shouldest be mindfull of him and the Son of man thou shouldest regard him So What is man so base so sinful so vile so miserable As Saul who ever found his enemy and slue him not but who ever found his enemy and sent his Son to him Use 2. Comfort to bear up the fainting hearts of the Saints amidst al the corruptions that annoy temptations that oppose feebleness and difficulties that discourage why yet Christ is sent for the work who is furnished with al sufficiency to do it He hath laid salvation upon one that is mighty Mighty pride mighty distempers to foil thee mighty temptations to assault thee mighty allurements in the world to intangle thee Why here is Salvation upon one that is mighty to save free and deliver thee Hither Paul retires and strengthens himself 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have beleeved when I am not able to resist or vanquish Christ is able and nothing ever miscarried that was committed to his care All power in Heaven and Earth is committed into his had Use 3. Of Direction How to expect all from God How to go to God for all 1. Expect all from God in Christ Eph. 1.3 c. blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in him Adopts us in him makes us accepted in him God was in Christ reconciling the world 2. Go to God for al in Christ In the performances of al Duties in the use of al Ordinances go to Christ first and then to the Father As its true the Father judgeth no man so he comforts quickens sanctifies no man but hath committed al unto his Son Christ is the Fathers Almner and to him we must repaire if we desire to share in the bounty of the Father He is that Joseph Gen. 41.44 45. If the Son make you free ye shal be free indeed Joh. 8.30 If he comfort ye shal be comforted indeed Therefore do three things 1. Be Dexâ—rous in our apprehensions to see the footsteps of our Savior and be so wel acquainted with his passages that we may perceive his whispers and know him at a turn though we â—ee but his back parts 2. Use no meanes nor entertain any but such as come by his own appointment Because those that come not from him lead not to him Col. 2.10 We stand complete in him Math. 17.5 Hear him and none but him As the Prophet to the King of Judah Go not with the King of Israel for God is not with him So go not out in the use of such means for God is not in them 3. Look at him as sent on purpose for this work Joh. 6.26 This is the work of God that ye beleeve on him whom the Father hath sent This answers all If the Father appoint him who shal gainsay It the Son hath undertaken it how can it fail If al power be in his hand who shal hinder If all the execution be in his hand there wil be no miscarriage We have dispach't the first The second now follows Viz. That God will have this beleeved by the ungodly world And its possible they may when the Saint attain this unity Christ shall attain this glory even from the wicked that they shall acknowledg his call and commission and so execution of this work of our Redemption For the explication hereof we may inquire 1. What it meant by world 2. How they are said to beleeve 3. What do they beleeve in the sending of Christ for which our Savior so praise and at which he so aimes 1. WORLD here not to trouble with any thing Impertinent or superfluous iâ— is put for the WICKED of the world who have their hearts inheritance and happiness here therefore go no higher look of further So ye shall find the word used in this Chap. verse 9. I pray for them I pray not for the world where the opposition gives the true sense explication of the word they are here distinguished and differenced from those that were given to Christ and to whom he hath given his word and hearts to beleeve and to whom he gave eternal life The like ye have 1 Joh. 5.4 We know that we are of God and the whol world lieth in wickedness Where those two are put in opposition to be of God begotten of God called to be Saints out of the world But those that are not begotten of God they are made up as it were of worldly principles and they keep and take up their abode in wickedness they are brought to bed in it And thus wicked men are stiled from three grounds 1. Because the God of this world rules in them 2 Cor. 4.4 i.e. Satan whose abode and habitation is in this visible world for where the Devils are cast there is Hell but hither they are cast into the Air the prince of the Air. Eph. 2.2 He compasseth the Earth to and fro Job 1. And somtimes he hurries into the great deep God hath given him a commission in his Justice to exercise a Soverainty over the wicked and to use all these earthly and worldly things as baits to take them at his will and he never fails With honor he catcheth the ambitious with wealth the câ—veâ—cus And they acknowledg no God but Saâ—an in these carried and taken aside by his