termes set down what is here more covertly propounded saying I am not come to cast the righteous but sinners to repentance In the handling of this doctrine I shall open these foure things 1. Shew that this is Christs usual method 2. How this work of discovery is wrought 3. Why Christ takes this course in the healing of sinners 4. Whether this work be wrought alike in all 1. That this is Christs usual method appears two wayes 1. By our Saviours own declaration We shall finde him in Scripture expressing this two wayes 1 By declaring the end of his coming He came from heaven to save and convert such kinde of persons Luke 19. 10. The Sonne of man came to seek and to save that which was lost Not simply all such as are lost for there are abundance of lost sinners which he neither came to seek or to save intentionally but such as see themselves to be in a lost condition such as are first made sensible of that lost undone condition they are in without Christ So Esay 6â— 1 2. He doth there fully declare both for what sinners he came into the world and how he heales those sinners They are such sinners as are broken-hearted such sinners as mourne they are meekned sinners Christ first breaks their hearts causes them to mourne out of the sense of their sinnes meekens their spirits by a work of conviction and then heales them by the Application of the Promises of grace 2 By the forme of invitation he uses to sinners This is fully exprest by the Evangelist Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest The words are very significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ doth not call sinners as sinners but as labouring sinners as burdened sinners such as are even overwhelmed and born down with the heavy weight of sinne Such as see sinne and upon the sight of it are so overwhelmed that they cannot look up but are ready to sink and die under it 2. From the order of this working upon such as he hath healed You can hardly finde any one that ever was healed but in this way but multitudes that have been wrought upon after this manner Those three thousand who were converted by Peters Ministery were first brought to the sight of their sick estate and then were converted Acts 2. 37. What is the meaning else of those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was not the least part or point of the heart but it was wounded it was with them as if the sharp points of daggers or stings of Scorpions had been stuck and fastened in their hearts So it was with the Jaylor Acts 16. â—7 〈…〉 those expressions and gestures of his shew that he was first convinced of his sick estate before he was cured The same method is observable in Pauls conversion Acts 9. 4 5 6 9. his falling to the earth his trembling and astonishment the words uttered by him the continuance of his blindnesse for the space of three dayes What are these but evidences of the work of conviction which Christ wrought upon his heart The same course and method in some degree or other doth Christ observe in all those whom he heales of their spiritual diseases especially if they be such as are adulti grown men when this work is wrought upon them This is the first particular 2. How Christ makes this discovery Answ This is wrought ordinarily by the preaching of the Law The Ministery of the Law is the most certain and expeditious way to make the sinner sensible of his sick estate The Law hath a threefold effect upon the soul as to the accomplishing of this work viz. 1. The Law sets before the eye of the sinner the miserable estate which man is in by sinne with the wrath of God due to him for the same All knowledge of sinne is by the Law thorough the convincing power of the Spirit of God Rom. 3. 20. By this meanes the Apostle came to see his sinne Rom. 7. 7 9. He thought inward concupiscence to be no sinne till God by his Law had better informed his judgement He thought his condition while he was a Pharisee to be as good as the condition of the best but when God had tutor'd him a while by the Law then he looked upon himselfe as a dead man when the commandment â—ame sin revived saith he and I died v. 9. 2. It doth convince the conscience of the sinner that he is the guilty person whom the Law threatneth with all that misery The Law of God doth point him out as Nathan did David and tells him that he is the man against whom all that wrath is denounced The Apostle mentions this work of the Law 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. The sinner being smitten with the edge of the Law falls down on his face confessing that he is the very man that is guilty of such sinne and liable to the miseries due to such sin The condition discovered is his condition 3. The Law awakens the sinner out of his security lets him see the impossiblity of his personal satisfying the Law and so works horrour and astonishment in the soule This effect it had on the Jaylor Acts 16. 29. his heart was set on a trembling frame upon the apprehension of that sad guilt and misery under which he lay from which he was not able to deliver himselfe This is that which the Apostle calls the Spirit of bondage Romans 8. 15. which is opposed to the Spirit of Adoption This is the second thing 3. Why Christ takes this course in the healing of sin why will he not heal the sinner till he have him sensible that he is not in a sound condition 1. That sinne may be imbittered Sinne is in it selfe and evil and bitter thing 'T is compared unto gall and wormwood and 't is far more bitter then either of these Now 't is the minde of God that the sinner should taste the bitternesse of sinne before he be healed Jer. 2. 19. Therefore is he pleased to 〈…〉 course 2. That the sinner may be brought to a 〈◊〉 shame for his sinne Sinne is a very shaâ—eful thing 'T is called shame in Scripture and 't is the minde of Christ that all sinners that are recovered shall beare the shame of their sinnes Ezek. 16. 52. Now if the sinner should be healed before his sinne be discovered this designe of God would be frustrated 3. That the sinner may be willing to come up to his termes When Christ begins at first to deale with a soule about the work of Conversion he keeps a huge bogling he doth exceedingly dodge with Jesus Christ to bring him to low termes Christ therefore shewes him his naked condition what he is and what he must expect if he close not with him and by this meanes he is brought to a ready and willing complyance with him We see it in those three thousand which Peter converted when their
that long sickness how unlike himself was he he had no actual repentance till Nathan came to him with a message from God and quickned him Sinne quencheth the Spirit in Godly men as the water quencheth the fire Sinne takes off the edge of the soul deads the appetite and affection to the things of God It locks up the heart that it cannot act as it was wont to do 2 Sicknesse begets torment and anguish in the body When sicknesse is in extremity in the body how doth a man cry out of paine head and heart and every part is under torment What restlesse tossings are men under when diseases are violent heare how Job complaines Chap. 30. 16 17 18 Sinne is a Creator of torment and painfulnesse in the soule Felix his sinne made him tremble Acts 24. 25. Cains sinne put his spirit into such anguish that he cries out My punishment is greater then I can beare Gen. 4. 13 14. Judas his sinne did bring such despairing torment upon his soule that he takes away his life to end his misery Matth. 27. init And even Gods own people when they fall into this spiritual disease they are pained at the very heart till by pardon and remission they have obtained a healing from God How full of paine was Davids spirit by reason of his sinne He was as a man upon the rack for a long time if he did ever recover his former serenity Vid. Psalme 6. per totum Psalme 38. per tot Many of the deare children of God do by sinne fill their hearts with such anguish that they are never without much smart to the day of their death 3 Sicknesse doth bring uncomelinesse The most beautiful body in the world if pining sicknesses continue long upon it becomes like a garment that is moth-eaten the eyes sink the colour is lost the skin is shriveld the bones stick out c. Job observes this Chap. 16. 8. Thou hast filled me with wrinkles which is a witnesse against me and my leaâ—nesse rising up in me beareth witnesse to my face Sicknesse makes streight bodies how down beautiful faces look ghastly well-coloured cheeks look pale and oftentimes the more beautiful sicknesse findes us the more uncomely doth it leave us Sicknesse turnes youth into old age vid. Lam. 3. 4. My flesh and my skin hath he made old Sickness dries up the spirits Prov. 17. 22. A merry heart doth good like a medicine a broken spirit dries up the bones Sin takes away the comelinesse of the soule The first sinful sicknesse that ever entered into the world hath turned the soules and bodies of all mankinde into deformity and uglinesse Could we see the picture of Adams soule in the state of innocency and compare it with the soules that are diseased with sinne we would wonder at the sad change Sinne is a very deformed thing it turned Angels of light into ugly devils Those who were never healed by regeneration and remission of the disease of sin what deformed souls have they they have not one spot of beauty upon them Psal 14. 3. They are altogether become stinking A dead carrion a putrefied carcasse is as beautiful and as sweet an objâ—ct as a sinfully-diseased soul Yea even Gods own children by falling into sinne though but in one or two particular acts do lose much of their beauty They do not look with that grace they did before Every act of sin casts a dark thick shadow upon the soul As deep wounds leave skars upon the body so sinful acts leave some skarres of infamy upon the soul A Saint doth not look like the same man he was before he fell into sin 4 Sicknesse brings death Dorcas was sick and died Act. 9. 37. Long sicknesses if they be not removed will bring the strongest body to the dust of death Sicknesse is indeed Anteambulo mortis the forerunner of death The sick-bed is the direct way to the dark bed the grave Sinne doth bring death to the soule One disease of sinne if it be not healed by Christs bloud will certainly bring the soule to eternal death Rom. 6. 23. it hath brought many to hell and it will certainly bring all others to the same condition that live and die in it unhealed He that dies in his sinne shall die for ever II. For the nature of this sicknesse 'T is a more dreadfull sicknesse then any other sicknesse I shall set it out in a few particulars 1. It seizeth upon the most noble part of man All other sicknesses do infest the body onely but sinne is a disease in the soul Those sicknesses are most painful and most mortal which seize upon the vitals and inward parts A disease that feeds upon the spirits doth soone drink up the natural moisture and is not so easily cured Sinne is a disease that doth immediately reach the spirits 'T is the sicknesse of the heart O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saved Jer. 4. 14. The Apostle it 's true speaks of the filthinesse of the flesh and of the spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. Some sins are onely acted by the brutish fleshly and sensitive part others rest in the spirit as pride vain-glory envy c. yet notwithstanding even those filthinesses of the flesh have their chief seat and residence in the heart according to that of our Saviour Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts c. All sinne is spiritual wickednesse in regard of the fountaine and root of it As grace is seated in the heart so also is sin Ier. 4. 18. This is thy wickednesse because it is bitter because it reacheth unto thine heart 2. Sinne is a sicknesse which God never made All bodily diseases are the handy work of God He created Plagues Feavers Consumptions c. Amos 3. 6. But sinne is a sicknesse of which God never was the Author 'T is true God sometimes punisheth sinne by sinne not by creating sinne but by suffering a sinful creature to fill up his sinne by withdrawing denying his grace which onely can preserve from sin 3. Sinne is a sicknesse which separates between God and men No other disease can divide between God and the soule Hezekiahs plague Asa's gout Iobs sores none of all these did make any division between God and them Some sicknesses do separate between the husband and the wife the father and the childe at least in regard of actual communion though not in regard of affection but no bodily sicknesse divides between God and men But sinne doth separate between God and the soule Esay 59. 2. It makes God stand at a distance from his own children to hide his face from them and to deale with them as with enemies 4. Sinne is the cause of all other sicknesses All bodily diseases come from this disease Hast thou not procured this thy unto self Thine own doings shall correct thee c. Jer. 2. 19. A distempered soul is the true cause of a distempered body Sinne was the first
curing of a wounded sinner he expects it at th◠〈…〉 his Ministers As they must be 〈…〉 secure sleepy sinners so they must be â—â—â—â—basses to mourning sinners A wounded spirit iâ— an insupportable burthen Prov. 18. 14. The more insupportable the burden is the greater charity is it to be a means to support the spirit under it 3. Let this be a Motive to all sick sinners to come to Christ This is enough to perswade you to come to him because there is none else can heal you You must either come to him or else you must die in your sinnes But this is more he is willing to heale you There is a natural shynesse in sinners that see their sin to come to Christ 'T is hard to drive them Cast away this sinfulnesse sloathfulnesse and come to him cast your selves at his feet and say Lord heale us Object 1. I have been a sinner of a very great magnitude Sol. 1. Not greater then Christ hath cured Not greater then he can cure Esay 1. 18. Esay 55. 8 9. 2. Did ever Christ upbraid any with the greatnesse of their sins that did see them and bewaile them 3. Make them not greater by refusing the Physician which God hath sent from his bosom to cure you Object 2. I have continued long in them 1. They are not of so long a continuance as some that Christ hath cured 2. Make them not of longer continuance by staying still in them Object 3. I fear the time of healing is past 1. While Christ calls the time is not past 2. 'T is a sinne for any man to think the time pasâ— 3. He can heal thee at the last gasp Adventure on sin 't is better to die coming to were it so then running from Christ You have both his promise and his oath that he will not cast you out He that came to call sinners to repentance will not reject repenting sinners JOHN 8. 12. I am the light of the world XII SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. May 30. 1652. IN the former Chapter we read of the cruel severity of the chief Priests and Pharisees against V. 32 our Saviour He had by the excellency of his preaching gained much upon the affections of the people that resorted to heare him very many beleeved on him saith the Text and said When Christ cometh V. 31 will he do more miracles then these which this man hath done The chiefe Priests and Pharisees hearing that such things were murmured among the people presently send away Officers to apprehend his person and bring him V. 32 before the Councel The Officers instead of bringing Christs person were so taken with his preaching that they returne with a full testimony both of his Person and Doctrine Never V. 46 man spake like this man Whereupon the Pharisees are so enraged that they presently denounce Execrations upon all that adhere to him Nicodemus who was one of the Councel stands up and by a political Argument V. 49 staves them off from any further proceedings against Christ till they had heard him speak He doth not directly defend either the person or Doctrine of Christ but â—y a prudent and sober Argument labours that all further dispute about him might be laid aside till according to the Law of God they had heard him and received full proof of his actions This doth incense their envious hearts not onely against Nicodemus but even against his Countrey also And thereupon V 52. by the wonderful power of God the Assembly is broken up not without some tumultuous confusion And every man went to his V. 53 own house Our Saviour that night departs from Jerusalem and lodgeth in the Mount of Olives Chap. 8. 1. a place not farre from Jerusalem whither he was wont oft to reâ—ort He would not lodge in so bloody and ingrateful a City nor did he ever lodge in Jerusalem again as Chemnitius observes till the night before his Passion The inhabitants of Jerusalem for fear of their Governours durst not receive him into their houses and Christ knowing their malice would not trust himself amongst them and therefore departs to the Mount of Olives partly to refresh his body with necessary rest and partly that he might have more liberty for meditation and prayer The next day our Saviour comes early in the morning to the Temple and there sits down as his manner was to teach the people V. 2 Though they sought to take away his life yet he still endeavoured to save their souls and therefore comes early to teach in the Temple The Scribes and Pharisees understanding that he was teaching in the Temple thinking to finde an occasiâ—n V. 3. 4. against him brought to him a â—oman taken in the Act of adultery and desire to know his judgement in the case 〈…〉 the Law of Moses she 〈…〉 or no. Our Saviour knowing 〈…〉 declines to be a Judge in the case â—e came not into the world to be a political Judge and therefore will not determine either one way or other But though he will not be a Judge yet V. 6 7 will he be a spiritual Physician and therefore that he may convince them of their hypocrisie speakes thus He that is without sinne among you V. 7 let him cast the first stone at her These words so work upon their consciences that they depart one by one as men self-condemned and leave Jesus alone and the woman standing in V. 9 the midst Our Saviour after he had given some spiritual counsel to the woman dismisseth her and returnes to preach againe to the people V. 10 11 from which work he had been hindred too long by this impertinent act of the envious Scribes and Pharisees The first Doctrine he delivers to them is contained in the Text I am the light of the world Here are two words to be explained a little Light World Light This word is taken in Scripture two wayes 1. Properly 2. Metaphorically or improperly First Properly For that noble quality which enlightens the world called the light of this world John 11. 9. Lux est claritas splendor in corpore luminoso vel extrâ—â— corpore luminoso exiens quae lumen dicitur This natural â—ight was the first perfect visible creature that God made It was the first dayes work Gen. 1. 3. Secondly Improperly or metaphorically And so it s put for several things as they carry some resemblance to light viz. 1. The word of God Psal 119. 105. 2 Pet. 1. 19. 2. For the Ministers of God Mat 5. 14. 3. For regenerate men Eph. 5. 8. 4. For the state of conversion Act. 26. 18. 5. For prosperity and comfort Esth 8. 16. Psal 97. 11. 6. For deliverance from trouble Esay 9. 2. 7. For all outward good Job 30. 26. 8. For the glory of heaven Col. 1. 12. 9. For knowledge Dan. 5. 11. Esay 60. 3. 10. For Gods special favour Psal 4. 6. 11. For posterity Prov.
When Jesus Christ comes to the soul he brings joy to the soule Esay 9. 3. They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest and as mon rejoyce when they divide the spoile When the Eunuch had his soul bedewed with this raine He went on his way rejaycing Acts 8. 39. The ground of his rejoycing you may see v. 32 33 35. Philip had acquainted him with Christ and Christ upon Philips preaching had rained down a soaking shower upon his soule that created a holy gladnesse in his heart Christ is the onely cheerer of the heart He can remove spiritual melancholy he can take off spiritual heaviness and put unspeakable joy into the soule 'T is true many of the members of Christ want spiritual joy This ariseth either from the restraining of this raine or from their not discerning of this raine When ever the distressed soul shall come to the feeling of these showers it will rejoyce and be no more sad The Doctrine of Christ is a cheering Doctrine The whole Doctrine is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctrine of good tidings All the Ordinances of Christ are cheering Ordinances I will make them joyful in my house of prayer God hath planted Jesus Christ as a root of joy to his people As he is a plant of salvation so he is a plant of consolation no joy is either real or lasting which is not bottomed upon Jesus Christ That soul that hath received this raine into his heart shall have some joy here and he shall have everlasting full soul-satisfying joy in Christ and with Christ and from Christ in the other world This is the second Christ is like raine in respect of usefulnesse 3. Christ is like the raine if we consider the manner of its descending There is a great similitude between the manner of Christs descension upon the soule and the descension of the rain upon the earth I shal instance in seven particulars First The raine comes down successively and gradually now a little and then a little The raine doth not fall down all at once but it comes now a shower and then a shower as the earth stands in need of it God pierces now one cloud and then another in a pleasant succession Jesus Christ comes now a little and then a little as the condition of the soule requires A drop in one Ordinance and a drop in another Ordinance A shower falls in this Sermon and a shower at another Sermon This is that which the Prophet mentions Esay 28. 10. Precept must be upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little Now one comforting influence comes down and then another now one quickning impulsion then another now one promise is rained down then another 1 Jesus Christ would have his people in a constant dependance on himself 2 He would have them wait constantly upon every Ordinance 3 He would not have them surfet either upon his Doctrines or comforts therefore he observes a succession in his distillations of good things upon them 4 He would have every Doctrine and every comfort soak into their hearts Luke 9. 44. 5 Christ would have nothing lost which he is pleased to bestow 6 Christ would endear every drop of his grace to his people 7 The soules of his people are like narrow mouth'd vessels they cannot receive much at once without spilling 8 We are such bad husbands that Christ dares not trust us with much at once For these and such like reasons doth he cause all he gives to distill in a way of succession Jesus Christ doth in a way of wisdome parcel out all the good which he raines down upon the souls of his people Secondly The rain comes down irresistibly When God doth by his Word of command speak to the cloud to distil its moisture upon the earth it is not in the power of all the creatures in heaven and earth to hinder its falling down As the clouds cannot open their own veines till God give the word no more can they â—â—â—â—ch themselves when God sets them a bleeding Jesus Christ comes down upon the hearts of men with an irresistible power and efficacy whether we understand it of his Doctrine or of his Scepter or of the influences of his Spirit he doth descend with a forcible and mighty power His Word is called a powerful Word Heb. 4. 12. The Word of the Lord is quick and powerful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Scepter is called a Scepter of strength Psal 110. 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Sion His Spirit is a Spirit of might and it s said to work mightily in the hearts of his people Col. 1. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Pelagians and Arminians talk what their wilde fancy dictates of the resâ—stibility of grace the Scripture mentions no such thing the raine will come down whether men will or no and let the earth be never so hard it will soak into it When Christ by his Word and Spirit descends it is with a mighty power that the soul is not able to resist it I shall shew the power of Christs Word Spirit and Scepter in three great works Conviction Conversion Consolation To speak particularly to these 1. For Conviction When Christ comes down with an intention thoroughly to convince the conscience of sinne and righteousnesse the soul though it may stand out for a time yet it is through the mighty smitings of Christs Word and Spirit so powerfully over-ruled that it cannot but yield we have an instance of this in Paul Act. 9. 6. Jesus Christ doth with such an invincible evidence come upon his conscience that though he was in a violent motion carried on in a contrary course yet he yields up himselfe as a prisoner into his hands crying out Lord what wilt thou have me do He hath no strength to stand out any longer nay not so much as to dispute it with Christ Of this convincing power the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. Jesus Christ when he comes down with a purpose to bridle the conscience doth deal so effectually that the proudest sinner is brought upon his knees and made to passe sentence against himself Yea with such a mighty power doth he come down upon the soule that even those who are not savingly brought in have their mouths stopped and are unable to say any thing for themselves Thus it was with those that brought the woman taken in the act of Adultery to Christ John 8. 9. They were so mightily convicted by the Word and Spirit of Christ that they were not able to abide in his presence but shrunk away one by one as men self-condemned Thus it was when Christ descended in the word of Stephen Acts 6. 10. Though they would not yield yet they were so powerfully convinced that they could not resist the Spirit by which he spake Christ doth so demonstratively smite the conscience that carnal reasoning hath no door of evasion Of this powerful
