Doctrine, The Lord Iesus Christ was pleased to submit himself to an extraordi­nary Combate with the Tempter, for our good.

• 1. I shall explain the nature and circum­stances of this extraordinary Combate.
• 2. The Reasons, why Christ submitted to it.
• 3. The good of this to us.

I. The circumstances of this extraordi­nary Combate. And here.

1. The Persons Combating, Iesus and the Devil, the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent. It was designed long before, Gen. 3. 15. I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel, and now it is accomplished. Here is the Prince of peace against the Prince of darkness; Michael and [Page 3] the Dragon; the Captain of our Salvation, and our grand Enemy. The Devil is the great Architect of wickedness, as Christ is the Prince of Life and Righteousness. These are the Combatants; the one ruined the creation of God, and the other restored and repaired it.

2. The Manner of the combate. It was not meerly a phantasm, that Christ was thus assaulted and used: No, he was tempted in reality, not in conceit and imagination only. It seemeth to be in the Spirit, though it was real. As Paul was taken up into the third Heaven, whether in the body or out of the body we cannot easily judge, but real it was. I shall more accurately discuss this question afterwards in its more proper place.

3. What Moved him? Or how was he brought to enter into the lists with Satan? He was led by the Spirit, meaning thereby the im­pulsion and excitation of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. For it is said Luke 4. 1. Iesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Iordan, and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness. He did not voluntarily put him­self upon Temptation, but by Gods appoint­ment went up from Iordan further into the Desart.

[Page 4] We Learn hence.

1. That temptations come not by chance, not out of the Earth, nor meerly from the Devil; but God ordereth them for his own Glory and our Good. Satan was fain to beg leave to tempt Iob, Iob 1. 12. And the Lord said unto Satan, behold, all that he hath is in thy power, onely upon himself put not forth thine hand. There is a concession with a limitation, till God exposeth us to tryals, the devil cannot trouble us, nor touch us. So Luke 22. 31. Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as Wheat. Nay he could not enter into the Herd of Swine without a patent, and new pass from Christ, Matth. 8. 31. So the devils besought him, saying. If thou cast us out suffer us to go away into the Herd of Swine. This cruel spirit is held in the chains of an irre­sistable Providence, that he cannot molest any creature of God without his permissi­on. Which is a great satisfaction to the faithful: all things which concern our try­al are determined and ordered by God. If we be free, let us bless God for it, and pray that he would not lead us into temptation: if tempted when we are in Satans hands re­member Satan is in Gods hand.

[Page 5] 2. Having given up our selves to God, we are no longer to be at our own dispose and direction; but must submit our selves to be led, guided and ordered by God in all things. So it was with Christ, he was led by the spirit continually: if he retire in­to the desart, he is led by the Spirit, Luke 4. 1. If he come back again into Galilee, ver. 4. Iesus returned in the power of the Spirit in­to Galilee. The Holy Ghost leadeth him into the conflict, and when it was ended, leadeth him back again. Now there is a perfect likeness between a Christian and Christ: he is led by the spirit off and on, so we must be guided by the same Spirit in all our actions, Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God.

3. That we must observe our warrant and calling in all we resolve upon. To put our selves upon hazards we are not cal­led unto, is to go out of our bounds to meet a temptation, or to ride into the de­vils quarters. Christ did not go of his own accord into the desart, but by divine impul­sion, and so he came from thence. We may in our place and calling venture our selves on the protection of Gods Providence upon obvious temptations, God will main­tain [Page 6] and support us in them; that is to trust God, but to go out of our calling is to tempt God.

4. Compare the words used in Matthew and Mark, chap. 1. 12. And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the Wilderness. That shows that it was a forcible motion, or a strong impulse, such as he could not easily resist or refuse, so here is freedom, he was led; there is Force and efficacious impressi­on, he was driven, with a voluntary con­descension thereunto. There may be liberty of mans Will, yet the victorious efficacy of Grace united together: a man may be taught and drawn; as Christ here was led, and driven by the Spirit into the Wilder­ness.