temptations and overpowred by his allurements when he wil. 2. They are acted by the Spirit of the world And therefore the Apostle puts these two in opposition 1 Cor. 2.12 We have not received the Spirit of the world but the Spirit of God As the â—ons of God are led by the Spirit of God who works mightily in them that beleeve So wicked men are acted by the Spirit of the world Now that which gives life and being to the world as it is in opposition to God is vanity and emptiness vanity and emptiness perverted inordinate or Exorbitant vanity running wry from the command of God and cross to the fear of God Emptiness and weakness of the creature captivating the Soul under its command and carrying of it according to its will It s the Spirit of the world 1 Joh. 2.16 The lust of the Eves carry all away Thus the Prophet Wine and Women take away the heart Hos 4.11 3. They take contentment in the things of the world and there they take up their stand set up their rest They are called the men of the Earth and lay up their treasures here on Earth Ps 17.14 Mind earthly things Philip. 3.19 Here they are in their Element like fish in the Water and some conceive and not improbably that the Psalmist aimed at some such thing The Heavens are the Lords but the Earth he hath given to the sons of men Psal 115.16 By Earth is meant all these visible things which they who live by sense set up as their Gods serve and worship them The heaven is Gods throne where no unclean thing comes but the Earth these visible things where wicked men have sinned and by their sins
appear in three Particulars 1. Our Savior being in highest Honor and favor in the Court of Heaven and of most perfect intelligence touching all the counsels purposes and proceedings of the Father He there speaks good unto God the Father in our behalf dayly sets on going al the passages of Providence in justice and mercy grace and Truth Patience and Bounty as may best answer al the occasions of the Churches in al their conditions as may most concern them And answerably sends an express by the powerful operation of his good Spirit into the Hearts of his people So verse 11. Keep them through thin own name Joh. 16.15 All things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shal take of mine Christ hath liberty to take of all the choicest of the Treasures of Heaven and those he doth and sends them by the spirit unto the Hearts of his people Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shal give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Thus our Saviour doth us many secret kindnesses which we little consider and sends privy Intimation how things go in Heaven in our behalf 2. He stands betwixt us and our Harms by these his prayers and Intercession and if there by any evil plotted or intended against us or hurt coming to us he foresees it and way-laies it that it may not be to our prejudice in any particular The guilt of new sins daily committed fresh accusations of conscience new pleas which Satan the accuser of the Brethren would dayly commence and put up unto divine justice against us Our Saviour he is our Advocate undertakes our cause pleads for us and prevailes gives in so ful satisfaction unto divine Juctice that neither sin nor world nor Satan can be heard against us These sins have been committed these dishonors done these evils practised saies Satan and the world can witness and their own consciences Yea saies divine Justice Their Advocate hath been here hath plainly and truly related all these they are not new and hath fully answered and satisfied to the utmost that can be exacted Rom. 8.34 Here is the ground of the Apostles Triumph Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died nay makes Intercession for us So that there is neither condemnation nor accusation that can get any hearing against them for they are al before discovered and answered the Lord Christ hath intelligence of their intendments and disappoints them wholly 3. He intercepts all our prayers and performances which we tender up unto God and perfumes them with the sweet Odors of the incense of his own Intercession and so they find acceptance and make a pleasant savor in the Nostrils of the Almighty As it is with brackish Water which comes from the Sea passing through some precious Gold or Silver Mines it becomes not only sweet and purified but of Soveraign vertue and tast So it is with our services being brackish with many base distempers which cleave to them and us being intercepted by the Intercession of our Saviour and passing through the Rich mines of his Merits and obedience they prove marvailous pleasing and acceptable to the Lord. Rev. 8.3 The prayers of the Saints are offered up upon the Golden Altar of our Saviors precious Merits As an Advocate in the Court if any of his Clients commend their