5. 9. The Doctrine of universalitie of grace destroys all thankfulness unless to our selves makes all the sacrifices of praises needless sacrificing to our own nets applauding the power and freedome of our own wills It is discriminating grace will raise the soul to thankfull admirations of God in that language of Judas not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world John 14. 22. II. To love both to God who thus peculiariz'd you and to love one another However your heads may differ let your hearts unite you are Temples of the same Spirit spouse of the same husband members of the same bodie 1 Cor. 12 25 27. and what greater argument of love you are purchased by the same bloud sanctified by the same Spirit objects of the same special love and I am sure the Apostle from hence argues strongly for brotherly love Beloved if God so loved us saith he 1 John 4. 10 11. we ought also to love one another You are eodem sanguine glutinati as Augustine expresseth it and is Christ divided It is the check the Apostle gives to the uncharitable dissentions of the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1. 13. And lastly you are designed for the same glorie III. To special service for and obedience to God Discriminating mercies are in all reason to be improved as arguments to peculiar services 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 47. What do ye more then others as if he had said more is expected from my disciples then from the Publicans as your priviledges are peculiar so should your services be too For 1. This is the proper intendment of distinguishing mercie the end of God's peculiar dispensations to a person or nation Observe what God saith of Israel Deut. 26. 18. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people but to what end that thou shouldest keep his commandments Hath God distinguished thee by Electing love the end of it is thy Holiness He hath chosen us that we may be holy and without blame before him Ephes 1. 4. Hath he peculiariz'd thee by Effectual grace and Vocation It is that thou mayst be holy 1 Thessal 4. 7. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness Art thou Christ's by a peculiar purchase the end of it is thy Holiness 1 Cor. 6. 20. For you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits Hath God exercised any peculiar providences towards thee the end of them is thy obedience The Psalmist having spoken of all the Providences God exercised over Israel infers this as the just issue of them That they might observe his statutes and keep his laws Psal 105. 45. So God's peculiar Covenant engageth to Holiness for it is mutual The end of God's peculiar Chastisements is his peoples Holiness Hebr. 12. 10. God chasteneth saith he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness And then the hopes of that peculiar Glorie we are designed to should engage to Holiness 1 John 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope purifieth himself The special Sealing of the Spirit tends to this that we be careful that by sin we do not grieve him Ephes 4. 30. so the end of Communion with God is Holiness what else makes the Angels and Saints in heaven more holy but this Thus you see you frustrate the end of Mercy if it doth not make you more holy 2. It is the most ingenuous return of gratitude which we can make to God for his distinguishing love Sins under mercies as they have the highest guilt so are arguments of the greatest disingenuitie What Do you thus requite the Lord Deut. 32. 6. Obedience is the best thankfulness without which our verbal returns for mercy are but a complement The thankfulness of the life redounds to the honour and praise of God in the world and this God expects from his peculiar people if you consult that pregnant Scripture 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you c. Otherwise God is thus reproached by your sinfulness Yonder 's a people who boast of being God's peculiar do not you observe they live as other men do they can cheat in their shops dissemble in their dealings be frothy and vain in their discourses live in neglect of Familie-duties as deeply immersed in the love of the world as compliant with every foolish fashion as ambitious of honour as false in their promises as others whom they censure as of the world and cast-awaies But now saith Christ Herein is my Father glorified if ye bear much fruit c. John 15. 8. But how shall I know whether I be one of God's peculiar people Question or not The Text is hemmed in with a double evidence so that which Answer way soever you cast your eyes you may discover if you examine impartially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purifie goes before and zealous of good works comes after so that inward Purity and outward Conformitie a pure Heart and a holy Life are the two special Evidences of God's peculiar for they are both the issue and fruits of that faith whereby we have a peculiar interest in Christ Acts 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith there is the former and for the latter Gal. 5. 6. Faith works by love I. Then art thou inwardly purified from spiritual pollutions else thou art none of God's peculiar as yet Thou becamest mine saies God Ezek. 16. 8. What then Why then washed I thee with water yea I throughly washed away thy bloud verse 9. Else thou art no branch engrafted into Christ for every branch he purgeth John 15. 2. II. Art thou holy in thy outward conversation God's peculiar are an holy people Deut. 14. 1 2. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people To pretend to a peculiarity of interest in God while men willingly continue wallowing in the mire of iniquitie is a desperate soul-damning presumption If you would lay any claim to God's privie-Seal of Election you must bring and be able to shew the broad-Seal of Holiness Mark how the Apostle joyns these together 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his And Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity yea and follow Holiness too The Apostle speaks fully 2 Corinth 7. 1. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text Zealous not cold or luke-warm but chearfull and industrious in the practise of Pietie and thus you may evidence your selves to be of that peculiar people whom Christ gave himself to redeem so saith the Text Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from
Scripture was to supply the defect of reason This consideration will yet be more valid if you consider whom God was pleased to make use of as instruments to convey these mysteries to us not an eloquent Tully profound Plato but Amos an Heardsman David a Shepheard Paul a Tent-maker and many of the Apostles poor fishermen men no waies enabled by acquired parts Moses indeed was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians Acts 7. 22. but there he could not learn the Law and Truths of God where Idolatry was so much overspread So Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel but there he did not learn the mysteries of the Gospel but during that time he thought himself bound to blaspheme the truth and to persecute the Professours of the Gospel which himself afterwards preached Matthew a Publican made a Pen-man of the Scripture All which speak as the admirable wisdome and omnipotent power of Gods grace in conquering their hearts to a closing with the Gospel so Gods revealing these things unto them and in an extraordinary manner furnishing them and acting them by his Spirit to write the Scriptures 2. The exactness of Scripture-holiness such as you shall meet with in no humane writings faith purifying the heart working by love What exact patterns and examples does Scripture hold forth of Purity and Holiness Enoch walking with God Abraham the friend of God and David a man after Gods own heart What strict laws does it prescribe whereas Humane laws tolerate some sins this discovers the wages of the least sin to be death Rom. 6. 23. whereas other Religions are fitted with Fleshly liberties to gratifie mens corruptions witness Mahomet's Alcoran indulging a libertie to the flesh this commands those pieces of holiness which are most contrarie and repugnant to our natural corruptions such as self-denial taking up the cross c. It discovers Original sin and man by the guilt thereof liable to the challenge of God the censure of the law in the first moment of his being and that the least sin every idle word must be accounted for Matth. 12. 36. Had it been an Humane invention you shall have found the flesh gratified as all Religions in the world have some way or other to do it Non habent saith S. Augustin of Plato istae Paginae vultum pietatis hujus lachrymas confessionis sacrificium tuum spiritum contribulatum cor contritum nemo ibi cantat Nonne Deo subdita erit anima mea that is All the Heathen Philosophie hath not so much as a shew of this piety the tears of a broken heart and a contrite spirit which is thy sacrifice no man here crys out with David Let all that is within me praise his holy name Psal 103. 1. The principles of moralitie might deck and granish the outward man but Scripture holiness onely repairs and renews the soul commands the very thoughts and curbs the very first irregular motions of the heart In a word this onely transforms the soul into the image of God from glorie to glorie by the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. 3. The excellency of Gospel-promises such as Philosophers never hinted such as the apprehensions of man cannot comprehend now they are revealed much less could they imagine or invent It would be infinite to enlarge I shall therefore instance but in two Ease to troubled wearied souls Nemo ibi audit Venite ad me qui laboratis saith S. Augustine speaking of the writings of Philosophers He could not among all the Platonick Philosophers finde such an expression so comfortable a promise as this Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden No sanctuary for troubled souls but the bloud of Christ which this Scripture onely discovers Isai 40. 1 2. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem c. And another Promise in Isai 43. 2. I will be with thee when thou passest through the fire and through the water not such a Promise in all the writings of men a Promise of Gods gracious presence here and then the Promise of eternal rest in another world The Heathens might dream of an Elysium Mahomet promise a confluence of sensual carnal delights in green meadows to his followers but an happiness made up of an eternal enjoying God by vision and love is a thing their reason could never reach but must certainly be a Divine Revelation as being that which Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive of 4. The nature and event of Scripture prophesies which are such as the eye of omniscience onely can reach as being beyond the foresight of the most perfect creature Moses foretold the seed of the woman should break the serpents head much above three thousand years er'e it was accomplished So Jacobs prophesie of the coming of Shiloh upon the departure of the Scepter from Judah Gen. 49. fell out accordingly a little before Christs birth when the Jews were subjected to the power of the Romans Thus all the Prophets foretelling the calling of the Gentiles a thing so strange that when accomplished many did not understand it and more were offended at it Isaiah prophesied the captivitie and destruction of Jerusalem even then when the kingdome was in a flourishing condition both which afterward fell out Thus Josiah's name and actions were foretold three hundred years before his birth 1 Kings 13. 2. and Cyrus's an hundred years before his birth Isai 45. 1 2. c. And what doth all this speak but a Divine revelation Man may see some things future as they are in their causes but to foretel such future events as are merely dependant upon the Divine will such as these are is onely proper to God Testimonium divinitatis veritas divinationis saies Tertullian The certainty of foretelling is a sure Testimony of Divinity And so we finde that in Isai 41. 22 23. the foretelling such futurities is made a distinction of the true God from all false ones 5. Consider how these Scriptures have gained authority and acceptance from the world by quite contrary means to other writings not by sinfull compliances with the humours and lusts of men which hath much promoted the Alcoran of Mahomet for these it impartially and severely taxes and condemns not insinuated into mens mindes by the pomp and pleasantness of Rhetorick no adornings with the flowers of Rhetorick to make them seem gratefull to the world but by a plain stile and homely expression It gains acceptance by the mysteriousness of the things more then eloquence of the stile so the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2. 4. My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power It is the custome of men to slatter Great ones by a complemental dedication and thereby to gain honour and repute to their writings but observe the dedications of the Scriptures they are to the poor condemned scattered Saints at Corinth and elsewhere so 1 Pet. 1. 1.
