towards him And when the Captains went forth to battel David gave this charge that they should deal gently with him for my sake Thus you see how the hearts of parents works towards their children Fourthly That natural affection that God hath planted in the hearts of parents towards their children doth teach them to accept willingly any service that is done by their children though it be never so weakly done yet if the Father sees that the child hath done its good will in obedience and in love O! how acceptable is the least piece of service done by such a child And therefore the Lord taketh an argument from this to strengthen his peoples faith I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3. 17. Fifthly Natural affection will teach the parents to supply all the wants of the children O! what care doth parents take to supply their childrens wants that they may want nothing that is good for them They shall have that which is sutable to them Ye that are evil know how to give good gifts to your children What care do parents take of their children while young to supply their wants And what care do they take to make provision for their children when they are dead and gone Nay do not many a poor parent undoe himself to make provision for his children that he may make them great in this world and leave them something when he be dead and gone Sixthly and lastly to name no more The love that is in parents makes them exceeding unwilling to part with their children it is the greatest affliction in the world they had rather loose all their estates then loose their children Nay though parents many times be so poor as they cannot keep their children yet how loath are they to part with their children The poor Widdow we readâ—â— 2 King 4. 1. all her estate was gone nothing left her but her two sons the creditor came to take unto him her two sons from her but how loth was she to part with her two sons Nay how hard is it for parents to part with their children when God takes away their children by death You know that Instance of Job Job 1. he did bear very well all the afflictions and losses that he met withall till he came to loose his children the messengers came and told him that all his estate was taken away and you read of nothing that Job said but when they come and told him his children were slain then Job rent his mantle and fell down upon the ground and worshipped To loose his estate was nothing but to hear that all his children were slain he rent his mantle and fell down upon the ground a token of his great sorrow And you know how David was affected when they brought him word that Absolom was killed he went up to the chamber over the gate and he wept as he went saying O my son Absolom would God I had died for thee A most pathetical complaint that this poor man makes when his child was taken away though he was a wicked child and one that sought his fathers life Thus you see the first part of the Doctrine that God hath planted natural affection in the hearts of parents to their children But secondly I shall shewe you that where there is faith natural affection cannot work alone but faith will rectifie natural affection faith will teach Parents to love their children aright Natural affection will teach them to love their children ah but spiritual love that springs from faith will teach them to love their children aright Quest But you will say to me when may Parents be said to love their children aright or how shall we know that the love of Parents to their children is not only the working of Natural affection Answ First where there is faith it will teach Parents to love the souls of their children Nature will teach to provide for the body but the Spirit of the Lord that teaches Parents to look after the souls of their children now when the soul is loved and respected more then the body then do Parents love their children aright In Gen. 17. 18. you may see what a request Abraham doth make for his son Ishmael Oh! that Ishmael might live before thee God hath been making many gracious promises to Abraham concerning another Seed but Abraham did not forget his son Ishmael neither could he beg that he might have a great estate but that he might live in the sight of the Lord When Parents take care of the souls of their children then Parents love their children aright Secondly Parents love their children aright when as they do love them in obedience to the Lord when they love them and when they take pains and act for them and perform all offices of love to them in obedience to the Lord when Parents do bring up their children and perform every duty to them in obedience to the Lord these are the children that the Lord hath graciously given his servant and so he love them and perform duties to them that he may obey the Lord and be found working the work of his station and relation in bringing up these children to the Lord this is that love that is not only natural but spiritual Thirdly Again Parents love their children aright when as they have an eye to the Covenant of God concerning their children when they have an eye to the promises of God that he hath made to the children of Believers He hath said that they that come of thee shall build the old waste places When as Parents thus eye the Covenant of God in looking upon their children as the Lords and these are they that the Lord hath said he will own and so love their children more because they are the Lords then theirs because the Lord hath promised that he will own them and make use of them And so I conceive Moseâ—'s Mother had respect to this in her love to her child Hebr. 11. 23. By faith Moses when he was born was hid three Months of his Parents because they saw he was a proper child and they not afraid of the Kings commandment Her love sprung from faith when she hid her child Moses three months it was not from Natural affection but from faith By faith Moses when he was born was hid three months because they saw he was a proper child and they not afraid of the Kings commandment The Kings commandment was that all the Male-children should be drowned and to disobey his commandment it did endanger their own lives ah but by faith she ventured she looked upon her child as one that God would make use of she was perswaded that God would make use of this child Moses to do something for the future she knew that there was a promise that God would deliver his people and she knew not but that this might be the Man and so was not afraid but by faith hid him
is the greatest mercy Now this woman had both she loved her child and loved her child aright And this woman may be a pattern to all parents to all those that have children and may teach every one of us not only to love our children but to love them aright So then to close with the Doctrine which is this That wheresoever there is faith in any man or woman it will rectifie natural affection in them faith will teach parents to love their children aright In the opening of this Point I shall shew you two things First That there is a great deal of love in natural affection in the hearts of parents towards their children Secondly Where there is faith it will rectifie those natural affections and teach to love Relations aright First It will not be unnecessary to shew you that there is a great deal of love in natural affection in the hearts of parents to their children it will not be altogether unuseful to see how much love there is in the hearts of parents to their children that children may see the love of their parents to them What a great deal of natural affection is there in the hearts of parents towards their children O Lord thou son of David have mercy on me for my daughter is grievously vexed with a Devil And you shall see that the Lords hand hath ingraven natural affection upon the hearts of parents and it is ingraven in such great letters upon the hearts of parents that it is almost impossible to wear it out Isai 49. 15. Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb It is a very hard thing to do it it is almost impossible that a woman should forget her sucking child It is true indeed some have done it some have forgotten it some have laid cruel hands upon their sucking child such are monsters rather then women but it is not possible that a woman that hath the compassions of a woman should forget her sucking child And our Saviour tells us that it is in the worst of men Matth. 7. 11. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children There is this good thing in the hearts of the worst men living love in their hearts to their children And therefore it is that the Lord doth make use of the compassions that is in the hearts of parents to set forth his own love and compassion toward his people that place before Isai 49. 15 16. Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands And so Psal 103. 13. Like as a father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that fear him He maketh use of the bowels the pitty and compassion of Parents to hold forth what bowels are in his heart towards his children Now that you may see what this natural affection is and that you may see the greatness of the love of parents to their children consider how it works First of all Love makes them willing to undergo a great deal of pain and sorrow labour care and travel what is it almost that Parents are not willing to undergo for their children O how much sorrow do poor women meet withall in bearing and bringing forth children And yet their desire to children doth carry them through all A woman though she have a sore travel saith Christ when delivered forgets her sorrow for joy that a man is brought forth into the world And so when they are brought forth what great pains are parents willing to take for their children How long doe they hang upon their mothers breasts before they can shift for themselves And yet that affection that the Lord hath planted in parents makes them willing to doe all this Secondly that natural affection that the Lord hath planted in parents to their children maketh them to sympathize with their children in every burden and affliction every affliction that lieth upon their children to be their own affliction so this woman in the Text O thou son of David have mercy upon me The affliction was upon her daughter but it was her burden O Lord have mercy upon me The parent doth sympathize with the child and doth account the affliction of the child to be their own affliction for how are Parents affected when their children are ill and when the hand of God is upon their children If the childs head doth but ake it makes their heart ake so sensible are parents of their childrens troubles The Noble man that came to Christ see how he was affected when his child was sick John 4. 49. Sir come down ere my child die At verse 47. he besought Christ that he would come down and heal his son for he was at the point of death Christ delayed the businesse verse 48. then said Jesus unto him Except ye see signs and wonders ye will not believe But see how abruptly he answered Christ verse 49. Sir come down ere my child die He was not able to attend any thing else all his mind was upon his child O Sir come down ere my child die He could hear nothing till his child was healed and thus natural affection vvorketh tovvard their children Yea thirdly This natural affection vvill maâ—â— the parents to passe by many injuries that are done by children to parents and yet parents ready to pardon them upon the least submission the heart of a parent relents it is a very hard matter for a parent to cast off his child though there be many provocations See some Instances in Scripture that of Abraham is remarkable Gen. 21. 9 10 12. His son Ismail he vvas a vvicked child one that scoâ—fed at the son of the Promise and Sarah she maketh her complaint and desires that the bond-vvoman and her child might be cast out verse 10. And the thing was very grievous in Abrahams â—ight because of his son verse 11. Though he vvas a vvicked child a rebelliâ—â—s child a scoffer at good yet when it came to casting of him out it seems very grievous to Abraham because of his son And you know the Prodigal son that had spent his portion in riotous courses how willing was his father to forgive him to pardon all his miscarriages and to close with him again upon his first return and submission And you know that Instance of David which holds forth a great deal of affection that was in that good man towards a wicked child 2. Saâ— 18. 5. Deal gently for my sake with the young man even with Absalom He was a wicked and rebellious son one that rose up against his father one that would have turned his father out of his kingdome one that sought his fathers life one that had committed great wickedness in the sight of the Sun But oh how doth Davids heart yearn
save creatures in a wonderful mysterious way in such a mysterious way as men and Angels shall stand and wonder at to eternity now if God did chuse upon such a foresight or for faith or for holiness in the creature why there is no such great mysterie or wonder but for God to chuse freely when there was nothing to draw him to such an act yet then to chuse such poor creatures to everlasting salvation O! this is the wonder of the Gospel Yea thirdly God's choice cannot be upon any foresight of faith or works for the Scripture holds forth that God's choice is before our choice he chose us first and he loved us first see what Christ says John 15. 16. You have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit You have not chosen me that is you have not chosen me first and so in 1 John 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Now if God did chuse upon any foresight of faith or works then God did not love us first for if God did consider men as believers when he chose them why then if the soul believed before God chose it chose God first which is contrary to the Scripture Fourthly The Scripture holdeth forth that there is some that are Christ's sheep that are known to the Lord though not known to themselves and therefore it is God's free love to them to make them sheep but when they believe they shall know that they are sheep but they are sheep before they believe but when they believe they shall be known to be sheep John 10. 16. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd My Fathers love hath made them sheep and because they are sheep they shall hear my voice and shall believe in me Fiftly there is one argument more to confirm the truth If so be that God did chuse upon foreseen faith or works or because he saw that there was an ability in the creature to perform or not I say if Gods decree were a conditional decree then God saw that the creature were able or not able to perform the condition If the creature were not able to believe or to be holy then it were a vain Decree but if God saw that the creature were able to perform the condition this ability to believe and to be holy it must be either from the creature or from God if it were from the creature then it destroyes the Doctrine of Grace and brings in the Doctrine of Works and that sets up the Idol of Free-will which the Scripture beateth down and it lays the stress of the creatures salvation and happiness upon it self If God did chuse because he foresaw that the creature would be such and had a power in it self to believe and to obey this lays the stress of the creatures salvation upon it self But if it be said That God did intend to give the condition the creature is not able to believe of it self and be holy of it self ah but God did determine and decree to make such and such believe and to be holy and so he chose them upon that Now to that I say this comes to nothing to say God did decree to make such and such believers and to make them holy and upon that foreseeing they would be such chose them to life and salvation Why this is as much as to say God did first of all chuse them and then he gave them faith and holiness that he might chuse them for what is God's Decreeing to give faith and holiness but his chusing and setting apart the creature for his self for that is a part of the end for which God chose that it might be holy as well as happy and besides I shewed you before that faith is made to come after election therefore cannot go before election But it may be objected against this Doth not David say in Psal 4. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself and may we not object from thence against the absoluteness of God's Decree Answer Some indeed urge from hence that God considered men as godly when he set them apart but there is no such thing in the words for the Psalmist doth not speak of Gods chusing but he speaketh of the manifestation of God's decree and purpose to save now it is manifested by holiness whom God hath chosen and it comes to be known to others God doth not chuse them because they are holy but such as are holy they are evidenced to be such as God hath chosen and therefore he speaketh to others in v. 2. O ye sons of men How long will ye turn my glory into shame How long will ye love vanity and seek after leasing and then it follows v. 3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Though a godly man be in affliction and you may think that God doth not love him because he is afflicted but know that if he be godly though in affliction God hath set him apart for himself so that this place doth not speak of God's decree but of the manifestation of God's decree Another objection is raised out of Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him In him Some argue from hence That we are chosen in Christ and there is no man in Christ but a believer no man is in Christ but he that hath faith and therefore God chuseth no man till he be a believer for we are chosen in him To this I answer first of all in him it may be understood he hath chosen us together with him as head and members are chosen together as foundation and other stones may be chosen together when a man is to build a house he may at once chuse the foundation stones and also divers other stones that he layes upon the building he doth not lay stones upon the foundation and then make choice of them no that they are laid upon the foundation doth argue he hath made choice of them Secondly In him that is Jesus Christ is the way and means of executing his Fathers Decree Jesus Christ he is the way by which God doth execute his purpose and his decree of bringing such and such souls unto blessedness God the Father will bring them by Christ he will bring them this way to life and salvation and no other way but by Christ Jesus he is the cause of the execution of God's Decree but not the cause why God will chuse such and such for Christ saith himself that there is a love that the Father himself hath toward his people the Father himself loveth his people from everlasting he loveth them the better for Christ's Intercession but saith Christ the Father himself loveth you so that there was love in the heart of the Father