cleansing raine and fatning raine They that live under such droppings will be one day found inexcusable if they be not very fruitful those pastures that are manur'd every year if they have seasonable Sun-shine and showers are laid open to the wilde champion if they be not fruitful Remember seriously that of the Apostle and lay it well to heart Heb. 6. 7 8. No Argument can be used to plead for those that live under these fat showers without abundance of fruit 2. Behold the necessity of Christ Is not rain necessary for the ground are not seasonable showers necessary for the fields and pastures can any plants live long if they be not watered No more can any plants that are in the soul live without continual supply from Christ The Doctrine of Christ is not unnecessary the Scepter of Christ is not unuseful the influences of Christs Spirit are not in vaine Christ in all these respects is as necessary to the soule as the raine and dew are to the earth He is either blind or proud that doth not see an absolute necessity of Christ Egypt is fruitful though it have no raine the yearly overflowings of the river Nilus is instead of showers Jesus Christ is as the river Nilus to our Egypt did not he by the overflowing streams of his grace water our hearts they would neither bud nor blossom nor bring forth He is both the husbandman that plants our fruits he is the soyle that beares them and he alone is the rain that waters them Never think of the need the earth hath of the rain but meditate of the need your souls have of the droppings of Jesus Christ 3. How blinde and wicked are they that are offended at the Doctrine of Jesus Christ When Christ was on earth many were scandalized at his Doctrine And there are many still even amongst Christians that are offended at it He is to this day a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to them that stumble at his Word Rom. 9. 33. Men finde out many wayes of stumbling at the Doctrine of Christ To instance in a few 1 Some are offended at the strictnesse of his Doctrine Christ by his Doctrine doth condemn not onely the outward acts but the inward motions of sinne in the heart Mat. 5. 28. He commands the plucking out of the right eye c. Duri Sermones durioris Magistri have some said of these Precepts which are indeed the commendation of Christs Doctrine 2. Some are offended at the simplicity of his Doctrine Thus the wise Greeks were offended at him The Apostle mentions this 1 Cor. 1. 17. 18. They were of opinion that Tully and Demosthenes did far excel the Doctrine of Christ for eloquence 3 Others are offanded at the spirituality of his Doctrine They think his Doctrine is too mystical and sublime This was that which made many take offence at him John 6. 51 52 60 61. They thought it was a strange kinde of Doctrine that Christ should give them his flesh to eat 4 Others are offended at the Divisions which follow upon his Doctrine Though the Doctrine of Christ be in it self a Doctrine of peace yet accidentally meeting with the corruptions of wicked hearts it s an occasion of division Luke â—2 49. I am come to send fire on the earth and Matth. 10. 34 35. Think not saith our Saviour that I am come to send peace an earth I am not come to send peace but a sword c. These accidental divisions which follow upon Christs Doctrine cause many to be offended at him And if any can receive his Doctrine yet they are offended at his Government This is a general offence Psal 2. 2. 3. Let us break their bonds asunder c. His Scepter is too strict too severe c. Let all that are offended with Christ any way know that these are groundlesse offences They are Scandâ—la accepta not scandala data For Christ comes down not as poison to destroy men but as the raine to preserve and nourish men Take heed therefore of being offended at Christ remember he comes down both in his Doctrine and Government not for the ruine but for the salvation of men Christ hath all the good properties of the raine but none of the bad properties Whosoever is offended at him is offended at his own mercy 4. Lay your hearts open to receive the distillations of Christ. When any of this raine descends let the vessels of your souls be set wide open to receive it When Christ drops in his Doctrine when Christ distils upon you by his Spirit let your hearts be in a readinesse to drink it in The raine doth no good unless it be taken in All the drops of Christ will do you no good if you do not take them in When men are beleaguered in a City and want water they set out all their vessels when a shower comes that no drop may be lost Gods children are in this world as in a besieged City you want raine O let not one drop of Christ fall besides you Open your mouths wide that you may take in yea take down all the pleasant drops of Christ Two things are necessary for those that would have this raine First they must get under the cloud The publick Ministery is the cloud by which the raine droppeth Esay 5. 6. abide where you see these clouds gathering thickest And when Christ drops down thorough these clouds be sure your vessels be set out uncovered to receive what-ever falls 5. What a miserable condition is it to be without Christ It 's made the top of all misery Eph. 2. 12. He that is without Christ is as parched land without raine The Scripture threatens with holding of raine as a sore judgement Amos 4. 7. I have with-holden the raine from you when there were yet three moneths to the harvest 'T is threatned as a judgement against them that came not up to keep the feast of Tabernacles that on them there shall be no raine Zech. 14. 17. If it be so sore a judgement to want the natural raine what is it to want this spiritual raine Pity such as want Christ more then you pity those that want other raine 6. When ever you see a shower fall down upon the earth meditate on Jesus Christ For this reason doth Christ resemble himself to all these things that we might have remembrancers every where to put us in minde of him Let every drop of raine be a natural preacher to put some serious thought of Christ into your hearts 1 PET. 2. 6. Behold I lay in Sion a chief corner XVIII SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Decem. 19. 1652. stone elect and precious THe Apostle at the second verse of this Chapter doth earnestly intreat the scattered Jewes to whom he writes this Epistle that they would as new borne babes receive the sincere milk of the Doctrine of the Gospel He presseth this by many Arguments As 1. God had appointed this to be the
the Holy Ghost Our Saviour was anointed with the Holy Ghost Esay 61. 1. This Peter mentions in his Sermon Act. 10. 38. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Now this ointment was shed upon the Lord Jesus in such great plenty that he may well be called by the name of ointment Psal 45. 7. he had more of this spirituall ointment poured upon his humane nature then all the Saints put them altogether The Spirit was not given him by measure but above measure Joh. 3. 34. He was from his conception filled with the holy Ghost He was full of grace and truth Joh. 1. 14. He had not only drops but whole rivers of Oyle poured upon his head He may be denominated ointment from that abundance of spiritual ointment wherewith he was filled his God-head anointed the manhood with an unspeakable fulnesse Col. 1. 19. And 2. Christ is ointment in regard of the excellent vertues which are in him He hath all the good properties of ointment I name five As 1. Oyntment is very fragrant and odoriferous Precious oyntment yeilds a very sweet small When the woman in the Gospel had poured her box of oyntment upon the head of Christ the text saith the whole house was filled with the odour of it John 12. 3. The Lord Jesus Christ is very odoriferous he is sweet in himself and he is exceeding sweet in the nostrils of his Saints the perfume in the Law was type of him Exod. 30 34. He doth perfume all persons and places where ever he comes If there be but one drop of Christ poured upon the soul the whole soul is perfumed with the smell of it When Christ had but put his finger into the hole of the door how was the hand of the Spouse perfumed as with sweet smelling myrrh Cant. 5. 5. That soul wants its spiritual smelling which doth not finde a sweetnesse in Jesus Christ Every thing in Jesus Christ is very fragrant 1 There is a fragrancy in his person He is a bundle of precious myrrh Cant. 1. 13. His life and holy conversation yeilded a sweet smell in the world Psal 45. 8. All thy garments smell of myrrh aloes and cassia The graces of the Spirit of which his life was full His righteousnesse meeknesse piety patience what a sweet smell do they cast abroad in the Gospel to this very day 2. There is fragrancy in his death His death was a sweet favour unto God Eph. 5. 2. His dead body was enbalmed with sweet spices John 19. 39. not that he had need of any such His body did never see corruption Psal 16. 10. So fragrant was the death of Christ that he hath perfumed the grave and made it as a bed of roses to all the Saints 3 There is a sweet fragrancy in his intercession The intercession of Christ is so sweet that it perfumes heaven it self See how it was typified under the Law Lev. 16. 12 13. The odours of the sweetest incense are not so fragrant to the nostrils of men as the odours of Christs intercession are to God So fragrant is his intercession that the services of his people which are unsavory in themselves come up as a cloud of incense before the Lord. See this Cant. 3. 6. It 's spoken of the Church because it 's the feminine gender Quae ista All this sweetnesse which is upon the Church and in her services is because they are perfumed with the incense of Christs mediation 4 There is a fragrancy in the word of Christ The breath of Christs mouth is sweeter then any perfume in the world this is that which the Church mentions Cant. 5. 16. His mouth or palate is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweetnesses so it is in the original all his promises all his precepts are very favoury 5. There is a fragrancy in all his Ordinances Prayer Sacraments Preaching singing of Psalmes are in themselves and to a gracious heart like sweet smelling oyntment The Church mentions this Cant. 2. 3. No such sweet aire bloweth under heaven as doth in the Church of God where the Ordinances of Christ are dispensed in power and purity In one word there is nothing of Christ but is more sweet then the best oyntment that ever was compounded by man This is the first property of oyntment it 's very sweet 2. Oyntment hath an exhilarating vertue It cheeres the spirits and makes the heart glad This is observed by Solomon Prov. 27. 9. Oyntment and perfume rejoyce the heart When Solomon exhorts men to a cheerful life he makes mention of oyntment let thy head want no ointment alluding to the custome of the ancients who in their banquettings and feastings used such signes of joy And the Prophet expressing the jovialty of those Epicures Amos 6. 6. saith they anoint themselves with the chief oyntments The Lord Jesus Christ hath a cheering vertue The heart of a sinner is never truly merry till it be anointed with the graces of Christ and the comforts of Christ Christ is the onely remover of spiritual heavinesse The oyntment is the onely cure for spiritual melancholy Mat. 11. 28. All spiritual refreshing is from Jesus Christ He was anointed with the oyle of gladnesse that he might work gladnesse in the hearts of others This work is committed to him by God the Father Esay 61. 3. There 's not one drop of the oyle of joy but what comes out of this great olive tree the Lord Jesus that gladnesse which doth not proceed from Christ and which is not bottom'd on Christ is worldly madnesse not true joy He is called the consolation of Israel Luke 2. 25. He hath laid the foundation of Israels comfort and he it is that doth convey to them all their comfort 3 Oyntment hath a mollifying and suppling vertue If there be any hard tumour or swelling upon the body we use oyntment to soften it The holy Ghost alludes to this Esay 1 6. Where speaking of the state diseases he saith they have not been mollified with oyntments Jesus Christ hath a mollifying vertue let a heart of Adamant be but once anointed with this oyntment and it becomes an heart of flesh It was by this oyntment that the hard heart of Manasseh was softned God by his Spirit chafed this oyntment into it and it became tender And it is by the Application of this unction through the warm hands of the Spirit of God that the stony hearts of sinners are softened from day to day Thou that hast now a tender heart wouldest have carried thy stony heart with thee to thy grave if this precious oyntment had not been spread upon it 4. Oyntment is of a shining nature It hath a brightning and beautifying vertue Those Virgins that were prepared for the Persian King did use divers oyntments to make themselves beautiful Est 2. 12. they used six moneths sweet odours and six moneths oyle of myrrh This oyle as those that write of it say had
fitly taken carries away the defilements that are contracted within the body The blood of Christ is of a cleansing nature 'T is indeed the only cleanser It doth being taken by faith carry away all the filthinesse of the inward Man All the Ceremonial purifications were types of the purifying blood of Christ Heb. 9. 13 14. There ye have the typical cleansings expounded The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sinne 1 John 1. 7 Christ takes away the guilt of sinne by justification and he cleanseth us from the filthinesse of sinne by sanctification You reade in Zech. 13. 1. of a fountaine opened for sinne and for uncleannesse This fountaine is nothing else but the fountain of Christs blood He that drinks daily of this blood shall be cleansed daily 3. Drink is of a reviving nature It recovers from faintings it opens the eyes helps feeblenesse of Spirit vid. Judg. 15. 18 19. Sampsâ—n being tired by that great slaughter of the Philistines found his spirits sink he prayes for drink and when he had refreshed himself with water his spirit came again and he revived Solomon Prov. 31. 6 7. prescribes strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine to the heavy hearted that they may forget their poverty and remember their misery no more Some drink is called Aqua-vitae because of its usefulnesse and efficacy this way The blood of Jesus Christ is a reviving blood When the soul is in deliquio spirituali when it faints and dies and sinks the sprinklings of this blood will fetch it again a drop or two of this true Aqua-vitae taken down by faith will open the eyes and restore it again This effect it had on Asaph Ps 73. 26. My heart and my flesh faileth c. but thou art the stay of my heart and my portion for ever This was foretold of Christ long before his birth by that Evangelical Prophet Esay 61. 1. and chap. 57. 15. To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones It is his blood and that alone that healeth the broken in heart 4. Drink is of a cheering nature It doth beget and continue cheerfulnesse The Psalmist tells us that wine maketh glad the heart of man Psalme 104. 15. The blood of Christ is a heart-chearing thing It 's the only foundation and the only preserver of true joy It will make the heart merry in adversity it will create laughter in heavinesse Psal 4. 6 7. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance c. Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart c. The light of Gods countenance is lifted up onely in and through Jesus Christ Christs blood is the onely medicine for spiritual Melancholy When the Church was drinking in Christs wine-cellar taking down this blood how was her heart cheared Cant. 2. 3 4. I sate down under his shadow c. The Uses of this are 1. For Information in these particulars 1. Take notice of the great mystery of a beleevers union and onenesse with Jesus Christ The Scripture sets this out as by expresse testimonies â—o by natural resemblances as of vine and branches John 15. init of head and members Eph. 1. ult Eph. 6. 30. of husband and wife Eph. 6. 32. of the foundation and superstructory stones Eph. 3. 20 21. and of meat and eaters as in the Text. As there is a union between the meat and the body of him that eats it so there is an intimate union between a beleever and Christ his spiritual meat And indeed ouâ— union with him is the foundation of our feeding on him He could not be our meat if he were not our Head by mystical uâ—im This is the foundation of this eating this makes Christ ours gives us right to eat The Apostle Col. 2. 19. makes our union with him the foundation of our receiving nourishment from him And the souls feeding on him proves the soules union with him So it follows ver 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and â— in him As the meat which we eate is turned into the substance of our body so are we turned into Christ made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone 2. Behold here the fulnesse of Christ Whence shall we have bread in the Wildernesse to satisfie so many say the Disciples to Christ Mar. 8. 4 5. The fulnesse of Christ appears in this that he hath enough in him to feed so many and to feed every one so plentifully He hath sed his people ever since that promise Gen. 3. 15. and he will feed all his Elect to the end of the world and he will feed them all abundantly every kind of way he feeds them with grace feeds them with knowledge feeds them in respect of justification and he feeds them in respect of sanctification c. and yet is there no abatement of his fulnesse Did not the fulnesse of the Godhead dwell bodily in him Col. 2. 9. he could not feed so many so long every way without any diminution of his fulnesse the children have been eating above five thousand years and the loaf is still whole III. Behold the great love of Christ and of the Father in giving us this meat and drink Remember 't is his flesh that is our meat his blood that is our drink He could not have been our meat and drink if he had not been sacrificed the Priests were not to eat of the offerings allowed them till they were sacrificed had not Christ been sacrificed he could have been no food for us The love of Christ and of the Father appear the more in it that he should sacrifice his Sonne to be a meat offering for us and let out his blood to be a drink offering for us wonder to eternity at this love John 3. 16. the Scripture expresses the great love of God to the Israelites that he gave them Manna from heaven Psal 75. 23 24 25. How much greater love doth he expresse in giving his Sonne to the Elect to feed them That Gods onely Sonne should be torn in pieces to be meat and drink for us Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us as to feed us with the body and blood of his own Son IV. Behold here the compleatnesse of Christ The Scripture speaks much of his compleatness and perfection Look upon him in what respect under what notion you please and you will see his compleatnesse Behold him as a Saviour and so he is a compleat he saves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7 25. he saves the soul the body from all evil unto all good and that for ever Consider him as a Physician and his compleatnesse will appeare He heales the soule the body heales in an instant heales to the bottom c. whatsoever he is compared to he is compleatly and perfectly so Behold him as a Feeder and he is compleat in that notion He is not onely meat nor onely drink but he
14. 2. They do not search into their own hearts He that would know his spiritual condition must carefully and conscionably dive into his own spirit by serious examination of himselfe He must turne his eyes inward This the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 13. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must pierce thorough our own hearts before we can see whether they be sound or rotten We must prove our selves as the Goldsmith doth his metal whether it be right or not we must cast our hearts into the fire and bring them to the touchstone c. He that is not a self-visitor a self-examiner can never attaine to any competent knowledge of himselfe Now there are many men who never did spend one houre in the trial of themselves they are as great strangers to their own hearts as they are to forreigne Countreys this makes them ignorant 3. They do not consult with this spiritual Physician Jesus Christ is the great principal Physician Under Christ the Ministers of the Gospel are Physicians â— Cor. 6. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T is their office to be helpers of Gods people in their spiritual condition and 't is the duty of the servants of God to consult them about the state of their souls Mal. 2. 6. 'T is not onely to be understood of publick preaching but of private conference They are to discover their spiritual state to the Ministers of Christ that they may help them in knowing what they do not understand and in healing those distempers which they have discovered we are not to rest upon their hare opinion no we must seek the Law at his mouth if they say any thing without the Law or beside the Law they are not to be heard they must judge according to Scripture otherwise they are not to be heard But yet by advising with them some light and knowledge of our spiritual condition may be attained from the rules of Scripture They are spiritual Seers in their model and measure as the Prophets of old were 2 King 1â— 13. As they help men by the direction of the Word of God to know what they are to do and what they are to beleeve so they may be very beneficial by comparing the spiritual stare of men with the rule to help them to a better and more perfect knowledge of themselves then they had before But now the greatest part of men neglect this Men generally go to the Lawyer to be informed about their outward state they go to the bodily Physician to be helped in the knowledge of their corporal estate but they never make conscience of enquiring of the estate of their souls at the month of the spiritual Physician This makes them so ignorant and because they are ignorant they think their condition to be good when it 's bad and miserable 4 They consult with Mountebanks which are weak or flattering Secondly Pride Man is naturally a very proud swelling creature willing to see what may make him excellent unwilling to acknowledge any thing in himselfe that may render him contemptible either in his own eyes or in the eyes of others Simon Magus the Sorcerer gave out that himself was some great one Act. 8. 9. he would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All men by nature have a spice of that disease How comes it to passe else that men are so impatient to bear rebuke that they are so unwilling to be instructed that they are so â—verse to have their spiritual condition searched that they are so raging under affliction Is it not because of that pride and conceitednesse that is in their hearts Hence also it is that though they besick unto death yet they judge themselves to be in a sound healthy saving conditition lest by acknowledging their spiritual sicknesses they should be laid low in the thoughts of men See how proudly the Jewes speak to Christ when he would convince them of their spiritual bondage John 8. 33. We are Abrahams children and how sayest thou ye shall be made free They thought it a mighty injury to a people of their quality to be told of bondage and subjection 'T is want of humility that makes sinful men hold such groundlesse conclusions about that their spiritual welfare Thirdly Love of case Men naturally love their ease and quiet They would not be disturbed Issachar law that rest was good and therefore he coucheth down between two burthens Gen 49. 14 15. Most men are for spirituals as Issachar was for his outward condition they prefer an unsafe rest before a safe unquietnesse They know that if they once see or acknowledge themselves to be spiritually sick they must enter into a course of spiritual Physick They must take down many a bitter potion which they do not like therefore they conclude they are whole As it is with many foolish men in regard of their bodies though they be sick of many diseases yet they had rather say they are well then meddle with Physick they willingly cast the thoughts of their diseases behind their back that they may not be at the trouble and cost of curing Just so it is with spiritual sick men If they should say they are sick then they must make use of meanes They must pray they must repent their sinnes must be purged out they must have some spiritual disturbance c. This they love not therefore they conclude they are whole and often drop down into hell before they will acknowledge that they stand in need of Physick Soul take thy ease saith that rich foole in the Gospel eat drink c. Luke 12. 19. This love of painful ease for so it will prove in the end is the bane and ruine of thousands of souls Fourthly They judge of their spiritual state by false Rules 'T is very sad to consider what groundlesse rotten foundations men build hopes of heaven upon Our Saviour speaks of two sorts of builders in the Gospel under which all the Sons of men are comprehended the one builds his house upon a rock the other upon the sand Matth. 7 24 25 26 27. Every man is a builder and every man builds his salvation either upon the rock or upon the sand Most men build upon the sand conclude themselves to be well upon such arguments as will not hold in the day of trial I shall both discover them and shew the rottennesse of them 1. False Rule Freedome from scandalous flagitious sinnes Many men think they are spiritually whole because they are not sick of those visible desperate diseases which other sinners have upon them They are neither thieves nor whores nor drunkards nor oppressors nor cheaters nor murtherers c. They live soberlie civilly orderly amongst men 〈…〉 them with any enormous act Hereupon 〈◊〉 gather that they are spiritually whole that they have no mortal disease upon them This was the ground of that misjudgment which the Pharisee made of himselfe Luke 18. 11. God I thank thee that I am not as other men c. It
without any investiture of promise or threatning carries a man out against sin then is his abstaining from sinne from a principle of true grace Not but that he that hath true grace may look both at the word of promise and the word of threatning God hath propounded both promises and threatnings to be as helps to preserve his people from sinning but the principal ground of acting against sinne is the revelation of Gods Will forbidding such actions This is that which David saith of himself Psal 119. 161. My heart standeth in awe of thy Word He was kept from sinne upon the meer awful respect that his heart bore to the naked Word of God So Psal 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid within my heart that I might not sinne against thee So Joseph Gen. 39. 9. When the heart and the Word of God are shut up alone when heaven and hell promises and threatnings are laid aside and the heart and Gods command are alone if then thou be restrained from sinful actions upon the account of Gods command then is thy forbearing of sinne from a principle of grace Vid. Psalme 17. 4. By the words of thy lips Balaâ—m shewes himselfe an hypocrite in this very thing He pretends to abstaine from sinne upon the Authority of Gods Word Numb 22 18. yet afterwards in that very act goes away from God out of a covetous principle 2. He that forbeares sinful actions from a principle of grace acts against sinne out of love to holinesse He abstaines from sinne not onely as it is a deadly thing but as it is a loathsome thing Ps 119. 140. Thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it David abstained from sin because of his love to the purity of Gods Law out of his love to righteousnesse This is that which is in Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me When we are kept from sinne because of the feare of God then its a right abstinence Neh. 5. 15. Esay 30. 22. When sinne is cast away and abstained from as a menstruous cloath because it hath filthinesse in it and because it pollutes them that meddle with it such forbearance of sinne argues truth of grace Psal 119. 113. 3. He that abstaines from sinne upon principles of grace will abstaine from all sinne From profitable and pleasurable sinnes as well as disparaging disgracing sinnes from small sinnes as well as great sinnes from sinful anger as well as murther from sinful words as well as sinful actions He will abstaine from walking and standing as well as from sitting with the ungodly Psal 1. 1. he will pray with David Psal 139. ult See if there be any wicked way Psal 119. 104. I hate every false way This is clear from what goes before he 〈…〉 sinne out of respect to Gods Law and 〈…〉 to holinesse therefore he cannot but desire to forbear all because every sin is unholy every sin is derogatory to Gods Law 4. He that forbears sin from a principle of grace will act as well against the being of sinne in his nature as the breakings out of sinne in his life He will labour to suppresse the corruption of his heart as the excursion of his feet Psalme 51. 5. In iniquity was I shapen c. He would be delivered from a polluted heart as well as from a polluted hand So it was with Paul Rom. 7. 23 24. he that acts against sinne from common restraint will never much care for the inhabitation of sinne but he that hath grace is most careful and sorrowful for that he would keep down the filthinesse of the spirit as well as of the flesh 2 Cor. 7. 1. the sinful habit is worse to a gracious man then the sinful Actions 5. He that forbears sinne from a principle of grace is as careful of doing good as of abstaining from evil He prays as David did Psal 119. 5. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes He that hath onely restraining grace matters not much the neglecting of good but he that hath true grace is very careful for this as well as for the other he chuseth the way of obedience as well as refuseth the way of disobedience A godly man is described by this character that he chuseth the things that please God Isa 56. 4. He is every jot as careful for the Positives as he is for the Negatives of Religion When these things concur then the forbearance of sinne will witnesse your condition to be good otherwise it will be no evidence 2. The second false Rule is Outward profession There are many who do conclude that they are in a good condition for their souls meerly because they are members of the Church especially if they heare pray c. This is the general rule whereby carnal Professours judge their condition to be good They have been baptized they have come to Gods Table they have lived in the Church c. therefore surely they are in a very healthful condition I have four things to say for this particular 1. 'T is a great honour to be a member of the Church though it be onely by visible Profession Theodosius accounted it a greater honour to be Membrum Ecclesiae then Caput Imperii It was that which advanced the people of Israel above all other people Rom. 3. 1 2. The Church of God is the most honourable society upon earth Such as are the members of the Church are neerer to God then any others They enjoy such priviledges as none else enjoy They have more helps to salvation then any others We can never be sufficiently thankful for this favour 2. To pray and to hear and to frequent the publick Ordinances c. is that which all that hope to be saved are to do That man is in a bad estate that slights these duties The wrath of the Lord lies upon them that do not call upon the Name of the Lord Jer. 10. 25. He that wilfully neglects these can never be saved Psal 14. 14. not to call upon God is the character of a worker of iniquity 3. Yes all this may be done and 〈…〉 be in a very sick estate 1. There are many instances in Scripture to prove this Was not Ishmael circumcised was not he a member of the Church Gen. 17. 16. and yet without any saving interest in the promise Was not Esan Jacobs brother was not he likewise a member of the Church and yet lived and died a profane wretch Heb. 12. 16. Did not Cain sacrifice as well as Abel Gen. 4. init and yet the Apostle saith he was of that wicked one 1 John 3. 11. What think you of Saul Ahab and all those wicked men did not they live in the Church did they not observe outwardly the worship of God and yet the sonnes of Belial In the new Testament did not the Publicans fast and pray Luke 18. 12. Was not Judas a Disciple did not he preach as well as