oft in divers successions one contrarie to another in the guidances and direction of our Pastors and Teachers Nor can we certainly or safely resolve our belief into them for we are bid to trie these Spirits whether they be of God They may either out of ignorance 1 John 4. 1. or malice mislead you Scripture Canon is the onely infallible guide and God may as soon deceive you as Scripture can 3. The excellent ends fruits of this revelation and the knowledge of it that is not onely for discourse though I could heartily wish it were made more use of this way not onely to exercise a subtile wit though there be Scripture-mysteries will do this too not onely to ripen a lascivient fancie which are the greatest ends of all other knowledge but the ends of Scripture-knowledge are more heavenly and spiritual The Apostle hath enumerated them to our hands it is profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 2 Tim. 3. 16. doctrine if thou beest ignorant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for reproof if thou beest erring and misled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for correction if thou beest sinning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for instruction in righteousness to lead the to and direct thee in thy dutie Consider the excellencie of it in these respects above all other knowledge 1. It is a confirming knowledge the foundation and principle of constancie and settledness in Religion The chief cause of the light Scepticisme and wavering unsettledness of our times is the want of a sound Scripture-knowledge of the Truth with which if mens spirits were well ballassed they would not so soon be tossed about and carried away with every wind of doctrine The Apostle speaking of such gives this account of it that they were children Ephes 4. 14. in understanding Observe who they are the Apostle speaks of who are led captive by those seducers who creep into houses they are sillie women And why they the reason is given because they verse 7. are ever learning and can never come to the knowledge of the truth No man can simply desire to be deceived Error as error hath no sutableness or adequation to mans understanding but many are deluded by error under the vizard of truth Jacob was deceived with blear-eyed Leah instead of fair Rachel While men are in the dark not enlightned by a clear Scripture-knowledge they oft court error for truth This never more easie then in these daies when that which will most secure us from Apostatizing from acknowledged and received truth is a sound Scripture-knowledge which therefore the Apostle prays God for the Colossians and others that they might have the full assurance Coloss 2. 2. of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mysterie of Christ and he gives the reason This speak I lest any man should beguile you with Verse 4. eâ—tising words 2. It is a comforting supporting knowledge So David found it Psal 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are pure rejoycing the heart and verse 10 sweeter they are then the honey and the honey-comb The Wise-man and he spake it experimentally as having more wisdome then all that were before him in Jerusalem found the upshot of all his knowledge to be nothing but vexation of spirit Eccles 1. 16. passing this deliberate judgement and sentence upon it verse 18. that in much wisdome is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow But the comfort of Christians was one end of Scripture which was written That we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope Here an observant Rom. 15. 4. Reader may discover many glorious promises which are rich treasures of comfort full breasts of consolation from which the pious Christian may suck much supporting and chearing sweetness Here we may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation as the Prophet expresseth it Isaiah 66. 11. The promise is as full of comfort as a dugge is full of milk as crying children are quietted with the dugge so perplexed consciences are quieted and eased by the promises this all other knowledge in the world cannot help you too What refuges hath Seneca the wisest of Stoicks found for doubting and troubled mindes and yet all ended in mere disquietness Not Athens must teach this lesson but Jerusalem not Reason but Revelation not Nature but Scripture I have read of a woman who was much disquieted in conscience even to despair and endeavouring to prove her own executioner was comforted by that promise Isaiah 57. 15. Thus saith the high and the loftie one which inhabiteth eternitie whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive the hearts of the contrite ones and of another who being readie to die Lord saith he I challenge thy promise by which thou art engaged to give rest to those who are weary and heavy laden and so was comforted 3. It is a Transforming knowledge which no other knowledge is We read Rom. 1. 21. of the Heathen who when they knew God glorified him not as God and the Psalmist having spoken of the knowledge of God in his creatures subjoyns this as the perfection of the word of God Psal 19. 7. that it converteth the soul The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul In a word natural knowledge is onely sufficient to make men without excuse but Scripture-knowledge to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. Secondly The usefulness and necessitie of it as to an Apollos is still in Scripture justly accounted the cognizance and commendation of of an able Minister It was Ezras commendation that he was a readie Scribe in the Law of Moses and Timothies that 2 Tim. 3. 15. from a child he had known the holy Scriptures which Paul notes as the badge of a good Minister Thou saith he to Timothy shalt be a good Minister nourished up in the words of faith and of good 1 Tim. 4. 6. doctrine This knowledge is necessarie 1. That he may truely and savingly make known and discover Jesus Christ This is the great dutie of Ministers which was the end for which S. Paul desired the door of utterance Colos 4. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak the mysterie of Christ and therefore he desired to know nothing among the Corinthians but Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2. and him crucified Christ he is the summe of Law and Gospel the substance and as it were Epitome of the written Word Every thing in Scripture relates some way or other to Christ the Types shadowed him the Prophets foretold him the Sacraments signifie him and seal him The Law is a School-master to lead us unto Christ Gal. 3. 24. the Gospel offers him and conveys him our faith receives him our love imbraces him our hope expects him our obedience imitates and honours him the promises are grounded upon him by the Gospel-priviledges purchased by him Thus Christ is the
nourish spiritually that brings not a good affection to the word of God I. It is so in all other knowledge you may perhaps have it by experience If you put your children to a trade which they do not desire or love they will scarcely prove artists in it so if men put their children out intending to make them scholars if they do not love their books they will prove but dunces and therefore many parents do wisely dispose of their children according to their affections and inclinations so if men love not the word of God they are not probable to make any great proficiency in it Love is a quickning affection what I love I am ready to take pains for and not to endure to be without it Thus if men did love the word they would take pains for it familiarize it to them by much reading frequent hearing serious meditation and not endure to be without it Let David be an example Oh how do I love thy Law and this puts upon meditating upon the law day and night and when he was without it he mourns for it and sayes One day in Gods courts is better then a thousand elswhere and he cannot reflect upon his former enjoyment of that word without a tear Psal 42. 4. The Apostle is very full and pertinent to this purpose 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby as a childe finds sweetness in nothing but the breast so that it cries if it be without it and thus if we affect the word we shall thrive by it II. This provokes God to proceed judicially to give men up to unprofitableness and while they like not the truth to give them up to errour The Apostle is express in this 2 Thess 2. 10. And here we see that notional professours who have got a notion of truth in their heads but not the love of truth in their hearts oft turn Apostates and back-sliders as these times give us sad experience of When the Israelites began to loath manna God gave them quails indeed but his wrath with them Numb 11. 33. and leanness into their souls Psal 106. 15. So when men love not the manna of the word c. Love of the truth puts men upon a constant attendance upon the word as the means of grace and knowledge and so consequently they are like to profit by it so it is said of the Thessalonians that they were exemplary believers 1 Thess 1. 7. and the reason thereof is given vers 6. because they received the word with much joy Fourteenthly The fourteenth ground is a resting in the Ordinance in the opus operatum the work done and so look no further And this men are very apt to do as Micah blesses himself Judg. 17. 13. because he had gotten a Levite into his house so many conclude the love of God and their own security barely upon the enjoyment of a ministery and preaching So did those in Jer. 7. 4. They cry out The Temple of the Lord and so many also of the Gospel We enjoy that and therefore all is well You may finde some making plea of this unto Christ Luke 13. 26. Thou hast taught in our streets but Christ dismisses them for all that with a nescio I know you not vers 27. Thus did the Jews of old as in Rom. 2. 