of the great deliverance from the wrath to come give us a taste of hell by his withdrawings and by his departings from us for a season Thirdly I am sure 't is very fit that we should be conformed unto Jesus Christ As Christ was conformed unto us in reference to our Temptations so 't is fit we should be conformed to him in reference to his Desertions Christ was deserted Christ was forsaken My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Surely the Disciple is not above his Master But Fourthly I am sure of this That God loves to see the workings of all our graces our Faith and Love especially There are some graces that do not open nor shew themselves but in the Sunshining day of Gods presence When the Sun shines the Marigold opens When the Sun shines the Fish that lay at the bottom of the water in a cloudy day swim at the top of the water and are seen In the Sunshining day of Gods presence then our Thankfulness our Joy our Assurance floats and are to be seen upon the top of the water But there are other graces that are best seen when God withdraws and when God is absent Faith in God And love to God especially Faith in God For Faith works best when it works all alone without the Auxiliaries of Comfort 'T is no great matter for a Wife to believe her Husband's Love when he is at home and daily and hourly shewing kindness But when he is abroad and absent and she hears not from him then to believe his Love is somewhat So to believe the Love of God towards us when he is present is no great matter though it 's good But when God is gone when God is absent then to believe his love is Faith worthy of God as Parisiensis speaks Thus also our love unto God doth and will appear For when God is present with us and shines upon us then we see Gods love to us but when God is absent from us by our longings after him then we see our love unto God Now I say What if God will to draw out all our graces and that he may see the workings of our graces Faith and Love especially what if he will withdraw and absent himself from his people for a time But 5. What if God will for the good and benefit of others withdraw and absent himself and depart from his own people In the Book of the Cant. we find that when Christ doth withdraw from his Spouse and she could not find him Chap. 5.6 she searches after him enquires for him makes great complaint Then the Daughters of Israel say Whither is thy beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee So long as he was present others were not drawn on for to seek him with her but now he is absent and she looks after him and complains for want of him now others are drawn to enquire after him And why so But to teach us thus much that God will so over-rule the desertions of his people that his with-drawment from them shall draw others to him And thus now you see there is reason and good reason why God should some times depart from forsake and be absent even from his own people for a time And that 's the first thing 2. Secondly The Saints and People of God are very sensible of his displeasure How long Lord They are most sensible of this they look upon it as a very tedious thing and mâ—st afflictive to lie under Gods departure How long Lord Words of Expostulation note Affection especially if they come with an Ingemination And so you have it in the 13 Psalm How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever how long wilt thou hide thy face from me how long shall I take counsel in my soul Four how longs How long how long how long how long 'T is a very tedious thing and most afflictive to the people of God to lie under Gods departures It was so with Christ ye may measure the hearts of the Saints by the heart of Christ The First in every kind is the Rule of the rest Christ was the first of Saints Now though our Saviour Christ met with many afflictions and troubles in his death you shall find he is most sensible of Gods departure My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He doth not say O my Disciples why have you left me and why have you forsaken me but my God my God why hast thou forsaken me That is not the greatest affliction that weak men account the greatest That is not the greatest burthen that a weak man accounts the greatest but that which a strong man accounts the greatest burthen is the greatest burthen Why now that the Rock of Ages Christ himself should complain under this of Gods forsaking what doth this argue When Paul cries out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Will you not conclude thereby that the body of Death was a great burthen that the sin of our Nature was a great burthen So when Christ himself shall cry out and complain of Gods forsaking and departing will you not conclude then surely this is a burthen indeed This is that the Saints and People of God are the most sensible of 2. It is the property of a gracious soul to be most affected with the inside and the spiritual part of mercies and of deliverances Though God give them outward deliverances they are not so much affected with the outward part as with the inside and the spiritual part of the deliverance And therefore in Mich. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy It was an outward deliverance that God gave them but the Church is most affected with the spiritual part on 't And as they are most affected with the spiritual part of a Deliverance so they are alwaies most affected with the inward and the spiritual part of an Affliction What 's that The Anger of God the Displeasure of God the Desertion of God the Departing of God This is the thing that the Saints therefore are the most affected with and the most sensible of 3. That is most afflictive to a gracious soul which is most contrary to him and to his will All that is affliction which is contrary to ones will It was no great matter in it self that Mordecai did not pull off his Hat and bow his Knee to Haman it was no great affliction in it self but it was contrary to Haman's pride and that 's an affliction that is contrary to ones will Now what is the will and what is the desire of the Saints but the presence of God That they may ever be at their Fathers Knee that they may ever be in his Arms and held in the Imâ—races
infinitely better to have ones heart drawn out love to the Person of Christ than to have a love Christ upon the account of benefits although the bâ—nefits be spirituall benefits And if these things be so why should we not all labour for this love to the Person of Christ to love Christ not upon the account of benefits but for himself Oh that I could perswade people to fix upon the Person of Christ in their love Oh that this day I could perswade you to this divine fixation of your â—ove upon the Person of Christ I fear our love is not rightly placed I fear we have love for Christ beneath Christ himself 'T is the great work of a Minister to wooe for Christ A Ministers work is to come a wooing for Christ Can a soul be wooed over unto Christ and won over unto Christ and not love the Person of Christ Now then as ever you do desire that you may be espoused to Jesus Christ that you may be married to Jesus Christ set not your affections upon benefits set not your affections upon your own concernments in your love to Christ be more raised Christians Oh that your love were rightly placed fixed upon Christ himself not on the beneâ—its but on the Person of Christ himself But Sixthly You will say What shall we do we have â—eard what an excellent thing it is to have love to â—he Person of Christ beyond all love to his benefits â—hough they be spirituall benefits what shall we do â—hat our hearts may be drawn out to the Person of Christ that so we may be able to rejoyce in the Personall Exaltment of Christ though to our own debasement What shall we do It is a great and a good Queâ—tion What shall we do that our hearts may be â—rawn out in love to the very Person of Christ 1. Be sure that you be really conjugally united unto â—hrist There is a double union There is a union â—y way of juxta-position laying one thing to another 〈◊〉 a man's Arm is united unto Bread when the Bread is bound to his Arm. There is a union by way oâ— Intus-susception by taking in and so a man is united to his Bread and his Bread to him when he eats it they are made one So there is a double union as I may so speak to Christ one whereby men are united to Christ by the externall Ligaments of the Gospel concerning whom our Saviour may speak in John 15. Every branch in mâ— that beareth not fruit shall be cast out And then therâ— is another union with Christ which is that he speakâ— of He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood shalâ— live that 's another kind of union a closer union 〈◊〉 Now if you be really conjugally united to Christ you will love not onely his benefits but you will lovâ— his Person Rest not therefore I pray you in this externall union with Christ by the Ligaments of thâ— Gospel but labour more and more to be conjugall united to Jesus Christ But 2. If you would have your heart drawn out in lovâ— to Christ himself and the Person of Christ then studâ— much the Personall Excellency and Goodnesse that 〈◊〉 in Christ's Person Good is the object of love Thâ— more excellent the good is the more suitable the gooâ— is and universall and obtainable the more lovely anâ— commanding is that love Christ is good an excellenâ— good goodnesse it self a suitable good suitable untâ— all our wants If you be poor he is rich if you bâ— foolish he is wise if you be out of the way I am tâ—â— way saith he if you want a director in the way I aâ— the truth if you be in the dark I am the light A sutâ—ble good and an universall good he is As all thâ— sweetnesses that are in the flowers of the field and the garden are brought in by the Bee into the Hive aâ—â— a l the sweetnesses of the flowers are there imbodied on â—ive â—ll â—he Attributes of God and the sweeâ—nesse of them all are hived in Christ in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells bodily And he is an obtainable good called the Rose of Sharon the Rose of the Field not of the Garden but of the Field that every one may come at called the desire of all Nations Do you then desire that your hearts may be drawn out in love to the Person of Christ study much the Personall Goodnesse and Excellency of Christ 3. If you do desire that your hearts may be drawn out in love to Christ himself to the very Person of Christ why should you not now stand still a little with me and behold how Christ hath loved you and your Persons Shall Christ love you and your persons and will not you love him and his Person Consider a little with me 1. The more impediments that any love doth break through the more it calls for love again What impediments hath not Christs love broke through to come to us Broke through all our unworthinesse broke â—hrough the Law broke through the Justice of God broke through the Wrath of God broke through the Grave broke through Hell broke through all our unbelief 2. And the more free any love is the more it call's for love again Three things there are that call for love Likenesse Benefit Love And where none of these are the love is most free Now Christ hath loved you but you were not like unto him when he loved you You could do him no kindesse you had no benefits to bestow upon him And you had no love for him In the day when he said Now is the time of love there was no love in your â—eâ—ts for him and therefore his love must needs be most free But 3. The more patient that love is the more iâ— calls for love again the more taking it is Now oâ—â— Saviour Christ stands knocking at your door give mâ— leave to say to you Had Christ come riding Post througâ— your City and knockt onely at your door and saiâ— hasten after me or you are damn'd for ever it haâ— been much but to stand at your door and knock day aftâ— day and year after year with the unwearied hand oâ— his love Oh unspeakable patience unexpressible love yet thus hath Christ done for you and thus hath Chriâ— loved you and loved your person and shall Chriâ— love you and love your persons and shall your lovâ— rest any where but in the Person of Christ Do bâ— consider how he hath loved you and your personâ— and then your heart will be drawn out to love tâ—â— Person of Christ And that 's a third But. 4. If you do desire that your hearts may be drawâ— out in love unto Christ if you do desire I say thâ— your hearts should be drawn out in love to Christ thâ— Person of Christ then use Christ much In any gooâ— thing you have the more you use it the more yoâ— prize it and the more you prize it