3. The Time.

1. Presently after his Baptisme. Now the Baptism of Christ agreeth with ours as to the general nature of it. Baptism is our initiation into the service of God, or our solemn consecration of our selves to him; and it doth not only imply work, but fight, Rom. 6. 13. Neither yield ye your mem­bers as instruments [...], of unrighteousness un­to sin: but yield your selves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members [Page 7] as instruments of righteousness unto God. And Rom. 13. 12. Let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Christs Baptism had the same general nature with ours, not the same special nature: the general nature is an engagement to God, the special use of Baptism is to be a seal of the New Covenant, or to be to us the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of sins. Now this Christ was not capable of, he had no sin to be repented of or remitted; but his Baptism was an engagement to the same military work, to which we are in­gaged. He came into the World for that end and purpose, to War against sin and satan; he engageth as the General, we as the common Souldiers. He as the General 1 Iohn 3. 8. For this purpose the son of God was manifested [...], that he might destroy the works of the Devil. His Baptism was the taking of the Field as General; we un­dertake to fight under him in our rank and place.

2. At this Baptismal engagement the Fa­ther had given him a testimony by a voice from Heaven, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, and the Holy Ghost had descended upon him in the form of a Dove, Mark 3. 16, 17. Now presently after this he [Page 8] is set upon by the Tempter. Thus many times the Children of God after solemn as­surances of his love are exposed to great temptations. Of this you may see an in­stance in Abraham, Gen. 22. 1. And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, that is after he had assured Abraham, that he was his shield, and his ex­ceeding great reward, and given him so ma­ny renewed testimonies of his favour. So Paul after his rapture, lest he should be ex­alted above measure through the abundance of revelations, there was given to him a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him, 2 Cor. 12. 7. So Heb. 10. 32. But call to remembrance the former days, in which after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions, i. e. after ye were fully con­vinced of the Christian Faith, and furnish­ed with those vertues and graces that belong to it. Gods conduct is gentle and propor­tioned to our strength, as Iacob drove as the little ones were able to bear it. He never suf­fers his Castles to be besieged till they are victualled.

3. Immediately before he entred upon his Prophetical Office. Experience of temp­tation fits for the Ministry, as Christs temp­tations prepared him to set a foot the King­dom [Page 9] of God, for the recovery of poor Souls out of their bondage into the liberty of the children of God, verse 17. From that time Iesus began to preach, and to say, Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Our state of innocency was our Health, the grace of the Redeemer our Medicine, Christ our Physician: for the Devil had poisoned our humane Nature. Therefore when he sets afoot his healing cure, it was fit and congruous, that he should experi­mentally feel the power of the tempter, and in what manner he doth assault and endan­ger souls, Christ also would shew us, that Mi­nisters should not only be men of Science but of Experience.

4. The Place or Field, where this com­bat was fought, The Wilderness; where were none but Wild Beasts, Mark 1. 13. And he was there in the Wilderness forty days tempted of Satan, and was with the wild beasts, and the Angels ministred unto him. Great question there is in what Wilderness Christ was; their opinion is most probable who think it was the great Wilderness, cal­led The Desert of Arabia, in which the Israelites wandred forty years, and in which Elijah fasted fourty dayes and forty nights. [Page 10] In this solitary place Satan tryed his utmost power against our Saviour.

This teacheth us.

1. That Christ alone grapled with Sa­tan, having no fellow worker with him, that we may know the strength of our Re­deemer, who is able himself to overcome the tempter without any assistance, and to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him, Heb. 7. 25.

2. That the Devil often abuseth our so­litude. It is good sometimes to be alone; but then we need to be stocked with Holy Thoughts, or employed in Holy exercises, that we may be able to say as Christ, Iohn 16. 32. I am not alone because the Father is with me. Howsoever a state of retirement from humane converse, if it be not necessa­ry exposeth us to temptations: But if we are cast upon it, we must expect God's pre­sence and help.