others and yet a child of perdition Was not Simon Magus baptized Act. 8. 13. Did not Ananias and Sapphira walk with the Church of God a long time Act. 5. 1. and yet they lived and died wickedly v. 5 6 10. Had not the five foolish Virgins lamps as well as the wise Matth. 25. 1 2 3. and yet they were excluded out of heaven vers 11 12. so the three sorts of ground Matth. 13. 4 5 6 7. 2. God takes men off in Scripture from resting upon this And that both in the Old Testament and in the New In the Old Testament Jer. 7. 4. In the New Testament Matth. 3. 9. Now for a man to make that an Argument of a good condition which God saith is no Argument is to no purpose 3. Our Saviour tells that many will plead this at the day of judgement in vaine Luke 13. 26. 27. 4 A man cannot be a hypocrite till he do all these things A hypocrite may pray and fast and heare as often and as well externally as a sincere Christian Esay 58. 3. and more plainly Esay 48. 1 2. lege Therefore the bare performance of these duties doth not argue a man to be in a good condition 4. And lastly yet may a person from the performance of these duties evidence himself to be in a good condition God-ward when he doth performe them according to those Rules which the Word of God layes down I shall reduce them to three Heads 1. When holy dispositions are brought with us to duties Several dispositions the Word of God requires in every duty 1 Holy feare and reverence of God Of this David speaks Psal 5. 7. In thy feare will I worship towards thy holy Temple 'T is meet the heart should be possessed with an holy reverential awe of God when it comes before him in any duty Heb. 12. 28. The distance that is between God and man the consideration of that pollution that is upon the soules of the best should breed this reverence We cannot sanctifie God if this feare be not in our hearts Esay 8. 12. Now that man that can finde such a dispisition in his heart when he comes to heare or to pray may conclude that there is a principle of grace in his heart Though bare hearing and bare praying will not argue our estate to be good yet trembling at the hearing of the Word and a filial awe of God upon the heart in prayer will evince a spiritual principle 2 Humility of spirit God expect◠〈…〉 that come to worship him should come 〈◊〉 humbly with low mean vile apprehensions of themselves So came the Publican Luke 18. 1â— There are many things that testifie his low conceit of himself He stood afar off He would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven He smote his breast c. Thus it was with Abraham Gen. 18. 27. and thus it was with Ezra Chap. 9. 6. Now though bare prayer will be no Argument of a good condition yet praying in godly humility will if it be from the heart if it be from a deep spiritual sense of our own vilenesse If our souls lie in the dust before the Lord when we come to worship him such worship will argue grace 3 Faith in the Promise 'T is the minde of God that we should bring faith with us to God in every duty He that cometh unto God must beleeve Heb. 11. 6. Now when in hearing we can close with God by applying what we hear when in prayer we are able in some measure to cast our selves upon God to rely and depend on him for audience for acceptance When we can pray as David saith to God and look up for an answer Psal 5. 3. such dispositions in duties are Arguments of a work of grace upon the heart 4 Hungrings after God God looks that we should have strong desires after the duties of Gods worship David fainted and longed for the courts of God Psal 63. init Psal 84. 2. Psal 42. 1. When we do not onely pray but hunger after prayer When we are glad of an opportunity of hearing as David was Ps 122. 2. especially if these hungrings be to private duties as well as to publick such prayers are evidences of grace 2. When a man hath right ends in duties God looks much at the ends which men propose to themselves in all their actions And so do holy men I shall fiâ—st negatively remove those carnal ends which Hypocrites and carnal Professours propound in the duties of Religion First The pleasing of men Most propound no higher no other end of their holy services but this The Apostle dis-owns this end Gal. 1. 10. Secondly Custome When a man prayes and heares because it hath been his wont â—o to do Many men have no other end but meerly a religious wont They and their forefathers have been used to do so therefore they continue it Thirdly To avoid penalty of the Lawes This many men make their end in Religious duties Fourthly To get honour preferment repute with men When men shall pray heare meerly because they would be accounted Religious And thus the Shechemites were circumcised Gen. 34. 23. Fifthly To stop the voice of conscience Many men sometimes pray hear read the Scriptures that they may stop the mouth of conscience accusing them for some sinne committed This is nothing else but spiritual bribery Sixthly When duties are made a mask to cover some foule sinne either done or intended to be done As Jezabels fasting 1 Kings 21 9. The Pharisees long prayers Matth. 23. 14. He that makes these or any such thing◠〈…〉 end of his duties cannot conclude a principle of grace from the performance of them although they be never so frequently done But the right ends are such as these 1 Obedience to the Divine command When a person shall upon serious examination finde that his end in praying hearing c. is that he may shew his subjection to the Divine Precept He prayes not onely because he wants some mercy but because he would honour God by performing his Commands When a person can say with David Psal 119 4 5. Thou hast commanded c. He may from the performance of such services comfortably conclude that there is a principle of grace in his heart When we can appeale to God that we wait upon his Ordinances because we would do that duty we owe to God in such case we may argue from duties to grace 2 A desire to get and keep communion with God This is one end for which holy duties are appointed that by them God and the soule may come together And this hath been the end which holy men have propounded to themselves in holy duties Psal 27. 4. Thy face Lord will I seek Thus it was with David Psal 42. 2. When shall I come to appeare before God And Psal 63. 2. To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Now when a person can in the uprightnesse
convince men that they are not evil things It was Austins Observation long since God bestowes outward things upon the worst of men that they may not be thought to be the onely good things and he bestowes them sometimes upon his own people that they may not be thought to be evil things 3. To shew his Dominion and right of disposing even these outward things Should not some godly men enjoy these outward things they would be apt to think that God did not meddle with things of this nature but now the conferring of these things upon the godly disproves that Atheism 4. To let men see even sensual men that it is not in vaine to serve God Worldly men say what profit shall we have if we pray to him Job 21. 15. Now they are not capable of understanding the inward profit of holinesse but they can understand the outward advantages God therefore will prove the profit of piety by such Arguments as they are able to understand 5. To fulfill the letter of his Promise He hath promised these outward things to godly men Psal 112. 2 3. Now men would question his faithfulnesse in keeping promise if it should not sometimes be made good in kinde 6. God makes some of his people rich to help such as are poor Wicked men generally hate the people of God for their very holinesse They are not willing to relieve them though God by his power makes them Authours of good to them Therefore that the 〈…〉 flock may have some to stand by them â—â— conscience sake God is pleased to make some of their number great that the wicked of the world may not alwaies tread them down without opposition Joseph was made great to provide for his fathers house in their povertie Gen. 50. 20. God makes some of his flock rich and great that the poor of his flock may have some to look after them for his sake This is the second Conclusion Thirdly That grace and holinesse is the best and neerest way to attaine to all outward prosperity For although God as soveraigne Lord make rich and poor whom he please yet no man can expect or hope for temporal felicitie but the man that is truly godly 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godlinesse hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come And Matth. 5. 5. The froward do often enjoy much of these outward things but the promise of the inheritance of them belongs onely to the meek Prov. 3. 16. Riches and honour are put into the hand of wisdome and none but wisdomes children can upon any good ground expect to inherit either of them This is the third Fourthly That the enjoyment of these outward things is no infallible evidence of a good condition 'T is possible for a man to possesse a great portion of outward happinesses and yet be unhappy in regard of his soule The purse may be full of gold and yet the heart emptie of saving grace The body may be fat and in good liking and yet the soule leane and withered A man may have great possessions in the world and yet have no interest in God Our Saviour supposeth this Matthew 16. 26. There are foure things required to make up this supposition 1 A man that gaines the whole world must enjoy all the riches honour pleasure of worldly things 2 He must have a heart capable to take delight in all these 3 He must enjoy all these from the first man to the last man from the beginning to the end of the world 4 Freedome from all vexations and troubles of Spirit This no man ever did enjoy And yet our Saviour supposeth that a man may enjoy all this and yet lose his soule That outward prosperitie cannot evidence a man to be in a state of grace appeares by these seven Arguments 1. They are bestowed upon the worst of men The Scripture tells us of many rich men very rich that lived and died wickedlie What think you of him mentioned Luke 12. 16 17 18 19 20. He was exceeding rich his treasury was too little his store-house was too small for his revenues and yet no interest in God at all that might entitle him to salvation a very foole for all his riâ—hes You reade of another in Luke 16. 19. There are all expressions of prosperity that can be imagined and yet v. 23. that very person is in Hell torments You know the story of Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 2 6. he was very wealthie and yet a sinful fool As his name is so is he Nabal is his name and follie is with him You reade of some in Job Chap. 21. 7 8 9 10. that enjoyed much prosperitie and yet desperatelie wicked reade v. 14. They say 〈…〉 from us we desire not the knowledge of 〈…〉 Sodom and Gomorrah were very rich it was a land fruitful as the Garden of God Gen. 13. 10. and yet they that possessed that fruitful land are now suffering the vengeance of eternal fire Jude 7. The Scripture is full of such examples 2. Riches and honour are but common blessings They are the good things of the Foot-stool not the good things of the Throne They are in the left hand of wisdome Prov. 3. 16. Now no common mercie can argue special love Eccles 9. 1. No man knows either love or hatred by any thing that is before him 3. Outward prosperity is very often a hindrance of salvation That of our Saviour would seriously be taken notice of 'T is easier for a camel to go thorough the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God Mat. 19. 24. Riches too often draw the heart from God they coole zeale quench devotion We see by experience many men that were hot for Religion when they were poore are grown dead cold now they have got estates Our Saviour tells us that the deceitfulnesse of riches choaks the Word and makes the heart unfruitful Vid. Mat. 13. 22. Now that which hinders men from salvation can be no argument of a state of salvation 4. Men may transmit riches to their posterity Now that which a man may have by descent and natural generation can be no evidence of a state of grace No man is born in a state of grace Eph. 2. 2. A man must be borne againe before he can see the Kingdome of Heaven Joh. 3. 3. Many men are borne rich and honourable c. therefore none of these things can entitle a man to heaven 5. If outward prosperity were an Argument of grace then Covetousnesse would be no sinne 'T is no sinne but duty for a man to labour for and to covet evidences of grace We are commanded to do so in Scripture Make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. but covetousnesse is not a duty but a sinne a sinne of a high nature The root of all evil so the Apostle calls it 1 Tim. 6. 10. 'T is idolatrie one of the worst kinds of idolatry 6. Outward prosperity
may be quite lost Therefore it can be no evidence of a state of grace Evidences of true grace can never totally be lost where once they are the knowledge of the evidence may be lost but the ground of the evidence cannot be lost but all outward prosperity may be lost Riches are not for ever Prov. 27. 24. Honours die before he that had them die Haman will be an example of that our own age hath given us fresh precedents in abundance of the perishingnesse of these things Do not many that were cloathed in skarlet embrace the dung-hil Are not rich men made poor and poor rich 7. Outward prosperity is sometimes given in wrath He gave them a King in his anger and took him away in his wrath Hos 13. 11. God gave quailes to the Israelites but his wrath came along with them Psal 78. 30 31. 'T is true of all outward things The prosperity of fooles shall destroy them Prov. 1. 32. Prosperitie kills more then adversitie But now that which is an evidence of salvation is never given in wrath I shall answer one question and then I shall shut up this Rule viz. How shall I know whether 〈…〉 are given in mercy 1. When they make the heart 〈…〉 Riches when they are given in anger 〈…〉 heart sensual stubborne When they are given in love they do spirituallize enlarge the heart God-ward we may see it in Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 2. My heart is enlarged outward mercies naturally make the heart carnal but when they are given in mercie they make it spiritual See it in David Psal 23. 5 6. I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever When health riches c. raise the heart nearer heaven then 't is a sign they are bestowed in mercie 2. When they make the heart more humble Naturally outward prosperitie swells the heart That Caution 1 Tim. 6. 17. notes the distemper A full purse ordinarily makes a big heart If therefore you finde your spirits humble under your outward enjoyments you may conclude they are given you in mercie See it in Jacob How humble was he Gen. 32. 10. His spirit was as low when he marched with his two bands as when he travelled with his scrip and staffe from his Fathers house So it was with David 2 Sam. 7. 12 13. There is a promise of great prosperitie to David and to his house See how humble this made Davids spirit v. 18 19. Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto 3. When we are as ready to lay them out for God as to receive them from God When God gives thee an estate and thou growest covetous art loath to part with it to promote either the service of God or the good of his people When God gives thee a healthful body and thou carest not to serve him with thy health c. This is a signe that these things are given in anger But when thou canst freely part with thy substance when thou studiest how thou mayest honour God with thy estate as the Wise-man enjoynes Prov. 3. 9. When thou art willing to feed Gods hungry and cloath his naked and lodge his houslesse ones c. This is an Argument that God gives thee thy estate in mercie But now if thou squandrest it away in the service of thy lusts or if thou canst not finde in thy heart to lay it out for God thou mayest suspect that God gave thee what thou hast in great anger Thus much for the third false Rule 4. The fourth false Rule The judgement of others There are very many in the world who conclude themselves to be in a good condition because others have a good opinion of them They think they are perfectly well because others tell them they are well Especially if they be such as are godly and religious The Apostle hints at this Gal. 6. 4. I shall lay down two things 1. 'T is a very great mercy to be well reputed of by such as are godly The good opinion of one godly man is better then the acclamations of many wicked It 's an honour to any man to have a good report amongst them that feare the Lord in sincerity It 's recorded concerning Timothy that he was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium Acts 16. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that are godly are more knowing then others as having the Spirit of God and so better able to discern of men then others are And then they are more faithful then others They dare not willingâ—y call evil 〈…〉 The testimony of one godly 〈…〉 and valued before the testimony of 〈…〉 It is a great comfort and strengthening to a godly man when such as are of a discerning spirit approve of his condition 2. It 's possible for a man to be in a very sickestate and yet to be well reputed of by godly men the wisest the faithfullest I shall give three Arguments to cleer out this viz. 1 We have several instances of it in Scripture What think you of Judas he was a very wretched man our Saviour calls him a devil John 6. 70. And yet all the eleven had a very good opinion of him If Judas had desired it he might have had a Testimony under the hands of all the Disciples that they judged him to be a very godly man When our Saviour told them â—hat one of them should betray him every one of them was more ready to suspect himselfe then Judas Mat. 26. 21 22. They were exceeding sorrowful and began to say unto him one by one Mr. Is it I Ananias and Sapphira were without doubt well reputed of by the people of God and yet you know Act. 5. 1 2. how great hypocrites they were they both agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord. Was not Demas once highly approved of by the Apostle Paul and yet a very painted rotten-hearted hypocrite one that forsook the Apostle to embrace the present world 2 Tim. 4. 10. What should I tell you of Jehu Hymeneuâ— and Alexander and many others who were highly esteemed of by the servants of God in that generation Our present Age will furnish us with too many precedents of this nature many very many have turned fearful Apostates of whom the servants of God judged far better then ever they durst of their own hearts 2 No man doth infallibly know the state of another mans heart 'T is made by some a question whether a man can know the state of his own heart infallibly Though I do not question that yet I beleeve 1. That no man can do it at all times 2. That no man can do it without the extraordinary assistance of the Spirit of God bearing witnesse with his Spirit Rom. 8. 16. Sure it is no man can infallibly know the state of his brothers heart All the knowledge we have of other men is but conjectural A faithful Brother as I suppose saith the
He was one of the Wise men of his time and yeâ— how vilifying doth he speak of himself So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Agur a very intelligent good man and yet how humble is he Prov. 30. 2 3. The reason of this humbling property of knowledge is because it helps men to see their own vilenesse as their knowledge increaseth so the knowledge and sense of their own unworthinesse increaseth 2 Saving sanctified knowledge doth not abide in the head onely but in the heart Notional knowledg lies onely in the head and in the brain it hath no influence upon the heart to purifie it and purge it onely it swims in the braine But saving knowledge it doth distill and descend upon the heart it hath its chief residence in the inward man it purifies and cleanseth the soul makes it more holy then ever it was The Apostle makes purification one effect of true wisdome James 3. 17. The wisdome that is from above is first pure Notional knowledge is often a heart-corrupting knowledge but saving knowledge is ever a heart-purifying knowledge 3. Saving knowledge is a life-reforming knowledge Notional knowledge is often a life-disordering knowledge it makes men loose licentious we have two much experience of this but saving knowledge regulates the conversation He that knows spiritual things savingly desires as well to practise as to know Hâ—s knowledge doth not please him unlesse his practise be conformable to his knowledge Very excellent is that prayer of David Psal 25. 4 5. Saving knowledge would not onely see Gods wayes but would be led in Gods wayes It 's ever practical You have such another prayer of David Psal 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will lead me into the land of uprightnesse He that can finde these properties may from his knowledge whether it be much or little argue grace otherwise meer knowledge though it be never so exact will not infallibly argue a good condition The Uses of this Point 1. How necessary is it for the Ministers of the Gospel to be frequent in the Doctrine of conviction They are under Jesus Christ spiritual Physicians whose office it is ministerially to cure the spiritual maladies of the soule One effectual meanes to do this is to endeavour to set sinne upon the conscience To discover mens spiritual estate unto their consciences that so they may be delivered from those grosse mistakes about their condition under which they are held 'T is a very hard thing to perswade men that they are sick Men are naturally apt to run away with a conceit that all is well with them therefore 't is needful to bring sinne to sight The cure is as good as done when this is done Conviction of sinne is the first work of the Spirit of God Iohn 16. 8. He is a convincing Spirit before he be a comforting Spirit You must give the Ministers of Christ leave to set sinne upon the conscience The fallow ground must be broken up before the seed of comfort be cast in A sin-convincing Ministery is most likely to be a soul-converting Ministery They 〈◊〉 discover to men their righteousnesse 〈…〉 until they have convinced them of their unrighteousnesse 2. Do not wonder that spiritual Physick is so generally contemned 'T is at first sight a very great wonder that the offers of grace and salvation should be so despised That the Word of salvation should do so little good in the world Christ is tendred life is held out in the preaching of the Gospel from day to day Wisdom cryeth without and lifts up her voice in the concourse of the City and yet men do not come in Ministers may complaine as the Prophet Esay 49. 4. What is the reason 'T is because men runne away with an opinion that they are well that their condition is good and therefore are the precious tenders of salvation so generally sleighted 3. See the reason why there is so little complaining of sinne Never more sinne never lesse spiritual complaining of sinne 'T is a great rarity to heare any soule crying out What shall I do to be saved You may heare in every corner complainings of bodily diseases one of his Gout a second of his Head a third of his Stone but very few crying out of sinne How comes this about It is because men think they have no sin they see not their diseases They think they are sound men and therefore they are quiet and make no complaints either to God or men 4. 'T is a marvellous great mercy to have a true discovery of our spiritual diseases 'T is not a happinesse to be spiritually diseased no no sinne is a misery but 't is a mercy that those that are diseased are convinced of their condition Many â—â—en think they are well when they are indeed going down to the chambers of death if therefore God have so farre opened your eyes as to let you see your disease you have cause to blesse his Name Such conviction though it be not the cure of sinne yet it is the ready way to the cure of sinne It may be your sorrow after conviction is greater then it was before you are now full of feaâ—s and horrors which before you were free from but certainly your condition is farre safer Blesse God for the work of conviction and he will bring it on to the work of conversion Doct. 4. Jesus Christ is not a Physician to any Mat 9. 12. that think themselves spiritually whole It was the misery of the Pharisees that they dreamed themselves to be in a very healthful estate They looked upon all others as men mortally sick and upon themselves as sound men Our Saviour therefore declines them as Patients unfit for him to meddle with and applies himselfe to the poore Publicans and sinners who did see and acknowledge themselves to be sick of sinne and ready to perish Jesus Christ doth not immediately heale sinners as they are sinners but his constant general method is first to take them off that conceit that is naturally in their hearts that they are in a good estate and when he hath shewed them their sicknesse then he goes in hand with the cure The making of the heart sensible of sinne is the work of Christ as well as the healing of sinne Did not Christ give the sinner a sight of his misery he would never be able to see his misery Conviction of sinne is as truly the work of Christ â—s 〈…〉 sinne John 16. 8. Nature is a◠〈…〉 sinne as it is to heal sinne when it iâ— dâ—â—â—vered All that is meant in the doctrine is 〈◊〉 that Jesus Christ doth not ordinarily heale any soul til he have first delivered from the miscâ—noâ—â—t of their condition and given them eys to see that it is otherwise with them then they did before imagine This is the full scope of this Doctrine and of this Text as is clear from v. 13. where our Saviour doth in plaine and expresse