to his people from eternity And that first love of God it is held forth as the cause of giving Christ Christ was not the cause of that first love but God loved from eternity and therefore he gave Christ God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son and love gave that Son Jesus Christ to be the Saviour Thirdly I answer we are said to be chosen in him not as being believers not that God did consider men as believing in Christ actually but they may after a sort be said to be in Christ even from eternity not actually but virtually Some do explain it thus as the corn that is sown and begins to bud why as soon as it begins to bud there is the blade and the ear and the corn virtually but not actually and so we were in him from eternity virtually as chosen together with him and given unto him but not actually in Jesus Christ till such time as men do believe in Jesus Christ There is a third Objection which I shall but touch But you will say Why then God makes choice of sinners and how can that be If God did not chuse men upon fore-seen faith and holiness and not consider them in Christ then he considered them as sinners but now how can God chuse men as sinners When the Scripture saith He is a God of purer eyes then to behold the least iniquity If a man be not in Christ he is a sinner and can God love a vile creature from eternity I answer There is a love of good will and a love of delight there was a love of good will that God had to his people from everlasting yea although that God saw they were in themselves vile sinful creatures but God doth not love them with the love of delight till they are washed and cleansed in the blood of Christ But you will say It is not possible that God should do so A good man he may not take a vile person to be his bosome friend or companion and he may not take one that is wicked into the relation of a wife or husband and how shall God do it who is a God of purer eyes I answer Though we may not make such a choice God may make such a choice why Because God is able to make them gracious and holy If we were able to make them holy then we might chuse the worst in the world But now there is power in God to do it if he chuse the unrighteous he can make them righteous and if he chuse unbelievers he can give them faith and if he chuse unholy ones he can make them holy Nay he chuseth for that very end that he might make them holy and blameless So that you have seen that God's Decree it is absolute that it is not grounded upon any consideration or worth in the creature but absolute in respect of the means And secondly As it is free and absolute so it is unchangeable God cannot he will not cast off any that he hath chosen no see what the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his This Decree of God is unchangeable for it is as a sure foundation The foundation is the beginning of the building and so this Decree it is the beginning of all that good and those spiritual blessings that God doth bestow upon his children and the foundation is sure and unmoveable if it be laid by a skilful and powerful hand foundations are laid sure why this foundation is laid by God's own hand it is laid by his wise and mighty hand and who shall remove the foundation that God hath laid All the men and Angels in the world cannot overturn the purpose and decree of God for the saving of one poor soul all the devils in hell cannot overturn this foundation and there is nothing in the creature can hinder it no sinfulness no unworthiness before conversion and after conversion for it is sure And it must needs be sure because God in his Essence is unchangeable and therefore his purpose unchangeable for the Will of God is God himself and therefore the purpose of God can be no more unchangeable then God himself So that you see there is an Election and this Election is of grace That 's the first particular The second particular which I shall but touch is That this Election may be known by the sons of men though it be transacted in heaven though their names be written in heaven yet it is possible for men to know this secret of God's Decree this great mystery it is possible that it may be known to others and it is possible that it may be known to our selves Our Election may be known to others see Phil. 4. 3. And I entreat thee also true yoke-fellow help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow labourers whose names are in the Book of Life The Apostle here speaking of such and such persons he concludes that their names are in the book of life and in 1 Thess 1. 3 4. Remembring without ceasing your work of faith and labour of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of God and our Father Knowing brethren beloved your Election of God But you will say How can this be known Why it may be known by the fruits of Election when the Gospel comes with power when the Gospel doth overpower the heart when men and women are overcome to believe in the name of Christ when they make a resignation of themselves to Christ and when the Image of Christ is stampt upon them and they in some measure made conformable to Christ who is the head of the Church then others may conclude in the judgement of charity such and such are elected of God so far as we may know the truth of others faith so far we may in the judgement of charity know the election of others But secondly This may not only be known to others but to a mans own self that he is chosen of God before the foundation of the world for we are put upon it to make it sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure strive to put it out of doubt be not content to be at uncertainties in this business it may not only be known but make it sure he doth not exhort them to make it sure in its self by doing this or that for it is sure in it self but make it sure as to your selves wait upon the Lord that your hearts may be confirmed in it that you are called and elected of God for it is possible for a man to know that he is elected Yea Christ puts his Disciples upon it to rejoyce in the consideration of this that they were elected Luke 10. 20. But rather rejoyce because your names are written
righteous Justifie God though thou art in the dark and perplexed and troubled in Spirit about thine own Election or the Election of friends yet do thou resolve and say I wil justifie God though God hath not chosen me and my children though God hath not chosen my friends yet no unrighteousness in him Truly this is the way to overcome the Temptation and till a soul be brought to this a soul that is troubled about his Election will never finde rest till he come to justifie God and lye at the feet of the Lord and say Lord though thou condemnest me and all my children and friends thou art righteous till we justifie God we shall have no peace in our selves What a restless condition was Job in when he stood quarrelling with God's Decree He never had peace till he came to Justifie God Job 42. 2. I know that thou canst do every thing I will contend no more When Job came thus to justifie God then Job's Temptation vanished and then the Lord turned unto Job and Turned again his Captivity and doubled the mercies he had taken away That 's the third Rule Fourthly For the Overcoming and Silencing of these Temptations about Election Remember this that when-ever we are tempted about Election that we presently fall to worship the Lord Jesus so it was with this woman in the Text when she met with this Temptation about Election Christ said I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel What follows She came and worshipped him She spake not a word of Discontent but falls down and worshipped him This is the way to overcome the Temptation when you are doubting concerining the love of God perplexed about Election presently fall to worship the Lord worship him Worship him How Worship him First With the Inward Worship of the Spirit Fear before him that is part of his Worship Reverence the Lord greatly in your hearts notwithstanding all that 's part of his worship Love the Lord let your souls be breathing in love towards him cleave unto him pursue after him with your Spirit that is part of the Inward worship Commit your souls unto him trust in him cast your selves upon the Lord and the word of his grace that is the Inward Worship Acknowledge your dependance upon him resolve there to hang say Lord my whole dependance is upon thee my blessedness is in thy hand all that I expect for eternity doth depend upon thee Go and cleave and clasp about the feet of Christ and by faith depend upon Christ and say Lord here I will hold and stay and will not away unless I be pulled away by violence from the feet of Christ This is Internal Worship and this is that worship that gives so much glory to God Abraham believed above hope and against hope and gave glory to God When you are tempted about Election thus worship him And secondly Worship him with External Worship There are two principal parts of this Worship that will tend to the silencing of all temptations about Election The first is Prayer The second is Thanksgiving When you are tempted about Election or doubt of the love of God fall to prayer go and pour out a cry before the Lord go and lament after him and say though I do not know whether thou wilt accept of me O Lord yet I will cry after thee I will lament after thee cry after himself his presence his face his favour his loving kindness go and cry after him this is the way to be rid of the temptation And truly this will be a discovery that God hath Elected thee In Luke 18. you have Christ speaking there of the unrighteous Judge who neither feared God or man but at vers 7. you have him speaking of the righteous Judge and saith he Shall not God avenge his own Elect which cry day and night unto him This is a good discovery that God hath chosen that soul though the soul knows it not when as it is crying after the Lord and resolves to cry and not give over They are his Elect that cry day and night and he will certainly hear their cry God will come in and manifest himself to the soul and therefore when tempted about Election go to Prayer Another part of External Worship is Thanksgiving an excellent Remedy against this Temptation about Election O! desire that thy heart may be put into a thankful frame look up to God for it and plead with the Lord that thy heart may be put into a thankful posture Consider what thou hast to be thankful for Is there nothing O certainly if thou art not exceeding ungrateful thou mayst see somthing to be thankful for in the worst condition O! the years of patience and goodness of the Lord toward thee think upon the bounty of the Lord toward thee Hath not the Lord tendred his Christ to thee And hath he not held forth his promises to thee Hath he not been working upon thy heart to overcome thy heart Is not this worthy of Thankfulness Those supports that thou hast met withall under affliction have not everlasting Arms been under thee Surely thou must say it that everlasting Armes have been under me and why dost thou not bless the Lord that he hath put underneath everlasting Arms Yea hath there not been some secret intimations of love though thou hast not received so much as another Yet hath there not been some secret hints of grace and love O! that is worthy of thankfulness Yea look to all the outward salvations that thou hast met withall look to all the years of goodness and all the years of mercy Hath not God come to thee and to thy Family with many sweet refreshments What None of these worthy of Thankfulness O that thou wouldest learn to creep if thou canst not go and every night when thou lookest back O say here is another day of goodness the Lord might have cut me off here is another day of patience and in the morning when thou wakest think of it the Lord might have cut me off this night Here is another night of patience and see if this cannot draw forth thy soul in thankfulness I have heard of a young man very lately in the Town of Yarmouth that being very weak and nigh to the grave and under the apprehensions of the wrath of God and supposing that he was presently going down to the pit he cries out O that God would spare me but two dayes He would have accounted it a mercy to be kept out of hell but two dayes O! God hath given thee more then two dayes many moneths many years in which the Lord hath exercised his patience O! may not all this provoke thee to thankfulness Well if thou canst not see any thing to be thankful for of that which God hath done for thee why then bless God for what is in himself O! Think upon the gracious Nature of God think upon the glorious Majesty of
God think upon all the Attributes of God are they not worthy of praise His name it is glorious and worthy to be exalted bless God for what is in himself Or Bless God for what he hath done for others if not for what God hath done for thee see if thou canst not get up thy heart to bless God for what God hath done for others and look upon the grace that God hath bestowed upon others and say though I can see little in my self for which I should bless God yet blessed be God that God hath given out of his Spirit to others and manifested his love to others and hath made others fruitful and serviceable and that there are so many to lift up the name of Christ in the world and if by any means the Lord will put thy heart into a thankful frame the temptation will soon vanish Endeavour it all thou canst wait upon God and look upon that which is matter of Thankfulness that thy heart may be put into a thankful posture to bless God for somthing bestowed on thee or somthing in himself or others and the Temptation will soon vanish Fiftly When thou art tempted about Election Resolve still to hold on in God's way though thou art in the dark and perplexed in thy spirit for want of the knowledge of God's love yet resolve in the strength of the Lord to hold on the Lord's way to keep in his way and to depart from iniquity take heed of turning out into crooked wayes desire to keep the way of the Lord which is a streight way Say well though I do not know my Election I do not know whether I shall come into heaven yet by the Lord's strength I will be found looking toward Christ I will be found looking to him who is able to save to the uttermost This is to keep the Lord's way And so also Resolve to be found walking in wayes of Holiness though I do not know that I shall be saved saved or not saved I will resolve to walk in wayes of holiness and to depart from iniquity take heed of every sinful way every crooked way The Apostle in 2 Tim. 2. 19. speaking about Election The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Why then saith he Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity And so I say though Election be not sure to thee be sure to depart from iniquity resolve to walk with God in his way All this is come upon us yet have not we forgotten thee Psal 44. 17. and so do thou say though all this darkness be upon my spirit I resolve in the strength of the Lord not to forsake him though I do not know that the Lord will be for me I resolve to be for none else my soul shall be for no other Saviour and I will not be for any other way but the way of holiness I desire to depart from every way of iniquity And as I said before so I say again if God shall bring up the heart to this Surely the Lord will not alwayes suffer that soul to go on doubting but he will come and manifest his eternal love if the soul shall resolve thus in the strength of the Lord to be found in the Lord's way saved or not saved I will be looking to the Father through the Son and walk in every way of the Lord and depart from iniquity the Lord will not alwayes suffer that soul to go on doubting John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him My Father shall love him that is my Father shall manifest love to him not that God begins then to love but my Father will come to that soul though that soul may walk in darkness though that soul may for the present be in a sad condition and not see the face of God and not know that God hath loved him from everlasting yet my Father will manifest love to him my Father will manifest that he doth love that soul and saith Christ I will love him and manifest my self to him Christ will come to that soul and say to it I see that thou lovest me and I know thou lovest me thou hast walked in the dark night yet thou hast not turned out from me thou hast resolved to cleave to me as to thy Saviour and hast resolved to keep my way and to depart from iniquity and now I see that thou lovest me and I will let thee know that I love thee that is that I love thee first that I have loved thee from everlasting And thus you have the five general Rules to silence all Temptations which may arise concerning Election Matth. 15. 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel SERMON XVI FOr the Vse of the point and I shall speak but two words by way of Application because what I have spoken already hath been practical if the Lord make it to be so First To those that have not attained to the knowledge of God's love Secondly To those that through grace have attained to the discoveries of God's love First To those that have not attained to the knowledge of God's eternal love towards them and I shall speak the words of the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather Brethren give diligence to make your Calling and Election sure for if ye do these things ye shall never fall That 's the word of the Lord to you give all diligence to make your Election sure rest not till your hearts be established through grace in the knowledge of God's love For Let me tell you first That it is a matter of great concernment That which this Apostle doth exhort us to to give all diligence to make our Election sure it is that which doth concern your whole state you had need give diligence to make it sure it doth not concern your temporal estate but it concerns your estate in another world all that you have to live upon in another world doth depend upon it you had need give diligence to make that sure What pains do men take to make that sure that concerns their outward Estates Men will make their Bonds and Bills sure their Evidences sure their Titles to Lands and Houses sure if there be any thing amiss in them what pains will men take to make them sure O that God would help us to give diligence in this great business that doth concern another manner of estate then that which you possess here even all that you have to live upon in the world to come Secondly Let me say to you to stir you up to be diligent in making your Calling and Election sure why You have an Adversary that taketh a great deal of pains
of all in the vileness and sinfulness of our hearts and natures when as men or women come to be acquainted with the vileness of their nature and see what rebellion is in the heart and finde that there is a by as upon the spirit that doth carry it off continually from God the heart enclined toward vanity evermore O! How do vain thoughts and sinful imaginations croud in continually And they do defile the most holy Service that is taken in hand O! This proves matter of temptation This body of sin and death it made the Apostle cry out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. It had been a pressing temptation if the Lord had not made a discovery of the way of deliverance and salvation to him for a poor soul is apt to fear surely there is nothing of God in me if there were any seed of God in me my heart would never be so vain and the byas of my spirit would never carry me out from God so O! I fear I am not made partaker yet of the Divine Nature The sight of that woful evil that is in the heart proves many times a sad temptation that it is hard for a poor soul to get over it And Secondly When the Lord doth leave a poor creature to sin after mercy and against mercy it hath been saved by the Lord delivered by his right hand pressed with such and such a mercy and yet overtaken in the snare of sin sinning against mercy many times proves a sore temptation O! I am afraid that I am none of the Lord's children mercy hath not its kinde work upon me it doth not bring forth those fruits which the Lord may look for when he gives out such mercies sinning against mercy many times proves a sore temptation Thirdly When the Lord leaves a poor creature to fall again and again into the same sin O! this proves matter of temptation when as the soul hath seen the evil of sin and hath bewailed it hath run to the Lord for strength against it yet hath been overtaken again and again in the same sin that I say proves matter of sore temptation Surely may the poor soul say my spot is not the spot of children I have been overtaken once and again whereupon the poor soul may be tempted to cast away his hope and confidence and not only tempted to cast away its confidence but tempted to depart from God and to go out from the wayes of obedience There is no hope say they in Jer. 18. 12. but we will walk after our own devices and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart We have back-slidden again and again and there is no hope for us we had as good go on and take our fill in sin This temptation is set on many times by falling into sin That is the first That unworthiness by reason of sin Secondly Unworthiness by reason of that miserable weak and frail condition that the children of men are in the great distance that man is at from God this proves matter of temptation to many a poor soul when he considers that he is a poor piece of dust and ashes and that there is an infinite distance between God and the creature he is from everlasting to everlasting he is Jehovah and changeth not But we are poor creatures that are of yesterday and are going down to the grave to day and shall be in the place of silence to morrow O this proves matter of temptation and discouragement Will the Lord look down upon such a poor creature and upon such a piece of dust and ashes Is it possible that the Lord should humble himself to take notice of me And besides that common condition of frailty which all men are in the Lord is pleased to bring some of his people into a lower condition then that which is the ordinary state of man and yet he is as low as dust Yet I say the Lord is pleased to bring some of his people into a lower condition then ordinary By affliction God makes mans state to be low when he brings him into an afflicted state and when God maketh mans comforts to be low taketh away those comforts and those relations which have been his refreshments I say when a man is brought thus into a low and afflicted condition this added to that common condition of frailty it setteth at a great distance from God and it proves many times matter of discouragement and temptation to a poor soul So it was with Job chap. 14. v. 1 2 3. Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes and full of trouble he cometh forth like a flower and is cut down he fleeth also as a shaddow and continueth not And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one Lord saith he Is it possible that thou shouldest humble thy self so far to look down upon such a one That God should look down with the eye of pity upon such a one frail man is one that is brought so low one that sitteth upon the dunghil Unworthiness by reason of frailness proves a temptation many times to Gods own people Thirdly Unworthiness by reason of coldness and deadness in affection When a poor soul finds how dead his heart is towards God O! I have a heart for the world and I have affections to friends and relations there is love to creatures nay there is affection enough to vanity but little or no heart for God there are not those breathings those thirstings those pantings after God not that first love which somtimes it hath found to the Lord and to the things of Christ O! This proves matter of discouragement and temptation O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me saith a poor soul I finde my heart so dead and so strait towards God open to the world but strait to God O! I fear that the love of God dwelleth not in me How can it be that God should set his love upon such a one Surely if the love of God were in me I should love the Lord more then I do Deadness and coldness in affection toward the Lord it proves many times a sore temptation Fourthly and lastly Unworthiness by reason of unusefulness and unserviceableness to God that is matter of temptation when as a poor creature sees that it can do little or nothing for the Lord O! I am a barren tree I am a dry branch I see that others are fruitful I see that others have the promise fulfilled to them they bring forth much fruit they are serviceable in their generation they are an honour to God and do good to men but as for me I know not wherein I can honour him I know not wherein I can be useful or serviceable O I bring forth no fruit unto God and therefore am afraid that I am the Tree the Apostle Jude vers 12. speaketh of without fruit twice dead plucked