3. That no place is priviledged from temptations, unless we leave our hearts be­hind us. David walking on the tarrass or house top was ensnared by Bathsheba's beau­ty, 2 Sam. 11. 2, 3, 4. Lot that was chast in Sodom, yet committed incest in the [Page 11] mountain, where there were none but his own Family, Gen. 19. 30, 31, &c. When we are locked in our closets we cannot shut out Satan.

II. The Reasons why Christ submitted to it.

1. With respect to Adam, that the pa­rallel between the first and second Adam might be more exact. They are often com­pared in Scriptures as Rom. 5. latter end, and 1 Cor. 15. and we read Rom. 5. 14. that the first Adam was [...], the figure of him that was to come, and as in other re­spects, so in this; in the same way we were destroyed by the first Adam, in the same way were we restored by the second. Christ recovereth and winneth that which Adam lost: Our happiness was lost by the first Adam, being overcome by the tempter, so it must be recovered by the second Adam, the tempter being overcome by him. He that did conquer must first be conquered, that sinners might be rescued from the cap­tivity, wherein he held them captive. The first Adam being assaulted quickly after his entrance into Paradise was overcome: and therefore must the second Adam overcome him assoon as he entred upon his office, and that in a conflict hand to hand, in that na­ture [Page 12] that was foiled. The Devil must loose his Prisoners in the same way that he caught them. Christ must do what Adam could not do. The victory is gotten by a pub­lick person in our nature, before it can be gotten by each individual in his own person, for so it was lost. Adam lost the day be­fore he had any off-spring, so Christ win­neth it in his own person before he doth so­lemnly begin to Preach the Gospel, and call Disciples: and therefore here was the great overthrow of the Adversary.

2. In regard of Satan who by his con­quest got a twofold power over man by tempting; he got an interest in his heart to lead him captive at his will and pleasure, 2 Tim. 2. 26. and he was made Gods execu­tioner, he got a power to punish him, Heb. 2. 14. That through death he might destroy him, that had the power of death, that is the Devil. Therefore the son of God, who interposed on our behalf, and undertook the rescue of sinners, did assume the nature of man, that he might conquer Satan in the nature that was conquered, and also offer himself as a sacrifice in the same nature for the de­monstration of the justice of God. First Christ must overcome by Obedience, tryed to the uttermost by temptations; and then [Page 13] he must also overcome by suffering: by over­coming temptations he doth overcome Sa­tan as a tempter; and by death he over­came his as a tormentor, or as the Prince of death, who had the power of executing Gods sentence. So that you see before he overcame him by merit, he overcame him by example; and was an instance of a temp­ted man, before he was an instance of a persecuted man, or one that came to make satisfaction to Gods Justice.

3. With respect to the Saints, who are in their passage to Heaven to be exposed to great difficulties and tryals. Now that they might have comfort and hope in their Re­deemer, and come to him boldly as one touched with a feeling of their infirmities, he himself submitted to be tempted. This reason is recorded by the Apostle in two places, Heb. 2. 18. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to suc­cour them that are tempted; able to succour, that is, fit, powerful, inclined, effectually moved to succour them. None so merci­ful as those who have been once miserable; and they who have not only known misery but felt it, do more readily relieve and suc­cour others. God biddeth Israel to pity strangers, Exod. 22. 21. Thou shalt neither [Page 14] vex a stranger, nor oppress him, for ye were strangers in the Land of Egypt. They knew what it was to be exposed to the envy and hatred of the neighbours in the Land where they sojourned, Exod. 23. 9. For ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the Land of Egypt. We read that when King Richard the first had been on the Sea near Sicily like to be drowned, he recalled that antient and barbarous custom, where­by the goods of shipwrackt men were escheated to the Crown, making provision that those goods should be preserved for the right owners. Christ being tossed in the tempest of temptations, knows what belongs to the trouble thereof. The other place is, Heb. 4. 15. We have not an high priest, which cannot be toucht with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Christ hath experienced how strong the Assailant is, how feeble our nature is, how hard a matter it is to withstand when we are so sorely assaulted. His own experience of sufferings and temptations in himself doth intender his heart, and make him fit for sympathy with us, and begets a tender com­passion towards the miseries and frailties of his members.