the more yoâ— love it If you have a good Friend the more you uâ—â— him the more you prize him and the more yoâ— prize him the more you love him If you have good Horse the more you use him the more yoâ— prize him and the more you prize him the moâ—â— you love him If you have but a good Knife the moâ— you use it the more you will prize it and the moâ— you prize it the more you will love it Would yoâ— love Christ use him much and then the more yoâ— will prize him and the more you will love him Indeed we don't use Christ enough and what 's the reâ—son we don't love him but because we don't uâ—â— him Either your sins be great or else they be smalâ— â—f your sins be great you are afraid to use Christ for â—hem If your sins be small you think you need not â—se Christ for them Either your wants be great or else they be small If they be great you dare not â—se Christ for them and if your wants be small you will not you think it not worth your time to use Christ for them Indeed we don't use Christ enough Use Christ much and then you will prize him much and if you prize him much you will love him much 5. If you would have your hearts drawn out in love to the very Person of Christ go then to God and beseech the Lord to circumcise your hearts for to love him Mark how the promise runs The Lord hath promised to unite our hearts to fear him and he hath promised to circumcise our hearts to love him why then would you fear the Lord go to God to unite your hearts unto him to fear him would you love him go to God and beseech him to circumcise your hearts to love the Lord and to love himself And oh that the Love that now I have been speaking of unto the very Person of Christ might this day be begotten in any one heart or encreased where it is wanting I fear we are wanting in our love to Christs Person wherefore think on these things and the Lord blesse them to you Christ Crucified the object of our Faith SERMON II. 1 Cor. 2.2 For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified HAving spoken of the Personall Excellencies of Christ the object of your Love there is a necessity upon me of speaking something concerning Christ crucified the object of your Faith that your Love and Faith may go together and therefore have made choice of these words onely for this time Wherein the Apostle Paul doth give an account of the reason of the plainnesse of his Preaching And I Brethren when I came to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdome for saith he I am to Preach Christ crucified A gallant eloquent speech excellency of words and pleated sentences don't become a crucified Christ If I should speak at that rate my speech would not be suited unto the subject that I have in hand for I Preach Christ crucified saith he For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and hâ—m crucified Some Books read it I desire not to know any thing among you but rather I judge it I decreed I determined not to know any thing among you Not to know any thing among you Not to make any think known unto you I would Preach as if I knew nothing else but Christ and him crucified Christ and him crucified is the great thing I desire to make known and that ye should know So that plainly then the Observation is this Obs The knowledge of Christ crucified is the most desirable thing in the world The knowledge of Christ crucified is the most desirable knowledge and the most desirable thing in the world That which the Apostles taught and the Churches learned must needs be the most desirable Now this is that the Apostles taught and this is that the Churches learned and therefore this knowledge of Christ crucified is the most desirable But for the opening and prosecuting hereof 1. We must a little enquire what it is to know Christ crucified and when a man may be said to know Christ crucified 2. That it is our great work and businesse in the world to know Christ crucified 3. What there is in Christ crucified that is so desirable to be known 4 Whether a man may live under the Gospel and not know Christ crucified 5. What are the benefits that we do get or gain by the knowledge of Christ crucified And then 6. What we should do that we may know Christ crucified in a right manner And 7. In case we do know him what is our duty that flowes from hence First of all If you ask what it is to know Chrisâ— crucified or when a man may be said to know Christ crucified I answer shortly A man is said to know a thing nakedly and barely or else effectually and truly Barely and nakedly a man knowes God and Christ when he doth understand that there is a God and Christ a Saviour of the world so the Devil said I know theâ— whom thou art the holy one of Israel But truly and effectually a man is said to know Christ crucified when he doth know the mind and will of God the Father in Christ crucified having a disposition and affections suitable thereunto Words of knowledge note an affection and words of affection in Scripture note an effect accordingly therefore in Scripture phrase a man is said to know when he doth go round about a businesse doth consider of it and look well into it and so Christ saith Behold me behold me and saith the Apostle Consider the High Priest of your profession This knowledge of Christ crucified is not a bare knowledge of Christ crucified in the history but it is a serious looking into the mystery thereof In Scripture phrase a man is said to know when he doth approve approbation is put for knowledge so at the last Christ shall say Depart from me for I never knew you that is I never approved of you knowledge being put for approbation And so a man is said to know Christ crucified when he doth understand and know the mind and will of God the Father in that great mystery and doth approve thereof In Scripture phrase again a man is said to know God or know Christ when he doth believe or repose in Christ so This is life eternall to know thee and him whom thou hast sent that is to believe knowing being put for believing And in Scripture phrase a man is said to know and to know Christ when the power and the efficacy of the Death of Christ is shed abroad into his heart and upon his life and so Paul speaking to the Philippians saith I account all things drosse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ that I may be conformed to his sufferings So that I say look when a man doth not onely understand
the last thing if you be in Covenant with the Lord go away walk humbly and be thankfull that God should ever enter into this great Covenant this Covenant of Grace with you even with you And so now I have done with the first argument that there is a Covenant stricken with the Children of men The second follows Jesus is the Mediator of this Covenant Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant SERMON IV. Heb. 11.24 And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel I Shall now come unto the second Observation raised from the words namely Observ 2. That Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant For the opening and prosecuting whereof 1. We must enquire what is the proper work oâ— a Mediator that is a Mediator between God and us 2. I shall labour to shew you that Jesus was and is the fittest person in the World to mediate between God and us 3. That Jesus hath undertaken this work of Mediation and will certainly carry it on unto duâ— perfection 4. How and in what respects Jesus is said to bâ— the Mediator of the New Covenant 5. What are the benefits that we do gain by Jesus his being Mediator of the New Covenant 6. Give you some doctrinal Corrolaries and practical Duties that do flow from hence 1. And First If you ask what is the proper work of a Mediator that is a Mediator between God and us I answer It is to make peace and reconciliation between God and us At the first in the state of innocency there was peace and friendship between God and Man there was no enmity in Gods heart towards his creature nor no enmity in Mans heart towards his Creator but upon the Fall a breach and separation was made between God and us insomuch as we are all by Nature the children of wrath God is angry And an enmity is in us towards God The wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God saith the Apostle Now therefore the work of a Mediator is to reconcile God to us and to reconcile us unto God both which you have in 2 Cor. 5. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of reconciliation to wit That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself There is reconciliation on Gods part for it is said He was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Not imputing their trespasses unto them Then at the 20. verse you have reconciliation on our part Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be â—e reconciled unto God Here is both reconciliations Only you must know That we do not find in express tearms in Scripture that God is said to be reconciled to us but we are said to be reconciled to him because we are the parties offending and God the Party offended Now the Scripture alwayes speaks so that the Party offending is to reconcile himself or to be reconciled as in the 5. of Math. If thy brother hath ought against thee leave thy gift and first be reconciled to thy brother Thou that hast offended go and be reconciled to thy brother and so we say in ordinary speech if a man have justly provoked another Go and reconcile your self unto him that is do that whereby he may be pacified and satisfied And so God is reconciled unto us when we do that whereby his anger may be turned away and he pacified which is the work of a Mediator Quest But what need a Mediator for this work say the Socinians for God was alwayes willing to be reconciled to us God so loved the World that he gave his Son He loved them first before Christ what need a Mediator then say they And say the Arminians to invalidate and inervate Election If we be elected and so loved from all eternity what need a Mediator to bring about actual reconciliation in time To all which I answer Answ Yes very much For First You must know that affections are giveâ— to God in Scripture according to effects and dispensations somtimes Sometimes God is said to love or hate in reference to his eternal Decree so Rom. 9. Jacob haâ— I loved and Esau have I hated before they had doâ— good or evil Some times God is said to love or to be angrâ— or to hate in reference to his dispensations and so the Elect that are loved from all Eternity are born the children of wrath in regard of legal dispensation Elect we are and so loved in regard of Gods eternal good will and yet under wrath when we are born in regard of legal dispensation 2. You must know that this reconciliation with God or God being reconciled to us doth not make a real change in the inward affection of God but in the outward dispensation of God 3. You must know this That God may be willing to be reconciled unto us in regard of his eternal good will and yet not be actually reconciled in regard of his dispensations As David was willing to be reconciled to Absolom but he was not actually reconciled and therefore Joab comes as a Mediator between them to bring about the actual reconciliation And if you look into the last of Job you will find as Macovius doth well observe to the purpose in hand That when God was very angry with Eliphaz and his friends insomuch as the Lord said to Eliphaz at the 7th verse My wrath is kindled against thee and against thy two friends that yet notwithstanding then God puts them upon a means of taking away his displeasure Therefore take unto you now seven Bullocks and seven Rams and go to my servant Job and offer up for your selves a burnt offering and my servant Job shall pray for you and mediate for you So that God was angry and his wrath kindled yet he was willing to be reconciled and finds out a Mediator to bring about this actual reconciliation And so here although God be angry with his own Elect in regard of the dispensation yet notwithstanding he may be willing to be reconciled in regard of his eternal good will But 4. You must know this also that God may and doth Will this for that sometimes and yet not for this will that as Aquinas speaks For Example God doth will Rain for Corne and Rain is the cause of Corn will'd He doth will Rain for Corn yet Corn is not the cause of his will willing the Corn. So here God doth will Christs Mediation for Reconciliation and the Mediation of Christ is the cause of Reconciliation but yet notwithstanding the Mediation of Christ is not the cause of Gods Will willing Reconciliation So that thus now you see what the proper work of a Mediator is that is to mediate between God and us it is to reconcile God to us and to reconcile us unto God That 's