I will lay may hand upon my mouth vers 5. Once have I spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further Behold I am vile as vile as thou hast discovered to me Lord I see it and therefore I will stand no more upon my own justification but I will justifie thee and truly so it is with every soul that is truly humbled when God comes and makes a discovery of its corrupt nature and life and chargeth sin upon him it is so and so aggravated thou hast sinned against light against knowledge against mercy and goodness truth Lord all is true saith the gracious heart yea not only when God speaks in the way of discovery of sin the soul that is humble will cry truth Lord and justifie the Lord. But secondly Even then when the Lord speaks very sharply in a way of threatening the soul that is truly humble it will justifie the Lord Psal 51. 4. Against thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest and be clear when thou judgest Here David he will justifie the Lord in all that he spake against him as much as if David should say I have made this publique confession and have penned this Psalm that I might clear thee before all the world that I might justifie God what ever God should do against David or speak against David I will say Lord thou art righteous He would justifie God in all that God had spoken against him and yet God spake terrible things against David by Nathan the Prophet 2 Sam. 12. 10 11 12. Verse 10. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house because thou hast despised me and hast taken the wife of sriah the Hittite to be thy wife Verse 11. Thus saith the Lord Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbour and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this Sun Verse 12. For thou didst it secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the Sun See here what terrible things God threatens he threatens that the sword should never depart from his house That he would raise up evil against him out of his own house a terrible threatning Nay God threatens that he would give his wives to his Neighbours that should defile them before his face a terrible threatening Nay God tells him that this should be done before all Israel and in the face of the Sun And yet Lord I will clear thee when thou judgest and justifie thee when thou speakest Take another instance in old Eli and you shall see how he justified the Lord when the Lord spake against him 1 Sam. 3. 18. at verse 11. Behold I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle and at verse 14. I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Elies house shall not be purged with Sacrifice nor Offering for ever Now all this was told Eli at verse 18. And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him And he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And so Hezekiah take that instance and see how he justified the Lord when the Lord spake terribly against him 2 Kings 20. 19. at vers 17 18. God threatens Hezekiah because he boasted of his treasure and shews it to the Ambassadors of the King of Babylon verse 17. Behold the dayes come that all that is in thine house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store to this day shall be carried unto Babylon nothing shall be left saith the Lord. Verse 18. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall be Eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon A hard lesson and yet he justifies the Lord Verse 19. Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken So that you see that a gracious heart that is truly humbled before the Lord it will justifie the Lord in all that he speaks against it when he discovers sin or threatens punishment still he will justifie the Lord and not only justifie the Lord in what he hath spoken but he will justifie the Lord in what he shall speak if God should speak seven times worse still a gracious heart that is truly humble resolves to justifie the Lord 2 Sam. 15. 26. saith David But if he thus say I have no delight in thee Behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him He did not only justifie the Lord in what he had spoken but in what the Lord should say if the Lord should say I will use David no more nor bring David back no more to his Throne David in that justifieth God and submits to the Lord. But secondly A gracious heart that is truly humbled desires to justifie God in his Actings when God shall act against him as well as speak against him it will justifie the Lord if the Lord shall prefer others before him in this he will justifie the Lord. Instance in this woman of Canaan the Jewes the children they must have whole loaves and full dishes and they must be preferr'd before her yet she justifies the Lord and says Truth Lord. But I shall make it out to you in divers particulars that you may see how a gracious heart that is truly humbled will justifie the Lord in his actings First of all If the Lord shall manifest more love more grace more favour unto others then to it self though there be nothing in all the world that it longeth more after then after the enjoyment of the presence of God yet if the Lord shall be pleased to discover more of himself and give out more clear full intimations of his love and grace to others then to it self it desires to justifie the Lord. Christ as I said he will deal with the Jews as with children give them whole loaves and full dishes this woman she justifies the Lord and if the Lord will give more tokens of acceptance to others then to it self still it desires to justifie the Lord The heart that is unsound cannot do this nothing is more hard to bear that the Lord should shew more favour to others then to them so it was with Cain the Lord shewed more favour to Abel his brother then to him God gave him a token of his acceptance Cain could not bear it and so the Prâ—digal's eldest brother the father shews a great deal of love to the returning Prodigal and the eldest brother could not bear it I have served thee all my dayes and thou hast not dealt so with me thou hast not killed the fatted calf for me But the soul that is truly humble it will justifie the Lord in this if the Lord gives
Name of God threaten all those people that seek not after the knowledge of God thâ—â— though God made them yet he will not save theâ— if they do not know him Isa 27. 11. For it is â—people of no understanding therefore he that maâ— them will not have mercy on them If thou doâ— not know God though thou hadst outward lifâ— from him yet thou canst not expect eternal lifâ— from him for if thou dost not know him he wiâ—â— not have mercy on thee And therefore To Remember thy Creator is to know God Secondly To Remember God is to Trust 〈◊〉 God to lay the confidence of the soul upon God and upon God only Psal 20. 7. Some trust 〈◊〉 chariots and some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God So much faith in God so much remembrance of God when God is not believed on and when God is distrusted when any thing beside God is trusted then God is forgotten And therefore when Solomon saith Young man Remember God that is seek after faith in God let them trust in God let them not trust in their strength trust in their parts let them not trust in their wealth let them not trust in their friends their fathers to provide for them no let them Remember God let them put their trust in God for that is a remembring of God Thirdly To Remember God is to Love God to prize him to have a high account of God to love him dearly above all things for when God is not loved above all things whatsoever God is forgotten We will remember thy love more then wine The upright love thee Cant. 1. 4. We will remember thy love more then wine that is our heart is affected with thy love our heart is taken with thy love we finde more sweetness in the love of Christ then in the sweetest of creature comforts so that when Solomon saith Young man Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth that is set thy affections upon God betimes prize him above all thy comforts and enjoyments if the heart be not set upon God the Lord is forgotten Fourthly To Remember God is to Serve God and to obey God to walk with him and to worship him to honour him this is a Remembring of God Deut. 8. 11. Beware that thou for get not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments and his judgements and his statutes which I command thee this day If thou dost not yeild obedience to the will of God thou forgettest God but to yeild obedience to the Will of God is to Remember God So when Solomon saith Young man Remember God in the dayes of thy youth that is Walk with God and take heed of disobeying God sinning against God for if thou sin against God thou forgettest God and therefore be found walking with him and worship the Lord in truth for that is a remembring of him Fiftly To Remember God is to spend the thoughts of the heart upon God When a man spends many thoughts upon a person or upon such an object he then remembers it and so when the thoughts of the heart are spent upon God then God is remembred But when God is not thought upon but vain thoughts thrust out the thoughts of God there is no remembrance of God the wicked they are said to forget God God is not in all his thoughts Psal 10. 4. And therefore when Solomon saith Young man Remember God that is young man spend thy thoughts upon God thou hast many thoughts in youth do not let them run out to base objects to soul-destroying objects but Remember God let God be often in thy minde and let the thoughts of thy heart be spent on him thy many thoughts and thy best thoughts thy choice thoughts let them be spent on God for that is a Remembring of God Sixtly and lastly To Remember God is to Endeavour after communion with God Seek to see the face of God and to have the presence of God in and thorow Christ to walk with God this is a remembring of God when a man neglects his friend and hath no communion with him he is said to forget his friend and so that soul that seeks not after communion with God that soul forgets God And therefore when Solomon saith Young man Remember God that is let the strongest endeavour and pursuit of thy soul be after God that thou mayest enjoy God and act for God and serve him That 's the first particular you see what it is to Remember God But secondly The second thing is to shew you what cause there is that all the sons of men should Remember their Creator First of all God is worthy yea only worthy to be remembred What is in any creature in any object that does make it worthy of the thoughts of your heart Look unto God and you shall finde it infinitely more in him Is it Goodness Kindness bounty Liberality Wisdome Power and Greatness Beauty and Loveliness Go all the world over and finde out all the excellencies that you can name and you shall finde them all to meet and center in God all divine perfections are in him originally there is Love and Bounty Goodness and Meekness yea infinite grace in God He is good and he doth good and he doth good to the worst of creatures even to those that forget him while they run away from him Yea the most forgetful of God they have showers of mercy poured down every day upon their heads Now because of those excellent glorious perfections that are in God God is worthy to be remembred of the sons of men Secondly He is worthy to be remembred because he hath Done so much to be remembred God hath taken more care of this one thing then he hath done of any thing else besides the great work of the salvation of his people that the sons of men might remember him when man went out from God in Adam God saw that man would soon forget him man would have forgotten that there was a God now what a great deal hath God done that the sons of men might remember him He hath written the remembrance of himself upon every creature that wheresoever man looks either upward or downward he shall see some footsteps of God somthing that God hath done to remember him he hath engraven some remembrance of himself upon every creature Psal 8. 3 4. verse 9. When I consider thy heavens the work of thy fingers the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained Verse 4. What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him When I saw saith he the remembrance of God that was graven upon the Sun Moon and Stars and so upon every creature on the face of the earth why then at Verse 9. he cries out O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth Nay The Lord hath engraven the remembrance of himself upon all his
duty what-ever thoughts should be suggested into thy minde but know for thy comfort that those sinful thoughts and blasphemous thoughts which are cast in by Sathan they shall not be laid to thy charge if thy soul abhor them it is true if the heart did close with them and nourish them then they become the souls but when the soul abhors them and casts them out and cries to Christ against them it is not the souls sin therefore do not neglect thy duty because of these vain thoughts but set thy face to seek the Lord and remember and know that the Lord will make good his word he will meet thee and when God meets thee all these sinful and cursed thoughts shall be cast out And thus you have heard Brethren what encouragement there is to remember God But you will say It is a great Duty and much depends upon it how shall I be helped to remember God aright First Be often looking upon the Book of the Creature upon the works of Creation and look upon them for this very end that thou mayest Remember God for there is a Remembrance of God upon all creatures and if we be wise we may make a spiritual improvement and be led to the Remembrance of God by looking into the Book of the Creature Secondly Look into the Scripture and consult with that for there hath God declared his Name his glorious Name is written in his Word there are Letters that God hath written with his owne hand God hath subscribed I Jesus testifie these things There is the hand of God and of Christ in the Book of the Scripture and therefore if thou wouldest Remember God converse with the Word of God Thirdly Wait upon God in every Ordinance for all Ordinances are given for this end to Remember God the Word the Supper every Ordinance of God is given that so the soul might see God and Remember him and therefore when thou waitest upon God in any Ordinance let this be the end that thou propoundest to thy soul to Remember God Fourthly Lay up all the Love-tokens of God What-ever Experience thou hast met with from God in making supply to thy wants comforting of thee supporting of thee these are tokens that come from God and the mercy that he sheweth thee it is for this end that thou mayest Remember him and therefore lay up all the experiences that thou hast met withal for they will help thee to Remember God Fiftly Labour to get your hearts established and assured in the Knowledge of Gods love to thee that thou mayest come to the knowledge of this that God is thy Friend thy Father thy nearest and dearest relation for the â—ore the soul knows this the more it will Remember God It is not possible that a childe should forget a loving Father that a Wife should forget a loving and tender Husband O when a soul comes to know this that God is my Father my Husband this will help the soul to a sweet Remembrance of God Sixtly Look up to the Lord to increase thy love to him for the more love to God the more thou wilt Remember God but where there is little love to God there is little Remembrance of God and the reason that men Remember God no more is because there is so little love in their hearts towards God If a man loved his friend he would Remember him and not forget him O therefore be ashamed that no more love should be sparkling in thy heart to God when so much love is flaming in the heart of Christ towards thee And therefore Brethren beg it of the Lord that he would shed abroad more of his love in your hearts and blow up thy spark to a flame that thy soul may be fill'd with a constant Remembrance of him Seventhly Ure thy soul to holy meditation and thinking upon God last at night and first in the morning it will be a great help to keep up a constant Remembrance of God in the soul O let thy waking thoughts be toward the Lord Think of his Works of his Attributes of his Son there is enough for men to spend millions of thoughts upon and therefore let some be spent upon God assoon as man wakes in the morning there are a multitude of thoughts strive who shal get in first there stands God and Christ and the World and they which get in first have a great advantage to keep in the soul all the day long if the world gets in first the heart is made worldly but when God and Christ is let in first the heart is kept in a gracious frame all the day long and the more that your meditations are spent upon God the more Remembrance will you have of God And now Brethren you have seen your duty and your neglect of duty for which you have cause to be humbled and we have seen what cause we have to Remember God and what a great benefit comes in by Remembring God and we have seen what may be helpful to our souls in this duty Now let us look to the Spirit of the Lord to make them helps for we have need of all helps till we shall come where the soul shall Remember God perpetually and never forget him Heb. 6. 19. Which hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the Vail THe Apostle in the eighteenth verse speaking of the hope that is set before Believers and of their fleeing for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them He takes occasion to speak of that hope that is begotten and raised in the hearts of all Believers by the hope of Christ In verse 18. He speaks of the Object of Hope Christ he is the hope set before believers but in this 19th verse he speaks of the grace of hope which hope we have as an Anchor to the soul both sure and stedfast this is spoken of the grace of Hope which is the sister of Faith And this Hope it differs from Faith thus Faith looks unto God and Christ in the Promises it looks unto the word of the Lord that is given for its security and it is the work of Faith to close with the Word and to hold fast the word of promise which the Lord Jesus doth hand out to poor souls But Hope that looks to the good things promised and it waits â—or the good things that are laid up in the promises Hope eyes them and waits for the full possession and fruition of that which is laid up in the promise and when the soul shall enjoy all those good things laid up in the promises then Hope shall cease Now that we may understand the nature of saving Hope and the use of it he sets it forth to us by a Metaphor of an Anchor which hope we have as an Anchor to the soul both sure and stedfast Hope it is of that use to the soul that an Anchor is to a Ship
