jews Therefore we see Peter would not so much as preach the Gospel to the Gentiles till from Heaven he was admonished that he should call no person unclean Act. 9. Seeing therefore that formerly to the Jews only were the Oracles of God committed Now that by Christs coming the partition wall is broken down and God doth not
hast an Interest in Christs Death thou art not only dead to sinne but to the world God forbid that I should glory saith Paul but in the Crosse of Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I to the world Gal. 6.14 Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth for ye are dead Col. 3.2 3. Therefore not onely grosse prophanesse doth exclude from a propriety in Christs Death but an immoderate frame of heart to these lawful things below Indeed if thy overflowing affections to these things be a burthen to thee and matter of daily conflict then it 's plain these immoderate affections are not in a quiet pacifical dominion over thee and so they are the evil thou wouldst not do And then these can never hurt non sensus but consensus nocet But if they do withall delight so possesse thy heart that they quite dead thee to God and heaven Thou sindest no rellish in heavenly things comparatively to the earthly Thou canst say contrary to David when thy Wine and Oyle encreaseth thou hast more joy then those that trust in God Psal 4. Then art thou to fear Christs Death and his Praier doth not as yet belong to thee Hence it is that the efficacy of Christs death is much discovered in the godly by this twofold Death it works on them a death to sinne and a death to the world Even his Resurrection manifests it self in quickning of us to all holinesse and seeking of those things that are above Let us then see by the effects that Christs Death belongs to thee 3. They that have an Interest in Christs Death they make that an example of all patience and humble Resignation 1 Pet. 2.21 24. Christs Death is not onely efficacious and meritorious but exemplary also So that if the Lord afflict us it is no more then what hath been done to his only Sonne already Though he were a Sonne yet he learned Obedience saith the Scripture by those sufferings Heb. 5 6. Now then behold Christ in all his sufferings when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered threatned not What threatnings might not Christ have denounced against the Jews because they killed him who was the Prince of glory and so dear to his Father but he is like a Lamb that opens not his mouth before the shearer or the killer Oh then how should this shame us for our unruly passions for our impatient workings and commotions of soul Oh silence thy Soul saying Did Christ bear his afflictions no otherwise Did Christ refuse the bitter cup that was given him to drink Did he not say Not my will but thy will be done 4. He that hath advantage by Christs Death looks upon the bitternesse and uglinesse of sinne as being so foul that nothing but the bloud of Christ could wash it away The very thoughts of Christs Death presently makes him say Oh the cursed and foul nature of all sinne Neither men nor Angels could take away the spot of it but only Christs Death Wicked men therefore they are said to trample under feet the bloud of Christ Heb. 10. Because they have not those right precious thoughts about it as they ought to have Though the bloud of Christ speaks better things then that of Abel yet it doth in some respects speak more terrible things because by that we see how infinitely God is displeased with sinne how unsatisfied his justice was till such an atonement was made So that if we look into hell if we behold all the torments and miseries there it doth not so fully represent the foul guilt of sinne as Christ crucified on the Crosse sweating drops of bloud and crying out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me 5. They that shall have advantage by Christs Death they are infinitely affected with that love of God and Christ therein As you see in Paul That love of Christ giving himself for us sinners and enemies to be reconciled thereby to God Oh how mightily did it constrain Paul 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us holds us in an extasie working on us as the Spirit did on the Prophets in their illuminations and prophesies And why so Because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead To consider from what a dying damning estate Christs Death doth free us must needs be like fire burning and inflaming a man all over If we had not been desperately dead dead every way dead in sin dead in guilt dead in respect of all earthly hope Christ would not have died for us Oh then the unspeakable affections and enlargements which the Death of Christ works in those that have a propriety therein 6. They that have a propriety in Christs Death will resign all they have up unto Christ and now live no longer to themselves or to worldly motives but unto Christ Rom. 6.10 11. 1 Pet 2.24 so 1 Cor. 6.20 the Apostle urgeth because we are bought with a price therefore we are none of our own and we should glorifie God in soul and body He then that can claim a Title to Christs Death looks not upon his body his estate his health his parts the faculties and affections of his soul as his own his love is not his anger is not Oh how rare then are they who may urge this Argument Christ died Christ was crucified for me for unlesse thou art a redeemed man and that from thy self and all creatures in the world to live wholly to Christ and to resigne all up to him here is little hope for thee Observe then these qualifications and if upon true search they can be found in thee then proceed to make an application of all those glorious priviledges that come by Christs death Fear not let not the devil or thy own guilty heart keep thee off from tasting yea eating abundantly of this honey Hearken what Christ speaks to his Church concerning priviledges and gracious favours Cant. 5.1 Eat O Friends drink â—ea drink abundantly And 1. Those that can pleade Christs Death may also pleade his Resurrection Intercession and whatsoever glorious actions of his are done for his people If Christ died for thee he rose again for thee he interceded in heaven for thee When thou saiest he is an Advocate to pleade thy cause Rom 8. It 's Christ that died who is risen again so that the Death of Christ is the foundation of all his other gracious acts Hence it is that the remission of our sins is attributed to the shedding of his bloud The atonement of our iniquities is given unto his death because in it he did manifest the greatest obedience unto the will of God and the lowest humiliation of himself for us Phil. 2. If then thou hast a propriety in the death of Christ Christ hath done the utmost for thee even to die for thee You see that put him upon the greatest struglings and agonies if he would have refused in any thing it would
Neither soul or body shall escape him if thou continue his Be thou awakened out of thy desperate estate If thou art not Gods Inheritance thou art the devils possession and thy tongue thy eyes thy body thy whole life proclaimeth to whom thou dost belong 2. In being the Fathers as we are no longer Satans so neither the worlds or mens in the world Hence we are commanded not to be Servants to men 1 Cor. 7.13 or please men and to call none Father on earth Mat. 23.9 The sense of such commands is that we are not to put our hopes and trust in men not to give up our selves to their commands when contrary to God yet this is a sinne that all are prone unto It 's the Favour of men the power and greatnesse of men that swayeth us more then God Alas thou wert not created or redeemed or regenerated to make man thus a God unto thee Whence is it that our fear is a mans fear yea our Religion a mans Religion but because we are not yet delivered from mans thraldom so neither are we the worlds For our Saviour saith We are given out of the world to Chrict Why then are we so immoderate in our cares and affections about these things It 's not the world that is ours The Church was seen clothed with the Sunne and the Moon under her feet Rev. 12.1 God hath made the earth under us and Gold and Silver to be in the bowels thereof implying the low esteem we ought to have of them and that we look not on the world as a resting place but seek for heaven Lastly We are none of our own in being the Fathers Thus the Apostle We are none of our own Therefore we are to glorifie God both in soul and body 1 Cor. 6.20 Our Tongues our Body our Affections are not our own We may not love as we list nor desire as we list It 's thset and Sacriledge thus to steal from God Why should it be a wound in thy Conscience to detain that which is another mans and not rather that which is Gods My Son give me thy heart If sinne hath it If the world hath it these are not the right owners Remember whose thou art and this will keep thee solely and wholly for God These things premised let us now see How the Propriety we have in God is the cause of all our good And in the generall there is no temporall or spirituall good we have but our propriety in God is the Foundation of it If the Apostle argue that because he hath given us Christ how shall he not with him give us all things else Rom. 8. How much rather if God give us himself shall he not give us all things The marrow and whole substance of the Covenant of grace lieth in this That God will be our God and we shall be his People God doth not finde us but make us his and when so made then all good things are bestowed on us We will select some choice particulars and that two waies 1. Of those good things we have from God 2. Of those good things we have by approaching to good our active and passive good And first Pardon of sinne in which the Psalmist speaks our blessednesse to consist is given us because we are hiâ— Thus Heb. 8. when God promised to be the God of his People in the Covenant of Grace Then followeth the Forgivenesse of their sinnes And he will remember their Iniquities no more And this they must necessarily enjoy For Guilt of sinne separateth between God and the sinner it makes him at a distance and in a state of Enmity But this propriety takes away all Ground of Condemnation Rom. 8. Because they belong to God therefore they are pardoned Davids sinnes were fouler then Sauls But besides that David had a better heart then Saul David had a propriety in God and so had not Saul Oh the Encouragement that Gods Children have upon this account to pray for pardon It 's more in God then in thy Repentance or Tears That is the surest Refuge they have they are the Fathers Therefore 2. Because they have more choice and intimate Fellowship and Communion with the Father then the world They have the Light of his Countenance assurance of his Love They have the hidden Manna They have a peculiar Enjoyment of him which is more as David saith Psal 4. then the wicked men have when their Wine and Oyle encreaseth They are called Friends in opposition to Servants by Christ Joh. 15.15 And therefore are admitted into that presence and those heavenly Secrets which wicked men know not which made the Church repeat this so often She was her well beloveds and her well beloved was hers Cant. 6.3 And from this followeth that holy and heavenly Communion with Christ which the Church hath Oh if the world did but know what the Godly have from God Other meat Other Riches Other Comforts then they understand How would they lament their distance from God They have Husks onely when there is the fatted Calf in our Fathers House Insomuch that though the Godly have not the good things of this Life alwaies yet they have the good yea the better things of Heaven and Happinesse as a Viaticum in their Journey thither 3. Because they have a Propriety in Christ therefore they are protected and preserved The Eye of God is said to runne up and down the Earth to stand in the behalf of the upright in heart They are Gods Treasure and so his heart and love must be towards them I am thine save me saith David Psal 119.94 Propriety engageth God all Creatures look to their own yea they venture their lives to save their young ones The cruell and most wilde Creatures are fierce to defend their own Now at the Psalmist argueth He that made the Eye shall not be see He that planted the Ear shall not he hear Thus he that hath put into the nature of all creatures to protect their young ones Will not he do the like This Argument the Church useth when she saith Isaiah 63 9. We are thine and are called by thy Name Insomuch that there is a wonderfull expression in Zech. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of my Eye How carefully hath nature defended that as being a precious and dear part in a man Yet thus God is pleased to account of those that are his And therefore he is said to be afflicted in all their afflictions Oh then that the Godly would improve this propriety more They fear this danger this Triall this Calamity Art thou not the Lords Will not he look to thee more then thou couldest thy self Thou art more his then thy own It 's indeed no such matter for thee to lose thy health thy Comforts thy Life but for God to lose his goods his Inheritance his Jewels would highly redound to his dishonour Therefore the Lord is said to know how to deliver those that are Righteous 2
