that Christ the Son of the living God 4. For this End the Scriptures were written These things are written that ye might believe that Iesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name Ioh. 20. 31. By obedience to his Laws dependance on his Promises 5. This is the ground of Submission to Christ in all his Offices why we should hear him as a Prophet in this place which I shall more fully make manifest in the next Sermon why we should depend on him as a Priest for the vertue of his Oblation and Intercession if God spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8. 32. 1 Ioh. 4. 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins 1 Ioh. 2. 1. If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous The blood of Christ is of high Esteem and infinite Value both as to Merit and satisfaction to purchase all manner of blessings for us and to satisfie Gods provoked Justice for our sins And if the Father be so well-pleased with him what can he not obtain at his hands which is an encouragement in our Prayers and Supplications So for our Improvement of his Kingly Office which respects Duties and Priviledges our duty with respect to the Kingly Office is Subjection Psal. 2. 12. Kiss the Son left he be angry and you perish in the mid-way Because Christ Jesus is the Son of God he should be submitted unto and embraced with the heartiest Love and Subjection for to Kiss is a sign of Religious Adoration Hos. 13. 2. as they kissed the Calves and offer Homage and hearty subjection as Samuel kissed Saul because God had anointed him to be King over his People 1 Sam. 10. 1. So for Priviledges he is God co-equal co eternal with his Father able to protect all those that apply themselves to him till he bring them to Eternal Glory and Happiness and therefore it is said 1 Ioh. 5. 5. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Iesus is the Son of God That is the fortifying Truth this both cautioneth us against all the delights and snares and supports us against all the terrors and fears of the World If we have the Son of God for our Prophet Priest and King we ought to carry our selves with greater Reverence Trust and Subjection USES 1. Believe it lay up this Truth in your Hearts by a firm and sound Belief There are in Faith three things Assent Acceptance Dependance The Matter in hand calleth for all these 1. A firm Assent For here we have the Testimony of God concerning his Son the Apostle tells us that he that believeth not hath made God a liar because he believeth not the Testimony of God concerning his Son 1 Ioh. 5. 10. The great Testimony is this that we have in hand that Jesus is his beloved Son with whom he is well pleased that he will give Pardon and Life to all that hearken to him embrace his Person receive his Doctrine believe his Promises fear his Threats obey his Precepts the strictest of them Oh labour to work it into your Hearts that indeed it is so In matters of Fact we receive the Testimony of men two or three credible men why not in matters of Faith the Testimony of God evidenced to us by this solemn action an account of which we have from Ear-witnesses and Eye-witnesses who were men that hazarded their all for the delivery of this Truth and yet referred us to the surer word of Prophesie 1 Pet. 1. 19. He was owned as a Son Psal. 2. 7. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee As a beloved Son in whom God is well-pleased Isa. 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold my elect in whom my soul delighteth If you be not wanting to your selves you may have this witness in your hearts 1 Ioh. 5. 10. He that believeth on the son of God hath the witness in himself Oh let us not give the flat lye to God Rouze up this languid Faith is this true or is it a cunning devised Fable 2. Faith is an Acceptance of Christ or an entring into a Covenant with God by him You must have the Son 1 Ioh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life Ioh. 1. 12. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them which believe on his name Receiving respects Gods offer God gives Christ and we receive what God giveth to what End why he giveth him as King Priest and Prophet to dwell in our hearts by Faith to rule us and guide us by his Word and Spirit and maintain Gods Interest in us against the Devil the World and the Flesh till we come to everlasting Glory 3. Dependance He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him therefore on him alone should we depend for all things necessary to Salvation Two things perswade this dependance 1. That nothing can be done without Christ Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Nothing can be done without Christ that may be effectual to our recovery either for the paying of our Ransom or for the changing of our Hearts Alas what could we do to please God or profit our own Souls The work would cease for ever if it should lye upon our hands 2. That he can do what he pleaseth for the good of his redeemed ones Ioh. 17. 2. As thou hast given power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him All that Christ did for our salvation did highly content and please the Father he is satisfied with him he can make us lovely in his sight Eph. 1. 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved And will now joy in his People Isa. 65. 19. and rest in his Love Zeph. 3. 17. Well then let us believe Faith is a ratifying Gods Testimony concerning his Son we believe what God hath said that Christ is his Son we receive him as he is freely offered and subscribe to this declaration The Father saith from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him so penitent Believers must answer back again This is our beloved Redeemer in whom we are well-pleased let the Father hear him He hath somewhat to say to the Father as well as to us his Doctrine concerneth us but his Intercession is made to God II. Entertain it with Thankfulness that such a Remedy should be provided for us argueth the unspeakable Love of God 1 Ioh. 4. 9. In this was manifested the love of God to us