[Page 15] 4. With respect to Christ himself, that he might be an exact pattern of Obedience to God. The obedience is little worth, which is carryed on in an even tenor, when we have no temptation to the contrary, but is cast off as soon as we are tempted to dis­obey, Iames 1. 12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tryed, he shall receive the crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. And Heb. 11. 17. By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaac, and he that had re­ceived the promises, offered up his only begot­ten Son. Now Christ was to be more emi­nent than all the holy ones of God, and therefore that he might give an evidence of his Piety, Constancy, and Trust in God, it was thought fit some tryal should be made of him, that he might by example teach us, what reason we have to hold to God against the strongest temptations.

III. The good of this to us. It teacheth us divers things, four I shall instance in.

1. To shew us who is our grand enemy, the Devil, who sought the misery and destru­ction of mankind, as Christ did our Salvati­on. And therefore he is called [...], The Enemy, Matth. 13. 39. The Enemy that sow­ed them is the Devil. And he is called [Page 16] also [...], the wicked one, Matth. 13. 19. as the first and deepest in evil. And be­cause this malitious cruel spirit ruined man­kind at first, he is called a lyar and murde­rer from the beginning, Iohn 8. 44. A Lyar because of his deceit; a murderer to show us what he hath done and would do. It was he that set upon Christ, and doth upon us, as at first to destroy our health, so still to keep us from our medicine and recovery out of the lapsed estate by the Gospel of Christ.

2. That all men none excepted, are sub­ject to temptations. If any might plead for exemption, our Lord Jesus, the eternal Son of God might, but he was assaulted and tempted; and if the Devil tempted our Saviour, he will be much more bold with us. The godly are yet in the way not at the end of the Journey; in the Field, not with the Crown on their heads; and it is Gods will, that the enemy should have leave to assault them. None go to Heaven with­out a tryal, all these things are accomplished in your brethren that are in the flesh, 1 Pet. 5. 9. To look for an exempt priviledge, or immunity from temptation, is to list our selves as Christs Souldiers, and never expect Battle or Conflict.

[Page 17] 3. It sheweth us the manner of Conflict, both of Satans Fight, and our Saviours De­fence.

1. Of Satans Fight it is some advantage not to be ignorant of his enterprizes, 2 Cor. 2. 11. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices. Then we may the better stand upon our guard. He assaulted Christ by the same kind of temptations by which usually he assaults us. The kinds of temptations are reckoned up, 1 Ioh. 2. 16. The lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. And Iam. 3. 15. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earth­ly, sensual, devilish. With these temptati­ons he assaulted our first Parents, Gen. 3. 8. When the woman saw that the Tree was good for fruit, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat. And with the same temptations he assaulted Christ, tempting him to turn stones into bread, to satisfie the longings of the flesh; to fall down and worship him, as to the sight of a bewitching object to his eyes; to fly in the Air in pride, and to get Glory a­mong men. Here are our snares, which we must carefully avoid.

[Page 18] 2. The manner of Christs Defence, and so it instructeth us how to overcome and carry our selves in temptations. And here are two things whereby we overcome.

1. By Scripture, the Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit, Eph. 6. 17. and 1 Iohn 2. 14. The Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. It is good to have the Word of God abide in our memories, but chiefly in our hearts by a sound belief and fervent love to the truth.

2. Partly by Resolution, 1 Pet. 4. 1. Arm your selves with the same mind, viz. that was in Christ. When Satan grew bold and troublesome Christ rejects him with in­dignation. Now the conscience of our duty should thus prevail with us to be resolute therein; the double minded are as it were torn in pieces between God and the Devil, Iames 1. 8. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Therefore being in Gods way, we should resolve to be deaf to all temptations.