and the merits of their own works eclipse Christ Hence they are like the Moon which though it receiveth all light from the Sunne yet is the only thing that obscures and ecclipseth it by its Interposition 3. To glorifie Christ is not thus only to acknowledge him and to rest on him for these are only internal acts of the soul and so a spiritual inward glory known by God only but it 's greatly seen in the outward confession and profession of him and that to the greatest reproach and danger which can be in the world Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeveth but with the tongue profession is made to Salvation He that will be saved must in the greatest danger and most scornful reproaches own Christ and his way Thus our Saviour Luk 12.8 Whosoever shall not confesse me before a crooked generation of him my Father and I will be ashamed Certainly in this particular the Disciples did highly honour Christ for we know Christ himself was both by birth and life in a most contemptible manner There was no comelinesse or desirablenesse in him and then at last was crucified in a most ignominious manner Now for the Apostles to look on him as the Messias to have such high and indeared thoughts of him when all the world held Christ wretched and accursed and would not upon any terms be of his followers this was greatly to honour him Therefore our Saviour said Blessed is he that is not offended at me Mat. 11.6 It was the greatest wonder in the world not to stumble at Christ We see the wise men the great men that lived then they were all offended at his meannesse Is not this the Carpenters Son Mar. 4. Oh how hard would it have been for us to have received him as the Messias if we had lived in those daies for those that followed Christ they were but a handful comparatively and they were of the more despicable sort and they were accounted illiterate and mad simple people that adhered to him 4. They glorifie Christ who receive him as a Lord and King to whose Laws they willingly submit themselves For the self-love of a man may make him glad of Christ as a Saviour but then to resigne up themselves in an obediential manner to all the commands of Christ in this they draw back Christ is not to be considered only as a propitiation for our sins but also as a King who doth govern his people by holy and spiritual laws and hence we may reade that he interpreted the Law in a more spiritual and strict way Mat. 5. then the Pharisaical Doctors had done and laid the axe to the very root of all corruption within us he forbids heart-lusts heart-passions these Embers in the fire though they never flame out he cals upon all to deny themselves to take up their crosse and to follow him To love him more then Father or mother If therefore we would honour Christ it 's our duty to forsake all those rebellions we are guilty of To lay down our opposition and enmity against his commands to take his yoke upon us and to think it light and easie What an honour was it to Christ to have men leave all their outward subsistence and earthly comforts to follow him Did they not hereby declare that they prized the service of Christ more then all the world and that they accounted more of his commands then the greatest Monarchs in the world So that all who walk disorderly and contrary to Christs command they say with those in the Parable Christ shall not reign over us Though he will reign over them maugre all their disobedience if he do not govern them with the Scepter of grace he will break them with a rod of Iron 5. Those that suffer and endure all persecutions willingly for his Name and Truth They do in an high degree glorifie Christ In a special manner did Christ take notice of his Disciples because they had accompanied him in his Temptations and the Apostle Peter doth at large shew how God is glorified when men suffer not for ill doing but as Christians That as they glorifie Christ so Christ makes a spirit of glory to rest upon them 1 Pet. 4.14 Those marks Paul did bear on his body They were so many Trophees Even as Souldiers count wounds a mark of honour they have received in fight for their commander When the Disciples went away rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer any thing for Christs sake This did greatly redound to Christs glory Oh then let not the people of God be afraid or shrink at reproaches dishonours and troubles for Christs sake for wherein can they glorifie him more Or can the world say upon better grounds Behold how they loved Christ and his Truth better then their estates or their lives Those millions of Martyrs that have died for Christs sake brought an astonishing even to the very heathens No Emperour or Monarch No Master or Teacher ever had such a multitude of Disciples readily sacrificing their lives so that we mistake if we think the glory of Christ hath been in such an outward pomp as earthly Kings have been No by sufferings by revilings by the most cruell deaths that malicious men could invent they made the Name of Christ glorious through the whole world Even as Christ called his own death a glorifying both of himself and his Father so did the miseries and calamities of his Children redound greatly to his honour for greater love and esteem they could not shew then by laying down their lives for him 6. Those honour Christ and glorifie him who walk in an holy and worthy manner to that calling whereby Christ hath called them 2 Thes 1.12 That the Name of Christ may be glorified in them And how was that by walking worthy of their calling Even as on the other side when men live prophanely and wickedly they reproach Christ and make the Gentiles to blaspheme the Christian way Oh that this were sadly thought upon by most Is not every Town every Family full of cursing swearing drunken and unclean persons Now these are a Reproach to Christ they make the Christian Religion a scorn and the name of it even to stink Even as Salvian a zealous Writer against the prophane lives of Christians said The heathens by way of scorn might say Christiani sanctè vixissent si Christus sancta docuisset They thought the reason why Christians had no more sober chaste and godly lives was because Christ was not an holy Law-giver he did not give them holy precepts The loosenesse and prophanesse of a Servant is a disgrace to his Master and what dishonour must this be that those who call upon Christs Name yet should live according to the devils temptations that they should say they are for Christ and their lives for Satan 7. They honour and glorifie Christ who live chearfully and comfortably in the midst of all their troubles and exercises For
more were Gods mercies Christ that gave them but drops before doth now bid them drink the whole cup of praise and Thanks-giving Now they are taken up to the Mount of Transfiguration They have not only clusters but the Vine it self Consolations abound now when never it may be before Thirdly The Lord Christ his care is seen even in the dangers and afflictions themselves and that divers waies 1. In not suffering them to be but when there is a necessity you are afflicted if need be 1 Pet. 1.6 That word is full of consolation Theâ—â— no affliction no triall but thou didst need it considering thy corruption â—hy dulnesse thy earthlinesse there was a necessity to have some affliction fall upon thee to humble thee and to make thee more enlivened Hence afflictions are compared to the cutting off the luxurious branches of the Vine Joh. 15. which is necessary Frosts and cold have their necessity and both mans body and the ground needs that as well as the Summer This made David say Out of very Faithfulnesse thou hast afflicted me Psa 119.75 And hence afflictions are attributed to Gods Love Whom he loveth he chasteneth Rev. 3. and all because the people of God could not be so fruitful and active if they were not thus chastened So then here is Christs care there shall not be any trouble but when necessary 2. As he wisely ordereth them to be so his great care and love is seen in the time and season when they are inflicted Afflictions will not in every season do good no more then the cutting down of trees or pruning of them is at any time to be done The Patient may dye by the unseasonable letting of bloud Therefore Christ sheweth his great care and love to take the opportune season to afflict and to exercise thee As God would not have mercy upon Epaphroditus presently but he lets him lie in danger it being thereby better both for him and Paul was thereby much afflicted Paul had the buffetings of Satan which did greatly humble him but when was the time after his Revelations And therefore that then it might not puff him above measure It was that he had those Thorns in his side so that Christ doth not onely regard the necessity but the fit time and season of all thy Troubles Even as Christ himself came in the fulnesse of time so doe all his chastisements if they should come sooner or later they would not do that good Paul praieth thrice yet could not remove those strong Temptations 1 Co. 12. 3. His love and care is seen in the nature and kinde of the affliction and trouble There are calamities of all sorts Now as it 's not all kinde of Physick that is for every disease so neither all kinde of calamities that are fit for every sinne Hezekiah gloried proudly in the Treasures he had and therefore God caused an Enemy to come and spoil him of them he might see by the afflictions what his sinne was David was too inordinately affected to Absalom and Adonijah and they became rebels to him and sore afflictions Oh it 's a great matter to observe the wisedom and goodnesse of God in ordering that kinde of affliction rather for thee then another Thou wast not thankful to God for thy health or serviceable to him therefore he afflicts thee with sicknesse The people of Israel were weary of Gods Service therefore God delivered them up to evil Lords and Masters that they should know what another service meant One Godly man lieth under one affliction and another under another Now if one had that which another hath he could never bear it it would be more then death to him so that the wisedome and love of Christ is to be admired in all say this very kinde of affliction and at this time comes from the love and care of Christ 4. As the kinde so the continuance God will not let it abide any longer then it doth his work These horse-leeches shall suck no longer then the corrupt bloud lasteth The devil shall throw some of you into prison ten daies Rev. 2.10 See there how God orders it first it 's but some of them and then into prison there is the kinde for ten daies there is the continuance which made the Psalmist say The rod of the wicked shall not alwaies rest upon the back of the Righteous Psal 125.3 It 's true the people of God have many times thought their deliverance too long Will the Lord cast off for ever Hath he forgotten to be gracious Thus they expostulate and complain but God at another time sâ—â—â—he would hasten it in due time Isa 60.22 and he cals it but a moment â—â—â—rein he had hid his face from them Isa 54.7 although it was seventy years So that the flesh saith one thing and the Spirit of God another Know then that thy exercise is for a continued or appointed time God hath set bounds to these waters and therefore be not discouraged under them Lastly The care and love of Christ is seen in working out a way and making an escape from thâ—m when it 's for their good and his glory There hath no temptation befallen you but out of which he will make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10 13. The Lord knoweth how to deliver those that are his The Artificer knoweth when to take his Gold out of the Fire The wise Physician knoweth when there is bloud let out enough Thus much more doth God know when thy afflictions have done the Errand he sent them about The Wisedom of God also can finde out a way to save thee out of them For he that could finde out a way to save thee from sinne and hell much rathar can he finde out a way to deliver thee from this or that temptation In the fourth general place Christs care and love is seen in sanctifying and fitting thy troubles that they shall be for thy spiritual benefit Whatsoever may be done to thy estate or life yet nothing shall hurt the soul Thus the Prophet This is the fruit of Iacobs trouble to purge away his sinne Isaiah 27.9 and Rom. 8. All things work to the good of them whom God loveth Christ that hath so loved thee would never let this or that come upon thee did he not intend to turn it for thy spirituall good This made David say Before he was afflicted he went astray Psal 119. And when both these go together Afflictions and Sanctification David cals it a Blessednesse not a misery Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest thy way Psal 94 12. If God teacheth thee by thy afflictions the bitternesse of sinne the duty of Faith and weanednesse of Spirit from the world Oh it 's a blessed sicknesse a blessed losse Thank God that ever he laid his hand upon thee Though it seemed grievous to flesh and thou wert apt to be impatient yet nothing under Heaven was better for thee Not that we are to pray for
is a grief thou must be grieved for how many sad thoughts and tears will require more sad thoughts and tears Vse of Instruction on the contrary It 's Christs special will that all who live wickedly should have no comfort Wo to ye that laugh and there is no peace to the wicked Isa 57.21 SERMON LXXVIII The severall Sorts of Joy and the Nature of Spirituall Joy Shewing also how farre it transcends and differs from Worldly Joy JOHN 17.13 That they might have my Joy fulfilled in themselves THese words are the finall cause of Christs solemn prayer for his Disciples Wherein you have The Benefit it self described and the Manner of possessing of it The Benefit it self is My Joy This may be understood Actively and Passively Actively for that joy which Christ might take from his Disciples being preserved in purity of Doctrine and Unity amongst themselves Thus some understand it and parallel a like place Phil. 2 2· where Paul bids them fulfill his joy which was the joy he would take by seeing their happy agreement but because it 's said in the Text That this joy may be fulfilled in the Disciples themselves Therefore it is more consonant to understand it passively of that joy which the Disciples took in him and the benefits flowing from him So that it may be called Christs joy both effectively because he is the Authour and giver of it as also objectively because it is in him in divine and holy things not in the world much lesse in the pleasures of sin Now the Manner of possessing is that it may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled up that they might have a good measure of joy overflowing he would have every part of the soul filled with it and every kinde of joy yea degree of it some superficiall joy for the degree of it or some transient joy for the continuance of it doth not answer our Saviours prayer it must be filled up Lastly Here is the Subject recipient of it in themselves This say some is spoken oppositely to worldly joy to such as men take in the pleasures of the world these are but in the face in the countenance they are not cordial and hearty Observ 1. That there is a joy in Christ which his people are to have fulfilled in them As they are to be filled with grace so with consolations and one floweth from the other though not naturally It 's of great concernment to treat of this joy because the people of God look upon it as a thing above their reach They are convinced of repentance of humiliation but not of walking joyfully There is a three-fold Joy 1. A Naturall Joy which is an implanted affection in a man and of it self simply considered is not a sin 2. There is a Sinnefull Joy which runneth into two streams either when the Object is wholly unlawfull when it 's a forbidden Tree and we may not eat of it And thus to rejoyce in our evil doings to take delight in the wayes of wickednesse this is a wicked joy that will end in tormenting sorrow and it argueth a wretched distemper of the soul otherwise it would finde sinne to be terrible and bitter but through the corrupted constitution of the heart it comes about that they delight in sinne as distempered stomacks do in coales ashes or such drosse Again there is a sinnefull joy when the Object matter is lawfull but then we exceed in the measure in the bounds or limits we over-joy The water runnes over the bank and then it gets soyl and it 's as hard to rejoyce in these things and to sinne not as it is to be angry and sinne not 3. There is a gracious and an heavenly Joy when the soul delights it self in God and Christ in all heavenly Objects For though to wicked men these things are a burden yet to an heavenly heart they are the most connaturall Object They are the proper center of the soul as David often professeth his joy in the Lord It 's of this we are to speak of only we must inform you something of joy in the generall The Philosophers speak of a three-fold affection sutable to one another There is Love which is carried out to an Object that is good simply considered There is Desire which moveth to some good thing but absent and not yet obtained And then there is Joy which ariseth from the obtaining and possessing of it And answerable to these there are Divine Graces and supernatural works of Gods Spirit in the soul There is the Love of God which next to Faith is of the greatest glory and activity in the soul 2. There are Desires and earnest longings after God to which hunger and thirst a promise is made of being fully satisfied 3. There is Joy which ariseth from the enjoyment of God onely you must know there is Gaudium viae a joy we have while in the way to Heaven which admits of much increase and meeteth with much opposition and there is Gaudium Patriae a joy in Heaven where the soul will then be so filled that it cannot receive any more To know the nature of this Joy Consider First That the efficient cause of it is onely God The Spirit of God is called the Comforter as you heard because he alone poureth it into the heart as the Heavens onely give rain and it 's called Gal 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit which doth imply that it comes solely by Gods Spirit and that there is excellent sweetnesse in it Lusts are called the workes of the flesh but this with other Graces The fruit of the Spirit Hence it is that as in respect of Regeneration the Spirit bloweth where it listeth So also in respect of Consolation How many of Gods children walk with much consolation and abound in much joy And others again go bowed down and greatly tempted not obtaining comfort though they would give a world for it So that as the Husbandman cannot have rain when he would nor the Merchant winde when he would neither can the godly have comfort when they would as appeareth by David praying so earnestly for the Joy he had lost It 's the fruit of the Spirit Therefore joy doth not flow from Graces exercised as by a natural resultancy as heat doth from the fire and light from the Sunne but by Gods voluntary dispensation of it The Schoolmen use to say That a man doth not merit that is their proud phrase by rejoycing in God or good things but by his Love which was antecedent and from which joy they say floweth by a naturall necessity But the Scripture makes these two Love and Joy two distinct works of Gods Spirit and that they are separable experience confirmeth it for many men that are high in Grace are low in Comfort As the tall Mountains have few flowers on them or Mines of Gold little grasse covering them Secondly To this Christian Joy is required a knowledge of God and faith in him as revealed