CHRIST And the COVENANT THE Work and Way of Meditation Gods Return to the Soul or Nation Together with his Preventing Mercy Delivered in Ten SERMONS VIZ. 1. Christs Personal Excellencies the Object of of our Love 2. Christ crucified the Object of our Faith 3. The New Covenant of Grace opened 4. Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant 5. The Way and Spirit of the New Covenant or New Testament 6. The Blood of Sprinkling 7. The sweetness and profitableness of Divine Meditation 8. The Work and Way of this Meditation 9. Gods Return to the Soul and Nation 10. Preventing Mercy By W. B. LONDON Printed for N. Ranew and J. Robinson at the Angel in Jewen-street 1667. To the READER Courteous Reader THese Ten Sermons lately taken by an expert band as they fell from the mouth of the sweet Preacher of them contain so great a variety of Heavenly matter so much of the very marrow and quintessence of the Gospel that thou wilt no sooner begin to read them but wilt presently find that the heart of the Reverend Author of them hath lay'n long asoke in the blood of Jesus and that he hath been no stranger to his very bosome Love Buy them therefore with what speed thou canst and read them over diligently it will be a good bargain for thy Soul and one of the Richest Commodities that ever thou mettest with at so cheap a Rate It is put into so small a Letter and Bulk purposely for thy better accommodation and that not only in the ease of thy Purse but principally that thou mayest make it as well thy Pocket as thy Hearts Companion where e're thou goest Farewell The Reader is desired to Correct or Pardon these few faults or any other literal mistakes that he meets with PAge 17. line 9. for love read heart p. 20. l. 25. f. love r. good p. 21. in the Title f. faith r. love p. 25. l. 4. f. think r. thing p. 29. l. 23. f. cleary r. clearly p. 32. in the Title f. Christs r. Christ p. 35. l. 15. f. Elias r. Eli. p. 41. l. 25. f. gorw r. grow p. 43. l. 9. for spirit r. sight p. 64. l. 1. f. for r. if p. 100. l. 27. f. for lo. p. 355. l. 22. f. when r. where p. 356. l. 25. f. Samaritans r. the Samaritans p. 367. l. 24. f. dange r. danger p. 371 l. 9. f. with that r. what is that p. 378 l. 24. f. when r. where p. 384 l. 12. leave out your p. 388 in the title f. and r. of p. 389 l. 15. leave out be p. 397 l. 6. leave out a. p. 403. l. 12. leave out and. p. 409 l. 7. f. uno r. unto p. 419 l. 28. f. a r. the and line 29. leave out therefore p. 426 l. 23. f. so r. see p. 445 in the title for wory r. work p. 451 l. 8. f work r. want p. 455 l. 25. for aytance r. assistance p. 476 l. 12. for not gone r. not so gone l. 19. for not gone r. not so gone p. 487 l. 23. for ere r. or Christs Personall Excellencies the object of our Love SERMON I. John 14.28 â—f ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father for my Father is greater than I. THese words are part of the last sweet Sermon which our Saviour Preached unto his Disciples before his Death and departure from them wherein he labours to allay their sorrow and grief upon the â—ccasion of his departure Therefore he tells them 〈◊〉 the second Verse In my Fathers house are many manâ—s and at the third Verse I go to prepare a place for 〈◊〉 Then he tells them at the 16 17 18 verses that 〈◊〉 would send them another Comforter and I will not leave 〈◊〉 comfortlesse I will come unto you Then he labours to perswade them unto comfort 〈◊〉 their protestation of their own Love unto him 〈◊〉 say you love me saith he If ye loved me yo would reâ—e because I said I go unto the Father for my Father is â—ter than I. â—f ye loved me that is If you loved me so much as you should 'T is usuall with Scripture to speak of thingâ— absolutely when they are meant câ—mparatively If you loved me so much as you proâ—esse and so much as you should for they did love him If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go unto mâ— Father Joy is the top of Comfort as Comfort is the top oâ— Peace Joy is the cream of Comfort If ye loved me ye would be so far from being troubled at my going that you would be very much comforted for I gâ— unto my Father who is greater than I Than I am aâ— Mediatour who upon my coming to him will exaâ— me and therefore if ye loved me ye would ratheâ— rejoyce because I go unâ—o my Father who is greatâ— than I From whence then I take up this Doctrine Doct. That true love unto the Person of Christ wâ— make us rejoyce in his Personall Exaltment thou it may be in some respects unto our debasement or prâ—sent losse For the opening and prosecuting whereof 1. We must enquire what there is in Christ's gâ—â—ing to the Father that is matter of our Rejoycing 2. I shall labour to shew you that 't is our duty rejoyce in the Personall Exaltment of Christ thoâ— in some respects it may be to our own losse and â—basement 3. That true love to the Person of Christ will 〈◊〉 able us to do this 4. That 't is possible that Christ's own and 〈◊〉 Disciples may be wanting in their Love to Chriâ— Person 5. What an excellent thing it is to love the Pâ—son of Christ rather than the benefits of Christ To have our hearts drawn out in Love to his Person more excellent than to have a love to him upon the account of benefits And 6. What we should do that our hearts may be drawn out in love to the very Person of Christ so as we may be able to rejoyce in his exaltment though to our own debasement First If you ask what there is in Christ's going to the Father that is matter of our Rejoycing of a Disciples rejoycing I answer much every way much in reference to our own concernments much in reference to the concernments of Christ much in reference to the concernments of God the Father As for our own concernments First If Christ had not gone unto the Father his â—atisfaction for our sins had not been accepted nor â—ur Redemption perfected Heb. 9.12 Neither by the blood of Goats and Calves but by his own blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained eternal Redempâ—ion for us It doth relate and allude unto the manner of the Old Testament when the blood of Goats â—nd Calves was poured out the Priest took the blood â—nd carried it into the holy of holyest and sprinkled the merâ— Seat But though the blood of Bulls or Calves had â—een poured out yet if the Priest had not
should have such an entertainment as this such a welcome as this unto God the Father But 2ly What advancement had he upon his going to the Father Why great was his advancement as Mediatour For 1. No sooner did he come unto the Father but he was Invested with all that glory that he had with God the Father from all Eternity which he had laid by and vailed when he took our nature upon him and therefore in Joh. 17. saith he And now oh Father glorifie thou me with thy self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was No sooner did he come into heaven unto his Father but he was invested with that glory again that he had vailed to take our nature upon him 2. No sooner did he come into the presence of his Father into heaven but God commanded all the Angels to worship him Worship him all ye Angels 3. No sooner did he come into the presence oâ— his Father to heaven but he was made Executor and Administrator to his own Will to see that performed We die and leave Legacies but cannot Administer our selves nor be the Executors of our own Wills but Christ lives for ever I was dead but am alive and when he came into heaven God the Father made him Executor to his own Will and therefore saith he Ask the Father in my Name and whatever ye ask that will I give you Him hath God the Father Exalted to give remission and repentance Executor of his own Will and Testament 4. No sooner did he come into heaven into the presence of his Father but he was made the greaâ— Governour of all the world and Head of the Church In Acts 5. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and Saviour Lord over all the world and Saviour of the Church Agreable to that in Ephes 1.20 which he wrought in Christ when he raiseâ— him from the Dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Far above all principalitieâ— and powers and might and dâ—minion and every name thaâ— is named not onely in this world but also in that which is tâ— come And hath put all things under his feet and gavâ— him to be head over all things to the Church which is his body Prince and Saviour Lord over all the world and Saviour and Head unto the Church 5. And to say no more in it No sooner did he come into the presence of God his Father that is greater than he as Mediatour but God the Father did take him into fellowship in the matter of divine worship Whether I or no Chrâ—st qua Mediatour or quia Mediatour be to be adored with divine worship I will not now debate but whatsoever worship was due to God the Father was given to Christ Confounded â—he all they that worship graven Images worship him all ye gods All divine worship due to God the Father is given to him Here 's an advancement Now is it not a matter of great rejoycing that Christ our Head should be thus advanced Saith the Emperour's Wife If thou be Caius I am Caia and If Christ be King the Church is Queen Psal 45. Is it not I say a matter of great rejoycing that Christ our Head should be thus advanced Now thus he is advanced by his going to God the Father Thus for the Son's concernment But Thirdly What matter is there of rejoycing by Christ's going to the Father in reference to the Father's concernment Much saith Christ in John 14.13 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son That will I do I am now going from you and if ye ask the Father in my name that will I do why not that the Son may be glorified onely but that the Father may be glorified Look when the great Promise of the Father is fulfilled then is the Father glorified What 's the great Promise of the Father Acts 1. The coming of the Holy Ghost By Christ's going to the Father comes the Holy Ghost Therein was the Father glorified then And look when Every tongue shall confesse that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of the Father then is the Father glorified Now by Christ's going to the Father being exalted every tongue doth confesse that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of the Father as in Philip. 2. And to say no more in it but this Look when the great dâ—sign of God upon the world is accomplished and Christ the Son glorified then is the Father glorified Now by Christ's going to the Father the great design of God is accomplished and the Soâ— glorified Thus we have cause of rejoycing in reference to the concernment of God the Father Looâ— where you will will you look upon your owâ— concernment will you look upon the concernment of Christ will you look upon the concernment of God the Father there is matter of our rejoycing in Christ's going to the Father And so have done with the first thing But then Secondly How may it appear that it is our worâ— and duty to rejoyce in the Personall Exaltment oâ— Christ though in some respect it should be to ouâ— own debasement or present losse Why you see what our Saviour saith here If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go unto the Father whâ— is greater than I. You lose by my going you think and indeed in some respects you do But however it is your duty to rejoyce because it is for my Personall Exaltment And you know what Paul saith in another case Some Preach Christ out of envy and out of contention and to adde affliction to my bonds but however saith he Christ is preached Christ is exalted and therein I will rejoyce I will rejoyce though I be debased so Christ may be exalted I rejoyce If that we are to Praise God for the Exaltment of Christ then we are to rejoyce therein for Praise and Rejoycing go together in Scripture Now though I cannot praise God and be thankfull that God loves me I may praise God for this that the Father loves Christ and be thankfull for his love and his goodnesse to Christ Christ praised God for our glory and happinesse though to his own debasement why should not we praise God for his Exaltment though it be to our debasement If I am to mourn for sin because it is a dishonour to God though the sin be to my own profit then I am to praise God and Christ for his Glory though it may be in some respects to my prejudice Bâ—t besides this the more Communicative any good is the more we may and should rejoyce therein There is abundance of light in the Sun but if the Sun be not up and ascended it cannot give light unto all the world So now though there be light in Christ able to enlighten all the world yet if this Sun be not up he cannot give light to all the world but being now Ascended he
is able to give forth his beams of light unto all the world But you will say How may it appear that Christ will be as gracious and communicative in his love unto us now in heaven as he would have been had he been here on earth You know what he said when he was here on earth And let him that is athirst come John 7.37 In the last day the great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cryed saying If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink Now he is in heaven look into the Book of the Revelation which he speaks from heaven he speaks more than that And let him that is athirst come there 's that And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely here 's more now he is in heaven And I pray when did our Lord and Saviour Christ wash his Disciples feet Give the glorious testimony of his condescending love unto his Dâ—sciples 〈◊〉 when he was going to the Father Jesus knowing 〈◊〉 that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God he arose from Supper and laid aside his Garments and took a Towel and girded himself Knowing that all power was given into his hand he gives that reason He did thus condescend in this way of love knowing that all power was given into his hand Now that he is in heaven all power is given into his hand and therefore now certainly he will be as gracious and communicative in his love and goodnesse as if he had been here on earth and rather over and above Surely therefore it is our work and our duty to rejoyce in this Exaltment of Christ though in some respects it may be to our debasement or present losse But then Thirdly How shall we do this Why true love to the Person of Christ will enable us to do this It will enable us to rejoyce in the Personall Exaltment of Christ though it may be to our own present losse and abasement It is a sweet thing to the Lover to suffer for the Person loved that is where love fixt upon the Person and not upon the benefits If love be fixt upon the benefit it is not so but if upon the person it is so So if our love be fixt upon the Person of Christ this love will enable us to rejoyce in the Exaltment of Christ though it be in our own debasement Christ rejoyced in our Exaltment though it was to his own debasement why because he loved our persons who loved us and gave himself for us So that true love unto the Person of Christ will make us rejoyce in