of the world not to think it strange if there are some who dare not run into the same excesse of Riot with them Do not complain of their rigidnesse and singularity that they have no good fellowship with them and so are not fit to live in the world How can two walk together except they be agreed vnlesse there were the same natures the same principles never think there can be the same hearts yea do thou by them be admonished and hasten out of this world by an heavenly change upon thee It 's no staying in this Sodom in this Babylon SERMON LXXXIX Of growth in Grace shewing that and how many wayes a Godly man may be more sanctified JOHN 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth HItherto our Saviour hath pray'd for the preservation of his Disciples in this world from the evil thereof We now proceed to the second main general part of his Petition which is their Sanctification So that in this verse we are to take notice of the Matter it self prayed for Sanctifie 2. The Subject Them 3. The Instrumental cause Through thy truth 4. The Description or Explication of this Thy Word is Truth We will conjoyn the Matter prayed for and the Subject together Sanctifie them The word to sanctifie is of a large signification in the Scripture but to our purpose here are two principal ones First To sanctifie is often to consecrate and set apart to an holy use and thus many expound it that our Saviour doth by this prayer commend them unto God in their Ministerial labour That as the Priests of old were sanctified by many external Rites so are the Disciples in a spiritual manner by Christ at this time and this appeareth probable by the verse following As thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world This therefore is part of the meaning but I shall referre the considering of that notion to the next verse The second general and frequent use of the word is to make inwardly holy by renewing all the parts and abilities of the soul to walk in an holy manner and in this sense it is partly to be taken here because the Word of God is the instrumental cause of it And if you ask How could Christ pray for the sanctification of his Disciples who were already sanctified To this the Answer is easie That he prayeth for the continuance of and increase in sanctification That they may be more and more increasing in holinesse for no man is come so farre that he cannot go further he is not at the utmost of holinesse Hence we see the Scripture speaking of or supposing persons already godly doth yet exhort and command Sanctification still 1 Thess 5 23. I pray God sanctifie you wholly and preserve your whole spirit soul and body blamelesse Here those that are already sanctified yet are prayed for to have a further degree and deeper rooting of Sanctification So Ephes 4.23 24. There he writeth to such as are already converted That they be renewed in the spirit of their minde and that they put on the new man yea to these Disciples our Saviour speaketh Matth. 18.3 Except ye be converted c. By this you see That even those who are sanctified or converted may be more sanctified and converted more closely to God For although it be true That if Sanctification be strictly taken for the same with Regeneration then it 's the infusion of a supernaturall life at once So that as a man is born but once naturally so we may say he is regenerated and sanctified but once yet take it more largely for the improving and increasing of grace thus put into us then we are to be more converted and more sanctified daily and in this respect Sanctification is said to differ from Justification because the former doth admit of degrees and is more or lesse but so is not Justification Observ That whereas the Disciples though already sanctified and made holy yet are prayed for that they may be more sanctified We may gather That the most holy men that are are yet to be more holy It 's not enough to be once called or converted but we are to grow in grace As it is not enough for a childe to be borne but he must grow up to be a man Thus Revel 22.11 He that is holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him be holy still and 1 Cor. 7.1 Perfecting holinesse This is a very necessary point for our Saviour John 15. saith He chooseth us that we may bring forth more fruit Doest thou increase in thy faith in thy heavenly-mindednesse in thy zeal Thou canst blesse God when thou findest thy health and bodily strength better when thou findest thy estate increase and why then art thou not more desirous and rejoycing to see thy heart grow better to see thy soul more sanctified And indeed concerning the former things our Saviour saith Which of you by taking care can adde one cubit to his stature But here by fervent and constant prayers we may adde many cubits But to open this Doctrine Let us consider How many waies a godly man may be more sanctified and that is seen in several particulars First He may be more sanctified intensively by adding more and more degrees to the grace he hath received Our Love our Faith our Patience even all our Graces are capable of augmentation It 's not with us as with Christ who received the Spirit without measure so that Christ could not be more holy then he was he could not do any thing more obedientially to God then he did nor love God more then he did but we may all cry out with that man Lord I believe help my unbelief Lord I love help my want of love Therefore James 1.4 we are exhorted to let patience have her perfect work Even as Apelles upon all his Pictures would write Faciebat non fecit because he would still be perfecting it thus are we to all our graces Hence are those daily exhortations To grow in Grace Even a Paul even the tallest Gyants are to grow in Grace Paul saith He knoweth but in part 1 Cor. 13. and then he can but love in part and believe in part Oh then this is of great concernment to think that thy best graces may yet be made farre better Thy Grace is nothing to a Pauls and a Pauls is nothing to the Law or the Rule Look to it then and be as desirous to grow in Grace as ever thou wert to get into the state of Grace Secondly We may be more sanctified extensively in regard of the Objects about which our Graces are to be exercised and in respect of our Relations 1. There is an extension in respect of our Objects of Grace As we are bound to do better then we doe so to do more then we doe What godly man is there that can say he hath done all things God required
is overflowing superabounding grace only remember that here is not only priviledge but duty also Here lieth a powerfull obligation upon us to love him with our highest and chiefest love let his glory his love be next to thy heart Oh be ashamed that thy love can burn no hotter towards him In the next place we are to consider the scope and end of our Saviour in mentioning this preheminent priviledge and it is That the world may know this love It 's not enough for believers to be thus highly loved by the Father but the world is to know and to be perswaded of it From whence observe That it 's of great consequence to the world to know how greatly believers are loved of God It would quicken them to many duties and restrain them from many sins if this were once fully setled in their hearts that those whom they oppose and deride are the beloved ones of God It 's true it 's of great consequence even to the godly themselves to be fully informed in this they go bowed down and very much languish because they are not so perswaded of this Hence 1 John 3 1. The Apostle cals upon the godly to attend to it Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God So that under all the hatred and opposition of the world it 's necessary that this love of God should bear up thy soul though none loveth thee yet the Father doth Thus I say it 's necessary even for believers themselves to know how greatly they are beloved but here our Saviour speaks of the worlds knowledge and the necessity of their being informed therein Now the usefulness of the worlds conviction herein will appear in these respects 1. Hereby they may be provoked to come out of their wicked condition and be made one of that number which God so loveth For will not this work naturally and genuinely upon them when they shall think Loe these that pray that walk strictly and contrary to the principles of the world are those whom God loveth in a special manner they are his favourites his delight is upon them but as for me and the company I keep God is angry with us all the day long we are the men cursed by him for us he hath appointed hell and eternal torments When any natural man shall upon these convictions argue and reason with himself How can he abide any longer in that sinfull way Oh then that God would perswade thee more of this that those whom thou malignest against whom thy heart riseth are such on whom Gods gracious love is fixed and that it is thou thy self and such as thou art that the anger of God abideth on continually this would quickly make thee another man Therefore there is not a more deadly principle thou canst swallow down then to be prejudiced in thy spirit against such who truly fear God 2. A perswasion that such only are loved by God as it would make thee to be of their number so also it would draw out thy dearest and sincerest love to them Thou wouldst presently begin to think Why should not I love those most whom God loveth Certainly they are the choisest and best objects upon whom God is pleased to cast his gracious eye then as David said My delight is to be with the Saints upon the earth Psal 16.3 Thus also it would be here when once perswaded that such are the endeared ones of God then thy affections thy heart will be to such also 3. By this perswasion upon the heart of the world that they only are loved of God hereby the world will cease to hate and persecute them to give them such ill entertainment as they do When our Saviour possesseth his Disciples with that universal hatred they shall have in the world and that the world cannot do otherwise whence is all this but because they do not know Christ nor believers neither But as they took him for an Impostor and one not worthy to live so they do judge his members to be a company of heretiques not worthy to be suffered in the world and all this malice ariseth from their blinde hearts for did they know who they were as they oppose they dared not to proceed Even as the Scripture saith If they had known Christ they would not have crucified the prince of glory 1 Cor. 2.6 So that all thy hard words and thy hard actions they arise from this thou dost not know what the godly are how accepted with God and how precious to him for this consideration would immediately make thee draw in thy arm thou wouldst see it was a foolish thing to set against such whom God loveth that it is but kicking against the pricks It 's attempting an impossible thing if thou couldst get God not to love them then indeed it were something but as long as God thus loveth them all thy endeavours against them is as vain as Balacks was against Israel No inchantment or divination can prevail As it 's an impossible thing so also it 's dangerous for seeing they are to God as the apple of his eye and he hath given such a command even to Kings that they do not touch his anointed ones How can it be that God will let all the injuries and offences done against them so dearly beloved go free Therefore perswade thy self more of this love of God to them lest thou incurre Gods forest displeasure Again It 's not only dangerous but foolish also for the more the world sets against believers the greater their rage is the more is Gods love drawn out to them So that by thy hatred they do become glorious and are more esteemed by God and receive a greater crown of glory Thus if these things be duly considered we must needs say it 's of great consequence for the world to know that believers are so highly loved by God But in the next place It 's very difficult for the world to be thus perswaded For 1. There is naturally an enmity and antipathy of the wicked against the godly and where malice is they will never believe any good of those whom they hate Insomuch that though God doth with never such a signal love demonstrate himself to them yet they will never be perswaded such are loved of God for as they are affected so they judge of God himself and because they think them worthy of all hatred and evil they conclude God doth so also Thus this distempered palate judgeth every thing bitter it tasteth 2. The love of the Father to believers is chiefly in spiritual things such as Justification Sanctification Adoption Now these things are no more apprehended by the world then curious melody by a deaf ear The Apostle speaketh to this 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. admirably shewing That the Spirit of God revealeth these spiritual things to us and that without the Spirit we cannot know the things that are
things It 's my Father in heaven that giveth life and motion to every thing and therefore I need not be afraid Know then that all those gnawing worms of unbelief and fears upon thee whereby thou makest thy self an hell to thy self they come from want of this consideration 5. This Relation if rightly considered will put us upon holinesse and an earnest endeavour to resemble and to be like him A good childe loveth to imitate and conform to all those lovely perfections that are in his Father his endeavour is that in him his Father may live even while he is dead Now the Scripture sets forth Gods holinesse as our Copy to write after Be ye holy as I am holy and that ye may be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Matth. 5.48 and He that hath this hope viz. to be a Sonne of God purifieth himself even as God is pure Oh then let those vile and leprous sinners stand aloof off They call God Father where is thy Image or likenesse of him upon thee Art thou pure as he is pure holy as he is holy Is thy will conformable to his will To love and delight in those things that God loveth and commands The Scripture telleth us the godly are born of God that his Image is restored in them That they are partakers of the divine nature Now let every one see upon what grounds he cals God Father Is it not a meer lye and mockery Dost thou not delude thy own self If God be thy Father wherein art thou like him Art thou holy as he is pure as he is Certainly even in the godly this should raise up their spirits to higher exercise of holinesse They should consider who is their Father It is for them to shew better breeding then to be proud passionate earthly and carnall They are to be as Ignatius was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those that bear God about with them you may see the resemblance of God in their lives So then this Title and relation doth not only vouchsafe comfort but engage to much duty None should be so cheerful and yet so holy and pure as they are 6. This Relation of a Father will put us upon zeal for his glory and honour a desire to exalt and set him up every where an holy impatiency to have his Name blasphemed and his commands broken What childe can endure to hear his Father spoken against to have his name defamed You see in Christ himself the zeal of his Fathers house did eat him up he could not endure to see the corruption and defilement of his Fathers worship and thus it is with the Children of God his honour is dear unto them To see and hear the wickednesse and prophanenesse of others torments his righteous soul This is against my Father I have no patience when you thus dishonour my Father Oh this is an excellent signe you look upon God as your Father when you are thus affected for his glory for his truth and worship It 's a known story of that dumb Sonne that never spake before yet when he saw one going to kill his Father cried out and forbad it Thou that feelest no anger or grief within thee when God is dishonoured doe thou doubt of thy childe-like disposition Lastly The Meditation of God as a Father may wonderfully support under all afflictions They are the corrections of a Father not the punishments of a Judge and the Apostle argueth the great reasonablenesse of bearing Gods afflictions seeing we endure the chastisement of our Fathers according to the flesh Heb. 12.9 10. where the Apostle shews that a good childe though chastened by his Father giveth reverence to him why then should not we rather obey God who is the Father of spirits and that from the end of God he afflicts for our profit and we live by these chastisements Hence it 's the devils great temptation to imbitter this cup of affliction as much as he can To let them think God is not their Father and if he were a Father he would never lay such a load upon them and all this to stirre up impatience and discontent within them Thus you see what mighty effects this consideration of God as a Father should produce in us In the next place consider Why this doth so prevail with God And 1. Because it 's not a bare Title but accompanied with the reall love and bowels of a Father God is not only called so but is indeed a Father yea a Father above all earthly Fathers yea or mothers too he takes more tendernesse upon him then they can have Isa 49.15 when Zion sadly complained The Lord had forsaken her he tels her Though a woman should forget her sucking childe yet he would not So then love is infinitely in God his kindenesse is like himself beyond all thoughts and expressions and if among men it be so unnaturall for a Father not to love his childe can we think God will not love his He that hath commanded us to love our enemies and to forgive them seventy times seven in a day will not he pardon his Children Children are part of the Father and therefore God visiteth the sinnes of Fathers sometimes upon their Children because they are as one with the Father and Christ praieth that the godly and his Father may be one 2. It 's for the glory and honour of God to hear them when they pray What priviledges and mercies children have tends to the honour of a Father Doth it not disgrace a Father when he is able and yet letteth his Children be almost famished and be contemned in filthy rags Oh we say he doth not go like such an ones Sonne it 's a disgrace to his Father so it is here should not the people of God be holy comfortable heavenly and accepted of this would be as if God did not own them Vse of Instruction Concerning the happy estate of the godly and the contrary of the wicked That which is a comforting fire to one is a consuming fire to the other The godly have alwaies the Scepter held out to them They may go to God as a Father and are sure to be heard either ad voluntatem or ad sanitatem They may say O Lord if I did come to thee as an angry Judge if I did draw nigh to thee as one provoked as one whose sins made a division between me and thee then I might be sent comfortlesse away but I come to thee as a Father a relation thou art not ashamed off and which thou wilt fullfill though as yet the glory of God is not fully manifested but as for the wicked what a thunderbolt is this to them God is not their Father Though they may call him so a thousand times over yet he is not he is thy enemy thy adversary what good things thou hast cometh from him as the governour of the world not as a Father SERMON IV. Of Gods appointing an hour a set time