cause to skaâ—ning though they be weak and unskilful yet he can ripen them and being Rectified present them so ordered as that they may find acceptance with the Lord through the influence of this Application of the vertue of his Merits 3 The Reasons are three 1. Because our Savior Christ hath indifferently undertaken the Salvation of al his Children and therefore out of his faithfulness it cannot be but he should indifferently attain the accomplishment of it in the behalf of them This was the Covenant and Agreement betwen God the Father and Christ Those that the Father in his counsel determined he commended them all unto the care of our Savior and gave him the list as it were of their names that he should look that none of them miscarry Our Saviour did freely undertake that charge for al those so committed to his care and therefore for al must discharge that trust alike Joh. 6.37.38 39 40. All that the Father giveth me shal come to me c. For I came down from Heaven not to do mine own wil but the wil of him that sent me And this is the wil of the Father that of al which he hath given me I should lose none And this is his wil that he that seeth and beleeveth should have everlasting life c. And he professeth he was faithful herein Joh. 10.14 15 16. I am the good Shepherd I lay down my life c. And I have other Sheep and they must come And therefore when he hath gathered al his elect and brought in his tally Here am I and the Children thou hast given me He shall then resign up the Kingdom to the Father 2 Because this is common to all alike The whole work of redemption is common to al that must be redeemed But this is one part Exâ—â—tation answerable to his humiliation Rom. 4. and the last The whole sum is every mans It s called the common Salvation Joh. 16 8 10. This is a convincing of the world of righteousness because I go to the Father Els it had not been complete righteousness 3 Because its necessary alike unto al. Rom. 5.10 How much more shall we be saved by his life Heb. 7.25 He lives that he may save perfectly The Application is as necessary as the Redemption There is the vertue of his death and merits to purchase life And then the vertue of his Intercession to apply it to continue and perpetuate the vigour and vertue of it If Christ hath undertaken for all alike If it be common unto all If it be alike needful for all Then it s that which Christ intends to al his Use 1 for Instruction It s impossible for a beleever to perish to loose his Grace to fal away either totally or finally from Christ and so to be deprived in the Issue of eternal life I Reason thus That which our Savior died for prayed for and doth now make Intercession in Heaven for that he can never fail to attain But for the perseverance of the Saints and for their everlasting Salvation he died and he did Pray and doth pray at this day for Therefore he cannot but attain his end and they also their happiness So he professeth and hath left it upon record to establish the Faith of al His in their greatest shocks Joh 11.41 42. Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me And I knew that thou hearest me alwaies c. Christ hath here proclaimed it we may conclude and that undoubtedly that which he knows who could not be deceived we may know it for a truth and that it wil never deceive us Christ
have polluted they are now contented with them and they shal be plagued by them therefore it s said God filâ—s their Bellies with his hid Treasures the things of this world which are in Gods store-house and he hath a hidden dispensation of them These are the diet of wicked men they have not the hid manna spiritual food to refresh them If the God of the world rule them The Spirit of the world act them The things of the world content them Then are they truly said to be World USE Before we pass let us make some use of this That wicked men are worldly men and hence we may discover our condition and take a trial of our estate whether carnal or spiritual whether gracious or wicked look what it is that carries thee what it is that contents thee Are these worldly things great in thine Eye and in thy apprehension and approbation dost thou center thy self upon these satisfiest thou thy self with these beleeve it thou art of the world and shalt perish with the world So our Savior Joh. 3.31 He that is of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the Earth It is his Nature and he doth his Nature his actions manifest his disposition we judg ever the Nature and quality of the thing by its motion place whither it tends Light things wil ascend and never stay tiâ— they come to the place their Nature desires heavy things descend downward and they wil not stay before they come thither See thou the poâ—se of thy spirit the motion and inclination of the heart whither it goes naturally and