his Exaltment though it may be to our own present debasement You will say then How few are there that do love Christ indeed Chrâ—st is hardâ—y loved for Christ Christ himself is hardly lâ—ved fâ—r himself To love the Person of Christ how few are there that do that And so I come unto the fourth thing Fourthly 'T is possible that Christ's own Disciples may be wanting in their love to Christ's Person T is somewhat strange this If a Prince or Noble-man should take a poor woman a Beggar off the Dunghill and marry her it would be somewhat strange that she should not love his Person If he should not love her you would not think it so strange If Boaz should not love Ruth you would not have thought it so strange but that Ruth should not love the Person of Boaz this may seem strange So now such beggars were we when the Lord came and took us off the Dunghill and said Now is a time of love If the Lord Jesus should not love our persons it would not seem so strange but that we should be wanting in our love to the Person of Christ this is strange yea Friends 't is possible that Christ's own Disciples may be wanting in their love to the Person of Christ They may be wanting in the manner of their love to Christ's Person They may be wanting in the measure of their love to Christ's Person If ye loved me saith he and yet they left all to follow him possibly then the best Disciples of Christ the best men may be wanting in their love to the Person of Christ To make this out a little to you 1. First of all The more we love the Person of Christ the more diligent and observant we shall be in keeping Christ's Commandments that are properly his If ye love me keep my Commandments Why now how many are there of God's own people that are too negligent in keeping Christ's Commandments the Commandment of Love the Institutions of Christ and why so but because they are wanting in their love to the Person of Christ If ye love me keep my Commandments 2. If a good man may be wanting in his zeal for for Christ possibly he may be wanting in his Love tâ— Christ's Person what is zeal but fired love inflamâ— love angered love Now possibly a man that love Christ in truth may be wanting in his zeal Old Eâ— loved God without all doubt and yet he was wanting in his love to God Peter loved Christ Thou knowest that I love thee and yet wanting in his love by denying of Christ Good men may be wanting in theiâ— zeal for Christ why but because they are wanting in their love to the Person of Christ 3. The more a man loves the Person of Christ thâ— more he doth love the Servants the people of Christ It was a good speech of Jerom when there was 〈◊〉 difference between Austin and him I love Chriâ—â— dwelling in Austin even at that very time when there was a difference betwen them And certainly if we love the Person of Christ we shall love Christ dwelling in the Saints But now don 't we find by wofull experience that even in good people their love to the Saints is wanting why but because their love to the Person of Christ is wanting 4. The more a man doth love the Person of Christ the more he will be speaking and thinking of him Love is busied and exercised in thoughtfulnesse about the person loved and in speech If a man love a Person or Thing he will be thinking much on 't and speaking much on 't But now by our experience cannot we go a whole day together and have no thought of Christ Don't we sit down at our meals frequently and not one word of Christ Good Conference where art thou Good and holy Conference where art Come to Professors Tables one Dish after another one Cup of Wine after another but nothing of Christ It 's gone it 's gone what 's the reason but because we are wanting in our love to the Person of Christ Certainly if we were not wanting in our love to the Person of Christ we would be thinking more of him and speaking more of him 5. The more we love the Person of Christ the more we shall desire to be dissolved that we may be with
him in the enjoyments of himself and those heavenly embracements I desire to be dissolved saith S. Paul why and to be with Christ to have the Person of Christ But how many good people are there that cannot desire to be dissolved why because there is a want in their love to the Person of Christ-Possibly then you see by all these things 't is possible that a good man Christ's own and best Disciples may be wanting in their love to the Person of Christ But Fifthly You will say Suppose that my heart be not drawn out in love to the Person of Christ but my love is rather fixt upon Christ's benefits spirituall benefits Is not that good is it not good that I should have love for Christ in reference unto the benefits that I have from him Good yes I sate down under his shadow with great delight saith the Spouse and his fruit was sweet unto my taste Fruit that is the Fruit of Justification the Fruit of Sanctification of Consolation and his fruit was sweet unto my taste 'T is good without all doubt that our hearts should be drawn out to Christ by occcasion even of his benefits But I pray don't mistake me I grant therefore 1. It is good and a lawfull thing to love Christ in reference to his benefits But 2. 'T is our duty to love Christ's Person to have our hearts drawn out with love to the very Person of Christ But 3. The excellency of Christ's Person is not the object of my Faith but Christ crucified But 4. Though Christ crucified be the object of my Faith yet the Personall Excellencies of Christ are the object of my Love Yea it is a more excellent thing yet to love the Person of Christ than the benefits of Christ A more excellent thing to have my heart drawn out in love to the Person of Christ than to have my heart drawn out in love to him for his benefits But you will say Wherein doth our love to the very Person of Christ exceed or excell our love upon the account of benefits though spirituall Many ways First of all If your hearts de drawn out in love to the very Person of Christ by your loving him you make him your own 'T is not so in other loves By my loving Gold I don't make it my own by my loving Silver I don't make it my own but by loving his Person I make him my own 'T is not so in regard of benefits By my loving the benefits of Christ the comforts from Christ I don't make Christ my own but by my love unto the Person of Christ I make Christ my own 2. The lesse of Self in your love to Christ the more pure and clean it is and so the better Now if your heart be drawn out in love to the benefits of Christ your love is more selfish you love him in reference unto your selves because you have such enjoyments and such benefits But if your hearts be drawn out in love to the Person of Christ your love is lesse selfish so the more pure the more holy and clean 3. If your heart be drawn out unto Christ himself and the Person of Christ you will more readily accept of any thing frâ—m Christ though it be never so small yea though it be afflictive If that your love be placed and founded upon the benefits of Christ then you will not so easily and readily accept of any thing from Christ especially if afflictive True love interprets all things in the best sense that is love to the â—erson but love to the benefit don't Love the Perâ—on of Christ and you will interpret every dispensation â—n a good sense for you love his Person but Love to the benefit will not do so 4. If your love be drawn out in love to the very Person of Christ then you will sympathize with Christ in all his Concernments of the Gospel whether matter of joy or matter of grief If your love be â—ounded upon Christ's benefits you will not sympaâ—hize with him so but love his Person and you will â—ympathize with him in all his Concernments 5. If your hearts be drawn out in Love to the very Person of Christ then you will abound therein The â—nely measure of love is to know no measure that is â—here the Person is loved But if love be placed upon â—he benefit it knows stints and limits and measures â—ut if your heart be drawn out in love to the very Person of Christ you will be abundant therein and â—ou will never think you can love enough 6. If your heart be drawn out in love to the very Person of Christ then you will long after the presence of Christ and you will be afflicted for his absence Love Christ â—pon the account of benefits and it will not be so but love Christ upon the account of his Person and then it will be so You will long after his presence and you will be afflicted for his absence 7. The more your heart is drawn out in love to Christ and the Person of Christ the more you will love the Seed of Christ the Posterity of Christ â—he Children and the People of Christ David loved â—onathan's seed why for he loved his Person not his benefits so love but the Person of Christ anâ— then you will shew kindnesse to the Seed of Christ anâ— be more loving to the Seed of Christ 8. The more your heart is drawn out to the verâ— Person of Christ the more will your love continue That 's perpetuall that hath a perpetuating Cause Thâ— Personall Excellency of Christ is a perpetuall Causâ— of love but the benefit that doth come from Christ 〈◊〉 not so Let the benefit be never so great if your lovâ— be founded upon the benefit that doth come froâ— Christ as the benefit dies your love will die but your love be founded upon the very Person of Chrisâ— and drawn out to the Person of Christ then will yoâ— love continue and never die 9. Lastly as to this If your heart be drawn oâ— in love to the very Person of Christ to Christ himself then you have gained the heart of God the Father fâ— ever Look into John 16. saith Christ at the 27. veâ— For the Father himself loveth you because ye have lovâ— me Not because ye have loved my benefits but bâ—cause ye have loved me ye have gotten the heart my Father saith he Therefore doth my Father loâ— you because ye have loved me because ye love 〈◊〉 Person Now is it not a blessed thing Friends 〈◊〉 have the heart of God the Father Why if your heart 〈◊〉 drawn out in love to the very Person of Christ yâ— have gained the heart of the Father for ever 〈◊〉 and the Father loves you and the Son loves you aâ— they will come and make their abode with you Oh whaâ— blessed thing is it then for to have ones heart draâ— out in love to the very Person of Christ Certaiâ— it is
is not yet written in my heart O make good thy Covenant and write thy Law in my heart And for you that are Saints this Doctrine looks upon you and it saith thus If Christ be the Mediator of the New Covenant and your Mediator that God hath provided for you then go away and be ashamed of your sins and of all your doings the pardon whereof requires such a Mediator and the blood of the Mediator Then shall ye be ashamed saith the Lord When I am pacified towards you If Christ be your Mediator and God be pacified Oh then be you ashamed 2. And to you it speaks thus If the Lord Jesus Christ be the Mediator of this New Covenant your Mediator and mediates for you then why should not you appeare for Christ on Earth upon all occasions Shall Christ interpose with the Father and appeare for you and mediate for you in Heaven upon all occasions and will not you appear for Christ on Earth What Christ appeare for you in Heaven and mediate for you in Heaven and will not you appeare for Christ on Earth Yea unto you it saith Why should not you all goe away with your hearts full of Love and Thankfulnesse both to God the Father and to Jesus Christ If you were going to the Prison for a Debt and a man should meet you and undertake to be your Surety and pay your Debt you would love him as long as you lived Here is the case we were all going to Prison Christ comes undertakes to be our Surety payes our Debt then will you not love Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant Will you not love him and be thankfull to him and to God the Father For though the performance of this Mediation be Christs the Contrivance is God the Fathers God the Father did contrive this Covenant and God the Father did send Christ this Mediator I have given thee for a Covenant saith the Father and saith Christ Lo I come to do Thy Will. Friends it was the will of God the Father that Jesus should be the Mediator of this New Covenant Oh the freenesse of the Grace of God the Father He was the person offended and yet that He himself should find out such a Mediator of such a Covenant what Grace is here Now therefore blessed be God the Father for this Mediator let us all say and blessed be this Mediator JESVS who hath mediated us into this New Covenant Goe away I say you that are Saints with your hearts full of Love both unto God the Father who hath contrived this Mediation and unto JESVS who hath performed this Mediation And now let your hearts be confirmed let your Hope be confirmed let your Love be confirmed let your Joy be confirmed let your Thankfulnesse be confirmed let your Graces be confirmed A confirmed Covenant calls for confirmed Christians I have done I cannot say whom we should love most and be thankful most unto the Father or the Son but this I say love the Father with all your heart and be thankful to him in reference to his Contrivance love the Son with all your heart and be thankful to him in reference to his Performance for JESVS is the Mediator of the New Covenant And thus I have done with the second Doctrine namely that Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant The third follows and that is That now in these Gospel times we are not come to Moses the Mediator of the Old but unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament The Way and Spirit of the New Covenant or New Testament SERM. V. Hebr. 12.24 And to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant c. Doctr. 