whether it were true or no or he should believe it yea or no. No temptation so sore no dart so poisonable as that which tendeth to the questioning of the grounds of Faith as this did the Love of God so lately spoken of him Therefore this is one of the sharpest Arrows that could come out of Satans Bow 3. It tended to weaken his confidence in the care and love of Gods Fatherly Providence Being now afflicted with hunger in a desert place where no supply of food could be had Satan would draw him to suspect and doubt of his Fathers Providence as if it were incompatible to be the Son of God and to be left destitute of means to supply his hunger and therefore must take some extraordinary course of his own to furnish himself 4. It tended to put him upon an action of Vain-Glory by working a Miracle before the devil to shew his Power As all needless actions are but a vain ostentation 2. Because it was in it self a puzling and perplexing proposal not without inconveniences on both sides which soever of the extreams our Lord should choose whether he did or did not what the tempter suggested If he did he might seem to doubt of the Truth of the Oracle by which he was declared to be the Son of God or to distrust Gods Providence or to give way to a vain ostentation of his own Power If he did not he seemed to be wanting in not providing necessary food for his sustentation when it was in his own power so to do and it seemed to be unreasonable to hide that which it concerned all to know to wit that he was the Son of God And it seemeth grievous to hear others suspicious concerning our selves when t is in our power easily to refute them such provocations can hardly be born by the most modest spirits This temptation was again put upon Christ on the Cross Math. 27. 40. If thou be the son of God come down from the Cross. But all is to be done at Gods direction and as it becometh our obedience to him and respect to his Glory Satan and his Instruments will be satisfied with no proofs of principles of Faith but such as he and they will prescribe and which cannot be given without intrenching upon our obedience to God and those counsels which he hath wisely laid for his own Glory And if Gods children be surprized with such a disposition it argueth so far the influence of Satan upon them Namely when they will not believe but upon their own terms as Thomas Ioh. 20. 25. Except I see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe If we will not accept of the graces of Faith as offered by God but will interpose conditions of our own prescribing we make a snare to our selves God may in condescension to a weak Believer grant what was his fault to seek as he doth afterwards to Thomas Ver. 27. but there is no reason he should grant it to the devil he being a malicious and incorrigible spirit coming temptingly to ask it 3. This temptation was cunning and plausible it seemed onely to tend to Christs good his refection when hungry and his Honour and Glory that this might be a full demonstration of his being the Son of God There is an open solicitation to evil and a covert explicit and implicite direct and indirect This last here 'T was not an open direct explicite solicitation to sin but covert implicite and indirect which sort of temptations are more dangerous There was no need of declaring Christs power by turning stones into bread before the devil and at his instance and suit It was neither necessary nor profitable not necessary for Christs Honour and Glory it being sufficiently evidenced before by that voice from Heaven or might be evident to him without new proof Nor was it necessary for Christs refection because he might be sustained by the same divine power by which hitherto he had been supported for forty dayes Nor was it profitable none being present but the devil who asked not this proof for satisfaction but cavil and that he might boast and gain advantage if Christ had done any thing at his instance and direction And in this peculiar dispensation all was to be done by the direction of the holy and not the impure Spirit I come now to the third Branch Thirdly Christs Answer Ver. 4. And he answered and said It is written Man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Christs Answer is not made to that part of the proposal If thou be the son of God but to the urgent necessity of his refection The former was clear and evident the force of the temptation lay not there but the latter which Satan sought to make most Advantage of is clearly refuted Christs Answer is taken out of Deut. 8. 