Spirit is not given to discover any thing that is beside the rule that Christ hath left he shall guide you into truth ah but how he shall lead you to the rule and guide you into truth for he shall not speak of himself but what Christ hath spoken and what is written in the Word of the Lord and the Spirit is given to speak it with power and life and efficacy He shall take of mine and shew it to you no new thing but what is mine my Truth my Gospel he shall take of mine and shew it to you Object But you will say If the Spirit of the Lord be in me surely the Spirit need no rule to walk by but the Spirit of the Lord is in all the Saints what need have they of any other rule Answ I answer The Spirit needs no rule ah but the Lord saw that we needed a rule to walk by we were apt to be deceived to call darkness light and light darkness the Lord saw we had need of a rule and that rule is the Word of the Lord which is given us as our rule and no other rule but only the Word of the Lord And therefore be not deceived upon any pretence whatsoever take heed you be not drawn off from the Institutions of Christ from the Word of Christ the rule that Christ hath left all his people to walk by for if you be you will exalt something of your own something that you will place your Righteousness in and oh how provoking is that to Christ for a people that do so they cannot and shall not injoy the spiritual presence of Christ such as forsake Christs Rule and set up their own rule that Christ never made a rule they shall not injoy the presence of Christ no more then Christ afforded his presence with the Scribes and Pharisees And therefore doe but wait upon the Lord cleave to the Lord and hold fast his Rule and you shall see that the Lord will make it evident to all the world that he hath left them though they are never so seemingly high and spiritual yet it will appear that such as forsake him Christ will forsake them they are left of Christ in their judgements already and wait upon the Lord and you shall see that the Lord will leave them to corrupt themselves by a corrupt conversation for what way of Christ will not men only forsake but blaspheme and what sins so great will not such a man as leaves the rule be drawn to the commission of For if the Word be not the rule but a strong impulse of Spirit what impulses may not a man have he may have the strongest impulse to the greatest evil whatsoever if the Lord hath not yet left yet he will leave such a people to the commission of great evil As I remember the history of some of the low Countries they had such a pretence that the Word was not to be their rule but they were led by the impulse of the Spirit of God and I remember in that history it is recorded that many grievous wickednesses they did commit they came to marry many wives and one of the chief of them cuts off one of his wives heads And another upon a time he calls his kindred together and he in the presence of them all takes away the life of one of his brethren and said now the will of the Lord is done And what wickedness is it that men may not fall into by a strong impulse But so much for that I will give you but one hint more in that 21. v. â—esus went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon You â—ee from whence Christ came which was from the â—arts of Judea and the occasion of Christs deâ—atture because they rejected his Word But wheâ—â—er came Christ He departed into the coast of Tyre and Sidon A word or two of that and so â—onclude The coasts of Tyre and Sidon First They were the uttermost parts of the â—and of Canaan Secondly It was a very dark place a place full 〈◊〉 darknesse and ignorance a people that were â—ixed with the heathen and had learned their sinâ—â—l customes and yet the Lord Christ when he goes â—â—om Jerusalem he goes into the parts of Tyre and â—â—don Briefly observe this The faithfulness of Christ 〈◊〉 his Fathers work and the love of Christ to the 〈◊〉 of men Tyre a hundred miles from Jerusaâ—â—m and yet Christ undertook this journey Oh 〈◊〉 faithfulness of Christ in his Fathers work he â—â—ares no labour no travel from place to place â—â—om City to City to the uttermost parts of the â—â—nd and all was to do his Fathers work Oh the â—â—ithfulness of Christ And take notice of the love of Christ to the â—â—uls of men it was in compassion to a poor woâ—â—n of Canaan that Christ took this journey she 〈◊〉 known to the Lord before and in compassion â—â—do her soul good and to release her daughter 〈◊〉 was possest with a Devil Christ takes this â—â—urney See the love of Christ to the souls of â—â—or creatures Christ knew the worth of a soul the preciousness of a soul what would it advanvantage a man to gain the whole world and loose his soul Why in compassion to this womans soul Christ takes this great journey And by way of Application Oh that we might learn of Christ to be faithful in that work which the Lord hath committed to us and to expresse more love to our own souls and the souls of others What a great way did Christ go to doe good to one soul if there be but one woman 〈◊〉 Canaan if but one woman of Samaria for Christ to preach to he takes that occasion Whatever work the Lord puts into our hand in the service 〈◊〉 our generation and for compassion to souls look 〈◊〉 Christ he thought no labour too much to do goâ—â— to the soul of one woman Secondly This was a very dark place the darknesse of ignorance and sin did abound in theâ—â— parts in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon and yet 〈◊〉 Christ goes from Jerusalem he departs into theâ—â— coasts You see the Lord hath some in every place no place so dark and sinful but there 〈◊〉 be some that may belong to the Lord and wheâ—â— there are any that do belong to the Lord in 〈◊〉 part of the world though never so dark yet 〈◊〉 Lord will send from heaven and visit them if 〈◊〉 one poor Canaanitish woman that belongs to thâ— Lord Christ will take care of that woman 〈◊〉 comes into these dark places that so he migâ—â— make known the light of the Gospel that this 〈◊〉 woman might believe where there are any 〈◊〉 belong to the Lord the Lord will find 〈◊〉 way to find them out he will visit theâ— with the discoveries of his Grace and Love by the declaration of the Gospel of Christ And oh that we might observe the wonderful dispensations of the grace of the
now speak to the second Proposition this woman was in great afflictions and distresse her daughter was possessed with a devil and that was a sore burden to her spirit Now this great affliction makes her cry loud for the Text doth not say she came intreated and besought him but the Text sayes she came and cryed unto him saying Have mercy on me O Lord. So then observe this Strong afflictions will raise strong cries even in Gods own people In the opening of the Point I shall shew you two things First That there is a cry of the flesh and a cry of the Spirit Secondly That great and sore afflictions of 〈◊〉 continuance may raise both these cries it will make both the flesh to cry and the Spirit to cry First There is a cry of the flesh and that is twofold It is either a natural cry 〈◊〉 sense which Nature hath of the burden and affliction which is upon it Or Secondly It is a sinful cry which is accompanied with disorder I say the cry of the flesh it is either meerly natural or sinful the flesh is weak it is an emblem of weakness and is weak indeed and a little affliction will make the flesh to cry the Lord remembred that man is but as dust before the wind Now the flesh may cry out and may complain and yet may not sin in that complaint it is true indeed when a man or woman shall cry out of a little affliction when the hand of God doth but touch him and then cry out with great cries strong cries when as the affliction is but little that discovers want of wisdom and want of strength but now when the affliction is very great sore and urgent and the flesh doth cry out through the frailty there may be an expression of complaint and yet not sinful Job in his great afflictions made many complaints poured out many strong cries and yet in many of his complaints he sinned not Job 6. 1 2 3. O that my grief were thoroughly weighed it would appear heavier then the sand of the sea Yea you shall find that our Lord Jesus Christ himself having taken our flesh and the frailties of our flesh for he took our humane frailties but no sinful frailtieâ— and in the dayes of his flesh he cryed his great affliction made him cry out he put up his cries with tears and supplications in the dayes of his flesh as the Apostle speaks Heb. 5. 7. And in Psalm 22. which Psalm is a Prophecy of Christ he cryes out bitter 〈◊〉 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me â—hy art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Strong cries and yet no sin in Jesus Christ so that the flesh may cry and yet not sin for grace when it comes into the soul doth not destroy nature it doth not make man insensible and the spirit insensible but it allows the flesh to be sensible and to cry out of his burdens so it be without sin Secondly There is another cry of the flesh that is raised by sore afflictions and that is a sinfull cry now this sinful cry you shall know it thus First of all It springs from pride it will make a man cry out through pride of heart he cannot bear his burden nor submit to the hand of God through pride of heart When a creature stands upon it to justifie himself and accuse God calls God to an account Why am I thus And what am I worse then others And why should God take me out from all others to make me an example to all others What have I done And what is my sin more then others When a creature will not submit to God in his afflictions but charge God foolishly and when as he quarrels with his affliction if any affliction but this I could have born it but as for this affliction my spirit cannot bear it O here is a cry that is raised by affliction but it is a sinful cry Secondly There is a cry in affliction that doth spring from impatiency and that is a sinful cry when a man or woman shall cry out with a great cry and make a great lamentation and yet their burden but an ordinary burâ—â—â— only they make it great through impatiency noâ— that the affliction is so in it self if the Lord had given a heart to carry patiently under it but there is many a poor creature struggles with his affliction as a young beast unaccustomed to the yoak the yoak is easie but by struggling and striving it pinches and makes it cry out and so a man by striving under the yoak of the Lord though it be Jobs counsel that it is good to bear the yoak yet it throught impatience cryes out this is a sinful cry Thirdly That is a sinful cry that springs from unbelief and is accompanied with unbelief when as a man or woman in time of affliction shall give way to hard thoughts of God whatever cry is accompanied with unbelief is a sinful cry Yet this is the case of many they cannot perswade themselves that there is any love in the heart of God towards them and any love in such an affliction I cannot believe it that there should be love in such an affliction that God should lay such a heavy burden upon me and have any love to me when it cries out thus with unbelieving cries this is a sinfull cry And so when a man cannot be perswaded that the Lord should make a good end with him in affliction O sure I shall perish one day and fall by the hand of this affliction I shall be broken all to pieces and never be able to stand under my burden when as the soul is thus filled with unbelieving dispairing thoughts concerning God and concerning the end of his affliction and so cry out in unbelief this is a sinful cry First And again great and sore afflictions may occasion such cries even sinful cries as the cry of unbelief and impatiencies and that upon this ground there are remainders of corruption in the best heart there is sinful flesh as well as spirit Secondly Great afflictions do expose Gods own people to great temptations many times they go together great afflictions and great temptations for the Devil seeks his opportunity to doe mischief as the Lord waits to be gracious so Satan waits to doe mischief Many times in great afflictions when the waters are high then the Devil will assault God makes use of affliction to make his people seek him early but now the Devil he waits to make the soul cry out with a sinful cry and many times the Lord suffers him to prevail But this cry of the woman of Canaan was not the cry of pride impatience and unbelief but her cry was the cry of the Spirit And therefore let us examine what that cry of the spirit is which the Lord doth raise in the hearts of his people in
him to his own Mother to be his Nurse and she pays his own Mother for him And so the Lord he will deal with you that are parents that act in faith and perform your duties in faith the Lord will reward you for your love to your own children for taking care of your own children all your labour is taken notice of by the Lord and you shall be rewarded Oh! what an encourageis here to all Parents to look after faith in Christ that so your service may be accepted of the Lord One thing more and so I conclude and that is a word to children is it so that there is so much love in the hearts of Parents to their children is there so much that Parents do from love to children oh that children would labour to know what is their duty that they owe to Parents it cannot be told it cannot be exprest how much it is that children owe unto parents Children it is impossible that ever you should requite the love of your parents oh the pains the travel and sorrow of bringing forth and bringing up oh that children might know that there is a great engagement lies upon them to love their parents to respect their parents to take heed that they do not grieve their parents to pass by all in firmities of parents to shew all respect to them and when grown up to take care of them And this is a duty that Christ lays upon you though a Moral duty see what is said in 1 Tim. where children may see what Christ injoyns them 1 Tim. 5. 4. But if any widow have children or Nephews let them learn first to shew piety at home and to requite their parents for that is good and acceptable before God God lays this duty upon children you should labour to requite your parents to remember their love their care their sorrow their pains and travel and you are bound by the Law of Christ to requite your parents this is good this is piety and this is acceptable to God And so that place Levit. 19. 3. Ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths I am the Lord your God Here is a duty that God lays upon children to fear every man his Mother and Father Children are most apt to despise their Mothers therefore the Lord begins there and lays that duty first that children should fear every man his Mother And take notice of it that this is a duty that the Lord sets before the keeping of his Sabbath as if the Lord should say in vain shall they pretend to be Religious if they do not fear and reverence every man his Mother and his Father I will not accept of your service It was a brand that was set upon Esau to all generations that he did that which was a grief to his Father and Mother Now children see your duty and remember your duty which the Lord Jesus lays upon you And oh that children would labour for faith that they may perform their duties Parents cannot love their children aright till they have faith and truly children cannot reverence their parents nor perform the duties they owe unto parents unless they have faith Oh then that Parents and children would look up to Christ for faith and then shall both be able through faith in Christ to perform that mutual duty that God requires from parents and children And to shut up all let this that hath been spoken strengthen the faith of all Gods people in Gods love to them Oh that by this we might ascend to the love of God! O that they that think they have not been concerned in what hath been spoken hitherto would know they are concerned in this The Lord would have you to ascend by the consideration of the bowels that are in parents to their children to a consideration of those infinite bowels that are in him towards you that are his children As the Father pitieth his children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him what ever workings of love are in the hearts of parents towards their children oh know that there is larger workings of love in the heart of God towards his children there are infinite bowels in the everlasting Father and if there be so much pity in the hearts of parents that they are willing and ready to give out good things to their children and willing to pass by and to pardon the miscarriages of their children oh how much more willing is our God to pass by and to pardon the failings of you that are his children oh that this might encourage prodigal children to return to the Lord If the father receive his child that hath been a prodigal why the Lord is ready to receive you though a prodigal if the Lord give you an heart to return though you have spent all and abused all your mercies yet the Lord is ready to pardon and to receive you And let it strengthen your faith and hope in Christ you that cleave to Christ for righteousness you that are the children of that everlasting Father oh know that Christ will plead for you Christ will cry to his Father for you Was the woman of Candan so affected with the misery of her daughter that she cries Lord have mercy on me my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil 〈◊〉 I say this found in this woman towards her daughter and shall not this be found in Christ towards his children oh then let this comfort you when you scarce dare go to God and cry your selves such and such a corruption doth annoy you such and such an unclean spirit is in you Oh! the Lord Jesus pities you under every spiritual burden when as you are troubled with unclean spirits he hath bowels of compassion towards you and know that he will go to his Father and cry to his Father and if he cry he cannot deny the son of his love but an answer shall be given to all those requests that Christ puts up for you or for any of his people Matth. 15. 23. But he answered her not a word SERMON VIII I Come now to speak of the trial of this womans faith and here is the first tryal of her faith he answered her not a word A very great trial a sore trial that this poor woman should in her great strait and under such a burden and pressure of spirit come to Jesus Christ and cry so earnestly unto him and believe so stedfastly upon him and yet Jesus Christ give her not one word of answer to her prayer this was a sore trial for this carriage of Christ it seems to be contrary to what she had heard of Christ and to what she believed was in Jesus Christ for Christ seemed now either to be without compassion to her he seems to take no notice not to be affected she complained and cried out of her great burden and Christ speaks not a word the Lord Jesus Christ seems either not to be affected with her
more As a man that delights in musick if the Musicians play he 〈◊〉 take no notice but lets them play on because he delighteth in it and so the Lord he takes delight in the prayers of his servants The prayerâ— the upright is his delight and he will give no present answer that so they may go on praying 〈◊〉 crying Secondly the Lord may seem to be silent 〈◊〉 the prayers of his people that so he may exerâ—â— the faith and patience of his servants It is great trial of the faith and patience of the Saiâ—â— when as the Lord seems to take no notice 〈◊〉 give no answer to their prayers it was for 〈◊〉 end that our Lord Jesus Christ gave not a 〈◊〉 of answer to this woman of Canaan it was that might try her faith and her patience and that might exercise it and that by the exerciâ—â— faith faith might be increased and her faith 〈◊〉 arise to a great faith by this exercise for at 〈◊〉 Christ commends her for her faith Oh 〈◊〉 great is thy faith be it unto thee even as 〈◊〉 wait Again the Lord is silent many times at the prayers of his people to try whether they will continue in prayer though the Lord doth give them no present answer oh here is the trial of perseverance God hath heard my prayer saith David therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Ah but that is no great matter for a man to say God hath heard my prayer and therefore I will call upon him still But for a soul to say I have been crying and calling and I will still wait upon him as long as I live I will wait upon God Oh here is perseverance in prayer in which Christ doth delight Fourthly the Lord is silent many times upon this ground he gives no present answer that so he may prepare an answer for them and that he may prepare them for an answer God gives no present answer that so he may prepare mercy and ripen mercy and make mercy fit for his people and that he may ripen them and fit them and their hearts for the mercy so that it is in abundance of grace and mercy and love that the Lord is pleased many times not to give out a present answer to his people for all the time the Lord is silent he is preparing of mercy and goodness for them he is making of the mercy fit for his people the mercy shall be ripe and the mercy shall be sweet and wholsome and do them good at the heart When the Lord hath thus prepared mercy for them and fitted them for the mercy they shall have the mercy see what is said in Isa 80. 18. And therefore will the Lord wait that he way be gracious unto you and therefore will he be exalted for the Lord is a God of judgement blessed are all they that wait for him He waits that he may be gracious he waits for the best season the fittest opportunity he will stay till the soul hath need of help in the fittest time the Lord will come in mercy when he may be most exalted for mercy when his people may see most of the hand of God when they most prize their mercies and glorifie God for mercy God waits for such a time And therefore you see it is for gracious ends that God many times seems to be silent for a season and gives not one word in answer to prayer as Christ here to this woman of Canaan For the Application of the Point First it speaks sadly of them that never regard whether the Lord give an answer or no to their prayer that pray and pray and look not after an answer How far are such men and women from the disposition of Gods children a gracious heart cannot but be affected when it speaks to the Father and the Father gives no answer And therefore surely when men and women make many prayers and look not up for an answer that regard not whether the Lord answer or not either they are none of his children or else under a sore temptation for let me say unto you that though it is not for your prayers that God doth regard prayer yet if you do not look up for an answer if you do not regard your prayers neither will God regard your prayers And let me say further that this is a great dishonour to God Oh what a 〈◊〉 is it it is a loss to God and it is a loss also to the soul for a man to lose all his prayers it is a loss indeed When as a soul doth not regard whether God answer or no God loseth he loses that glory which would redound to him in the answer of prayer Call upon me saith God in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Now if the soul call upon God and doth not observe whether God hears or no it cannot glorifie God for the return of prayer but God loses that honour that thankfulness and that love and obedience and that dependance which an answer of prayer might engage the soul to And as God loseth so the soul loseth oh they that look not after the return of prayer they lose that which would make their souls rich For a Merchant to lose all his return it will make him a poor Tradesman in conclusion that soul that doth not look after the return of prayer loseth a great deal of faith and dependance and experience for God by giving out an answer to the prayers of his people he doth encourage them and engage them to trust in him at all times so long as they live they that lose the return of prayer lose the strengthening of faith and the engaging of their heart to God But secondly let me speak to such poor souls as are in the same condition with this woman of Canaan that have prayed and have not met with one word of answer Poor souls is this the condition of any of you I know that it hath been and may still be the condition of the Lords dearest servants they may pray and the Lord may seem to give no answer Remember it was so with David Jeremiah and Habakkuk and with Christ himself And let me say this unto thee that if thou regardest any iniquity in thy heart any known sin that thou regardest or connivest at or if there be slightness in the performance of thy duty or contentest thy self with a slothful performance of thy duty or thou dost not regard thy prayer when thou hast put it up to the Lord for this we have cause to be humbled and no wonder the Lord do not answer our prayers But now if thy own spirit and the Spirit of the Lord can testifie that thou desirest to regard no iniquity in thy heart but to walk up to thy duty and desire to be conformable to Christ and desire to cry in faith and to wait upon the Lord for an answer be of good comfort