condition was discovered when anguish and horrour was upon their spirits then they were contented to do any thing Acts 2. 37. What shall we do to be saved Thus also it was with Saul Acts 9. 6. When Christ had created those tremblings and astonishments in his spirit then he comes off fully to Christ Lord what wilt thou have me to do So it was with the Jaylor when he had a true representation of his estate then he cries out Acts 16. 30. Sirs what must I do to be saved A man that is in extremity will do any thing to save his life When he sees that he must perish if he do not presently consent to what is proposed then he lingers not if he must throw all his goods overboard he is contented to cast them out presently because death is before him 4. That the mercy of the cure may be more highly valued Salvation from hell is a very great work which should be valued by all on whom it is bestowed The Prophet David calls upon his soule and all that is within his soule to praise God for such a mercy Psalme 103. init He that considers the worth of salvation the unworthinesse of the persons enjoying it the costlinesse of it the multitudes that shall never partake of it must needs acknowledge it a thing worthy to be esteemed But so unthankful a piece is the heart of man that he doth not value it at any considerable rate Jesus Christ therefore before he bring any into such a state will discover their misery to themselves that so he may provoke them to extraordinary thankfulnesse for it And the truth is nothing doth so much enhance the price of salvation in our hearts as a cleer manifestation of our wretched condition See how the Apostles heart is enlarged upon this very consideration 1 Tim. 1. 15. Had he not seen himself to be the chief of sinners he would never have thought salvation by Christ worthy of all acceptation as now he did 5. That the skill of the Physician may be more cleerly discovered Jesus Christ seeks to advance his own glory in all the works he does for the sonnes of men As in other his works so especially in this great work of conversion Therefore it is that he will not heale any till he have shewed them their sad estat◠〈…〉 may see his wisdome power goodnesse in their healing Men that think little or nothing ayles them do not halfe so much value the Physicians paines or skill as those that see themselves at the very brink of the grave when the Physician takes them in hand Jesus Christ therefore will shew them every sort that so they may publish his glory that wrought it for them I was brought low and he helped me saith David Ps 116. 6. See how the poor blind man proclaims the honour of Christ Joh. 9. 32. 4. Whether Jesus Christ observe the same method in this work of discovering the sinners estate to himselfe Whether all sinners have the same measure of humbling and terror and whether they continue for the same time under apprehensions of wrath Answ Jesus Christ is a free Agent He is not tyed to any certaine method nor doth he alwayes walk in the same way His dispensations in the work of convincing men of sinne are various and different The work is wrought on all so far as to make the soule sensible of sinnes bitternesse above all other bitternesse and to make it sensible of Christs excellency above all other excellent things But that it is done in the same violent manner in all or that it is of the same continuance cannot be affirmed Conviction and conversion may be wrought at the same Sermon as we see it was with those three thousand Acts 2. 37. 41. They were no sooner pricked in their hearts but they gladly received the word There was great difference between this work in Lydia and in the Jaylor Acts 16. 14. God shewed her hersicknesse in â— more milde way The Lord opined her heart that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul But the Jaylor he had an earthquake and great horrours in his conscience v. 27 29. 1. Some sinners have been more scandalous then others These are brought to Christ with greater troubles so it was with the Jaylor he had been a cruel bloody man God layes him under deep sorrow 2. God hath a greater work to do by some sinners then by others These he uses to deal with in a more rough way that he may prepare them for service the better This seems to be the reason of his so sharp dealing with Saul Act. 9. 15 16. 3. Some sinners are of a more rough turbulent nature then others These must be handled more severely Some men must be bound before they will be ruled So it is with some kinde of sinners Thus with Manasseh 2 Chr. 33. 11. 4. Some have been sinners of a longer standing then others These Christ useth to be more sharp withal in his way of curing 5. Some sinners have been more confident in their civil righteousnesse then others As Paul was in his Pharisaisme Phil. 3. These Christ uses to handle more sharply Jesus Christ is a wise Physician he observes the nature of all his Patients and accordingly prescribes medicines for them He that hath the least measure of this conviction hath so much as that he sees himself lost undone helplesse hopelesse in himself He sees the evil of sinne he sees Christ an excellent sutable al sufficient good for his soule This one thing 〈…〉 Where there is the least sorrow before 〈…〉 conâ—â—â—sion there is many times greater sorrow and morâ— troubles of Spirit after conversion The Uses of this Point 1. How sad is the condition of those that never yet were truly made sensible of their sick estate They never yet had a true lively sensible apprehension of their sick condition They were never so much as pricked in their hearts for sinne so as to make them loath it They were never taken from all their high conceits of their own natural estate c. These men have cause to suspect that sinne is not yet cured A person may have some conviction of his misery and not be healed but a man cannot be healed without some conviction The heart cannot be broken for sinne without the sight of sinne Ezek. 36. 31. There can be no self-loathing till there be a remembring of our wayes and doings that have not been good 2. How necessary the preaching of the Law is to true conversion A man will never be taken off from the opinion of his own healthfulnesse but by the preaching of the Law The Law shews men what they are what they may expect c. The fallow ground of the heart will never be broken up without the plough of the Law Jer. 4. 3. The plough of the Law must go and make deep furrows too before the seed of comfort be cast in Though the preaching of the
Law do not convert yet it helps forward conversion in as much as it works that preparatory work without which conversion ordinarily is not as the needle makes way for the threed so the Law makes way for conversion The spirit of bondage makes way for the Spirit of Adoption and that is wrought by the preaching of the Law 3. The mistake of those who are against all kinde of preparations to conversion They would have mercy held out to sinners as sinners not as sinners so and so qualified Surely the Scripture hath laid down qualifications for sinners to whom the Gospel is tendred They must be humbled sinners burdened sinners c. The mercy of the Gospel is not to be prostituted to sinners as sinners but to broken-hearted sinners to heart-wounded sinners to sinners that see themselves lost in themselves to hungring and thirsting sinners The brazen Serpent was onely for such to look upon as were stung with Serpents Such as are in some measure sensible of the stinging nature of sin are to be invited to lay hold on Christ As it is an undoing to wounded sinners to keep them from Christ so 't is an undoing to such sinners as are not in some measure pressed with sinne to apply the promises of the Gospel This was prefigured in the Leper The Lâ—per must cry uncleane c. every sinner is this Leper sight of sinne must go before healing of sinne 4. Let Ministers take the same way which Christ takes for the curing of sinners Jesus Christ is both an able and faithful Physician 'T is no disparagement to use his method yea 't is the greatest wisdome to prescribe the same receits which Jesus Christ prescribes he uses to take men off from the opinion they have of their own way His manner is to let men see they are sick to convince them of sinne befoâ—◠〈◊〉 apply healing medicines All those Minisâ—â—â— that desire to have their endeavours successeful must do so likewise People must be contenteâ— to suffer their condition to be known to suffer themselves to be made sick that so they may be cured This is Christs way this is a safe way this must be our way Though such kinde of preaching put you to some present trouble yet it will be to your eternal advantage Your sores cannot be healed comfortably till you see them to be sores and festred sores You must be contented to suffer the ploughings of the Law that you may be prepared for the comforts of the Gospel You must be contented to be cast down that you may be prepared for raising up You must be contented to be led to the gates of hell that you may be brought to the Kingdome of Heaven Better a great deale to go to Heaven through Hel then to saile through an imaginary Heaven and land at the dark staires of Hell in the end Doct. 5. Those that finde themselves to be spiritually sick shall finde Jesus Christ a Physician ready to heale them No Physician was ever so ready to heale a sick brother as Jesus Christ will be to cure a sin-sick sinner We finde in the Gospel that Christ was very willing to heal those that came to him sick of bodily infirmities We do not that I remember read of any one that was sent away uncured that earnestly begg'd his help either for themselves or any of theirs The Leprous the Paralytick the Demoniack the Lame the Blinde those that were sick of Feavers those that had bloody issnes Whatever sicknesses men had they obtained favour Matth. 4. 23. Christ ever valued the soule above the body therefore he will be much more ready to heale the sicknesses thereof He healed many of the sick Publicans when they saw their diseases As Zacheus Matthew c. And he will be to the end of the world ready to afford the same mercy to any that are or shall be in their condition Three things are here to be unfolded by way of Explication 1. What it is to be spiritually sick of sinne 2. That Christ will be ready to heale such 3. What are the reasons of this readinesse 1. To be sick of sin comprehends these six particulars First A true sight of our sinful condition That man who never yet had the sight of his sinful estate was never yet truly sick of sinne the soule must be convinced that it is in a sinful estate Thus it was with the Publican Luke 18 13. He acknowledged himselfe to be a sinner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor is all sight of sinne sufficient but that sight of sinne which is an ingredient of spiritual sicknesse must have these two properties 1. It must arise from the Word of God This was the foundation of the Apostles sight of sinne Rom. 7. 9. When the Commandment 〈…〉 sinne reâ—ived and I died Thus 〈…〉 thâ—usand Acts 2. 37. 〈…〉 â—â—â—ked in their hearts The sense of sinne did arise from â—ouâ—â— thing which was delivered to them out of the Word of God No other light besides this divine light will discover sinne so as to make the soul sick of it 2. It must extend to sinne in the root as well as to sinne in the branches I mean original birth-sinne as well as actual sinne Possibly the sight of sinne may arise first from some actual transgression So it was with those Converts Acts 2. 37. that bloody act of theirs against Jesus Christ was the first sinne they saw Actual sinnes are more obvious to the eye then original sinne This is a sinne lying under ground more remote at a greater distance from the cognizance of a sinner therefore peradventure some actual offence first is set upon the conscience but sooner or later doth this actual sin bring to the sinners conscience the sight of that sinne which is the root both of this and of all other actual sinnes namely that body of death that law of the members as the Apostle calls it Rom. 7. 23. Which continually warreth against the Law of the minde Secondly A serious apprehension of the misery and danger the soule is in by reason of sinne discovered No man is sick of sinne till he see the danger which sinne hath and which it is likely further to plunge him into Thus it was with those Converts Acts 2. 37. The question they propound What shall we do to be saved doth inply clearly enough that they looked upon themselves as men in a state of damnation in their present condition And indeed the same Word of God which discovers sinne doth discover wrath also as the wages of sinne so that the sick sinner is one that lies under the apprehension of wrath which he expects suddenly to fall upon him Thirdly Compunction and contrition is wrought in the soule by reason of sinne The heart throbs and akes by reason of that miserable state which by sinne he is brought into Thus it was with those Converts Act. 2. 37. They were pricked in their hearts their spirits were full of grief and vexation
between the work of a Minister and the work of a shepherd 3. God himself is called a shepherd David gives him that name Psal 23. 1. And againe Psal 80. 1. He is called the shepherd of Israel because his care of Israel hath great resemblance to the care of a shepherd over his flock 4. Jesus Christ is called a shepherd as in many other places so in this Text. 'T is him of whom we are to understand this Text Our Lord Jesus that great Shepheard He is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to distinguish him from all other shepherds who in comparison of him are very small and inconsiderable shepherds Thus much for Explication The Observations are two according to the two Metaphors viz. 1. The people of God are sheep 2. Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd of these sheep Doct. 1. The people of God are sheep 'T is a very usual Metaphor whereby godly persons are described in Scripture Sometimes they are called Gods sheep Ezek. 34 6 11 12. Sometimes they are called Christs sheep so frequently John 10. and Iohn 21. 16. Feed my sheep saith Christ to Peter And sometimes they are called sheep without any mention of the owner of them Take but two or three Texts for farther confirmation Psal 74. 1. Why doth thine anger smoak against the sheep of thy pasture Psal 79 13. So we thy flock and sheep of thy pasture Ps 100. 3. We are the sheep of his pasture In the handling of this Point I shall open two things 1. In what respects they are compared to sheep 2. How they come to be sheep First They are like sheep in five respects 1. Sheep are very harmlesse and innocent creatures Wolves they teare and hurt and do mischief but sheep are innocent and inoffensive creatures they neither bite with their teeth nor kick with the heele as other creatures do Innocent and harmlesse persons are called sheep in Scripture 2 Sam. 24. 17. These sheep what have they done The people of God are â—â—â—â—mlesse and innocent generation though the world looks upon them as turbulent c. Theâ— know it is the Will of God that they be harmlesse and blamelesse Phil. 2. 15. and they desire that they may so walk They desire and endeavour that they may walk without offence that no man may receive the least detriment or prejudice by them either in temporals or spirituals You may see this in the Apostle Paul Act. 24. 16. the same desire is in all the sheep of Christ and if they do through mistake or inadvertency harme any they are never at rest till they have made them reparation and satisfaction 2. Sheep are meek and patient Creatures The sheep is an emblem of meekness The sheep suffers the shearer to take his fleece and the butcher his blood without the least frowardness or resistance The meeknesse of the lamb is grown into a Proverb Quum fervet maximè tam placidum quam ovem reddo Terent. The people of God are a patient and meek people They are called in Scripture the meek of the earth because they excel in this grace Psal 76. 9. Zeph. 2. 3. They can endure losses beare afflictions suffer persecutions for the Name of Christ without impatience They do not render reviling for reviling nor railing for railing Yea they repay sweet for bitter blessing for cursing When Shimei railes on David Come out thou man of blood c. how meekly doth he beare it Let him curse for God hath bid him curse David 2 Sam. 16. 10. When he was so unnaturally used by his Sonne Absalom how sweetly doth he subject himself and kisse the rod Psal 39. 9. A châ—â—â—e of God may sometimes fall into a sir of frowardnesse and impatience as Ionah did Even meek Moses was once too much transported with passion Numb 20. 10 11. but they are much grieved for such angry heats The frame and bent of their hearts is towards the grace of meeknesse and what the heart of a person would be that God interprets it really to be Wicked men are men of blustring and turbulent spirits but Gods people are of a calme placid temper 3. Sheep are clean Creatures Swine they use to wallow in filthy and myry places But sheep desire and delight to preserve themselves clean they love pure streames and green pastures The people of God are a cleane and holy generation See how the Holy Ghost describes them Psal 73. 1. Our Saviour calls them the pure in heart Mat. 5. 8. They study holinesse they pray for holinesse they allow no spot yea they are heartily grieved when they do bemire themselves and are never at rest till they be cleansed againe See the Prophet David when he had fallen into the mire and defiled himselfe how earnest he is with God for cleansing Psal 51. 2. and again v. 7. and yet againe v. 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God He that hath the nature of a true sheep of Christ in him though he may fall into sinne yet he cannot lie and wallow in uncleannesse as the wicked do 4. Sheep are simple creatures Some kinde of bruit creatures are very cunning and crafty as the Fox the Ape c. but the sheep is of a simple nature Ye use to call silly men sheepish men The people of God are a simple plain-hearted people noâ— onely withâ—â—◠〈…〉 without guile Psal 32. 2. That 〈…〉 of their Father Iacob Gen. 25. 2â— it is 〈…〉 all his posterity in their propoâ—tion they are plain-hearted men Though they have hypocrisie in them as they have other corruptions yet they are not hypocrites They know not nor are they desirous to learne the art of dissimulation equivocation They cannot look one way and row another they love not to have oyle in their mouths and swords in their hearâ—s They desire to be sincere without mixture They cannot carry fire in one hand and water in the other They are strangers and they desire to be strangers for ever to those doublings and fraudulencies and subtile artifices which hypocrites use They can pray and do pray with David Psal 119. 8. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes c. Their tongue and heart go both one way they desire that God would keep their hearts right and they desire that their tongue may be the interpreter of their heart they chuse to act not according to principles of carnal policy but the rules of Gospel piety they had rather be the meanest of Christs Disciples then the highest of Mâ—chiavels Scholars 5. Sheep are creatures of a tractable nature They are easie to be led A childe may drive a flock of sheep with more ease then many can a herd of other cattel The people of God are of a ductile tractable nature They are more easily guided then other men Shew them what the minde of God is let them have the Rule clear and then a little childe may lead them We have a Gospel prophecy of the lâ—â—enesse which grace works
7 10. From the Discipleâ— intreating of him to eat meat he takes occasion to preach of his zeale in promoting his Fathers work Iohn 4. 32 34. From the Peoples flocking about him for material bread he takes occasion to speak of the bread of life Iohn 6. 27. And here from the sight of a vine as he went up and down in Ierusalem he takes occasion of preaching himself to be the true Vine That this Sermon was preached as he walked in the City may saith Piscâ—tor probably be gathered from ver 1. Chap. 18. Where it is said that when he had spoken these words he went forth with his Disciples over the brook Kedron This going forth saith he cannot be understood of his going forth of the house for chap. 14. ver last he went out of that before but of his going forth out of the City where he had preached this Sermon as he walked up and down It is not much material where this Sermon was preached though it is more likely that it was preached in some house then in the streets of the City especially if that be true which some conjecture that that prayer Chap. 17. which belongs to this story was prayed at the institution of the Supper it is not I say much material 'T is Christs Doctrine where-ever it was preached In the words of the Text we have two things 1. A deâ—enption of Christ in relation to beleevers I 〈◊〉 thâ— Vine 2. A deseâ—â—ption of beleevers in relation to Christ Ye are the Branches By Vine we are to understand not the vineyard or place planted with vines though the Greek word here used as Calvin notes doth sometimes signifie a vineyard but we are to understand it of the vine or plant it self especially of the root of the vine into which the branches are ingraffed By Branches we are to understand those slips which are by him that keeps the vineyard ingraffed into the stock of the Vine The words afford a double point 1. That Christ is a Vine 2. That beleevers are Branches of this Vine Doct. 1. That Jesus Christ is a Vine We are not to understand it in a proper sense for Christ to speak properly is neither vine nor door nor rock c. but the eternal Sonne of God who is both God and man in one person but we are to understand it in a Metaphorical sense he is so called by way of resemblance there is a very great similitude between Christ and the vine Twice expressely doth our Savior in this case call himself a Vine v. 1. I am the true Vine and v. 5. I am the Vine and many times covertly in those expressions of abiding in him to which he exhorts his hearers For the opening of this Metaphor I shall shew three things 1. In respect of which 〈…〉 called a Vine 2. Wherein the resemblâ—nce 〈…〉 what respects Christ is soâ— Why he is 〈◊〉 â—led so 3. The excellency of Christ above all other vines 1. For the first Christ is compared to a Vine in respect of both natures Although some resemblances do relate more chiefly to the Divine Nature and some more chiefly to the humane yet the general is to be understood in respect of both natures Christ is a Vine in respect of the whole person as he is Mediatour God and Man It will be made evident by this Argument Christ is a Vine in that respect and latitude in which Beleevers are Branches ingraffed into him Now the union between Christ and beleevers is not between them and the humanity of Christ onely nor between them and the Divinity onely but between them and the whole person Not onely is the soule of a beleever united to the soul of Christ nor the flesh of a beleever to the flesh of Christ but the whole person of every beleever is united to the whole person of Christ This is the first particular 2. In what respects in Christ a Vine In four respects 1. In regard of the meannesse of his outward condition The Vine is not like the Cedar for height nor is it comparable to the Oak for strength 't is but meane to the outward view Jesus Christ when he came into the world did not come with any great outward pomp and glory There was indeed a star at his birth that â—â—â—ught the wise men from the East to worship him but for his outward condition generally it was very meane he was born in a stable laid in the manger he was born of a mean Virgin and his life was but mean here on earth His Kingdome is not administred with that outward state and splendor that earthly Kingdomes are Jesus Christ did decline all outward glory and greatnesse See what the Propheâ— foretâ—ls concerning him Esay 53. 2. He shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root â—â—t of a dry ground c. The reason of this is that which he himselfe gives to Pilate John 18. 36. His Kingdome was not of this world He came not to be Ministred unto but to Minister Mat. 20. 28 He came to make others great but to make himself little to fill others but to empty himself Phil. 2. 7. He came in the forme of a servant to be trampled upon to be reviled disgraced and at last crucified External pomp was not sutable to such a deâ—igne This is our first resâ—mblance 2. In regard of his fruitfulnesse The Vine is a fruitâ—â—l plant Thoughâ—t hath little pomp yet it 〈◊〉 much plenty The fruitfulnesse of it appears three wayes 1. It brings forth pleasant fruit No plant â—ields more delightful fruit then the Vine the grape iâ— delightful the wine is a very pleasant thing and what is that but the blood of the grape Dâ—ut 32. 1â— 2. It yields prâ—fitable fruit The blood of the grape if it be moderately and seasonably taken doth warme the heart and chear the spirits It doth as the Scripture speaks make glad the heart of man Psal 104. 15. 〈…〉 repaâ—rer of natures detays â—ts both food and Physick 3. It yields great plenty of fruiâ— Other 〈◊〉 bring forth single fruit they bring forth by one and one But the Vine bringâ— forth clusterâ— There are sometimes hundreds of berries in one cluster and many of those clusters upon one Branch The Scripture useth the Vine to set out plenty of increase Thy wife shall be as the fruitful Vine upon the walls of thy house Psalme 128. 3. So Hos 14. 7. Jesus Christ may well be compared to the Vine for fruitfulnesse in all these respects 1. He brings forth pleasant fruit All the fruits that grow upon Christ are very pleasant Cant. 2. â— I sate down under his shadow saith the Church with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste All the trees of Paradise did not afford such pleasant fruit as grows on this Vine Consider what the fruits of this Vine are and it will be granted that they are pleasant I will name some of the fruits of this
a proper sense as if the bread were changed into the substance of his body c. They are angry with the Protestants because they will not beleeve it Amongst many reasons which overthrow that fond interpretation this and such like other figurative speeches may help us to understand that Christ sometimes calls himself the light sometimes the door and here the Vine not as if he were substantially changed into these things but to shew the spiritual resemblance which is between him and these corporal things Why there should be any more change of substance when Christ saith this is my body then when Christ saith I am the door I am the Vine I cannot see but God hath upon the blinde Papists fulfilled that threatning 2 Thes 〈…〉 â—â—dicially blinded their 〈…〉 antiscriptural opinions 〈…〉 2. See the excellency and 〈…〉 All these comparisons are but to convinc◠〈◊〉 carnal soules of Christs transcendent excellency Christ hath in a spiritual sense al the good properties of the Vine and of all the fruits of the Vine He hath all the excellencies of Wine I name foure I. Wine nourisheth It helps digestion Christ is a great nourisher the soul would decay and dwindle to nothing if Christ did not continually nourish it and feed it 2. Wine is a comforter Psal 104. 15. Jesus Christ is the great comforter of the soul When the soul droops and languisheth when it 's cast down and dejected the love and presence of Christ doth chear it again Ps 21. 6. David confesseth it in Ps 23. 3. He restoreth my soul Jesus Christ is the souls restorer 3 Wine emboldneth Being a spiritual creature it doth raise the spirits and being moderately used puts courage into the fearful Jesus Christ doth embolden the soul His presence and his grace fills the soul with a holy courage he that was fearful dares now speak for God and act for God the very tydings of Christs coming expels feare from the hearts of his people Esay 35. 3 4. There is no true valour in the soul till Christ be there All the souls confidence is built on Christ and on Christ alone We have no boldnesse in prayer no boldnesse in approaching to God in any Ordinance but is communicated by and from Jesus Christ Heb. 10 19. 4 Wine is healing Some kind of wines are prefer bed for the healing inward of distempers c. The Samaritan poured oyle and wine Luk. 10. 34. Christ is a great heales he heales broken hearts and wounded spirits and all inward distempers whatsoever There is no health in the soul till Christ be there Vnto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. Christ is that tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the Nations Rev. 22. 2. Christ is an excellent and precious person Never look upon the Vine never see the fruit of the Vine but meditate on Jesus Christ JOHN 15. 5. Ye are the branches XV. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Octob. 24. 1652. I Go on to the description of beleevers in reference to Christ as it is laid down in these words Ye are the Branches The Observation will be this viz. Doct. That all true Beleevers are spiritual Branches ingraffed into Jesus Christ Jesus Christ is the royal Stock and all Beleevers are mystical Branches of this Stock The Scripture asserts this priviledge in many places Rom. 6. 5. If we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death we shall be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is there compared to the Root and Beleevers to the Branches or Cions that grow in this Root Erasmus therefore translates it very fitly Insititii ingraffed or implanted The Apostle sets down this mystery under another apt similitude of the foundation-stone of a house and the superstructory stones Eph. 2. 20 21. Christ is compared to the foundation and the Beleevers to stones built upon that foundation Ye are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone in 〈◊〉 the whole building fitly framed together 〈◊〉 â—nto â—â— holy Tâ—mple in the Lord. There are 〈◊〉 wayes of being Branches of Christ The one is by external profession onely In this respect all that are members of the visible Church are Branches of Christ Thus the Apostle saith that all the Gentiles when they were called into the Church by the preaching of the Gospel were graffed into Christ Rom. 11. 17. the Metaphor is often used in that Chapter This is not that ingraffing which I shall now handle For though it be an honour and priviledge to be a branch of Christ in this general way yet is it not a saving priviledge A man may be a Branch of Christ in this respect and yet at last be cut off and burned So our Saviour saith in the verse after the Text. The other way of being graffed or made a Branch of Christ is by the grace of union Thus all true Beleevers and onely true Beleevers are made Branches This is that which the Apostle elsewhere calls being members of Christ Eph. 5. 30. and dwelling in Christ John 6. 56. and putting on Christ Gal. 3. 27. That they are made Branches of Christ besides these testimonies of Scripture it will appeare from the Sacraments both of Baptisme and the Supper This is the plaine language of both the Sacraments 1. Baptisme speaks it 'T is the seal and signe of this ingraffing This is clear from two texts before cited the one Rom. 6. 5. If we have been planted together into the likenesse of his death How is that see verse before We are buried with him by Baptisme unto death The other iâ— Gal. 3. 27. As many of you as have been Baptized into Christ have put on Christ Nor as if all baptized persons were really made Branches but because this is sealed in Baptisme as the priviledge of all Beleevers They are as certainly made Branches of Christ invisibly and mystically as all that are baptized are made members of the Church visibly and externally 2. The Supper of the Lord doth also speak it Our eating and drinking of Christ Sacramentally is a seat and pledge of our being ingraffed into him spiritually This is cleare from that Text I cited before John 6. 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him We are therefore nourished by his flesh and blood because we are united to his body In the handling of this Doctrine two things are to be opened by way of Explication 1. How we are made Branches of Christ 2. What benefit we have by being so For the first How men are made Branches of Christ There are three things which concur to this work of the souls ingraffing into Christ The Word of God The Spirit of God Justifying Faith 1. The Word of God The Word preached is the ordinary and common mediate instrument whereby this great