is so useful must not be laid aside But then that joy in the Creatures which at another time would be lawfull is in such a season sinful It 's not lawful then to joy in Wives in Children in outward comforts but to mourn before God as those who by their sins have deserved the losse of all So then there may be a time when this outward worldly though lawful joy is to be denied and in this sence Solomon saith It 's better to go to the house of mourning then of laughter because such sad objects may be sanctified to spiritual meditations 2. Consider this That spiritual Joy may then most abound when that soul-humiliation and godly mourning is put in practise No grace of Gods Spirit is contrary to one another The same spirit that worketh joy doth also prove the spirit of Supplication and mourning on his people Now as joy and trembling may stand together Psa 2. and joy and fear Act. 9.31 So may godly sorrow and joy consist together so that it is never unlawful to rejoyce in God no more then to love or to beleeve in him Vse of Instruction To inform us of the great concernment of spiritual Joy We may say it 's the life and marrow of Religion It 's the Spurre and goad to all holinesse Therefore how deceived is the world that looketh for joy and consolation some other way Honours Wealth and Greatnesse will afford thee no true solid joy yea all these things will turn to gravell and wormwood in thy belly As the Manna that was preserved for the Sabbath day did onely last If any kept that which fell in one of the six daies above the Command it turned to pollution immediatly and thus it is here Whatsoever Joy is treasured up in reference to heaven that will alwaies abide it will never forsake thee but what is only in reference to these earthly things it will vanish Oh then say thy Beloved is the chiefest of ten thousand above all other worldly Comforts whatsoever SERMON LXXX That the Word of God preached and received doth inrage the wicked world And Reasons thereof JOHN 17.14 I have given them thy Word and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world IN this 14th verse our Saviour urgeth a special and powerfull reason why God the Father should in a peculiar manner keep them which was hinted vers 11. and that is the worlds hatred of them So that this Petition hath a great deal of equity and righteousnesse in it They will be exposed to the malice of the world and that for thy cause because they have believed in thy Word The world will be no preserver or conservator of them therefore do thou keep them In the words therefore we have 1. The Argument of the Petition The world hateth them 2 The Causes of this which are two-fold 1. Their Receiving of and Obedience unto Gods Word 2. Their Segregation or Separation from the world the life and manners of it which is amplified by the patern or example thereof Even as I am not of the world I shall take the Heads in their order And First The Cause of their hatred in the world in those words I have given them thy Word where by the antecedent is necessarily meant the consequent for Christs giving or preaching the Word of God unlesse they received and obeyed it was not enough to procure hatred Therefore they are both expressed vers 8. Christs giving them and their receiving of the Word For the Pharisees and many enemies to Christ who were of the world and the greatest part of those that did oppose did yet hear The Gospel was tendered to them though they made themselves unworthy thereof And thus when the Orthodox say That the pure preaching of the Word is a note of the Church By that they understand also a visible external accepting of it otherwise the Word may be preached to Barbarians and Heathen who may hear but scorn and reject the Gospel and therefore cannot be a Church This then being supposed we see the cause of the Apostles miseries and oppositions in the world not because they were thieves robbers or seditious persons But because they did imbrace the Doctrine of Christ all the words of this reason are emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have delivered them so that Christ herein doth faithfully discharge his duty he did not neglect it And 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Given or delivered them which implieth that the Apostles themselves could never by their own strength have found out this heavenly Doctrine There must be a revelation of â—t from above Christ must come from the bosome of the Father to give it unto them They themselves could not have invented it No though in stead of illiterate Fishermen they had been the Grandees of knowledge the Platoes and Aristotles of the world 3. I have given them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of God doth deliver Gods Word and he saith not mine but thine partly because Christ in his mediatory administration referreth all to God to the Father My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me and I come to do my Fathers will and partly hereby to engage God the Father more for being it was because of his Word and in reference to him the more was he to preserve them From the words explained observe That the Word preached and received by people doth greatly enrage the wicked of the world No other reason is here mentioned of the worlds hatred but this Who would think that the men preaching of so holy a Doctrine and such glad tidings of salvation and men obeying it not wronging injuring or troubling others yet should meet with so much opposition But thus it hath been and thus it will be In Tertullian's time To be a Christian was to be a Publicus hostis and though as that acute Father pleaded The Christians were no Albinians or Barutians such as embroyled the Civil Estate with warres yet because they were Christians this was enough The very name was a crime and this made so many Fathers make such excellent Apologies in their behalf Of this opposition from the world our Saviour informeth them when he first gave them their Commission to preach They should be hated of all men Never any went about such an unwelcome and unthankfull peece of service as they did Therefore they were as sheep amongst wolves and whereas it might be thought That the Apostles being men though greatly assisted by God might miscarry through ignorance inconsiderate passion c. We shall finde it befell even Christ himself that he in his Ministry though he wrought such wonderfull miracles that might astonish them yea though those miracles were usefull and profitable not for curiosity yet what reproaches what slanders did they cast on him calling him a wine-bibber a friend to sinners yea an Imposture one that had a devil and never ceased
retain the wicked inclination of the world minding only worldly things Now though the world be many times and it may be here taken for that Society of men that is Heathenish and doth not beleeve in Christ thus the Church and the world are opposed 1 Cor. 5.10 yet we may extend it further even to such as do outwardly professe Christ but in works do deny him as is more to be shewed 2. There is the act it self hate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is in the preterperfect tense It hath hated them already though they had not much tormented it by their preaching but it would more hate them when Christ was removed and their preaching more universall It comprehends all times it hath it doth and it will hate them and hatred you heard was worse then anger being more fixed and permanent The cause of this is because They are not of the world for as love is to its like so hatred is to that which is unlike and contrary In the Scripture some Learned men say to hate is sometimes taken to love lesse not an absolute hatred but a respective love Mat. 6.24 He will love one and hate the other i. e. lesse love And for this end they bring that place Rom. 9.3 Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated where they would expound hate of a lesse love but whatever may be said of the former place this latter will admit of no such Exposition as the Context will easily evidence 3. The Scripture speaks of a good hatred Rom. 7.15 That which I hate I do So we are commanded to hate our Father and Mother to hate our own lives Luk. 14.26 Joh. 12.25 for Christs sake David also said He hated them which hated God with a perfect hatred i. e. a full complete hatred he had no love at all to them that is in respect of their wickednesse and their incurable enmity against God though in other respects he pitied and loved them Lastly There is a wicked and evil hatred of which the Text speaks Obs That the wicked men of the world have and will alwaies hate those that are godly It hath been so of old and will be so to the last wicked man that breatheth No sooner were there a wicked man and a godly but this hatred broke out into all cruelty Cain hated Abel and why because his own works were nought and his brothers good 1 Joh. 3.12 No lesse will serve then the bloud of Sheep such cruell Wolves To open this Doctrine Consider these things First That there is a twofold hatred with the Schoolmen One is called Odium inimicitiae an hatred of enmity whereby a man wils evil to him because it 's his evil Even as amor amicitiae a will of friendship wils the good to a person loved because it is his good 2. There is another kinde of hatred which the ancient Schoolmen had no Name for it but afterwards it was called Odium abominationis or offensionis When a man is offended at and hateth such an object that is evil but not the person yea we may love him dearly Thus the Childe hateth the death of his Father Odio abominationis but loveth his Father yea because he loveth him therefore he hateth his death Now that hatred whereby the world hateth godly men is Odium inimicitiae it comes from an inward irreconcilable displacency to the godly it 's terminated upon their persons because they are such and therefore they are said to be of the devil representing his nature and are the Seed of the Serpent which hath an imbred enmity against man so that though never so much evil should befall the Godly Their goods spoiled their Names blasted yet as long as they live and because they still are alive the world will hate them Secondly The cause of their hatred may be reduced to two Heads 1. The contrariety that is between the nature and actions of the Godly So that they do not love any godly man no nor such as never had any commerce with them or medling with them There is an Odium naturale which ariseth from the nature of things Such an antipathy is often mentioned by Writers the Serpent that is young though never hurt by any man yet because they know them of such a stamp they cannot love them It being natural they cannot give any Reason Hoc tantum possum dicere non amo te You do not love him why did he ever weary you Did he ever speak to you No but yet he cannot love him so that as love consists in the consonancy and conveniency of the good thing loved Thus hatred is in the dissonancy and contrariety of that to us which we hate The 2d cause of hatred is Ignorance when men know not that Excellency and worth which is in such persons and the just cause of love which if we did we should quickly lay aside our hatred and truly in a great measure the world hateth because of their ignorance They know not what Godlinesse is nor what godly men are They know not their lives their aims their ends but judge of them as hypocrites proud and minding only self-ends and therefore their hatred encreaseth Thus the Apostle saith If they had known what Christ was they would never have crucified him 1 Cor. 2.8 and so they are said to speak evil of the things they know not Jude 10. Dost thou then rail and deride at godly men It 's thy blindenesse and folly Thou knowest not their close walking with God Thou understandest not the heavenly priviledges they enjoy Thou dost not conceive of their humiliation for their infirmities judging themselves before God worse then thou canst judge them Oh if thy eyes were open thou wouldst say these are the Servants of the most high God Oh that my latter end might be like one of theirs and of such men the world is not worthy Thirdly Consider the effects of this hatred and that is in three steps and degrees 1. An inward willing of all evil that may hurt them and that because it is evil To will a man some evil for his good may be lawfull as when David praieth Put them in fear O Lord that they may know themselves to be men Psa 9.20 Thus the Church of God may pray for afflictions upon those Enemies that are curable That by their afflictions they may repent and be humbled before God but hatred hath not this goodnesse It wils evil because it is evil and for evils sake It rejoyceth in the evil that befalleth a godly man as part of its own good and happinesse Thus it is with all wicked men they rejoyce as if some great good had befallen them when some great evil hath come upon the godly 2. Their hatred breaks out into all all hard censorious and uncharitable speeches all slanders and contumelies into cruell mockings as the Apostle cals them Heb. 11.36 The hatred in the heart will soon be seen in the