17. they rested in the law and made their boast of God and so do Christians now they think that they have done God service abundantly if they have heard two sermons on the Sabbath-day and never look to their proficiency As many an idle scholar satisfies himself that he hath been at his Tutours lecture though he cares not to profit by it If you rest onely in this it may be so far from profiting you that it may be your ruine Christ at the last-day will acquit none for enjoying the Gospel but condemn them for not profiting by it 2 Thess 1. 7. Fifteenthly The fifteenth ground is Unfaithfulness of memory and forgetfulness when the word goes in at one ear and out at another When this spiritual food stayes not with us it is not like to nourish us The word must be treasured up in the memory before it can fructifie in our hearts It is not the forgetful hearer that is blessed Jam. 1. 25. such an one is like a man who looks his face in a glass and presently forgets so such an one takes a glance at the word and the word is out of his memory assoon as himself is out of the Church If you would profit by the word you must practise the Apostles counsel Hebr. 2. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let nothing slip a Metaphor from a sieve or leaking vessel when the liquour runs out as fast as it is put in But because want of memory is a great complaint among many and some of them out of question serious Christians I shall give these brief directions 1. Pray for the Spirit one office of whom is to be a remembrancer John 14. 26. 2. Meditate in private upon the word of God Men goe out of the church presently to their worldly employment and give liberty to their vain thoughts and idle discourses and so the word is forgotten 3. Confer with others about the truths thou hearest This conference will both strengthen memory and fasten truths in it and also quicken and enflame affections to it as coales lying together kindle each other thus did the disciples Luc. 24. 14. Rather then forget a profitable truth consult the minister it is needless modesty in thee if thou enquire not and pride in him if he does not enforme thee 4. Get your affections raised and enflamed to truth If men loved the word of God they would remember it more did you ever know a covetous miser forget where his bags were laid if we could esteem the word as our treasures and greater treasures then those of Gold we should remember more of it 5. Perhaps what thou remembrest though but little keeps thee to close walking with God Be not discouraged thou thrivest more then one who can carry away a whole Sermon and lives not suitablely and likely it is that God may bring into thy remembrance more according as thou standest in need of it 6. Improve what thou remembrest by prayer and practise Retire thy self and turn the Sermon into a prayer and that will rivet it in thy memory however turn it into practise and thou wilt never forget it An artist will never forget the rules of that trade vvhich he daily practiseth Sermons are but notions to such vvho experience not the efficacy of them in their lives Sixteenthly The sixteenth ground is affectation of novelty and itching eares This puts men upon heaping to themselves teachers and forsaking sound preaching and teachers too The Apostle foretold such there should be in 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. and vve may safely say that it is fulfilled in our daies This is one of
plain that God and Christ have a peculiar people in the world Doctrine In the prosecution of which I will shew you First In what respects a people may be said to be God's peculiar Secondly What this peculiar people is Thirdly How it appears that God hath such a peculiar people in the world Fourthly Improve all by some application For the first God hath a peculiar people in three respects I. In respect of outward dispensation and distinguishing administrations Thus the Jews of old were Gods peculiar his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom Exod. 19. 5. he calls his peculiar treasure God caused his Word and Ordinances to be dispensed amongst them which the rest of the world were strangers to he entrusted them with his divine oracles which the Apostle notes as their distinguishing priviledge from the Gentiles and the Psalmist as their peculiar prerogative The rest of the Rom. 3. 1 2. Psal 147. 19 20. world were like the dry barren Wilderness they God's Enclosure his Vineyard who had plentifull showres of the dew of heaven falling upon them and so they shall be part of Gods peculiar again the Scripture gives us evident ground to believe their conversion to the faith especially Rom. 11. from verse 23. to verse 28. I think we are much in the dark as to the time of their restitution I verily believe the Idolatrie of Rome which is the Jews greatest stumbling-block must first be removed Religion reformed This may be a digression however it is but a short one as to the Text but not to the Intendment of the Lecture And in this respect likewise the Christian part of the world is God's peculiar as distinguished from Pagans and Mahometans and the rest in the Christian part of the world England is God's peculiar in England let me say London is God's peculiar a place like Capernaum exalted up to heaven in the use and enjoyment of Ordinances I heartily pray it never have Capernaum's doom to be thrown down to hell for the contempt and abuse of them II. In respect of special office and employment Thus Magistrates are God's peculiar he hath honoured them with his own name in Scripture Psal 82. 6. peculiarly representing his Dominion his Deputies and Vicegerents on earth they rule by him Prov. 8. 15. and should for him they are his Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle Rom. 13. 4. Thus also the Ministers are God's peculiar in respect of Function as the tribe of Levi was under the Law as being a special right of Ordination set apart for special services Separate me Barnabas and Saul saith the holy Ghost for the work whereunto I have called them Acts 13. 2. which you may see was done accordingly verse 3. by fasting and prayer and laying on of hands The Ministerial office lies not in common to all but there must be such a calling and lasting function as distinct from the people You may finde them distinguished expresly Revel 2. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto you and unto the rest whence the Ministry in antiquitie is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a portion set a part and dedicated to God's peculiar service and acts of worship and discipline which no other can perform as acts of office The Magistrates dutie is to uphold but not to exercise these peculiar acts which when Theodosius the Emperor would have been intermeddling with he received this repulse by S. Ambrose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that his scarlet made him a Magistrate not a Minister III. In respect of special grace and favour though God bear an universal philanthropie to all men as his creatures yet he loves some with special love and distinguishing favour which David Psal 106. 4. prayed to God he might have the experience of Remember me O Lord with the favour thou bearest unto thy people Thus God hath a peculiar people in two respects 1. In respect of choise and purpose so many who at present lie in common with the rest of the world not yet effectually brought home by the power of God's Word and Spirit I mean elected though unconverted persons are God's peculiar Many of God's jewels lie a long time in the mire and sink of the world S. Paul was a chosen vessel though at present breathing out blasphemies and threatnings Acts 9. â—5 Verse 1. These me thinks are like a piece of gold not yet refined but designed by the goldsmith for some special use These our Saviour speaks of John 10. 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold c. Whether you understand there the Gentiles not yet called home by the Gospel or all unbelievers amongst Jews and Gentiles who in respect of purpose belonged to the sheepfold of Christ sufficient it is to my purpose that Christ calls some though in a present state of unbelief his sheep to wit in respect of God's secret purpose ad arcanam patris electionem hoc Calv. in loc refert saith Calvin So in a remote potentialitie which by vertue of the purpose of God and stipulation of Christ is certainly to be reduced into act they may be called Christ's sheep his peculiar which God loves with a love of benevolence not complacencie for so to love any unholy person is a contradiction to his puritie and nature the love of election is amor ordinativus not collativus a love preparing mercies for us not bestowing them praeparatio beneficiorum as Augustine calls election which being an immanent act makes no change in the creature but distinguisheth persons onely as to a secret purpose in God 2. In respect of actual claim and interest And thus Saints believers who are effectually brought home and gathered by the Word accompanied with the Spirit out of the world and this is the fruit of the former are his peculiar as our Saviour said Rom. 8. 30. to his disciples John 5. 19. I have chosen you out of the world And these I conceive are meant here the Apostle speaking of such as are a purified people and zealous of good works the characters of Saints And this for the first Secondly What this peculiar people is of which briefly because I intend the third particular The Original gives me ground of a sixfold description of them by six qualifications I. An excellent people So the Original in the Text imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est praestare as Grotius notes coming from a Greek word which signifies to excel So David esteemed of the Saints however the world accounts them but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 off-scouring 1 Cor. 4. 13. and no wonder for wicked men esteem Christ himself to have no form or comeliness c. as an excellent generation Excellent in respect Isa 53. 2. Psal 16. 3. of that image of God they bear and those relations they stand in to him Solomon passeth the same judgement upon the Saints Prov. 12. 26. The righteous saith he