work is wrought By this Word is the soule first cut off from the wilde stock of corrupt nature and planted into the true Olive-tree or Vine Jesus Christ Hence the work of planting is in Scripture attributed to the Ministers of the Gospel 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. I have planted saith the Apostle Apollo watered God indeed is the great Planter So v. 1. of this Chapter I am the true Vine and my Father iâ— the 〈◊〉 He is the Master-Planter the Ministers are subordinate-planters We are labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. They are so called because by the Word preached this great work is done This the Prophet clearly affirmes Esay 61. 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach Christ that they might be called trees of righteousnesse the planting of the Lord. These mystical trees are Gods planting but the instrument wherby they are made such trees is the Word preached Hence the Word is called the incorruptible seed of regeneration 1 Pet. 1. 23. As all the Trees and Plants in the first Creation were set and sprung up by the Word of God Gen. 1. 11 12. So are all these mystical Branches ingraffed by the Ministerial Word 2. The Spirit of God The Holy Ghost is the immediate Instrument whereby the soule is ingraffed It is the Spirit which gives efficacy to the Word both to cut off the soule from the stock of nature and to implant it into the Stock of grace The Word would never be able to tear off any person from his first root if it were not edged and strengâ—hred by the Spirit of God The Scripture calleâ—h the Holy Ghost the finger of God Luke 11. 20. compared with Mat. 1â— 28. He is so câ—â—â—ed as for other reasons so for this because he is the immediate instrument whereby God works in the hearts of his creatures Particularly for this work of ingraffing the soule into Christ the Holy Ghost is affirmed to be the immediate instrument 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body c. and have been all made to drink into one spirit And againe Eph. 2. 21 22. where the Apostle speaking of this great mystery under another resemblance saith that in Christ we are builded an habitation of God thorough the Spirit The same Spirit which builds us upon Christ into one Temple doth ingraffe us into Christ as one Vine 3. Faith This is the immediate instrumental cause on mans part Faith is an uniting grace it knits the soule to Christ and Christ to the soul Faith is an incorporating grace it doth as it were embody the soule into Christ making it one with Christ and Christ with it This is that which the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 4 5. To whom coming as to a living stone c. Ye also are built up as lively stones c. Two things are observable in that Text. First that the Saints are built together upon Christ the foundation-stone an holy house to God Secondly how Christ and they are cemented together into one building this is by beleeving set out by the expression of coming which is used ordinarily for beleeving as Mat. 11. 28. The Spirit of God first works saith in the heart of a person through the Word and then the soul is by the Spirit through faith ingraffed into Christ and made a lively Branch For the second particular What advantage the soul hath by being a Branch of Christ I shall here follow the Metaphor The same advantage the Branch hath by being ingraffed into the Stock hath a Beleever in a spiritual sense by being ingraffed into Christ I name these five 1. Spiritual supportation The Branch hath this benefit from the Stock into which it is ingraffed that it is born up and supported by it The Branch doth not bear the Vine nor doth it beare it self but is born of the Vine A beleever hath supportation from Jesus Christ We stand on Christs legs not on our own I can do all things saith the Apostle through Christ that strengthneth me Phil. 4. 13. The strength of the Branch is in the Vine so is the strength of a Beleever in Christ Who is this that cometh out of the Wildernesse leaning on her beloved Cant. 8. 5. I laid me down and slept saith David I awaked for the Lord susteined me Many blasts passe over a beleever many violent concussions and shakings is he exposed unto partly by reason of sinne partly by temptations from the Devil from men in all these shakings he hath sustentation from Christ into whom he is implanted My grace saith Christ to Paul shall be sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse in 2 Cor. 12. 9. A beleever may with confidence go to Christ and pray for support in all his weaknesses A beleever may go to Christ and chalenge support Christ would never have made thee a Branch if he had not intended to support and strengthen thee Esay 41. 10. there are repeated promises of sustentation I will strengthen thee I will help thee I will uphold thee In doing in suffering in dying is a beleever supported by Christ A beleever never wants support but when either through pride he will not have it or through slothfulnesse he will not 〈…〉 Jesus Christ 2. Spiritual nourishment The Branâ—â— doth not give nourishment to the Stock nor doth it nourish it selfe but it receives nourishment from the Stock A beleever hath nourishment from Jesus Christ The Root feeds the Branch it conveys its sap to each Branch whether it be great or little whether it be nearer the Root or at a farther distance from it Christ conveys proper nourishment to every beleever The Apostle speaks of this Col. 2. 19. The whole body from Christ by joynts and bands hath nourishment ministred the Ordinances are the joynts and bands by which nourishment is carried but Christ is the great treasury from whence it is carried He nourishes Faith he feeds Hope he nourisheth love c. Of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace John 1. 16. Every grace a beleever hath would die and wither if it did not receive daily nourishment from Jesus Christ 3. Spiritual increase The branch receives its Augmentation from the Vine The graffe when it's first implanted is very small a childe may break it with one of his fingers but by abiding in the Stock it grows till it come to perfection All a Beleevers increase is from Jesus Christ 'T is by and through him that we grow from infancy to a perfect man Two Texts of Scripture do fully set out this benefit of our implantation The one is Col. 2. 19. In him the whole body having nourishment ministred increaseth with the increase of God The other is Eph. 4. 16. Where the Apostle tells us that by and from Christ the whole body being fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every part supplieth maketh increase
Christ He that saith he abideth in Christ ought himselfe so to walk even as he walked 1 John 2. 6. And then 4 That they would acknowledge their whole dependance to be on Christ The branch doth not depend upon it selfe but upon the Vine All a beleevers dependance should be on Christ 1. On him we depend in point of fruition God hath laid up all that ever we shall have in Christ All that the branches receive they receive from the root All the good which a beleever shall have it is from Christ Out of his fulnesse have we all received John 1. 16. And then 2. On him we depend in 〈…〉 the good we receive is from him 〈…〉 we do is done by him he is the 〈…〉 good both in a Passive sense and in 〈…〉 sense Without the ye can do nothing John 〈…〉 It is very unseemly and very in congruous 〈◊〉 Branch of Christ to deny his dependance oâ— the root either by Word or Action To expect any thing but from and through Christ to go about to do any thing without power derived from Christ is to deny our dependance on him And he that denies his dependance on him shall have no benefit by him Christ in you the hope of glory Col. 1. 27. He that will have either glory or grace any other way then thorough Christ shall certainly come short either of grace or glory He that will undertake to performe any action to encounter any temptation without actual rolling himself on Christ shall finde the action too hard the temptation too strong for him to encounter A Christian may do all things when Christ doth strengthen him but he can do nothing till Christ enable him 'T is a dangerous thing not to depend on Christ These two inconveniences follow upon it First He that doth not acknowledge his dependance on Christ for what he doth will not give Christ the glory of what he doth And what Sacriledge is it to rob Christ of his glory And then 2ly He that will not acknowledge his dependance on Christ doth stop up the currant of the grace of Christ to himself If we with-hold our acknowledgements Christ will with-hold his outflowings Let this perswade all Christians to own their dependance on Christ And then 5 Strengthen your union with Christ more and more Grow farther and farther into Christ The Apostle speaks of growing up into Christ Eph. 4. 15. A beleever as soon as ever he is implanted is inseparably united but yet the union may be strengthened As the tree shoots up in height so the root grows down-ward in depth and every branch the longer it grows in the stock the more firmly is it united A beleever must get faster and faster hold on Christ every day He must strengthen his faith in Christ daily As our faith is strengthened so is our union with Christ strengthened The Apostle tells us this in that Col. 2. 6 7. As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith As our faith is stablished so is our union stablished Every Sermon every Prayer every Sacrament should cause us sink deeper and deeper into Christ Thus for the Exhortation as it respects them that are Branches of Christ 2. To them that are not branches That they would endeavour to be implanted I know a Christian is meerly passive in his first conversion the grace of conversion is preventing grace yet something may be done The Word of God I told you is the mediate instrument of our implantation Wait constantly on this Word when ye come to it lift up your hearts to God and get others to joyn with you that God would cut you off from the stock of the wilde vine and implant you into Christ Sigh after Christ when Christ lays hold on you by his Spirit to cut you off do not resist Cut your selves off from sinful acts and God may cut you off from a sinful cool This is 〈…〉 â—â—hortation 3. For Consâ—latiâ—â— This Doctriâ—◠〈…〉 are branches of Christ affords many 〈…〉 of Comfort There are foure springs 〈…〉 to beleevers arising from four priviledgeâ— which redound to them from this relation theâ—â— stand in to Christ As 1. Surely Christ will be very sensible of all the wrongs which are done you They come very neere to Jesus Christ that lay violent hands upon his branches There is sympathy between the Root and the branches There is sympathy between Christ and beleevers Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts 9. 4 He that hacks and hews the branches is injurious to the stock that bears them He that hews and hacks at a beleever doth hew at Christ who is the Root of a beleever And 2. Surely Christ will revive you under all decayings and dyings Beleevers these mystical hranches have their winteâ—s as well as the natural branches They lose their verdure and greennesse sometimes thorough sinne as other trees do Well here is your comfort Christ your stock will send out his sap he will by the communications of his influences restore you to your luster and greennesse again He will cause a fresh and beautiful Spring to succeed a drooping Winter He will make you fresh and gay after al your spiritual witherings and failings The Root owes this to the branch to revive it to convey sap to it Jesus Christ having undertaken this work and office to be the Churches Stock doth owe this to every beleever to communicate sap and moisture to him God hath put fulnesse into him that he might send out to all the branches David had once lost his greennesse Peter was foully withered many other Saints have languished but Christ hath sent out his moisture and revived them againe He restoreth my soul saith David and leadeth me in the paths of righteousnesse for his Names sake Psal 23. 3. A branch of Christ may promise to himself that he shall have spiritual restorings from Christ after spiritual languishings Christ may for a time let his branches wither but he will not let them die And then 3. Surely Christ will beare thee up in all shakings Beleevers meet with may sore tempests in this world they have stormes and earth-quakes fightings without and feares within Jesus Christ will not suffer you to be broken off by any of these stormes In this the mystical branches exceed all the natural They may be broken off from the stock but those cannot You have seen sometimes strong armes of mighty trees broken off by strong windes mighty thunders c. But let it lighten and thunder never so violently Christ will secure these branches Once a Branch and ever a Branch Simon Simon Satan hath desired to lift thee c. Luke 22 32. He that will pluck off a branch must first pluck up the root While the stock hath strength to bear the branches they shall be borne up onely two things the Branches must be careful of 1. They must importune Christ by their
prayers They must beg of him what they want and he will bestow what he hath promised Jesus Christ cannot deny importunate prayer 2. They must clasp about him by faith Faith is the soule 〈…〉 Jesus Christ A hand 〈…〉 from Jesus Christ And 〈◊〉 4. Surely Christ will 〈…〉 in glory Christ is a Root of glory as 〈…〉 grace We are implanted into Christ in gâ—â—ce in order to our implantation into glory 〈◊〉 we are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. He that is in Christ by grace shall be with Christ in glory Col. 3. 4. Luk. 1. 69. Hath raised up an horn of salvation XVI SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Aug. 29. 1652. THese words are a part of that holy Song or Prophecie which was uttered by Zacharias the father of John Baptist after the use of his speech was restored to him God was pleased to deprive him of the use of his speech for a time that he might correct him for his unbelief as you reade v. 20. of this chapter The occasion was this An Angel of the Lord is sent to him as he was burning incense in the Temple to inform him that his wife Elizabeth should conceive and beare him a sonne v. 13. Zacharias knowing that both himself and his wife were now so old that according to the ordinary course of nature they could not expect seed doth in an unbeleeving manner desire a signe from the Angel ver 18. the Angel gives him a signe which was not onely a signe but inflicted upon him as a punishment Thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak ver 20. The childe being born and circumcised on the eighth day according to the Law God remembers his servant and opens his mouth 〈…〉 so long shut 〈…〉 God fills his hear◠〈…〉 by vertue of which 〈…〉 which begins v. 68. and 〈…〉 80. This prophecy hath two parts 〈…〉 Preface or Introduction 1. That that concernes Christ v. 68. to v. 76. 2. That that concernes John v. 76. to v. 80. 1 Concerning Christ there are two things uttered 1. He blessed God for the Mission of Christ v. 68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited his people 2. He shews the benefit the Elect have by this sending of Christ This is two fold First Redemption This is amplified by many words which signifie one and the same thing He hath redeemed his people he hath raised up a horn of salvation c. Secondly Sanctification This is set down v. 74 75. That he would grant us that being delivered c. We might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse c. 2. Concerning John there are likewise two things Prophecied 1. The nature of his office He should be an extraordinary Prophet v. 76. 2. The work of this Prophet with the successe he should have in his work v. 76 77 c. Thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his way c. God that had raised him in an extraordinary manner would blesse him with more them ordinary successe Many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord his God as the Angel had told him 〈◊〉 The words which I have read are a part of that Prophecy which is uttered concerning Christ They are a glorious title which Zachary gives him before he was borne A horne of salvation From which title we gather this Note Doct. That Jesus Christ is a horne of salvation to the Elect. God hath raised him up for this very purpose to be unto his Elect an horne of salvation God hath raised up saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was not yet raised but the time now drew neere God had promised it Faith looks on what God hath promised as a thing already done And then this phrase In the house of his servant David is added to shew the accomplishment of the promise of Christ made to David God had often promised David that he would raise up one out of his loynes to sit upon his Throne and that his Kingdome in Christ should be a perpetual Kingdome Jer. 23. 5. Jer. 30. 9. Now at this time the Kingdome of David was even cast down the Scepter was even departed from Judah the promises of God made to David seemed now to faile his Kingdome was even broken therefore is Christ said here to be raised in the house of David because in Christ the Tabernacle of David was raised up which was even fallen according to that Prophecie Amos 9. 11. And therefore Christ is called also the horn of David Psalm 132. 17. because he was raised up to fulfil the promise made to David for the perpetuation of his Kingdome And he is called the horne of the house of Israel Ezek. 29. 21. 'T is a 〈…〉 interpreters generally 〈…〉 his Elect an horne of salvatiâ—â— In the opening of this three 〈…〉 be explained 1. What salvation is here meant 2. Why Christ is called a horne of â—â—â—vation 3. How he comes to be a horne of salvation to the Eect to deliver them Christ is salvation 1. Privatively Christ is salvation 2. Positively 1. He is a horne of salvation Privatively in three respects 1. In respect of sinne 2. In respect of Satan 3. In respect of men 1. In respect of sinne Sinne is a thing which doth much endanger the soules of the Elect. 'T is indeed the onely great endangerer Neither the devil nor men could endanger them if it were not for sinnes which betray them into the hands of both There are three things in sinne from which the Elect need to be saved 1 The guilt of sinne Guilt is the obligation of the sinner to deserved punishment This doth every sinne expose the sinner unto Lev. 5. 1 2 3 4. Now Jesus Christ is salvation to them in respect of this He hath taken all their guilt upon himself and so freed them from it so that though there be upon them simple guilt yet none that shall for ever redound upon the person The Apostle speaks of this salvation Tâ—â— â— 14. He gave himself for us that he might redâ—â—me us from all iniquity This is that which the Angel tells Joseph from the interpretation of his name Mat. 1. 21. He saves them from then sinne by being made sinne for them as the Apostle speake 2 Cor. 5. 21. From hence is the justification of our persons in Gods sight 2 The Dominion of sinne The Dominion of sinne is the sovereignty and command which sinne exerciseth over all men by nature Hence it is that they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Apostle useth this expression Rom. 6. 16 17. To whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey c. Now Christ is a horn of salvation to them in this respect for he doth by the communication of his Spirit undermine and abolish the Lordly dominion of sinne and by the infusion of grace and the
communication of the Divine nature to them cause them to become the servants of righteousnesse Of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 6. 18. Being made free from sinne ye became the servants of righteousnesse This is the work of Sanctification Of this the Apostle speaks Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himselfe for us that he might purifie us unto himselfe c. Christ takes off the yoke of sinne and puts on the neck the yoke of grace This the Apostle fully expresses Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death 3 The condemnation of sinne The wages of sinne is damnation Rom. 6. ult Jesus Christ is a horne of salvation to his 〈…〉 for he hath 〈◊〉 the wine 〈…〉 anger and suffered the 〈…〉 their sinnes for them Of 〈…〉 speaks in 1 Pet. â— 2â— Who his 〈…〉 sinnes in his body c. And the 〈…〉 affirms Rom. 8. 1. That there i◠〈…〉 to them that are in Christ Jesus Thus in respect of sinne Christ is a horne of salvation 2. In respect of Satan Satan is a sworne adversary to the Elect. He goeth about continually like a roaring lion seeking how he may devoure them 1 Pet. 5. 8. There are three things in respect whereof Christ is salvation to them from Satan 1. The Dominion of Satan The Elect are by nature as well as others the bondslaves of Satan Eph. 2. 2. they are his servants by nature and by their own voluntary sinfulnesse they have enslaved themselves to his bondage more Of this the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2. 26. Now Jesus Christ is salvation to the Elect from this estate He doth at the conversion of the Elect cut the cords and unloose the chaines by which the devil holds them fast in bondage Of this our Saviour speaks Luke 11. 21. By his death he did triumph over him Col. 2. 15. and at the moment of our conversion he doth actually put us into the possession of this victory Acts 26. 18. He doth then turn us from the power of Satan unto God 2. The temptations of Satan Satan as he tempted Christ the Head of which we reade Mat. 4. 1 2 3. so doth he not cease to assault and tempt all his members The more visible Christs image is in any person the more violently doth the devil assault him The Apostle speaks of this as in many other places so fully in Eph. 6. 12. Now in this respect Christ is salvation to them He stands by them that these temptations may not prevaile over them He interposeth himself between them and the teeth of this roaring lion that he may not have his will on them Of this our Saviour speaks Luk. 22. 31 32. 3. The accusations of Satan The devil is called in Scripture The accuser of the brethren Rev. 12. 10. and he is a diligent creature at this work for he accuseth them day and night before the Lord. There are many imperfections and weaknesses in the children of God they do too often step aside out of Gods way we have too many sad instances of the truth of this in Scripture which I need not name The Devil takes occasion from these to accuse us not onely to men but to God He that turnes every stone to hurry us into sinne doth when he hath overcome us represent all to God against us in the ugliest shape he can that he may hinder mercy from us Yes he is so malicious that when he can have nothing visibly to lay to our charge he will pretend something as we see in the case of Job Chap. 1. 9 c. Ch. 2. 4 c. Christ now is a horne of salvation to us in this respect He stands continually pleading for us at Gods right hand as soone as Satan puts in a Bill Christ puts in an answer and so doth cast out and nullifie all his Accusations Thus is he salvation to them in respect of Satan 3. In respect of â—â—n 〈…〉 by men both in theâ—◠〈…〉 spiritual estate 1. In their outward 〈◊〉 Men 〈…〉 against them they 〈…〉 because they 〈…〉 image they have so much of the 〈…〉 Because I have chosen you out of the 〈◊〉 therefore doth the world hate you John 15. 19. The great ones of the world they rise up often against them and vex them c. Now Christ is salvation to them in this regard Sometimes breaking the hornes that devoure them Sometimes melting the hearts of their devourers making their enemies their friends Sometimes removing them from them that would break them alwayes delivering them from the evil and hurt of the attempts made against them turning them for their greater and best good He makes their vinegar better then their wine Of this the Apostle was confident in his own case Phil. 1. 19. This shall turne to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Christ is a horne even of temporal salvation to the Elect in this regard He makes your troubles as good friends to you as your comforts He makes your worst conditions work together for your best good 2. In your spiritual estate Christ is salvation to you from men in two respects First In regard of the corruptions of the world Wicked men give wicked examples and by the example of one wicked man others are corrupted Now albeit the Godly are sometimes infected in regard of some particular acts yet are they saved from the general corruptions of wicked men amongst whom they live Jesus Christ keeps them from soyling themselves as others do This is that which is recorded of the Angel of the Church of Pergamus Rev. 2. 1â— and of those few in Sardis chap. 3. 4. Thâ—s was Noah saved in that corrupt age in which he lived Gen. 7. 1. Secondly â—n regard of the evil counsels of men Wicked men are of the same minde with the devil their father They are daily tempting inticing alluring and perswading the godly to walk with them in their wayes Joseph was tempted by his Mistresse Gen. 39. 7. This is put in amongst the Catalogue of the sufferings of the old Martyrs that they were tempted Heb. 11. 37. Christ the great Counsellor of his Church saved all these from yielding to such temptations Though they are sometimes ensnared yet they are againe brought off by Christ from those ensnarements and Christ gives them power afterward the more to resist them and to abhor them II. Positively Christ is salvation 1. In respect of grace 2. In respect of glory Jesus Christ is eternal salvation unto the Elect. All that salvation which hath been mentioned before is in reference to this which is the upshot of all He therefore saves them from sinne from the devil from men that he may bring them to this eternal happinesse He is called in Scripture eternal life 1 John 5. 20. The Authour of eternal salvation Heb. 5. 9. The salvation of Israel Psal 53. 6. The Captaine of our salvation Heb.