life begins here in holiness and that is eternal life to know the Father and the Son that is the end for which God doth predestinate that they might be holy through the sanctification of the Spirit and that they might be blessed and happy for ever But in respect of God the great end of Election it is the praise of his own grace that so they that shall be saved they may for ever admire and advance that rich and free grace of God towards them that chose them so freely when as they were so vile this is the end of Election Fiftly We may consider the means by which God doth fulfil and execute his Decree of Election The means of executing his Decree it is Christ Jesus as Mediator he chose such and such to bring them to such and such an end by such means by Christ Jesus and by Faith in him Christ as Mediator he is the cause of the means of God's executing and fulfilling his Decree though not the cause of Election but the cause of the means of God's executing and fulfilling his Decree for God would save them no other way but by Jesus Christ in Ephes 1. 4. you have these all together According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Here you see it is an Act of God from eternity before the foundation of the world and at v. 5. you may see it is an Act of his Free Grace According to the good pleasure of his Will v. 5. He was not moved thereunto by any thing in the creature no it was according to the good pleasure of his Will And you see also the several ends for which God hath chosen v. 4. in respect of the creature the end is that we should be holy and at v. 5. that we should be happy and attain the inheritance of children and the great end of all is in v. 6. That this may be the praise and glory of his grace And then there is the means by which God doth execute this Decree v. 4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world So that you see somthing of this great and wonderful mysterie of Election in this place But there are two things further which I shall insist upon for the clearing of the Truth to you in the opening of which I shall meet with those things that are most of all objected against this Truth This Act of God from eternity it was 1. Absolute 2. Immutable and Vnchangeable There are these two general heads which will clear up much of the minde and will of God in this Truth 1. God's Decree is absolute and free 2. It is unchangeable First It is absolute and free it doth not depend upon any thing in the creature God did not chuse because he foresaw men would be such and such he did not chuse any because he foresaw they would believe as some imagine he did not chuse any because he foresaw they would be holy his decree and choice and love it was not grounded upon any thing in the creature for the Lord he hath no such respect in his choice you may see what is said of Esau and Jacob in Rom. 9. 11. The Apostle is there treating of this mysterie and he doth there let us know that it is free and absolute and doth not depend upon the work or worthiness of the creature 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 v. 12. It was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger v. 13. As it is written Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Before they had either done good or evil God made choice of Jacob God did not chuse him because he foresaw he would be better then his brother Esau no Esau and Jacob were all alike unto God nay if there were any preheminence Esau had it he was the first born and was not Esau Jacobs brother saith God yet I loved Jacob Mal. 1. 2 3. and I hated Esau I have bestowed special love upon Jacob less upon Esau Not that God hates the creature without some consideration but hating here is to shew a less love Christ saith a man shall hate his Father and Mother for Christ's sake that is love them less then Christ and Jacob had two wives one was hated the other loved Rachel beloved and Leah hated that is less loved and so God here he bestows special love upon Jacob and not upon Esau And it is evident from Scripture that God could not chuse for foreseen faith and holiness for the Scripture holds forth that both faith and holiness they are the fruits of Election and therefore not the cause of Election men therefore believe and are made holy because God hath chosen them from eternity Acts 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed see here faith is made the fruit of Election and of God's love from eternity the words cannot be read thus That as many as believed were ordained to eternal life but as many as were ordained to eternal life believed and so holiness or sanctification cannot be the cause of Election no it is the fruit of Election see Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love He hath chosen us that we should be holy not chosen us because we were holy but that we might be holy holiness then proceeds from God's special love And I shall make it further evident to you from some Arguments from Scripture that it is not possible God's choice should be grounded upon any thing in the creature but meerly an Act of his own good pleasure for First of all that which maketh the Will of God to depend upon the creature that cannot be a true doctrine but now if God doth chuse upon foreseen faith and works because he foresaw the creature to be such then the Will of God doth depend upon the creature which destroyes the divine nature of God and the freedom of God's Will it is not possible that God's Will should be determined but by its self now if God chose upon foreseen faith and works then God's Will is determined by some thing in the creature Secondly It doth derogate much from the freeness of God's grace as also from the greatness of the mysterie and of the wonder of the Gospel I say If God did chuse men because he foresaw that they would be holy it derogates much from the freeness of his grace If it be of works then it is not of grace If God's choice were grounded upon such a foresight of faith and holiness then it is not an election of grace And it derogates much from the great mysterie of the Gospel God will
a ground of comfort there was a love in the Father towards you before I made a request for you though the Father now love you more and better yet the Father himself loved you before I made any request for you Thirdly This is another ground of great refreshment from this Doctrine That the love of God towards his people it is an ancient Love a love that did not begin yesterday a love that is not of a few years standing but an ancient love it is as ancient as eternity it is as ancient as the Ancient of dayes as ancient as God himself no beginning but from eternity O! That commends love exceedingly when as love is an ancient love when as one hath born love to such a Family through many generations and hath provided love for such a family for many generations to come that exceedingly commends the love of a friend when a friend shall take care that there shall be an Estate entailed to such a family for many generations to come that he should provide a portion for them before they had a being O! that is ancient love and that doth commend the love of a friend and truly it commends the love of the Creator and it is full of sweetness and Refreshment that God hath loved his people from eternity love hath run down that long Tract of eternity and he hath provided a portion from eternity an inheritance from eternity oh that the Lord should make such provision for poor creatures before they had any being not only thousands of years but even from eternity before they had any being when there was no world no creature no being but only in the mind of God that God then should chuse them and provide an inheritance for them truly this commends the love of God and makes it very sweet Fourthly There is this ground of refreshment that the Doctrine holds forth that this love of God to his people it is a distinguishing love oh that commends love exceedingly when it is distinguishing when it puts a difference where there was no difference that love that makes a difference and so vast a difference when no difference that love is very precious See what is said in Hos 1. 6 7. For I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel but I will utterly take them away But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah and will save them by the Lord their God c. See here at the very time that God said he would not have mercy upon Israel he would have mercy upon Judah and would save them oh how sweet was the discovery of that love And truly this is the love of God that this Doctrine holds forth a distinguishing love that when there was no difference in the creature and one not better then another and yet that God should take those and chuse those that were as bad as those that were left oh this distinguishing love it is very sweet and hath a great deale of refreshment Fifthly This Doctrine holds forth a ground of joy there is a great deale of true grounded joy lasting joy that may arise and doth arise unto the people of God from the knowledge of this that God hath chosen them and loved them from eternity with an everlasting love it doth administer the best ground of comfort that can be found in all the World See that place Luke 10. 20. But rather rejoyce because your names are written in Heaven The knowledge of this speciall love that God hath written the names of poor creatures in Heaven it is a ground of unspeakable joy rejoyce not that the uncleane spirits are subject to you why they might rejoyce more in that then in any outward mercy whatsoever that the unclean spirits were subject to them for it is more then if all the men of the world were subject to them ah but yet in this rejoyce not rejoyce not so much in this for here is a more lasting ground for your joy that your names are written in Heaven it will afford such joy and will kindle such a flame of joy as all the waters of affliction cannot quench When a soul comes to know this and can make out this that his name is written in heaven a soul may then rejoyce in every condition rejoyce in Tribulation rejoyce in Persecution rejoyce in Poverty and distresse yea though they may loose all the comforts of life yet when God reveals to them that their names are written in Heaven they may rejoyce for they have a portion that can never be lost an inheritance that can never be taken away from them though they meet with never so much scorn and reproach from the World though men should cast out their names as vile yet if their names are written in Heaven they may rejoyce for their names are precious before God when vise before men and it is written there where it can never be blotted out so that it doth administer matter of sound and sollid joy such joy as will hold out and cannot be quencht with many waters Sixtly Another ground of comfort that doth arise from the knowledge of our election is this that we have and shall enjoy that great priviledge and benefit of the ministry and service of the holy Angels When God comes to make out his love to the soul why it may conclude that the Lord hath given his Angels charge over them that the Angels shall defend and the Angels shall protect and the Angels shall deliver from many dangers See what the Apostle saith in Heb. 1. 14. speaking of the Angels Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation They that are chosen by God to an inheritance reserved in Heaven they have the ministry of all the holy Angels while on earth though we see it not with this bodily eye though we see not the Angels how they ascend and descend how they goe to Heaven and come from Heaven yet it is matter of faith the word of the Lord hath said they are all ministring spirits for the good of the Saints many a kindness the Angels doth us and we are kept from many a danger by the Angels He shall give his Angels charge and they shall bear thee up that thou dash not thy foot against a stone That is another ground of sweet comfort Seventhly It doth administer this ground of comfort that all that Gods people doe meet withall â—here in the world shall work for their good God will make an advantage of whatsoever his people doth meet withall See what the Apostle saith in Rom. 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose All things shall work together for good to those who are called according to his purpose according to that ancient love in the bosome of God all afflictions all crosses
meet withall concerning their own Election First A poor soul may be thus tempted that it is an impossible thing for it to attaine to the knowledge of Gods love this is a secret this is that which was transacted in Heaven and therefore sure it is not possible for me to attain to the knowledge of this that the Lord hath loved me and hath written my name in the book of life Men may have some good hopes of it but surely saith the temptation it is presumption for any man to think or say he may come to assurance that the Lord hath written his name in the Book of life for there are these two things against it First Secret things belongeth to God Secondly No eye hath seen what is done in Heaven and if eye hath not seen it how shall I attaine to the knowledge of it In Answer to this temptation know and consider that many of the Saints of God hath attained to the knowledge of Gods eternall love and hath risen to this assurance that the Lord hath loved and will love with an everlasting love The Apostle Paul did attaine to it and he gloryes in it yea then when he speaketh in the person of all the Elect of God Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is God that justifieth Vers 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us Vers 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ He stands up to challenge all the world and the powers of darknesse who dare lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect And in the 38. verse see what he further saith For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principallities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come Vers 39. Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So then you see it is a thing not impossible to attaine to the knowledge of Gods eternall electing love Nay it is laid upon all the Saints as a duty to seek after the knowledge of it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you doe these things ye shall never fall So then election may be made sure and it is a duty which lyeth upon all believers to strive after that they may make their calling and election sure Now if it be so that this is a thing that may be attained unto and that the Saints hath attained unto and a duty which all the children of God are put upon then certainly this is a temptation and know it is a temptation that it is an impossible thing for any to attaine to the knowledge of Gods electing love But Secondly The second temptation concerning our election may be this a poor soul may be thus tempted it is true there may be the knowledge of Gods love and many of the Saints have attained to this knowledge but as for me I have no certainty I have striven and I have waited upon God and sought for assurance but I have not attained it and therefore I am ready to conclude surely the Lord hath not loved me others sought and they have attained and have assurance I have sought and I cannot meet with assurance of the love of God and therefore certainly the Lord hath not loved me I Answer to this temptation know that thou canst not conclude that God hath not called thee effectually because thou hast not assurance and if thou canst not conclude that God hath not called thee effectually because thou hast not assurance much less canst thou conclude that God hath not chosen thee from eternity because thou hast not assurance But Secondly In answer to this temptation hath not the Lord given thee a heart to close with Christ as held forth in the Gospel to poor lost sinners hath not God made thee willing to accept of Christ hath not the Lord in some measure inabled thee to cleave to Christ and dost now resolve to cast thy self upon Christ to venture all upon Christ even thy eternity why then know here is that which gives the essence the being of faith this accepting of Christ held forth in the Gospel with thy resting upon him it is the being of faith and this faith is no other but the faith of Gods elect the fruit of Gods electing love it springs from that eternall love which chose his people unto salvation through faith and therefore though there be not the comfort of faith assurance is the comfort of faith the flower that grows upon the fruit of faith yet if there be that which gives the being of faith thou mayst not conclude that the Lord hath not loved thee because thou hast not assurance Thirdly In answer to this temptation thou sayst thou hast no assurance of Gods electing love and therefore thou concludest that God doth not love thee As thou hast no assurance that God hath chosen thee so thou hast no knowledge of the contrary and mayest not conclude the contrary that God hath not chosen thee for if thou shouldst so conclude thou mayest lye against the truth and therefore cease to draw any conclusions of that which is not knowne to thee and give up thy self to doe the revealed will of God and what is that but that thou take hold of the offer of salvation and receive Christ that you believe in the name of his Son for this is his commandement 1. Joh. 3. 18. But Thirdly this temptation may arise in the soul namely a desire that God would give it a signe an extraordinary signe it resolves it cannot believe and will not believe unless God give itâ— signe This is a temptation that some of Gods people hath met withall To answer this temptation know that it is not Gods ordinary way to give satisfaction to the soul concerning his love by giving an extraordinary signe it is true the Lord may sometimes in some cases condescend to his people and may give an extraordinary signe yea the Lord may and hath prevented his people sometimes with an extraordinary signe to prevent their unbeleefe when they have not asked a signe You have heard of that woman that sometime lived in Cambridge that was many yeares in a tempted condition and being sorely afflicted one day she took up a glasse in her hand and cast it against the ground with this expression I am as surely damned as this glasse is broken and it pleased God so to order it that the glass was not broke which was to the conviction of her unbeliefe I say the Lord may give a signe yea when it is not asked but it is not Gods ordinary way but now for a soul to stand it out with God that it cannot beleeve unless God