where it would be if it be there where it desires and where it rests if left unto it self If the weight of thy thoughts and desires carry thee freely and strongly after the lust of thine Eyes the lust of thy flesh and stop it doth not stay it would not before it be there Thy heart is on the Earth and thou art a Citizen on Earth and thou hast thy portion on this Earth thou hast no Heaven in thee to this day and thou shalt never come to Heaven It skills not that thou meeâ—est somtimes with the things of Grace and life thy speeches thy conference thy carriages and thy actions meddle now and then and converse with the things of Heaven and happiness because they be such as come in thy way and will keep thee company if not beyond thy expectation yet beyond thy desire The Traveiler passeth by many countries baits at many places but he takes not up his abode and rest before he come to his own Country and own home and there he stayes That shews he is that Country man Thou mayest in thy travel meddle with the heavenly ordinances of God take up holy duties in thy course and bait thy self in such performances as may maintain either quiet within or credit without amongst men Oh! but which is thy home wither thy heart and desires are going and wil not rest before they repair thither thou seekest God to serve thine own turn touchest at holy courses to take in fresh comfort incouragements c. But thy heart is not at home before it can satisfie it self in the pursuit and possession of worldly things The God of the world rules thee the spirit of the world leads thee the things of the world content thee when thou art there thou art in thy Element when drawn from thence thou art dragd like Fish out of the Water much a-do to live That is thy condition It s possible for a heavy thing by a strong hand to be held from descending downward but leave it to it self thou shalt easily see whether it be its place or suitable to its inclination it moves immediately downwards Your Sea-horses and Crocodils go somtimes ashore for their prey but because they retire and take up their abode in the Waters we therefore know they are Sea not Land-creatures So its possible to seek a prey i.e. For thine own ease or praise thou mayst put to the performances of holy duties or happily either company place persons the lawes or ordinances hold thee by strong hand and-force thee to a shew of zealous profession But when these poises are plucked away mark what thy Soul before desired inwardly what it now wil into of it self If to the world and the vanities thereof thou art a worldly man to this day Hence it is that many in these places drop away and fall hand-pat to the world after a long profession of a heavenly life These earthly heavy Souls would have been at their center long before but there were some impediments in their way that stopped their proceeding Wheras if the heart be heavenly it rests not before it come thither Psal 42. Oh when shall I appeare before the living God many say who will shew us any good but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance And the Apostle concludes it Coloss 3.1 If ye be risen with Christ seek the things that are above ye ought to do so and ye will do so The Apostle Issues both the parts with the grounds of them 1 Cor. 15. 48. The first Adam is from the Earth earthly the second Adam is the Lord from Heaven As we have born the image of the earthly so shal we bear the image of the Heavenly Yea our Savior concludes it They are not of this world as I am not of the world As he by the power of his God-Head took our Nature to himself by the power of the fame God-Head he takes our Souls to himself carries them to himself acts them upon himself keeps them with himself 2. How the world are said to beleeve Christs sending Answ It cannot be meant of saving Faith the faith of Gods Elect or that Faith by which we beleeve unto Salvation for that Faith which is here meant wicked men should and its certain sooner or later they shal attain for its that which the Father intends and aims at and our Savior Christ looked at as his scope in his prayer and we know that the Father never fails to accomplish what he intends nor our Savior to attain what he prayes for But this our Savior aimes at in his praier as one principal scope and end of it There is therefore in the second place a Faith which doth belong even to the wicked which is truly termed or called Faith in the language of the Scripture and the common speech of men I say truly called Faith though iâ— be not truly saving Joh. 12.42 43. Many beleeved on him but durst not confess him for they loved the praâ—e â—f men moâ—e than of God Theâ—e is saith then and men do also beleeve who love the praise of men more than of God but this no man can do and beleeve savingly Joh. 5.44 How can ye beleeve which receâ—ve honor one of another and seek not the honor that cometh from God only Joh. 2.23 24. Many beleeve in him But our Savior did not commit himself