people When God committed our salvation to Christ he committed it to one that was mighty Christ is not a reed of salvation but a rock of salvation A strong Redeemer as the Scripture calls him Ierem 50. 34. Consider four things 1. What strong enemies Christ was to vanquish that he might save us 1 He was to save us from sinne Now sin was very strong it grew fast and deep in the heart Sinne is interwoven in the very constitution of every man Christ could not save the Elect if he did not pluck up the very roots of sinne He was to save them from the guilt from the power from the filthinesse yea from the very being of sinne Had he not been very strong he could not have subdued such a potent enemy as sinne was 2 He was to save them from the devil The devil is called in Scripture The strong man yea the strong man armed Luke 11. 21. One devil hath more strength then all the men in the world and there are many Legions of devils which are in the possession of the Elect by nature The devils are called principalities and powers for the greatnesse of their strength Eph. 6. 12. Jesus Christ if he had not been very strong could never have routed these mighty spirits Consider 2. The manner how he was to save us He was to beare and undergo the wrath of his Father for his Elect a heavy burthen which they were notable to bear The grappling with sinne and Satan was but easie in respect of this to beare the wrath of God without sinking The Prophet speaks of this Esay 53. 5 6. all the punishment of the sinnes of men was laid on Christ He treadeth the wine-presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of Almighty God Rev. 19. 15. There it 's spoken of him as the Executioner of his Fahters wrath but he did first tread it as a sufferer And he did beare all this alone And he was to undergo it without sinking and fainting Had he not been a strong salvation he had perished under this burden To beare the wrath of God is a greater work then the subduing of all the devils strength He could have done this by a word but to satisfie the justice of his Father could not be done without his personal suffering Consider 3. The multitude of the persons he was to save Thousands and millions an innumerable multitude the Scripture affirmes them to be Rev. 7. 9. All the Elect of God which did then live yea all that had been all that should be to the end of the world Had he not been a strong Saviour he could not have saved so many And which doth shew his strength more All these were at first unwilling to be saved by him The Elect when Jesus Christ 〈…〉 them and to apply the salvation 〈…〉 which he hath merited for them are 〈◊〉 unwilling to be saved they runne away from him they like their condition so well that they desire not to be removed out of it They â—â—ject Christ yea they fight against Christ and the salvation that he brings until he have subdued their hearts and of unwilling made them willing by the power of his irresistible grace And then they willingly and freely adhere to him Draw us and we will runne after thee Consider 4. The perfection and fulnesse of his salvation His salvation is a compleat salvation This is that which the Apostle saith Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the uttermost oâ— to perfection What is it to save to the uttermost or to perfection 1. 'T is to save the whole man 2. 'T is to save from all evil to all good 3. 'T is to save to eternity Jesus Christ doth perfectly save in all these respects He will never leave off his Elect till he hath brought them to glory Christ is called a Horne of salvation because he saves both Offensively and Defensively he saves his people and wounds his enemies It 's a Metaphor from horned creatures which do save themselves and offend their assailant Thus much for the second particular Why he is called an Horn of salvation 3. How Christ comes to be an Horn of salvation This is expressed in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath raised him up This phrase notes these three things 1. Gods decree whereby Jesus Christ was from eternity designed to this work The Scripture â—â—lls that by a solemne Decree of all the three Persons Jesus Christ the second person was designed for this work of salvation He was set apart by the determinate Counsel of God to be the Authour of salvation unto the Church The Psalmist speaks of this Psal 2. 6 7. Yet have I set my King c. I will declare the Decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee 2. Gods Mission of Christ. As he was before all time appointed for this work so he was in the fulnesse of time sent to accomplish it In the fulnesse of time God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeeme them that were under the Law Gal. 4. 4 5. Of this Mission the Prophet speaks largely Esay 61. 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me c. He hath sent me to binde up the broken hearted c. To this belongs that solemne publick promulgation of the Father whereby he proclaimed Christ as his salvation to the world Mat. 3. 17. by an immediate voice from heaven This is my well beloved Sonne 3. The Act of God in furnishing Christ with such qualifications as might render him fit for such a work As he established him by his Decree and by his publick Mission sealed him for this work so he did furnish him with all those qualifications which were necessary for the carrying of it on for the good of his Elect This furnishing of Christ relates to two things 1. The preparing of a body for him A humane nature was necessary for him that was to be the salvation 〈…〉 must be made to Justice by the 〈…〉 that committed the trespasse And 〈◊〉 besides the Divine Nature was not capable of saving that way that salvation must be wrought namely by suffering God therefore fitted Christ with a body in which body by the grace of personal union the God-head was caused to dwell Of this the Apostle speaks Heb. 10. 5. Sacrifice and meat-offering thou wouldest not have but a body hast thou fitted me 2. By conferring upon the humane nature fulnesse of all those spiritual qualifications and endowments which were necessary for him to the carrying on of his work Strength wisdome judgement mercy love patience and many other graces were needful for this work of salvation God therefore furnished Jesus Christ with all these Esay 11. 1 2 3. And as he had variety of all these graces so did God bestow upon him a fulnesse of all these not a limited stinted fulnesse as he bestowed upon
others but an unmeasurable fulnesse of all grace A fulnesse of redundancy which from him might flow out to all the Elect for the filling of them with a fulness of sufficiency Of this the Scripture speaks John 3. 34. and Iohn 1. 16. In all these respects God hath raised him up to be a Horne of salvation Thus much for the opening of the Doctrine The Uses of this Doctrine Vse 1. For Information in two things First The miserable condition of those that are without Iesus Christ Who are without Christ Not onely Jewes and Turks and Pagans but all unbeleevers in the Church Whosoever is without true saving faith is without Christ 'T is faith that makes Christ Actually ours Faith unites us to Christ and Christ to us Their misery is very great Christ is a horn of salvation the onely Horn of salvation he that is without Christ is without salvation God hath put the salvation of men into Christs hands 1 Iohn 5. 11. He hath given us eternal life and this life is in his Sonne And he that hath the Sonne hath life but he that hath not the Son hath not life ver 12. God himself cannot save him that is without an interest in Christ He hath set down this way of salvation and he cannot deny himself It is a question amongst the Schoolmen whether God could have saved sinners without Christs satisfaction They generally conclude upon good grounds that he might but now 't is not so much as a question God hath resolved that whosoever is saved shall be saved by Christ and without mutability he cannot save men another way Better never to have seen the light then to die without an interest in Christ And he that doth not beleeve truely in him hath no saving interest in him Iohn 3. 18. How shall I know whether I do truly beleeve or no I shall here to help you lay down a twofold note of true faith 1. It is a heart-purifying grace This effect of faith the Apostle mentions in Acts 15. 9. Whosoever hath true faith in Christ will find his heart purified and cleansed thereby The efficient cause of the purification of the heart is the Spirit of God who is called the Spirit of Sanctification 2 Thes 2. â—3 The 〈◊〉 cause is Christs blood 1 Iohn â— 7. The instrumental cause is faith This grace purifies the hearâ—â— as it is an instrument whereby the blood of Christ which purifies is conveyed to the soul and as it doth take hold upon the promise of cleansing the promise is I will sprinkle clean water Ezek. 36. 25. Faith applies this promise and improves and so purifies the heart If you have not purification of heart you have not faith and if you have not faith you have not Christ as a Horne of salvation Now that heart may be said to be purified that hath these three properties 1. If it bewaile impurity Impurity that is truly lamented is in Gods account as if it were removed Rom. 7. 23 24. If thy pollution be thy greatest burden thy heart is purified in Gods sight 2. If it be cautious of every thing that may defile A heart that is purified dares not willingly come neere any defiling puddle it will avoid occasions temptations of defilement Iob 31. 1. Carefulnesse of shunning defilement is an infallible note of purification 3. If it be through inadvertency defiled it will not be quiet till it be made clean A purified heart cannot lie in any uncleannesse when God hath once discovered it to him Thus David when he saw his pollution with what earnestnesse doth he run to the Laver that he may be washed Ps 51. 2 7. 2. Saving faith hath very high and precious thoughts of Christ This character is laid down by the Apostle in 1 Pet. 2. 7. No unbeleever can truly have precious thoughts of Christ nay they have low thoughts of him as 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. and Cant. â— 9. Try your faith by this note Now if Christ be truly precious 1 He shall reigâ—â— and rule over thee His precepts will be as precious as his promises His Sovereignty will be as precious as his sacrifice his yoke will be as desirable as his merits the Apostle opposeth saith and disobedience 1 Pet. 2. 7. Where Christ is disobeyed he is not beleeved in 2 If Christ be truly precious to thee his dishonours will pierce thy soul The dishonours done to him in his truths worship government will be a greater grief to thy heart then all the dishonours that are done unto thy selfe 3 If Christ be truly precious to thee it will be thy meat and drink to do him any service Thou wilt make it thy study to set him up and to make him great where ever thou comest 4 If Christ be precious to thee all his Ordinances will be precious Thou wilt have a high esteeme of his Word of his Sacraments of his Sabbaths and that for his sake who hath instituted these things If it be not thus with thee thou art an unbeleever and if an unbeleever thou hast for present no saving interest in him that is the horne of salvation Secondly The impossibility of the perishing of any of the Elect. Their eternal salvation is a thing of absolute certainty They can never perish They may seem to be lost sometimes in their own apprehension I said saith Jonah I am cast out of thy sight Jonah 2. 4. He was in his own eyes as if he had been a cast-aâ—ay 〈…〉 impossible it should be so as in other 〈…〉 so in this because Christ is the horne of their salvation He that hath wrought their salvation is able to preserve salvation for them and them for salvation If Christ be able to save you ye shall be saved When you look upon that in your selves that may seem to hinder your salvation look upon that that is in Christ to maintain your salvation You shall be as certainly saved as Christ himself is saved Father I will that they whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am that they may behold my glory c. John 17. 24. Your salvation is now fully accomplished he that was able to accomplish your salvation is able much more to apply it now it is accomplished Consider these seven Notions to make this out 1 Christ will not lose the merit of his blood nor be deprived of the end of his death and he must do both these if one of his Elect should miss of salvation 2 Christ did not conquer for the Devil but from the Devil Christ will not be at the charge and cost of redemption and when he hath done suffer the devil to go away with the spoile 3 Christ will not impoverish himself to enrich the Devil and impoverished he should be if one of the Elect should perish for every Saint helps to make up his mystical fulnesse So the Apostle tells us Eph. 1. ult 4 Iesus Christ will not rob his Father to enrich the Devil Now if
conviction we may understand that of the Prophet Esay 11. 4. Where speaking of Christ he saith that he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall slay the wicked When Christ sets upon the work of conviction he comes with so much efficacy that he smites some to submission all to silence 2. For Conversion When Christ descends upon the soul in the work of Conversion what strength doth he put forth the strong holds of sinne are battered down every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of Christ is brought into captivity to the obedience of his Scepter 2 Cor. 10. 4. Devils are cast out of the possession which they have kept for many yeares without the least disturbance Strong lusts are mortified and the very constitution of the soul is changed What aileth thee O thou sea that thou fleddest thou Jordan that thou wast driven back ye mountaines that ye skipped like rams c. Ps 114. 5 6. The Prophet speaks those words of the powerful entrance of the children of Israel into Canaan The like is done by Christ in the conversion of a sinner Jordan is driven back the whole course of the soul is altered The mountaines skip like rams There are many mountaines in the soul of a sinner as pâ—ide unbelief self-conceitednesse Atheisme profaneness c. These mountains are plucked up by the roots in a moment when Christ begins the work of Conversion See how the Prophet doth allegorically set out the powerful descension of Christ in this work Esay 11 6 7 8. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb c. All the woolvish ravenous and brutish qualities and affections of the soul are powerfully subdued and brought under All that have known a person before wonder at the great change which is wrought and he wonders more at himselfe then all others can do Christ put his bridle of power into his lips and turned the current of his soul he scarce knows how When Christ came upon the heart of Elisha what a mighty power was put forth 1 Kings 19. 19 20 21. Elijah casts his mantle upon him the Spirit of Christ descends in that action and see how the man is changed He left the oxen and ran after Elijah forsakes all his friends to wait upon the Prophet When Christ by his Word and Spirit descends upon the heart of the Jaylor what a strange work is wrought upon him Acts 16. 33 He takes the Apostles the very same houre and washes their stripes Had any one that had over-night seen him beating the Apostles so cruelly as he did told him well before the morning-light thou shalt wish that all those stripes had been upon thy own body thou shalt before the Sunne arise wash those bloody stripes with thy tears would not he have thought him mad and yet all this came to passe Jesus Christ comes down with so much power that though the will would stand out against him yet it cannot resist Many a person comes to Church perhaps with an intention to laugh at the Preacher Christ poures down a shower upon him which hath so much power that he that came a scorner departs a mourner Zacheus is upon the Sycamore tree Jesus Christ lets a few drops upon him and he is so powerfully subdued that he comes down speedily at the first call Luke 19. 5 6. Matthew sits at the Excise-office gathering tribute Christ raines down but one shower and that hath so much power that the man leaves all and follows him he cannot stay to take one mans money more he ariseth from his profitable seat and runnes after Christ Matth. 9. 9 10. Peter and Andrew are busie as Christ passes by mending their nets Christ distils a few drops upon them in that call of his Follow me and I will make you fishers of men and how mightily are they overpowered they will not stay one tyde more yea they will not give another stitch but arise and follow him Mat. 4. 18 19 20. 3. For Consolation When Christ comes down with a purpose to comfort a sadded heart he comforts it with power See the promise Esay 66. 13. I will comfort you and ye shall be comforted The Consolations of the Word and Spirit of Christ come with such efficacy that the soul cannot shut them out the mourning is presently turned into dancing The Consolations of Christ are called strong consolations Heb. 6. 18. not onely in regard of the matter of them but in regard of the reception of them where ever they come they come with strength Hannah is in bitternesse of Spirit for a time Jesus Christ doth but as she is at prayer poure down a few fresh drops upon her and she goes away and is no more sad 1 Sam. 1. 18. Mary Magdalen stands at the Sepulchre full of sorrow she weeps many a brinish â—eare John 20. 11. Jesus Christ doth but open the cloud and drop a few drops upon her and what jâ—y is in her heart Take the most melancholy and persive sinner though he be like Rachâ—l that would not be comforted yet one promise of Christ rained down upon him and set on by his Spirit will make him lay aside his mourning garments Though Ministers cannot answer the objections of sorrowing Christians yeâ— Christ can answer them so powerfully that the soul shall have nothing to answer againe This is the second particular Thirdly The raine comes down voluntarily undeservedly The Prophet tells us how the dew and showers fall They tarry not for man nor wait for the sonnes of men Micah 7. 5. The raine doth not expect any humane concurrence or causality Though it come down upon us yet it comes down without us The raine descends for our advantage but not for our deserving The distillation of Christ comes down undeservedly on our part The soule meets with many a shower from Christ when it deserves no such thing The good either of Christs Doctrine or his Scepter or his Spirit are not merited by us Should we have no raine from Christ till we did deserve it we should suffer an eternal drought The first grace of Christ is preventing grace I am found of them that sought not after me Esay 65. 1. And all the after-grace of Christ is undeserved grace We do as little to deserve the influences of Christ as we do to deserve the distillations of the clouds All that Christ doth for us is onely from the meer motion of his own grace Esay 55. 1. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth James 1. 18. We must say Grace grace to all the soul-fatning drops that come from Christ He forgets that Christ comes down as the rain that dreams of merit All the sonnes of men want Christ but none of the sonnes of men can deserve Christ Fourthly The raine comes down unexpectedly Sometimes when the skie is black with clouds the winde riseth and driveth them away without so much as a drop
Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1. 19. 'T is precious not onely because of the dignity of the person who shed it called therefore the blood of God Acts 20. 28. but because of the great value and merit of it and because of the precious effects of it By the vertue of this blood which Christ shed remission of sin is purchased the redemption of the Elect is perfected Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 12. By his own blood he entred once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us By the preciousnesse of this blood is God and man reconciled Col. 1. 20 21 32. By this blood is the conscience sanctified Heb. 9. 14. By this blood is the way to heaven opened for all the Elect Heb. 10. 19. The sufferings of Christ are so precious that if ten thousand worlds were there would be redundancy of merit in Christ to save them all This is the third 2. For the second Christ is so meanly esteemed of by men of the greatest part of men because of three things viz. Ignorance Pride Prejudice 1. They are ignorant of him The greatest part of the world is quite blinde in spiritual things 1 Cor. 2. 14. As in other spiritual things so in this of the worth of Christ A blinde man can see no more excellency in a precious stone then in a common stone A blinde Christian can see no more worth in Christ then in another person This you may see from that question which is propounded by the daughters of Jerusalem Cant. 5. 9. What is thy beloved more then another beloved O thou fairest among women c. Their very question bewrays their ignorance had they known any thing of him they would not have said What is thy beloved The wisdome of the Gospel whereby Jesus Christ is made known is hidden wisdom 'T is wisdom in a mystery 1 Cor. 2. 7 8. which none can understand but those that are savingly enlightened This ignorance of Christ under which the greatest part of men are held ariseth 1 Partly from the negligence and slothfulnesse that is in men They are idle and will not take paines to study the Word of God which sets out Christ They cast the Scriptures from them Our Saviour saith John 5. 39. That the Scriptures testifie of him men do not search this blessed book as they should either they read not at all or else they reade superficially they do not pray that God would discover Christ to them in and by the Word Hence they are ignorant of him 2 Partly from their Atheistical unbelief of what they heare reported by others Though they cannot but hear sometimes the reports of Christ in the publick Ministry yet they will give no assâ—nt of faith to them but oppose and reject them as the fancies of men This is that which the Prophet alledgeth Esay 53. 1. Who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed Ex iis qui Evangelicum audiunt vix centesimum quemque fidelem fore saith Calvin upon the place Scarce the hundreth part of those that heare the Gospel do yeild a cordial assent to the Gosspel 3 Partly from a judiciary hand of God upon them God usually punisheth voluntary blindnesse with a penal and judiciary blindnesse This is that which the Prophet is taught of God Esay 6. ult Go and preach to this people saying Seeing ye shall see and not perceive and hearing ye shall heare and not understand c. The Apostle makes application of this Text to the unbeleeving Jewes who would not receive what he had with so much clearnesse proved concerning Jesus Christ both out of Moses and out of the Prophets Acts 28. 23 24 25 26. When men that live under the Gospel shut their own eyes God doth ratifie it by an act of his justice and saith Be thou blinded for ever When a man hardens his own heart God is pleased to ratifie it in heaven and saith Let that heart never be softned See that of our Saviour to this purpose John 12. 37 c. Now because men neglect the study of the Gospel which shewes what Christ is because they refuse to assent to and close with what the Ministers of God report out of the Gospel concerning Christ because God punisheth the voluntary blinding their eyes with a judicial blinding therefore do they remaine ignorant of the preciousnesse of Christ And because they are ignorant of him therefore they disesteeme him 2. Their pride The greatest part of men even of those that live under the Gospel are puft up with arrogancy and self-conceit They dreame that they are in so good a condition already that Christ cannot make them better They are ful of vaine confidences some fleshly boasting or other they have in their hearts some carnal City of refuge they erect for themselves besides Christ and this makes Christ lesse precious to them then he would otherwise he We are the circumcision saith the Apostle which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3. 3. He that creates any fleshly ground of confidence to himself and all confidences are fleshly which are not bottom'd on Christ such a man will not much rejoyce in Christ Jesus Now there are in the mindes of men abundance of false confidences and carnal imaginations the Apostle hints at them though he do not expresly name them 2 Corinth 10. 4 5. There are many significant words used by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munitions fortifications strongs holds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonings Abundance of fond reasonings are in the mindes of men they reason themselves into heaven upon very poor and slender premisses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strange heightnings of themselves have men in which they rejoyce which will be found groundlesse another day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Swarmes of foolish thoughts have men by nature which they bandy up and down in their soules One man makes wealth his strong hold Another reasons himselfe into heaven because of some Church Priviledge A third is mightily heightned upon his civil righteousnesse A fourth thinks all is well with him because others have a good opinion of him Every man by nature abounds with some or all of these Therefore is Christ so mean and inconsiderable in their esteeme 3. They are prejudiced against Christ Though no man hath any reason or good Argument against Christ yet have they many prejudices which they take up against him And these prejudices lay him low in their hearts What those prejudices are I shall name when I come to handle that in the eighth Verse where Christ is said to be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence I shall shew what prejudices men have against his Doctrine worship followers c. And while prejudices lie against Christ he will never finde that esteeme which is meet A man can never think highly of any person or thing against which he
hath taken up a prejudice though they be never so deserving Ahabs prejudice against the Prophets of the Lord would not suffer him to heare them 1 Kings 22. 8. 1 PET. 2. 6. XXII SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Febr. 20. 1652. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Precious I Proceed to the Uses which are 1. Information 2. Examination 3. Exhortation 1. For Information This teacheth a twofold lesson 1. The exceeding great glory of the Church of Christ. The Scripture tells us that the Church of God is a glorious body Though the Church taken in its more large acception as it contains all visible professors be in many respects lesse glorious because o◠the mixture that is in it it being a field wherein is both wheat and tares Mat. 13. 24 25. Mat. 3. 13. Mat. 13. 48. a barn floore wherein is both good corn and chaff a net in which are fishes good and bad yet the Church of God more strictly taken for the number of them that are effectually called the invisible Church is a very glorious society The Apostle calls it a glorious Church Eph. 5. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It 's glorious as in regard of the holinesse of the members so chiefly in regard of Christ the glorious foundation A house whose corners are laid with precious stones and whose superstructory stones are all lively stones must needs be glorious Never such a building in the world as the Church of God is See how the Evangelical Prophet describes it Esay 54. 11. O you afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with faire colours and lay thy foundation with Saphires c. 'T is much like that description which is made of it Rev. 21. 10 11 12 c. Every thing which is in the Church makes for the glory of it Glorious in its members who are cloathed with the glory of God glorious in regard of the worship which is there used and of the Ordinances there dispensed in regard of the Doctrine there there maintained Calvin I remember understands by those precious stones mentioned Esay 54. 11 12. The variety of the gifts and graces of God to his people Paul understands by the same precious stones the doctrine taught in the Church 1 Cor. 3. 11. The Church is glorious both in respect of the doctrine and of the various gifts and graces of God dispensed amongst the members of it But the great glory of all lies in the foundation-stone Jesus Christ That must needs be a precious building which hath its foundation on such a precious stone as Jesus Christ is who it as far above all precious stones and a great deale more then they are above common stones For the setting out of this consider how Christ excels all other precious stones 1. He excels them in largenesse Other precious stones are but of a small dimension and of a very little weight You may put many of the largest that ever were seen into a small Cabinet but Jesus Christ is very great As God he is infinite without dimension filling heaven and earth with his presence See how the Prophet speaks of the infiniteness and incomprehensiblenesse of Christ in regard of his divine nature Esay 40. 12 13. Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out the heaven with a span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountaines in scales and the hills in a ballance That all this is spoken of Christ appeares from verse 11. where he is prophecied of as the Shepherd of his flock 2. He excels them in duration Other pearles and precious stones are of a perishing nature they may be defaced broken dissolved they may lose their beauty There 's a day coming when they shall be melted away into nothing Cleopatra dissolved a pearle of very great worth by the Art of Chymistry and drank it at one draught to her Antonius But Jesus Christ is a durable precious stone Neither time nor eternity will be able to dissolve this stone His beauty cannot be lost or dimished He never will have any flaw or crack or spot in him in the eyes of those that are able to judge aright of him His brightnesse is an unfading brightnesse The heavens and the earth fade and wax old like a garment but Jesus Christ is still the same and his years have no end Heb. 1. 11 12. And 3. He excels them in the multiplicity and perfection of his properties There is not any precious stone that hath all excellencies and vertues in it Some excel in one property some are excellent for another vertue Whether their medicinal vertues be considered or their other excellencies as their colour their forme their roundnesse c. One excels most in this kinde another in that But the vertues and excellencies of all pearls and precious stones meet in Christ Whatsoever perfection is to be found in any created stone the same is to be found in Christ The properties of the Saphire the Diamond the Chrysolite the Sardonix the Amethist and of all other stones meet in Christ alone And then they are all in him in a farre more transcendent manner then they are in any of these His brightnesse is above the brightnesse of the Diamond his whitenesse far exceeds the whitenesse of the Pearl The medicinal and physical properties that are in Christ are far more excellent then those that are in other precious stones Some Pearls they say do strengthen the heart others clear the sight others remove the vertigo or dizzinesse of the head and many other useful properties are recorded by learned men but none of them are so excellent in any of these kindes as Christ is for he removes and heales the distempers of the soule and minde as well as of the body he cures the spiritual eye-sight Rev. 3. 18. He cures the troubles of the conscience which no other precious stone can do being never so artificially used He being rightly applyed and taken cures the soul of sinne removes guilt which none other precious stone can do The neck-lace of pearle cannot cure the wounds of conscience the girdle of diamonds cannot remove tremblings from the spirit the costly jewel in the bosome cannot quiet the heart throbbing for sin or Gods departure all this Christ can do And 4. He excels them in this that he hath no hurtful qualities Other precious stones have a killing quality powder of diamonds they say is poysonful put in the bowels or throat takes away life presently But Jesus Christ hath no destructive quality He is occasion of hurt to none but to him that refuseth him Put all these together and it will appeare that the Church of God which is erected upon and united unto such a precious foundation must needs be a glorious Church 2. The great riches of true beleevers A member of Christ how poore soever he is in regard of outward riches yet he is the richest man in