doe give it some extraordinary signe oh this is a tempting of God and the Lord may leave such a soul for ever in its unbeliefe when it shall take up such a resolution that it will not believe though it hath the promise unless it hath a signe the Lord I say may leave such a soul in its unbeliefe And further in answer It is true this was Gods way formerly to satisfie his people by a signe by some extraordinary signe and vision but now since the coming of Christ God hath chosen to speak to us by his son see Heb. 1. 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son God formerly did reveale himself in an extraordinary way he did appeare sometimes and spake mouth to mouth to Abraham and Moses that was Gods way then but now God hath chose to speak to us by his Son God speaks by Christ and Christ speaketh by the Scripture heare him faith the Father Now Christ hath laid down a rule for our faith and for our obedience and know this that Jesus Christ by his Spirit can so make use of the word that it shall give as cleare and evident satisfaction to a soul concerning the love of God as if God should give a signe as if God should speak immediately from Heaven When the Spirit of the Lord will make use of the word of grace it shall satisfie the soul as fully of his love as if the Lord did appear from Heaven and speak to the soul mouth to mouth Further One thing more I shall speak to this Temptation you that desire a sign and would have an extraordinary sign that God loveth you why know that God hath given you a signe we have signs as well as our fore-fathers had what is the water in Baptisme but a signe to us and the bread and wine in the Sacrament but a signe to us that Ordinance of the Supper which we are partakers of this day the Lord hath condescended to us to give us a signe the bread is a signe and the wine is a signe and the sitting at the Lord Table a signe it is a signe unto faith to every beleeving soul these are signs that God hath loved it from everlasting and set it apart for communion with himself that he hath loved us and given his Son for us that Christ hath loved us and given his blood for us that he is reconciled and hath set us at his Table and we shall sit with him in his Kingdome here is a signe though not unto sence yet here is a signe unto faith We think that Abraham and the Prophets they were happy in that God did appear to them from Heaven and spake to them immediately When God appeared to Abraham and he called to him out of Heaven Now I know that thou lovest me and I have sworne by my self in blessing I will bless thee You think that Abraham and the Prophets were happy that he should tell them that he knew they loved him and that he would love them and would bless them But know it of a certaine that he hath dealt more graciously with us under the Gospel then with them in this very perticular in which we desire a signe in giving us these gracious signes for it was but seldome that God gave them a signe very seldome and it was but to some of them Abraham and the Prophets and Patriarks but now it is Gods ordinary way to give us a signe that which was very rare to them God hath made to us a standing ordinance so that we have a signe continually before us as often as we brake the bread and drink the wine the Lord gives a signe to faith and speaks to faith his everlasting love And therefore take heed that we doe not tempt God to seek another signe What saith Christ Math. 12. 39. The Scribes and Pharisees desired to see a signe from Christ vers 38. An evill and adulterous generation seeketh after a signe and there shall be no signe given to it but the signe of the Prophet Jonas They would not accept of the signe that Christ gave them no they would have other signs They are an adulterous Generation saith Christ and they shall have no other signe but the signe of the Prophet Jonas So when we are seeking for other signes and oh that God would worke extraordinary signes why saith God they shall have no other signes then the signe of the bread and wine and water these shall be sealing signes And know whereas we think some extraordinary sign should convince us and overcome our hearts such is the unbeleefe of our hearts that if we doe not believe when God gives us his word and these signes neither would we believe if God should speake in some extraordinary way from Heaven They have Moses and the Prophets saith Christ if they will not heare them neither will they hear if one rose from the dead Dives he was desirous that one should goe from the dead to his Brethren oh no they have Moses and the Prophets if they will not believe them neither will they believe though one rose from the dead Fourthly Another temptation may be this 〈◊〉 desire to be out of the World that so a man may know what that state is which God hath ordained him unto there may be such a temptation as this a hasting to dye and to goe out of the world that so men might know what their state in another world is what it is that God hath decreed and purposed concerning them I answer There is abudance of folly in this for let me say to such a soul under such a temptation 1. Either thou hast assurance of Gods eternall love or else thou hast it not 2. Thou knowest not but that thou mayest have it or 3. Thou despairest of ever having it Now to the first If the Lord hath given thee any evidence of his love and any hopes of blessednesse in the World to come thou dost very ill thus to make hast to be possessed of that which the Lord hath given thee thou shouldst rather waite the Lords time Remember what the Scripture saith He that believeth maketh not hast If thou hast faith if thou hast any hope of a blessed state in the world to come take heed that thou dost not make hast thou shouldst rather covet and desire to do that which is thy work before thou goest hence thou shouldst desire an opportunity of lifting up the name of the Lord before the Sons of men now there is no such opportunity of making the name of the Lord glorious in the grave and therefore thou shouldst rather desire to know thy work and to doe thy work before thou goest hence Secondly If it be so that thou hast no evidence of Gods love not any knowledge of it for the present yet thou art not without all hope
why then what a folly is it to desire to be out of this world that thou mayest know thy state Surely thou goest out of thy way that is not Gods way to come to the knowledge of what God hath purposed concerning thee thy way is to give all diligence while here not to desire to go into another world to know what it is but it is thy duty to give all diligence before thou goest to make thy calling and election sure to wait upon God with all thy might Thirdly If it be so that thou hast no hope but thou disparest concerning the love of God Oh I shall never attaine to the knowledg of Gods love why then it is despairing madness it is beastly and unreasonable madnesse in thee to hasten thy end to desire to remove out of this world before the Lords time that so thou mayest know thy worst I say that is madnesse and folly for so long as thou art in the Land of the living thou art in a state of possibility no poor sinners how vile soever but while in the Land of the Living they are in a state of possibility for as I said before so againe that even reason and a mans conscience will tell him that it is not possible that he should know that the Lord hath rejected him and therefore for any man to say it is impossible that he should be saved and have no hope that man lyes against conscience and against truth to conclude that which the Lord hath not revealed and therefore while in the state of life you are in a state of possibility and oh what madnesse is it for a man to put himself into such a state where there is no hope no possibility Fifthly There is another temptation concerning our own election which is this If God hath decreed all things his purpose must stand why then his purpose cannot be resisted God hath purposed whatever falls out in the world he hath decreed it and therefore we cannot withstand it if we doe sin against God we cannot helpe it God hath purposed it he hath purposed all things and therefore why doth God find fault why doth God punish the sons of men we cannot helpe our sinning against God That cavill is raised in Rom. 9. 19. Why doth he yet find fault for who hath resisted his will I answer Gods decre doth not necessitate any man doth not compell the will no when he decrees to save his people and bestow faith upon them he doth not compell the will but sweetly inclines the heart And so God doth not compell the will of men to sin Gods decree is not the product of mans sinning it is true God suffers it so to be but mans will it is voluntary in the commission of sin and it is that which he chuseth that which he delights in and loves and this is the condemnation Gods decree is not the cause of mans sinning no mans own perverse will is the cause of all sinning And therefore let no man say he is tempted of God for no charge no blame can be laid upon God It is true Gods secret absolute will cannot be resisted but Gods revealed will which is mans rule may be resisted and is resisted and that shall be their condemnation Gods secret will is not knowne but it is evident men may resist Gods revealed will Ye stiffe necked and uncircumcised in heart and eares ye doe alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so doe ye Acts 7. 51. So that the Spirit may be resisted and Gods will may be resisted that will which is our rule may be resisted and is resisted and that freely and voluntarily by mens own will and they are not ordained to it by any of Gods decrees And therefore cease to lay the blame on God for man shall one day see that his sin is his own and his condemnation his own Sixthly There is another temptation that may arise from Gods decree and it is a temptation to this hour A man may thus reason if God hath decreed that I shall be saved then I shall be saved I shall be saved without my striving what need I make such a stir if God hath decreed that I shall be saved then I shall be saved though I goe on in sin Gods decree and purpose cannot be hindred and therefore if I be chosen to life and salvation I shall be saved without my own striving without taking paines and I shall be saved whatever I doe This is a desperate temptation and I shall speake something to it Thou sayest if God hath decreed thy salvation then thou shalt be saved and must be saved without thy pains though thou takest no paines to look after Christ and believe and repent as others doe To this I answer First though God hath purposed thy salvation and though thou beest in the number of his chosen yet without thy striving and waiâ—ing upon God in his own way thou canst not attain to the knowledge and comfort of it and is this nothing for a man to goe all his dayes though he be chosen without the knowledge of Gods love and goe under fears and be in bondage all his dayes is this nothing though chosen so long as thou fittest still thou canst not know it and so not have the comfort of it But Secondly God hath joyned the meanes and the end together know that so that one cannot be without the other Thou sayest if thou beest elected then thou shalt be saved thou concludest concerning the end and I say if thou beest elected then thou shalt certainly be brought to beleeve in Christ and become a new creature The meanes it is purposed by God as well as the end God hath decreed to bring his people to life and salvation this way by believing in the way of faith and in the way of repentance and in the way of holinesse you shall be saved and truly it is as impossible for them to goe without faith to be in an unrenewed condition all their dayes as it is impossible for those to be saved that are not elected yea I may say notwithstanding Gods decree notwithstanding Gods election yet if thou dost not beleeve in Christ and be not a new creature thou canst not be saved if thou dost not get faith and holinesse thou canst not be saved The Apostle he reasons so in Acts 27. God tells the Apostle there that the lives of them all should be saved and at vers 30. 31. When the Ship-men were about to flee out of the Ship Paul said to the Centurion and to the souldiers except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved Because as God purposed the end as that they should be saved so he purposed that they should be saved that way by staying in the Ship And so notwithstanding Gods decree if thou gettest not faith in Christ and beest not a new creature thou canst not be saved And to that which thou sayest it is not
useth diligence to hinder you in this work the Divels great designe is to keep you in the dark to keep you in a puzled and perplexed condition to finde some flaw or other in your evidences to cast some blot upon them that you shall not be able to read them doubtless you will put God to it to leave you to be tryed in this at one time or other God for the most part leaves his people to be tempted concerning their Election and therefore you had need give diligence Thirdly Let me say That your comfort doth depend upon making your Election sure All your comfort in this world doth depend upon it the comfort of every condition doth depend upon it the sweetness of every mercy depends upon it Alas if a man had a thousand times more then he hath what is all he hath without the love of God Your comfort depends upon it Although your names be written in heaven yet you cannot have the comfort of it till it be made sure to you though it be sure before God yet you cannot be comforted but you are as if there were no thoughts of love in the heart of God toward you Your comfort depends upon it Fourthly Your Holiness doth depend upon it your usefulness your fruitfulness your serviceableness in your generations doth depend upon your knowledge of the love of God it is that which wil make a Christian useful serviceable when as his Election is made sure when he comes to be established in the knowledge of God's Election Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of minde meekness long suffering Col. 3. 12. Your holiness doth depend upon it and your usefulness in your generation And truly till that be put out of question to a soul til the Lord gives some degrees of satisfaction to a soul concerning his love the soul is wholly taken up alwayes taken up about that which concerns it self O Lord Dost thou love me That 's the great question And when it goes to God in prayer Lord Dost thou love me And O that thou wouldest make out thy love to me The soul is wholly taken up about that and well it may but when God comes to give some satisfaction O then the soul hath a great deal of freedome to minde the things of Christ to put up many a Petition for others and many a request for Christ and his Kingdom and the Interest of Christ then his thoughts they run that way so that if you desire to be useful and serviceable in your generation it doth engage you to look after this to give all diligence to make your Election sure Quest But you will say How shall we do that O there is nothing in the world that I would sooner do then that but I know not how to make my Election sure I Answer It is the work of God it is the work of grace to make it out to you it is the work of free grace to give a soul assurance of that free and everlasting love But be found waiting upon God in this way First Look up to the Lord to clear up unto you the mysterie of the Gospel if you desire to make your Election look up to the Lord to clear up to your souls the great mysterie of Christ that thou mayest know the Lord Jesus as he was the gift of the Father the gift of love the gift of free grace O that the Lord would clear up to thee the great end of his giving that gift of Christ Wherefore was it that God sent his Son out of his bosome Wherefore was it that he gave Christ And wherefore was it that Christ gave himself to die What was the end of the Father's sending Christ and the end of the laying down his life It was to save lost sinners God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. O! Look up to God to clear up this great Gospel mysterie to you the designe of God the Father in sending Christ and the great designe of the Son in laying down his life It is through ignorance of this Mysterie that many a poor soul is kept from establishment and from assurance of God's electing love But secondly Wait upon the Lord to draw thy soul to accept of Christ it is not enough to have a discovery of the mysterie this will not save thee though a man know the designe of God and know the end of it that will not save thee no but wait upon the Lord to draw thy heart to rest upon Jesus Christ as he is held forth in the Gospel see that there is a necessity that God the Father should draw thee No man comes to me saith Christ except the Father which hath sent me draw him John 6. 44. till he be drawn by the Father he cannot come to Christ therefore that man is mistaken that thinks it is an easie matter for him to come to Christ O! Many a man doth mistake faith of their own working for that faith which is of the operation of God When God hath beaten many a soul out of his Brest-works and the soul sees he can no longer defend himself there good works will not do it then he taketh up a resolution in his own strength well I willgo to Christ I will believe in Christ if I cannot have it by obedience I will have it by believing Ah! But he never saw that there was an impossibility for him to believe but he goes to Christ in his own strength and the faith is of his own working and it is such a faith as Christ will not own no when God deals with a soul in a saving way he discovers to it that it is no more able to believe in Christ then it can obey the whole Law and that there is a necessity that he should be drawn of God and in his spirit he breaths after God and saith Lord draw me for if thou dost not draw me I shall never come to Christ see a necessity of being drawn to Christ And when thou art drawn give up thy self to those breathings and workings of the Spirit of God after thou hast seen thy self in a lost condition and no possibility to help thy self either by thy works or by believing why then if the Lord open the word of Reconciliation to thee and is breathing sweetly upon thy heart and moving upon thy spirit while thou hearest the word of grace opened and the tender of Christ urged O then give up thy self to those drawings of the Spirit of Christ and do not hinder those drawings by thy unbelief but give up thy self to the Lord and say Lord I see thy hand onely is able and powerful to draw souls to thy self and I will stand out no longer That 's the second Thirdly Be diligent to make the best improvement of Jesus
Christ when God hath discovered the mysterie of Christ to thee and in some measure hath drawn thy heart and made thee to lye at the feet of Christ for life and salvation and for faith to believe in him be diligent to make the best improvement of Christ Improve Christ for holiness and sanctification if thou desirest to have Election made out to thee improve Christ for holiness The Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 5. exhorteth them to this Giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and so he goes on and then follows at vers 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall In this way give diligence to make your Election sure improve Christ for holiness for grace for strength for more strength be diligent in waiting upon the Lord for the carrying on the work of holiness let Christians endeavour to be continually in the exercise of grace and in the performance of every duty that the Lord calls them to adde grace to grace and wait upon Christ that one degree of grace may be added to another knowledge to knowledge faith to faith temperance to temperance truly it is in this way that God comes in with discoveries of electing love I do not say it is for your diligence and for your improvement of Christ and adding grace to grace but this is the way when the Lord doth enable his people to be thus faithful and diligent in the improvement of Christ and in the exercise of grace and performance of duty to God and man God comes in that way and giveth a soul a more clear discovery of his electing love Fourthly Desire the Lord to set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits if you desire to have your Election cleared and made sure take heed of an earthly heart and O! Look up to God earnestly that he would set a heavenly Byass upon your spirits that you may be able to say Our conversation is in heaven our heart is there from whence we look for a Saviour we groan to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven Truly Brethren if we look too much downward if we be grubling below and be writing upon the dust we shall hardly see what is written in heaven Though your names may be written in heaven O! the looking too much upon this world keepeth many a Christian from seeing his name written in heaven What pains will Astrologers and Star-gazers as the Scripture calls them take to see into the second heaven the starry heaven How often will they look up And how long will they look up to see as they pretend what is written there what is the language of the Stars And O! What a shame is it to Christians that we should look up no oftner and no longer into the third heaven that we may see our names written there Truly Brethren it is no easie matter for a Christian to see his name written in heaven though his name may be written there we shall hardly see it if our hearts be not much there and our conversations much there we use to say if children look off their Books they will never learn their Lessons well Truly if we look so much on the world and so little into heaven we shall hardly learn to read our names written in heaven But when as the Lord sees that his people are desirous to have their thoughts in heaven and their conversations in heaven the Lord will come and say to that soul well I see that thine eye is in heaven and thy heart in heaven know for thy comfort that thy name also is in heaven thy God is in heaven thy Christ is in heaven and thy portion is in heaven O! Beg of God that he would clap a heavenly byass upon your spirits Fifthly Take heed of sinning against the Lord take heed of giving way to any sin as you desire to have your election cleared up to you take heed of turning out into any crooked way Let not Christians give way to themselves nor allow themselves in any way of evil You know what the Apostle saith in 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheless 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 The Lord knoweth them that are his Ah! but would you know your selves to be in that number Take heed that you do not give way to any sin do not allow your selves in any way of sin be not found in any way of iniquity every sin that is allowed it will cast a blot upon your Evidence and you shall not be able to read it This is the first Use unto those that have not God's electing love cleared up to them there is a necessity that every soul should give all diligence to have their Election made sure it is matter of infinite concernment and you have been taught in what way to wait upon God to make your Election sure The second Use is to those that have attained to the knowledge of God's electing love And it calls upon them First To be Thankful Secondly To labour to walk worthy of so great a mercy First To be Thankful O consider that it is the free love and the free grace of God that did make the difference between you and others Is there not cause then of Thankfulness You were no better then the worst in the world no better then those that are cast out of God's sight into utter darkness there is as much evil in our hearts as in Judas his heart that betrayed Christ O! It is free grace that hath put a difference if God hath made known to you that he hath chosen you know that it is free grace that hath put the difference O! Rich grace free grace that God should take you and leave another as deserving as you O it is free grace And that we may be stirred up to Thankfulness consider that all the mercies that ever you do enjoy or hope for spring from this Electing love O! What cause have you to admire this love Electing love it was a fruitful wombe all your mercies lay in it your comforts they all spring from it if the Lord had not given you his love from eternity he had never given you Christ as he did he had not given you the knowledg of Christ All the mercies and comforts that you do enjoy do spring from this love if it had not been for this love you had never known what pardon of sin had been you had never known what peace with God had been what a mercy it is to be reconciled to God your present mercies they all lye in this womb of God's Electing love O! what an engagement is this to Thankfulness Secondly Walk worthy of this love Christians you that see your Interest in