3. And this Answer is not given for the Tempters sake but ours that we may know how to answer in like Cases and repel such kind of temptations In the place quoted Moses speaketh of Manna and sheweth how God gave his people Manna from Heaven to teach them that though bread be the ordinary means of sustaining man yet God can feed him by other means which he is pleased to make use of to that purpose His bare word or nothing all cometh from his divine power and vertue whatever he is pleased to give for the sustentation of Man ordinary or extraordinary The tempter had said that either he must die for hunger or turn stones into bread Christ sheweth that there is a middle between both these extreams There are other ways which the Wisdom of God hath found out or hath appointed by his Word or decreed to such an end and maketh use of in the course of his Providence And the instance is fitly chosen for he that provided forty years for an huge multitude in the desert he will not be wanting to his own Son who had now fasted but forty dayes In the words there is 1. A Concession or Grant that ordinarily man liveth by bread and therefore must labour for it and use it when it may be had 2. There is a restriction of the Grant that it is not by bread onely But by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God The business is to explain how a man can live by the Word of God or what is meant by it 1. Some take Word for the word of Precept and expound it thus if you be faithful to your Duty God will provide for you For in every command of God general or particular there is a promise expressed or implyed of all things necessary Deut. 28. 5. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store And Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Now
times and have not hearkened to my voice Every eminent and notable provocation of theirs is called a tempting of God Hereby they make trial of Gods Justice whether he will execute vengeance upon them or no. Thus we tempt Christ when we fall into any voluntary and known sin we put it to the trial what he will or can do we enter into the Lists with God provoke him to the Combate 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he We try whether God will be so severe as his threatning speaks him to be as if we would make some experiment of his Anger Justice and Power This kind of tempting of God is compounded of Infidelity and Presumption There is Infidelity in it when we dare sin against the clear light and checks of Conscience and venture upon his Threatnings You cannot drive a dull Ass into the fire that is kindled before him Prov. 1. 17. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird And there is presumption in it therefore these voluntary Acts of Rebellion are called presumptuous sins Psal. 19. 13. Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins Gross and scandalous sinners are described to be such as tempt God Mal. 3. 15. And now we call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up yea they that tempt God are even delivered And Ananias and Saphira are said to tempt the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 9. By open voluntary sins men dare God to his face by secret sins we put it to the trial whether God be an all-seeing God and will discover this Hypocrisie both conclude they shall do well enough though they break his Lawes and run wilfully upon evil practices forbidden by his Law 2. More Particularly we tempt God two wayes in a way of Distrust or Presumption Both these arise from unbelief though they seem to be contrary extreams for though Presumption may seem to arise from an over-much-confidence yet if it be narrowly searched into we shall find that men presume upon unwarrantable courses because they do not believe that God will do what is meet to be done in his own time or in his own way As for instance had the Israelites believed that God in his own time and in his own way would have destroyed the Canaanites they would not have presumed against an express charge to have gone against them without the Ark and without Moses as they did Numb 14. 40. to the end They presumed to go up unto the Hill-top and then they were discomfited But Presumption in some being most visible in others distrust therefore we make two kinds of them 1. In a way of Distrust And that is done several wayes but all agree in this not content with what God hath done already to settle our Faith we prescribe means of our own and indent with him upon terms of our own making So the Israelites Exod. 17. 7. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah because of the chiding of the children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying Is the Lord among us or not They had sufficient signs of Gods Presence the pillar of a Cloud and Fire that went before them by day and by night but they would have signs of their own So the Iews are said to tempt Christ because they sought a sign from heaven Matth. 16. 1. The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven He had given sufficient evidence of his Mission and Divine Power in casting out devils and healing the sick and diseased but they would have a sign from heaven some sign of their own prescribing The Devil is ready to put such thoughts into our Minds If God be with us let him shew it by doing this or that and we are apt to require stronger proofs of Gods power and presence with us than he alloweth This is a frequent sin now a dayes and men are many wayes guilty of it 1. Some will not believe the Gospel except they see a Miracle or hear an Oracle Christ representeth their thoughts Luk. 16. 