now shining at the right hand of God we should say the Sun were but like sackcloth in comparison of it how much more bright is he in his Godhead this is so glorious that no man can see it and live The face of Jesus Christ is that which makes and constitutes the very glory of heaven And then 2. His omniscience The Sunne in the firmament travels up and down and beholds every part of the world David saith there is nothing hid from the heat of it Psalm 19. 6. Jesus Christ as he is the Sonne of God is perfectly omniscient The Apostle speaks of his omniscience Heb. 4. 13. There is no creature that is not manifest in his sight c. Yea he sees every thing not by moving up and down as the Sunne doth but by one fixed and constant view There can be no fence made to keep out the sight of his eye he doth simul semel together and at once behold all creatures with all their motions thoughts and imaginations This is the first II. In respect of his effects and workings upon his people There is a great resemblance between the Suns effects upon the creatures and Christs effects upon his people I shall instance in eight particulars 1. The Sunne hath an enlightning vertue The Sunne is the great luminary which God hath appointed and made to carry the light abroad to the inhabitants of the earth The presence of the Sunne makes day The Sunne is the great torch of heaven by which men and other creatures see what to do and where to go Gen. 1. 14 16. By his light we see it and all other things Jesus Christ hath an enlightning power and doth actually enlighten the hearts of men The soul is by nature in darknesse and never sees till Christ beame down his light upon it All men by nature in regard of spiritual light are as that blinde man was John 9. 1. without any spiritual sight They see neither sinnes blacknesse nor their own misery by reason of sinne They see not Christs beauty not graces excellency till their eyes are opened They have thick skales upon their eyes as Paul had before his conversion Act. 9. 18. Therefore they are called darknesse and their state a state of darknesse Eph. 5. 8. Now Christ gives them light When he riseth upon them savingly then and not till then do they see their condition and the way out of it Eph. 5. 14 As the Sun is speculum munds the worlds looking glasse so is Christ speculum Animae the souls looking glasse All spiritual light which is given to the soul is in and thorough Jesus Christ So the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 4. 6. The Gospel is the vehiculum lucis the great chariot that carries this light abroad but the fountaine of it is this bright Sunne of righteousnesse Jesus Christ Spiritual illumination is Christs work This is that which the Evangelist saith John 1. 9. John Baptist carried the â—orch but Christ himself was the light Till this Sun be up the soul lies in grosse darknesse but when it appeares then light comes Presently Esay 60. 1. When the glory of the Lord is risen upon the soule then is darknesse expell'd and the soul shines forth The heart that is as dark as any dungeon when the beames of this Sunne are darted down into it is as light as a Paradise Christ turnes Egypt into Goshen And then 2. The Sunne hath a warming vertue Though it be not formally hot yet it is hot in its effect Psal 19. 6. The beames of the Sunne warme the earth and the ayre the bodies of the rational and irrational creatures Experience teacheth that the Sunne hath a heating power the light and motion of it causes heat The Lord Jesus Christ hath a warning vertue in him The heart that is as cold as yee is heated and warmed by the influences of his Spirit into a good temper The luke-warme heart when Christ shines upon it is set into a burning heat The beames which are cast from Christ in his Ordinances put the cold soul into a spiritual sweat We have an instance of this in the two Disciples Luke 24. 32. They were in a freezing temper till Christ overtook them but when they had continued a while in that spiritual sun-shine their hearts were put into a violent flame Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the way The forerunner of Christ tells the Jews that he that came after him did baptize men with the holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3. 11. Christ can kindle the sparks of grace which seeme to be as dead and put them into a burning flame Many a Saint hath come to the Ordinances with his heart like the cold earth and before he hath departed Christ hath sent him away like a burning lamp the cold water hath been put into a vehement boyling that the heart hath runne over again eructâ—vit cor meum Psal 45. 1. Peter grew cold at the high Priests fire when the beames of Christ were withdrawn but when Christ shone upon him his cold heart was heated when Elisha had lien a while upon the Shunamites dead childe his flesh waxed warme 2 King 4. 24. Though a soule be as cold as death if Jesus Christ do but once stretch himself upon it it waxes warme And then 3. The Sunne hath a comforting vertue The Sunne is in Scripture put for comfort Job 30. 28. To walk without the Sunne is to walk without comfort and Solomon tells us that it 's a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccles 11. 7. Weak and sickly persons when they are brought into the Sunshine finde their spirits cheered by it The Lord Jesus Christ hath a heart-comforting vertue He is the first inlet of comfort into the soul He is the preserver of joy in the soule and he it is that restores joy unto the soul after dejections and droopings of heart Noah was herein a figure of Christ see what his father Prophecies of him Gen. 5. â—9 Jesus Christ is the true Noah the great comforter of his people in all the griefs and sorrows of this world Christ is the foundation of all true comfort to thy soule Tolle Christum tolle solâ—â—â—um that reconciâ—iation which he hath made between God and man is the very basis of all consolation Whatsoever in God in the Scriptures yeilds any comfort to the soul is so onâ—y in and through Christ that comfort which is not built upon Christ is bastard comfort which will end in terrour The Spirit of God is called the comforter John 15. 20. his office is immediately to cheer the soul How doth he comfort but even by making application to the soul of a sinner of that which is merited for him All the arguments whereby the spirit comforts the heart are drawn from Christ he seales up to the soul that Christ is his and so fills it with comfort And then 4. The Sune hath a
saved by him as well as we but it was more darkly In the Gospel the heavens were opened wider then ever God did never manifest himself so fully and clearly to the world as he hath done by Jesus Christ The Apostle speaks of this Heb. 1. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence is that of the Prophet to the Gospel-Church Isa 60. 1 2. 19. 20. All former light was but like the dawning light of the morning in respect of this mid-day light of the Gospel The Gospel Revelation is full and perfect John 1. 18. God was declared before but never so fully as by Christ The fathers looked for additions but Christ brought to light the whole will of God No further Revelation is to be expected till we come to heaven 2 Pet. 1. 19. MAL. 4. 2. The Sunne of righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings SEcondly for the second Christ is called the Sunne of righteousness in two respects 1. In regard of himself He is the holy and just one He hath not nor ever shall have the least spot of unrighteousnesse in his own person he was born righteous and innocent That holy thing that shall be borne of thee shall be called the Son of God so saith the Angel to the Mother Virgin Luke 1. 35. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It hath the force of the abstract And he lived and dyed righteous The Apostâ—e speaks of him Heb. 7. 26. As of one holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners He was without spot and without guile made like unto us in al things sin only excepted Satan himself though he be the father of lies and full of bitter enmity against Jesus Christ is forced to give this testimony to him that he is the holy one of God Mark 1. 24. He could neithâ—r have redeemed himself from death nor have saved us from the wrath of God if he had not been perfectly righteous 2. In regard of his Elect He is their righteousnesse so the Prophet calls him Jer. 23. 6. Jesus Christ is the beleevers righteousnesse two wayes 1. He is their righteousnesse in regard of justification It is thorough the Imputation of his righteousness unto them that they are made righteous in the sight of God God looking upon them as invested with the righteousnesse of Christ accounts them righteous Of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 3. 21 22 25 26. All ar unrighteous in themselves and it is through him alone that they come to be righteous 2. He is their righteousnesse in regard of sanctification Of this the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 1. 30. where he tells us that Christ is made unto us of God sanctification as well as righteousnesse Jesus Christ may be as truly called our righteousnesse of sanctification as well as of justification He is so in four respects 1 He is the meritorious cause of it Eph. 5. 25 26. Grace is as truly the purchase of Christ as glory he hath brought holinesse for us as well as heaven sanctification is no lesse the price of Christs blood then salvation We are 1 Cor. 1. 2. sanctified in Christ Jesus propter Christum saith Piscator i. e. propter satisfactionem illius 2 He is the material cause of it It is by the blood of Christ that the filthinesse of the soule is done away Christs blood is the soules laver in which it is washed and made white Heb. 9. 14. And then 3 He is the exemplary cause of it Our sanctification is according to that copy or pattern of holinesse which is in Christ himselfe This is the meaning of that speech of the Apostle Joh. 1. 16. As the print which is made upon the wall answers the engraving or stamp which is upon the seal so doth the believers holinesse answer our holinesse of Christ not in degree and measure but in kinde and quality 4. He is the efficient cause of it 'T is Christ that doth by his spirit through the Ordinances work holinesse in his Saints He stubs up the roots of sinne and sets the routs of grace in the soul Of this the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 6. 11. And it is he that doth both preserve it and carry it on from one degree to another til it come to perfection So that both in regard of his own person and in regard of his elect he is called the Sunne of righteousnesse This is the second particular 3 For the third Christ excels the natural Sun in these eight particulars viz. 1. The natural Sunne shines but in one hemisphere at once Though it circuit about the earth in a little time yâ—t it doth not shâ—ne in all places at once Yea there are some parts of the world in which the Sunne doth not shine for many moneths together Though it be a great body yet the wings of it are not large enough to compasse the earth all at once when it riseth to us it sets to our Antipodes But now Jesus Christ is able to shine over the whole earth at once Though there be many parts of the world in which Christ hath never appeared yet his wings are large enough to over-spread the whole earth This Sunne of righteousnesse shines in England and in America and all the Christian world over at the same moment of time That which is said of the land of Judea concerning the King of Assyria Esa 8. 8. That the stretching out of his wings should fill the bredth of the land is true of Christ in reference to the whole world The stretchings out of his wings are able to cover the breadth of the whole world at one moment 2. The naturall Sunne gives light but not sight If a man want the benefit of seeing he hath no more benefit by the Sunne in respect of seeing then if there were no Sunne at all but the Sunne-beames descend with never so much power upon a blind Bartimeus his eyes will not thereby be opened But now this Sunne of righteousnesse hath a power to give sight as well as light he did in the dayes of his flesh open the eyes of many that were naturally blinde you read of one Joh. 9. of two others Mat. 20. 30. 34. And he doth still open the eyes of them that are spiritually blinde It was he that by Ananias opened the eyes of Saul Acts 9. 17. The truth is no man doth ever spiritually see till the beames of the Sunne descend upon him he is the spiritual day-spring that gives them power to see who are under the power of the grosse darknesse of sin and iniquity 3. The natural Sunne hath endamaging qualities as well as healing qualities It is many times offensive and prejudiced both to men and fruits 1. It doth fully and deface the beautiful countenance of men Cant. 1. 6. If the eye of the Sunne do but look upon us directly it changes the colour of the face into a sworthy hue 2. The hot beames of the Sunne do sometimes by their vehement shining make men
Iohn 13. 10. he that is washed needeth not to wash save his feet He that hath the least measure of this oyntment shall as certainly finde all the effects of it as if he had the whose vessel poured upon him 5. He excels all other oyntments in the manner of composition All other oyntments are compounded and made by men they are called the oyntments of the Apothecary Eccles 10. 1. God created the materials and he it is that hath given man skil and understanding how to make use of them but the composition is made by men But this precious oyntment is not made by men but by God It is he that hath compounded this golden box of oyntment It was God that anointed Christ with the holy unction of the Spirit Psal 45. 7. and it is he that hath designed him to be oyntment unto others Yea the truth is this oyntment is God himself Though the humanity be a creature yet the Divinity is the Creator Christ is not only unguentum Dei the oyntment of God but unguentum Deus that oyntment which is God himself The Uses These I shall draw 1. From the general Doctrine 2. From the particular resemblances First In general We may take notice of 1. The excellency of Christ He is compared in Scripture to all things that are necessary and to all things that are pleasant and delightful One great piece of the study of Christians in this life is to search into the excellency of Christ To know what Christ is in himself and what he is to us comprehends a very great part of a Christians study in this life Paul desired to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. This one resemblance shews him to be a precious one he is so excellent that all the choice things in nature are made use of to shadow out his glory His Name saith the Prophet shall be called wonderful Esay 9 6. how wonderful is that Name which is comâ—â—sed of so many excellent things 2. This should draw our hearts exceedingly towards the Lord Iesus It should beget in us desire after him and delight in him Precious oyntment draw the affections of men towards them The best oyntment is but a drug to Jesus Christ If we be not enamoured with him we do despise him He that looks on him as oyntment cannot but be greatly delighted in him It follows in the text Therefore do the virgins love thee draw me we will runne after thee That man doth not value Christ as oyntment that doth not love him and desire to be drawn after him 3. The excellency of grace 'T is the graces of the Spirit in Christ that makes him compared to ointment his sweet oyntments are his meeknesse patience holinesse and the rest of those heavenly graces True grace is a choise thing the Scripâ—ure compares it to the choisest things in all the world Cant. 4 13 14. Next to God and Christ and the Spirit there 's nothing in heaven or earth comparable to Christ 4. That the grace of Christ is not a thing common to all His common graces are communicated to all his special grace is more confined His Name is oyntment The holy oyntment in the Law was poured upon none but upon consecrated things and persons Exod. 30. 2â— 24 25 30. It must not be poured on mans flâ—sh v. 32. Christ is compared here to this oyntment A select number the Elect of God onely those that are spiritual Priests these and these onely â—e made partakers of Christ and his graces Thuâ— much for the general doctrine Secondly particularly First from the fragrancy of Christ 〈◊〉 may learne four thing 1. How unsavoury they are that want Christ Wicked men have animam pro salâ— their soules keep their bodies sweet but what have they then to keep their soules sweet the holy Ghost compares men that are in the state of nature to that which is most unsavory Psal 14. 3. They are unsavory both in their persons and in services that want this oyntment A heart unanointed casts the worst smell of any corrupt thing in the world 2. Acknowledge from whence it is that all your fragrancy proceeds If there be any good smell upon your souls it is because this oyntment hath been poured forth upon you Jesus Christ mentions the sweet smell of his Spouse Cant. 4 10 11. and indeed every beleever is a sweet savour unto God The precious oyntment of the graces of Christ poured upon your head at your conversion is the onely reason of this good savour 't is great pride and ingratitude not to own it 3. This teacheth us all how to make and keep the soul sweet Satan labours to make it musty by breathing the ill ayre of sinne into it and if you would have it smell sweetly you must anoint it with this oyntment every day Drop but every day a drop of this oyntment upon it by prayer meditation or some other holy duty and it will preserved sweet notwithstanding the thick fogs of sinne and temptation Carry Christ in your bosome and you will smell very sweet in every company 4. When ever you smell any sweet savour think on Christ The best use which we can make of perfumes and oyntments is to make them remembrancers to put us in mind of him who perfumes both earth and heaven And then Secondly from the cheering vertue of this oyntment learne two things 1. Whither to go for heart reviving When you finde your spirits dull and melancholy when your hearts are tired out and your souls languish smell to this precious oyntment and it will revive you It 's Christs work to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite The smell of the oyntment either of Christs satisfaction or of his promises or of his intercession is the speediest and surest way to be rid from the power of spiritual heavinesse 2. Let them that have this oyntment maintaine spiritual cheerfulnesse God calls for spiritual gladnesse as well as spiritual sorrow Phil. 3. 1. A well grounded cheerfulnesse honours religion as much as holinesse The Scripture was written for consolation as well as for conversion John 15. 11. Rom. 15. 4. The Spirit is a comforter as well as a sanctifier John 15. 26. You that have this oyntment maintaine a holy light-heartednesse There is a vaine mirth and there is a sinful and sensual mirth avoid these but the holy mirth must be kept up It s a disparagement to the holy oyntment to see anointed ones droop in the blackest seasons And then Thirdly from the mollifying vertue of this oyntment learn two things 1. The Scripture remedy against hardnesse of heart It 's a disease the best are troubled with lesse or more chafe this suppling oyntment 〈◊〉 to it and it will grow soft This oyntment was never used aright but it did in time remove the spirituâ—l hardnesse of the soul 2. Ascribe all heart softnesse to Christ Had not this
wait on him for his promises Now a child of God would not willingly cast any reproach either on God or his promises from which he receives so much good Ergo. And then Fourthly They are not unmindful how long and with how much patience God waited on them for their obedience They remember God tarried Sermon after Sermon year after year for their conversion The Apostle speaks of Gods long-suffering in waiting on the old world 1 Pet. 3. 20. Every one of Gods children are sensible of Gods patient waiting on them when they had no minde to know him When they slighted grace when they scorned mercy God waited this makes them so ready to waite on God Esay 30 18. And then Fifthly Their own undeserving of the good promised The children of God know that all Gods promises are free as to them Jacobs acknowledgement will be readily assented unto by them Gon. 32. 10. They know how well they deserve the heaviest threatning but how unworthy they are of the least mercy They do with an unfeigned heart say as David did when God had promised him to build his house 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto A childe of Gods Moâ—to is Lâ—sse then the least of all the mercies of God This makes them wait And Sixthly They know how certain the promises of God are They have had experience how he hath made good the promises that are past and they know he will shew the same unchangeablenesse in those that are to come They know his Name is Jehovah God that hath his own being from himself and that will give being to all his promises This encourages them to wait It was the Apostles Logick in their generation 2 Cor. 1. 10. It is ignorance of God that causes the heart to distrust They that know thy Name saith David will put their trust in thee Psal â— 10. Gods children know his Name therefore they will wait And Seventhly The satisfaction they expect from the enjoyment of what is promised They know every promise of God will bring â—ull contentment of heart when it is fulfilled They cannot now expect so much as they shall then finde in the promises of God They know they are as the Apostle speaks of them in 2 Pet. 1. 4. Exceeding great and precious promises They know the harvest will make amends for all their expectation therefore they wait for it The Uses are for 1. Information 2. Reprehension 3. Exhortation 1. For information This teacheth us three lessons 1. That Godly men have a very good opinion of God They dare take his Word for that which they love with the dearest affection They are willing to wait the whole time of their life for the accomplishment of that good which he hath promised As they dare follow God when they know not whether he will carry them Heb. 11 8. so they dare wait on God when they see no reason for their waiting Did they not bear a singular affection to him they could never with so much satisfaction waite upon him 2. The excellency of grace Grace is a choice thing in it self and its choice in its effects This is one excellent effect of grace that it doth enable the soul to wait on God for things that are most difficult to be brought to passe Corruption teacheth the heart to wrangle with God but grace teacheth the heart to waite on God A gracious spirit is a choice spirit 3. That faith doth not only look to things present but to future things Sense onely mindes things present but faith mindes things that are a great way off Heb 11. 1. It is as willing to wait on God for a future good as it is to receive a present good Faith hath an Eagles eye and a Lions heart It hath a Lions heart to bear present evils and it hath an Eagles eye to see future good It 's said of the Patriarchs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they saw the promises and embraced them afar off Heb. 11. 13. A beleever is as able to live upon good in reversion as on good in present fruition This is the first use of the point 2. For reprehension To those that will not wait for the fulfilling of Gods promises These are of two sorts 1. Such as are over-hasty that would have the promise fulfilled before its time And then 2. Such as never minde the promises of God look no more after them then if they had never been made Simeons practice blames both these First For those that would anticipate God in his promises They are so eager for the fulfilling of the promises that they would have them accomplished before their time I would desire such men to consider these three things 1. This is a very sinful frame of heart Whatever may be pretended as an excuse or extenuation it cannot be denyed but the sinne is great to be over eager with God to give being to his promise before the time Consider five particulars 1 'T is an implicite denyal of Gods right to appoint his own time The Scripture puts times and seasons as well as things and persons under the jurisdiction of God It 's his right to determine times Acts 17. 26. He that made time hath the sole power to appoint and set times Our Saviour tells his Disciples Actâ— 1. 7. That times and seasons God hath put in his own power Now not to be willing to stay Gods time is to devest God as far as we are able and to invest our selves with this great piece of royalty and sovereignty of appointing times It is interpretatively to say that we will be the Lords of time and not God 2 'T is a limiting of God Moses reproves the Jews for this as a great presumption that they limited the holy one of Israel Psal 78. 41. Men that are free will not be limited much more unfit is it that God should be limitted To limit God is to exalt our selves above God as if we were wiser then he We are not wise enough to improve the times which God hath set much lesse are we wise enough to set God â— time To endeavour to reduce or circumscribe God to our time is to take away from him his freedome and liberty in working 3 'T is a questioning of Gods faithfulnesse as if we were fearful he would not be as good as his word When we hurry men too hastily to fulfil their promise before the time we give them cause to think we suspect their honesty as if their words were but winde To be over-hasty with God argues a secret suspition in the heart that God will let time slip 'T is a sign that we do not esteem Gods bond as good as ready payment Abraham by wishing that Ishmael might live Gen. 17 18. did argue some inward doubt whether he should have an Isaac or no. Turbatâ— adbâ—c vacillantis animi vox ista est as Calvin notes Though he did