God that hath changed my blackmore-skin that hath given me another heart when Paul met with wretched adversaries that blasphemed him and the Gospel he preached No doubt but he reflected upon himself I was such a mad blasphemer once I persecuted the godly once I delighted in cruel vexings of them heretofore And now how great is Gods goodnesse to me that he hath had mercy on me If thou blessest God that he made thee not a Serpent a Toad or that thou wert not a natural fool or a mad man How much rather that he hath not given thee up to such a vile malicious disposition The next thing is to give Cautions and Arguments of admonition to the wicked who thus hate Christ and his Disciples And First Let them know it 's a causless hatred yea it 's an hatred where the greatest love and delight should be And that upon two grounds For 1. They are such who would bring them to everlasting salvation if they were not prejudiced their exemplary life is it not a light shining before you that beholding their godly holy and pure conversation you may be thereby wone to glorifie God The counsels admonitions and spiritual help they would vouchsafe to thee should make thee prize them more then all outward comforts Do ye love such as can make you rich preferre you to places of honour supply your necessities Oh how welcome should such be to you that would give you many an helping lift to Heaven Why then is thy hatred so causless Is it because they desire thy salvation Is it because they pray for thee they mourn in secret for so David professed Rivers of waters ranne down his eyes because men kept not Gods Law Wert thou not a stone and adamant these things would turn thy heart towards him 2. They are such for whose sake thou enjoyest many blessings It 's because of them the ship thou art in is not drowned God keepeth up the world in reference to them therefore the hedges are kept because of the Corn in the ground The innocent deliver the Island for Lot's sake Sodom was spared a long season These stand in the gap when Gods overflowing tempest would carry all before it Secondly Consider that thou dost not hurt them yea thou increasest that which makes them so hatefull to thee For by this means they walk more closely with God they separate themselves from the world It 's a mercy to them they have this hatred otherwise they might comply too much and ensnare their souls and symbolize with mens wickedness Now how absurd is thy hatred by that thou makest them more holy and so advancest that which is so abominable to thee Thou art to them as a fyle to the rusty iron thou art to them as Lazarus dogs tongues were to lick his sores whole thou art Gods scullion to wipe and keep his vessel clean who would not think thou shouldst rather do as that persecutour that would not let him die saying he envied him the honour of a Martyr Thy very hatred should make thee leave hating and opposing because hereby thou makest the godly man more glorious and happy Thirdly Consider hereby thou hurtest thy self and not them As the dog that bites the stone for rage or a man that shoots an arrow at a brazen wall and that recoileth back and kils the Archer thy hatred thy cursings will fall back upon thy head It 's not the godly man only but thy self and thy own soul thou hatest See whether those many curses and miseries thou hast be not the fruit of thy hatred thou art a tormentor and troubler to thy self Though Achan troubled Israel yet he troubled himself and his own house also Fourthly Remember that it 's a devilish thing thou art more wicked then a man useth to be Not to obey or yeeld thy self up to godlinesse is a grievous sin but to oppose is a devilish thing Thou dost the work of the devil if he were incarnate he would speak and do as thou dost 5. Remember the woful and heavy judgements which remarkably follow such men Who ever hardened himself against the Lord and prospered This Christ meant when he said he that stumbled at this stone should fall but upon whom this stone shall fall he should be beaten in pieces Christ will fall on such that oppose him and they shall not have the least mercy Vse Doth the world hate Gods people then admire the goodness and power of God that keeps up a poor Church in the midst of such violence that preserveth a few Lambs among so many Wolves Bears and Lions in such a Wildernesse as they are in We justly admire Gods power in putting bounds to the sea that it overfloweth not the Land much more admirable was that goodness of God in preserving the Israelites when the waters were on every side Oh how much more is God to be praised that keeps his people with any safety any liberty Should wicked men have their will food and raiment and life would be thought too good for thee SERMON LXXXIV Of Conformity to Christ in not being of the world And in his Sufferings JOH 17.14 Because they are not of the world even as I am not of the world THE Last particular considerable in this Verse is the exemplarity of Christ or the Disciples conformity unto Christ They are not of the world as I am not of the world Which words are repeated in the 16. verse and therefore have some weighty and great matter contained in them In the words we are to take notice 1. What it is to be of the world 2. How Christ was not 3. The similitude between Christ and his Disciples herein To be of the world is to partake of the manners life and conversation of the world to have the spirit of the world in a man and this is oppsite to the Spirit of God and to all heavenly things so that both the inward inclination and outward conversation is wholly worldly as our Saviour saith he that is of the earth is earthy That as bodies in whom the element of the Earth is predominant doe naturally fall downward so that soul which is thus principled and habituated in a worldly manner doth minde only earthly things this is to be of the world To be in the world is another thing Our Saviour and the Disciples were in the world but not of it A man may be in the water for some good end but the fish are properly of the water because that is their Element and they have a watery Constitution 2. Christ is said Not to be of the world Now that is a higher degree then the Disciples can be for Christ as God is no waies of the world and then take him as man yet being conceived by the holy Ghost he was not of the world in a natural way 1 Cor. 15.47 The Second Adam is the Lord from Heaven opposed to the first Adam who is said to be of
bring others into the same estate and condition also but then those who professe holinesse from carnall and corrupt ends they care not for this work of Conversion in others like Adulterers that respect not Children but their lusts Secondly We may be more sanctified in the better improving of the means of Sanctification For God he hath appointed spirituall Ordinances the good managing whereof will greatly advance the Principles of Sanctification within us Now the Ordinances are Prayer Hearing of the Word and Sacraments and whatsoever holy Institution Christ hath appointed and decreed for to make us better The way therefore to be more Sanctified is to pray better to hear better and indeed it would be well if thou didst set upon the Reformation of thy Corruptions but not only of them but of thy Duties also Not only to resolve I will be proud no more and earthly no more and passionate no more but I will not pray so formally so coldly nor so negligently as I have done any more A man that groweth better in his Health eats his meat better and doth digest it better And thus if thou wilt proceed from Holinesse to Holinesse Thou wilt pray with more Zeal and Faith hear with more attention and fear It 's impossible you should ever grow in Sanctification unlesse you do begin to amend in your duties As the Disciples were mending their nets else they could get no fish Thirdly and Lastly We are to be more sanctified in respect of Continuance and Duration It is not enough that thou wert once made holy and Righteous but thou art to continue and persevere therein to the end For how many did begin in the Spirit but yet have ended in the Flesh You have a terrible Instance Hebr. 10.29 where a man said to be Sanctified by the Bloud of Christ is yet said at last to tread under foot the Bloud of Christ making no account of it It is true this man was not truly Sanctified for then he could not have so totally apostatized for he had some imperfect and inchoate motions of Sanctification He was an Embryo and did prove abortive and thus all the Ages of the Church have given sundry and sad Instances of such Hypocrisies and Apostacies Therefore the Apostle John Revel 22.12 after the divers Visions and Revelations he had about the Church he concludeth Let him that is holy be holy still Let him continue and persist in his Holinesse So that whatsoever changes and alterations there may be in the Church yet thou art not to change or to vary in thy Holinesse and certainly such is the opposition and so great are the Contrarieties to all Sanctification in Heavens way That it 's a wonder of wonders that a man is not deprived doth not lose all or be discouraged out of it In the next place Let us illustrate this Growth in Sanctification by the opposites and contraries to it and they are First Idlenesse Negligence or Security He that is idle in his outward Calling can never expect to encrease in his Wealth Poverty comes like an armed man upon such and thus it is with him that is lazy in his spiritual Calling As Solomon observeth of the Sluggard He passed by and saw his Field full of Thorns and Briars Thus it is with every one that liveth negligently his whole life will immediatly be filled with all kinde of vice and folly Want of Exercise doth breed Diseases in the body and so neglect of spirituall Exercise doth consume the Soul Idlenesse and further Sanctification can be no more consistent then light and darknesse together Secondly Barrennesse This is the fruit of Idlenesse As the Apostle saith He that doth not work let him not eat Let him starve if he will This is also true here He that will not labour in a spirituall manner he shall not eat he shall neither have more Grace or more comfort Barrennesse in one that looketh to Heaven is a very hainous sinne Heb. 6.7 The Earth which drinketh in much rain and yet is barren is nigh to cursing Did not our Saviour say to the Fig-Tree that had no fruit on it Never fruit grow on thee more Matth. 21.12 So that God punisheth barrennesse with barrennesse It 's thy sinne to bear no fruit and it shall be thy Curse How severely was that unprofitable Servant dealt with who though he did not imbezill his Masters Talent yet because he hid it in a Napkin and did not improve it Therefore he is commanded to be cast into utter darknesse Matth. 25.30 Tremble then under all manner of unfruitfulnesse and unprofitablenesse Say How doth this agree with Growth in Grace Thirdly Another great opposite to further Sanctification is Apostacy and declinings in godlinesse which are either gradual in the truly godly or totall in him that appeareth to be so only Rev. 2. Gods great Controversie with some of those Churches was because they fell from their first love and they are commanded to strengthen the things that are ready to die This is to be a very Antipodes to encrease in grace when thy Sunne doth not stand still but go backward and still more backward Oh fear these Consumptions of the Soul Thou hast not the life the vigour the zeal of Grace once thou hadst thou art not the man thou wert once Thou art like Sampson that hath lost his strength like old Barzillai that canst not take thy wonted delight in heavenly things Oh be afraid of these languors and repent from whence thou art fallen But the godly Soul may be hereupon dejected and question whether ever it were truly sanctified or not for they finde much decay They have often dead and cold hearts yea they are not as lively as they have been They are even turned into stones and are like Idols in Christianity having eyes they see not and hearts they understand hot 1. Art thou thus exercised Despise not this Chastisement of God yea make an advantage of it To feel the disease is the way to be cured Blesse God that hath done thus for thee that though thou dost not grow in grace or encrease yet thou seest this decay and bewailest it A man that sees he goes behinde in his Estate and layeth it to his heart he will be careful to prevent it betimes 2. Know these humiliations and bewailings are a kinde of further Sanctification in thee For to grow in Grace is to discern more and more our Imperfections to be acquainted with all the need and wants that we are in As he that groweth in Learning seeth how much he is ignorant of and thus he that groweth in holinesse he seeth himself more unholy then ever he thinketh he hath lesse Grace then ever because he is more tender and discerning then he was before As a man recovering out of a disease is more sensible of pain and his weaknesse then he was in the height of his sicknesse 3. There may be a growing in gifts and parts and a growing in
Arguments seek for it at the Fathers hands Thus Psal 2. when God there declares his will of making him King over his Church and giving the Nations of the world for an Inheritance to him it 's said Ask of me and I will give thee Christ is to ask and pray for such things So that in this respect Christ praied even as all the Godly do though God hath appointed and promised to bestow such glorious things upon his penple yet it is by way of praier that they must be possessed of them God could give them otherwise Neither do our praiers or Christs Praiers make God alter or change his minde only praier is appointed by him as that medium whereby his purpose shall be brought to passe 4. Christ praied upon the same ground as he gave thanks Now we reade he praised God severall times yea they sang an Hymn to God Praier is divided into Petition and Thanks-giving If then Christ could give God praise by the same reason he might make Petition to him He praiseth God as the Father of such mercies his Soul was affected with and so he praieth to God for such things as he had not yet the full accomplishment of Lastly These main Reasons being laid down then we may adde Christ praied for our example also It 's wonder any should be so transported with pride as to think themselves above praier that they need not to pray when we see Christ himself diligent in this Duty So that as we are to learn of him and imitate the Zeal Patience and Love that was in him so we are the Religious Conversation also of Christ which was manifested in his fervent Praiers unto God upon all occasions yet though Christ did thus pray there was a great difference between Christs Praiers and ours For first If we speak absolutely of Christ as a person so he needed not to pray for being in that respect God as well as man Therefore he could have done all things the humane Nature desired without any humble Supplication unto the Father It was then in respect of his humane nature only and his voluntary Humiliation of himself otherwise being God as well as man He might have done all things by sole power and authority Indeed there are some who hold that Christ still in Heaven as man doth pray to God the Father properly and formally in respect of his Church and so understand those places where he is said to be an Advocate with the Father and where he is said still to make intercession for us not say they that he praieth in such a servile humbled manner as he did here on Earth yet they say it 's more then meer a representation of himself or will that the Father fulfill what he hath purchased It 's true and formall praying neither say they is this any more indecent and unbeseeming Christ as man in Heaven then praising of God which yet as man he doth Howsoever this be yet it 's sure that when he did pray on earth yet it was not with such an absolute necessity and indigency as any man or the whole Church doth pray for they cannot in any Consideration help themselves 2. Neither did Christ pray for any spiritual gracious mercies These are the chiefest matter of our praier insomuch that temporall things are praied for only with a submission unto Gods Will and so farre as they conduce to our spirituall good but Christ had already