30. Nay Father Abraham if one went to them from the dead then they would repent They would have other wayes of assurance than God alloweth and are not content with his Word and Works by which he revealeth himself to us but will at their own pleasure make trial of his Will and Power and then believe These tempt God and therefore no wonder if God will not do for them that which they require 2. Some will not believe Gods Providence but make question of his Power and Goodness and care over us and our welfare when he hath given us sufficient proof thereof When he hath taken care to convince our infidelity by supplying our wants and hath done abundantly enough already for evidencing his Power Justice and Truth and readiness to help us we will not believe unless he give us new and extraordinary proof of each such as we prescribe to him Psal. 95. 9 10. When your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my works Forty years long was I grieved with this generation and said It is a people that do err in their hearts and they have not known my wayes They saw his works were fed with Miracles and cloathed with Miracles yet they must have new proof still Two ways of Tempting him as to his providence the Scripture mentions 1 One was their setting God a task of satisfying their conceits and carnal Affections Psal. 78. 18. And they tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their lusts Of this sin they are guilty that must be maintained at such a rate must have such provision for them and theirs or else they cannot believe his Truth and Care of them As the Israelites God must give them festival diet in the Wilderness or else they will no longer believe his power and serve him 2 The other way of tempting God with respect to his Providence was by confining him to their own Time Manner and Means of working Psal. 78. 41. Yea they turned back and tempted God and limited the holy One of Israel To limit the Holy One is to confine him within a Circle of their own making and if he doth not help them by their Means and at their Time as those in the Text they will not tarry Gods leisure they think there is no depending on him for any succour Thus they set bounds to his Wisdom and Power as if he could do no more than they conceive to be probable Thus also we prescribe Means and Time to God take upon us to set rules to him how he should govern the World And one usual way of tempting God now is when we will not go fair and softly in the path and pace of Gods appointing but are offended at the tediousness thereof and make haste and take more compendious wayes of our own Isa. 28. 16. He
will not serve thy Gods nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set up Please God and God will be alwayes with you when you seem to be left destitute Ioh. 8. 29. And he that sent me is with me the father hath not left me alone for I do alwayes those things that please him SERMON V. MATTH 4. 8 9. Again the Devil taketh him into an exceeding high Mountain and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them And saith unto him all these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me THis is the third Temptation In handling it I shall use the former method give you the History of the Temptation and Observations thereupon In the History 1. The Introduction verse 8. 2. The temptation it self with the grievousness of it ver 9. 3. Christs Reply ver 10. First In the Introduction we have 1. The Place the Devil taketh him unto an exceeding high Mountain 2. The Fact he sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them 1. The Place chosen for the conflict an exceeding high Mountain For the Mountain the Scripture would not name it and we need not anxiously inquire after it whether any near Iericho as some say or as others some Mountain nigh Ierusalem and possibly the highest above the rest was chosen by the tempter The Pinnacle of the Temple was not proper because Ierusalem was surrounded with higher Mountains on all sides Ps. 125. 2. As the Mountains are round about Ierusalem c. He chose an high Mountain because of the fairer prospect where the Horizon might be as spacious as was possible and the sight not hindred by any interposing object God took Moses into Mount Pisgah and showed him the Land of Canaan Deut. 34. 1. The Devil who affecteth to do in evil as God doth in what is good taketh Christ into a Mountain He leadeth us high and promiseth us high things that suiteth with his disposition but it endeth in a downfal that suiteth with his condition The close is still cast thy self down or else as here fall down and worship me The Devils taking him up thither is to be explained the same way with his taking him up to the pinnacle of the Temple 2. The Fact and sheweth him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them But how could the devil from one Mountain shew him all the Kingdoms of the World when there is none so high as that we can see the latitude of one Kingdom much less thorough all partly thorough the unequal swellings of the Earth and partly through the weakness of the eye which cannot reach so far The sight could go no further than the Horizon