captivity captive and gave gifts to men By this power the Church of God is like Solomons Queen richly attired in all curious needle-work It 's from this glory of Christs that he putteth such glory on the Church so that for all the Ordinances and dispensations thereof for all the successe and benefit to be reaped by them We are to look up to Christ hereupon we say that to bring any other doctrine any other Sacrament or worship then Christ hath appointed is a capitall crime It 's to invade the Jura regalia which Christ hath obtained of God and therefore to despise the Ordinances the gifts the Ministery that Christ hath appointed in his Church is to neglect and contemn a great part of that glory God put on Christ for this end Col. 3. You have the Apostle running out into such full and large expressions concerning Christ making him the head of the Church in whom God hath put all fulnesse that he is to have the preheminence in all things Let us not then despise but magnifie all the Ordinances Offices and gifts Christ hath appointed for when he ascended in his triumph to heaven he scattered these gifts as great Emperours do use to do large bounties to their people and they are for heavenly and spirituall advantages All power he hath is to blesse to convert to comfort to sanctifie every Ordinance about which we are emploied 2. Another particular of his glory is to make all things subject to him whatsoever dignities or principalities there are that all should acknowledge and bow to him This is the Sunne to which all the Stars do their obeisance This is the name that God gave him above all Names that every knee every creature should submit to him Phil. 2. By name is not meant bowing the knee at the name of it that was never heard of till many years after Christ in the Church but by name according to Scripture custome is meant Christ himself Even as the Name of God is God himself glorious manifested beleeved on and every way exalted Now this subjection all give to him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is twofold in some it is voluntary and willing Psa 110. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Christ doth by his glorious power change and alter their natures whereby they are full of love and chearfulness in taking him to be their Lord and King They do readily obey his commands so that the glory of Christ is magnified by all his Children But then there is a necessitated and forced submission such whom he is said to rule with a rod of iron and the devils who are under the earth they by constraint submit unto him 3. This glory vouchsafed unto Christ is that all things should be done in his Name All Church-meetings all Church-censures all Church-duties should be wholly performed in and by him Thus for praier whatsoever ye shall ask in my name Joh. 14.13 For Church-meetings when two or three are gathered together in my Name Mat. 18.20 For Church-censures When you are met together in Christs Name to deliver such an one to Satan 1 Cor. 5. Thus the glory of Christ is wonderfully magnified in the Assembly of the Saints for every thing that is due is accepted of in Christs Name No praier is received but in Christs Name no performance hath its due effect but in Christs Name This heavenly and holy Court is kept in Christs Name only We are to preach in his Name we baptize in his Name all things have their successe and efficacy as they come out in his Name Thus beloved you see that all our thoughts and desires should be to glorifie Christ If it be the Fathers will to glorifie him it should be ours much more 4. This glory given to Christ will be wonderfully expressed in the day of judgement for 1. then he shall make known his power and majesty to all the world what glorious descriptions have we in the Scripture of Christ coming to judge with what terrour and trembling to all beholders what great alterations and changes will be upon the whole world What a glorious train of Angels accompanying him never was such a sight seen No words can expresse it Now all this is to be managed by the Sonne The Fathar hath given all judgement to him and he hath appointed to judge the world by that man Christ Jesus Act. 17.21 Howsoever then while he was in the flesh he was judged by others he was as a worm and no man yet then a great alteration will be made He that was a Lamb shall then be like a roaring Lion The day of Judgement is the greatest day that ever was or shall be called therefore the day and that day and the day of the Lord and the judgement of all things and persons in the world is given to Christ the Sonne of God and this tends to his exceeding great glory for then his friends and loyall Subjects shall receive their full and finall reward and then his stubborn and obstinate enemies shall receive their compleat punishments all the honour Ahashuerus could put on his favorites was nothing to this spiritual and heavenly glory which the Father will put on the Son for it is a spiritual glory that was a temporall in earthly things only There are those who would make the kingdom and glory of Christ to be in a great manner temporall and consisting in a Monarchy here on earth but as Christs Priesthood was wholly spiritual so also is his kingly glory for as he hath made the godly Kings and Priests only in a spiritual sence thus was he also Here then is work for the eyes of Faith Come with the Queen of Sheba to see all the glory Christ hath not with a bodily eye but an eye of faith and thy admiration will be greater then hers was 2. This glory is eternall not like the glory of the world which the devil shewed in a moment it quickly passed away but this will abide for ever not but that Christ shall at last give up this Kingdome into his Fathers hands again He shall no more discharge the acts of an Advocate or Intercessor for us in heaven only the glory of this shall alwaies continue It shall to all Eternity be recorded that he was the Mediatour That he is the Saviour who hath brought us to life and immortality Thus to all eternity the tongue of all the Saints shall be employed in celebrating this glory Vse of Instruction Is Christ thus glorified by the Father then take this as a sure pledge of thy glorification in time It cannot be that he should have glory alone himself No in this praier he saith Father I will that they be where I am Oh let this comfort and animate thee my glorified head is in heaven and will in time make a glorified member sutable to him 2. Is it Gods purpose to glorifie the Sonne then let us also glorifie him our hour
there any one sinne any passion or lust that is apt to prevail over them to captivate them here also they may have strong confidence in praier saying O Lord how unseemly is such a member to so glorious a head such an ulcerous noisome part to such an eminent head if not out of love to me yet for thy own honour cure me What head is there that would suffer a leprous noisome part in the body if it could help it Again Do the godly say they cannot perform their relative graces their general calling they are able to discharge comfortably but as a Minister as a Husband as a Wife herein they fail O the weaknesse and imperfections there Consider this head gives nourishment to every part sutably The hand hath a nourishment of the hand the eye of the eye and thus there is in Christ a particular sutable ability for thy proper wants And if you are not enabled in these things it 's not because there is not fulnesse enough in Christ but thy faith is weak There is Oil enough but thou hast no cruse Lastly If the meannesse and lownesse of thy condition trouble thee saying though Christ the head may communicate to such worthy and eminent Christians they are enabled to doe him great service yet will he look on such a dead dog as I am If thou art but the foot the lowest part in the body yet the head mindes that and procureth its welfare as well as other parts so that this very consideration is a Catholicon It 's a Remedy against every Disease 3. This relation of a Head implieth a near Vnion and Conjunction What can be nearer then the head and the body yet such a communion and conjunction there is between Christ and the godly and this very consideration proveth the perseverance of the godly Shall Christ lose one member of his body totally and suffer it to be damned in hell Oh the comfortable and hopeful thoughts the children of God should have from this relation from Wife from Husband though they be bone of thy bone and flesh of thy flesh thou must part but not from Christ This Union with Christ is the foundation of all our comfort and hope against Apostacy Again because of this conjunction we may expect protection and provision even in outward things Doth not the Apostle say No man yet ever hated his own flesh but cherished it Eph. 5.29 Shall Christ then the head forget thee Shall he withhold his eâ—e from his own flesh Will the head suffer the foot to starve Certainly this consideration should wonderfully support against all discouragements and necessities whatsoever Lastly Because of this conjunction Christ hath a sympathy and fâ—llow-feâ—ling with us What is done against the Saints on earth is also against Christ If one part suffers the head condoleth with it and for this end Christ endured those many temptations that he might know how to pity those that were in the same condition Heb 4.15 3. Christ is the head in respect of government and direction he is the King of Saints and the King of Nations You reade he had a Rod of Iron to bruise his enemies only this government though it be in the world yet it is not in a worldly manner The bâ—st and choicest part of it is in preparing and fitting those whom the Father hath given him to eternall life and to these his spiritual government is full of sweetness and full of power admirable in positive and preventing mercies It 's from this gracious government that nothing shall fall out either through the malice or policy of hell that shall be able to hinder them from their crown He is the strong one that hath conquered all the enmity against his people Oh what treasures of comfort are in this Thou art under Christs spiritual government and so all conditions all necessities all occurrences in the world they further thy spiritual good There is nothing can befall thee against his will Thus you see all his power summed up in this that he is the head I shall now spend the other part in practical Inferences for it 's a womb big with many such Conclusions As in the first place Hath Christ this power over all then let us take heed how we refuse him speaking or commanding If his goodnesse and mercy will not win you he hath power enough to awe you If not love let fear bring you in and that quickly lest it be too late The Apostle Heb. 10.17 aggravateth this that if they that despised Moses died without mercy of how much sorer judgement shall they be thought worthy who refuse Christ speaking Think ye saith the Apostle any one that hath reason may gather this that he shall die and be damned without mercy But where is Christ You will say how can we refuse him speaking The Apostle tels you Those that hear not his Ministers declaring his will they do not hear him Ye that live against the Scripture you whose lives are contrary to the Word you are enemies to Christ It 's not we that are refused but Christ by us As if an Embassadour be contemned it 's not he but the great Person that sends him whose Embassadour he is Well then we must lay this down for an undoubted Axiome Every man that liveth in the constant practise of his wickednesse he refuseth Christ who hath all this power Now let these Motives from his power terrifie thee 1. If it were but an earthly worldly power what fear what subjection will that put thee in Rom. 13. If thou do evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain Oh then know much rather if thou do evil be afraid for Christ hath not this power in vain Dost thou fear a Prison and not hell Art thou afraid of losing thy outward estate and not thy soul and all happinesse Thou fearest earthly power but can that damn thee Can that throw body and soul into hell Ignosce O Imperator said one tu carcerem Deus gehennam minatur Well then for every prophane act of wickednesse for drunkennesse uncleannesse unjust dealing there is worse then any Legall fine or mulct Christ hath appointed everlasting torments for those moments of pleasures Be not then so bruitish and athiesticall as to think nothing grievous but what the Sword of the Magistrate can inflict and as for this eternal punishment thou dost not matter it 2. Let this make thee afraid to affront this power because it is his who will be thy Judge before whose Tribunall thou art sure to be arraigned This should be a piercing argument If this power were in him who had nothing to do with thee as a Malefactor in one Countrey feareth not the Magistrate in another Countrey because his power doth not reach to him he is none of his Subject But Christ hath an universal jurisdiction we must all appear whether we will or no and to give an account to him Now what can be more dreadfull
is the first and the second and so still all is passing and what is past we have not and what is to come we do not yet enjoy so that there is nothing but the present advantages that we are properly said to possesse now put eternal life to this and it 's the clean contrary even as Eternity is to time for whereas time is in a continual transient being Eternity is an whole and full possession of all together There is no past present or to come in Eternity but Eternity comprehends all these things together even as the greater wheel comprehends at once all the motions of the lesse wheel within it and certainly this consideration is able to swallow us up Thy comforts do not flow and reflow They do not passe and others come but thou art in a stable permanent way of enjoying all happinesse together Thou canst not be lesse happy at one time then at another Thou canst not expect greater joy then thou hast neither canst thou wish for any joy that is past so great a matter is Eternity In the Last place This Life is full of dissatisfaction even in the vertical Point of all its blessednesse The heart of a man morally as well as naturally is alwaies in motion never lieth still It 's alwaies hydropical the more it drinketh the thirstier it is still Solomon you heard that made it his study and endeavour to have content in this world yet it could not be he may as soon think to make an Oistershell hold the Ocean as that these earthly things can fill the heart What man is there who liveth a meer earthly life that can say he is satisfied he desireth nothing Indeed we reade of Paul Phi. 4. saying I have all things and abound but that is through grace because enjoying of God otherwise the Air can as soon fill the hungry stomack as earthly things the appetite of the soul But compare this eternal life hereto and there is all fulnesse and satisfaction They never desire a change they cannot wish it better with them We see Peter but in a taste of it yet cried out It 's good to be here Let us dwell here he would not have parted with joy The soul in heaven is arrived at its haven it 's come to its journeys end it 's now fallen to its center it cannot go any further It now cryeth out Here is enough Lord here is enough yet this fulnesse breeds not nauseating as they were weary of Manna No it exciteth desire and yet filleth it It provoketh love and yet satiateth it so that this particular likewise proclaimeth the madnesse of all wicked men for why is thy soul like the devil compassing about the earth seeking out for this comfort and then for another Even as children cry for this thing and then quickly weary cry for another and in the mean while doth neglect that which would be instead of all Thus have we handled it comparatively the last way is to consider it oppositely for that is an old Rule contraries put together illustrate one another the more The Sunne is most glorious after the breaking out of a black thick cloud Now the contrary to Eternal life is eternal death so that we may apprehend the good of the one by the evil of the other and indeed man is so slavish and bruitish that fear doth more prevail then love Therefore though we propound all the joys of heaven and invite to this eternal life yet few make that Question as he did to Christ Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life but if we speak of eternal death in all the terrour of it then fear may for a while at least awaken them Let us then consider wherein the contrary to this eternal life consisteth And 1. That is in the deprivation of God and an utter departure from him and this privative part of eternal death is the great aggravation of it At the day of judgement that dreadful doom runneth thus Depart from me Mat. 25. 41. That is worse then the eternal fire they are cast into you have heard that God was the fountain of all good every creatures goodnesse is but a stream from that Fountain At thy right hand said David Psa 16.11 are rivers of pleasure for evermore So that this eternal death takes thee from the light of his countenance Thou art never to be admitted in his presence and when God departs all comfort all hope departs with him Oh that wicked men would lay this to heart you that now bid God depart from you you will have none of his knowledge none of his commands God will requite you in your own kinde he will then command you to depart from him Were it not that Athiesm and unbelief did reign in your hearts this truth would make your ears to tingle and your heart to tremble while you hear it Was it not death to Absalom to be kept from his Fathers presence Why do ye not kill me saith he to Joab rather then let it be alwaies thus yet he was but an earthly Father he could not give peace and joy to the consciences of men but this heavenly Father is a Father of spirits whom he bids Depart from him all terrour and horrour immediatly seizeth on that man There is no quietnesse in his bones Michah had lost but an Idol-God Judg. 18. and he wringeth his hand and crieth out bitterly Oh but what roarings and yellings when we shall have lost the true God and his favour for ever 2. This eternal death brings all the positive evil that can be feared or imagined upon a man For as here we told you was not one kinde of comfort but an aggression of all therefore the Scripture delights to represent it under severall desirable good things so neither is hell one kinde of misery one kinde of torment but the Scripture represents it under every thing that is terrible Because death is so much feared therefore it 's called death because fire and brimstone are so terrible in burning it 's called that Because a dark dungeon and prison with chains in the darknesse are so miserable It 's resembled to that because men in extremity of pain and misery do use to weep and wail and gnash their teeth therefore is hell set out by all these dreadful things so that as the glorified in heaven have every thing they can desire there is no good they want Thus the damned in hell have every thing they fear There is no torment or pain imaginable but they partake of it and this they are filled with having not the least ease or respite Dives desired but a drop of water to cool only the top of his tongue and he could not obtain so much Oh that men who give themselves up to the pleasures of sin would remember these torments These howlings to all Eternity What are we preaching follies and fictions to you If you beleeve the
death but these works of God they are living works partly because they proceed from a life of grace and partly because they will live for ever they will go to the grave with thee to heaven with thee they will never forsake thee 2. It 's our duty to work because God hath made them the necessary way to walk in if we will be saved Without holinesse no man shall see God Labour for the meat that perisheth not Hence if we consider every gracious work of patience love meeknesse we shall see blessednesse is promised to them Not that these justifie only the person justified cannot be without them They are the media ordinata ordained mean in the use whereof we are to arrive at eternal happinesse It 's faith only that receiveth Christ and his righteousnesse yet this faith cannot be separated from an holy walking It 's the eye only that seeth yet the eye cannot be separated from the other parts of the body and thus the Apostle doth immediatly oppose Rom. 4. beleeving working grace and works in respect of Justification yet he doth at the same time presse the Children of God to all holinesse and the fruits of righteousnesse 3. Working is necessary by way of gratitude and thankefulnesse to God and Christ If there were nothing else but this this might pour coals of fire upon thee for how many works of Gods grace hast thou been partaker of If Gods grace did not work all the day long for thee thou couldst not be a moment preserved out of hell and as for Christs working reade the History of his Life he was alwaies finishing the work of thy Redemption and Salvation he had nothing to do for himself all was in reference to thee Oh then how unworthy wilt thou shew thy self of all that love and kindenesse which God and Christ have done for thee If thou like the Sluggard let the Field of thy Soul grow full of briars and thorns Oh how can thy heart be so cold and slothful When thou considerest grace is working for thee all the day long if Christ had no more zealously and earnestly wrought my peace for me then I do perform his duties my soul had perished irrecoverably Lastly Therefore it 's necessary we should work Gods work because we have for a long time spent our selves in the Service of Satan and doing the works of the devil Oh this should be a perpetual goad in thy side this should be fire in thy bosome to consider that there was no hour no day no season but thou didst take the opportunity to satisfie thy lusts Thou never couldst have enough of sinne No thirsty man did more greedily swallow down water then thou didst sinne yea how active to draw on others to infect others with the same plague thou hadst I tell you this will lie heavy upon the godly soul If I were to live Methusalems age it would not be time enough to do God service for the dishonour I have put upon him Thy time is short and thou hast much to do because thou hast undone so much In the next place Consider That it 's lawful for the people of God in all the work they do for God to encourage themselves with this that there is an everlasting glory laid up for them Even as Christ had an eye to this glory so it 's lawful for us Thus Moses had an eye to the recompence of the reward Heb. 11. The godly Rom. 2. are said to be such as seek for immortality and glory Rom. 5.2 They rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and Paul accounted all these sufferings but light in respect of that eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Indeed Gods glory is to be sought in the first place and then our glory so that it 's a shame if in all our doings and sufferings for God we are not full of joy because of that unspeakable glory apprehended by faith Faith makes it present as if we already were partakers of it So that whatsoever temptations and discouragements are in the work of the Lord this glory will abundantly make amends for it Are there reproaches and disgrace in the world All the while thou didst sin and the devils work thou hadst the love and good-will of the world but since thou hast betaken thy self to the service of God thou art the scoff and reproach of all O think of the glory God will crown thee with before all the world Again are all the works of God painful difficult and contrary to flesh and bloud thou must strive and wrastle much in praier be alwaies in a combat and conflict Remember this everlasting glory yea God therefore doth many times put his Children upon all exercises and sad temptations which make them ake at the very heart and all is to encrease their glory the more Thus Job thus Paul they had extraordinary trials that they might have extraordinary glory Furthermore is there self-denial required in Gods work Must thou part with thy pleasures with thy profit thy delights still remember this glory will make thee no loser for alas what proportion is there between these petty things thou leavest and those everlasting treasures God hath provided for thee In the sixth place That the glory of Gods people may be full he giveth them time and large opportunities of working for him and keeps thee in this world not for any earthly and outward advancement of thy self but to serve him in thy generation as it 's said David served God in his generation Act. 13.36 and God calleth Moses his servant Whatsoever thy relation thy place thy office be God hath appointed thee to work and therefore he prolongs thy life till thy work be done This is a comfortable consideration which all the godly may take that death shall not seize on them while thay have work to do for God and when that is finished then this summons to everlasting glory As for Infants this Truth reacheth not to them and if any like the Thief on the Crosse are called at the last hour and so are not able to work in the Vineyard yet even such have an habitual prepared heart for it if they had the opportunity But for others whose daies are prolonged they are thus to think with themselves I have this day this week longer to adde to my work God hath for me to doe Take heed of mispent time take heed of losing daies and weeks The night is coming when none can work Vse 1. How much comfort and joy the godly may take at the hour of death Their work is done now they have nothing but the Robes of glory to put on That fulnesse of glory they are immediatly to possesse should swallow up the fears of death and the love of the world With what joy should they cry out Farewell Friends Wife and Children welcome God welcome eternal glory Alas thou hast no glory here Thy body is a vile body thy soul a