received the Spirit of God in so full measure that he could not pray for further Sanctification nor for a better heart or more communion with God then he had much lesse could he pray for such things as suppose a sinnefull Imperfection in the Subject So he did not or could not pray for the pardon of sinne which yet he taught the most holy that are to pray continually for neither could he pray for justifying Faith for although he had faith and confidence in God yet he had not justifying Faith which is the relying upon Christ for Righteousnesse Neither could he pray for the conquering and subduing of corruption seeing his pure Nature remained altogether spotlesse and free from the least stain or pollution Neither 3. Were Praiers to him as they are to us means to quicken up and excite the heart to make it more Heavenly and zealous Prayer in us doth quicken and excite a man and takes off the rust upon his Soul Christ was alwaies in contemplation and enjoyment of God and therefore he did not need praier to make his soul ascend higher to God Hence in the fourth place All the matter he could pray for in reference to himself was concerning his body and the further glorifying of that for seeing it pleased him to take our body upon him in all the natural defects and infirmities thereof sinne only excepted it was necessary that he should not alwaies be in such a passible mortal way but rise again to glory dominion and all honour Now this Christ praied for as being to be obtained by praier as well as his Sufferings He praied also for assistance and deliverance in those agonies he conflicted with But in respect of his praier for the Church So he praied for their Sanctification though not for his own he praied Peters Faith might not fail he praied God would not impute sinne to some of those who did crucifie him Though he needed not such Petitions yet we do and therefore in this respect Christ praied in which we cannot imitate him for he praied as he was to offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sinnes so it behoved him also to put up praier for his people Thus you have heard how Christ was capable of Praier though God Let us now Consider the comfortable advantage of these Praiers of Christs unto us And 1. See the love of Christ that he doth remember our good in his praiers as well as his own It is not enough to pray for his own Glory but he beggeth and prayeth for ours also Paul speaketh of it as his great affection and Love to some that he made mention alwaies of them in his Prayers he never praied for himself but for them also And thus we see Christ though ready to be offered up and to die such a tormented ignominious Death So that he might justly be taken up with Praier for himself only yet he doth the same time think of his Church and all that shall beleeve in him Oh what comfortable Refreshment and Encouragement should this be to the dejected and humbled Soul That Christ doth in his Prayer remember and consider of thee as well as his own Glorification 2. This Prayer of Christ is alwaies heard We many times pray and God doth deny us because as the Apostle James saith Chapt. 4. vers 4. We ask amisse or we ask not in Faith Now Christ had every thing concurrent that might make his Prayer successefull Therefore John 11.42 Christ there professeth God the Father heard him alwaies In
justification and a vivifical influence from Christ into us He is not an head in vain he is not a vine in fancy and imagination Therefore he saith I am the true Vine Joh. 15.1 not corporally but spiritually yet the expression sheweth that a natural vine doth not so truly nourish its branches as Christ doth his people Hence Joh. 6. he saith My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed Not as the Capernaits understood it but in a spiritual reality and certainly the wonderful effects of Christs union with the godly do demonstrate the reality of it There is love of God an heavenly life support in all Exercises c. which are the blessed effects of this glorious union 6. Consider the necessity of this union with Christ without this we are in a necessity of perishing For without Christ there is no justification no Sanctification no Salvation The branch withers that is not in this Vine The stream drieth up that is not joyned to this spring That member must needs die that is not joyned to this head Oh then that natural men would tremble at that distance they are in from Christ The Scripture saith such are afar off and indeed there is a great gulf between them and heaven God is an Enemy to them and they to God till they be made one in Christ Alas they can no more approach to God in any duty then stubble can endure before the fire This made Paul Gal. 2. say he no longer lived but Christ in him And again Phil. 3. he would not be found in his own Righteousnesse but in Christ And Col. 2. Ye are compleat in him It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell 1 Cor. 1. God hath made Christ wisedom rigteousnesse and redemption So that Christ hath the preheminence in all things he is Alpha and Omega he is all in all Who art thou then poor wretched and miserble sinner that darest abide an hour a day in thy natural condition without Christ Why dost thou not fear the curses of the Law the devils of hell and all the vengeance of God may immediatly devour thee 7. The excellency of this union can never be enough meditated on for this is a Catholicon to all diseases evidence of this will answer all doubts Dost thou fear perishing if united to Christ thou canst not perish any more then he Dost thou fear God may leave thee and forsake thee This cannot be no more then that Christ should be forsaken for this union makes thee and Christ one mysticall person so that by this union there is a communion of all Christs good things to thee and of thy evil things to him thy sins were laid on him he became sinne for thee and thy evils are felt by him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me saith Christ from heaven Act. 9.4 yea the Church is called Christ because of this intimate union 1 Cor. 12 1◠So that no Son no wife can take such comfort and confidence from a Father or husband as the believer from Christ he may truly say Christ is better then all husbands and fathers and all relations whatever 8. There is the inseparableness of this union All natural unions will be dissolved the wife will one day be parted from her husband the childe from his Father They are not everlasting relations but this is eternall Even as Christ took his natural body never to be divided from it so also he doth his mystical and upon this union is the perseverance of Gods children immovably fixed Christs members can never be broken from him and thrown into hell 9. There is the efficaciousnesse of it where Christ is united to the soul there he puts forth his vigour and power as Christ while on earth wheresoever he went put forth his miraculous power healing the blinde the lame and raising the dead thus also Christ dwelling in us can be no more hid then the Sun when it ariseth on the Earth 10. It 's an immediate union all believers are immediatly united to Christ one is not more united then another In the body every member is not proximely joyned to the head but in Christ the meanest and weakest believer is immediatly joyned to him 11. It is an harmonious Vnion Every believer receiveth proper supplies for its own peculiar necessities as Eph. 4.16 Lastly This union is of so great concernment that the principal end of the Sacrament is to represent and seal this as if this were the great priviledge we were alwaies to live upon Vse Are the godly united to Christ then how holy and Christ-like should they be in all their operations Can there be a greater argument to holinesse What saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. Shall I take the members of Christ and make them members of an harlot SERMON CXIX Sheweth What a special means Vnity among Believers is to enlarge the Kingdome of Christ And yet notwithstanding that Vnity without true Doctrine is no infallible Mark of the true Church against the Papists JOHN 17.21 That the world may believe that thou hast sent me WE are now arrived at the last part of this Text as it stands divided which is the consequent and fruit of all Believers Vnity It will convert the world and bring them to the true Faith when they see such agreement It 's true Austin makes not this a consequent but a distinct prayer and therefore repeateth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if our Saviours sense was I pray that the world may believe in me And upon this foundation he makes this Question How Christ that said before he prayed not for the world doth here pray for the world And answers The world is here taken for the world not of reprobates but predestinated ones in which sense the world is taken he saith in these two places I came not to judge but to save the world John 3.17 And God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 So that it 's plain Austin thought that the world might sometimes be taken for the elect only howsoever some cannot endure that Exposition but though there may be truth in this yet I think the Context is to the contrary for it 's plain that the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth denote here some event or consequent from the believers unity Therefore others by faith do not understand saving but an historicall faith and by the world do understand reprobates for even such by the preaching of the Word and other demonstrations are many times so farre convinced as to believe the Christian Doctrine Therefore they say Christ doth not here pray for the world of reprobates only this is a consequent of believers amongst themselves But I rather with Calvin take the world here for mankinde in a negative and indefinite sense First Negative for such as do not believe yet and then Indefinitely of those who do believe Some do truly and savingly believe
to be considered And they are these 1. It lifteth a man up above his natural reason It addeth many cubits to his stature As reason directs and corrects sense as we see in Astronomy so doth faith direct and correct reason As Zacheus because of a small stature went up into a tree to see Jesus Thus the reason of a man being too low in it self must ascend up to the Scriptures that it may behold divine things so that they wholly overthrow faith and change the nature of it who made it with Abailadus of old to be imagination or with the Socinians strength of reason Certainly Julian and the Heathens of old confound Christian Religion upon this ground because it was faith it was not a science 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was Julians upbraiding now the Christians they gloried in this and Austin to confirm the Christian under many captious doubts saith thus Nomini te esse fidelem not rationalem To bring then divine truths to reasons comprehension is to put the Sunne under a bushell or to think to fit Goliahs shoe to Zacheus his foot 2. Though this faith lifts up reason yet it doth not contradict it When we say faith cometh by revelation not by reason flesh and blood cannot make such things known to us yet when once this revelation is discovered in the Scripture then reason doth wonderfully help to propugn and maintain this truth revelation must lay the foundation and then reason will build upon it so that inlightned reason and instructed reason out of the Word is of excellent use to explicate and clear divine mysteries Even as the Gold-smiths hammer is usefull to dilate and diffuse his golden mettal in many formes and this use all our learned Divines make against all Heretiques They doe by the help of reason and arguments out of the Scripture illustrate and confirm the Doctrine to be believed 3. This general nature of faith hath two excellent properties put together in one place Heb. 11.1 It 's there called The substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen It 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We shall not dispute Whether this be a definition of faith it 's enough that two differential marks are given of it And First It 's the substance of things hoped for concerning which word learned men say divers things but it may comprehend these particulars First that Faith is not an empty flying fancy for so Aristotle useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as opposite to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some manifestation meerly as the colours of the Rainbow or of birds feathers when the Sunne shines These have but an intentional being there is no reall solid being in them but faith is the substance of things hoped for and certainly this is greatly to be endeavoured after that thy faith be a reall substantial thing how many mens faith are but fickle fancies and uncertain notions and therefore with their dogmatical faith they are like the Apostle James his man without faith tossed up and down with every wave Jam. 1. The Apostle Ephes 4.14 saith Be not carried about with every winde of Doctrine that denoteth the levity and emptinesse of a thing Trees that are well rooted are not blowne up and down like feathers What then is the cause of instability and uncertainty of many mens Religion It 's because they have not faith wheresoever that is it is a solid substantial bottoming of the soul 2. The word substance doth imply that it makes the things hoped for though afarre off yet present to the soul and even to subsist in the soul for faith is not hindred in its actings by distance of place for that receiveth Christ enjoyeth Christ though in Heaven and he that believeth hath eternal life Hence we are said to be already translated from death to life John 5.24 because to faith these things are as sure as if they were already done Thus Paul you see him by faith speaking as confidently as if he were in Heaven already Rom 8. Who shall separate us from the love of God shall things present or things to come Shall life or death c Hence faith is called The beholding of things not seen 2 Cor. 3. Faith makes God present Heaven present Christ present as really and truly as bodily objects are present to sense and truly for want of this it is that we are so cold languishing dejected we doe not by faith make these things present if we did they would more divinely affect us and as it is the substance of things hoped for So of things feared likewise Noah by faith moved with fear prepared an Arke Heb. 11.7 Thus faith makes hell and damnation present it doth not look upon hell as a farre off but is affected as if it did see and hear those dolefull howlings in hell and so dare no more sin then if it were in hell already Oh what a mighty change would faith thus realizing things work upon us 3. The word comprehends Assurance Confidence and so indeed is hypostasis used both in Scripture and by humane Authours now this confidence of faith and assurance is seen in the knowing and assenting acts of faith as well as applicatory witnesse those resolute and confident deportments which the Martyrs had Had not they strong assurance of the truth who could endure such exquisite torments against subtil opposers And certainly the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes are more to be admired then those in the primitive times for they suffered upon undoubted and clear points which only the Heathens gain-said But now these suffered by them that acknowledged a Christ and pretended the Glory of Christ as well as they So that this heavenly confidence and satisfaction of the soul that they care not for further disputing and doubting in the matters they do believe is a great property in faith And this manifesteth there is little faith now in Religion wherein men are apt to think all Religions alike and that one may do as well as another In these dayes to have such a substantiating reallizing and confident assurance is a great wonder The next word describing the generall nature of it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that doth imply First That the things believed bring an objective light with them As the object that is seen brings a visibility though faith in respect of humane reason be obscure and supernatural Arguments be inevident yet compared with the light in the Word it hath much evidence Hence the word of God is so often compared to light and that illumination which God worketh in the minde is partly faith as well as any other grace The things that are believed bring an evidence with them to the soul as the Sunne brings a visibility with it to be seen Therefore this believing is said to be by the Word set home in the demonstration of the Spirit and hence it is a man in some sense is passive