3. THe Third Observation follows which is this That in these Gospel-times we are not come to Moses the Mediator of the Old but unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant or the New Testament The latter part of the Doctrine you have in the words of the Text and the former part in the Conâ—ext for saith the Apostle Ye are not come unto the Mount that might be touched to Mount Sinai But ye â—re come unto Mount Sion and ye are come unto Jesus â—he Mediator of the New Covenant So that now in â—hese Gospel-times we are not come to Moses the â—ediator of the Old Covenant but to Jesus the â—ediator of the New Testament For the opening and prosecuting whereof First We must inquire What is here meant by â—oming unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant in opposition to Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant Secondly Whether it be possible for a man thaâ— doth profess Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant to have recourse unto Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant or the Old Testament That is Whether a Man may possibly be Legal and Mosaical in these Gospel-times Thirdly When so Fourthly The Danger of it and Fifthly What we should do that we may stand cleaâ— from Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant anâ— come fully off unto Jesus the Mediator of the New That we may walk wiâ—h a Gospel not a Legal Spirit and be found in a Gospel not a Legal Way in these Gospel-times First of all If you ask What is here meant by coming unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant in opposition to Moses I answer in the general It doth signifie and note out that Evangelical and Gospel-state that we are now brought unto by Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament in opposition to the Legal state thaâ— they were in in the dayes and times of the Old Testament But because this is general and commoâ— unto that which goes before therefore you must knoâ— more particularly That a Man is said to come unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament in opposition to Moses when now in these Gospel-times upon all occasionâ— he hath recourse unto Jesus as in the times of thâ— Old Testament upon all occasions they had recourâ— unto Moses As now for Example In the times of the Old Testament they came 〈◊〉 Moses for the Law under God and they receivâ— the Law from his mouth What saith Moses was the saying then So now in these times of the Gospel we are to have recourse unto Jesus and to receive the Law at his mouth What saith Jesus And therefore saith our Saviour It hath been said unto you Thou shalt not kill and Thou shalt not commit Adultery But I say unto you and I say unto you Why What because as the Socinians would Christ made any addition to the Law No but because now as for other Reasons we are to receive the Law from his mouth from the mouth of Jesus And as in the times of the Old Testament they had recourse to Moses for their Church and their Church State He it was that did give the Tabernacle under God and the way of the Tabernacle So now in the times of the New Testament we are to have recourse to Jesus What saith Jesus to a Church-way Not What
but because they are under the Law As there were two in Aâ—rahams house the Bond-woman and the Free-woman Hagar and Sarah So in these Gospel Times there will be some that shall be freely for the Grace of God and the Covenant of Grace some again that will turn in to the Covenant of works and be Legal and Mosaical And If that we be Legal and Mosaical in these Gospel times we shall be more Lâ—gal â—nd more Mosaical than before As when a Servant was bound and the year of freedom came and he might go free and would not then his ear was bor'd and he was to be a servant for ever So now for what is our Gospel time but a time of Spiritual freedom And if men will be servants still and under the Law still their ears are bor'd and they are more Mosaical and more Legal than before But friends This ought not to be for you know what the Lord saith from Heaven concerning Christ Hear ye him Once in the 3d. of Matth. ye have those words from Heaven over Christ This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased And a second time ye have those words at the Transfiguration in the 17 of Matth. 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Why are those words hear ye him added here In the 3d. of Matth. these words are not added but only thus This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased There 't is not said hear ye him but in the 17 of Matth. 't is said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him Why is hear ye him added here Why if you look into the former verse ye find Peter answered and said unto Jesus Lord it is good for us to be here if thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles one for Thee and one for Moses and one for Elias Moses gave out the Law and Elias restored the Law now they being present now comes the voice hear ye him That is not Moses not Elias but now hear ye him in opposition to Moses in opposition unto Elias hear ye him And if you look into the 7th of the Rom. you shall find that now in these Gospel times we are to be dead unto the Law which the Apostle clears by a very great similitude Saith he Know ye not Brethren how that the Law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the Law to her Husband so long as he liveth but if the Husband be dead she is loosed from the law of her Husband So then if while her husband liveth she be married to another man she shall be called an Adulteress but if her husband be dead she is free from that Law so that she is no Adulteress though she be married to another man Wherefore my Brethren ye also are become dead to the Luw by the body of Christ that ye should be marryed to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God Ye are married to another therefore ye are dead to the Law dead how dead why ye are freed from the Law he expresses it so elsewhere freed from the Law How so What are we freed from the Commandment of the Law From the precept of the Law No saith the Apostle The Commandment is hâ—ly and just and good How then are we freed from the Law Why you are free from the Vail of the Law 2 Cor. 3. And you are free from the Dominion of the Law Ye are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. And ye are free from the Pedagogy of the Law the Law is not your School-master to bring to Christ Gal. 3. And ye are free from the Covenant of the Law as a Covenant And thus are ye in these Gospel times dead to the Law and free But now though we are thus dead and be thus free yet possibly a man may be too Legal in these Gospel times That 's the Second 3. But then thirdly When may a man be said to be Legal or Mosaical in opposition to this Mediator Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant And when may a man be said to be Evangelical in opposition to Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant Or in short What is the Way and Spirit of the Old and of the New Testament and wherein do they differ First of all An Old Testament legal Spirit is a servile spirit that serveth God upon the account of wages or reward mostly chiefly or onely An Evangelical Gospel spirit is a Filial spirit Moses therefore the Head of that Covenant is called a Servant and Jesus the Head of this Covenant is called a Son Moses as a Servant Christ as a Son Heb. 3. And if you look into Rom. 8. you shall find it s said there by way of difference For ye have not received the Spirit of Bondage again unto fear So you read it but the words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ye have not received the spirit of Servitude again or a servile Spirit or the spirit of Servants But ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Compare this with Gal. 4. and you shall see the opposition doth not lie between the Spirit of Adoption and Bondage but Servitude v. 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Aâ—ba Fâ—ther wherefore thou art no more a Servant but a Son In the 1. verse Now I say that the heir as long as he is a Child differeth nothing from a Servant though he be Lord of all but is under Tutors and Governours until the time appointed of the Father But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Women made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into yâ—ur hearâ—s crying Abba Father wherefore thou art nâ— mâ—re a Serv nt So that it is a servile spirit and the spirit of a servant that is here opposed to this Adoption And would you know the difference between the spirit of a Servant and the spirit of a Son Why a Servant serves for wages and a Son serves out of love and duty And are there not many in these times of the Gospel that do serve God onely or mâ—stly upon the account of wages and reward Ye know what men ordinarily say What need ye be so strict in your life you may go to Heaven with less ado So then it seems 't is Heaven that is their measure of obedience Why because men are legal and serve God upon the account of wages 'T is Heaven and Reward and Wages that 's the business Why because men are legal I grant It is lawful to have an eye to the recompence of
Reward Christ himself had All love of reward is not Mercenary But for a man to serve God mostly chiefly onely upon the account of wages and for reward this is plainly Legal A man of a Gospel spirit knows that he lives upon a better Purse than all his own earnings can amount unto But 2. A legal Spirit also is a fearing Spirit put on rather by the Threatning than by the Promise a Gospel spirit rather by the promise than the threatning In the times of the Old Testament the Threatning reigned And if you look into Deuteronomy you shall find that when Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant preached and declared the mind of God unto the people he begins with Curses and Threatnings Deut. 27. They were upon two Hills and v. 14. The Levites shall speak and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice Cursed be the man that maketh any Graven or Molten Image an abomination unto the Lord. Cursed be he that setteth â—eight by his Father or his Mother And Cursed be he that removeth his Neighbours Land-mark and so he goes on with Curses In the 28. Chap. then comes the blessings It shall come to pass if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice â—f the Lord thy God to observe and do to all his Commandments which I command thee this day That the Lord thy God will set thee on High above all Nations of the Earth and all these blessings shall come on thee and overtake thee Blessed shalt thou be in the City and blessed shalt thou be in the Field blessed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground and the fruit of thy Cattel the increase of thy Kine and the flocks of thy Sheep Mark how the Blessing comes after First comes the Curse when Moses the Mediator of the Old Covenant preached But now look into the 5th of Matth. and ye find that when Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant comes to preach that he begins with Blessing Blessed are the poor in spirit and blâ—ssed are the meek and blessed are those that hunger and thirst after Righteousness and blessed and blessed First comes the blessing and then afterwards in the following part of the Chapter comes the Law and the curse And if you look into this Scripture you find the difference also for saith the Apostle here We are not come unto the Mount that might be touched that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet and the voice of words which they could not endure so terrible was the sight thereof But ye are come to mount Sion Would you know the difference between the dispensations the one is terrible the other comfortable The one is fearing and the other comforting Look in the 10th of Rom. The Apostle there also makes the difference between the Spirit of the Law and the Gospel Moses saith he v. 5. describeth the Righteousness which is of the Law that the man which doth those things shall live by them Do and live but at the 6. verse The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart The Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thine heart who shall ascend into Heaven It don't hold the soul in suspence and anxiety and fear and trouble Christ hath ascended and Christ hath descended Quest But you will say May not a man that is of a Gospel spirit and that is come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant be full of fears May not a good and gratious soul be full of fears about his condition Answ I answer He may but his fears do arise from the weakness of his Adherence and Faith The other's fears do rather arise from the weakness of the ground he stands upon As for example Two men are affraid of drowning one stands upon a Rock and he is affraid of being drown'd the other stands upon a Quick-sand and he 's affraid of being drown'd both are affraid He that stands upon a Rock is affraid of drowning why because he is affraid he shall be washt off His fear arises from the weakness of his Adherence But the other's fear arises from the unsoundness of the ground he stands upon