because they were under an outward administration of grace when other Nations of the world were not so Lastly A people are his by Election and the gracious effects thereof and so only those that are the true Disciples of Christ are his and in this sence it 's said Thine they are and they have kept thy Word which cannot be understood of Judas for he perfidiously forsook Christ Doct. That the truly godly are Gods people in a peculiar manner They have an indeared propriety in God They may say with Dauid Psa 119.94 I am thine save me This propriety is the ground of all comfort of all boldnesse at the Throne of grace I am thine pardon me I am thine sanctifie me I am thine leave me not To open this Consider the distinction before premised That we may be said to be the Lords either generally by right of Creation and his absolute Soveraignty or 2. Peculiarly in a gracious manner In the former sence all mankinde is said to be in Gods hand as the clay in the hand of the Potter so that if God from wise and most righteous ends have chosen some and left others in their damnable estate if we cannot say that all are by Gods Election and Christs by the execution of it yet we have no cause to grudge or repine because all are Gods to dispose of at his pleasure For although his holy and righteous nature is the cause that he cannot do any thing that is evil or unjust yet the dominion and soveraignty he hath may make him dispose of all things as he pleaseth and if the Apostle in matters of Election and Reprobation doth urge this to stifle mans presumption how much more may it hold in inferiour things if God deny thee this or that mercy and giveth it to others who art thou O man that arguest against God We are his to be disposed of as he pleaseth But 2. That which we are now to speak to is the propriety and right God hath in some more then in others by his grace and meer love Alas the former propriety argueth no comfort the damned in hell yea the very devils may pleade the former Lord we are thine by creation and dominion but that is no ground of comfort only this latter is an unanswerable argument God himself cannot deny this when we can pray Lord we are thine by thy peculiar grace and purpose of love We did not of our selves become thus it was thy goodnesse to make us thy own It was free for thee to have done with us as thou pleasest but now we are thine it belongs to thee to save thy own Secondly This right and propriety is mutually reciprocal God is theirs and they are Gods only Gods propriety in them is the cause of their propriety in God You have not chosen me but I have chosen you saith Christ Joh. 15.16 So that this is very comfortable to observe that this right is mutuall God is their God and they are his people God challengeth them as his and they may claim God as theirs as you see the Covenant of grace runneth reciprocally I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 31.33 this is expressed under those similitudes of a Vine and a branch of an husband and a Wife The wife hath power over and right to her husband as well as the Husband to the Wife The Vine hath a relation to the branches as well as the branches to the Vine only as the good of the branch lieth in being in the Vine but the Vine doth not fetch succour from the branch So it 's here we are the Lords and the Lord is ours only the Lord hath no advantage nor hath he any good in that we are his but the cause of our happinesse is that he is ours so then let the people of God know that the ground and rise of all their spirituall advantage is because God hath a propriety in them not so much because they have a propriety in God It 's because God loveth them God will not loose what is his that they are preserved from sinne and hell Indeed till we be actually Gods by beleeving though we be his by Election yet we cannot make use of our Interest That is hidden and secret Paul though he was the Lords by Election before the foundations of the world yet till brought home till beleeving he cannot say the Lord is his Therefore till God be ours both by Election and the saving effects of it we cannot say I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine Cant. 2.16 Therefore Thirdly Our comfort and joy lieth in the discovery of our propriety and interest in God for though we be his yet if we beleeve it not it is as if we did not belong to him It 's said David encouraged himself in his God 1 Sam. 30.6 The evidence of his propriety was his encouragement and Paul acknowledgeth an appropiration when speaking of Christ he said Who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 Hence it is that our Saviour upon his departure out of the world doth so fully inform his Disciples that he will be theirs still though he bodily leaveth them That the propriety and interest they have in him is not taken away Hence also it is that an elected man while unconverted can take no more comfort from God or his promise then a reprobate because as yet his propriety is not evidenced As yet there is no ground of any claim or holy boldnesse at the Throne of grace Therefore it 's a main duty of the people of God to study this Point above all viz. their propriety in God Am I the Lords or no It 's not impossible to finde out the truth of this though Satan and our hearts are very much tempting to the contrary there are few that can escape the storms and tempests that arise in this matter and quietly anchor their souls on God Fourthly There are two special and eminent causes of our being the Lords treasure and peculiar people The one is the Lords power and might the other his infinite grace and love That which is the Sun and giveth heat and warmth more especially is the mercy and love of God for we by sin though we could not make our selves no creatures of his so that he should not destroy or damn us yet we made our selves no children of his we cast our selves out of his favour of a loving Father we made him an enraged enemy and so accordingly we pulled down all vengeance upon our heads we forfeited every mercy we know not the least drop of comfort that belongs unto us but all the curses of God threatned in his Law this and no other could we expect we ere no more the Lords then the devils and damned in hell Therefore it was the meer goodnesse of God not to cast us off but to make us his a second time upon better Covenants of mercy so that if any soul comes
those that delight and are swift to hear are commonly such as are ready to obey Again that which is here called keeping of the Word is in other places called keeping the Commandments only this is more sweet and kindly for Word doth properly relate to him that is a Doctor or Teacher Commandment to him that is a Law-giver Now there is a great difference between the Imperious Soveraignty of a Law-giver and the benign condescention of a Teacher but here we take it largely for all that God hath revealed to us and our Saviour saith they have kept the Fathers Word not his because they looked upon Christ as the Mediatour sent from God and so received not his Word as the word of a man but as of God through and by him Obs That those only can pleade a propriety and interest in God and Christ who are careful to keep his Word All others do but cry Peace Peace to themselves when demnation is at hand So that this truth will do for the present as Christ will do at the day of judgement set the Goats on the left hand and the sheep on the right It will be like the Fanne in Christs hand it will winnow the chaff from the wheat Let us therefore consider how much is comprehended in this phrase to keep the Word of God What are the Ingredients of this duty And first In that it 's indefinitely spoken They have kept thy Word It 's implied 1. They had a diligent respect to the Whole Word of God he doth not say they have kept part or some particulars but thy Word Now the word of God hath these parts 1. It 's a word of doctrine to be understood and beleeved 2. It 's a word of commands to be obeyed 3. It 's a word of threatning to be humbled at And lastly It 's a word of promise and consolation to be rejoyced in so that he who keeps the Word of God keeps all these parts of it 1. There is the word of Doctrine to be understood and beleeved and so to keep his word is to abhorre all errours all false doctrines all unsound opinions Those that are Christs Disciples are as tender about Gods truths as about his commands as they would not willingly transgresse a command so neither erre about the Truths of God Hence Joh. 10. our Saviour doth at large shew the true character of his Sheep They will not hear a strangers voice They will flee from a stranger now who is a stranger any one though an Angel from heaven that shall bring any thing that is contrary to the Scripture whosoever shall obtrude that to be beleeved as a truth which is not in the word of God this man is a stranger his doctrine is strange doctrine the sheep of Christ will not hear it Oh then let the Disciples of Christ shew their truth and solidity of grace in this that they dare not receive errours or heresies Oh what pity is it that thou who art tender about the commands of God wouldst not commit a sinne for a world shâ—uâ—dâ—t be large and wanton in thy understanding about the Truths of God Remember it 's his word and so thou art to keep sound doctrine by a pure faith as well as his Commandments by upright obedience and the reason is plain partly because the same God commands both There is his authority upon truths to be revealed as well as precepts to be obeyed God commands the captivity of your understanding as well as of your affections and partly because the true doctrine of God only is instrumental to holinesse a man will never be godly by beleeving any errour Joh. 19. Sanctifie them by thy Truth thy Word is Truth so that as in the use of Superstious customes Popish Sacraments a man can never receive true grace because Gods promise and his efficacy will go only together thus the more errours thou beleevest the more carnal thou wilt grow God will never blesse a lie chaffe and poison shall never be true and good nourishing meat 2. There is the Word of his Commandments and often the Scripture saith if ye love me keep my Commandments and neither may there be any doubt but a true disciple of Christ will be carefull herein for how can he shew his Discipleship otherwise then by obedience to Gods precepts It 's a plain mocking of God outwardly to professe that we take him for our God that we acknowledge subjection to him and yet disobey his commands so that this particular cuts off most hearers from being as yet at least in the number of those who can truly pleade a propriety in God for doth not their constant course of life proclaim an open hostility against God Is prophanesse pride lusts and rioting the command of God Hath the Lord commanded thee to lye swear and curse Are they not rather the lusts of the devil Oh that men should be so foolish and sencelesse as to talk of God and Christ and yet live in open disobedience to them Dâ—dst thou belong to God such would be thy love to him yea such an heavenly nature wouldst thou have that Gods Law and thy heart would have a sweet proportion and sutablenesse to one another as David professeth often it was sweeter then the honey and the honey comb and Paul delighted in the Law of God The Law of sin in the unregenerate man doth not more please him then the Law of God doth the regenerate man There is not a grievous burthen in it The holinesse and spirituality of Gods cammand is that which doth exceedingly assure him 3. There is the word of thâ— eatning and although in one sence we are not to keep that yet in another respect we are with trembling and fear to observe it Thus whatsoever God doth forbid threatning it either with temporal or eternal judgements the godly have an holy awe of They dare not displease God How can I do this and sin against God saith Joseph Thus Josiah when the Law was read his heart did melt and tremble and therefore how graciously did God take notice of that tender disposition in him It 's a vain and erroneous conceit to think the threatnings do not belong to the godly or that they must not with fear make use of them For if so why doth the Scripture propound threatnings even to the godly and that very often and who is there so godly that hath not the remainder of corruption in him who needeth not fear as a bridle to curb sin in him especially when we see Adam though in the state of Integrity was yet threatned by God if he did eat of the forbidden fruit so that even then a threatning had its proper use to Adam though altogether holy Lastly There is the word of consolation or promise and that is worthy of all acceptation as when a man takes a thing with both his hands It 's called embracing the Promises Heb. 11. as gladly and
That there remaineth no hope for us then we may fly to Christ The Law saith Do this and live Do all things in the highest degree else you cannot live Now into what horrour and despair doth this put men till we come to hear that voice Beleeve in Christ who hath fullfilled the righteousnesse of the Law When therefore we preach the exactnesse of the Law and the severity of Gods Justice it is not that we should stay here Alas who can say It 's good to be here no They will cry out as the People of Israel did at the giving of the Law when there was so much terrour But our aim is that by this commotion and trouble upon you you might lay hold upon Christ We would burthen you that Christ might ease you 4. This Doctrine is indeed the very essence and marrow of the Gospel This is the glad tidings that when we of our selves were eternally undone Christ as a Mediatour reconcileth the offended God and offending sinner It was this that the very Angels though it did not so immediatly concern them sang for joy Glory be to God on high Good will to men and peace on the Earth Luk. 2.14 This is that which we finde the Apostle Paul so magnifying every where This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1.15 Great is the Mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16. Oh then we should never be weary of this Subject It 's eyes to the blinde It 's meat to the hungry Clothes to the naked mercy to the sinner grace to the afflicted one This is the fatted Calf and the Robe for the distressed Prodigall Truly as he said he did not love to reade no not Tully because he did not finde the Name of Christ so should all Sermons and Subjects be dull and tedious that do not directly or indirectly mediately or immediately bring us to him All other Points are but accessary or preparatory this is the Substance It 's such an excellent Subject that the Angels desire to be informed more in it and take infinite delight in the knowledge of it 5. This is the more to be pressed because the devil in all ages hath laboured to obscure this doctrine above others Insomuch that Luther called this Articulus stantis cadentis Ecclesiae when the devil could neither overthrow the humane or divine nature of Christ by Heretikes Then he laboured to overthrow his Office of being a Mediatour That if there must be a Christ yet he might be a needlesse and uselesse one so that by this Point only we differ not onely from Jews and Pagans but all Heretiques and Papists The righteousnesse of Christ our Mediatour imputed to us is the Treasure in the Church only This Pearl is hid in this Field only The excellency therefore and dignity of this Point is seen by the devils opposition and his Instruments raised up to obscure and darken it And then on the other side God hath raised up choice Instruments in his Church to vindicate this Truth Luther of all Points was most affected with this and God prepared him for it by laying soul exercises and heart temptations upon him insomuch that he said he often wished he had never been a man Oh the trouble and darknesse that was upon his soul and he used all the Remedies prescribed in Popery to comfort himself but still his heart was as unquiet as ever till at last he was by studying in Scripture directed to beleeve in Christ the Mediatour and in particular to be cloathed with Christs righteousnesse in stead of his own and thus it is still the more spiritually tempted and exercised any man either Minister or private Christian is The more he walketh in darknesse and hath no light The more doth he come to prize and esteem this fulnesse in Christ None love this honey-comb but those who hunger after a righteousnesse that they cannot finde in themselves These particulars discover the necessity of pressing this often and often Therefore the second Use is to bring your hearts in rellish with this Doctrine Oh that thou wert such an Auditour that this Truth might breed a sweet pleasure in thy spiritual appetite If this be the Gospel If this be the glad Tidings If this be the Pearl and the Treasure be thou in the number of those that will part with all to be partakers of it But you will say How may we fit Subjects for this Truth how may we come to prize it more then the honey or the honey-comb Take these Directions 1. Feel sinne as a burden as a weight let it be more to thee then all temporal evils in the world for so Mat. 11. Come to me ye that are heavy laden and I will ease you David Psal 32. when his sinne was ready to overwhelm him then he crieth out Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne When Mary Magdalene hath her head and heart a Fountain of water because of her sins then she is greatly indeared in her affections to Christ Those love much to whom much is forgiven as our Saviour at large sheweth Luk. 7.46 If then thou art not perswaded of thy debts or if the thoughts of them do not afflict and grieve thee never think that Christ will be chief in thy heart Oh then begin here lay this for a Foundation saying All these precious Truths will be spilt like water upon the ground until I be of a broken contrite heart for sinne The Prodigall never regarded the bread and Fulnesse in his Fathers House till he comes to want even husks themselves Joab would not come to Absalom till all his Corn was fired Neither do we readily and willingly runne to Christ till God hath shot his arrow into us tiill he hath wounded us at the heart till we feel sinne the greatest burthen and that because God is dishonoured and provoked and indeed this may be a very good motive to Repentance and humiliation because there is such an excellent Remedy Thou needest not fear going into the depths of this water because Christ will preserve thee therein No wonder if a man not beleeving or acquainted with this Truth be afraid to think of his sinnes That with Luther he hates the word Repent for there is nothing but despair and hopelesnesse about sinne till this Truth be discovered Oh then be no longer afraid to have thy sinnes brought to thy minde Say not They are a greater burthen then can be born for had Cain beleeved in Christ Had Judas beleeved in Christ Their sick and wounded Souls had quickly been healed It 's not the greatnesse nor the multitude of thy sinnes It 's not the terrible aggravations of them may wholly overwhelm thee if so be thou dost but cast Anchor upon Christ 2. If you would have an high esteem of this Point labour for a spiritual heavenly heart For as Christ in his Mediation is wholly spirituall