when it fils the mind as the Waters cover the Sea Habb 2.14 we may sail here in dayly search and when we know yet there is somthing stil beyond our knowledg as Eph. 3.19 That we know the Love of Christ that passeth knowledg This Name of Gods Fatherly Mercy is like that Book Rev. 5.1 2. So many Leaves and so thick written that we cannot turn over the Pages much less able to come to the ful knowing and conceiving of it So it is here The Name of Gods Mercy and Faithfulness it s writ so thick in al the waies and works of God in al the ordinances Nay in al the dispensations of God and his operations from election to our glorification affords so many ful vollums and so many fresh editions That we are stil new to seek unless the Lord Christ be pleased further to make known these unto us As the thing to be known is darke and difficult So we are shallow in our apprehensions As our Savior complained of his own brought up under his own Wing Luk. 24.25 O Fools and slow of Heart to know these depth's of Gods Grace and Mercy Our understandings like narrow mounh'd Vessels can take in little and that in a long time though never so much be discovered and laid before us And Therefore our Savior is constrained to deal with us as Masters with their Schollers which are dul and heavy of apprehension ever pointing at the word and putting the Fescue to the Letter Line upon Line and precept after precept here a little and there a little as the Prophet Isa 28.10 So it is with such Babe-like feeble ones as we be though we have Daily help yet we have daily need of new help to be continued to us As little ones they must be taken up dressed and tended daily because they are helpless in themselves But that which is the maine of al. The very Terms of the Covenant and the Office of our Savior and the condition of the State of Grace calls for this For al the Treasures of Wisdom and knowledg are hid in Christ and he keeps the Keyes in his own hand and Bosom and gives out our pittance and allowance what he sees fit We need our dayly direction and instruction in the things of Grace and eternal life more than our dayly Bread The Body needs the constant direction of the Eye and advise of the head for every thing it doth and that every moment It s thus in the natural it s the same in the spiritual and mistical Body So the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.5 Of our selves as of our selves we are not sufficient to think a good thought but our sufficiency is of God Without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.4 5. He hath taught you in the morning he must teach you at Noone and at Night also He hath cleared up our doubts he must help us in the next again or els we shal be to seek as much as ever He must Water us every moment Adam hath the staff and stock in his own hand and he lost al and himself and his too Therefore now the Lord Jesus keeps the stock in his own care in his own hand gives us such allowance as he sees fit suitable for our good As Fathers when they see their Sons to lavish out their Patrimony and grow licencious they keep the revenewes and state in their own hands only allow them some yearly pension or annuity for their relief So here our Savior makes us live not of our yearly but our daily yea hourly annuities That Grace that helped thee the last month the last week the last day the last morning how to see God how to close with him and depend upon him and gain assurance from him wil not serve thee for the next occasion happily Either the work is more difficult the way more dark thine own indisposition makes thee more unfit thy temptations do more oppose thy corruptions grow more active and violent or thy unskilfulness forgetfulness bring thee to a loss that thou shalt not be able to see the way So that as Christ hath made known so he must make known for the present and so for the future The beggar when he hath got his almes one day he lives of that and spends it and he must have a new almes as a new day he is as fresh to seek and as free to beg as ever Christ is Gods Almner and we are his beggars So Paul He hath delivered doth deliver wil deliver Hath made known doth make known wil make known As the Moon every new Month nay every hour and minute must receive new light from the Sun So here Psal 36.9 In thy light we shal see light 2. Collection It s easie with Christ to darken the evidence of Gods love and mercy to the Soul and to cloud al our knowledg we have even in the clearest day to put us to a loss that we may be to seek for our assurance and knowledg of Gods Fatherly goodness when we think we are most sure of it Though he hath made known the name of the Father formerly