and the other Hemisphere is not to be seen at all that part which we see is much less then that part which we see not Therefore how could he shew him all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory thereof Answer These words must not be taken rigorously but that he shewed them 1. In Compendio 2. In Speculo 3. In Colloquio 1. In Compendio It may be understood of so many Kingdoms as could fall under the sight of a man looking round about him from some eminent place as God is said to shew Moses all the Land of Canaan when he did actually see only a part thereof From that high Mountain the devil gave him a view of all that was to be seen from thence many Castles Towns and fruitful Fields might be seen as a sample of the rest It is a Synechdochical Hyperbole he that sheweth a part of a thing and the chiefest part may be said to shew the thing it self 2. In Speculo besides what he might reach by his sight by way of representation and external visible species he represented to Christ all the rest of the Kingdoms of the World and the pomp and glory thereof as in a Map For Satan can object to the eyes of men the species and images of divers things and there is no absurdity to think that this way he shewed his utmost art and cunning to represent the World to Christ in as splendid and inviting a manner as he could If you ask therefore why he carryed him to an high Mountain he might have done this in a Valley or any other place as well I answer it is true if the discovery had been only by representation or if the devil could have deluded Christs fancy or imagination so as to impress these species upon it so far as that he should seem to see what he did not see a Valley would have served turn as well as a Mountain but this was done without it and with it shewing the glory of the World as in a Map and Picture and therefore a convenient place is chosen 3. In Colloquio by discourse The temptation might be helped on by the Devils pointing at the several quarters of the World with words relating the glory thereof what splendor and glory the Kings and Nations had which adored him all which Christ should have if he would fall down and worship him Now all this while Satan is but making way for his purpose thinking Christ would be ravished with this glorious sight possibly it was not a mere dumb shew but the tempting objects were amply set forth by Satans speech Secondly The temptation it self where we may consider the Nature and the grievousness of it 1. The Nature of the temptation where observe two things 1. An offer or a Promise all these things will I give thee 2. A Postulation or demand if thou wilt fall down and worship me 1. An Offer or Promise all these things will I give thee This is a vain boast of the tempter who ascribeth to himself that which was proper to God and promiseth to Christ those things which were all his before God had said Psalm 2. 8. Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy possession this the devil who affecteth to be like God arrogateth unto himself as if he would make him the universal King of the World In Luke it is chap. 4. 6. All this power will I give thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it But you must not alwayes look for truth in the devils speeches He is not Lord of the World to dispose of it at his own pleasure And yet it is not to be supposed he would come with a downright untruth to the Son of God if there were no pretence or varnish for it Therefore we must distinguish between the devils lye and the colour thereof 1. Certain it is that God doth govern all the affairs of this World and doth put bounds and limits to Satans power beyond which he cannot pass and doth often hinder his endeavours and turn them to the quite contrary end and purpose and if he doth not
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past 2. No farther price for what they need 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without spot and blemish The repentance of a sinner is pleasing to him there is Joy in Heaven Luke 15. 7. Ioy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that is converted A Feast was made at the return of the Prodigal As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner Our Conversion is more pleasing to God than our Destruction 3. He is pleased with the Execution and Management of it by Christ he carried himself in the office of the Mediator according to what was injoyned him Ioh. 8. 29. I do alwayes the things that please him Ioh. 5. 30. I can of my self do nothing as I hear I judge and my Iudgment is just because I seek not my will but the will of the father which sent me And did finish all that was necessary for the Redemption of the Elect before he died Ioh. 19. 30. When Iesus had received the vinegar he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost Evidences of this are his Resurrection from the dead Act. 5. 30 31. The God of our fathers raised up Iesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins Heb. 13. 20. The God of peace brought again the Lord Iesus from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant As pacified in Christ received into glory 1 Tim. 3. 16. Certainly God is well pleased since he hath given not onely a Discharge but a Reward The gift of the Spirit for renewing the heart of man which is the great pledge of Gods being satisfied Ioh. 7. 