4. The hopes of Success. God would set Christ before us as a pattern of Trust and Confidence, that when we address our selves to serve God, we might not fear the [Page 19] temptations of Satan. We have an exam­ple of overcoming the Devil in our glorious Head and Chief. If he pleaded Iohn 16. 33. In the World ye shall have tribulation, but be of good chear, I have overcome the World; the same holdeth good here, for the Ene­mies of our Salvation are combined. He overcame the Devil in our natures, that we might not be discouraged: we fight a­gainst the same Adversaries, in the same cause, and he will give power to us his weak members being full of compassion, which certainly is a great comfort to us.

USE.

Of Instruction to us.

1. To reckon upon temptations. Assoon as we mind our Baptismal Covenant we must expect that Satan will be our professed Foe, seeking to terrifie or allure us from the banner of our Captain Jesus Christ. Many after Baptism fly to Satans Camp. There are a sort of men in the visible Church, who though they do not deny their Baptism, as those did 2 Pet. 2. 9. Who have forgotten that they were purged from their old sins, yet they carry themselves as if they were in league with the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, rather then with the Father, Son, [Page 20] and Holy Ghost: with might and main they oppose Christs Kingdom both abroad and at home in their own hearts, and are whol­ly governed by worldly things, the lusts of the Flesh, and the lusts of the Eye, and the pride of Life. Now these are the Devils Agents, and the more dangerous, because they use Christs name against his Offices, and the form of his Religion to destroy the power thereof; as the Dragon in the Reve lations pushed with the horns of the Lamb. Others are not venomously and malignantly set against Christ, and his interest in the World, or in their own Hearts, but tamely yield to the lusts of the Flesh, and go like an Ox to the slaughter, and a Fool to the correcti­on of the Stocks, Prov. 7. 22. We cannot say that Satans work lyeth about these. Satan needeth not besiege the soul by temptations, that is his already by peaceable possession, when a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace, Luke 11. 21. There is no storm when wind and tide goeth toge­ther. But then there is a third sort of men, that begin to be serious, and to mind their recovery by Christ, they have many good motions and convictions of the danger of sin, excellency of Christ, necessity of Holi­ness, they have many purposes to leave sin, and enter upon an holy course of Life, but [Page 21] the wicked one cometh, and catcheth away that which was sowen in his heart, Mat. 13. 19. He beginneth betimes to oppose the work, before we are confirmed and settled in a course of Godliness, as he did set upon Christ presently upon his Baptism. Baptism in us implyeth avowed dying unto sin, and living unto God, now God permitteth temptation and to try our Resolution. There is a fourth sort of such as have made some progress in Religion, even to a degree of eminency: these are not altogether free; for if the Devil had confidence to assault the declared Son of God, will he be afraid of a meer mortal man? No, these he assault­eth many times very sorely. Pyrates ven­ture on the greatest booty: these he seek­eth to draw off from Christ, as Pharaoh sought to bring back the Israelites after their escape; or to foil them by some scandalous fall, to do Religion a mischief, 2 Sam. 12. 14. By this deed thou hast given great occasi­on to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, or at least to vex them and torment them, to make the service of God tedious and uncomfortable to them, Luke 22. 31. Simon, Simon, Behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat, to toss and vex you, as wheat in a sieve. So that no [Page 22] sort of Christians can promise themselves exemption; and God permitteth it, because to whom much is given, of them the more is required.

2. The manner and way of his fight is by the World, per blanda & aspera, by the good or evil things of the World. There is armour of Righteousness on the right hand, and on the left, 2 Cor. 6. 7. as there are right hand and left hand temptations. Both ways he lyeth in ambush in the creature. Sometimes he tempts us by the good things of the World, 1 Chron. 21. 1. And Sa­tan stood up against Israel and provoked Da­vid to number Israel, so glorying in his might, and puissance, and victory over neighbour Kings. So meaner people he tempteth to abuse their Wealth to Pride and Luxury; therefore we are pressed to be sober, 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lyon walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. The Devil maketh an advantage of our prosperity to divert us from God and Heaven, and to render us unapt for the strictness of our Holy calling. Some­times he tempts us by the evil things of this World, Iob 1. 11. Put forth thine hand [Page 23] now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. Satans aim in bring­ing the Saints into trouble, is to draw them to fretting, murmuring, despondency, and distrust of Providence, yea to open de­fection from God, or blasphemy against him. And therefore it is said, 1 Pet. 5. 9: Knowing that the same afflictions, &c. be­cause temptations are conveyed to us by our afflictions or troubles in the flesh.