is more excellent then his neighbour Religion and Holiness puts a splendour upon persons such as even dazzles theeyes sometimes of wicked men and begets in them though no true love yet an aw and reverence as is evident in Herod who feared John Baptist Mark 6. 20. knowing he was a just man and an holy II. A separated people Symmachus explains this word by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is è numero electum one that is chosen and taken out of the number of others So the Lord hath a peculiar people whom he hath separated unto himself both in respect of Election God looking upon the corrupted Mass of mankind by a free act of his Soveraign will pitched his thoughts upon those leaving these the first an act of the highest mercie the other no act of injustice because God was under no obligation by grace to repair what man by sin wilfully lost and forfeited Deus de suo bonus de nostro justus saith Tertullian Separated again by discriminating grace in effectual vocation The Lord hath set apart him that is righteous for himself Psal 3. And they shall be separated hereafter at the day of judgement that 's the day in which he makes up his jewels and separates the sheep from the goats the wheat from the chaff determining that to the fire gathering this to his garner Mat. 3. 12. III. A hidden people So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies quasi instar peculii reconditum hidden to the eye of the world in their life for their life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. hidden in respect of their comforts A stranger doth not intermeddle with their joy Prov. 14. 10. It is the hidden manna Rev. 2. 17. IV. They are a precious people Quasi charissimas pretiosissimas opes saith Beza Precious in respect of the price laid down to purchase them the redemption of their soul is precious Psal 49. 8. Precious in respect of their graces precious faith you read of 2 Pet. 1. 1. Precious in respect of that esteem God hath of them they are his jewels Malach. 3. 17. Precious in the eyes of God Isaiah 43. 4. Precious to God in their lives and precious also in their deaths Psal 116. 15. V. A rare people Quod rarum est inusitatum that 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Budaeus Thus the true Saints are but a rare people in respect of the wicked of the world Christs flock is but a little flock Luke 12. 32. Even amongst those who are called the elect are but few Mat. 20. 16. VI. A beloved people so Pagnin translates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod 19. 5. Thesaurum dilectum a beloved treasure so Saints are called the beloved of God in the epistle to the Romanes Rom. 1. 7. whom he loves with a special distinguishing love through Christ God makes demonstration of universal love to all his creatures Mat. 5. 44 45. in the exercise of his general providences upholding and ordering all things as his creatures so his tender mercies are over all his works Psal 145. 9. But the love which he bears to his peculiar is a peculiar love that the love of a Creatour this of a Father that founded in his nature the other in Christ Thirdly The third particular How it appears that God hath such a peculiar people in the world This peculiarity appears I. In the distinguishing love of the Father II. The special undertakings of the Son III. The peculiar workings of the Spirit The first of these is discovered seven ways 1. In God's special purpose and election Universal election is a contradiction in adjecto thus God had a peculiar from eternity he hath chosen us saith the Apostle Eph. 1. 4. before the foundations of the world and this not upon a prevision of any moving impulsive conditions in the creature for whatsoever good is in the creature faith holiness perseverance are all the fruits of this electing love Acts 13. 48. Some goodness in the object must provoke our choise otherwise it is irrational but God who is Soveraign and absolute chooseth persons to make them good Ephes 1. 4. but by his own free and gracious purpose and will Predestinated saith the Apostle according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will Ephes 1. 11. and according to the good pleasure of his will verse 5. That conditional purpose pleaded for by so many must necessarily suppose a fallibility in God's knowledge which can have no foundation in respect of things future besides the free determinations of God's infallible will And supposing God's foreknowledge of things which the Patrons of conditional purposes must and do confess unless they will Socinianize I do not see and I confess after my utmost search here I stick how they can avoid that necessitie of futuritions which they condemn in others for God's knowledge is as undeceivable as his will is infallible a mistake or errour in the one is as inconsistent with divine perfection as frustration in the other The Socinians indeed easily cut the knot by denying the foreknowledge of God and making his knowledge co-existent with the objects known which is a piece of mad Atheisme if you credit Augustin confiteri esse Deum Aug. l. 5. de civ Dei c. 9. negare praescium futurorum apertissima est insania known to God are all his works from the beginning of the world Acts 15. 18. but to confess God's foresight and leave all events determinable by the arbitrary indifferencie of mans free-will is such a piece of inconsistencie as I must profess I understand not how it is reconcileable to reason God hath a peculiar people in respect of his own fore-knowledge God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew Rom. 11. 2. contradistinguished to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The election hath obtained and the rest were blinded verse 7. Our Saviour more then once mentions John 17. 6. a peculiar people given to him by his Father which are peculiariz'd and contradistinguished from the world verse 9. The fullest Scripture to prove this peculiaritie is Rom. 9. 11 12 13. For the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger As it is written Jacob have I loved ' but Esau have I hated 2. In respect of discriminating grace in effectual vocation and this in pursuit of and equal latitude with the former peculiarity of election Rom. 8. 30. These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 28. called according to his purpose That this GRACE is given to all is an assertion so contradictory to the whole current of Scripture that I profess I have oft wondred that it should have any abettours amongst wise and considerate men Had the Gentiles this whom God suffered to walk in their own ways Acts
14. 16. and who want the Gospel and the preaching of Christ and so consequently are without a possibility of believing in an ordinary way for Rom. 10. 14. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard Have all within the sound of the Gospel this No surely for Christ saith Matth. 11. 25. I thank thee O Father because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes God gives grace sufficient to all men to leave them without excuse and vindicate his judicial proceedings against them from all charge of injustice but that God gives all sufficient grace to elicite supernatural acts of faith and other graces in order to eternal salvation I cannot believe so long as that discriminating Text is upon record in the word Matth. 13. 11. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome of heaven but to them it is not given And while Scripture peculiarizeth this grace and determines it to the same latitude with divine purpose and election God hath called us saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 1. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to his own purpose therefore there can be no universal grace without universal election because the actual bestowing of converting grace is the issue of election Eph. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings according as he hath chosen us before the foundations of the world 3. In respect of a peculiar providence of God whereby he takes care of and watcheth over his peculiar people God exerciseth an universal providence over the world Psal 36. 6. he preserveth man and beast but he hath a special care of his own people and thus I conceive you must understand that text 1 Cor. 9. 9. Doth God take care for oxen that is not comparatively to the care he hath of his people When judgements are upon the rest of the world God hath then a special care of his Peculiar God calls his people his hidden ones Psal 83. 3. that look as you hide your jewels in time of plunder so God hides his peculiar by his providence in times of danger Thus he hides Noah in the Ark when a deluge overwhelmed the world and secures Lot when fire from heaven destroyed Sodom David was confident of this special providence of God In the time of trouble saith he he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his Psal 27. 5. tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me upon a rock and so elsewhere he saith Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from Psal 31. 20. Psal 143. 9. the pride of man and Deliver me O Lord from mine enemies I flie unto thee to hide me God hides good Josiah lays him up under ground as many doe their plate and jewels in time of war safe from 2 Kings 22. 30. the evil to come He hides Jonah in the Whales belly from the rage and fury of the waters Observe Deut. 32. 9 10. For the Lords portion is his people he found him in a desert land in the wast bowling wilderness he led him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye 4. In respect of peculiar audience and acceptance They have as the hand of God to protect them and the heart of God to love them so the eares of God to hear them The eyes of the Lord are upon the Psal 34. 