though this be greatly controverted yet there are places very probable 2 Cor. 3. God was in Christ reconciling the world viz. of Elect Thus Christ cals himself the bread of the world and the Lamb that takes away the sinnes of the world The doubt then is in what sence the world is here used And 1. It cannot be the world of the Elect for they are expresly praied for because given of the Father to Christ Neither can it be the world of wicked men meerly as so for many wicked men that are so now yet afterwards are converted as v. 23. That the world may know thou hast sent me that is those who for the present are of the world but afterwards are converted to Faith and Repentance It remaineth therefore by the world must be understood those that are not Elected the world of Reprobates And that this is the genuine Interpretation is plain because the world is opposed to that number of men who are given by the Father to Christ as the opposition manifesteth Not for the world but those thou hast given me Neither can it be evaded as some would I pray not for the world is in the same sence and for the same things as I do for Beleevers viz. perseverance and preservation from sinne because where the Text doth not limit or distinguish we must not And besides he praieth for those Elected persons that were as yet actually of the world that they might know and beleeve in Christ which praier the Reprobates did most need and therefore if Christ had praied at all for them it would have been for that which was most necessary The sence then thus explained observe That Christs Mediatory praier and so his Death is not for all the world but only some certain persons who are given by the Father to Christ Christs praier and Death is not intended for all and every particular man but for some only The Doctrine stands upon this bottome Those that Christ would not pray for he died not for neither was he a Mediatour for but not for the world would he pray onely some Elected by the Father Therefore neither did he die for such This Point is controversall and I have no Inclination to lanch in such deeps partly because plain practical matter is more profitable for the greater part that hear It 's bread and not a stone fish and not a Serpent you ask for and then partly the Question is of so vast a comprehension that not one hour or many is sufficient to leade you into the very porch of it much lesse all the secret rooms of it and then partly it hath been agitated by the choicest men of Learning that the former or latter Ages of the Churches ever had and therefore should be handled in a Scholastical succinct manner not popular and humiletical as our Sermons are These things I say do discourage but because the doctrine of Universal grace and redemption is a gangreen every where spreading and an Idoll which flesh and bloud doth adore and many specious pretences of Scripture are brought for it Give me leave to say something and because the controversie like Moses his face shineth gloriously and is so sublime that the common eye cannot endure to look on it I will put a Vail upon it and condescend to the meanest capacity as much as the nature of the Truth will bear and shall make way to clear and state the Doctrine by several Notandum's or particular Considerations which will be to the main Truth as John Baptist was to Christ And first Consider there is a necessary connexion between Christs praier or Intercession and his Death They are of an equal latitude and extent whom he praieth for he dieth for whom he dieth for he praieth for Rom. 8.34 Christs Death Resurrection and Intercession are all in a Chain together and applied to the same Subjects And indeed it must needs be so because Christs praier is one part of his Priestly office The oblation of himself as a Sacrifice for sinne was the other Christ then as the great high-Priest did partly pray and partly offer up himself in a Mediatory way for his people We might well therefore put both these in the Doctrine praier and his Death Though the Text speak but of praier because the one is necessarily joyned to the other and this Praier therefore is made upon the oblation of himself being to leave the world As for that Praier of Christ on the Crosse Father forgive them for they know not what they do It 's to be considered that seeing the Scripture saith he was heard in what he praied for therefore all those whom he intended in that Praier had the forgivenesse of their sinnes and we may be the rather induced so to think because he names only those that did they knew not what in crucifying of him Wherefore it 's thought those three thousand Jews converted by Peters Sermon were most of those for whom Christ praied on the Crosse For the Apostle chargeth this upon them that they had crucified the Lord of glory ignorantly 2. Though Christ in his praier and death had special love and regard to some of mankinde and not all yet there is no man that is damned can lay the blame any where but upon himself That Rule is of perpetual Truth O Israel thy destruction is of thy self Hos 13.9 And thus the Scripture doth every where make death and hell the wages of sinne Therefore if any would from this doctrine inferre such Conclusions That then a man is not to be found fault with No blame is to be laid upon him but upon non-Election or the particularity of Christs death We abhorre such consequences and say with Paul to some who gathered poison out of that honey-doctrine he preached God forbid Let not then thy heart cavill prophanely in this Point for there is no eminent doctrine in Religion but if a man let loose his carnal heart he may wrest wicked Conclusions from the best premises The true cause and ground of every mans damnation is because of Impenitency and hardnesse of heart in sinne with unbelief Neither may we or can we conceive a man able to say thus O Lord I was ready and prepared to beleeve and repent There was nothing of any good desires wanting in me only the death of Christ that was too much restrained to others but not to me and therefore not for my sinne but meerly for want of a latitude in Christs death I must perish Such an Imagination as this is a meer Chimera There never was or can be any person able to pleade so so that if you take this along with you that no such absurdities and blasphemies follow from Christs speciall love in his death and Intercession you have taken away the Gorgons head that useth to make it so terrible 3. It 's good to take notice of that ordinary distinction The Sufficiency and worth of Christs death in
appropriated if no man had the light of the Sun but one or few men Oh what a price would be put upon it It 's then proptiety both with God and man that is the Fountain of all good of all care and brings about all the blessednesse that Gods Children have To open this Point and not to fall in with what you have heard already 1. Take notice That a people becomes the Lords peculiar ones his Jewels solely by his grace and goodwill He hath chosen us and not we him he loved us first The great God of heaven who might have made other people other persons his treasure did out of his own meer goodnesse take thee and thee into such a blessed relation The Apostle doth every where in his Epistles reduce it to this cause The counsell of his will and out of his meer grace and certainly if Deut. 9.5 the Lord doth again and again inform the Israelites that it was not for their righteousnesse or any good in them but meerly because be set his love on them that he made them his externall people by an outward Covenant how much rather must it needs be the meer grace of God to make a people inwardly and spiritually his so that whosoever finde themselves thus appropriated to God to be able with the Church to say as she doth many times because our blessednesse lieth in this I am my well-beloveds and my well-beloved is mine Cant. 6.3 Oh let such be deeply humbled and even astonished under the discriminating Grace of God I am the Lords when the devils are not when such men of parts abilities and great Revenues in the world And if the Lord would have looked to any thing in man how many thousands are there that if converted would have been more glorious Instruments of Gods glory then I am 2. As it is the meer goodnesse of God to make a people his so it is not out of any want or any necessity any need that he hath of us that he did thus make us his and this also is a quickning consideration Husbands have Wives because they want such helps Masters have Servants because they need them Even the greatest Monarchs want their people But it is otherwise with God My goodnesse extends not to thee saith David Psa 16.2 And thus Job was told that if he were perfect and righteous he did not advantage God God is the Elshaddai the Allsufficient God blessed and happy enough in himself Though he had never created the world Though he had not appointed one man to Eternal glory yet such was his goodnesse that he would have those Objects to whom he might communicate of his fulnesse And therefore God of many thousands hath made such and such his not that he wanted their graces duties or praiers but that they might partake of his riches 3. When Christ saith here They are thine he doth not exclude himself from having a propriety in them nor the holy Ghost neither For this is the infinite priviledge of the Godly that they are both the Fathers and the Sons and the holy Ghosts not only because whatsoever one person hath the other hath as Christ saith All mine are thine and thine are mine but in an appropriated consideration Thus Christ saith they are the Fathers They are thine in the present tense he had formerly at the sixth Verse used the preterperfect tense Thine they were but now he useth the present tense to shew that though the Father had given them to Christ yet he had not abdicated or quitted himself of his interest in them he had not so given them to the Sonne as that the Father had no dominion or right to them but they did still continue the the Fathers possession though they were given to Christ And as they are the Fathers so they are the Sons purchased people also They belong to Christ in an indeared manner which makes them to be called bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Eph. 5.30 To be his members and body as he is the head They are also the holy Ghosts and therefore they are said to have the Spirit dwelling in them and they are his Temple and they are led by the Spirit and walk in the Spirit We are the Fathers by meer grace and therefore are given to Christ as a Mediatour We are Christs by merit for he purchased us by his bloud We are the Spirits by operation for he works the holy Image of God in us Oh then that our hearts were enlarged in this matter that we might wonder how and why we who are not worth the owning or the the looking after should yet be made the Lords in such indeared respects 4. When the Godly are said to be the Fathers though it doth not exclude the other persons yet it doth all other creatures By this we are delivered from all other proprieters and interest whatsoever and this makes the phrase to contain in it a Treasure of happinesse as first Seeing we are the Fathers therefore we are no longer the devils We are no more in his possession and under his dominion We may see by the Scripture in what a wofull and cursed state all men by nature are They belong to the devil they are his proper goods The devil hath them as his even as he hath the damned in hell though in this life there may be hope of delivering them whereas the damned have none Eph. 2. The devil who is called the God of this world is said to rule in the hearts of the disobedient Hell is not more the devils place then the heart of a wicked man and therefore 1 Tim. 2.26 they are said to be Captives to the devil to be like tamed birds and our Saviour tels the Pharisees They were of their Father the devil Joh. 8. And why because they did his works So that whosoever doth the works committeth the sins that the devils do the devil is their Father Though they rage and are mad at such a charge and this is the reason in part why the glorious fruit of Christs death is called a Redemption and why he is called a Redeemer because we were wholly in bondage and captivity to the devil We were his he had a proper right to us till Christ redeemed us Oh that the ungodly men of the world should hear this and not tremble Whose art thou To whom dost thou belong Who may challenge thee but the devil There are a cursed sort of men who give themselves to the devil by compact in the waies of witchcrafts Now all wicked men though not by such an expresse Covenant yet implicitely by their wicked waies give themselves up to be the devils Oh what a terrible thing is this to consider that though thou canst say These grounds are mine these Cattell are mine these goods are mine yet thou thy self art the devils Oh consider that the devil will have his own when thou diest he will lose nothing
and the merits of their own works eclipse Christ Hence they are like the Moon which though it receiveth all light from the Sunne yet is the only thing that obscures and ecclipseth it by its Interposition 3. To glorifie Christ is not thus only to acknowledge him and to rest on him for these are only internal acts of the soul and so a spiritual inward glory known by God only but it 's greatly seen in the outward confession and profession of him and that to the greatest reproach and danger which can be in the world Rom. 10. With the heart man beleeveth but with the tongue profession is made to Salvation He that will be saved must in the greatest danger and most scornful reproaches own Christ and his way Thus our Saviour Luk 12.8 Whosoever shall not confesse me before a crooked generation of him my Father and I will be ashamed Certainly in this particular the Disciples did highly honour Christ for we know Christ himself was both by birth and life in a most contemptible manner There was no comelinesse or desirablenesse in him and then at last was crucified in a most ignominious manner Now for the Apostles to look on him as the Messias to have such high and indeared thoughts of him when all the world held Christ wretched and accursed and would not upon any terms be of his followers this was greatly to honour him Therefore our Saviour said Blessed is he that is not offended at me Mat. 11.6 It was the greatest wonder in the world not to stumble at Christ We see the wise men the great men that lived then they were all offended at his meannesse Is not this the Carpenters Son Mar. 4. Oh how hard would it have been for us to have received him as the Messias if we had lived in those daies for those that followed Christ they were but a handful comparatively and they were of the more despicable sort and they were accounted illiterate and mad simple people that adhered to him 4. They glorifie Christ who receive him as a Lord and King to whose Laws they willingly submit themselves For the self-self-love of a man may make him glad of Christ as a Saviour but then to resigne up themselves in an obediential manner to all the commands of Christ in this they draw back Christ is not to be considered only as a propitiation for our sins but also as a King who doth govern his people by holy and spiritual laws and hence we may reade that he interpreted the Law in a more spiritual and strict way Mat. 5. then the Pharisaical Doctors had done and laid the axe to the very root of all corruption within us he forbids heart-lusts heart-passions these Embers in the fire though they never flame out he cals upon all to deny themselves to take up their crosse and to follow him To love him more then Father or mother If therefore we would honour Christ it 's our duty to forsake all those rebellions we are guilty of To lay down our opposition and enmity against his commands to take his yoke upon us and to think it light and easie What an honour was it to Christ to have men leave all their outward subsistence and earthly comforts to follow him Did they not hereby declare that they prized the service of Christ more then all the world and that they accounted more of his commands then the greatest Monarchs in the world So that all who walk disorderly and contrary to Christs command they say with those in the Parable Christ shall not reign over us Though he will reign over them maugre all their disobedience if he do not govern them with the Scepter of grace he will break them with a rod of Iron 5. Those that suffer and endure all persecutions willingly for his Name and Truth They do in an high degree glorifie Christ In a special manner did Christ take notice of his Disciples because they had accompanied him in his Temptations and the Apostle Peter doth at large shew how God is glorified when men suffer not for ill doing but as Christians That as they glorifie Christ so Christ makes a spirit of glory to rest upon them 1 Pet. 4.14 Those marks Paul did bear on his body They were so many Trophees Even as Souldiers count wounds a mark of honour they have received in fight for their commander When the Disciples went away rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer any thing for Christs sake This did greatly redound to Christs glory Oh then let not the people of God be afraid or shrink at reproaches dishonours and troubles for Christs sake for wherein can they glorifie him more Or can the world say upon better grounds Behold how they loved Christ and his Truth better then their estates or their lives Those millions of Martyrs that have died for Christs sake brought an astonishing even to the very heathens No Emperour or Monarch No Master or Teacher ever had such a multitude of Disciples readily sacrificing their lives so that we mistake if we think the glory of Christ hath been in such an outward pomp as earthly Kings have been No by sufferings by revilings by the most cruell deaths that malicious men could invent they made the Name of Christ glorious through the whole world Even as Christ called his own death a glorifying both of himself and his Father so did the miseries and calamities of his Children redound greatly to his honour for greater love and esteem they could not shew then by laying down their lives for him 6. Those honour Christ and glorifie him who walk in an holy and worthy manner to that calling whereby Christ hath called them 2 Thes 1.12 That the Name of Christ may be glorified in them And how was that by walking worthy of their calling Even as on the other side when men live prophanely and wickedly they reproach Christ and make the Gentiles to blaspheme the Christian way Oh that this were sadly thought upon by most Is not every Town every Family full of cursing swearing drunken and unclean persons Now these are a Reproach to Christ they make the Christian Religion a scorn and the name of it even to stink Even as Salvian a zealous Writer against the prophane lives of Christians said The heathens by way of scorn might say Christiani sanctè vixissent si Christus sancta docuisset They thought the reason why Christians had no more sober chaste and godly lives was because Christ was not an holy Law-giver he did not give them holy precepts The loosenesse and prophanesse of a Servant is a disgrace to his Master and what dishonour must this be that those who call upon Christs Name yet should live according to the devils temptations that they should say they are for Christ and their lives for Satan 7. They honour and glorifie Christ who live chearfully and comfortably in the midst of all their troubles and exercises For