for it is upon a Quick-sand So here are two fears a gracious Gospel-heart fears and a Legalist fears One fears from the weakness of his Adherence I am upon the Rock but I am affraid I shall be washt off But the other's fears arise from the weakness of the ground he stands upon he stands upon the Quick-sand upon his own duties and his own works so that a legal Spirit is a fearing Spirit He is put on rather by the Threatnings than the Promise The other by the Promise rather than the Threatning The one is kept from evil by his delight in good and the other is put on to good by his fear of evil That 's the second 3. In the times of the Old Testament they did very much measure the love of God by outward things For the Promises as you know then were mostly concerning Temporal things and so they measured the love of God much by those outward things But now in the times of the New Testament our Promises are mostly spiritual and therefore a New Testament spirit measures the love of God most by Spiritual things and not by these outward things 4. A legal Old Testament spirit trades much or most or altogether with conditional Promises for the Old Covenant Promises were most conditional and ran conditionally But now when God promises the New Covenant he gives out an absolute Promise and therefore a New Testament spirit trades much with absolute promises For he knows and you may know that though a promise be conditional the Lord hath promised the very condition in another Scripture and that without a condition And he knows and you may know that when God gives a promise with an Oath though the promise do run conditionally it shall be fulfilled absolutely 5. In the time of the Old Testament they came unto Christ by the promise for Christ was not yet come but promised But now in the times of the New Testament we come first to Christ and so unto the Promise for all the Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ 6. In the time of the Old Testament they came unto Christ by the Law and without the Law they might not come to Christ For the Law was a School-master for to bring to Christ But now in the time of the New Testament The Law is not our School-master for to bring to Christ And though seldome any go to Heaven but come by the gates of Hell And seldome men do come to Christ now but they have some
the obedience of the second Adam doth consist in being obedient unto a positive commandment which was the symbol of his obedience to the whole Law of God This câ—mmandment received I of my Father saith he And as Moses the Head of that Covenant was faithful in all his house in so much as it s said of him As the Lâ—rd Commanded so did he so Jesus the head of this second Covenant was faithful in all his trust and as the Lord Commanded so did he As the Father gave me commandment saith he even so I do John 14. last So that the blood of sprinkling speaks the highest obedience in the World 4. It speaketh also the worth of souls If a Physitian have a Patient ready to die and nothing will work his cure but the heart-blood of the Physitian and the Physitian should vouchsafe thereto and let him have his heart-blood to drink Would it not argue that the Physitian thinks this mans life is of great concernment and of great worth so 't is here And what doth this argue but that Jesus did look upon the souls of men as of Infinite worth and Concernment 5. This blood of Jesus and the blood of sprinkling speaketh the evill of sin The hainousness the sinfulness the evill of sin There are many things that do speak the evill of sin but of all things methinks the blood of sprinkling the blood of Jesus speaks the evill of sin loudest Give me leave to name some that so you may compare them and this together First The separation from God and union with Satan speakes the evill of sin As by Grace we are united unto God made One with God and separated from the Devil so by sin we are separated from God and united unto Satan and made one with him 2. The Condemnation of the whole World by the sin of Adam speaks the evill of sin If the eating of the Apple committing that one sin brought Condemnation upon all the World how g eat must the evil of sin be 3. The fire of Hell speaks the evil of sin for what is the fewel that the fire of hell feeds upon but sin take sin away and the fire of Hell will die it will be quencht 4. The spoyl of Dutyes speaks it One sinful thought is enough to spoyl a prayer to spoyl a Duty to spoyl a Sermon And if one drop of Inke shall black a whole Glass of milk how black is that Inke 5. The horror of Conscience speaks it for If but one sin set on upon the soul by God doth put a man into such horror of Conscience how great is the evil of sin 6. The troublesomness of the relicks of sin in the Saints speaks it Sins in the Saints are but wasps without their sting And if the wasps without their sting be so troublesom how troublesom are the wasps that have their stings in them how troublesom is sin in it self But seventhly and above all The Blood of sprinkling speaks the evill of sin For if the guilt of sin be so great that nothing can satisfie for it but the Blood of Jesus and the Filth of sin be so great that nothing can fetch out the stain thereof but the blood of Jesus How great How hainous How sinfull must the evil of sin be The Blood of sprinkling speakes the evil of sin And then 6ly As the Blood of sprinkling speaks the evil of sin so it speakes the riches and the freeness of the Love of God 'T was love in Jonathan to part with his Garment for David What love is it in Christ to part with his Blood for us It was love that made Christ weep over Lazarus They said Behold how he loved him And if his Tears speak his love what doth his Blood 'T is love to give a cup of cold water to a Disciple what is it then to give ones warm Blood unto Enemies Three things there are that do make a gift greatly free 1. The greatness of the gift given 2. The unworthiness of the Person given unto 3. And the greatness of the person that gives 1. As for the gift it self What greater than the Blood of Jesus 2. As for the Persons given unto who more unworthy then sinfull men 3. As for the Person that doth give who greater then God in the three Persons The Father gives Christ to die The Son dies and gives his Blood And the Holy-Ghost comes and sprinkles it for it is the work of the Holy-Ghost to sprinkle this is another thing that the Blood of Jesus speaks It speakes the Riches and the freeness of the love of God these are the things that this blood of sprinkling speaketh And now if you ask How and in what respects it speaketh better things than Abel or then that of Abel For it may be translated both ways according to the several copies But take it according to our translation better than that of Abel or then the blood of Abel How and in what respects doth the blood of Jesus speak better things than the blood of Abel Why it speaks better things than the Personal blood of Abel And it speakes better things than the Sacrificed blood of Abel It speakes better then the Personal blood of Abel for the blood of Abel cryed for vengeance against his own Brother But the blood of Jesus cries for mercy and for remission for his Enemyes Father forgive them they know not what they do said Christ when their hands were imbrewed in his blood But others think rather that these words are to be understood of the sacrificed blood of Abel And because Abel is the first that stands upon record in Scripture for offering a sacrifice with blood It is as if the Apostle should say The sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross and the blood of Jesus speaketh better things than the sacrifice of Abel or of all the sacrifices in the Old-Testament And Indeed This is more sutable to the scope of the Apostle here For the design of the Apostle here is to shew the excellencie of New-Testament sacrifice and of the way of the New-Testament above the Old And if you look into the Scripture you find that though in the Fourth of Genesis it â—s said Abels blood cryed yet notwithstanding iâ— is not said that Abel or his blood speaketh buâ—â—n the Eleventh of the Hebrews 't is said that in point of sacrifice By faith Abel speaketh By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellenâ— sacrifice then Cain and by it he being dead yet speâ—keth In point of sacrifice by faith he yet speaketh And would you know how the blood of Jesus speaketh better things than the sacrificed blood of Abel or than all the sacrifices of the old Testament Thus. 1. The blood of Jesus and the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross doth give efficacie unto all those sacrifices What aâ—e all the Types and Ceremonies but dead things without the thing Typified 2. And though Abel offered an excellent sacrifice he did not offer
with God Surely therefore this work of Meditation is sweet for 't is profitable as you have heard in these ten particulars 4. Again As the work of Meditation is very profitable natural suitable so it is very contentful and satisfying to a gracious Soul What person in Love is not satisfied in thinking and meditating on the person loved What gracious loving Child is not satisfied in thinking on his Father that 's absent in an other Country So what David saith in the 63d Psalm My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness When When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches I shall not only be contented but my Soul shall be satisfied how In a way of Meditation 'T is Meditation-work that is soul-satisfying work 5. And as it is soul-satisfying work so this work of Meditation to a gracious soul is a most delightful work What greater delight than to think on that God in whom he doth most delight Is it delightful to a wicked man to sit and muse and meditate on his sinful wayes and will it not be delightful to a gracious soul to sit and think and muse and meditate on the Lord Certainly it is a work that is most delightful to a gracious soul Object But how can it be so delightful 't is a hard work Meditation work is hard work and therefore how can it be so delightful to a gracious soul Yes very well for though it be hard in regard of its practice yet it may be sweet and delightful in regard of its profit Is it not a hard work to the Husbandman to plow to sow to reap and yet delightful in regard of its profit Is it not a hard woâ—k for a man to be digging in the Mines digging up of Silver and yet delightful in regard of the profit Is it not a hard work for a man to make such ventures at Sea through all storms and yet it is delightful in regard of its profit the profit of the Voiage makes it delightful Why you have heard now the profitableness of the work of Meditation It is an help to Knowledge thereby your knowledge is raised Thereby your Memory is strengthened Thereby your Hearts are warmed Thereby you will be freed from sinful thoughts Thereby your hearts will be tuned to every duty Thereby you will grow in grace Thereby you will fill up all the chinks and crevices of your lives And know how to spend your spare time and impâ—ove that for God Thereby you will draw good out of evil And thereby you will converse with God have communion with God and enjoy God And I pray is not here profit enough to sweeten the voiage of your thoughts in Meditation But Secondly Hard work you say and therefore how can it be delightful Friends The harder the work is the sweeter it is being overcome 'T is a sweet thing to overcome 'T is hard thing to fight but 't is a sweet thing to overcome The harder the Nutt is to crack the sweeter is the meat when it is crackt the harder the Scripture is that is to be opened the sweeter is the kernel the truth when it is opened When God opened the Rock the Waters that flowed out were as sweet as honey Now meditation makes a Conquest of the work 3. Though it be a hard thing to meditate on God and the things of God yet notwithstanding do but consider why the woâ—k is hard and you will say that the difficulty of the work is no Impeachment to the suavity or the sweetness thereof There are two things that make meditation hard The one is because men are not used thereunto men are not exercised therein And another is because they don't love God enough Every thing is hard at the first Writing is hard at the First Painting hard at the first and the getting Languages hard at the first A Trade is hard at the First So certainly the work of meditation will be hard at the first There is nothing not hard to those that are unwilling There is nothing hard to those that Love Love makes all things easie Is it an hard thing for a Lover to think or meditate on the Person loved Is it a hard thing for a Child at a distance from his Father to think or meditate on his Father and his Father's love and kindness is this hard Indeed to a Rebellious Child 't is hard to a Child that 's run away from his Father 't is hard but for a loving and an obedient Child it is not hard And what 's the reason that the work of meditation is so hard to many of us but because in truth we are not used thereunto or because we are rebellious Children and don 't love the Lord as we ought to do Quest But you will say May not a wicked man meditate on God and find sweetness in the Work Answ I answer that 't is possible that a wicked man may separate and sequester himself unto this work of reading studying and thinking on the word and Law of God 1 Sam. 21.7 Now a certaine man of the servants of Saul was there that day deteyned before the Lord and his Name was Doeg He was there separated cloystered for the studying of the Law and yet a Doeg a great persecuter And who doth not see it Fryers and Monks separate and Cloyster up themselves at this very day and spend much time in that which they call Meditation Yea possible it is that a wicked man may not onely think and meditate on the Law of God but he may find some sweetness therein for if wicked men do delight in their approach unto God as in the 58. of Isaiah Why may they not delight also and find a sweetness in their meditation concerning God But 3dly Though a wicked man may meditate on God and the things of God and find some sweetness in the work of meditation yet with this difference There is a great deal of difference between the sweetness that a wicked man finds in the work of meditation and the sweetness that a good man finds in the work of meditation For though a wicked man may meditate and find some sweetness in the work yet not withstanding the sweetness doth rather arise from the satisfaction of his natural Conscience than from the Connaturalness and suitableness that is between his heart and the work Possibly a Doeg a wicked man may be Convinced that he ought to read the scriptures and to meditate theâ—ein and having don so his Conscience is satisfied and he finds sweetness therein But â—his sweetness doth rather arise from the satisfying of his nâ—tural Conscience than from any Connaturalnesse and suitablenesse that there is between his heart and the work 2. It is one thing for a man to find a sweetness in this work of meditation in reference to his own imployment Calling or livelyhood another thing for to find a sweetness in it in reference unto God to his