15. righteous and his ears are open to their cry saith David As God hath an open hand to relieve them so an open ear to hear them whereas the wicked of the world finde God turning a deaf ear to their prayers Prov. 15. 8. they are but abhominations unto him If I regard iniquity saith David Psal 66. 18. the Lord will not hear me Quantum à praeceptis tantum ab auribus Dei longè sumus saith Tertullian If you aske the English of it Solomon gives it Prov. 28. 9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law even his prayer shall be abhomination But now memoria praeceptorum viam orationibus sternit in caelum as the same Father goes on Obedience procures us audience in the court of heaven as the Allegiance of a subject doth in princes courts upon earth The prayer of the upright is Gods delight Prov. 15. 8. These are Gods peculiar favourites therefore their petitions are heard they have a friend and Advocate at Court to put them up and present them and a promise of audience whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing Matth. 21. 22. ye shall receive If at any time they miscarrie it is by reason of the unbecomingness of their petitions either they ask what is not honourable for God to give or safe for them to receive at least Jam. 4. 3. not at present or they ask amiss as to the manner 5. In regard of a peculiar covenant which God hath made with them I mean the covenant of grace Indeed all professing Christianity are I conceive within the covenant in respect of outward administrations and priviledges but the benefits of the covenant remission justification adoption and the rest belong onely to the elect-regenerate Gods peculiar The conditional covenant is in the Ezek. 16. 8. dispensation of the Gospel offered to all and the grace of the covenant upon the condition but there are a peculiar people in behalf of whom God hath undertaken for the working of the condition in them as well as bestowing the benefit upon them Jer. 31. 33. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God they shall be my people Thus I think it may be safely expressed The covenant of grace is tendred to all the grace of the covenant given but to some Gather my SAINTS together to me those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice Psal 50. 5. Sacrifices were for confirmation of covenants 6. In respect of peculiar chastisements and corrections Daily observation tells us that God afflicts good and bad but with a vast difference he afflicts his own people in a special peculiarity these as a father his children wicked men as a Judge doth a malefactour Therefore notwithstanding what some of late have written to the contrary I cannot submit to call the afflictions of Gods people properly punishments because they issue not from pure justice which was satisfied by Christ so far as vindicative on the behalf of believers by which though afflictions and death it self were not wholly removed yet changed into chastisements and trialls The afflictions of the godly are sometimes the issue of the anger of a provoked father and that mixed with love for whom the Lord loveth Hebr. 12. 6. he chasteneth but not the effects of his wrath as an incensed Judge They differ as much
this account he must account himself beholding to man for it who determined himself to accept of those offers all which would otherwise have been in vain and ineffectual It would be most easie to answer that question of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ or What hast thou which thou hast not received Lord might the soul say I have this actual acceptance of thy grace offered which I never received But Scripture hath taught us the contrary language It is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. therefore we cannot will before grace because grace worketh the will So to assert any fore-seen conditions in us as the motives of God's eternal love is to rob God of the glory which he hath of peculiarizing a people to himself for upon this account God did not choose us but we him whereas the Apostle tells us 1 John 4. 19 We love God because he first loved us God loves his people into holiness not because they were so either in themselves or in his fore-sight no When I saw thee polluted in thy bloud behold this time was the time of love saith God Ezek. 16. 6 8. God could fore-see no conditions as furure in his people but what his own will determined to work in them and nothing could move him to will it but free and undeserved grâ—â—â— and love So those who assert the sufficiency of natural light to the salvation of the heathens pull down God's inclosure and lay all in common without any peculiarity of priviledge to those who enjoy the Gospel and Ordinances which in the Apostles judgement peculiariz'd the Jews of old What advantage then hath the Jew saith he Rom. 3. 1 2. much every way chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God Secondly Let it be a warning to wicked men to have a care how they in Use 2 any kinde injure the godly they are God's peculiar he hath a special care and tenderness of respect towards them all the injuries you do them reflect upon God Thou reproachest and revilest them nick-nam'st and scoff'st at them Isa 37. 23 24. but dost thou think â—n the mean time that thou reproachest God by this Thou persecutest them and dost thou think by it thou persecutest Christ himself Acts 9. 4. Thou oppressest them and dost thou think that he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of God's eye Zach. 2. 8. that's a part sensible of the least offence therefore saith God Psal 105. 15. touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm Let wicked men assure themselves that the godly whom they persecute and butcher will one day be thorns in their sides they do but kick against the pricks as Paul Acts 9. 5. What will you do when God comes to make inquisition for bloud be sure God will avenge the quarrel of his peculiar ones God expresseth his care and tenderness of his people by his carrying them upon eagles wings Exod. 19. 4. It is observed of the Eagle that she onely of all the creatures carries her young ones upon her wings for their securitie that whoever shoot at the young ones cannot hurt them but through her wings wicked men cannot injure the people of God but they wound God himself and will not God avenge the quarrel of his elect which indeed is his own yes he will avenge it suddenly Luke 18. 7 8. Thirdly This gives us an account why the world doth not fall about the Use 3 ears of wicked men God hath his peculiar people and some not yet gathered in till they be compleated the world shall endure If there had been but ten of these peculiar people in Sodom God had spared it So soon as Methuselah is dead then comes the floud Godly men are the pillars of the world which uphold it from overwhelming wicked men I bear up the pillars of it saith David Psal 75. 3. God suffers the tares to grow for the wheats sake Matth. 13. 30. The Saints are the securitie of the place wherein they live Sodom was safe whilest Lot was in it Gen. 19. 22. Israel safe whilest Josiah lived 2 Kings 22. 19. Hippo could never be spoiled whilest Augustin lived as Posidonius tells us in his life and Luther it is said while he lived by his prayers kept of the civil wars from Germany Moses stood in the gap and prevented the destruction of the murmuring Israelites Psal 106. 23. Phineas stays the plague Fourthly Then censure not the godly as guilty of unnecessary preciseness Use 4 or affected singularitie if they be more scrupulous and strict and fearfull of sin then others are Wicked men strange at this as the Apostle tells you 1 Pet 4. 4. They think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot speaking evil of you Beloved if seriously weighed it is no matter of wonder for they have peculiar engagements to holiness upon them the presence of distinguishing love to engage them against sin as Joseph argues from the special favours he had received from his Master to the avoidance of injuring him Gen 39. 9. so Saints from determinating love Christ hath redeemed me and is not a redeemed bondslave under special engagements of homage to his Lord What shall I wound my Saviour by sin who hath already been wounded for it Besides Saints are sensible of their engagements No man in the world but hath sufficient engagement upon him to holiness merely upon the account of Creation Providences and common mercies but their insensibleness is the cause of their unthankfulness but Saints live in a meditation and under a sense of mercy thy loving kindness saith David Psal 26. 3. is before mine eyes Their slips are more dishonourable to God then the sins of others God's honour is wounded and his ways reproached by reason of their sins therefore in tenderness to the honour of God they are engaged in a fear of and watchfulness against sin besides they have a principle within acting them to holiness they have experience of the beauties of holiness and that peace which the practise of it brings in to them and they have more to lose then others by sin the sense of Love the smiles of a Father the light of God's countenance They cannot sin so cheap as others can you may pardon them well if they fear the loss of their peace Divine Eclipses and withdrawings if they dread broken bones which a David cries out of Psal 51. 8. after a wilfull sin Fifthly Let this lay a threefold engagement upon Gods peculiar Use 5 I. Unto thankfulness Psal 135. 2 3 4. Ye that stand in the house of the Lord in the courts of our God praise the Lord for the Lord is good for the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure Special praises should be the Echo of peculiar mercies You may finde the Church magnifying Christ upon this very account Rev.