3. His end is to disswade us from good, and perswade us to evil. To disswade us from good by representing the impossibili­ty, trouble, and small necessity of it. If men begin to apply themselves to a strict course, such as they have sworn to in Bap­tism, either it is so hard as not to be born, as Iohn 6. 60. This is a hard saying, who can bear it? Whereas Mark 19. 29. Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, &c. for my names sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting Life. Or the troubles which accompany a strict pro­fession are many. The World will note us, Iohn 12. 42. Nevertheless among the chief Rulers also many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the Synagogue. Where­as [Page 24] we must not be ashamed of Christ, 2 Tim. 2. 12. If we suffer we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us. Or that we need not be so strict and nice, whereas all we can do is little enough, Mar. 25. 9. Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you. In general the greatest mischiefs done us by sin are not regarded, but the least inconvenience, that attendeth our du­ty, is urged and aggravated. He perswa­deth us to evil by profit, pleasure, necessi­ty; we cannot live without it in the World. He hideth the hook, and sheweth the bait only; he concealeth the Hell, the horror, the eternal pains that follow sin, and only telleth you how beneficial, profitable and delightful the sin will be to you. Prov. 9. 17, 18. Stoln waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her guests are in the depths of Hell.

4. While we are striving against tempta­tions, let us remember our General. We do but follow the Captain of our Salvation, who hath vanquished the Enemy, and will give us the victory if we keep striving, The God of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly, Rom. 16. 2. Not his feet, but ours [Page 25] we shall be Conquerors. Our Enemy is vi­gilant and strong, it is enough for us, that our Redeemer is merciful and faithful in suc­couring the tempted, and able to master the tempter, and defeat all his methods. Christ hath conquered him both as a Lamb and as a Lyon, Rev. 5. 5. 8. the notion of a Lamb intimateth his sacrifice, the notion of a Lyon his victory; in the Lamb is me­rit in the Lyon strength; by the one he maketh satisfaction to God, by the other he rescueth sinners out of the paw of the roar­ing Lyon, and maintaineth his interest in their hearts. Therefore let us not be dis­couraged, but closely adhere to him.

USES.

1. To shew the happy state of Gods people. No Heirs of a Crown have such Guards as they have. Christ dwelleth in their hearts as in a Throne, Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. The Holy Spirit guardeth them against all cares and fears, Phil. 4. 7. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Iesus Christ. And the good Angels are as a Wall and Camp about them, Psal. 34. 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. Mat. 18. 10. Despise not one of these little ones, for verily I say unto you, that in heaven their an­gels do alwaies behold the face of my father, which is in heaven. If the Angels make an account of them, surely men should not de­spise them: Yea rather, God esteemeth so much of the meanest of these little ones, that the good Angels, who daily enjoy Gods glorious presence, are ministring spirits appointed to attend them. If the Lord and his Holy Angels set such a price on the meanest Christians, we should be loath to despise and offend them.

[Page 80] 2. It should breed some confidence and comfort in Christians in their sore straits and difficulties, when all visible help seemeth to be cut off. This invisible Ministry of the Angels is matter of Faith, 2 Kings 6. 16, 17. And he answered, Fear not; for they that be with us, are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open the young mans eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the young mans eyes, and he saw; and behold, the moun­tain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. These were no other, but the Angels of God, which were as an host to defend them. Open the eye of Faith, you may see God, and his holy Angels to secure you.