more were Gods mercies Christ that gave them but drops before doth now bid them drink the whole cup of praise and Thanks-giving Now they are taken up to the Mount of Transfiguration They have not only clusters but the Vine it self Consolations abound now when never it may be before Thirdly The Lord Christ his care is seen even in the dangers and afflictions themselves and that divers waies 1. In not suffering them to be but when there is a necessity you are afflicted if need be 1 Pet. 1.6 That word is full of consolation Theâ—â— no affliction no triall but thou didst need it considering thy corruption â—hy dulnesse thy earthlinesse there was a necessity to have some affliction fall upon thee to humble thee and to make thee more enlivened Hence afflictions are compared to the cutting off the luxurious branches of the Vine Joh. 15. which is necessary Frosts and cold have their necessity and both mans body and the ground needs that as well as the Summer This made David say Out of very Faithfulnesse thou hast afflicted me Psa 119.75 And hence afflictions are attributed to Gods Love Whom he loveth he chasteneth Rev. 3. and all because the people of God could not be so fruitful and active if they were not thus chastened So then here is Christs care there shall not be any trouble but when necessary 2. As he wisely ordereth them to be so his great care and love is seen in the time and season when they are inflicted Afflictions will not in every season do good no more then the cutting down of trees or pruning of them is at any time to be done The Patient may dye by the unseasonable letting of bloud Therefore Christ sheweth his great care and love to take the opportune season to afflict and to exercise thee As God would not have mercy upon Epaphroditus presently but he lets him lie in danger it being thereby better both for him and Paul was thereby much afflicted Paul had the buffetings of Satan which did greatly humble him but when was the time after his Revelations And therefore that then it might not puff him above measure It was that he had those Thorns in his side so that Christ doth not onely regard the necessity but the fit time and season of all thy Troubles Even as Christ himself came in the fulnesse of time so doe all his chastisements if they should come sooner or later they would not do that good Paul praieth thrice yet could not remove those strong Temptations 1 Co. 12. 3. His love and care is seen in the nature and kinde of the affliction and trouble There are calamities of all sorts Now as it 's not all kinde of Physick that is for every disease so neither all kinde of calamities that are fit for every sinne Hezekiah gloried proudly in the Treasures he had and therefore God caused an Enemy to come and spoil him of them he might see by the afflictions what his sinne was David was too inordinately affected to Absalom and Adonijah and they became rebels to him and sore afflictions Oh it 's a great matter to observe the wisedom and goodnesse of God in ordering that kinde of affliction rather for thee then another Thou wast not thankful to God for thy health or serviceable to him therefore he afflicts thee with sicknesse The people of Israel were weary of Gods Service therefore God delivered them up to evil Lords and Masters that they should know what another service meant One Godly man lieth under one affliction and another under another Now if one had that which another hath he could never bear it it would be more then death to him so that the wisedome and love of Christ is to be admired in all say this very kinde of affliction and at this time comes from the love and care of Christ 4. As the kinde so the continuance God will not let it abide any longer then it doth his work These horse-leeches shall suck no longer then the corrupt bloud lasteth The devil shall throw some of you into prison ten daies Rev. 2.10 See there how God orders it first it 's but some of them and then into prison there is the kinde for ten daies there is the continuance which made the Psalmist say The rod of the wicked shall not alwaies rest upon the back of the Righteous Psal 125.3 It 's true the people of God have many times thought their deliverance too long Will the Lord cast off for ever Hath he forgotten to be gracious Thus they expostulate and complain but God at another time sâ—â—â—he would hasten it in due time Isa 60.22 and he cals it but a moment â—â—â—rein he had hid his face from them Isa 54.7 although it was seventy years So that the flesh saith one thing and the Spirit of God another Know then that thy exercise is for a continued or appointed time God hath set bounds to these waters and therefore be not discouraged under them Lastly The care and love of Christ is seen in working out a way and making an escape from thâ—m when it 's for their good and his glory There hath no temptation befallen you but out of which he will make a way to escape 1 Cor. 10 13. The Lord knoweth how to deliver those that are his The Artificer knoweth when to take his Gold out of the Fire The wise Physician knoweth when there is bloud let out enough Thus much more doth God know when thy afflictions have done the Errand he sent them about The Wisedom of God also can finde out a way to save thee out of them For he that could finde out a way to save thee from sinne and hell much rathar can he finde out a way to deliver thee from this or that temptation In the fourth general place Christs care and love is seen in sanctifying and fitting thy troubles that they shall be for thy spiritual benefit Whatsoever may be done to thy estate or life yet nothing shall hurt the soul Thus the Prophet This is the fruit of Iacobs trouble to purge away his sinne Isaiah 27.9 and Rom. 8. All things work to the good of them whom God loveth Christ that hath so loved thee would never let this or that come upon thee did he not intend to turn it for thy spirituall good This made David say Before he was afflicted he went astray Psal 119. And when both these go together Afflictions and Sanctification David cals it a Blessednesse not a misery Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest thy way Psal 94 12. If God teacheth thee by thy afflictions the bitternesse of sinne the duty of Faith and weanednesse of Spirit from the world Oh it 's a blessed sicknesse a blessed losse Thank God that ever he laid his hand upon thee Though it seemed grievous to flesh and thou wert apt to be impatient yet nothing under Heaven was better for thee Not that we are to pray for
afflictions It 's disputed whether we may or no but we may not because they are an evil and so no fit object of our desires and in themselves they do no good unlesse sanctified but if the Lord chastise us we are to submit and therefore when Jeremiah praieth Jer 10 21. Correct me but not in thy wrath It 's a concession or submission Lord if thou wilt correct me and it cannot be otherwise then do it with much mercy and love Do not then make thy afflictions an argument of Gods withdrawing or leaving of thee but rather of love to thee Christ loves his Disciples dearly yet not so as to keep them from dangers he will let them be in the world and put them to hardship only he will then take the more care of them But the godly heart doth make this ordinary Objection It 's true in those troubles which are for Christs cause as the Apostles were It is no wonder if Christ take such special care of his if he account all the troubles and losses they have upon his score if he say to them as Abiathar the Priest I was the occasion of all the Priests bloud therefore stay with me thou shalt be as I am and I as thou art but my troubles and afflictions are the fruit of my sin It 's not for Christs Name but want of love to Christ it is my dulnesse and lukewarmnesse that hath brought anger upon me To this consider 1. It cannot be denied but that there is a great difference between those afflictions that are exploratory which are to draw out the graces of the godly and to encrease their glory which comforted one Martyr who said he thanked God though he had sins yet it was not for his sins but his duties they put him to death and those which are castigatory for some sinne committed yet even such are not to cast away all comfort because though there is not so much yet there is great cause of joy even to such if humbled and sensible of sinne under Gods hand for 1. Though it be bitter because it 's for sin yet it 's comfortable to feel thy sin and to repent of it Oh then though thou mournest because thy sinne hath brought this on thee yet rejoyce because thou hast an heart to repent of it The true penitent de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet So that the brokennesse and tendernesse of heart is an evident testimony of thy ground to rejoyce 2. Consider thy voluntary accepting of thy afflictions and judging thy self for them maketh all thy afflictions to be a kinde of Martyrdome It 's required we should accept of the punishment of our sinne Levit. 26.41 And 1 Cor. 11. We are to judge our selves 2 Cor. 7. The Corinthians repenting had a holy revenge upon themselves Now when we do thus kisse the Rod and willingly accept of this affliction It 's a kinde of Martyrdom It is for Gods cause and out of love to him that thou dost with patience endure it 3. Thou hast the chiefest ground of comfort which ever Christs Sufferers have though not that particular they have For the Martyrs did not rejoyce in their Sufferings as matter of merit and as that which was equal to Eternal Glory No They could not but finde many Imperfections even in those noble undertakings And therefore desired pardon even for their very dying for Christ that they had no such perfect faith and patience as they ought It was therefore Christ and his Sufferings administred them all their comforts and this thou maist take though thy sinnes have caused thy afflictions Vse of Instruction what Treasures of comfort the Godly have With what triumph and joy they might live even in the greatest afflictions if beleeving this But oh our leannesse our leannesse whence come all those dejections those outcries I fear this and that may undo me but because Faith doth not present Christ with his open arms ready to preserve them well is beleeving called Eating of Christs flesh and Drinking his bloud Joh. 6. For as a man though he have never so much dainties yet if he eat not they do him no good so it is here Though Christ have never so much love and pity towards thee yet if thou beleeve not this it helpeth thee not Vse 2. of woe to the wicked that are cast out of all his care let the devil tempt them let sin overcome them let hell devour them yet Christ hath not taken them into his special favour SERMON LI. Of the great Danger of Gods Peoples being in the world chiefly from its tempting and seducing to Sinne. JOH 17.11 But these are in the world OUR Saviours Argument you heard in the behalf of his Disciples was partly from the state and condition of Christ who was now leaveing of them and partly from the Apostles who were still to continue in the world as sheep without a Shepherd and that amongst Wolves Therefore the danger they were in is made an Argument why Christs Praier should be heard for them This troublesome and dangerous estate of the Apostles is described in these words But these are in the world Where Note 1. The adversative particle 2. The condition it self The adversative particle is expressed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for whereas the Learned observe that that particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used three waies in Scripture 1. Which is most common as conjunctive 2. As adversative 3. As argumentative Here we see it used in all these respects in one Verse And I am no more c. But these are in the world for I go to the Father so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be translated here As for the Condition it self To be in the world is no more then to have our abode here amongst men who by nature are all set against God and his waies and so daily conceiving and plotting mischief against the Kingdom of Christ So that to say They were in the world was to say They were in the midst of the Sea under the power of all windes and tempests without any haven wherein every moment they might expect utter destruction Obs That the godly mans life in this world is full of spiritual danger and outward trouble For To be in the world these two things are implied To be in a place of wickednesse where are daily temptations to sinne and in a place of misery where are constant troubles and pressures and indeed the former is the greatest evil though we fear the latter more Therefore our Saviour praieth v. 15. that the Father would keep them from the evil of the world They must be in the world but let not the evil thereof infect them it being no lesse a miracle to be kept from the sinnes of the world while we live in it then for those three Worthies not to be burned while in the fiery Furnace The Apostle John excellently describeth the foul contagion of the world 1 Ioh. 5.19 The whole
God We act with subordination and dependance on him we keep our selves because God inableth us to do so as the less wheel is moved by the greater as the greater orbmoveth the less so that here is no glory or praise due to us no more than the pen that writeth or the hatchet that cuts for we depend wholly upon God both quoad esse the essence and being of grace would not continue did not he uphold it as also quoad posse and quoad operari Therefore our keeping is not contra-distinct or separate keeping from God as if he were one partial cause and we another as when two lift one burden but ours is from him by him and under him as the Master guideth the hand of the Scholar to write Hence in the third place We may acknowledge Gods power to help us and that several wayes and yet not not give the full glory that belongeth to him All the Erratical Starres that have been in the Churches firmament have at last acknowledged some power some auxiliary help of grace but yet justly condemned by the Orthodox as robbing grace of its due praise for if a man should say It 's Gods power that helpeth us because he created us at first with a rational soul so giving of us understanding and will whereby we are inabled to choose what is good here Gods power is acknowledged but at a remote distance Here like some Heathens we sacrifice the wax to God but keep the honey to our selves thus Nature and Grace is confounded Pelagius at first thought this would serve But if a man should go further acknowledging Gods power in revealing the object though he worketh nothing upon the subject Here God is acknowledged but at a low rate Thus also Pelagius said It was the grace and power of God to make known and reveal the objects of faith but when revealed then we have power to believe them as a man cannot see till the Sunne arise but of himself he hath perfect eyes to behold the light Here is power given to God but not enough who doth not onely prepare the object but fit and sanctifie the subject Further If a man confess the power of God to help Not absolutely to do that which is good but to do it more easily and willingly as Pelagius at last did yeeld Here is Gods power acknowledged but still here is not glory enough ascribed to God God will have all the glory or else none Lastly If we acknowledge the help of God to keep us necessarily yet if we make it a general indeterminate cause and not efficacious till by mans will it be particularized Here is something attributed to God but yet still much ascribed to man Therefore though the Jesuites have many large Tractates De auxiliis gratiae yet because they do not make Grace efficacious in it self antecedently to our will but our will to improve that Therefore still we say They advance not Grace for it 's not Grace unlesse it be Gratuita omni modo Thus then you see a necessity of informing your judgements in this Point That no subtill Hereticks under fair pretences and acknowledgements of Grace do deceive you For Pelagius deceived the Eastern Bishops by this means yea Sulpitius was seduced by the Pelagians who had been a long enemy to them which when he perceived he was so grieved that he enjoyned himself perpetual silence as the Centuriators observe In the next place Let us consider How many waies the power of God doth thus keep us and let it not be thought tedious if I be long on this Text I do not compell the Text to go one mile one Sermon further than it would The honey drops from the comb without any crushing of it And First The power of God keepeth his people in the way of grace inspirando by inspiring and breathing into the Soul such holy thoughts and quickning meditations that thereby we are kept in the fear of sinne and love of God alwayes The Apostle saith We are not able to think of our selves any thing tending to our own good or the good of others but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3 7. How vain idle and distractive would our thoughts be if the Spirit of God did not suggest and put in other things Therefore that is promised as a remembrancer to bring to our mindes such things as we let slip when the Church prayeth Arise O North and blow O South Cant. 4.6 that her garden may give a smell it 's a prayer for the heavenly and holy breathings of Gods Spirit into the soul Secondly The power of God helpeth excitando by stirring up and quickning those habits and principles of grace which are in us Our faith our love are apt to lie dormant in the soul till they be awakened Thus David though in the state of grace prayeth often That God would quicken him that he might keep Gods Commandments Psal 119. And this the Church prayeth for Cant. 1. Draw me and we will run after thee so that were there not this drawing this quickning the people of God would be like so many lumps of earth they would be very Idols in all their duties seeing they would not see and though knowing yet not understand This exciting grace is as necessary every moment to thee for spiritual life as the air is for thy natural Thirdly The power of God keeps inclinando by inclining and determining the heart For though the heart have grace in it habitually yet the world and sin tempt strongly so that these habitual principles work not till God incline and determine the heart as Ezek. 36. besides an heart of flesh God promiseth to cause him to walk in his statutes David prayed That God would incline his heart to keep his Law This determining grace is that which Pelagians Arminians and Jesuites object against whereas if the power of God doth not this our power will have the greater part in our Salvation Fourthly The power of God keeps us dirigendo by directing and ordering our steps so that we do not fall We are very weak and unskilfull and like babes who are said Heb. 6. to be unskilfull in the word of righteousness Christ and the way of faith is unknown to us a strange thing to us As Sampson being blinde needed one to direct him where the beams were Thus we need direction concerning the Author of our strength and how we may be made partakers of it When David was in Saul's armour he could not tell how to weild or manage it The Lord Christ he it is that strengthens his people a kinde of omnipotency is communicated to them by him I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 But there is much skill and an heavenly act required to make use of Christ and to derive power from him Therefore the Lord helpeth us by directing our hearts unto the love of Christ and faith in him 1 Thess 3.5 Hence David many