finde the Israelites Gods peculiar in captivitie and Pharoah upon the throne Saul ruling and David in a cave or in a wilderness Job upon the dung-hill Jeremy in the dungeon Daniel in the den and the Children in the furnace and Nebuchadnezzar on the throne In the new Testament you have Felix on the bench S. Paul at the bar Dives in the palace Lazarus at his gates Luke 16. 19. he cloathed in purple Lazarus in rags and over-spread with sores he banqueted and fared deliciously every day the other desired but the crumbs from the table and could not have them Dives beset with his rich and stately attendance Lazarus hath no other society but the Dogs which came to lick his sores v. 21. all which Austin and Tertullian lib. 4. against Marcion conceive to be a true historie of what was really acted though others think it parabolical Job tells us that the tabernacles of robbers sometimes prosper Job 12. 6. which prosperity he at large describes chap. 21. from v. 7 to v. 14. exalted in power v. 7. multiplyed in their posterity v. 8. 11. safe at home v. 9. encreased abroad v. 10. have their fill of pleasure v. 12. and wealth at will v. 13. David speaks his own experience of this Psa 37. 35. Psa 73. 7. So in the Text they enjoy not onely common favours as aire to breath in earth to walk on but the treasure of the world the riches of nature their bellies are fill'd with his hid treasure and that not for themselves onely but for their posterity too they leave the rest of their substance to their babes in a word they have their portion in this life Qu. But who are these wicked men Ans In a word Those who haxe a full affluence of the world and these earthly things and yet are such as the Apostle describes Eph. 2. 12. strangers to the covenant of grace who can say that estate is mine and that honour mine and those lands are mine but cannot upon any ground say God is mine Christ is mine the covenant is mine you have them drawn to the life Luk. 12. 21. such who have the world for a portion but cannot say with David The Lord is my portion Secondly They have a portion here upon a five-fold account 1. As the issue of that universal providence which God exerciseth in the world to which every creature owes its being and provision they are cloathed by the same hand of universal providence which arrays the lillies nourished by that bountie which feeds the ravens and supplied from that hand which when God opens he filleth every living thing with good Psa 104. 28. God will look to his whole creation as a Lord provides for his meanest slave though he intends him not the inheritance The whole world lives at Gods charges and allowance as he is the Soveraign and universal Lord and to the worst of men for whom he hath not resolved and laid out the inheritance of sons yet he gives them a portion here as they are creatures That is the first account 2. As the result of that patience and long-suffering which God while he expects their return and solicites their repentance exerciseth towards the worst of men For though God sometime to demonstrate the just demerit of every sin his hatred of it and severity against it and the more effectually to awaken and deter others from the imitation of it strikes a sinner in the act of his iniquity of which Ananias and Sapphira for their sacriledge Corah and his companie for their rebellion the children for mocking the Prophet 2 Kings 2. and Herod for his pride Acts 12. are sad Scripture in stances yet it 's the more usual method of Gods proceedings to demonstrate that he waits to be gracious and that mercy pleaseth him and by his long-suffering to lead them to repentance Rom. 2. 4. Romani non ideo tanti quòd religiosi sed quòd impunè sacrilegi neque enim potuerunt in ipsis bell is deos adjutores habere adversus quos arma rapuerunt Arnob. advers Gent. p. 226. And to shew that our sins wrest the arrows of his judgements from his hands he lengthens out his patience to sinners during which time he often makes them an honourable allowance in the world the more powerfully by outward favours to win them to himself or if not to render them the more inexcusable while by despising that patience and goodness they treasure up into themselves wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. As a Judge oft designs a fair allowance for a condemned malefactour while reprieved by his mercy till the day of execution and provides that he starve not in prison Thus wicked men though now sentenced and condemned for he that believes not is condemned already saith our Saviour Joh. 3. 18. God gives them a portion in this life to maintain themselves till the day of death and execution by his justice 3. As the issue of that universal goodness and mercie which God demonstrates to his whole creation for The Lord is good to all and his tender mercies are over all his works Psal 145. 9. From hence it is that he causeth his sun to shine upon the good and bad Matth. 5. 45. And God oft doth wicked men good by these outward blessings while the enjoyment of them prevents many sins which want and povertie might betray them to and they as being of a fordid base mercenary spirit are oft bribed by these to give God an outward observance to abstain from many sins and to comply with an outside Religion for fear of forfeiting their enjoyments by the severer judgements of God or some stricter Laws of the Land dum fortunam amittere metuunt nequitiam derelinqunt which is the account profound Bradwardine gives of Gods providence in this Bradw p. 281 particular that hereby they might be encouraged to a compliance with Religion if not out of love yet out of interest if not for love of vertue yet for fear of loss and punishment which is the most ordinary principle of mens Religion for though meliores sunt quos ducit amor yet plures sunt quos corrigit timor saith Austin It is more ingenuous to obey God out of love but more common to serve him out of fear thus if nor love to Christs person nor his doctrine yet desire of the loaves will procure Christ many followers You shall oft see wicked men complying with Religion outwardly upon carnal interest and for worldly advantages As a dissembling lover covets the portion more then the person so do men court Religion to get or keep their portion in this life 4. As the effect and issue of Gods remunerating justice There is none so profligate or debaucht but hath something though not of spiritual yet of moral and civil goodness as rewards to which God lays them out a portion here to demonstrate that love God bears to all goodness where-ever he finde it The
love to God engagements to obedience encouragements and enablements to do God more service Doest thou rejoyce in them as giving opportunities to do more good to others Canst thou say they are arguments and motives with thee to walk chearfully vvith God They are thy viaticum to a better inheritance but if thou usest or rather abusest thy riches to luxurie and riot thy power to tyranny and oppression thy beauty as a bait to uncleanness thy learning in patronage of errour and opposing the truths of God If thy worldly enjoyments draws thee from thy obedience to God as fat pastures make beasts more unruly If with Jeshurun Deut. 32. 15. thou waxest fat and kickest against God sadly think of it without repentance thou art the man who hast thy portion onely in this life The sum then is whoever gets his earthly portion unjustly affects it inordinately useth it unfruitfully and ungodlily he is the man whose misery it is to have his portion in this life Tenthly Christians prize your portion Though you have little or no portion in the world there is an excellency in a Christians portion above what is to be found in the largest portions of the world which wicked men enjoy Eleventhly Let us all seriously set upon it this day to treasure up a portion to our selves in another life to take our Saviours advice Matth. 6. 20. to lay up for our selves treasures in heaven To you especially I speak who have the largest portion in this world none so apt to neglect the thoughts and care of heaven as those who have most upon earth as being immers'd in worldly pleasures and on every hand beset with temptations to sin and solicitations to forget God Luther was wont to resolve se nolle sic satiari that God should not put him off with an earthly portion That you may get a portion hereafter take these directions First Make it your first and chief business to lay up a portion in heaven 'T is the most compendious way to get a portion in the world Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousness You will be every way gainers by it even in this life for all these things shall be added unto you cast in as an addition and over-plus Solomon had riches and honour cast in as an additional over-plus to that wisdome he asked of God or else the sanctified use of thy little portion in this life and as in Prov. 15. 16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith and Prov. 16. 19. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly then to divide the spoil with the proud Thou shalt have the world so far as it is good for thee and that little thou hast shall be filled up with the blessings of God here and in the other life too Godliness hath the promise of both 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come of the one absolutely and the other conditionally Secondly Live suitably to the nature and expectations of a portion in another life that is holily without this holiness no man shall ever see the face of God Hebr. 12. 14. and that 's the portion of Saints hereafter as appears vers 15. after my Text David opposing this to that portion the men of the world have in this life Thirdly Get a portion of grace here treasured up in your hearts Psal 84. 11. The Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glorie not one without the other all the glory in the world without grace will not entitle us to glory hereafter Let us then labour to make sure of God as our portion in this life that in another life he may be our exceeding great reward FINIS SALVATION BY CHRIST The Summe of the GOSPEL A Sermon preached in S. Benedict's Church in Cambridge May 27. 1655. By JOHN FROST B. D. then Fellow of S. JOHNS Colledge and late Preacher in Olaves-Hartstreet in London Luke 19. 10. The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Nulla causa veniendi Christo Domino nisi peccatores salvos facere Tolle morbos tolle vulnera nulla erit causa medicinae August serm 9. de verb. Apon CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Field Printer to the Universitie Anno Dom. MDCLVII 1 TIM 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief NOne can set an higher estimate and value upon mercie then those who have the deepest sence of their own sin and misery Christ is more pretious to none then to souls who have been truely humbled for sin The revelation of Gospel-grace is not so acceptable to any as to those who see themselves condemned by the Law Thus S. Paul here reflecting upon his former sins ver 13. how doth he exalt the mercy of God and the grace of Christ ver 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he wanted expression and that Gospel-doctrine That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which he now saw himself to be the chief which the Jews scoffe at the Greek counts foolishness the Atheist derides the Pharisaical Justiciarie undervalues to him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most acceptable message c. Which words in their relative consideration seem to refer to ver 12. as a vindication of his Apostleship and Ministry from that prejudice and calumnie of those who objected his former persecution and blasphemie to him as a charge upon his present Ministrie The Apostle first acknowledgeth the charge ver 13. and secondly he asserts both right to and abilities for the Ministry to be from God ver 12. and thirdly he lays down the reason of Gods dealing thus with him ver 13 14. and lest perhaps some might think this false or impossible 1. he demonstrates the truth of his conversion by the fruits and effects of it Faith and Love ver 14. and 2. the possibility of it from the general end of Christs coming into the world which was to save sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifies notorious infamous sinners that 's in the Text This is a faithfull saying c. That 's the coherence of the words in which observe three things First A preface 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation Secondly A Doctrine or proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Thirdly The proof of the proposition by a Particular accommodation to himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom I am chief And his example was as he tells you ver 16. a pattern of that mercy which God through Christ would manifest to other sinners In the Preface four things are held forth I.