from the world to God yet that which is here primarily intended is the perfection and consummation of them in unity which though it will not be compleat till in heaven yet it is inchoate and begun in this life Obs That the Father and Christs being in believers is the cause of that perfect and consummate unity which they ought to have of themselves There could be no union in the body if the Head did not unite it All believers union doth first flow from Christ as their Head and Mediator Insomuch that whatsoever unity they may have which doth not first arise from this spring is humane and carnall To open this let us consider What is implied in their being made perfect in one And First Here is implied sincerity and uprightnesse That their unity be from a pure heart and unfeigned faith This is often the use of the word perfect as opposed to that which is false and counterfeit many are said to walk with a perfect heart because they did not walk with an heart and an heart by dissimulation so that it 's a perfection of essence and parts not of degrees and this indeed is greatly to be urged that as all the other things in the godly be sincere so their unity that they be joyned together from spiritual principles and by spiritual means It was the Heathens Position That amicitia could onely be inter bonos that whatsoever friendship was from bono utili or jacundo and not honesto it did not deserve the name of friendship Now how much more is this true in that unity amongst the godly which hath for it's cause and original Christ himself and for it's patern such an unity that the Father and Sonne have To be perfect then in unity is to have sincere hearts one towards another as the Apostle Rom. 12. Let love be without dissimulation Let there be no water to debase this wine let not this fair fruit be rotten at the core Secondly To be perfect in Vnity doth imply not onely sincerity but integrity of all those substantials and essentials wherein this onenesse doth consist You have heard that the Unity of believers doth empty it self into two great streams one of Faith in respect of Doctrine The other of Charity in respect of life and affections Therefore if any of these be wanting the Unity is dissolved if love be pretended but yet there is no divine truth this is conspiracy not unity and if faith be pretended but not love as yet we have no signe of the true Disciples of Christ Let then the Church of God look it hath these two pillars like Jachin and Boaz to bear it up All Unity without Truth is like a stately building upon sand and Truth without love is like a foundation without superstruction pray that the Spirit of God would lead into all truth for the former and would also work those sanctifying fruits of it love peace meekness c for the latter Thirdly The word perfect in one doth imply an increase and daily progresse in the way of Vnity For though the Church of Christ be his Body yet it 's a growing body it 's not come to it's full stature no not in this life There are further degrees to be attained Ephes 4.13 We are to grow to a perfect man in Christ Jesus and thus we reade of many called perfect as 1 Cor. 2.6 Heb. 5.14 not in an absolute sense but comparatively because they are carried on to further degrees of grace then others We are not then to think that any Church will have such perfect Unity in this life but that it may be more perfected In the best constituted Churches there are several imperfections there is much weakness many carnal affections which are apt to discompose the beautifull frame of the Church Fourthly It doth imply That they are perfected in those means which are appointed by God for this Vnity For seeing the means are wholly for the end the end can never be better enjoyned then formerly if the means be not better improved so that if the Church of God be perfected more in one it must more faithfully improve the means of unity and they are especially two 1. The preaching of the Word of God For as by that at first the Church is called out of the world so by that also it 's kept up in it's purity and unity The Word of God preached is the onely means appointed to remove ignorance and mortifie corruptions which are the rares that hinder the good seed As the envious man soweth these so the Spirit of Christ by the Word worketh the clean contrary Hence Ephes 4. the Ministry is appointed as a means to bring us to this perfect stature farre be it therefore from them to make divisions and rents in the Church of God whose great office and imployment is to proclaim peace The good shepherd will not suffer his sheep so to fight with one another as thereby to be destroyed 2. The Sacrament of the Lords Supper that is a special means to preserve Vnity yea and to perfect it The Apostle 1 Cor. 10. speaketh fully to this For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread So Eph. 4. one Baptisme is brought as an ingagement to unity Therefore the more graciously and perfectly these Ordinances are received the more is this unity confirmed and established and therefore those primitive Christians who had one soul and one heart were constant also in their breaking of bread whereby their mutual love was strongly preserved Bellarmine not unfitly speaks of a six-fold Unity in the Church The first is Ratione principii of God who calleth though as he saith this makes the Church not so much una as sub uno one as under one 2. Ratione ultimi finis the salvation to which it 's called and this makes the Church not so much one as ad unum 3. Ratione Mediorum in respect of the means of Faith and Sacraments and thus the Church is rather by one then one 4. In respect of the holy Ghost as a separated Governour 5. In respect of Christ as an internal and conjoyned Head 6. In respect of the connexion of the Members amongst themselves and in these two last respects it 's properly one Lastly This Vnity will be wholly perfected in Heaven Then will all partition walls be destroyed Then shall it no more be said I am of Paul and I am of Apollo but God will be all in all Therefore as this life is a place like Hadadrimmon a valley of tears bewailing corruptions and sinnes amongst us so also the divisions and breaches that are upon us But in Heaven all opinions all different wayes will cease So that although this unity for the main of it be attained in this life yet in the life to come there it will be totally compleated Thus it is here perfect because the endeavours and breathings of the godly should be
should be justified Though David was Gods servant and that after his own heart yet he could not be justified and so not saved unless God did graciously forgive what was imperfect Oh then how greatly should this humble us when we shall consider we never did any thing in our lives though in the most holy manner but it needed a pardon as Nehemiah when he mentioned the many particulars he had done for God and desired to be remembred for them yet added also that he might be spared and have mercy shewed unto him Nehem. 13.22 2. It 's the gift of God because any gracious action is so farre from making a man to merit at Gods hand that he is thereby the more obliged and bound to God So that the more holy he is the lesse he can deserve because in that he is the more indebted unto God So that it is absurd to think that because God hath heaped more mercies upon us that therefore still we deserve more but rather to acknowledge that both grace here and glory hereafter is wholly from the gift of God 3. Glory cannot be the proper and natural reward of our grace Because of the vast disproportion and distance which is between one and the other Alas what is an act of faith or love or patience or all of them put together which have been in the short time of this life unto all eternity If thy body hath endured the pains of Martyrdom for an hour what is that to have honour glory and freedom from all pain with unspeakable joy and delight to all eternity Vse To humble the best of Gods servants under the highest exercises of grace How often doth the devil and thy own corrupt heart upon any holy duty puff thee up and make thee secure and confident seeking for Justification by something in thy own self How apt to think thy self better then others and to trust in thy own heart Is not this to say thou comest to heaven and happinesse by thy own power How often doth God speak to the people of Israel that they should not say they entered into the Land of Canaan for their righteousness If for a temporal mercy they were to take heed their hearts were not lifted up much more for heaven it self If Jacob said Gen. 32.10 He was lesse then the least of Gods mercies much more then the greatest SERMON CXXXIV Of immediate Enjoyment of and Communion with Christ in Heaven as the Complement of mans happinesse JOH 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am THE next thing considerable is the object matter of this Petition which is two-fold 1. To be where Christ is 2. To behold the glory which the Father had given him Let us Consider the first particular To be with Christ where Christ is and Austin doth well observe that he doth not pray They may be where he is for though a man be wretched and miserable he is where Christ is but not with Christ as saith he a blinde man may be where the light is but not with the light It 's therefore added to be with him where Christ is and that denoteth the gracious and happy enjoyment of him Some understand it of Christs gracious presence here vouchsafed to beleevers but the context doth more genuinely comprehend the former For our Suviour was now to be no longer in this world and besides the expression of being with God and Christ in the Scripture-sence is proper to that eternal felicity and glory which they are made partakers of only the doubt may be if it be understood of glorious presence with Christ why Christ speaks in the present tense where I am Some answer that this is to be understood in respect of his divine nature by which he was alwaies glorious Others understand it spoken in the present because he was very immediatly to be glorified every way and then it may well be received There are some who make this Argument that this must be understood of a glorious presence not a gracious because say they of a gracious presence the phrase alwaies is God is with us but of a glorious presence We are with God but though this may be admitted as the most common expression yet some few instances may be shewed to the contrary Therefore the former Reasons especially if we adde the words following That they may behold my glory which seem to be exegeticall of what went before will evidence that we must understand the sence of that happy eternall presence with Christ in heaven Obs That the greatest part of our glory and happinesse which we shall have in heaven lieth in this that then we shall be with Christ and have immediate Communion with the Lord Though we are apt to look upon the happinesse of heaven as it freeth from all pains and torments as it delivers us from the curse and vengeance of God yet that which is indeed the sublime and chief part of our happinesse is that we shall there have an immediate enjoyment of God and Christ It 's asserted as a Truth that the greatest misery in hell is in the poena damni not in the poena sensus and Chrysostome considering that dreadfull Sentence pronounced Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire makes these words depart to be farre more terrible then eternall fire The doctrine of heaven and hell was not so fully and evidently preached in the Old Testament as in the New yet even then we have David thus breaking forth into an holy passion Whom have I in heaven but thee and whom in earth in comparison of thee Psal 73.25 Whom in heaven but thee implying that heaven would not be heaven if God were not there and that in heaven he looketh not to Angels or Saints there but God himself Now though the happinesse of heaven be described from other particulars yet that this is the sum of all may appear from these two places Phil. 1.23 where you finde Paul in a divine perplexity and heavenly streight whether he should desire to live or die and although for the Churches good he is contented to live yet absolutely and simply his desire was to depatt and why because this was to be with Christ which is farre better So then this was that which so moved Paul to be no longer in this world viz to be with Christ No doubt Paul had many godly Friends in seeing whose faces and enjoying their company he took great delight and this he often expresseth but all these are nothing to Christs Company Thus to godly hearts though it be a great comfort to enjoy their Wives and Children yet when raised by grace they can preferre the company of Christ above all The second place is 1 Thess 47. when the Apostle in a divine and ravishing manner had treated on the Resurrection then he mentioneth this as the summe and Complement of all our felicity that we shall be with the Lord for ever To