3. Take we heed how we carry our selves, because of this Honourable presence. In Congregations there should be no inde­cency, because of the Angels, 1 Cor. II. IC. In all our wayes let us take heed that we do not step out of Gods way. Do nothing that is unseemly and dishonest, they are spies upon us. And it is profitable for us, that they may give an account of us to God with joy, and not with grief.

Doctrine. Tempting of God may be an usual, but yet it is a great and heinous sin. In speaking to this Point, I shall shew.

• I. What this Tempting of God is.
• II. The Heinousness of the Sin.

[Page 85] I. What is this Tempting of God. And here let me speak

• 1. To the Object.
• 2. To the Act.

First, The Object; The Lord thy God. To us Christians there is but one onely true God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Now sometimes we are said to tempt God, and sometimes Christ, and sometimes the Spirit of God.

1. In Scripture we are said to tempt God, as Psal. 95. 9. When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works. We tempt God either explicitely, or implicitely.

1. Explicitely, by plain and direct words, which tend to Gods dishonour; or a doubting of his Prescience, Power and Providence, if they have not all things gi­ven them according to their fancies and hu­mors. As Psal. 78. 18, 19. They tempted God in their hearts, by asking meat for their lusts. Yea they spake against God, and said, Can God provide a table in the wilderness? So Exod. 17. 7. Is the Lord in the midst of us, or no? They doubted whether Gods Presence were among them, when they had continually such pregnant proofs of it. The words may either bear this sense; Who knows that God is present? Or, Now see [Page 86] whether God be present, or takes any care of us, yea or no.

2. Implicitely, or by Interpretation, which is a more secret way of tempting God; when the Act speaketh it, whatever be the intention of the Doer. As those who were about to lay the burden of the Rites of Moses's Law, on the new converts of the Gentiles, Acts 15. 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathers, nor we were able to bear? That is, why do you not acquiesce in the Will of God, apparently manifested, as if ye did go about to try, whether God did require any thing of his servants, besides Faith in Christ? His Will was clearly evident in the case, by what happened to Cornelius: Or as if ye would try, whether God will take it well, that ye should impose upon his Disciples a yoke that he approveth not.

2. We are said to tempt Christ; and he may be considered, either as in the dayes of his Flesh; or in his state of glory, and with respect to his invisible presence.

1. In the dayes of his Flesh, he was frequently tempted by the Scribes and Pha­risees, who would not be satisfied in his Mis­sion, notwithstanding all the signs and won­ders, that he had wrought among them; [Page 87] or else sought to accuse, and disgrace him, and prejudice the people against him; so Matth. 16. 1. The Pharisees with the Sad­ducees came, and tempting him, desired him, that he would shew them a sign from heaven. So Matth. 22. 18. Why tempt ye me, ye hy­pocrites? When the Pharisees and the Hero­dians came to question him about paying Tribute. So Luk. 10. 25. A certain Law­yer stood up, and tempted him, &c.