And the more sensible we are of the loss of our thought-pâ—ssessions and of our Meditations the more fit we shall be for this work of Meditation First therefore be very sensible of your want and neglect of this work of Meditation thus long 2. If you would meditate indeed on God and the things of God labour more and more for a Serious Spirit A frothy leight and giggling disposition is never fit for Meditation Labour therefore to be serious And there are three or four things that will poise and make your hearts serious The sight of the glorious Majesty of God The sense of your Eternal Condition Eternity Eternity Humiliation for Sin And converse with those that are serious Be serious and you will be more fit for Meditation That 's the Second 3. If you would indeed meditate on God and the things of God labour more and more for a Fixed Spirit Fixation of Spirit is a great friend to meditation An unsettled an unfixed soul cannot meditate Fix therefore first And there are many things that may fix your Spirits The great and weighty Judgments of God that are upon us may help to fix us and hang lead upon our heels In case you are to come to Meditation or any other Work come free and don 't leave any businesse standing at the Door for a hundred to one but your hearts will step out unto it at the time of your Work whether Meditation or Prayer or any thing else Therefore come free unto every Duty if you would be fixed And labour for Intention of Affection In Meditation Prayer or any other Work be Intense We use to say when the Candle burns the Mouse doth not nibble but when the Candle is out then the Mouse nibbles when our hearts are warm and lively in Prayer and Meditation we are free from distractions the Mouse nibbles not And in case you meet with any distraction in Meditation or other duty don't stand to Correct your heart in the time of the duty but go on with your work If a woman carries a Child abroad among friends and the Child cries and makes a disturbance the mother don't then correct the Child there but calls the Child to an account when she comes at home for saith she Else would my correction be a further disturbance to the company So here when you meet with distractions in duty if you call your hearts to an account then it will be a further disturbance but on with your present duty correct afterward and thus shall your hearts be the more fixed and fixation of heart is a great help to Meditation 4. If you would indeed meditate on God and the things of God be sure that you lay out such objects as may give entertainment to your thoughts For if there be no Corn in the Quern what grinding will there be Have therefore objects laid out to exercise your thoughts withal upon all occasions And so when you have any spare time your Objects lying by you will be presently upon the work of Meditation only let those Objects be such as are drawing alluring thought-begetting Objects and Thought-entertaining Objects But then 5. If you would meditate on God and the things of God strengthen your Love and Delight for Meditation grows upon the stalk of Love and Delight And the more a man doth love God and the things of God the more he meditates thereon Psal 119. O how I love thy Law what then It is my Meditation all the day this was much his meditation all the day What 's the reason Why his Love was beyond expression O how I love thy Law It is my meditation all the day Love loves to be thinking on the person loved It carries the Picture of the Person or thing loved up and down in its bosome the more you love the more you meditate and the more you delight the more you meditate Can a Woman forget her Child no why because she loves it Can a Worldly man forget the World his Money and his House or Land can he forget this no why because he loves them What 's the reason we meditate no more but because we love God no more Do but strengthen your love to God and the things of God and your delight in God and the things of God and you will meditate more This is the fifth means unto the work of Meditation Strengthen your love to and your delight in the Lord And then 6. If you would meditate on God and the things of God Then labour to get a deep Impression of the things of God upon your heart and soul 'T is deep impressions that calls for meditation A man reads the word of God and it may be understands it but he don't meditate Why because the word made no impression upon his heart as he went along But if he read it and understand it and hath an impression made upon his soul as he reads it then he thinks on 't afterwards As in hearing the Word of God a man hears the Word of God in Publick or in Private and he meditates not thereupon Why Why because it has no impression upon him Possibly a man may think of the free grace of God yet if it make no impression upon his soul he don't go away and meditate on it If a man think on the Wrath of God and it make an impression upon him he goes away and is still in the thoughts thereof What 's the reason that many poor souls troubled in Conscience are alwayes thinking of Hell and Judgement and Wrath but because the Wrath of God hath made a deep impression upon their souls and the more deep the impression is upon your soul the more full will your meditation be You see how it was in former times when they went in procession at the end of the Parish they would take up a Boy and whip him Why that he might remember the bounds of the Parish for Passion is the best Door-keeper of Memory And as passion is the Door-keeper of Memory so Impression is the Door-keeper of Meditation 7. If you would meditate on God and the things of God Take heed that your hearts and your hands be not too full of the world and the employments thereof The more full your hand is of worldly imployments the more you will think thereon and the more you think thereon the less you will think of Gâ—d and the things of God And what is the reason that many meditate and think so little of God and the things of God but because their hearts are so full of the World Where their treasure is there will their hearts bâ— O saith one I would think on God and I would meditate on God with all my heart but meditation-work is a work of time it will cost time and I have no time my hands are so full of business and so full of imployment I have no time for this work Meditation is not a transient Thought but it is a work of
dispensation then God is said to repent So it repented the Lord that he had made man in the 6. of Gen. 2. Secondly If you ask Whether God doth or will at any time repent I Answer yes Expressly in the 32 Exod. 14. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people 'T is a direct Answer of prayer to the very words At the 12. v. Moses prayes Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil agâ—inst thy people And at the 14. v. The Lord repented of the â—vâ—l which he thought to do unto his people God doth and will some times repent Onely you must know God will more easily repent of his Judgments than of his Mercies And you must know that the gifts of God are of two sorts Ordinary and Common gifts and so God repents of them and he takes them away It repented the Lord that he had made man Of the gifts of God that concern effectual vocation so God repenteth not For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Those gifts that concern our effectual Vocation those God repents not of 3. But then Thirdly how may it appear that when the Lord doth return unto his people that then he will repent him concerning his Servants Why that appears by the thing it self If a man say he will go from such a Town and never return again and then do return he doth repent him concerning the thing by his return And so concerning God In the 18th Jer. At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pul down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them Well 4. But then 4thly How shall we know in case God be absent or God be departed how shall we be able in the time of Gods absence or departure to know that God will return again Suppose that God be withdrawn from my soul in particular I am this day under a spiritual desertion how shall I know that God will return again to me Or suppose that God have forsaken and departed much from the Nation how shall we know whether God will return again or no Indeed it is a very hard thing to bear the departures of God But yet if I did know that God would return again I should be comforted How therefore shall I know both in reference to my own soul in particular and in reference to the Nation that God will return again Here are two cases and I shall speak all along to both If your Question do relate unto your own particular case and soul I Answer thus You may know it by your Relations If you be in Covenant with God God will return again to you though now he be absent Though he afflict you with Rods his loving kindness will he not take away nor suffer his faithfulness to fail Will a Father or Mother leave their Child no I am sure God will not Joseph was under a great displeasure with his Brethren yet notwithstanding at the last he could hold no longer but he bursts out and saith I am your Brother Joseph And so though you be under some great displeasure from Christ yet there is a time when Christ will break forth and say unto you I am yous Brother Jesus And I say if you be in Covenant with God you may conclude it for so doth the Psalmist Psal 42. ult I shall yet praise him My soul thou art cast down and disquieted but be quieted for I shall yet praise him Why he is the health of my Countenance and my God You may know it then by your Relations But 2. Though God or Christ be gon and in a great measure departed from your souls yet If you cannot leave God God cannot leave you In our conversion God comes to us before we come to him But in Apostasie we depart from God before he departs from us How is it therefore with you Can you say truly My soul cannot leave God then conclude and say God will return again and cannot leave you But 3. Though God be very much gon and departed from you in a great measure Yet if in the time of his absence he doth send you letters and tokens of love you may know for certain he will return again Possibly God or Christ may appoint an affliction to bring you a token or to bring you a message of love in the time of his absence Possibly he may appoint or order some providence to bring you a Token or some message of love Possibly he may order and appoint upholding mercy to be a pledge to you of delivering mercy And believe it upholding mercy is alwaies a pledge of delivering mercy How is it therefore with you are you deserted is Christ gon yet have you not had the upholding presence of God all this while then be of good Comfort Christ is not gon but he will return again 4. If your case and condition be such that although you cannot find Christ Christ is gon though Christ be gon and departed from you and you cannot find him yet If you can direct others to the finding of him when you cannot find him then certainly he is not gon but he will return again unto you The Spouse in the Canticles seeks after Christ saith she he hath withdrawn himself and I cannot find him Chap. 5. The Daughters of Jerusalem say whither is thy beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee my Beloved is gon down into his Garden to the beds of spices Mark she could not find him her self and yet she can direct others to the finding of him What doth this signifie but plainly teach us thus much that though Christ be gon and we cannot find him yet if we can direct others to the finding of him he is not quite gon but he will return again Now is it thus with you when Christ is gon cannot you direct others to the finding of him If you can then build upon it he is not so gon but he will return again But then Secondly suppose that the Lord be departed from this Nation much we are under a very great displeasure of the Lord this day God is departed from us how shall we know now in the time of Gods departure that he will return again to this Nation First you know how it is with a man that doth leave his house though he go away yet if his Children be there and his goods be there his Plate and his Jewels there he will either come again to them or send for them to himself Believe it Christians God hath a very great Cupbord of Plate in this Nation Christ hath much plate in England as much as in any Nation in the World and he will not lose his plate There are three things very pretious in the eies of God His truth His worship His