Electing love walk worthy of it improve this your mercy that great mercy the knowledge which God hath given you of his love in Christ improve it let it be an engagement upon you to duty To what duty doth this Love of God engage unto First Let this love of God to you engage you to a holy confidence to a holy trust in the Lord and a stedfast relyance upon Christ and his grace in every state and condition the Lord would have you make this improvement his love is discovered for this end that your faith may be strengthned and your hope strengthned and made more firm and lively Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth c. Rom. 8. 33. Thus doth the Apostle improve it If God be for us who shall be against us I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nay saith he in all these things we are more then Conquerours Christ would have his people improve this love for the casting out of fear perfect love casteth out fear it is casting out fear though it hath not cast out fear Fear not little flock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom he would strengthen them against fear by setting before them the Father 's Electing love it is the Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome O that we might improve this for the strengthening of our confidence Secondly If the Lord hath discovered his love know that it is an engagement as to Confidence so to Holiness a holy and unblameable walking before God The adversaries of this Truth pretend that this is a Doctrine of Liberty Ah! but there is no such tendency Put on as the Elect of God bowels of mercy If you be the Elect of God put on bowels of mercy and so be you like to Christ I say know that this is the end of God's Electing love God hath chosen you wherefore hath he chosen you Eph. 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love This is the great end of God's love and the discovery of it that you may be holy O! Know that if God hath loved you you should be holy Thridly Know that you are engaged to walk humbly Who put the difference What was it that made the difference This Doctrine of free Electing love hath taught you that it is grace that hath made the difference not your free will and improvement but it is free grace that made the difference The Lord saw us so far from improving of that which he gave us as any other and therefore this may silence all flesh before the Lord let not flesh glory Why what hast thou to glory in If thou be better then others whence was it It was from free love and therefore it engageth thee to walk humbly with thy God Fourthly It is an engagement to Love O! love the Lord dearly if the Lord hath made out his Electing love you are engaged to love him again shew forth much love love to Christ and love to the Image of Christ love to the way of Christ love to the Truth of Christ love to the Ordinances of Christ love to the Saints of Christ As I have loved you saith Christ so ought you to love one another John 13. 34. As I have loved you as much as if Christ should say this is the greatest argument that I can propound to you to move you to love one another I have loved you If the Lord have loved you with this electing love and hath discovered that his love to you you are engaged to love him and his people and whatever hath the Image of God and of Christ upon it And so I have done this point this great mysterie this Doctrine of Election I desire not to read this Verse again there is one thing more which I shall but touch and so conclude I am not sent but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel The House of Israel What is the House of Israel Why the seed of Abraham the posterity of Jacob whose name was Israel the twelve Tribes they are the House of Israel they were the peculiar people that God chose out of all the Nations he left other Nations and he chose them for his peculiar people he chose them to be his House when he took them into Covenant with himself and they took hold of his Covenant they became a Church of Christ and this Church of Christ is the House of God Israel is God's House That 's the Point that I shall but touch and so shut up all Every true Church of Christ is the House of God They are a House and they are the House of God What was spoken of that Church may be said of every true Gospel Church they are a House and God's house they are God's Houshold they are called the Houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. And so again in Ephes 2. 19. Now therefore ye are no more Strangers and Forreigners but Fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God And this is prophesied of by the Prophet Micah chap. 4. vers 2. And many Nations shall come and say Come Let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob speaking of Gospel-times the Churches of the Lord are called the House of God Christ as a Son over his own House whose House we are c. Heb. 3. 6. Now in a house there is a Master of the Family why the Master of this Houshold is Christ every houshold hath a Head a Master the Lord of the Family Christ is the Master of this Family he is the Lord the Head of the Church If they call the Master of the house Beelzebub saith Christ how much more shall they call them of his houshold Matth. 10. 25. Christ is the Head and the Lord and he is the Master of his House of his Church the Master of the great Family Secondly The Members of this house they are fellow Brethren fellow Servants sometimes they are called Children Members of a Family they are either Children Servants or Friends that dwell in the Family The Lord calleth his people his children his servants somtimes his friends still he owns them the members of his house are fellow brethren and fellow servants Thirdly In a great Houshold you have Officers and Stewards Great Families they have their Stewards they are under their Lord to oversee the house and to look to the wayes of the house and to make provision for the house and to give them their meat in due season In this House of Christ and in every Gospel Church Christ hath appointed
And then Fourthly Make some Improvement First To consider What is that Worship which the Lord requires of his people when afflicted and tempted 1. This Worship it is either the Worship of the Spirit Internal Or 2. It is the waiting upon God in those Institutions of his own which he hath appointed for his people to wait upon him in which is External Worship This Worship first is that of the Spirit You will say wherein doth it consist Why it consists First of all In that holy fear and Reverence which we owe unto the Lord and should be acting towards God when God brings into such a condition Fear and Reverence it is a part of Internal Worship Fathers of our flesh corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. When as the soul is filled with a holy fear fearful to sin against God and to dishonour him in affliction and temptation when the spirit is fearful to grieve the Spirit of God in affliction when it is fearful to take the name of God in vain in the time of affliction by unprofitable and unfruitful bearing of affliction when the spirit is thus composed to a reverend childe-like fear before the Lord in the time of affliction this is part of that Internal Worship the soul owes to God Secondly This Worship consists in Love as well as in fear when the soul is acting in love toward God in time of affliction or temptation as that it dares not conclude that God loves him the less though he be afflicted though he be in temptation so also he desires not to love God one jot the less notwithstanding all afflictions and temptations when the desire of the heart is towards God in time of affliction or temptation O! when wilt thou come unto me saith David Psal 101. 2. And saith the gracious heart let me have God's presence in affliction rather then deliverance from affliction when as the soul is carried out to delight in God in the time of affliction to rejoyce in God and to glory in God and to comfort it self in God as David did when he was sâ—rely distressed at Ziklag yet he encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. Though God taketh away many comforts yet if he give himself the soul is looking towards his portion as a blessed portion one God is better then all the comforts that I have lost I have lost friends and relations but one God and Christ is more excellent then all the creatures in the world when the heart is thus breathing in love towards God in time of affliction or temptation this is a part of that Internal worship it owes to God Thirdly This Internal Worship is that Trust and Affiance the soul hath which it placeth in God alone when the soul is acting of faith in the Lord The Lord is my portion my soul hath said it and therefore I will hope in him I will look toward him I will rest upon his Arm doubtless thou art our Father though all this hath befallen us doubtless God's intentions are gracious it is for my good that he doth thus afflict me doubtless the Lord can and will make a good end of these afflictions for that is his promise Now when the soul is thus roling upon God and resting upon his promise cleaving to the faithfulness of God for the fulfilling of his Promise in time of affliction or temptation this is a great part of that inward worship which God doth require of the soul when it shall thus believe in hope above hope and against hope as Abraham the Father of the faithful did this is Inward Worship Fourthly It consists in the submission of the soul to God That Inward Worship that God doth require of his people in time of affliction or temptation I say it consists in the submission of the spirit unto God when a man desires to make a resignation of his Will unto God If this cup may not pass from me thy will be done when a soul is content to be at the dispose of God for the kinde of affliction and measure of affliction and the time of affliction well if God encrease my burthen let him encrease my strength and my soul shall glory in him if the Lord will continue my affliction longer and I must drink of this cup again and again yea the third time if the Lord will afford his presence in affliction my soul desires to submit to the Lord when thus the heart is affected toward God submitting falling down before the Lord and making a resignation of his Will to the Lord's Will This is that special Worship of the Spirit that Internal Worship that the Father of Spirits calleth for from his children in time of affliction But secondly This Worship must be External as well as Internal and it consists in the giving honour to God in those wayes that are of his own appointment especially in these two First In the pouring out of the soul in supplication before the Lord. Secondly In speaking good words of God These are two great parts of that external worship that God calls his children to in time of affliction to speak gracious words unto God and to speak good words of God to his praise and honour First It is the pouring out the Supplication of the Soul before the Lord in prayer it is a special exercise that God calleth his people to in time of affliction and temptation to be much in supplication pouring out their souls before the Lord. Now this Supplication this Prayer which the Lord doth require and doth delight in it is accompanied First With Humility As you shall finde in the example of this woman her prayer in the day of her distress it was a humble prayer a humble supplication one of the Evangelists observes the Evangelist Mark chap. 7. ve s 25. that she came and fell at his feet this woman came and fell at the feet of Christ and cryed to him Lord help me It is a humble prayer that the Lord doth delight in when the spirit lyeth low before the Lord when the creature is sensible of his own vileness and shall acknowledge with Jacob That he is less then the least of all those mercies which he doth desire and expect at the hand of God that if ever the Lord be gracious it must be free grace somthing in himself that must move him when the soul is enabled by the Spirit of the Lord to put up such a prayer this is a part of that external worship that the Lord requires Secondly You shall finde that this womans prayer was accompanied with Fervency her very expression doth hold forth and declare the ardency of her spirit she cryed before O Lord thou Son of David have mercy on me and now again she breaks forth into this expression Lord Help Why it is such a prayer that God taketh delight
a weak condition to be continually poring upon unworthiness to look upon your selves continually and not to look back again to God to look upon your sinfulness and not look upon free grace to look upon your unworthiness and not to look upon the worthiness and righteousness of Christ This will keep your souls from establishment and keep you alwayes in a weak condition But now when God doth present unworthiness we may look upon it only let us remember what are God's ends when as God doth present unworthiness Gods ends are gracious and O that we might have Gods ends in our eye when we look upon our unworthiness It is to teach us to know that God loveth us not for our worthiness to teach us to know that we must have worthiness out of our selves to make us more low more humble meek in spirit to make us to prize the Father's free grace and the Son's worthiness and his righteousness These are God's ends O that when ever we look upon our unworthiness we might have God's ends before us Quest But what shall I do when tempted about my unworthiness Briefly thus Answ If it be the portion of any soul to be under these temptations under these discouragements before-mentioned if it be a temptation grounded upon the discovery of the sinfulness of our Nature heart and life O flee to the fountain know that God hath declared that there is a fountain opened Zach. 13. 1. In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Therefore when you are bowed down with the sense of your own unworthiness by reason of sin look to the fountain there is a fountain opened and there is vertue in that fountain to cleanse and take away all your sin and unworthiness And if your temptation be grounded upon the discovery of your weakness and frailty your distance from God and this is helped on by your low and afflicted condition besides the common frailty of man O know That though the distance be infinite yet God hath overlooked it free grace hath over-looked it and free grace can overlook and free grace will over-look that infinite distance that is between God any you and know that God doth not judge of any man by his outward low estate by his outward afflicted condition you are apt to draw sad conclusions from thence that God loveth you not and Sathan he tempts to conclude so if God loved you he would not deal so with you Ah but know that God doth not judge so neither can you judge of the love of God by affliction And if the temptation be grounded upon the deadness of your heart and coldness of your spirit look to Christ to warm you look to the Son of God to enflame your affections but know that you are not able to judge of God's love by your love you must not measure God's love by your love not to conclude that God hath no love because you have little love you cannot measure God by your selves you should rather accept of his love entertain his love and look to that love of God to beget more love in your hearts and to draw forth more love in your hearts we have cause to be humbled exceedingly that our love to God is so little but yet we must not measure the love of God by our love And if your temptation be grounded upon your unusefulness O you say I am an unuseful creature more fitter for the dunghil then for any thing else know that God hath some use of you there is never a Christian living but God hath some use of it though it may be you see it not thou lookest upon thy self as a poor unuseful creature but God hath some use of you if God had not some use of you he would not continue you here no not a moment God hath appointed several members in the body and all are useful not the least member but it is useful in the body I say surely the Lord sees that you are of use to him although you are apt to say you are altogether unuseful In a word when tempted about unworthiness do as this woman did in the Text. First of all she doth acknoledge all that Christ spake It is not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs saith Christ in v. 27. Truth Lord saith she Let us learn to do so when bowed down with the thoughts of unworthiness and vileness let us subscribe to it that it is a truth all that can be said and all that can be presented by Sathan himself concerning our vileness we may grant that it is truth I am unworthy vile and wretched Secondly Take heed that this do not hinder the acting of faith acknowledge that it is so and that we are as vile as it is objected but let not the sight of this hinder the acting of faith this woman she acted faith gloriously notwithstanding Truth Lord yet the dogs do eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table she makes this to be a ground of faith even this very discouragement this very temptation the sight of her unworthiness this doth not discourage her It is Truth Lord but yet the dogs eat of the crumbs and so be you still in the acting of faith and let not the fight of unworthiness be any hinderance Thirdly It is our duty still to wait upon the Lord in the midst of the discovery of our unworthiness Wait upon the Lord and keep his way and let no discovery of unworthiness beat us off from waiting upon the Lord and keeping his way this woman held on her way held on to wait notwithstanding all her unworthiness she believes and waits prays and waits and her expectations they are from the Lord. And so in the midst of the sense of our unworthiness let us do as she did acknowledge God notwithstanding be acting faith in Christ in the Lord 's free grace in those gracious promises which he holds forth and which he hath given us in Christ and be waiting upon God in the way of our duty keeping his way and the Lord he will certainly make that soul more then a conquerour of these temptations Matth. 15. 26. But he answered and said It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to Dogs SERMON XIX I Shall now consider this temptation in particular In general it was her unworthiness that was presented more particularly that she was one of those Nations that did not belong to the Covenant of God She was a Canaanite she was one that was a stranger to the visible Covenant of the Commonwealth of Israel she was none of the children of the visible Kingdom she was a dog one without and therefore Christ tells her that she had nothing to do with the childrens bread This was the temptation We shall consider the Proposition as it is laid down by Christ which is an
the heart established in the knowledge of the love and free grace of God it is a great work and a long time before the heart be established upon Christ and the Promises and till that be done little work or service is done for God But when men begin betimes they have time to get their hearts established upon Christ and the Promises and upon the free grace and righteousness of Christ and then they have time also to act for God and the Lord makes use of them to do him much service in their generation And O what a great advantage is that So that you have seen the Point handled First What it is to Remember God Secondly What Cause the Sons of men have to Remember God Thirdly What Advantage it is for the Sons of men to Remember God in youth Now by way of Application First of all It discovers and reproves the folly and madness that is bound up in the heart of the children of men If this be the duty of all the sons of men and a point of great wisdome to remember God betimes then this discovers the folly and madness that is in mens hearts to forget God How many in this Congregation I fear may fall under this reproof that have not yet emembred God How many in their youth and how many past youth that have not yet remembred God that have all their dayes forgotten the Holy One of Israel O that the Lord would convince poor creatures of this evil not Remembring God Shall I shew you the evil of it and O that God would shew you the evil of forgetting God First of all It is the Mother and cause of all other sins whatsoever for it were not possible that many should sin against God as they do if they did not forget God all sin grows upon this root of Forgetting God The Psalmist maketh it the cause of all evil that is committed because men do forget God Psal 50. 19 20 21 22. Verse 18. When thou sawest a thief then thou consentedst with him and hast been partaker with Adulterers Verse 19. Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Verse 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mothers son Verse 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Verse 22. Now consider this YE THAT FORGET GOD lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you As much as if he should say here is the cause of this evil that is committed by you your Forgetting God It were not possible that men should dare to sin in the face of God if they did not forget God And it were not possible that men should sin in secret against God if they did not forget God they forget that God is an all-seeing God and that for all these things he will bring them to judgement It is not possible that children and servants should lye and steal and be unfaithful if they did not forget God if they did but remember that he would bring them to judgement and that no lyar shall come into the New Jerusalem if men did remember God they would not sin against God But this is the cause of all the sin in the world Mens forgetting God Secondly There is this Evil It makes a man spend all his time in vanity he comes up and goes down to the grave in a momen and hath lost all the time that he hath lived The truth is he hath not yet begun to live that hath not remembred God he hath not lived to the end of his life what is the end of his life but that he may remember God But man forgetting God his life is a fruitless life a vain life he comes up and sins and lives in vanity and goes down to the pit and never lives to the end of life because man remembers not God Thirdly There is this evil in it It makes men altogether unwilling and unable to dye as it makes their lives unprofitable so it makes their deaths dreadful what is the cause that men fear death Because they did not remember God in life if they had remembred God if they had known God and trusted in God and walked with God they would not have been so fearful of death but when men come to be made sensible that they have spent no thoughts upon God but upon their lusts and sin and so brought their dayes to an end they must needs fear to go to God see then how much evil there is in this great sin of not remembring God But you will say We hope that we do remember God God forbid that we should forget him What Forget God We hope we shall never do that while we live O my friends It is a harder matter to remember God then the world dream of how many thousands in the world are there that forget God that would be loth to be told that they are forgetters of God And yet I fear will be found so another day They that walk contrary in wayes of sin they are forgetters of God let them say what they will though they may have a way of worship and prayer to God and hear of God and read of God yet if they be found walking contrary to God such men will be interpreted by God to be forgetters of him Consider this all ye that forgâ—â— God Psal 50. 22. speaking of the Hypocrites â— Why they had many prayers and did many good works are they forgetters of God Yes their hearts were never upright with God they never trusted in the Name of God they were never found serving of God so as they might pleasâ—â— him and therefore the Lord calls them Forgetters of God O that the Lord would convince you of this great evil of forgetting God Secondly By way of Exhortation I beseechâ— you in the Name of the Lord to Remember God This day Remember God Remember him and Remember him in youth I shall speak a little to each of these First I beseech you Remember God to know God to trust in him to love him to obey him and to spend your thoughts upon him let the endeavours of your heart be after the Lord This is to Remember God And O that God would call upon you all and call you up to such a remembrance of him O remember how worthy God is to be remembred and remember what God hath done that so the sons of men might remember him and if after all this that God hath done after all the remembrance that God hath written of himself in his Word and upon his Works and upon his Ordinances and Providences men shall be found Forgetters of God as all sinners are how sad will their condition be another day You have a memory for the world and what No remembrance of God! God only worthy to be