recover himselfe so as to beleeve without staggering yet there was at present some kinde of vacillation in his heart He that is overhasty with God gives occasion to men to think that he doth not receive the promise without some distrust To suspect God never so little is a great sin 4 It argues much impatiâ—nce of heart He that would have a promise before Gods time doth bewray a secret discontent of heart because the time was not set sooner It implies dissatisfaction with what God hath done as if it might have been done in a better time The soul that would have the promise brought to passe before its time doth in effect say God hath not chosen the best time Now to disparage Gods choice is a great sinne He that saith any thing might have been done after a better manner or in a better time then that wherein God hath done it doth deny God to be God onely wise Thus you see the sinne is great in being too hasty with God I might adde one thing more 5 'T is a denyal of our selves to be beggars We say beggars must not be chusers To be two hasty to have promises made good is as if we should say Gods promises are not acts of grace but due debts This is the first Consideration 2. 'T is a weak thing as well as siâ—ful 'T is Christian wisdome to pray for the fulfilling of promises but ' â—is more then brutish folly to be impatiently eager for the accomplishment of promises The folly of it appears in these foure particulars 1 We shall obtaine it never the sooner for our impatience No man ever did no man ever shall wrest a promise out of Gods hand by impetuous violence I the Lord will hasten it in his time Esay 60. 22. Our willingnesse to wait for a promise shall not keep us without it one hour longer our impatience shall not produce it one moment sooner then the set and appointed time Waiting patiently is the best way to ripen promises impatient wrangling with God is the way to set back the promises God loves the force of faith but he doth exceedingly loath the force of impatience 2 If we could through over much eagernesse hasten a promise before its time it would prove hurtful to us An unripe promise is like unripe fruit it doth not tend to nourishment but to diseases An abortive birth is neither so beautiful nor so strong as that which is brought forth in its full time A promise is then sweet when it 's brought to passe in its due season He hath made every thing beautiful in his time Eccl. 3. 11. 'T is as true of promises as of providences Grace hath its maturity as well as nature Promises grow to perfection by tract of time When the set day is come then and not till then it hath ful shape and proportion That which is observed by our Saviour concerning the fruits of the earth is true concerning the promises Mark 4. 28. The earth bringeth forth fruit first the blade then the ear after that the full coâ—n in the eare God in the producing of promises useth the same method first the blade springs up then the ear shoots out after that the full corn in the eare and so in processe of time it s fully ripe If a man should reap his field in the blade or in the shooting he might possibly have straw but he would have no corn Should God permit the impatient Christian to reap the promises when they are but in the blade or in the eare he would lose all the benefit and vertue of them It 's mercy to the beleever that God gives him in the promised good in the just season of it If they should stay never so little beyond the season if they should be performed never so little before the season the whole benefit of them would be lost We shall when we come to heaven blesse God as much for the timing of his promises as for the making of his promises The foolish childe is â—ager for green fruit the father will not give it him till it be fully ripe because he knows it would then be prejudicial when it 's ripe then he gives it him The foolish Christian longs for a promise when its green his heavenly Father knows it would be to his disadvantage to have it at that time he will have him stay till it be ripened then â—e shall enjoy it A promise before its time is like bread half baked or like meat half rosted it doth nâ—ither feed nor nourish Our wise Father loves his children too well to feed them with raw meaâ— 3 Impatient â—astening of a promise deprives us of much of the comfort of the promise The promises of God lay a foundation of present comfort The great comfort of the promise is in the fulfilling of it but it yields some comfort as soone as ever it is made to the soul Even to day do I declare saith God that I will render double unto thee Zech. 9. 12. It 's a promise of return to the captivâ—d Jews Now assoon as ever the promise was made they had a ground of comfort that God would pâ—t an end to their misery and restore to them double what they had lost by their long bondage Assoone as ever God hath made a promise to a soule that soule is sure 1. That God will never do it hurt 2. That God will in due time perform what he hath promised The husbandman though he do not reap presently upon the sowing of his â—eed yet he hath some ground of comfort assoone as the seed is sowne he hath the comfort of hope that harvest will come when he shall reap what he hath sowne Now a violent and impatient eagernesse of spirit drinks up all the comfort which the soul might receive from the promise The promise is most to such a soul as if it had never been made His wearinesse in tarrying breeds more torment then the promise doth comfort to his soul 4 It renders the heart lesse thankful to God for the making of the promise It is the duty of the children of God to be very thankful for every promise of God That God that did not owe us any thing should so strongly binde himself to us by the cords of a promise this is worthy our heartiest thankfulnesse All the good we expect from God is by vertue of his promise Grace and glory are both wrapt up in promises He that is not thankful for a promise deserves justly the edge of the threatning Now the heart that is too hasty to have the promise fulfilled will never be so thankful as is meet that the promise was made The anguish of his Spirit in being delayed will weaken if not quite destroy the thankfulnesse of his spirit A tumultuous wrangling Christian can never be a thankful Christian Discontentment of heart in tarrying for a promise will certainly hinder that thankfulnesse of heart which should be given to God for
and Amen It is impossible that any promise of God should â—all to the ground See what comparisons God useth to declare the certainty of his promises Esay 54. 10. Mountaines are the most fixed parts of the earth yet the promises of God are â—urer then they and Jer. 33. 20 21. The Lord compaâ—â—s his promises for the cerâ—ainty of them to the constant succession of the day and night We have Gods â—ow and oath superadded to his promise to set out tâ—â— certainty of them Heb. 6. 17. The Lord hath â—nnâ—xed his broad seal of the Sacraments to his Covenant to shew the certainty of his promises Hâ—â— bâ—â—e is set in thâ— cloud Gen. â— 13. Yea consider that the Scripture speaks of thingâ— promised as if they were already acomplished and all to shew the certainty of the promiâ—â—s Esay 44. 22 23. â—â—s deliverance was not to be accomplished â—â— one â—â—â—dred years after yet because it wâ—â— promised God speaks of it as a thing â—oâ—e So â—â—m 3. 58. O Lord thou hast plâ—â—ded the reproach of my sâ—ul c. The Church was at thâ—â— time in the very depth of affliction yet she speaks of her deliverance as a thing past Thou hast redeemed my life Dobar in the Hebrew signifies both a word and a work to teach us that when the Word is gone out Gods mouth the work is as good as done To presse this point a little further consider these things which discover the certainty of the promises of God 1 The fidelity of his nature God is the faithful God that God that cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. Men of low degree are vanity men of high degree are a lie as David found by experience Psal 62. 9. But God is a God of truth The Scripture â—uilds the certainty of Gods promises upon the fidelity of his nature 1 Thes 5. 24. So Psal 89. 33 34. Sara builded her confidence on this foundation in expecting that great promise Heb. 11. 11. She judged him faithful that had promised 2 The immutability of his counsel God is unchangeable in himself and in his counsels James 1. 17. There is nothing in God like change Mens promises faile because their natures are changable They see some inconveniences or mischiefs in their determinations afterward which they could not foresee before therefore they reverse and alter but God foresees from eternity every accident and difficulty which doth fall out in â—very age therefore he changeth not Men resolve and determine of things sometimes very rashly second thoughts with them are often better then the former God resolves on nothing rashly but with the deepest deliberation which infinite wisdom can use therefore he changes not And because his decree is unchangeable his promise is certaine The Scripture doth argue certainty of promises from the immutability of divine counsel Heb. 6. 17. and Rom. 11. 28 29. God never alters his decrees therefore he can never change his promises 3. The infinitenesse of his wisdom God knows how to bring both ends of his promises together Men break their promises often becauâ—e they want wisdom to make them good but God is a God of knowledge he knows how to give being to every word of his mouth he knows how to deliver 2 Pet. 2. 9. he knows how to defend how to supply The fulfilling of his threatning word is builded on his wisdome Esay 31. 2. He is as wise to fulfiâ—â— his promise as his threatning 4 His Almighty power God hath strength to remove all obstructions and impediments which seeme to thwart his promises We finde his power mentioned in order to the fulfiling of his promises Rom. 11. 23. They shall be graffed in for God is able to graff them in again Upon this bottom did Abraham strengthen his faith in the promise of God Rom 4. 19 20 21. Men break their promises for want of power The Apostles confesse they were hindred 1 Thes 2. 18. But who can hinder God Esay 43 13. If mountaines stand in his way he can leap over them Cant. 8. He can melt them Esay 64. 13. If sinnes oppose him he can scatter them if devils stand in his way he can rout them Nothing but his will can oppose his power and he cannot Will to break his Word 5. The riches of his goodnesse aâ—d mercy The first â—ize of all Divine promises is Divine mercy David confesseth it 2 Sam. 7. 18 21. All the promises of God are nothing but a fabrick of mercy Psal 89. 1 2. Now mercy and goodness which made the promise will not fail to make it good David bottomes his faith on this and so may we Psal 23. ult Surely goodnesse shall â—ollow me all the dayes of my life When mercy and goodnesse in God fail then may promises wiâ—her 6 The exactnesse of his justice Righteousnesse doth suum cuique tribuere Not onely Grace but justice pleads for the fulfilling of the promises If we confesse our sinnes he is just to forgive us saith the Apostle 1 John 1. 9. God hath in Christ received a valuable consideration for all the good he hath promised therefore it s but justice to make it good Christ pleads with God in point of Justice John 17. 25. and the servants of God have expected the best of good things upon this account 2 Tim. 4. 8. God gives heaven to his Elect as a merciful Father because 't is undeserved and as a just Judge because 't is Christs purchase Promises are not onely acts of grace but bills of debt God in justice wil make them good This is the first Motive promises are certaine upon this ground doth God require his people to wait Hab. 2. 3. Promises may seem to languish but they cannot die And let this be added that the difficultie of the thing doth not in the least hinder the accomplishment of the promise The things which are hard to us are easie to God That which is very marvellous in the eares of men is not at all marvellous in the eyes of God Zech. 8. 6. 2. Consider the good of the promises The promises contain things that are very Excellent The Apostle â—â—lls them exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. The promises are cabinets full of rich treasure Promises of spiritual things are very excellent and promises of outward things have much good wrapt up in them One promise of the least good that is immaginable yields more comfort then the enjoyment of greater good by common providence Whatever a man enjoyes in a promise he hath Gods love and Gods blessing with it A little coming from the heart of God is better then a great deal coming onely from the hand of God Better to be an heir of one promise then the possessour of the whole world by common providence 3. Consider the excellency of a waiting frame of spirit A waiting spirit is a choice spirit Waiting on God is one of the great duties which God requires from his people To wait on God continually comprehends much
of our work and duty to God Hos 12. 6. A waiting frame of heart â— honours God greatly A waiting heart 2. hath as much benefit by good in reversion as by good in possession Heb. 11. 1. A waiting heart 3. can live comfortably under the crâ—ssest provâ—â—â—nces he that can wait on God for the gâ—od â—e â—ath promised will not faint because 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—cted Miâ—â—h 7. 7. He that can wait on 〈◊〉 his promises may 4. conclude hi◠〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 from the old Patriarchs 〈…〉 after off and embraced them Heb. 11. 13. A â—aiting Christian hath a clear eye and a â—ong â—rme He can see things â—t a gâ—eat distance he can reach things that are afaâ— off 5. A waiting Christian is not much inferior to a comprehending Christian None but the Saints in heaven live so glorious a life as the Saints that can wait on earth The sight of faith is the next to the sight of Vision Thus much for Motives 2. For Rules to direct the soul in waiting for promises 1. Waiting for promises is to be accompanied with obedience to precepts Many talk much of their expectation about divine promises who make no conscience of the obedience of divine Precepts Such a waiting is a groundlesse presumption Precepts and promises must â—e eyed both of them in their kinde I have waited for thy salvation saith David and kept thy Law Pâ— 119. 174. and 166. I have hoped for thy salvation and have done thy Commandments It 's a blessed conjunction when waiting on promises and doing of Commandments go together 2. Waiting for promises must be accompanyed with prayer for the fulfilling of promises He that is a true waiter must be a daily petitioner The Church puts praying and expecting together â—salme 123. 2 3. The freenesse of promises excludâ—s the merit of prayer they do not exclude the meanes of prayer I will be sought unto by the house of Israel to do these things for them Ezek. 36. 37. Prayer doth not purchase the promise but it doth help both to sanctifie and ripen the promise He will best hold out waiting that holds on praying 3. Waiting for the promise must be accompanyed with joy in the promise A waiting heart must be accompanied with a thanksgiving heart We rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5. 2. While the soul waits for salvation it must rejoyce in salvation We must not wait with a sowre face nor a discontented heart but 〈◊〉 cheerfulnesse of spirit To â—e admitted to wait is a priviledge as well as to receive what we wait for Thus much for Rules 3. For Objections Mans foolish heart is ready to pretend many vain excuses against this duty As Obj. 1. We have waited long and yet God puts us off the promise â—s as farre off as ever it was in our thoughts Sol. 1. The day of the promise drâ—ws neerer and neerer still do not faint at last Heb. 10. 36 37. 2. The longer thou 〈◊〉 â—he fuller will the crop be Gods promises will bear their own charges The longer the ship stayes out the richer will the adventure be The promise will recompence thee fully for all thy stay 3. The comfort of thy waiting is more then full wages for thy waiting God doth bestow some drops on the waiting soul 4. God doth but stay to ripen the promise for thee and thee for the promise It is not forgetfulnesse but love that makes God delay Obj. 2. I see no likelihood of the fulfilling of it No meanes appears Sol. 1. He that made the promise can create means That that now seemes to obstruct the promise may be the midwife of the promise 2. Weak means will serve omnâ—potency to work by A broken plant is as good as a whole one Acts 28. 27. Zech. 13â— 1. In that day there shall be a fountaine XXXI SERM. at Mary Welnoth Lon. July 10. 1653. opened c. IN the former Chapter the Lord promiseth repentance to the Elect Jews v. 10 11. This promise was fulfilled partly upon the conversion of those which are mentioned Acts 2. 37. 41. and Acts 4. 4. and it shall be fully accomplished when the body of the Jews shall be brought home to God Of which we read Rom. 11. 25 26 27 28 29. Note There are none so farre off from but God is able to bring them neerer to himself by trâ—e conversion The Jews that lie â—â—stiâ—g and soaking in their sinne for many ages together shall aâ— last be converted and brought in to Christ In this text we have a promise of pardoning and cleansing mercy to these penitent Jews In that day a fountaine shall be opened for sinne and for â—ncleannesse In the words we have fâ—â—re particulars 1. A spiritual bath A fountaine shall be set open 2. The persons for whom this bath is prepared The house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem that is for all true penitent beleevers The house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem are mentioned because they were the first fruits of the Gospel-Church accoâ—ding to that prophecy Esay 2. 3. Out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem 3. The diseases or distempers for which this bath shall be effectual For sinne and fâ—r uncleannesse or for seperation from uncleannesse under these words all spiritual distempers are comprehended 'T is by way of â—llusion to the legal impurities 4. The time of the opening of this fountaine In that day It refers generally to Gospel times particularly and specially and ultimately to the time of the conversion of the Jews I might lay down many Observations but I shall sum up all into this one general doctrine viz. Doct. That Jesus Christ is a fountain set open in the Gospel to all true penitents for the purging away of sinne and spiritual uncleannesse In the handling of this Doctrine I shall open these following particulars 1. That Christ is the only bath for the purging of spiritual uncleannesse 2. Why Christ is compared to a fountaine 3. That onely penitent sinners shall be purged in this fountaine 4. How Christ purgeth away sinne and uncleannesse from the soul 5. How Christ is said to be a fountaine opened 1. For the first That the purging away of spiritual uncleannesse is the work of Christ He can do it and none but he is able to do it This may be evinced by three arguments 1. From expresse texts of Scripture All purging work is attributed to Christ and to Christ alone His blood is the only Scripture-bath the Word of God mentions this and no other See the following places 1 John 1. 7. Rev. 1. 5. and Heb. 1. 3. The holy Ghost tells us that Christ did by himselfe purge our sinnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the ingredients of this spiritual purgation came out of the hearâ— of Christ alone No creature contributed so much as one herb towards this cleansing medicine That in Prov. 16. 16. where it is said that by mercy
life so the meat that is appointed for the natural life if compared with the meat of the Spiritual life is but a very image of meat Christs flesh is real meat 2. In respect of that typical meat which the Jews had lately spoken of v. 31. Our fathers did eat Manna in the desart c. Our Saviour tells them that that is but typical bread but his flesh is bread indeed it is the real substance of which that was but a meere type and shadow Thus for Explication The Observation is this Doct 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is really and truly the food and meat of beleevers Flesh is here put for the whole person of Christ Jesus Christ as he is held out in the Scriptures is the true real and very meat of beleeving Christians Christ as he is propounded in the Gospel dead broken crucified Christ in all his perfection compleatnesse fulnesse is meat indeed to a true beleever 'T is the very scope of this Sermon from v. 27. to v. 59. in which this truth is inculcated over and over againe and all objections answered which the carnal reason and unbeleefe of mans heart can make against it I shall in the Explication of this Doctrine open these things 1. Prove that Christ is a beleevers meat 2. Shew the Analogy between Christ and other meat 3. How this meat is eaten and received I. That Christ is the soules meat This is proved two wayes First from the types of Christ in the Old Testament The Ceremonial Law had many types of Christ Whatsoever is revealed of Christ in the New Testament was some way or other typified of him in the Ceremonial Law There are foure types which did set out Jesus Christ as the souls meat 1. The Manna in the wildernesse The History of the Manna is set down Exod. 16. the people being in some want of provision in the Wildernesse of sinne began to murmur against Moses and Aaron v. 3. God promiseth v. 4. to raine bread from heaven for them which accordingly was done v. 14 15. That this was a type of the feeding vertue of Christ is plainly discovered by our Saviour in this very Sermon v. 31 32. The Wildernesse did typifie the state of the Church in this world and the Manna was a plaine type of Christ the Churches meat 2. The Shewbread The Law and manner of the Shewbread you have at large Lev. 24. 5 6 7. 8 9. There are two things represented by this Shewbread First the multitude of the faithful presented unto God in his Church as upon a pure table continually serving him made by faith and holinesse as fine cakes and by the mediation of Christ as by incense made a sweet odour unto God Secondly the Spiritual repast which the Church hath from and before God who feedeth them with Christ the bread of life 3. The meat-offerings Concerning this Minchah or meat-offering you may reade at large Lev. 2. 1 c. These meat-offerings were of two sorts some were the meat-offerings of the Congregation some of particular persons of these latter there were several sorts mentioned in that Chapter It 's said v. 3. that Aaron and his sons shall have the remnant of the meat-offering that is all of it but that which is burned upon the Altar for a memorial v. 2. Several things were signified by the meat-offerings Being referred to Christ who by the oblation of his own body was our meat offering Psal 40. 6. Heb. 10. 5. they did shadow out our communion with Christ and participation of his death and resurrection by faith whereby he becomes unto us spiritual meat of which the whole Church are made partakers 4. The flesh of the sacrifices of the peace-offerings and others which were given to the Priests of which you read Lev. 7. 15. they were to be eaten the same day it was killed Now what was meant by the eating of the flesh of these sacrifices and of the flesh of the other sacrifices which were given to the Priests to eat vid. Lev. 10. 12 13 14. Surely Jesus Christ who by his flesh as by precious meat feedeth his people who are spirituall Priests unto everlasting life Secondly from the Sacraments of nourishment both of the Old and New Testament There were Sacraments of implantation or initiation and of growth under the Law Circumcision Passeover under the Gospel Baptisme Supper of the Lord. 1. The Sacrament of nourishment under the Old Testament was the Paschal lamb The Law and rites of this are set down Exod. 12. 3 4 5 c. What did this Paschal Lamb signifie but Jesus Christ our Passeover the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world In this Sacrament was Jesus Christ set out as a nourisher He is that precious meat upon which all the true Israel of God feed continually who is therefore called our Passeover 1 Cor. 5. 7. 2. The Lords Supper This is the Sacrament of nourishment under the New Testament And herein clearly Christ is exhibited as our spiritual meat His flesh is the bread the wine is his blood As the body is nourished by bread and wine so is the soule by his body and blood nourished and fed to life eternal II. The Analogy between Christ and corporal meat stands in these three particulars Three great ends of meat 1. Corporal meat is for the preservation of the Susientation natural life The natural life is maintained by meat through the concurrence of Gods ordinary blessing 'T is pabulum vitae Hence bread under which all other provision is comprehended is called the staffe of life Esay 3. 1. Keep the strongest man from meat but a few dayes and the life will extinguish and go out 1 Sam. 30. 12. Jesus Christ is the maintainer and preserver of the spiritual life As he gives it at first so he upholds it 'T is by continual influences from him that the life is kept from expiring If he withdraw his influx never so little the soule is at the giving up of the Ghost even halfe dead 2. Corporal meat is for growth 'T is by meat Vegetation that the body is brought from infancy to childhood from childhood to youth from youth to a perfect man Jesus Christ is he that carries on a Christian from infancy to perfection All the soules growth and increase is from Christ So the Apostle Col. 2. 19. From him the whole body having nourishment ministred c. The branches live and increase by vertue of the sap which is derived from the root Christians grow by vertue of the sap which is to them derived from Jesus Christ Every part growes by Christ 3. Meat is a repayer of natures decayes When Reparation by some violent sicknesse the spirits are consumed the body wasted the strength lost meat fitly and seasonably taken helps through the divine blessing to recover all again 1 Sam. 30. 12. his spirit came to him againe Jesus Christ is the repairer of the soules decayes
Sometimes a beleever through the neglect of his duty through surfetting upon sinne brings spiritual languishings upon himself his strength is decayed his vigour is abated his pulse beats very weakly he can scarcely creep in the wayes of God In such a case Jesus Christ recovers him repaires his breaches and renues his strength as in former times The Psalmist speaks of this Psal 23. 3. He restoreth my soul He leadeth me in the paths of righteousnesse for his Names sake The Saints have every day experience of this restoring vertue of Christ III. How this meat is eaten and received The Scripture makes mention of three things which concur to this act 1. The Ordinances These are the conduits Jesus Christ hath instituted and appointed his Ordinances to be the meanes of carrying his nourishing vertue to the soul The Ordinances are the dishes of gold upon which this heavenly meat is brought Prayer Reading Preaching Meditation holy conference the Sacrament in these Christ presents himself to the soul He that forsakes these can expect no feeding from Christ In this mountaine will the Lord of Hosts make a feast of fat things c. Esay 25. 6. The feast is made in the mountain of Gods house and the Ordinances are the dishes on which this meat is set and the knives by which it s carved out to the soul 2. Saving lively faith This is the instrument What the hand and mouth and stomack are in the corporal eating that is faith in this spiritual eating Faith is the hand that takes this meat the mouth that eats it and the stomack that digests it Yea faith is as the veines and Arteries that do disperse and carry this nourishment to every power of the soule This is abundantly cleared in this very Chapter v. 35. he that cometh to me shall never hunger he that beleeveth in me shall never thirst Cometh is expounded by beleeveth Eating and drinking are here put for believing Crede manducasti He that beleeves eats and he that eats not it is because he beleeves not Hic edâ—re est credere Doct. 2. That the blood of Jesus Christ is drink indeed Blood is here put for the whole person as flesh was And it s rather his blood is drink then that He is drink because the great efficacy of all Christ did lies principally in his blood Heb. 9 22. And in the same respects as his flesh is said to be meat indeed his blood is said to be drink indeed And those three things which concurre to the act of eating his flesh concur also to this act of drinking his blood The mystical union saving faith the Ordinances I shall therefore onely open two things 1. Shew that Christs blood is drink 2. The Analogy between his blood and other drink I. That the blood of Christ is spiritual drink will appear 1. From the drink-offerings under the Law In the Law there were sundry drink-offerings appointed as well as meat-offerings The daily sacrifice which was to be offered continually every morning and evening had both a meat-offering and drink annexed to it Exod. 29. 40 41. The daily sacrifice did signifie three things 1 That Jesus Christ the true Lamb of God was available to the Church of God from the morning of the world to the evening the end of the world 2 To signifie the continual need the Church had of reconciliation by Christs blood which taketh away sinne 3 To sanctifie the morning and evening prayers of the Church by the interceding sacrifices of Christ the Mediator And the meat-offering and drink-offering added thereunto did signifie that Jesus Christ by offering himself to God becomes not onely our redemption but also meat and drink to the soul The sheaf of the first fruits appointed to be offered every year had both the meat-offering and drink-offering added thereunto Lev. 23. 10 11 12 13. The like is to be observed in other sacrifices Now as the meat-offerings Numb 15 init did represent Christ as food so the drink-offerings did set him out as our spiritual drink 2. From the water issuing out of the rock You read the story of that Numb 20. The people in the desart of Zin wanted water In their necessity as their sinful custom was they fall a murmuring v. 3 4 5. God commands Moses v. 8. to speak unto the rock to give them water that they and their cattel might drink Moses smites the rock twice which was his sinne because God only commanded him to speak to the rock and it gave forth its water in abundance v. 11. Now what the meaning of this water was the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 10. 4. They drank of the rock that followed them and that rock was Christ The rock typisied Christ and the water of the rock of which they and their cattel drank typed out the blood of Christ our spiritual drink 3. From the cup in the Lords Supper Why is the cup added to the bread Is it not to let us know that Jesus Christ is spiritual drink as well as our spiritual bread 4. From the resemblance of the vine Our Saviour John 15. is compared to a vine Why to a vine 1. To shew the great mystery of the union of all the spiritual branches with him the root 2. To signifie that he is our spiritual drink The vine doth yield wine which is drink for the body the Lord Jesus Christ doth yield spiritual drink for all those that are his members He is the wine of God as well as the bread of God II. Quae Analogia The Analogy stands in foure things There are four properties of drink distinct from meat 1. Drink is for refreshing and cooling When the body is hot by labour or by sicknesse or travel drink doth coole and refresh it The heart panteth after the water-brooks Psalm 42. 1. The chased Hart when he is heated with hunting makes to the river and by drinking is refreshed The sweating Traveller goes to the spring and cooles himselfe by drinking of the streaming waters The blood of Jesus Christ is of a very refreshing and cooling nature When the soul is heated with temptations parched with the fiery wrath of God in the conscience when it lies sweating and sweltring under guilt one draught of Christs blood taken down by faith yea one drop of it sensibly falling upon it doth cool and refresh it again Hence he is also compared to the rivers of water in dry places Is 23. 2. Hence is that invitation Mat. 11. 28 I wilâ— give you rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will give you refreshment so 't is translated Phil. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing indeed can coole the parched soule but Christs blood And this will do it abundantly when 't is quite melted with wrath and burnt up with anguish 2. Drink cleanseth the body The inward parts are washed and purified as well as refreshed As the running water cleanseth the channel and carries away rubbish and filth so drink seasonably and