IV. Now Fourthly Why will God carry on the work of his Mercy in a way of Preventing Love 1. First Because the heart of God is full of love to the children of men Ordinary love will shew kindness upon kindness but where the heart is full of love it delights to prevent the person loved with kindness Now the heart of God is full of love for the children of men That 's one thing 2. God will so carry on the work of his Grace and mercy that all his mercies and blessings now may be conformed to the womb that bare them The Child follows the womb that bare it The first in every Kind is the Rule of the rest Now Election is the womb of all our mercies and doth not preventing Love sway there I have loved Jacob and hated Esau before they had done either good or evil there 's preventing love Now I say God will so carry on the work of his mercy that all his mercies and blessings may be conformed to their first original Election and there preventing mercy is very sweet 3. But thirdly God will so carry on the work of his mercy as it may be most taking and effective upon the souls of the children of men and what is more taking then preventing love What more Operative what more Powerfull what more taking I say You know the Parable some were invited to the Supper and some not invited some came and some came not who were those that came who were those that came not those that came not were such as were invited those that came were such as were in the Lanes High-wayes and Hedges compelled to come in Ay preventing love is the most taking now God will so carry on the work of his mercy as it may be most taking and most effective upon the souls of the children of men 4. Again God will so carry on his mercy as that it may be holding and sure The more any mercy is laid upon that which is in God himself and the less laid upon that which is in us the more holding and sure it is Now Mercy laid upon Grace is sure and therefore God will carry on the work of his Mercy in a way of preventing love that his mercy may be sure that it may be holding 5. Again God will so carry on the work of his mercy as that it may be most ingaging and most obliging with the hearts of men What is there in all the world that is more ingaging to an ingenious spirit then Grace And what is there more gracious then preventing love Thereby a soul is engaged to God Ah sayes a poor soul I was going on in the way of my sin lay snorting in my sin and never thought on the good wayes of God unless it were to oppose them and speak against them but then before I was aware I know not how God did reveal himself and his wayes to me Oh now what shall I do for God! I will spend and be spent for God any thing for Christ who hath thus overcome me with his preventing love Of all those that are called the Ancients Austin did most magnifie the Grace of God Bradwardin called him the Son of Grace and of all in those dayes none that we read of tasted so much of the preventing mercy of God as he When he was young he prayed for the mortification of his sin and yet he confesses that he secretly desired that God would not grant his prayer yet God prevented his prayer Another time being alone he heard a voice saying tolle lege tolle lege take and read take and read and he opened the Bible and pitched upon some words in the first of John that proved the beginning of his Conversion Another time going a Journey he misses his way and missing his way he escaped his Enemies that lay in the way for him several times God prevented him insomuch that he brake out into this expression Lord I did not first come to thee but thou didst first come and stir me up to come unto thee And who ever magnified the freeness of the riches of the Grace of God like Paul and why Of all the men in the world he lay under the greatest preventions of Divine Love no wonder therefore Paul of all men magnified the free Grace of God for he of all other lay under the preventions of Divine Love 6. Again further God will so carry on the work of his Grace and Mercy that no flesh may glory in it self that we may not rest upon any thing that we do or have or suffer When we are to come to duty we are unwilling to it after we have performed it we are as apt to rest upon it as before we were unwilling to come unto it what is the reason but because men think that they do come to God before God comes to them but let a man be once fully convinced of Gods preventing Love and he rests no more upon what he doth but sayes he then if God hath prevented me in reference to my prayer why should I rest on my prayer if God hath prevented me in reference to my duty why should I rest on my duty sayes Paul to the Corinthians He calleth things that are not that no flesh may glory in his sight And in Job 33 sayes Elihu there In deep sleep in a dream in a vision of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumbrings upon the bed then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction Why That he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man There is no such way in the World to take down the pride of man to keep him from resting upon duty as to be well seen well experienced in the preventing love of God And therefore God carries on the work of his Grace and Mercy in a way of preventing love that no flesh may glory in it self 7. God will so carry on the work of his mercy and goodnesse and of his grace that men may be made most gracious and in case they sin against him they may be reduced to true repentance What is there in all the World will make one so gracious as a sight of Grace and what gives one a greater sight of Grace then preventing love And what is there in all the world that will reduce a soul to true repentance having sinned like preventing love It is said of Peter he went out and wept bitterly all his tears came out of the eyes of preventing Grace Christ looked upon him first it was preventing love that brought forth that repentance I say no such way to reduce a poor soul that hath sinned to true Repentance as the consideration of Gods preventing love Do you therefore ask why God is pleased to carry on his mercy thus in a way of preventing love for these six or seven reasons And so you have the fourth thing V. Well but then in the fifth place What is there in
this preventing love that is so sweet to a gracious soul to a thankful heart 1. The more immediately that any mercy doth come out or Gods hand and the less it runs through ours the more sweet it is Water is sweetest out of the Fountain Now preventing mercy comes immediately out of the hands of God and runs not through our hand at all nor through the hand of the second cause at all therefore must needs be very sweet But Secondly The more costless or less costly to us any mercy is the sweeter it is Possibly a kindness may cost more to keep it then it is worth Suppose a man promise me or give me wood the cutting down of the wood and bringing it home may cost me more then the wood is worth So a kindness may cost one more care then the thing it self doth amount unto But now preventing mercy cost me nothing it is cut down to my hand it is brought into my hand it is costless mercy it cost me nothing surely therefore it is very sweet 3. But then again Thirdly The more perfect and compleat and entire any mercy is the sweeter it is Half-mercies are not so sweet as whole Preventing mercy is compleat and entire In the 16 of Ezek. you may see what a compleat mercy is there given I washed thee with water vers 9. I throughly washed away thy Blood and I annoynted thee with oyntment I cloathed thee also with broydered work and shod thee with Badgers skin and I girded thee about with fine linnen and I covered thee with silk I decked thee also with Ornaments and I put bracelets upon thine hands and a Chain on thy neck and I put a Jewel on thy forehead and ear-rings in thine eares and a beautifull Crown upon thine head and so he goes on What mercy was this It was preventing mercy I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy own blood and said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloody live So then preventing mercy is the most compleat mercy and it must needs be so for it comes immediately out of Gods hand and not through the hand of the second cause That that comes immediately put of Gods hand not running through the hand of the second cause is most compleat Upon this account our Justification is more perfect and compleat then our Sanctification because it comes immediately out of the hand of God and not out of our own hand In Justification our guilt is removed in Sanctification our filth is removed our guilt is offensive to our selves our filth is offensive to God Now one would think God should rather take away all our filth that is offensive to himself then all our guilt that is offensive to us no but our Justification is perfect our Sanctification not perfect why because our Justification comes immediately out of the hand of God and doth not run through our own hand for though we be justified by our Faith yet it is as Faith is Gods Instrument not as our act Now the more immediately that any mercy comes out of the hand of God and the less out of our hand the more perfect and compleat it is So doth preventing mercy do and therefore must needs be very sweet 4. Again Fourthly The more that any mercy doth correct difficulty and sweeten duty the sweeter is that mercy Now preventing love doth correct difficulty and it doth sweeten duty See it in Zacheus what an hard and great work was he upon Lord sayes he the half of my goods I give to the poor Stay then suppose his Estate was a thousand pounds he would have but five hundred pounds left and Lord sayes he If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold Suppose he had wronged men to the value of a hundred pounds there 's four hundred pounds more gone so there 's but a hundred pounds left of a thousand What an hard work is this yet mark how easily he comes off to this hard work Behold Lord why he had drunk deep of preventing love Zacheus come down sayes Christ for to day I must abide at thine house Christ doth not come and say Zacheus give half thy goods to the poor and if thou hast wronged any man restore him fourfold and then I will come to thy house no but Zacheus Come down for this day I must abide at thy house preventing him with his love and then this hard work comes off easily There is nothing will correct difficulty and sweeten duty more then preventing love therefore preventing love must needs be sweet And thus now you see what there is in preventing love that is so sweet to a gracious soul That is the Fifth VI. But now Sixthly and Lastly You will say Suppose I have tasted of preventing love and mercy suppose I have had experience of it for I must needs say this is my case for I was going on in the way of my sin and God prevented me many a time with his preventing Grace I have been backward to and dull in duty and God hath many a time prevented me with assisting Grace I have been full of unbeleef and said I am cast off and shall never see the face of God again but the Lord hath prevented me with his comforting grace and with the shines of his face I was galloping to Hell as fast as I could but God hath prevented me with his saving Grace And as for my outward Estate in the World I was low and knew not what to do and God prevented me with such a Gift such a House and Land what hath my life been but a Bundle of preventing mercy if any have drunk deep of this preventing grace I may say I have much more Now what is my Duty that doth flow from hence 1. If you have tasted of Gods preventing love and mercy if God hath indeed prevented you with the blessings of his goodness why then should not your hearts be filled with the sense thereof why should not your thoughts be much thereupon How God hath prevented you at such a time in such a thing The more sense you have of Gods preventing love and mercy the more humbly you will walk with God and the more closely especially considering that God will not upbraid you If a man takes a Beggar from the Dunghil and makes her his Wife prevents her with his love and kindness the sense of his preventing love will make her walk humbly all her dayes unless the man upbraid her with it if he upbraids her with it it will not make her walk humbly but unless he upbraids her with it the sense of it will make her walk humbly all her dayes Friends God doth prevent us with his love and will not upbraid us with his preventions and therefore why should we not walk humbly and why should we not think much thereon and have our hearts filled with the