worship Thus all is done in a corporal manner and whereas of old it was sursum corda now it is deorsum corda None are more devoid of spirituall Understanding then those that are thus busied in a visible carnal way of Religion 3. The corrupt Opinions about Sacramenes as if they did conveigh Grace and Christ by the very work done This is also to know Christ after a carnall manner for it 's not the Ordinances but the Spirit of God in and by them that doth us any good Joh. 6. The flesh profiteth little but the Spirit yet this hath been the universal disease of Gods Church in all Ages In the Old Testament there they rested upon the Sacrifices upon the Temple upon their external Rites Oh how often do the Prophets labour to convince them of this errour Hence Paul speaks of a Jew in the flesh and in the Letter and a Iew in the Spirit Rom 2. and all the Jewish rites are called carnal Ordinances and beggarly They bring no real good to them that are exercised therein without the Spirit and may we not say that almost all Christianity is but a religious carnality a resting and relying upon Ordinances so farre as they are bodily and visibly performed When the Apostle 1 Pet. 3. had said Baptism serveth to prevent all mistakes he addeth Not the washing of the body but the answer of a good conscience When a man upon good examination of himself can say O Lord thou knowest that I do in truth and uprightness keep to those duties I am solemnly by Baptism engaged unto Thus for the Lords Supper is not it the very receiving of it judged the very saving of men Do not commonly people take it as if in the very bread and wine there were some Sacrifical vertue as when they take Physick they judge some Physical inherent vertue in that to help them Oh what Ieremy hath his head full enough of water to bewail this carnall grosse and ignorant Christianity that is in the world which judgeth the very Sacraments or any bodily worship in praiers or singing of Psalmes though they be but as Parrats in these things to be great evidences for heaven But as the body without the soul is dead and a lothsome Carkasse thus is all thy Religion worship and Ordinances a dead lothsome thing in the presence of God without the Spirit This the Apostle cals serving of God in the oldnesse of the letter not the newnesse of the Spirit Rom. 7.6 And in this sence we may say the Letter killeth and damneth but the Spirit giveth life Oh then be afraid thou art not one of those that split their souls at this Rock This is the common poison that devoureth most Even as the Scripture speaks contemptibly of the Egyptian Army Isa 31.3 They are flesh and not spirit The same may be said of all that Religion and devotion which most put confidence in But yet take heed of another extream errour that crieth down the Ordinances and under pretence of a spirituall high attainment which they think they have wholly lay aside these visible Ordinances and performances which Christ hath appointed in his Church till the end of the world 4. Then men would have Christ after a visible manner when they pretend Revelations and Miracles For what is this but to leave the Word and the promises as if that were not sufficient God indeed hath condescended to support sence as when he vouchsafed Miracles in the Infancy of the Church yea the Sacraments he hath appointed are a kinde of relief to our sence he considered our weaknesse in appointing such visible Signs but when we are not contented with Gods Institutions but desired such sensible supports which he will not afford This proceeds from a carnal disposition in us This is the cause in Popery why they tell us of such miraculous apparitions they will tell you of Crucifixes bleeding of Christs visible appearing of such great wonders done upon the Invocation of such and such Saints and all this is to humour the carnal part of a man for spiritual things are supernatural and very hard and difficult to flesh and bloud 5. This is to know Christ after a corporal manner when we professe his Truth and acknowledge his waies only for earthly advantages as he said Fac me Episcopum Romanum ere Christianus Thus they did of whom Paul made mention with weeping that they were enemies to the Crosse of Christ that their God was their belly that they minded earthly things Phil. 3.19 Such Disciples were those that followed Christ because of the Loaves Now the Lord Christ he cals to such duties that are opposite to flesh and bloud that are against the incilination of our nature To pull out the right eye To deny our selves To take up the Cross We are not to be of those that love Christs Crown of gold but not his Crown of Thorns How greatly did Mahumetan Religion prevail by such Doctrines as were pleasing to the corrupt inclinations and sinful pleasures of men and because Christs Doctrine was accompanied with so much difficulty Lastly There is in the godly sometimes an inordinate desire after Christ in a sensible manner and that is when they cannot rest upon the promises beleeve on Gods Word barely unlesse they have also evident and sensible Consolations Bare acts of depending faith and constant waitings on God in the way of his promise argue thee to be more spiritual in thy Christian warfare Vse of Instruction how much it becometh all Christians to be a spirituall people for all things in Christ are spiritual and all benefits to be received by him are in a spiritual manner How comes Christs Death Christs Resurrection effectual to thee but in a spirituall manner You cannot now do so much as the Woman in the History touch the hem of his garment You cannot with Thomas put your fingers in the print of nails No here is the Eye of Faith required to behold Christ Christ bid the Woman touch him not for he was not yet ascended but we may say Because he is ascended do not thou have carnal imaginations about him It is for want of a spiritual heart that so many titular Christians have no real vertue or efficacy from him He is not an Head he is not a Vine he is not Wisedom Righteousnesse and all things to thee because thou art not a spiritual Subject to entertain him SERMON LXIII Of the Saints Lord-Keeper Shewing how safe the Godly are kept to Salvation by Christ as a Trust committed to him JOH 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy Nam◠c. HAving dispatched the Circumstances of time and place we proceed to the Benefit it self which is expressed with the efficient cause of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the manner how In thy Name Because something hath already been spoken to this I shall be the briefer in both the particulars First The Benefit with the cause
is a grief thou must be grieved for how many sad thoughts and tears will require more sad thoughts and tears Vse of Instruction on the contrary It 's Christs special will that all who live wickedly should have no comfort Wo to ye that laugh and there is no peace to the wicked Isa 57.21 SERMON LXXVIII The severall Sorts of Joy and the Nature of Spirituall Joy Shewing also how farre it transcends and differs from Worldly Joy JOHN 17.13 That they might have my Joy fulfilled in themselves THese words are the finall cause of Christs solemn prayer for his Disciples Wherein you have The Benefit it self described and the Manner of possessing of it The Benefit it self is My Joy This may be understood Actively and Passively Actively for that joy which Christ might take from his Disciples being preserved in purity of Doctrine and Unity amongst themselves Thus some understand it and parallel a like place Phil. 2 2· where Paul bids them fulfill his joy which was the joy he would take by seeing their happy agreement but because it 's said in the Text That this joy may be fulfilled in the Disciples themselves Therefore it is more consonant to understand it passively of that joy which the Disciples took in him and the benefits flowing from him So that it may be called Christs joy both effectively because he is the Authour and giver of it as also objectively because it is in him in divine and holy things not in the world much lesse in the pleasures of sin Now the Manner of possessing is that it may be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled up that they might have a good measure of joy overflowing he would have every part of the soul filled with it and every kinde of joy yea degree of it some superficiall joy for the degree of it or some transient joy for the continuance of it doth not answer our Saviours prayer it must be filled up Lastly Here is the Subject recipient of it in themselves This say some is spoken oppositely to worldly joy to such as men take in the pleasures of the world these are but in the face in the countenance they are not cordial and hearty Observ 1. That there is a joy in Christ which his people are to have fulfilled in them As they are to be filled with grace so with consolations and one floweth from the other though not naturally It 's of great concernment to treat of this joy because the people of God look upon it as a thing above their reach They are convinced of repentance of humiliation but not of walking joyfully There is a three-fold Joy 1. A Naturall Joy which is an implanted affection in a man and of it self simply considered is not a sin 2. There is a Sinnefull Joy which runneth into two streams either when the Object is wholly unlawfull when it 's a forbidden Tree and we may not eat of it And thus to rejoyce in our evil doings to take delight in the wayes of wickednesse this is a wicked joy that will end in tormenting sorrow and it argueth a wretched distemper of the soul otherwise it would finde sinne to be terrible and bitter but through the corrupted constitution of the heart it comes about that they delight in sinne as distempered stomacks do in coales ashes or such drosse Again there is a sinnefull joy when the Object matter is lawfull but then we exceed in the measure in the bounds or limits we over-joy The water runnes over the bank and then it gets soyl and it 's as hard to rejoyce in these things and to sinne not as it is to be angry and sinne not 3. There is a gracious and an heavenly Joy when the soul delights it self in God and Christ in all heavenly Objects For though to wicked men these things are a burden yet to an heavenly heart they are the most connaturall Object They are the proper center of the soul as David often professeth his joy in the Lord It 's of this we are to speak of only we must inform you something of joy in the generall The Philosophers speak of a three-fold affection sutable to one another There is Love which is carried out to an Object that is good simply considered There is Desire which moveth to some good thing but absent and not yet obtained And then there is Joy which ariseth from the obtaining and possessing of it And answerable to these there are Divine Graces and supernatural works of Gods Spirit in the soul There is the Love of God which next to Faith is of the greatest glory and activity in the soul 2. There are Desires and earnest longings after God to which hunger and thirst a promise is made of being fully satisfied 3. There is Joy which ariseth from the enjoyment of God onely you must know there is Gaudium viae a joy we have while in the way to Heaven which admits of much increase and meeteth with much opposition and there is Gaudium Patriae a joy in Heaven where the soul will then be so filled that it cannot receive any more To know the nature of this Joy Consider First That the efficient cause of it is onely God The Spirit of God is called the Comforter as you heard because he alone poureth it into the heart as the Heavens onely give rain and it 's called Gal 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit which doth imply that it comes solely by Gods Spirit and that there is excellent sweetnesse in it Lusts are called the workes of the flesh but this with other Graces The fruit of the Spirit Hence it is that as in respect of Regeneration the Spirit bloweth where it listeth So also in respect of Consolation How many of Gods children walk with much consolation and abound in much joy And others again go bowed down and greatly tempted not obtaining comfort though they would give a world for it So that as the Husbandman cannot have rain when he would nor the Merchant winde when he would neither can the godly have comfort when they would as appeareth by David praying so earnestly for the Joy he had lost It 's the fruit of the Spirit Therefore joy doth not flow from Graces exercised as by a natural resultancy as heat doth from the fire and light from the Sunne but by Gods voluntary dispensation of it The Schoolmen use to say That a man doth not merit that is their proud phrase by rejoycing in God or good things but by his Love which was antecedent and from which joy they say floweth by a naturall necessity But the Scripture makes these two Love and Joy two distinct works of Gods Spirit and that they are separable experience confirmeth it for many men that are high in Grace are low in Comfort As the tall Mountains have few flowers on them or Mines of Gold little grasse covering them Secondly To this Christian Joy is required a knowledge of God and faith in him as revealed
troublesome world that hereby they may be exercised and made stronger in their graces As God would not immediately put the Israelites into Canaan but did lead them into many dangers and assaulted them with many enemies that so their valour in themselves and their dependance upon God might be more discovered God will not train up his children idly no sooner doth he make them his but he lets the world and the devil loose upon them and why is all this but to draw out their graces to teach them all spiritual military Discipline as Ephes 6. they are to fight as the good souldiers of Christ and to put on the whole Armour of God because they wrestle not with flesh and blood onely but principalities and powers The world then is a field wherein spiritual battels are to be fought The Lord he is the Spectator and beholder of them Thus it is also compared to running a race where there is no time to be idle or sit still but to have thoughts and the whole heart upon the Crown they strive for Expect then exercises and occasions to draw out faith zeal and heavenly fortitude Thirdly God will not take us presently out of the world but leave us here comâ—ating with the reliques of corruption that so being humbled therein we may the more esteem Christ and his righteousnesse When we reade Rom. 7. of a Paul captivated by his lusts and miserably crying out What shall he do See how powerfully this driveth him to Christ I thank God through Jesus Christ It 's true in Heaven we shall give all glory and honour to Christ as that Mediator who hath brought us thither So that Christ shall never be forgotten no not to all eternity by the godly yet in Heaven that particular manner of Justification we have here on earth shall cease for now Rom 4. Justification is of the believer but a sinner and one that is not able to stand upon his own terms before God Therefore Christ is his righteousness and he desireth with Paul to be found in him Phil. 3. not having his own righteousness so then Gospel-righteousness and our evangelical Justification differs from that in Heaven which will be for inherent righteousnesse but it hath pleased God in this life to exalt imputed righteousnesse and to place the cause of all hope and joy without us Therefore that we might for a season be sensible of our unworthinesse and be groaning under our corruptions thereby to be longing after Christ to magnifie his love and all that he hath done for us it 's necessary we should be kept in this conflict here below for we are much affected by sense and experience when therefore every thing within us crieth out for a Christ and the grace of God through him when we feel our selves sinking and even dropping into hell This will make us importune for the favour of God as Christ was experimentally tempted that he might know how to have compassion on us so God will have us experimentally finde the bitterness and weight of sin that so we may the more love Christ who did bear Gods wrath for us Fourthly God will not take his people immediately out of the world that so his goodnesse mercy and providence his wisdome and faithfulnesse may be the more discovered to us In Heaven there the Church is at rest it 's out of all danger there are no waves no rocks So that the Wisdome and Providence of God in keeping his Church there is not at all discovered When the waters were dried up there was no necessity of an Ark for Noah The Lord therefore will have us in these dangers and temptations that so his care and love may be the more manifested yea the greater the dangers are the more is his faithfulnesse discovered In the Mount God will be seen Is it not an admirable thing to consider how God hath preserved a Church a people faithfully to serve him when hell and the world hath conspired to destroy them But God by this means hath been made known to the world The Artificers skill is seen about his metal when it is in the fire The Pilates art is manifested when his Ship is on rocks and waves and under many tempests Though the world be a place of our dangers and temptations yet it 's the glasse to represent the glorious Attributes of God and the effects thereof to his children where God is known not only by Adonai but by Jehovah even by every name Fifthly God will have his people to be in this world that so Heaven may be the more welcome that they may desire that eternall glory the more earnestly The labouring man that hath wrought hard is glad at night of his resting time The Scripture cals Heaven a rest Heb. 4. There remaineth a Rest for the people of God Oh how welcome will it be after all the troubles calamâ—ties and miseries thou hast been tossed with at last to have Rest Here in this life thou hast no Rest sinne troubleth thee the world troubles thee thy own heart troubleth thee but there remains a Rest And how happy must that be to thee We are Pilgrims and it 's their blessedness to get home at last God therefore will have thee lie under all kinde of conflicts spiritual and temporal he will create one exercise after another that thou mayest say We have no abiding place here Should all things be according to our carnal desires we would with the Reubenites take up on this side Canaan because the ground was pleasant and rich Never did those endangered passengers in Paul's Ship desire more to get to the haven out of all their dangers then we are out of all these troubles into Heaven Sixthly God will not immediately take us into Heaven because it 's fit that we who have served sinne in this world should serve God as much in this world Thy life hath been a reproach and a dishonour to him It 's fit it should bring glory to his Name Though it be thy loss to be kept from Heaven though every day be thy great hinderance yet for Gods glory thou art to deny thy self Remember thou hast given up thy self to serve sinne Remember how much service the devil hath had from thee so that if thou lovest Gods glory more then thy own thou art to be willing to spend thy self for him as thou hast done against him Seventhly God doth not remove His immediately out of the world because of the dependencies and relations that They have Children need their godly Father the wife her godly husband So that although it be better for them to be in Heaven yet not for theirs Indeed when they have finished their course then they are obedientially to resign as our Saviour said to his Disciples If ye loved me you would be glad Joh. 14.28 because I said I go to my Father So we all ought to rejoyce in that our friends are taken out of this world into glory but yet
rend Pauls heart no doubt but their Unity and accord did as much rejoyce him Therefore how emphatically doth he speak Phil. 2.1 2. If any consolation if any bowels fulfill ye my joy that ye may be like minded c. It 's then the Ministers glory and the Churches glory to walk in lovely accord when in the Church as in Solomons Temple the voice of the hammer is not heard whenas God promised in respect of temporal peace The sword should be turned into plow-shares so the controversal and polemical part of Divinity shall be changed into the practical and affectionate part Again It 's the glory of the Church passively in this sense that for it we are exceedingly to glorifie and praise God We should look upon the spiritual peace of the Church as a greater mercy then all external mercies What an heavy thing is it when Jerusalem shall be made a Babel when the Church shall be like the chaos and confusion that was made at first when God shall bring such a spiritual judgement on the Church as sometimes he did a temporal one upon the enemies thereof Every mans weapon against his neighbour till they had destroyed one another When therefore we see God forming the hearts of believers to uniting terms this we ought to praise God for as being a special means to promote Christs Kingdom Now it 's the glory of believers to be at Unity 1. Because this will exalt them in the very hearts and thoughts of their greatest enemies What is glory but the clara notitia the famous acknowledging of the excellency of such a thing Now nothing will sooner divulge the fame and like the heavens make the noise thereof to go through the Land then unity and agreement As Solomons wisdom spread it self over the world Insomuch that many came from afar to see and admire it Thus it will be also for the Churches accord therefore the Psalmist put an Ecce upon it Behold how good and comely it is for brethren to be of one accord Psal 133.1 2. Thus you heard The Heathens admired the love of primitive Christians Ecce quam se muâ—uo diligenti fratres vocant whereas now we may say Behold how they hate and oppose one another calling one another by all uncharitable names It 's unity then that makes the Churches fame to be over the world 2. Vnity is the glory of the Church because it ariseth from the beauty and pulchritude of it The beauty of a thing is the glory of it now beauty doth arise from the sweet harmony and proportion of all the parts and this is the unity of the Church when every member thereof is harmoniously joyned unto another when there is no dissonancy or difference Certainly It 's a better wish to see the Church in this glory then that of Austins to see Rome in all her temporal glory If any member be deformed or unproportionable to the other parts How unlovely and uncomely doth it make that body So it is here if any make a rent be proud froward or opposite the glory thereof is departed 3. It 's part of their glory because the happinesse and blessednesse of a Church is in their Communion-graces A Church denoteth some society and company Now the advantage of such improvements is by union if one part of the body be divided from the other there is no suppeditation of mutual help therefore there are nerves and ligaments in the body to unite each part to other You see in a civil society if there be not union the glory of it presently dieth divisions like moths rise from within and do immediately consume If then the happinesse of believers lie in their communion-graces and duties What can be more glorious then unity which is the only means to procure subserviency to one another as if several Cities were supplied by pipes of water one to another if those pipes be stopt or cut it brings a necessary destruction The second main particular is That Christ purchased as Mediatour this priviledge as well as others He did not onely die to justifie them to sanctifie them but to unite them also And this should teach us several things As 1. It should not be accounted a slight and little sinne to make any breaches or divisions in Gods Church to do any thing through strife and vain-glory Why because Christ died against this he as Mediatour intended not onely to save his people but to bring them into one Why then dost thou by thy contentions by thy heretical opinions thus sinne against Christs death his intercession and his prayer are for the same effects Now you see in this Chapter that his prayer for unity is ingeminated over and over again and therefore Christ had this even in his thoughts in his very death hence it was that also at his death he appointed the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which though chiefly to seal Gods grace to us yet it did also signifie the love we ought to have to one another as the Apostle urgeth 1 Cor. 10. that as the several corns make up one bread thus do the godly make up one mystical body Divisions then in the Church are against Christs death and against the Sacrament of his death Shall we therefore runne into such sinnes that have such an hainous aggravation 2. That the people of God where they see these divisions are to improve this Argument for Vnity Even as when they groan under any corruption and would gladly have the mastery of it they runne to the blood of Christ praying O Lord Did not Christ die that these sinnes might die Was not Christ crucified to crucifie these lusts So it ought to be in matter of unity Oh Lord make all thy people of one heart of one minde and spirit because Christ died for this also let not his death be in vain Thou wouldst not suffer his bones to be broken nor his garment divided why then shall his Church be torn and divided Do not think humane policies and invented syncretisms will be able to soder together It must be this blood of Christ that obtaineth this 3. Christ did not onely meritoriously purchase this Vnity by his death but in him exemplarily and formally we are made one So that Christ is both the moral cause of this unity and the exemplar also for he by being both God and man in one Person made God and man one when there was such an infinite distance before there is made the most intimate union that can be even an hypostatical union between God and man Now though we cannot attain to such an union yet by reason of this all believers are made one with God and amongst themselves Hence is that often expression of our being in him of ingraffing in him of living in him all which do denote our intimate union with him so that as Christ is not divided in himself The Divine Nature doth not will one thing and the humane Nature the contrary