my self that doth not solely relate to his humane nature but even his divine also because the second person was in a peculiar manner sent into the world and to become man for us 2. The Fathers love was more remarkably seen towards that particular humane nature which the second person assumed in the sanctifying and glorifying of that with all sutablenesse and thus the love of God was to the humane nature of Christ before the Foundation of the world by way of purpose and decree in God even as it is to all the Elect Children of God for Christ attributeth iâ— to God the Father that he had so fitted his humane nature Therefore he saith a body thou hast prepared me Heb. 10.5 Now severall waies did the Fathers love appear herein as 1. to ordain and appoint him to be a Mediatour to make him man for this purpose This is attributed wholly to God the Father hence 1 Pet. 1.20 Christ is said to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world Christ coming into the world was not of meer necessity There was no compulsion to this but the Father out of his meer good pleasure did thus ordain him Hence it is that our Saviour doth constantly make the Fathers mission or sending of him to be the cause of being our Mediatour 2. This love of the Fathers to him was seen in taking that particular humane nature rather then any other into an hypostaticall Vnion Though Christ did not take an individuall humane personalized as men are yet he took a particular nature into a personal Union with the God-head which is the greatest exaltation of mans nature that can possibly be imagined It 's that great mystery which Angels are continually searching into but if you ask why the second Person did take this particular nature rather then another that the holy Ghost might have sanctified here Gods meer love made the difference for as it was an high act of grace and favour to the Virgin Mary that she rather then any other woman should be appointed to be the mother of Christ so it was much more a great honour and expression of love that this humane nature rather then another was assumed into personal Union and for this cause it is that Austin did so invincibly presse the Pelagians with this argument from Christ as man for saith he if Christ as man was chosen not for any foreseen merit or worth which might be in him but it was solely by the love and goodnesse of God then much more will it follow that no meer man especially corrupted and defiled can be elected to Eternal Life upon the supposition or prescience of any good thing in man So that Christ as man was so meerly from the favour and love of the Father This is that gratia singularis to Christ as man de quâ fas est praedicare sed nefas adjudicare as Austin 3. The love of the Father to Christ in preparing him for Mediatour is seen in the sanctifying and endowing of him with all holinesse that so he might be a compleat Saviour for seeing it behoved us to have such an high-Priest as was holy and separate from sin therefore it was that he was made man in such an extraordinary manner for he was conceived by the holy Ghost The holy Ghost sanctified that corpulent substance of Christs body wherby there was not any form of or inclination to sin abiding in him and therefore he is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he wrs habitually and originally holy Now this was wholly of the love of God that his humane nature was thus anointed with all holinesse and that he received the Spirit of God without measure and therefore the humane nature of Christ was infinitely obliged to bless and praise God who had powred more holinesse into it then in all Angels and men Thus the Fathers love was seen in preparing him to be Mediatour and when he was thus appointed and in the discharge of his Office The love of the Father was exceeding great to him For 1. you have the Father in a most glorious manner from heaven owning of him and giving of that solemn approbation This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased what a glorious manifestation was here of the Fathers love to him his love did rest on him yet so as thereby he makes others beloved Sonnes in whom also he is well-pleased even those that do believe in him This glorious Testimony then given to Christ by the Father is made by some Learned men part of that glory which is spoken of in v. 22. 2. The Fathers love is wonderfully discovered to him as Mediatour in that he was willing to lay down his life for those who were appointed to salvation Insomuch that although the world thought him forsaken of God and smitten for his own sins yea though Christ himself in respect of his sence and feeling expostulated with his Father why he had forsaken him yet even then was the Fathers love most of all towards him Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for my sheep Here you see that although there were many other Reasons of the Fathers love to him yet he instanceth in this wherein we would think Gods anger was for the present most displaied It 's true this is urged by sâ—me that therefore Christ could not suffer the anger of God in his soul neither could the Father afflict him as for our sins for how could this be say they that at the same time the Father should love him and yet be angry wâ—th him as punishing the sins of all the Elect upon him But as Gods love towards Christ could consist with that leaving of him to the hands of his Enemies So also could the love of the Father towards the person of Christ well consist with that anger of his towards him as our Surety and certainly this very particular may much encourage the people of God for when they are sollicitous about their acceptance with the Father whether he will receive them into grace or no what a ready answer is this the Father loveth Christ because he would die for us because he would be crucified for us 3. The Fathers love towards him is especially seen in exalting of him to all that honour and Majesty the Scripture so often mentioneth that is the sitting at the right hand of God the Father It is true as God he had a right to all this glory before but then there was a manifestation of it and not only so but a reall communication of such glory to his humane nature which it had not before and his person was not admitted into a more plenary and consummate possession of that glory of which there was but beginnings before Even as it was with David first he had a right given him to the Kingdom but for the present he was in constant oppressions and miseries Thus Christ while having a right to
millions of Christians for the Christian Faith If then David did so much prize his Worthies and those who were valiant men venturing their lives for him were so indeared how much more will God highly esteem such as are couragious and venturous for him Therefore there is such encouraging promises made to such as are willing to lose for him Mat. 19.29 he shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit eternal life Is not this plain that God is very tender of and remunerative of such who are couragious and ready to lose any thing for his sake 3. Herein the godly manifest their love to God In this time of adversity they discover their kinde affections towards God Now love of God is abundantly rewarded with love from God What a happy exchange is this for thy poor finite creatures love which is not able to make God more blessed and happy to have the infinite effectual and unspeakable love of God towards thee If we love the inanimate creatures they do not love us again Thou lovest riches riches do not love thee again Thou lovest honours but honours cannot love thee again but if we place our love upon God then God will powr out his love abundantly upon us again love obtains love and where God loveth his love is infinite like himself and withall it 's efficacious his love while we are sinners made him send his Son to die for us much more will his love be operative since reconciled with us Lastly All such true believers who acknowledge Christ in the midst of an ungodly world they do betake themselves to Gods faithfulness and rest only upon that They take up this resolution all the world will prove malicious and ungrateful they cannot expect better measure then what Christ himself had who yet did so much good where he came Now having these expectations they fortifie themselves with Gods promise and fidelity he will not leave them nor forsake them You see how often David professeth his trust in God making him his fortresse and strong tower We see among men if any one betake himself to another mans fidelity and say he will trust on him he will depend upon him if such an one have any ingenuity or spark of goodness in him to be sure he will not fail such he will not deceive how much rather then will God abide sure and faithful to all those that depend on him Vse 1. of Exhortation not to be infected or poisoned with the common iniquity of others though others grow wicked yet let not thy love grow cold for this will be a remarkable aggravation of grace when the world was obstinate and would not know God yet thou didst Do not think that multitude of sins can be any patronage to thee at all Though thou art but one man or one Family for God in the whole Parish do not shrink at this but think that God doth the rather take notice of thee It 's a more difficult task to be godly in some places then others It will cost more there will be more sufferings but still remember never did any lose by losing for God Vse 2. of Comfort to the godly Though they have so little from the world for God he takes notice of all the hard speeches all the hard practises that ungodly men are guilty of towards them but let them know the more this Pharaoh this Egypt doth oppress them the more graciously will God at last hear all their groan and they shall enter into a Canaan that will make amends for all Think not of thy conflicts and fightings but of the Crown of glory Oh that the godly would consider who it is that looks on them while they run in this race while they are striving for an holy victory SERMON CXLIII Of Christs teaching Believers Shewing what great need the most illuminated Christians have still to be taught JOH 17.26 And I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it c. OUr Saviour having in the former verse affirmed himself to be the cause of all that saving knowledge beleevers have he doth in this verse manifest that he is the conservant cause as well as the efficient that as God is both the Authour of Creation and Preservation in the order of nature So Christ is in the order of grace We have therefore in the words 1. The gracious action of Christ toward his people 2. The efficient cause 3. The Subject to whom 4. The final Cause hereof The gracious action of Christ is set down both by the Preterperfect and Future tense ushered in with the part cle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some make causal in this connâ—xion They have known thou hast sent me for I have declared thy Name unto them And thus it may very well be taken in this place and thence we may observe That the saving knowledge of Christ cometh not by our own natural strength or abilities but by the meer revelation and will of Christ But I shall not insist on that In the next place the Benefit ascribed to us is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the sixth verse he used the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word is sometimes used of Gods making a thing known to us Luke 2.15 Sometimes of our making a thing known to God as Phil. 4.6 Let your requests be made known to God Not that God is ignorant of any thing but as much as lieth in us we spred them in Gods presence to take notice of them Sometimes of one mans making known a thing to another as 1 Cor. 15.1 Ephes 6.21 In this place it 's attributed to Christ as the efficient cause I have declared In the next place there is the diversity of time I have and will declare it Austin referreth this to the present life and the life to come but it rather denoteth the constant and daily revelation or manifestation of Christ himself and his truth to belevers 3. There is the Object declared thy Name that is God himself 4. The Subject to whom that is not the Apostles but to all believers Now I have already handled the benefit mentioned Christs declaring the Name of God to believers I shall onely take notice of the Necessity of continuing this Benefit even to Believers though Apostles though never so eminent in gifts and graces yet Christ doth still keep up and encrease their saving knowledge Observ That believers do not only at their first conversion but in the whole progress of their life need constant illumination and teaching from God There is none can learn so much in Gods School that God himself can teach him no longer This truth will be of great use to keep the most knowing Christians very humble and low in their own eies as also to make them continually depend upon Christ in the Word and Ministry that they may grow in knowledge This truth is abundantly confirmed by that notable prayer of the Apostle for
some while he was here on earth or mediately and that is by the discovering of the work of grace upon our souls whereby we gather Gods love toward us and this is the ordinary safe way that we are to take otherwise under the pretence of immediate revelations we may fall into sad delusions and this way the Scripture suggests viz. that by our love to the brethren by keeping his Commandements we may gather that we are loved of God Do not then expect as if thou shouldst hear a voice from heaven in a glorious manner as Christ did Thou art my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased but begin at the work of grace and Sanctification in thy heart by which thou maist certainly conclude of Gods love as by the Sun-beams we may conclude the Sun risen yet this must be necessarily added that we can neither discern of the work of grace in us or have such full perswasions of Gods love thereby but by the spirit of God as in Rom. 5.5 we of our selves through the sight of the imperfections of our graces would run from the presence of God only it 's the spirit of adoption given unto us which makes us have an Evangelical boldness before him Lastly This love of God perceived and felt by the godly is of a transcendent and incomprehensible nature So that if we should spend our whole life in the meditating of it yet we are never able to go to the bottom of it This is admirably expressed Eph. 3 19. that ye may know the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge from whence followeth that we are filled with the fulness of God for this love to us is the same in kinde though not in degree with that whereby he loveth Christ himself Christ and his members are comprehended in the same act of love what an unspeakable consideration is this to a poor believer Again the love of God is such that he gave his only begotten Son to the vilest and most ignominious death for them which the Apostle puts also upon it Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world and this love was to us while enemies while adversaries and it 's not to bring about a temporall mercy for us but eternal even everlasting glory and lastly this love is immutable and unchangeable God will never alter his love or cease to love such Certainly such a love is that which the heart of a man can never sufficiently comprehend must needs inflâ—me the soul there cannot be any cold Ice under this torrid Zone Therefore in the next place let us consider the great advantages that a believer hath which hath this powerful sence and feeling of Gods love within his heart And 1. It doth in a wonderful manner encourage and embolden the soul and that under the thoughts of death and the day of Judgement If so be this were to be the next moment if this voice were heard Arise and come to judgement yet the experimental feeling of Gods love would keep the heart so far from being dejected and perplexed that it would rather rejoyce a man and make him lift up his head 1 Joh. 4.17 Herein is love made perfect that is not our love but Gods love to us as the Greek intimateth that we may have boldnesse in the day of judgement That day which is so terrible to the wicked the very name of it is dreadful to them that bringeth much comfort to him who is loved of God Now what a desirable life is this who would not give the whole world to enjoy it viz. that he may walk in such powerful apprehensions of Gods favour that though death come though the day of judgement come yet his heart is not terrified within him The Apostle John speaks of Gods love perfected in us 1 Jo. 4.12 that is in respect of manifestation and discovery as Gods power is said to be perfected in our infirmities or faith to be perfected by love which sheweth that though God doth love us yet till this be manifested and discovered to us his love is not perfected to us 2. The sence and feeling of Gods love doth make us patient and contented yea even rejoycing under all tribulations the more grudgings and discontents thou art assaulted with under