unless he stil make it known for future unless he stil renew the knowledg we have we shal not be able to know what he have known So Elihu professeth Job 34.29 When he giveth quietness who then can cause trouble and when he hideth his Face who then can behold him whether it be done against a nation or against a man only q. d. It s not for want of skil that men do not compass this knowledg for their numbers or abilities never so many even a whole nation God can darken them al. And therefore it s said 1 King 10.3 When the Queen of Sheba came to try Solomon with some questions he told her al nothing was hid So that God can hide even the glimmering Starr-light of the knowledg of Human things from men Much more easie is it to conceive how this may be done in these high Heavenly hidden mysteries when its hard to know them when they are made known to us How impossible if the Lord wil with-hold them from us al our dexterity and Wisdom wil do nothing if Christ wil not direct Therefore the Church complained Lam. 3.44 That God had covered himself with a cloud that their Prayers could not come at him When God sent darkness into Egypt it was not al the Fires and Candles that could give any light but they sate three daies and three nights and stirred not out of their places Exod. 10.23 If the Sun of Righteousness wil with-hold or withdraw his beams it wil be dark night with us in our doubtings and dismayings notwithstanding al the Learning yea the experiences also we have had Yea Mercy and Grace may be present with us and yet not be perceived Philip saw the Father and yet knew not what he saw Beware here of three things which the Scripture mentions as the main Cause why 1. Take heed of Carnal Confidence and
thy weary heart in al thy weakness do not think to bring such measure of Grace to deserve this love Nay lay hold of this love and it wil increase the eminency of all Grace and that in a glorious manner Paul Prayes that the Ephesians may know this love that they may be filled with all Gods fulness Eph. 3.19 View this wishly and warm thy heart with it and thou shalt not need to complaine of barrenness thou shalt be ful of Grace Nay ful of al fulness of glorious Grace No kind no excellency of any kind that fits thy station shal be wanting How this is done is not now to inquire the Doctrine leads us to the same while we constantly attend to the dispensation of Gods love in Christ begetting us as his Adopted ones to himself while we find this experimentally and so know it it leaves our hearts under the influence of it as of him to receive al and as from him to do al. What ever may be lacking to thy Hope patience meekness c. repaire to this love and know that there is no lack I have the Choicest love of God that Earth or Heaven or the heart of God can afford And that is beyond the excellency of al Grace and al abilities that either I do want or can desire He loves me therefore let him take what he wil from me do what he wil with me love wil supply al. Give what he wil love is better than al. As he Am I not better than ten Sons Gods love is better than al Graces and blessings for it is the fountain of all Our Union and Communion with God in Christ is the top of our happiness in Heaven Doct. 2. And therefore this comes in as the last Issue of al that our Savior had prayed or could pray for for them The good of what he did desire for them in Heaven Father I wil that those whom thou hast given me be where I am that they may behold the glory that thou hast given me for thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world It was not to be in Heaven nor to have glory in themselves but to gaze upon the glory which was given to Christ and was in him from his Fathers love The good and benefit of what he had done and what he would do for them for ever here on Earth yea the end and scope of al that they did in attending and in receiving direction from our Savior and the glorious things that he had revealed unto them It s here resolved I have made known and will make known thy Name they learned and shal learn what I shal teach on Earth That they may be in Heaven and glory in me That so they may get into the Bosom of the Father and the love wherewith he hath loved me might be in them And I in them Hither he leads them and here he leaves them in the arms of Gods everlasting love Here is the landing place what Christ desires for them in their behalf The good of al that he should provide and they should receive under his daily dispensations by Hearing Praying Word Ordinances Providences it s al to bring them to Heaven that they might be in glory and his love might be in them Here he lands al. Ye must go beyond God himself and the first out-goings of the Deity if ye go any further We shal open here two things 1. What this happiness of Heaven is 2. How this is