of all gross and prophane ignorance There cannot be any faith all the while this darkness is upon thy minde and if there be no Faith there is no Justification no Salvation Christ is become of no effect unto thee and yet how boldly will many ignorant people talk of their good faith they are not led aside with the giddy errours of many they cleave to the old faith but doest thou know what thy old faith is if it were Turcism and Popery it would be all one to thee SERMON CXXXI Of the unspeakable Love of God to Believers Shewing wherein Gods Love to Christ and to Believers is alike and wherein it differs JOHN 17.23 And hast loved them as thou hast loved me A Two-fold Effect or Event is propounded by our Saviour of the unity which believers have first in Christ and then amongst themselves The first is That the world may know thou hast sent me of which we have briefly treated already because our Saviour had mentioned it v. 21. and indeed our Saviour doth in these verses with so much plainness ingeminate the matter of his Petition that Luther on the place saith These words do pueriliter sonare judicio rationis and that he was wont to say often That he never read a book containing such excellent and sublime matter in such simple and plain words The second Effect or Event is That the world may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me So that in this latter particular there is one truth supposed and another proposed That which is supposed is that it 's of great consequence for the world to know that God loveth believers it would stop much of their malice and violence if they did truly know that such whom they oppose and persecute are the believed ones of God But of that afterwards That which is expresly affirmed is that the Father loveth believers as he loveth Christ himself A wonderfull and amazing expression it is that believers and Christ should be thus coupled together that when there is such an infinite disparity that yet they should both agree in the same love So that in the words you have the mercy and priviledge God vouchsafeth to believers he loveth them Now when we say God loveth it 's to say all things for that is the fountain and treasury of all good things his love is like himself infinite omnipotent and efficacious 2. You have the example or manner of this love and that is said to be as he loveth Christ The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Austin and Calvin do explain not of similitude but of causality and so resolve it into this sense The Father loveth believers because he loveth Christ and indeed this is a grand truth that in Christ only we are accepted of and beloved It 's not because of our selves but of Christ that we are approved of yet there is no necessity of leaving the grammatical interpretation for the Father doth love us as he loveth Christ not in respect of equality but similitude as they are said to be one as the Father and Son are one These words then do contain the very honey and honey-comb of Christianity in that they are loved of the Father as Christ is they need nothing more for Gods love will put him upon all those effects that a believer stands in need of Observ That God the Father loveth believers even as he loveth Christ himself A great truth and as you would think a bold and presumptuous affirmation Therefore to clear it Let us consider wherein the love of God to Christ and believers is not alike and wherein they are like one to another And First The love of the Father to Christ is as to his onely natural begotten Sonne but to believers as to his adopted children And therefore between these there must be a vast difference The love of the Father to the Sonne is like that of the Father to himself because he is of the same essence with him so that he loveth the glory and honour of his Sonne as his own glory but now that love which he beareth to his adopted children is of an inferiour nature they are creatures onely and their holinesse is but imperfect and by way of quality or accident in them but the Sonne is essentially holy so that in this respect there is no comparison to be made between the Sonne and us That love differeth toto genere in this sense from the love bestowed on us even as his filiation is not of the same univocal nature with ours Secondly Therefore the love which the Father sheweth to his Sonne is necessary and natural he could not but love him no more then he could not but beget him whereas to believers it's voluntary and wholly of free dispensation It 's disputed in the Schools Whether the Father did beget the Sonne necessarily or freely and so by consequence Whether his love be necessary or free but the soundest Writers say That a necessity of unitability and freedom do not oppose one another a necessity from natural imperfection contradicts liberty as a perfection but not that which ariseth from the chiefest and highest perfection and so it is in God It 's from his infinite perfection that he cannot but love himself and his Sonne but now in respect of his adopted sons all is of meer grace which he doth to them John 1. It 's he that gives an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a right and priviledge to them to become the sons of God God could have taken infinite delight in his own Sonne that was object satisfying enough there needed no other then him to take his delight in yet he was pleased contrary to the customs of men though he had a natural Sonne of his own to assume adopted ones likewise Thirdly The Father loveth the Sonne originally for his own sake but he loveth believers for Christs sake And this indeed doth mainly put the difference between the Fathers love to us and Christ here Christ is loved for his own sake he needed no Mediator or another Christ to procure his acceptance for so there would have been imperfection in Christ but in us all our hope all our well-pleasing is through him So that as every Starre shineth by the light of the Sunne thus doth every believer appear comely in the robes of Christs righteousnesse only Thus the Apostle Phil. 3. declareth fully When he would not be found in his own righteousnesse but that which is through faith in Christ So that as it was the Temple which made every thing holy thus it is the Lord Christ which makes every creature accepted of Lastly Christ is not capable of some effects of such love which the Father doth vouchsafe believers To us he gives Pardon of sinne Justification by faith in us he works repentance faith and subdueth the reliques of corruption in us but such was the perfection of Christ that he could not have such kinde of love demonstrated to him
all majesty and divine honour was in a state of humiliation and he was in a form of a servant even then when he was equal to God and as David when he came to the actuall possession of the Kingdom did come to it by degrees first at Hebron in sâ—me part and then afterwards in Jerusalem over all Israel Thus the Lord Christ while on earth had severall discoveries of his divine glory and honour but the full enjoyment of it was upon his ascension and hence it is that here he speaks he was loved before the foundation of the world because the Father had appointed this glory to him from all Eternity Thus we have handled this love as it relateth to Christ but you must know that it doth not concern him only but it belongs also to the whole Church of God So that herein is involved our greatest consolation for there are these particulars contained in it 1. That Christ and we are comprehended in one act as it were of Gods love and his Election So that although we may and must conceive a priority and posteriority in signo rationis as they say yet in naturâ they are together for seeing that the Father did predestinate him to be head of his Church and so doth love him as head of his Church it must necessarily follow that the Church also which are members to Christ their head must be included in that Election for the head and the body cannot be severed Now doth not this wonderfully make for the glory and comfort of Gods people that at the same time Christ was appointed to be a Mediatour They also are ordained to be saved by him As soon as ever he was made the head they were made the body In this respect it is that Christ and believers are said to make up one mysticall person and by this means what Christ had and did is communicated unto us 2. Here followeth the Eternity of Gods love to us For seeing that Christ was loved before the foundation of the world So also must we for we are chosen in him Eph. 1.4 from all Eternity So that although the effects of Gods love are vouchsafed to us in time yet the purpose to do this was from all Eternity Oh then the overflowing love of God to a beleever how should this melt thy heart and be like fire in thy bowels when thou hadst no thought of thy self when no friend could speak a word for thee yet even then God had thoughts of mercy towards thee 3. Here is the perpetuity and immutability of the Fathers love to thee for he cannot repent in his love as men may They sometimes love those who prove otherwise then they expected They never thought such would prove so forgetfull and therefore repent of all the kindenesse that ever they shewed them but it is not so with God for he foreknew all that ever we would do he knew our sins our unkindnesses our rebellions and yet for all this intended love to us so that God cannot say these men are greater sinners prove more unkinde to me then ever I thought they would have No the only wise God cannot be subject to such errour besides men may love those where they repent afterwards because they cannot make them good whom they love the more they love it may be the persons loved do become the worse by it but it is not so with God whom he loveth he makes holy This is one great effect of his love to put his Image into them to make them walk in fear of him all the day long Thus God will immutably love because he will alwaies keep up grace in the hearts of those where he hath begun it Furthermore This love is perpetuall because in Christ We are now joyned to him by an Union that can never be dissolved When Christ ceaseth to be an head then we shall cease to be his body So that the perseverance of the Saints is built on this rock they are elected in Christ and are in time united to him and therefore shall never be cast off no more then the Father will cease to love Christ as an head but these things were in part spoken to before Vse Doth the Father thus love Christ Then what strong arguments have we to believe and be confident in all those Petitions which are put up in Christs Name Hath Christ praied for thy Sanctification for thy preservation that the evil of the world may not infect thee Know Christ is so loved that nothing can be denied him What if the Father love not thee for thy own sake what if he see no lovelinesse in thee yet in Christ he seeth enough Certainly as the Father doth only look upon us in Christ so should we also look upon our selves as in him Vse 2. Are the godly also comprehended in the same love wherein Christ is then what matter of joy have they under all discouragements under all the hatred and cruell oppositions they meet with in the world What though the world hate thee though thou hast no love from all thy natural friends ever since thou began to love God Oh possesse thy soul with this love of God in Christ for this answers all things SERMON CXXXIX Of the Righteousness of God as a Judge in his Administrations to Devils and wicked men And as a Father unto his own people JOHN 17.25 O righteous Father the world hath not known thee c. SOme have thought that our Saviour having finished his prayer for all sorts of believers he doth now give thanks to God that had revealed himself to them and not unto the wicked world and therefore they compare it with that place of Luke 10.21 But the general torrent of Interpreters upon more probable grounds does conceive this to be a continuation still of the former prayer for the eternal glory of all believers Indeed Piscator thinks that our Saviour doth in this close return again to the Apostles onely but the Arguments our Saviour useth are general and do relate to all believers and therefore we are not to limit this comfortable passage to some eminent believers onely The Matter you heard prayed for all believers was their eternal happiness expressed in those words to behold the glory which the Father had given him with the reason of it because the Father had loved him before the foundation of the world So that although Christ as God had right to glory alwayes yet being in the flesh after an infirm and passible manner the glory thereof was eclipsed which the Ancients did well express by a Candle or Lamp in a lantern that would indeed give great light but the lantern being compassed about with clay hindred the emission of that light till it were removed and thus till all those humane infirmities were taken away which Christ subjected himself to while in the flesh and he risen again those glorious beams of his Divinity could not send forth themselves This I say being the matter
time reveal even this truth unto them also SERMON CXLIV Of the powerful sense and feeling of the love of God How it 's attained And what a great advantage it is to him that hath it both in reference to duty and comfort JOHN 17.26 That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them IN these words we have the necessary Consequent or Effect of believing in Christ and resting on him as Mediatour and that is the love of God towards them So that we have here the description of Gods love to Beleevers and that in the highest degree which is imaginable the love wherewith thou lovest me Criticks note a Graecism in the relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Mar. 4.41 2 Tim. 4.7 which Austin also on the place takes notice of though Maldonate call it a light Observation The Truth it self is of infinite comfort that God loves believers with that love wherewith he loveth Christ himself But this hath been discoursed of already 2. You have the subject of this love with the manner of participation of it That this love may be in them that is in true believers and in them only Some by love understand the holy Ghost but we may take it for the gracious favour of God and as Zanchy well observeth he doth not say that this love may be towards them though that also be true but in them Gods love was to his people by way of purpose and decree from all Eternity but it was not in them Now when Gods love is said to be in them that is to be understood of the Effects of his love and more especially of the sence and assurance of his love Lastly There is the cause of all this expressed in these words And I in them where Christs mystical Union with and indwelling in us is made the cause of all the love of God to believers but of this also we have already treated So that there remaineth no new thing but the manner of participation of this love of God to them and that is said to be in them which although as was said may be true of the several gracious effects of Gods love yet I shall pitch on that which is the most obvious viz. Gods love in a beleever by way of sence and assurance for God not only loveth them but they may feel this and be perswaded thereof Obs That it is not enough for the people of God to be loved by him but they are to endeavovr after the sence and apprehension of this in their own hearts This is the Emphasis the Selah as it were in this expression that Gods love may be in them our Faith in Christ is not only to produce those direct acts whereby we are perswaded of Gods love in the generall but also those reflex acts whereby we know and feel that his love is in us As a man under the Sun-beams feeleth and enjoyeth the comfortable influence thereof So that herein lieth the compleat happinesse of a Christian to be loved of God and to perceive and feel this To open this you must Consider 1. That the love of God is taken in Scripture two waies either actively for that whereby we love him or passively for that whereby we are loved of him and so some Texts do receive different Interpretations because of the different application of that love of God Now it 's true our love to God is inherent in us and we may perceive and feel it as fire sometime working in us for his glory and honour but the love of God whereby he loveth us we cannot feel in us but by the Spirit of God manifesting and evidencing this unto our souls We have a notable Text Rom. 5.5 where the love of God is said to be shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given us which although some expound of that love inherent in us whereby we love God yet it seemeth more consonant to the words preceding that it is to be understood of that love of God whereby he loveth us for this being diffused in our hearts and we thereby affected with it do rejoyce in tribulations and have such hope that will never make ashamed This then is said to be a special mercy vouchsafed to Gods Children that his love is plentifully powred upon them as Aarons Oyle upon his head and so descending to other parts So that by this Love of God they can triumph and be confident in all tribulations and exercises whatsoever This is an heaven upon the Earth to live in such discoveries and evidences of Gods love 2. Gods love may be greatly towards us yea and the effects of it in us yet for all this we discern and feel them not As it was with the Lord Christ our Head though dearly beloved of his Father yet in respect of any sense and perceivance of Gods love at that time he was destitute of it David doth often bewail his condition in respect of this spirituall desertion and indeed there cannot be an heavier temptation upon the godly heart then the clean contrary in the Text That the wrath and anger of God whereby he is drawn out against the wicked they should apprehend to be upon them They who esteem the light of his countenance above all things to finde the frowns and wrath of God to apprehend his displeasure towards them this is a burthen greater then they can bear So that although this be made the connex to their believing in Christ yet it is a separable Consequent it is that which may be divided from it sometimes At that very time when the godly do believe on Christ in a dependent way they may walk in sad apprehensions knowing nothing of the love of God towards them yea in a very dreadful manner questioning of it 3. Although the love of God towards believers may not be perceived by them yet they are to press forward they are to pray and wrestle with God that they may not continue in darknesse but be brought to this comfortable light The Apostle Peter presseth it as a necessary duty 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure and the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith or no So that this happy priviledge is possible and many of the people of God without any immediate revelation have attained unto it Insomuch that it is for the most part our sin that we walk not in the sence of it It is true indeed God sometimes out of his Soveraignty and for wise ends of his own doth withdraw this sense and evidence of his favour but for the most part it is from our selves that such black clouds arise which keep the light of the Sun from us 4. The sence and perceiving of Gods love may be either in an immediate manner or mediate Immediately and thus Christ discovered his love to