14. He was made partaker of flesh and bloud and verse 16. he took upon him the seed of Abraham and the word was made flesh John 1. 14. The humane nature not existing before assumed but assumed in the first moment of its production by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost so that Christ took our whole nature body and soul with all their Faculties Properties Affections nay with all natural though not Nihil minus habebat in natura sed nihil habebat in culpa Aug. D. 106. Aug. ibid. sinfull infirmities that he might in all things be like his brethren sin onely excepted Heb. 2. 17. without conversion or confusion of natures or properties And in this nature thus assumed Venit unus sine peccato qui salvos faceret à peccato saies S. Augustine One came without sin who might save from sin He appeared in the world which is the great mystery the Apostle speaks of 1 Tim. 3. 16. namely God manifested in the flesh and by this assuming humane nature he was capacitated for that great design of his coming into the world which was to save sinners in order to which God required a perfect obedience therefore Christ is said to be made under the law Gal. 4. 4. and Satisfaction by a price of bloud paid for without bloud is no remission Heb. 9. 22. Both which were by the Justice of God to be performed in the same nature which had offended against the law and so was liable to death through sin III. Christ obscuring the glorie of his Divinitie by a veil of flesh For though as I said before he parted with none of his glory yet he much obscured it by our weak and miserable nature though some rays of it broke out sometimes in his discourses and especially in his miracles which oft caused the beholders to acknowledge him the Son of God yet he seemed for a time to have laid aside his Majestie and Glorie while he appeared in the world without form or comeliness Therefore when he was ready to leave the world see how he praies to his Father for a manifestatin of that glory which here was obscured in the world John 17. 5. And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glorie which I had with thee before the world was where he praies not for any addition or accession of further glorie but a discovery of the glory of his Divine nature through that humane nature which he had assumed to himself IV. In taking upon himself a state of lowest abasement and humiliation He took upon him the form of a servant Phil. 2. 7. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi ex omni seipsum in nihil reduxit saith Beza and he became poor for our sakes 2 Cor. 8. 9. Hic erat per divinam majestatem venit per humanam infirmitatem saies Augustine He affected not earthly greatness and pomp but declined it and his life from the Cradle to the Cross was but one continued scene of miserie V. Christ's willing and ready undertaking for sinners Coming is a voluntary motion Christ came into the world freely and willingly to undertake the work of saving sinners Assumpsit animam carnem hominis non antea à se promerentis nec ad illam percipiendam sublimitatem virtute propriâ laborantis sed omnino gratiâ saies Augustine He was not merited or pre-engaged but out of his love he gave himself as the Apostle Gal. 2. 20. I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me He was not forced to it but came freely John 10. 18. No man taketh my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again c. Indeed he is oft said to be sent of his Father John 3. 17. God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world and Gal. 4. 14. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman but it was by a voluntary consent in Christ to the councel and design of God decreeing Christ to the office of a Mediatour therefore Acts 2. 23. it is said by Peter to the scoffing Jews Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucisied and slain him Christ is said likewise to be sealed by the Father John 6. 27. Him hath God the Father sealed and to be sanctified and sent into the world by the Father John 10. 36. but it was by the consent and condescension of Christ offering himself as a Sponsor and Mediatour and submitting himself to the will of his Father Heb. 10. 5 7. Christ did voluntarily undertake for us and his submission to the Father was not an act of the Divine nature but voluntarily of the second person willingly offering himself to his Fathers justice for the recovery of sinners and therefore Christ is said oft to give himself and that out of mere love Ephes 5. 2 25. This expression of coming into the world doth not onely speak the event and issue but the design will and ultimate end of Christ's coming quòd non gravatum salvat saith Musculus that he did it freely and willingly Application First This speaks infinite love that God should send Christ and Christ come to undertake for sinners God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5. 8. and God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. Each word there heightens the love of God a Son given a begotten Son an onely begotten Son nay a welbeloved Son as in Matth. 3. 17. who was in the bosome of his Father John 1. 18. that God should not spare his Son Rom. 8. 32. this must needs speak love It was an argument of Abraham's love to God that at his command he with-held not his Isaac Gen. 22. 2. from God who yet gave him and had power to command him again But that God should give his Son to the wicked ungratefull undeserving world must needs speak a greater affection then that of Abraham's and what can that be less then an infinite love When Christ did but shed a tear for Lazarus the Jews collected his love from that John 11. 35 36. how much more may we that Chriâ—â— should come into the world to shed his bloud for us This inâ—â—eed is infinite love c. Secondly This speaks abundance of comfort to Christians Is Christ come into the world hath he taken upon him our natures then this speaks comfort to true sincere Christians I. In case of their imperfect obedience in case of their many failings and imperfections Why Christian do but maintain sinceritie and press on to perfection and remember that Christ hath assumed thy nature and in that perfectly fulfilled the
had not come for venial sins onely that assertion being built upon a false ground viz. that any sin is in its own nature and demerit venial which is contrary to Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death But that 's certain had there been no sin there had been no need of Christ for Tolle morbos tolle vulnera nulla est medicinae Aug. serm 9. de verbis Dom. p. 198. causa saith Austin What need of a Physitian where there is no disease therefore I observe that each Scripture-expression whereby Christ is set out to us speakes a reference unto this He is called a Saviour Tit. 1. 3 4. and what need of a Saviour where there is no sin He is called a Mediatour 1 Tim. 2. 5. that had bin needless had God and man continued friends a Physitian Isa 61. 1. that speaks a reference to a disease a ransome 1 Tim. 2. 6. that too had been needless had we not been in bondage to sin and satan a surety Hebr. 7. 22. and that needless too had there been no debt contracted no obligation to divine justice a fountain Zech. 13. 1. no use of that if man had not been defiled by sin a reconciler Col. 1. 21. what need of that had not man been estranged and at enmity to God a shepherd usefull when sheep are strayed 1 Pet. 2. 25. 'T is the reason of his name Jesus Matth. 1. 21. Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall save his people from their sins II. Scripture every where asserts the salvation of sinners as the great end of Christs coming into the world as Luke 9. 10. The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Had not the sheep gone astray the groat been lost the son a prodigal they had never been sought for Luke 18. So Matth. 20. 28. The son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many that is for the purchase of their salvation and again Iohn 10. 18. I am come that they-might have life and that they might have it more abundantly and Christ saith he came to call sinners to repentance Matth. 9. 13. Now it is a known rule sublato fine tolluntur media ad finem if you suppose not the ordination of the means to the end you make them wholly useless for the necessitie of them is relative to the end and therefore supposing man not to have sinned we cannot rationally imagine Christ should have come into the world the Scripture laying down this as the principal end of his coming Two cautions here must be observed 1. This was his principal end not in opposition to the advancing of Gods glory which was the ultimate end of all Christs undertakings The salvation of sinners was but subordinate to this see Ioh. 17. 4. and the glory both of justice and mercy was magnified in this for at the first coming of Christ was proclaimed glory to God on high Luk. 2. 2. Not in opposition to the other subordinate ends as setting Christians an example revealing the way of life and salvation all which were in order to this design as shall appear presently III. Each undertaking of Christ had an influence upon and ordination to this end his birth as the Angels said shepherds Luke 2. 11. his death that was the price of our salvation 1 Pet. 1. 19. he came on purpose to take away sin 1 Joh. 3. 5. to destroy the works of Satan v. 8. to set us an exact example of pietie to reveal to us the way of salvation to perform all those actions to which he was anointed and designed Isa 61. 