the top and highest strain of it 1. Happiness is a ful fruition of al Spiritual good things in so perfect a manner as our feeble Natures are capable of Two things are to be attended in the Description 1. There must be a confluence and concurrence of all spiritual good things For we now speak of the happiness of the Soul and that which is inward and spiritual not of any outward and temporal happiness which is to be found in these outward things and belongs also to wicked men For they may prosper in them For they grow as the grass and workers of iniquity flourish It was that which Jeremy saw and that which some repine at Jer. 12.1 Why doth the way of the wicked prosper But we speak now of spiritual Heavenly and eternal happiness and the first ingredient which is here especially required is That there must be a meeting together of all spiritual good things The gathering together of the Waters make the Sea not the scattering of them in sundry places or the meeting of some little rivelets So the gathering together of al such spiritual excellencies which answer the desire and welfare of the Soul These make a compound of sufficiency of supply which we cal Felicity As a Posie of al Flowers An Elixer or Quintessence of al Cordials Psal 144.15 Happy is that people that is in such a case Yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. Now these good things are considered according to the pith and substance of them or according to the pleasantness and sweetness that doth attend upon them and accompany them and the injoyment of them The confluence of those good things wherein the Marrow of a mans happiness especially consists may be presented to our apprehensions in three particulars 1. When the whole Soul and so the whole man is so wholly possessed of al Grace that it can and doth put forth the exercise of al vertues Intellectual and Moral of the understanding and wil exactly to answer al the rules thereof according as occasion at any time shal cal for the same It s not to have good but to do good which is a mans happines Jam. 1.25 bâ—essed in his deed To do wel is our greatest welfare in this world Adam had al Grace but was not happy with that but fel away from God destroyed himself and his posterity But if these things abound ye shal never sal 2 Pet. 1.10 And it was Epaphras his Prayer That they might be perfect and carried ful fail in every good wil of God Col. 4.12 So far as the Soul misseth is weak or wanting in any work when God cals so far he misseth and fals short of his happiness and misseth of the ful injoyment of his last end That is to do al Gods wils to wil Gods wils to meet with him in every act to give entertainment to him and to take contentment in him When we do his wil on Earth as it is done in Heaven we are then in the Suburbs of Heaven He formed us for himself and then we attain his end and our own good also when we shew forth his praise Isa 43.21 And therefore Jam. 1.4 He wisheth that patience may have her perfect work have the exercise of al trials and miseries that we may be handy at al weapons when we have with meekness borne one evil we may with quietness bear al But what benefit wil there be in that Ye shal be perfect Entire and wanting nothing When
but it is a delusion to keep our complaints and keep our discouragements Keep neither but keep the Direction Quest But must I put out mine Eyes to see by anothers Spectacles or pinion my self to anothers Apprehensions Answ Thou dost not follow the man but the light that is brought by him Captivate thy Carnal Reason to Gods Counsel Isa 50.10 Who is there among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voyce of his Servant c. Let him stay himself upon his God See therefore God in that and possess thy heart with a holy fear not to dare to cavil or by carelessness not to attend as Sampson be led to the main Pillar 2. When thou hast no word against thy self let no wants miseries weaknesses unworthiness hinder thee from adventuring thy self upon his Fatherly Mercy and expecting supply from it And who knows but God wil shew thee mercy Thou dost not know the height the length the breadth the depth of his Mercy and who knows but God may extend his Fatherly Love and Faithfulness unto thy Soul The Second Doctrine The Lord Christ lends dayly Direction Doct. and and Discovery of Mercy according to the dayly need of his Faithful Servants See it in the Pillar of Cloud and Fire Exod. 13.21 So also in his Care to his Vinyard watering it every moment Isa 27. Not to al at once not to al alike but as in the gathering of the Manna he that gathered the least had no lack So every one that which answers his present Condition Psal 21.3 Thou preventest me with blessings of goodness takest measure and suitest every ones wants In the opening attend 1. The Measure he takes in the supply 