any exercises it 's an argument thou hast the less feeling of Gods love upon thee for if this did diffuse it self thou wouldst be more then a conquerour in all these things and certainly if Calvin said gravely from the former consideration out of the place mentioned in John That so far a man is proficient in faith as he is well composed in his heart for the expectation of the day of judgement We may also speak in this particular that so far a man hath profited in Christianity as he can from the sence of Gods favour rejoyce and be above all tribulations whatsoever This the Apostle mentioneth Rom. 5.5 the cause of all those glorious graces mentioned viz. patience and glorying in tribulations as also hope which will not make ashamed all cometh from that love of God shed abroad in their souls and Rom 8 It 's the love of God which he felt in his soul that made him triumph in so glorious a manner that he challengeth all things as not able to hinder him from this love of God 3. This sence of Gods love is a notable inflamer and quickner of the heart unto all godliness to all holy duties How dull how cold and lukewarm are all such performances that flow not from this fire within All is but formality and a meer outside in Religion till we have some apprehension of Gods love toward us yea those that are truly loved of God but yet not assured of it how heavily do they move in any holy duties how sad and divided with unbelieving thoughts how prone to yield to such temptations that because God doth not love them therefore it 's a vain thing to seek his face any longer but if once God let this love shine in upon his heart then it 's like oyl to his bones then it 's like Ezechiels spirit in the wheels then many waters cannot quench this love So that any duty performed out of the apprehension of Gods love is in some respect worth a thousand of those done without it Oh therefore labour to keep this fire alwaies upon the Altar of thy heart 2 Cor. 5.14 the Apostle there saith that the love of Christ constraineth him the word is thought to be used of those Prophets who being immediatly wrought upon by the spirit of God could not keep in what they felt but they must deliver it and thus it is with a man strongly possessed with the feeling of Gods love he cannot keep it in he is in an holy extasie and ravishment he praieth he heareth he doth all things with all his might 4 This apprehension of Gods love will make us wonderfull heavenly It will take us from all things here below As a man on
come to Christ 5. This throws all merits to the ground II. In respect of Christ 1. A demonstration of the transcendent love of Christ 2. It shews the safety of the godly Vse Doct. Christ will give to those that are his Eternal life Eternal life considered I. Positively what it is 1. It consists in 1. The immediate fruition and enjoyment of God He is an universal and infinite object He is the Universal good He is an unmixed sincere good And a proper peculiar and convenient good 2. It consists in the perfect sanctifying the souâ—â—nd body thereby siâ—ting a man for the enjoyment of God 3. In a quick and lively apprehension of this happinesse And it hath these properties 1. A continued life of happinesse 2. It hath in it all desirable things 3. It is a glorious Life 4. A holy Life 5. A spiritual life Vse 6. It 's an eternall life II. Eternal Life considered comparatively with this present life 1. This life is but short 2. Full of troubles and miseries 3. Full of fears 4. Measured by time 5. Full of dissatisfaction· II. Eternal life considered oppositely to eternal death Eternal death lieth 1. In the deprivation of God 2. It is seen iâ— that it brings all the positive evil that can be feared or imagined 3. To all Eternity Life a gift death is deserved Why God for a transient sin will inflict eternal torments Vse 1. The great question that all ought to put is How may I have eternall life 2. We must take the right way to answer that question 3. Consider upon this little moment we have here depends all eternity 4. That most shall misse of eternall life 5. Desire such thoughts now as if thou wert already in eternity 6. Better a man had not been born then to misse of eternall life 7. Consider how unwilling thou art to bear any extream pains Helps to be affected with eternity The effects of lively meditations on eternity accompanied with firm faith 1. A low esteem of the world 2. A longing for the coming of Christ 3. Calm the soul under any troubles Arians and Socinians collection from the Text. The Text vindicated Observ 1. All men naturally ignorant of God in a saving manner 2. Imbred knowledge may be encreased by the contemplation of the creature 3. True knowledge to be had only within the Church 4. All true knowledge is not presently saving 5. Without knowledge no Salvation 6. The great ignorance of most to be lamented 7. We must have personal and explicit knowledge and not beleeve as the Church beleeves Reasons Why knowledge is so necessary to Salvation I. In respect of some duties we owe unto God which cannot be acceptably performed without knowledge II. From those duties we owe unto Christ III. Because grosse Ignorance is immediatly opposite to the means that bring the soul to God and Christ Obj. Answ The causes of Ignorance 1. Internal 2. External Vse Motives Observ The effects of saving knowledge I. Internall II. Externall Why knowledge that is not thus accompanied is ineffectuall Vse Observ There is one true God only to be known and served by men Explicatory considerations I. Though many Gods constituted by mans vanity yet there is but one true God II. God is known three waies III. Our knowledge of God is very imperfect IV. V. The insufficiency of naturall and acquired knowledge to guide us in the worship of God and way to salvation Inferences The sinfulness of Idolatry Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Observ The knowledge of the true God is not enough to salvation without the knowledge of Christ The Reasons of the Point Obj. Answ Obj. Answ Vse Obj. Answ Doct. It 's a blessed thing at death truly to say Lord I have glorified thee Consider I. There is a day of judgement when God will call every man to account II. The meanest persons have Talents to improve as well as the greatest III. None are perfect discharges of their duty IV. No merit or causality of salvation in the best work V. VI. Grounds of this blessedness At death all comforts vanish Then if ever Conscience is awakened and the devil is most busie to tempt and trouble Vse Who they are that cannot take comfort in this that they have finished the work God gave them to do 1. Such whose conversation is wicked 2. Those whose works are though not contrary yet differing from the command 3. The slothfull and negligent 4. The luke-warm What things will much diminish the joy and comfort of the godly at the end of their daies 1. Immoderate affection to worldly things 2. Formality and slothfulnesse 3. The not zealously improving opportunities 4. The doing Gods work upon constraint and not from filiall and voluntary principles 5. The more hypocrisie the lesse comfort 6. Ignorance or mistake in some points of Divinity Vse Doct. That our Redemption obtained by Christ is a glorifying of God· c. Wherein God was glorified by Christs Mediation for us Reasons Vse Obj. Answ Quest Answ Observ That Christ did fully and perfectly finish that work the Father gave him to do Observe these particulars 1. 1. 2. A Covenant between God the Father and the Sonne 3. Christs work truiy and properly obedience Quest Answ 4. Christs obedience was meriting obedience 5. Christs work heavy and grievous 6. He finished his work Obj. Answ The properties of the work which Christ finished 1. Of infinite value 2. Mediatory 3. His works are our works 4. Consider the necessity of his work 5. The visibility of it Vse Observ None may look for glory until they have finished their work Consider the Point in reference I. To Christ Glory the reward of Christs merit II. Consider the doctrine as true in our selves 1. God hath appointed this order The necessity of continual working· I. From Gods command II. God hath made them the necessary way to walk in if we will be saved III. Necessary by way of gratitude IV. Because we have so long time spent our selves in the way of Satan It 's lawful for the people of God in all they do for God to encourage themselves that eternall glory is laid up for them Doct. That Repetition of rhe same matter in praier is not alwaies sinfull Tautology but very necessary To open the Point consider these things In praier we must diligently attend to these things Why we must use our tongue in praier When Repetitions of the same matter in praier may be useful Quest Answ When repetitions are forbidden Doct. Things promised must be praied for Reasons I. Generall and common II. More proper and peculiar Reasons Quest Answ Observ That all Gods people are earnestly to pray for their glory above all earthly glory Things implied in the doctrine I. The nature of this glory viz. with God himself which implies 1. It is in the hands of God 2. God is the object of this glory 3. It 's a glory which God liketh and approveth of 4. Opposite to earthly
things It 's my Father in heaven that giveth life and motion to every thing and therefore I need not be afraid Know then that all those gnawing worms of unbelief and fears upon thee whereby thou makest thy self an hell to thy self they come from want of this consideration 5. This Relation if rightly considered will put us upon holinesse and an earnest endeavour to resemble and to be like him A good childe loveth to imitate and conform to all those lovely perfections that are in his Father his endeavour is that in him his Father may live even while he is dead Now the Scripture sets forth Gods holinesse as our Copy to write after Be ye holy as I am holy and that ye may be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Matth. 5.48 and He that hath this hope viz. to be a Sonne of God purifieth himself even as God is pure Oh then let those vile and leprous sinners stand aloof off They call God Father where is thy Image or likenesse of him upon thee Art thou pure as he is pure holy as he is holy Is thy will conformable to his will To love and delight in those things that God loveth and commands The Scripture telleth us the godly are born of God that his Image is restored in them That they are partakers of the divine nature Now let every one see upon what grounds he cals God Father Is it not a meer lye and mockery Dost thou not delude thy own self If God be thy Father wherein art thou like him Art thou holy as he is pure as he is Certainly even in the godly this should raise up their spirits to higher exercise of holinesse They should consider who is their Father It is for them to shew better breeding then to be proud passionate earthly and carnall They are to be as Ignatius was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that bear God about with them you may see the resemblance of God in their lives So then this Title and relation doth not only vouchsafe comfort but engage to much duty None should be so cheerful and yet so holy and pure as they are 6. This Relation of a Father will put us upon zeal for his glory and honour a desire to exalt and set him up every where an holy impatiency to have his Name blasphemed and his commands broken What childe can endure to hear his Father spoken against to have his name defamed You see in Christ himself the zeal of his Fathers house did eat him up he could not endure to see the corruption and defilement of his Fathers worship and thus it is with the Children of God his honour is dear unto them To see and hear the wickednesse and prophanenesse of others torments his righteous soul This is against my Father I have no patience when you thus dishonour my Father Oh this is an excellent signe you look upon God as your Father when you are thus affected for his glory for his truth and worship It 's a known story of that dumb Sonne that never spake before yet when he saw one going to kill his Father cried out and forbad it Thou that feelest no anger or grief within thee when God is dishonoured doe thou doubt of thy childe-like disposition Lastly The Meditation of God as a Father may wonderfully support under all afflictions They are the corrections of a Father not the punishments of a Judge and the Apostle argueth the great reasonablenesse of bearing Gods afflictions seeing we endure the chastisement of our Fathers according to the flesh Heb. 12.9 10. where the Apostle shews that a good childe though chastened by his Father giveth reverence to him why then should not we rather obey God who is the Father of spirits and that from the end of God he afflicts for our profit and we live by these chastisements Hence it 's the devils great temptation to imbitter this cup of affliction as much as he can To let them think God is not their Father and if he were a Father he would never lay such a load upon them and all this to stirre up impatience and discontent within them Thus you see what mighty effects this consideration of God as a Father should produce in us In the next place consider Why this doth so prevail with God And 1. Because it 's not a bare Title but accompanied with the reall love and bowels of a Father God is not only called so but is indeed a Father yea a Father above all earthly Fathers yea or mothers too he takes more tendernesse upon him then they can have Isa 49.15 when Zion sadly complained The Lord had forsaken her he tels her Though a woman should forget her sucking childe yet he would not So then love is infinitely in God his kindenesse is like himself beyond all thoughts and expressions and if among men it be so unnaturall for a Father not to love his childe can we think God will not love his He that hath commanded us to love our enemies and to forgive them seventy times seven in a day will not he pardon his Children Children are part of the Father and therefore God visiteth the sinnes of Fathers sometimes upon their Children because they are as one with the Father and Christ praieth that the godly and his Father may be one 2. It 's for the glory and honour of God to hear them when they pray What priviledges and mercies children have tends to the honour of a Father Doth it not disgrace a Father when he is able and yet letteth his Children be almost famished and be contemned in filthy rags Oh we say he doth not go like such an ones Sonne it 's a disgrace to his Father so it is here should not the people of God be holy comfortable heavenly and accepted of this would be as if God did not own them Vse of Instruction Concerning the happy estate of the godly and the contrary of the wicked That which is a comforting fire to one is a consuming fire to the other The godly have alwaies the Scepter held out to them They may go to God as a Father and are sure to be heard either ad voluntatem or ad sanitatem They may say O Lord if I did come to thee as an angry Judge if I did draw nigh to thee as one provoked as one whose sins made a division between me and thee then I might be sent comfortlesse away but I come to thee as a Father a relation thou art not ashamed off and which thou wilt fullfill though as yet the glory of God is not fully manifested but as for the wicked what a thunderbolt is this to them God is not their Father Though they may call him so a thousand times over yet he is not he is thy enemy thy adversary what good things thou hast cometh from him as the governour of the world not as a Father SERMON IV. Of Gods appointing an hour a set time