Gods own people for there are many things that may evidence that this Duty is neglected by God's own people What is the Cause of all the dark and sad apprehensions of God to many of God's own people Why Because they have not remembred God What is the cause of all those distrustful thoughts that do arise in the hearts of God's own people That our hearts are ready to sainct within us That God is no more trusted for the things of this life and for the things of Eternity Why all these distrustful thoughts they spring from this root not remembring God when the Disciples did distrust Christ Matth. 16. 8 9 10. Why saith Christ O ye of little faith Why reason ye among your selves because ye have brought no broad Verse 9. Do ye not yet understand neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets ye took up Verse 10. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets ye took up As if Christ had said to them if ye had remembred me and my power my works of providence my former goodness it were not possible that ye should have distrusted but in that ye have so little faith it is evident that ye do not remember me and what I have done Truly if at any time we distrust God for the fulfilling of any promise it is because we do not remember God we do not remember the faithfulness of God in fulfilling Promises we do not remember the former experiences we have had of the goodness of God and of the power of God O how much distrust is to be found in Gods own people And because there is so much distrust it is evident that there is little remembrance of God Nay further it appears that Gods own people are guilty of this sin of Forgetting God Because there is so much coldness and deadness in our hearts to God O how much deadness in heart and affection in the things of God What little Love What poor weak Breathings after God What little delight in the Lord Whence comes all this coldness of heart this forsaking of our first love It comes from this root because we do not Remember God we do not remember that he is altogether lovely and desireable we do not remember that his wayes are beautiful there is much deadness and coldness even in God's own people and therefore there is little remembrance of God Nay further It appears that God's own people are guilty of this sin because there is so little done for God by them and so much done against God so many failings so many breaches of Covenant so much scantness so many haltings and swervings in our walkings with God Whence is all this but because we do not remember God we do not remember what a God he is we do not remember the Rule that he hath given us to walk by we do not remember that he will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth little is done for God and that discovers that God is little remembred Nay further How many vain thoughts lodge in the hearts of God's own people O! How do the current of their thoughts run out to vanity How many crooked thoughts How many fruitless unprofitable sinful thoughts How few of the precious thoughts of the heart are spent upon God And whence is this But because God is not remembred Nay further How little is God pursued after How little do we prize Communion with God How little delight in the presence of God How little do we seek after the Image of God and conformity to Christ Whence is all this but because we do not remember that the enjoying of God is the souls happiness and that the enjoying of Christ is the souls perfection so that by all this it appears that there is little remembrance of God even among God's own people And O what cause have we to take up a sad complaint against our selves and every one to smite upon his own breast that we should be so negligent of this Duty of remembring God O what hath God done for many of his people How many how dear how precious are the thoughts of God to his people Psal 40. 5. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee If I would declare and speak of them they are more then can be numbred Now that God should spend his precious thoughts upon us and we spend so few of our choice thoughts upon God O what an ill requital is this O what hath God done that he might remember us He hath graven the names of his people upon the palms of his hands Isa 49. 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands For a man to be so careful to remember his friend as to cut his name upon his own flesh that is love indeed why God hath graven the names of his people upon the palms of his hands that so he might remember them Yea he hath taken upon him the relation of a Father and hath the bowels of a Mother Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should not have compassion on the son of her wombe Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Now Brethren and Christian friends the consideration of God's remembring us should make us to be ashamed that we should think no more of him But you will say to me what is there in God that we should remember him The Spouse in her description of Christ saith of him that he is altogether lovely so I may say of God he is altogether worthy to be remembred in his Nature in his Essence in his glorious Eternal Being He is worthy to be remembred in all his Attributes his Wisdome his Power his Goodness and Loving Kindness his Faithfulness and his Truth his Omnisciency and Omnipresence He is worthy to be remembred in all his Works for God he hath done them for that end that he might be remembred both the works of Creation and works of Providence He is worthy to be remembred in his Word every word of the Lord is precious as gold that is purified seven times He is worthy to be remembred especially in his Son and O that we might spend more of the thoughts of our heart upon God as he hath revealed himself in his Son His Name is Glorious and worthy to be remembred Jehovah our Righteousness He is worthy to be remembred in his Love and Free grace in his Promises in his everlasting Covenant made with poor creatures in Christ we need not ask what is in God that we should remember him look where you will and there is not any thing in God but is worthy of remembrance and therefore O that the Lord would stir us up to this duty to remember the Lord to spend the precious thoughts of our hearts more upon him David is a pattern to all
to be kept and therefore acknowledge it to the praise of God it doth appear and the Lord doth make it evident that the sea is before the Throne If the sea were not before the Throne of God God's people should be swallowed up every moment the rage of men and of devils would swallow them up but the sea is before the Throne before the eye of God and therefore wonder that you are safe in this raging sea Fourthly It calls upon you that are the Lord's people to watch and pray for you are at sea he that will not pray in a storm he will never pray the worst of men will pray hard in a storm The heathen Mariners Jonah 1. 5. Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every man unto his god therefore there is a Proverb That men go to Sea to learn to pray Truly the Lord sends his people to sea for this end that he might learn you to pray and cry mightily to him the Saints shall not need to pray when they come in heaven there all their desires shall be satisfied and they shall want nothing and therefore no need to pray But the Lord he sends you into the sea of this world that he might learn you to pray and he raises many storms for this end that so you might cry mightily to the Lord The Disciples when in a storm they cryed Lord save us we perish Brethren you are at sea in the midst of storms and therefore you had need watch and pray and cry mightily that you may be delivered from temptations and saved in the midst of your fears and be delivered from the Rocks and the Sands and from Pyrats enemies many dangers you are in therefore remember what Christ saith unto his Disciples Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation Fiftly Engage the presence of Christ with you If Christ be in the ship all is safe you had need engage the presence of Christ with you every moment for it is a dangerous sea you are in and if Christ be not with you you will be split upon some sand or other and therefore O beg the presence of Christ do not set forward in any duty without the presence of Christ Do not sayl one League without the presence of Christ but urge it before the Lord that you are upon a troublesome sea where there are so many dangers and desire of God that the presence of Christ may be with you for if Christ be with you all will be safe Sixtly You that are the Lord's people do you open the sayls of your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ If you would make a Voyage to heaven know that you can do nothing till the Spirit of Christ breaths in you indeed you may turn the sayls of your souls that way and be waiting for the Spirit of Christ but till the Spirit breathe in you you cannot sayl one League but O what a comfortable Voyage shall you make when the Spirit of Christ shall fill your hearts with holy motions and carry you God-ward and heaven-ward therefore wait for those breathings of the Spirit as the Spouse in Cant. 4. 16. Awake O North wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out And so do you beg of God that the Spirit of Christ may breathe upon you and fill the sayls of your souls that you may be carried heaven-ward Open your souls to the breathings of the Spirit of Christ and that is the way to make a comfortable Voyage Seventhly You that are the Lord's people if you be Christs ship at Sea look for good Loading be not content to go home empty Christians should labour to be filled with the Spirit to be loaden with the fruits of Righteousness this the Lord calls for truly it is a dangerous Voyage that you make and therefore you had need be loaden with rich Commodities you had need seek after much of that durable riches that abides for ever the Lord does not love that the ship should come home empty O that you that fear the Lord would remember that you have but once to pass over the sea of this world and then there is an end for ever and therefore do not return empty but O go and beg of the Lord that he would fill you with the fruits of righteousness that you may go home loaden with Faith and Righteousness so shall you be an honour to God and there will be much joy in heaven when you come home Eightly It is a word of much comfort to those that fear the Lord and have an Interest in Christ know though you be at sea and meet with many storms yet you need not fear you have an Anchor that will hold it being cast upon a sure ground your Anchor it is entred it is fastned upon the Father's free grace and the Son 's everlasting Righteousness which is sure and stedfast and if so do not fear though storms arise it shall go well with you for Christ is the owner of the ship and he will go Master in the ship and so long as the presence of Christ is with you you may be comforted what-ever you meet with If Christ be in the ship he will rebuke the wind and the waves yea he will tread upon the proud boisterous waves that his people meet with yea and he will make his people also to tread upon them too and therefore fear not for Christ is the Master of the ship he is with you the Loading also is Christ's and as I said before you need not fear splitting and losing your Loading for then Christ should lose more then you If thy soul should be lost at Sea then Christ should lose his honour and his honour is more to him then thy soul to thee and therefore let all Gods people be comforted in the midst of all storms and tryals persecutions afflictions and sufferings though this world be a Sea and an evil sea a troublesome sea yet be comforted for though the ship of the body may be split and all your outward Loading may be lost yet so long as Christ is the Owner of the ship so long as Christ is in the ship so long as the Anchor of the ship is cast in heaven there is not one passenger shall be lost for though the outward man be lost yet the soul shall be saved in the day of Christ I now come to consider what is the Use and the Excellency of this Grace of Hope It is an Anchor sure and stedfast though it is not alwayes sure to sense not alwayes sure in apprehension The hope of the Saints may have its shakings and it may seem sometimes to be cut off in their apprehensions but it is sure and stedfast in respect of the ground of it in respect of that sure hold it hath upon God and Christ it hath sure hold upon that which is within the Vail And it
all opposition all persecution the worst that Gods people can meet withall in the world nay their very sins and failings and infirmities shall work together for good the infinite wise God will make advantage of all that all that they meet withall shall tend to the furtherance of his work to the bringing about his purpose All shall work together for good yea for the best good though they see it not for the present but wait to the end and by that time God hath done with his people put all together and you shall see that all things shall work together for good nay we know it by experience we have found that God hath brought good out of the greatest evill and out of the greatest affliction And this is to those who are called according to his purpose Eightly There is another ground of comfort which ariseth from the Doctrine of election which is this that The Lord will shorten all the dayes of tribulation which they meet withall here in the world the dayes of affliction and dayes of tribulation shall be shortned for the Elects sake and it is a great refreshment and comfort that God will shorten all the dayes of darkness dayes of tribulation they shall be shortned for the Elects sake all their winter dayes shall be shor dayes dark dayes short dayes there is an eternity of light a coming a day that shall have no end the Sun shall never set but as for the dayes of darkness of sorrow affliction and tribulation the Lord in mercy will shorten them See what is said Matth. 24. 21 22. For then shall be great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be and except those dayes should be shortened there should no flesh be saved but for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortned But for the Elects sake all the dayes of publick calamity shall be shortned dark dayes sad dayes such a sad day as the Jewes saw when Jerusalem was taken by Titus it is spoken first of that dark and sad day to the Jewes when so many millions of them perished such tribulation as never was and if the Lord should not shorten those dayes no flesh should be saved that is not one of them would have been left alive upon the earth those dayes were so dark and so sore but for the Elects sake those dayes of tribulation were shortned And so all the dayes of calamity that Gods people meet withall those dayes of distress yea dayes of publick calamity and the dayes of their particular afflictions yea every dark day the Lord will shorten the Lord in mercy will shorten the dayes of their affliction and that is a great comfort to them that though their dayes of affliction be very grievous the Lord in mercy will make their affliction dayes to be but short In the ninth place there is this comfort that doth flow from the knowledge of our election that the Lord will certainly avenge the cause of his people The Lord doth take notice and he will avenge all the wrongs that any of his elect people doth meet withall in the World See Luke 18. 6 7. And the Lord said heare what the unjust Judge saith and shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him though he beare long with them I tell you that he will avenge them speedily I tell you saith Christ that he will avenge their cause and all their wrongs and injuries that they meet withall in the World In the tenth and last place there is this ground of comfort that the Lords people those whom he loves from eternity they shall never fall away from him never be plucked out of his hand it is an impossible thing that they should perish This is a mighty ground of strong consolation which they rob poor souls of that doe plead for conditionall election the condition to be performed by the creature it is alwayes at uncertainties to the end of a mans life whether he shall continue and persevere or no. But now the Doctrine of free and absolute and immutable election doth afford this ground of comfort and the knowledge of our being in Gods election doth assure us of this that not any of Christs Sheep shall perish they shall never be drawne off from Christ never be drawn off from following Christ their Shepherd from laying him as the foundation of their life and happinesse Oh! what need have we to get such a ground of comfort in these back-sliding times when so many that make a profession doe swerve from their profession and make shipwrack of their profession of faith But notwithstanding saith the Apostle the foundation of God standeth sure having this seal the Lord knoweth those that are his Though never so many that make a profession fall away yet the foundation of the Lord stand sure and therefore in Math. 24. 24. See what Christ saith for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect Christ speaketh of the latter dayes a prophesie of our times that there should arise some that should doe great wonders and be false Christs that shall indeavour to take men off from looking to the true Christ that was crucified at Jerusalem and is risen againe false Christs that shall put you upon it to looke to a Christ within you and they shall come in such a way if it were possible that they should deceive the very Elect but is it not possible that the people of the Lords Election should fall finally they may fall for a time we know not what sinfull practises Gods people may fall into if the Lord leaves them and what errour in judgment if the Lord leaves them but it is not possible that they should be drawne away for ever for the Lord will bring them back againe to the right Christ it is not possible that they should fall away totally and finally for the mighty power of God is ingaged for their security You are kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation If it were in our own hand it were not possible that we should be kept we meet with so much from within from an unbeleeving heart and so much from without but you are kept by the mighty power of God through faith to salvation My Father holds you saith Christ and I hold you and no man can pluck them out of my Fathers hand And so you see the third particular that this doctrine of election doth administer many grounds of strong consolation and great refreshment to the people of God I come now to the fourth particular propounded and that is this That notwithstanding this Doctrine doth administer so much ground of comfort yet The Lords people may meet with many temptations about the Doctrine of Election They may meet with many temptations both