2. The Manner how he doth it I. The Measure he takes in this supply appears in Four thing 1. When we are doubtful in our way he directs us when we are at a stand and know not which way to take we then have a voyce behind us Isa 30. And thine Ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way c. And Chap. 42.16 I will bring the blind by a way that they know not I will lead them c 2. Suitable to our needs he supplies Isa 40.11 Carries the Lambs in his Bosom Where there is most want he lends most supply 3. What is most Serviceable to our occasions he furthers and sets forward with success he doth for us as occasion doth require My Grace is sufficient 2 Cor. 12.9 then when the shock was he steps in his Faithfulness is the Magazine furnisheth us fully he furnisheth with Grace suitable to our Service Phil. 4.13 I can do all things with Patience in Journeys Courage in Difficulties in the Fire and in the Water Isa 43.2 and 25.4 4. Al these in the best Season Heb. 4. last in the time of need Isa 41.17 when the four hundred and thirty yeers were expired that very day Exod. 12.41 II. The Manner how 1. Christ hath purchased al at the hands of the Father and so is become the Head of the Church John 16.10 For had not Christ been possessed of Grace as our Surety and purchased the Grace of Adam lost the corrupt Nature of Man had been uncapable of Mercy 2. He sends the holy Ghost who takes of his and gives to us John 16.15 He shal take of mine he doth not take of the Fathers immediately but Christ of the Father he of Christ John 14.26 The Reason is Because al is summ'd up in this 1. Al depends upon this I mean upon the Name of his Fatherly Love and Faithfulness I speak of it now as it issues peculiarly from the special manner of the Fathers subsistence and work For therein the out-goings of the Deity are firstly discerned and lastly resolved Especially this is to be attended because the Father was directly offended by the sin of Adam and therefore it must come firstly in order from him to appoint and to accept a Surety for the Conveyance of Grace and Mercy And herein lies the out-going of the God-head first I look at the manner of his working The Father works of himself the Son from the Father the Holy Ghost from both So that had not the Father moved or put forth this work the Son would not the Holy Spirit would not because they work in order from the Father John 5.19 and 12. and last verse So John 16.13 Christ speaks what he hears from the Father the Spirit what he hears from Christ 2. Al is contained in this and from this communicated to the Saints Hence the Covenant of Grace which is here first attended The Promise of God in Christ before the World was 2 Tim. 1.2 This was in Christ 2 Tim. 1.9 God fed the Patriarchs with this nothing but the dayly repetition and consideration of the Covenant therefore blessing goes with it is discovered by it I will bless thee In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed He hath sworn that he wil bless us Luke 1.72 73. that is he wil be a God in Covenant This is the Cause why God so appears I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob. And this is the Ground of our Resurrection God is not the God of the Dead but of the Living God remembers his Covenant with us and for us Collections hence are many This Truth this Tree is loaded with abundance of Fruit We wil shake it a little and see what is most ripe and most readily offers it self to our Observation for our benefit that each man may gather and take that which may be most for his own Help and Satisfaction 1. Collection Hence it 's cleer The best of the Saints men of choycest Graces and best Abilities as touching the right Apprehension of the mysterious Deeps of Gods Fatherly Mercy the live meerly upon a dayly dependance while they have a day to live in this World The Lesson is so hard and difficult that our Savior is dayly spelling and repeating alwaies teaching and yet there is more to be taught more knots to be untied secrets to be opened As to Nathaniel John 1.50 Thou shalt see greater things than these And therefore David when he was a Scholler of the highest Form he craves the further help of Christ because the work was too hard Teach me the way to thee thy Spirit is good Psal 143.8 10. Open mine Eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law There were yet more wonders to be seen though he had seen wonders al his daies This Name is Wonderful as the Angel to Manoah Beside The Lesson is marvelous large we had need be dayly learning and yet we shal never come to the end of it before we come to the end of our daies As men who travel in the main Ocean they see nothing but Water and yet see neither Side nor Shore Brim nor Bottom and there is more Water to be seen The saving Knowledg of this Name of Gods Fatherly Mercy