39. This he spake of the spirit which they that believe on him should receive for the Holy Ghost was not yet given because that Iesus was not yet glorified a sure evidence that our ransom is paid Acts 5. 32. And we are his witnesses of these things and so is the holy Ghost which he hath given to them that obey him A Sacrifice of infinite value and esteem 2. That he is well-pleased with us who have an Interest in him In our natural Estate we are all displeasing unto God whatever we are in the purpose of his decree we must look upon our selves as we are in the Sentence of his Law so children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. Enemies by our minds in evil works Col. 1. 21. Estranged from the womb Psal. 58. 3. so that all of us were cut off from the Favour of God obnoxious to his wrath this is our miserable Condition by Nature that we were no way pleasing to him for without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. A sinner as a sinner can do nothing acceptable indeed God having found a Ransom is placabilis but not placatus not actually reconciled to us till we are in Christ and he is placandus antequam placendus to be appeased before he can be pleased he is not actually reconciled till we are in Christ. 2. Awakened sinners are not easily satisfied so as to look upon themselves as pleasing unto God for the Conscience of Sin is not easily laid aside nor is the stain soon got out And though the grant be passed in Heaven yet we have not the sense of it in our own hearts for it is the Blood of Christ can onely do it Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead works to serve the living God The Carnal offer thousands of Rams and Rivers of Oyl and the fruit of the body for the sin of their soul Mic. 6. 6 7. They would give any thing for a sufficient sin-offering yea the renewed and pardoned have not so firm a peace as to be able always to look upon themselves in a state of well-pleasing therefore often beg that God would dissipate the Cloudes and cause the Light of his Countenance to break forth upon them Psal. 80. 19. Turn us Oh Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved So that when there is a grant of Pardon and Peace and Access to God we have not alwayes the sense 3. Yet the Ground is laid assoon as we have an Interest in Christ God is well pleased with us if you consent to his Mediation and take him in his three Offices as a Prophet Priest and King As a Prophet hear him the business is put out of all Question that God will love you because he loved Christ. When you depend on him as a Priest you have Reconciliation and Access to God Rom. 5. 1 2. Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand When you subject your selves to him as a King Col. 1. 13. He hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son Christ is dear to God and to him all the Subjects of his Kingdom are dear also So that if you will be more explicite in your Duty you may be more explicite in your Comforts if you will receive his Doctrine so as it may have Authority over your Hearts if in the Anguish of your Souls you will depend on the Merit of his Sacrifice and give up your selves to live in a constant Obedience to his Laws You will find him to be a dear Son indeed one very acceptable with God for you also will be accepted with him for his sake II. Concerning the weight and importance of this Truth 1. It is propounded as the Foundation upon which God will build his Church Mat. 16. 16 17 18. And Simon Peter answered and said thou art Christ the Son of the living God And Iesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Barjona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father which is in heaven And I say unto thee That thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it 2. It is the question put to those that would enter upon Christianity Acts 8. 37. If thou believest with all thy heart thou maist and he answered and said I believe that Iesus is the son of God When they were serious in the Profession that was enough 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God 3. This engaged the hearts of the Disciples to tarry with him when others murmured at his Doctrine He that cleaveth to this Profession carrieth himself accordingly whatever Temptations he hath to the contrary we believe and are sure that thou art
few that do it in reality Doth his Word come to you not only in Word but in Power 1. Do you seriously come to him that you may have pardon and life When Christ had proved that he was the Son of God the great Prophet of the Church by the testimony of Iohn the testimony of his works the testimony of his Father and the testimony of the Scriptures Iohn 5. 40. And ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life though Iohn his Works the Father the Scriptures will prove him to be what he was the Messias the Saviour and Redeemer of the World yet they would not come to him nor believe but wilfully rejected him and their own blessedness What the Jews did wilfully carnal Christians do lazily they prize his Name and slight his Office do not come to him to be taught sanctified and drawn to God 2. Do you respect the Word of the Gospel entertain it with Reverence and Delight as the Voice of the great Prophet Do you meditate on it digest it as the seed of the new Life as the rule of your actions as the Charter of your Hopes A good man is described to be one that delighteth in the Law of the Lord and meditateth therein day and night Psal. 1. 