or because that can adde any thing to his happiness but because thereby thou art made capable of his love and so he can communicate of his goodness to thee do not then take comfort so much from thy graces as the evidence of Gods love to thee thereby 5. Take notice that it 's most acceptable and well-pleasing unto God that thou shouldst walk in such sense and feeling of his goodness to thee For why are all those commands to rejoyce in him and to bless his name continually Why doth he invite thee to call him Father And why are there such thunderbolts in the Scripture against unbelief and distrust Why is it the main scope of the Scripture to represent God under all love and loving considerations but that all our thoughts of him should be hopefull and comfortable Do not therefore think thou goest beyond thy bounds or it's presumption in thee to draw nigh to God upon such assured apprehensions of his grace No the Scripture expresly commands the contrary Heb. 4.16 Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace and Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Hearken not then to all those doubting temptations within nor all those deceitfull arguments of humane reason without but consider what the Scripture saith and certainly it 's preposterous humility as in Peter refusing to let Christ wash his feet to keep off from the Throne of grace when we are commanded to come to it Besides without this sense of love how can our hearts be raised up to bless and glorifie God It was Davids apprehension of Gods goodness to him that made him call upon his soul and all within him to bless Gods holy Name 6. Consider that this sense of Gods love is the proper and genuine effect of faith in Christ as a Mediator Thus our Saviour doth here make it the consequent of it They have known me whom thou hast sent that the love whereby thou lovest me may be in them It 's not enough to believe in the general That Christ is a Mediator to such as believe in him but with Paul Gal. 2.20 we are to appropriate him who loved me and gave himself for me with this Evangelist John we are to lean our heads as it were in Christs bosom with Thomas we are to say My God and my Lord. Now the genuine but not the necessary and inseparable effect of such an appropriating faith is the sense and assurance of Gods love to me in particular which love of God is so attentive to one believer as if there were no more in the world As they say of the soul it 's tota in toto and tota in qualibet parte so is the love of God totus in universis fidelibus and totus in singulis God loveth a particular believer as much as if there were no more believers in the world Though the objects of his love may be diversified yet his love is not divided or by division diminished Lastly Fix this alwayes upon thy heart that Christ hath prayed for this sense of the Fathers love upon thy soul You see in this prayer where he mentioneth all the great and consequential things unto believers this is brought in at the last as the adorning and sweetning of all the rest for if sanctified if hereafter to be glorified if Christ be in us and we in Christ yet if the experimental knowledge and assurance of this be absent we are as the Disciples under storms and tempests crying out We perish we perish Let the summary Use of the whole be by way of Exhortation to all believers to hunger and thirst yea to have their souls break in longing after the enjoyment of this love of God in us Oh bid all things stand aloof off till thou art made partaker of it Say How long Lord how long is it that thou absentest thy self When shall I have the imbracements of thy love When will the glorious Sunne break out and dispell all the dark clouds that are upon my soul Give not over importuning for it Because of this very prayer of Christ know to thy encouragement that this prayer abideth for ever Though it was once uttered by him upon the earth and he ceased to pray any further yet it still liveth in the efficacy and power of it yea that continual intercession of his in heaven what is it but the reviving of this prayer So that by the vertue of this prayer through his blood we are sanctified we are justified and shall hereafter be for ever glorified FINIS AN ALPHABETICAL TABLE OF THE Chief Heads contained in this TREATISE A Afflictions IT 's a greater mercy to be kept from sinne and evil in our Afflictions and troubles then from the afflictions themselves 444 The Grounds and Reasons why it is so 446 Antichrist That Antichrist should prosper and prevail in the shedding of the blood of so many Martyrs is a dangerous temptation c. 388 A two-fold Antichrist ibid. Apostasie Apostasie and decay in grace may be in several particulars 350 c. Those that plead for the Apostasie of the godly grant there is a distinction to be made 354 Apostats That men may be eminent for a while in the Church of God and yet afterwards prove dreadfull Apostats 372 Arians Arians confuted 73 149 Ascension The benefits of Christs Ascension 291 Assurance Assurance may be attained 356 Astrology How vain and wicked it is to go to Astrologers or Witches or be such 396 Arguments against Astrology and witchcraft 396 397 Atonement Christ was a Priest to make Atonement for us 507 Attributes It is a necessary duty in a Christian in his approaches to God to think to those Attributes and relations in him which may excite and stirre up holy confidence and boldnesse 657 B Beginnings THen Beginnings are hopefull when the Spirit in the Ministry or other means of grace did work upon us 382 Then will Beginnings and endings be alike when grace is radicated and enters deep enough into the soul 383 Good Beginnings will have bad endings when men professe Christ out of sinister and worldly respects ib. Hot Beginnings will end coldly 383 Behold What is that glory which they shall Behold shining in Christ 663 Beholding How much is comprehended in this expression of Beholding Christs glory 662 Belief Our Belief is the fruit and effect of Christs death and our election 537 Two opinions about this ib. The state of the Question in some particulars ib. Arguments to confirm us in the truth 538 Believe Why Gods children are so hardly brought to Believe 211 Why prophane men think it easy to Believe in Christ 213 Why Believing in Christ is so acceptable to God 213 214 Believer In what respect Christ did as much for one Believer as another 525 In some particulars the poor weak Believer hath more love and affection from Christ then a stronger 528 The particulars wherein ib. Wherein God sanctifieth their weakness and
compleat perfection of a Christian Who is made righteousnesse wisdome and all things and therefore this is the character of those that are spiritual They have no confidence in the flesh and rejoyce in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.3 Lastly We glorifie Christ really in our lives and conversations when we walk as Members sutably to the Head when we order our conversations answerably to the rule of the Gospel For how often do wicked men reproach and dishonour Christ by their ungodly lives as if Christ taught them no better or as if Christ died not to deliver us from all ungodly and sinfull lusts Therefore on the other side then we honour Christ when we are holy as he was zealous as he was humble and meek as he was as Paul said He carried the marks of Christ upon his body so do thou the graces of Christ upon thy soul We come in the next place to a brief description of the subject described Those that thou hast given me Now this is the opposite description to such who are of the world By giving unto Christ some understand by a Metonymy of the effect for the cause Gods decree to give as 2 Tim. 1.9 The grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began that is decreed to be given to us So some expound the fore-going place The glory which thou hast given me that is which thou hast decreed to give even as in this Chapter he saith I come to thee I sanctifie my self and as John 6.33 Every one that my Father giveth shall come to me where by giving must be understood a decree to give for actual giving is the very coming it self unto Christ Though this be true yet we must adde that in respect of those who were to believe so it 's a decree of giving but in respect of the Apostles and others who did then believe it was an actual giving Now whereas we see the original and fountain of all grace formerly prayed for and now all glory here is because some are given to Christ by the Father we may observe That it 's no free-will or preparatory work in man that begins either his grace or glory but the sole gift of God I shall but touch at this because handled before only as our Saviour thought fit to use this description of believers so often in one Chapter so it should also inform us that it 's a truth of absolute necessity which ought constantly to reign in our hearts that we did not prevent God but Gods grace did prevent us that we did not choose him but he chose us Therefore it 's a violent wresting of the words by Arminians when they will have this giving of some to the Father to be understood for the consequent mens obeying and receiving of the grace offered and so we give our selves to Christ and are not given by the Father That the initials of all good is from grace only and not of us is abundantly convinced by that wretched sinfull and wofull pollution that we are all born in like that miserable infant spoken of by the Prophet Ezekiel chap. 16. I shall not doctrinally inlarge this only let the Use be 1. Admonition to take heed of all those proud and self-advancing Doctrines that magnifie the power of nature that think not grace absolutely necessary that if it be required it 's only ad facilius operandum or that grace doth onely excite and stirre up the natural abilities within us Oh take heed of swallowing down this deadly poison Vse 2. Of Exhortation to the people of God with all humility and astonishment to admire the grace of God in Christ that mollified thee that prepared thee that began first upon thee Alas thou wast wallowing in thy bloud thou wast hotly pursuing thy sins thou didst violently refuse the grace of God till at last he opened thy heart and saved thee against thy will making thee of unwilling willing SERMON CXXXVIII Of Gods love to Christ as Mediatour and in him to all believers from all Eternity JOHN 17. â—4 For thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world THis last clause is brought in as a Reason of that which went before Some make it a Reason of Christs Petition why the Father should hear him viz. because he alwaies loved him and so nothing could be denied to him others referre it to the gift of Glory mentioned immediatly The Father gave Christ glory because he loved him from Eternity but these do not oppose but may include one another The only doubt is In what sense the Father is said to love Christ before the Foundation of the world Many understand it of Christ as the natural and only Son of God That as he had alwaies the same glory with the Father so likewise he was alwaies loved of him and from hence they prove the Deity of Christ But Calvin and others expound it of Christ as Mediatour That the Father did love him from the beginning in appointing of him to be a Mediatour and preparing him thereunto Now this seemeth the more genuine Interpretation and doth not exclude but include the former also So that by direct consequence the eternal god-head of Christ is asserted Indeed Piscator referreth those words before the foundation of the world to the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast given As v. 5. implieth but there is no necessity to make such a trajâ—ction The sum is that Christ as Mediatour doth referre all the glory and honour he hath to the Fathers love Now you must know that when the Father loveâ—h him as Mediatour It 's not absolutely terminated upon the person of Christ but the whole number of beleevers in him and therefore this loving of Christ is to be extended unto all Beleevers for the Apostle saith the same thing of them because of Christ Eph. 1.4 where we are said to be chosen in him before the foundation of the world To be holy and without blame before him in love where that love is referred to Gods predestinating and electing of us by some Interpreters So that from the words we may observe That God the Father loved Christ as Mediatour and thereby all beleevers in him from Eternity This Truth deserveth explication and application And 1. Let us consider wherein the love of the Father was shewed to Châ—ist as Mediatour as that will appear in the designing of him to it and approbation or complacency in him while discharging of it The love of God in preparing him thereunto is seen in these things 1. In appointing and ordaining the second person as the only begotten of the Father to come into the world and take our nature upon him For herein did the Father love the Son because when mankinde was lost and justice could no waies be satisfied by any meer creature that in this exigency Christ should offer himself and so readily professe Behold I come to do thy will O Lord Thus when he formerly had said I sanctifie
my self that doth not solely relate to his humane nature but even his divine also because the second person was in a peculiar manner sent into the world and to become man for us 2. The Fathers love was more remarkably seen towards that particular humane nature which the second person assumed in the sanctifying and glorifying of that with all sutablenesse and thus the love of God was to the humane nature of Christ before the Foundation of the world by way of purpose and decree in God even as it is to all the Elect Children of God for Christ attributeth iâ— to God the Father that he had so fitted his humane nature Therefore he saith a body thou hast prepared me Heb. 10.5 Now severall waies did the Fathers love appear herein as 1. to ordain and appoint him to be a Mediatour to make him man for this purpose This is attributed wholly to God the Father hence 1 Pet. 1.20 Christ is said to be fore-ordained before the foundation of the world Christ coming into the world was not of meer necessity There was no compulsion to this but the Father out of his meer good pleasure did thus ordain him Hence it is that our Saviour doth constantly make the Fathers mission or sending of him to be the cause of being our Mediatour 2. This love of the Fathers to him was seen in taking that particular humane nature rather then any other into an hypostaticall Vnion Though Christ did not take an individuall humane personalized as men are yet he took a particular nature into a personal Union with the God-head which is the greatest exaltation of mans nature that can possibly be imagined It 's that great mystery which Angels are continually searching into but if you ask why the second Person did take this particular nature rather then another that the holy Ghost might have sanctified here Gods meer love made the difference for as it was an high act of grace and favour to the Virgin Mary that she rather then any other woman should be appointed to be the mother of Christ so it was much more a great honour and expression of love that this humane nature rather then another was assumed into personal Union and for this cause it is that Austin did so invincibly presse the Pelagians with this argument from Christ as man for saith he if Christ as man was chosen not for any foreseen merit or worth which might be in him but it was solely by the love and goodnesse of God then much more will it follow that no meer man especially corrupted and defiled can be elected to Eternal Life upon the supposition or prescience of any good thing in man So that Christ as man was so meerly from the favour and love of the Father This is that gratia singularis to Christ as man de quâ fas est praedicare sed nefas adjudicare as Austin 3. The love of the Father to Christ in preparing him for Mediatour is seen in the sanctifying and endowing of him with all holinesse that so he might be a compleat Saviour for seeing it behoved us to have such an high-Priest as was holy and separate from sin therefore it was that he was made man in such an extraordinary manner for he was conceived by the holy Ghost The holy Ghost sanctified that corpulent substance of Christs body wherby there was not any form of or inclination to sin abiding in him and therefore he is called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he wrs habitually and originally holy Now this was wholly of the love of God that his humane nature was thus anointed with all holinesse and that he received the Spirit of God without measure and therefore the humane nature of Christ was infinitely obliged to bless and praise God who had powred more holinesse into it then in all Angels and men Thus the Fathers love was seen in preparing him to be Mediatour and when he was thus appointed and in the discharge of his Office The love of the Father was exceeding great to him For 1. you have the Father in a most glorious manner from heaven owning of him and giving of that solemn approbation This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased what a glorious manifestation was here of the Fathers love to him his love did rest on him yet so as thereby he makes others beloved Sonnes in whom also he is well-pleased even those that do believe in him This glorious Testimony then given to Christ by the Father is made by some Learned men part of that glory which is spoken of in v. 22. 2. The Fathers love is wonderfully discovered to him as Mediatour in that he was willing to lay down his life for those who were appointed to salvation Insomuch that although the world thought him forsaken of God and smitten for his own sins yea though Christ himself in respect of his sence and feeling expostulated with his Father why he had forsaken him yet even then was the Fathers love most of all towards him Joh. 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life for my sheep Here you see that although there were many other Reasons of the Fathers love to him yet he instanceth in this wherein we would think Gods anger was for the present most displaied It 's true this is urged by sâ—me that therefore Christ could not suffer the anger of God in his soul neither could the Father afflict him as for our sins for how could this be say they that at the same time the Father should love him and yet be angry wâ—th him as punishing the sins of all the Elect upon him But as Gods love towards Christ could consist with that leaving of him to the hands of his Enemies So also could the love of the Father towards the person of Christ well consist with that anger of his towards him as our Surety and certainly this very particular may much encourage the people of God for when they are sollicitous about their acceptance with the Father whether he will receive them into grace or no what a ready answer is this the Father loveth Christ because he would die for us because he would be crucified for us 3. The Fathers love towards him is especially seen in exalting of him to all that honour and Majesty the Scripture so often mentioneth that is the sitting at the right hand of God the Father It is true as God he had a right to all this glory before but then there was a manifestation of it and not only so but a reall communication of such glory to his humane nature which it had not before and his person was not admitted into a more plenary and consummate possession of that glory of which there was but beginnings before Even as it was with David first he had a right given him to the Kingdom but for the present he was in constant oppressions and miseries Thus Christ while having a right to