1. and all these in order to the promoting this great end of his coming the salvation of sinners Now that to which a man orders and levels all his actions we conclude to be his principal end so here c. The prayers he put up Joh. 17. the sorrows he suffered the shedding his tears in the garden his bloud upon the cross was all to this end his conflicts with the storms of the world the frowns and anger of his Father were all in order to this end IV. Scripture highly extolls and magnifies the love of God in sending Christ upon this very account that he came to save sinners as in Rom. 5. 8. The love of God would have been less admirable in sending his Son if he should have taken our nature though we had never sinned Observe I pray with what account the Apostle advanceth the love of God 1 Joh. 4. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins not for the greater perfection of the world which is Scotus his account The Scripture is wholly silent as to any such reason of Christs coming but as a propitiation for sin V. This was the most suitable means to such an end Christs coming into the world as I have formerly opened it is a most proportionable means for saving sinners for man by sin having endeavoured to Estius lib. 3. pag. 2. lift himself above the condition of his creation could by no means be more suitably restored then by Christs humiliation and taking upon him the form of a servant Man at first affected to be like God eritis sicut dii and God now to save him condescends to appear in the likeness of sinfull flesh Phil. 2. 7. and he humbled himself to the death of the cross c. VI. Consider Christ did not come into the world by assuming our nature for the dignity of it for then he might have assumed the angelical nature when on the contrary the Apostle tells us he took not on him the nature of Angels Hebr. 2. 16. but propter indigentiam Bonavent in d. 3. Art 2. qu. 2. because of our want and indigencie that we had been utterly undone without him and therefore the Angels themselves when they proclaimed the birth of Christ to the shepherds proclaimed this at the end of it Luke 2. 11 14. Good will towards men Therefore had not man been in this indigent helpless hopeless condition Christ had not come into the world Si homo non periisset filius hominis August Tom. 10. p. 195. non venisset perierat homo venit Deus homo inventus est homo VII And lastly this doth most heighten that mysterie of Christs incarnation or coming into the world serves most to enflame Christians hearts with pious affection to and holy admiration of the love of Christ in coming into the world the first because this had not been unless upon the most cogent weightie reasons as the undoing and ruine of one of Gods noblest creatures and the offence and dishonour of an infinite God and the latter that Christ should come and condescend to take our nature and a state of humiliation for our salvation which no other motive could have provoked him
tells you that those pleasure of sin are but for a season in Heb. 11. 25. and the punishment is eternal Mat. 25. 46. And so much of the universalitic of the subject that it concerns all to search the Scriptures II. I come to the universalitie of the object expressed indefinitely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scriptures as well the Law as the Gospel as well the old Testament as the New The Manichees of old and many of later daies have refused the search of the old Testament as not usefull or necessarie to Christians under a Gospel dispensation I shall therefore endeavour at this time to demonstrate unto you the dutie of a general and universal search which lies upon all Christians If we had nothing but this text of Scripture to confirm it it were unanswerable our Saviour here speaking of the old Testament as is evident from the persons to whom he directs this command who were the Jews enemies to the Gospel but great admirers of the old Testament and diligent searchers into it Now observe the argument In them ye think ye have eternal life therefore profitable and they testifie of me therefore necessarie and all this is spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of commendation to the Jews and therefore much more to Christians as S. Chrysostom observeth in his fourteenth homilie on the Gospel of S. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord exhorting the jews to the search of the Scriptures does much more press us Christians thereunto even by their example But there are many other Scriptures which demonstrate unto us the usefulness of the Scriptures of the old Testament as Rom. 15. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whatsoever was written afore was written for our comfort and instruction that is what was written by the Prophets was written for the comfort and instruction of us Christians And again Eph. 2. 20. You see the faith of the Christian Church is built upon the foundation of the doctrine writings as well of the Prophets as of the Apostles both leading us to Christ as to that onely foundation Cor. 3. 11. viz. of salvation Again 2 Pet 1. 19. To which that is that sure word of prophesie you do well that you take heed even that which was written before by the Prophets is as a light to direct you And therefore observe how Abraham dispatcheth the Gluttons brethren to Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. 29. whence it is obvious to collect that the writings of Moses the Prophets are to be read heard and assented to by Christians under the Gospel To all which we may add that full place of our Saviour Matth. 5. 17. 19. I come not to destroy the Law or the Prophets c. If Christ did not dissolve them then certainly Christians must not neglect to search them but Christ was so far from dissolving that he did fulfill them and that in his doctrine which was suitable and comformable to that of the Law and the Prophets in his life by obedience exactly answering the commands of the law and in his sufferings to what the law threatned and the Prophets had foretold The reasons then why Christians are to search both are these I. Because both are the voice of God to us The Apostle tells us expresly that the same God who at divers times and in divers ways spake to the fathers hath in these last daies spoken also unto us Heb. 1. 1. both are by divine inspiration 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given not this or that and 2 Pet. 1. 21. The prophesies of old time c. what they wrote they were God's Amanuenses and wrote not their private phantasies but the dictates of the Spirit of God Holy men they were of God and therefore their authoritie unquestionable and immutable their value and use great and excellent To the moral law we are all obliged as a rule of our obedience and though not to the observance of the ceremonial yet to the knowledge and meditation of it as very usefull both to acquaint us with variety of God's dispensations and by the comparing of those shadows and types with Christ the bodie and substance they may be evidences of Christ already exhibited and come in the flesh The consulting all Scripture is both our interest and duty as having God the author of it II. The harmony and identitie of Scripture doctrine both in the Old and New Testament The same for substance though different in degrees the same object of faith viz. Christ to whom all the Prophets witnessed Acts. 10. 43. otherwise those under that dispensation had been in a lost undone condition for Acts. 4. 12. There is no other name given under heaven whereby men may be saved The Prophets represent Christ in his person as God and Man Isai 7. 14. In his offices as a Prophet Isai 42. 1 2 3. as a Priest Psal 110. 4. as a King Psal 2. 6. and in all his benefits as Redemption and Salvation That in Isai 53. is a most pregnant testimony in our justification by faith verse 11. And both old and new Testament prescribe the same holiness obedience and love to God and our neighbour They differ indeed in the clearness of Revelation not in the substance of the doctrine The Gospel takes off the veil and lets us see the mysteries of Salvation more clearly Now the argument is evident that if the doctrine of salvation be the same in both then both are to be searched III. Because all the Scriptures both of old and new Testament were written for the use and good of Christians The commands of the Law for our practise as our Saviour told that Lawyer Luke 18. 26 28. How readest thou in the law The promises for our comfort as that promise which was peculiar to Joshua chap. 1. 5. is repeated to all Christians Heb. 1. 3. 5. The threatnings and judgements for our example and terrour as the Apostle speaking of the judgements which fell upon the Israelites 1 Cor. 10. 6 11 12. So the types observe how our Saviour applies the type of the brasen serpent to his own death John 3. 14. and that for the comfort and support of our faith verse 15. That as he who looked upon the brasen serpent was healed of the stings of the fiery serpents so they that look up to Christ by a true faith are healed of the spiritual wounds made by sin and Satan IV. Because of the excellencie of all Scripture which the Apostle fully describes to us in 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. What are usefull as children to know what may make us wise to salvation what is profitable for doctrine to inform us for reproof to reclaim us for correction to reform for instruction to guide us and furnish us unto every good work This the Apostle affirms universally of all Scripture not of this or that part of it therefore of the old as well as new Testament V. To strengthen and confirm the doctrine of the