2. and again Psal. 119. 97. Oh how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day long But alas few are of this temper Hos. 8. 12. I have written to them the great things of thy Law but they were counted as a strange thing they contemned the Word of God as if its directions were of little importance or did not concern them Most men live like strangers to the Word of God little conversant in it as if there were no great hazard in breaking it 3. Do you mingle it with Faith in the hearing that it may profit you Heb. 4. 2. and feel the power of it for your good but rather you shun it run from it Iohn 3. 20. They that do evil hate the light and will not come to the light least their deeds should be reproved The Word is a torment rather then a comfort to you you are afraid it will be found too true 4. Do you receive it as the Word of God 1 Thess. 2. 13. It may be you do not contradict the divine Authority in the Scriptures but do you soundly believe them and know the certainty of those things wherein you are instructed Luke 1. 4. Have you done any thing to prove the supream Truth that Jesus is a Teacher sent from God Most mens Faith is so weak and slight because it is taken hand over head there is no deepness of Earth Mark 13. 6. You have some light sense of Religion but slight impressions are soon defaced and truths easily taken up are as soon quitted the more we search into the grounds of things the more we believe Acts 17. 11. The Bereans searched the Scriptures whether those things were so or no. 5. Doth it come to you as the Mediators Word not in Word only but in Power 1 Thess. 1. 5. There is a convincing power in the Word Acts 2. 37. When they heard these things they were pricked in the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do Many have not felt this power but they fear it Iohn 3. 20. Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither commeth he to the light least his deeds should be reproved A converting power when it becometh the seed of a new Life 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever A comforting power giving the heirs of promise strong consolation Heb. 6. 18. Do you find any thing of this in your hearts is it ingrafted in your soules Iames 1. 21. Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word which is able to save your Souls 6. Do you hear him universally it is said of the great Prophet Acts 3. 22. him shall ye hear in all things that he shall say unto you Many will hear him in the offers of pardon but not in the precepts of duty you must take his whole Covenant the Promises for your Happiness the duty for your work 7. Do you hear him so as to prefer God and Christ and the Life to come above all the sensual Pleasures and vain delights and worldly Happiness which you enjoy here Religion is obstructed not soundly received if your hearts be not taken off from these things Luke 8. 14. That which fell among Thornes are they which when they have heard go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life and bring no fruit to perfection He is not a Scholar of Christ who is not more devoted to the Love and Obedience of God then any sensual satisfaction here below unless you can renounce the Devil the World and Flesh and give up your selves to Christ to be taught sanctified and saved and brought home to God to enjoy him in Everlasting Glory and taught how to deny Ungodliness and Worldly lusts Titus 2. 12. USE II. Advice to weak Christians 1. To excite themselves to obedience by this hear him when dead and lifeless Many times the heart is dull and needeth quickning Conscience groweth sleepy and needeth awakening you are too bold in sinning cold and careless in spiritual and heavenly things Now the first means to quicken us is Christs divine Authority 2 Pet. 1. 16. For we have not followed cunningly devised Fables when we made known unto you the power and comming of our Lord Iesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his Majesty when there came such a voice to him from the excellent Glory this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased When you are customary in Prayer and Hearing it is Christs will I must do it as I will answer it to him another day 2. When you do renounce some beloved lust or pleasing sin urge your hearts with Christs Authority Remember who telleth you of cutting off your right hand and plucking out your right eye How can I look the Mediator in the face if I should wilfully break any of his Laws prefer the satisfaction of a base lust before the mercies and hopes offered me by Jesus Christ. 3. In deep distresses when you are apt to question the comfort of the Promises it is hard to keep the rejoycing of Hope without regarding whose Word and Promise it is Heb. 3. 6. Whose house are ye if ye hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end SERMON VII MATTH 17. 6 7 8. And when the Disciples heard it they fell on their faces and were sore afraid And Iesus came and touched them and said arise be not afraid And when they had lift up their eyes they saw no man save Iesus onely IN this part of the History are Three Things 1. The Disciples Fear and Astonishment verse 6. 2.