2. In his state of Glory, and with re­spect to his invisible presence. So the Isra­elites in the Wilderness tempted him before his coming in the flesh; and Christians may now tempt him, after his Ascension into Heaven. Both are in one place, 1 Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of ser­pents. What was their tempting of Christ in the Wilderness? If he be considered as God, he had a subsistence before he was in­carnate of the Virgin; and in this sense, as they tempted God, so they may be said al­so to tempt Christ; for all the affliction, shame and disgrace, done to that people, are called the Reproach of Christ; Heb. 11. 26, 27. Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the plea­sures of sin for a season. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches, than the treasures of [Page 88] Egypt. So their murmuring might be cal­led a tempting of Christ. Christ was the perpetual Head of the Church, who in his own Person did lead the people, and was present in the midst of them under the no­tion of the Angel of the Covenant: The E­ternal Son of God guided them in the Wil­derness, Exod. 23. 20, 21, 22, 23. Behold, I will send an angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not: for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to thy enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the land of the A­morites, &c. This Angel can be no other than Christ, whose office it is to keep us in the way, and to bring us into the place which Christ hath prepared for us; he it is that must be obeyed by the people of God, and pardon their transgressions; in him is Gods Name, for he will not communicate it to any other, that is not of the same sub­stance with himself: God is in him, and he in the Father, and his name is Iehovah our Righteousness. So Exod. 33. 14. My pre­sence shall go with thee, and I will give thee [Page 89] rest. My presence, that is, my Angel, spo­ken of before, called the angel of his presence. Isa. 63. 9. In all their affliction he was afflict­ed, and the angel of his presence saved them. This Angel is called Iehovah, Exod. 13. 21. And the Lord went before them, by day in a pillar of a cloud, &c. This Angel of Gods presence was no other than Jesus Christ, the conductor of them in the Wilderness, who safe-guarded them, and secured them all the way from Egypt to Canaan. And we Chri­stians may also tempt Christ, for the Apostle warneth us against it: We tempt Christ now he is ascended into Heaven, when we disobey his Lawes, question his Authority, doubt of his Promises, after sufficient means of conviction, that he is the Messias, the Son of God; grow weary of his Religion, lothing spiritual Manna, and begin to be glutted with the Gospel, and are discourag­ed in the way to our heavenly Canaan, whi­ther we are travelling.

3. The Holy Ghost is said also to be tempted, Acts 5. 9. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord? Namely by their Hypocrisie and Dissimula­tion, putting it to the trial, whether he could discover them in their sin, yea or no; they had endeavoured, as much as in them lay, to deceive the Spirit, by keeping back part of [Page 90] the price; that is, by that practice they would put it to the trial, whether the Holy Ghost yea or no could find out that cheat and fallacy. It is not barely to deceive the Apostle, who was full of the Holy Ghost, and had a discerning spirit, though to them they brought their lye; no, saith the Apo­stle, ye have not lyed unto men, but unto God, Ver. 4. and therefore they are said to tempt the Holy Ghost, whether he could find them out or no: though they had so many expe­riences of his care and respect to the Church, and all affairs belonging thereunto, and so the injury was done, not to the Apostles, but to the Holy Ghost himself.

Secondly, The Act. What is this Temp­ting of God? Temptation is the proving and making Trial of a Thing or Person, what he is, and what he will do. Thus we tempt God, when we put it to the Trial, whether God will be as good as his Word, and doubt of the cominatory and promis­sory part thereof; or whether he will be such an one as he is taken to be. Now this is lawful or unlawful, according as the Trial is made humbly and dutifully; or else proudly and sinfully, whether God will do such a thing as we have prescribed him: And again, as the trial is made necessarily [Page 91] or unnecessarily; sinfully we are said to tempt God, when we make an unnecessary experiment of his Truth, Goodness, and Power and Care of us, having had suffici­ent assurance of these things before.

1. There is a tempting or proving of God in a way of Duty. So we are bidden, Malachi 3. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now therewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the win­dowes of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. God there submitteth to a trial upon expe­rience; though we are to believe him upon his bare word, yet he will have us to wait for the good things promised; and in this sense it is said, The word of the Lord is a tried word, he is a buckler to all them, that trust in him, Psal. 18. 30. All those, that build any hope upon it, and wait to see what the Lord will do, will find, that God will stand to his Word. This is a constant duty to observe Gods Truth and Faithfulness. To suspend our belief till the event is distrust; but to wait, observing what God will do, as to the event, is an unquestionable Duty.

2. There is an allowed trying of God in some cases, I cannot say it is a Duty, be­cause [Page 92] it is only warrantable by Gods special indulgence and dispensation; and I cannot say it is a sin, because of Gods gracious condescension to his People, Iudges 6. 39. And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine an­ger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once; Let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece, let it be now dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew. The request was not of distrust and malice, but of infirmity and from a weak Faith; not out of Infidelity to tempt God, but out of Humility, being sensible of his own weak­ness, he desired this help, for the further confirmation of his Faith concerning his cal­ling to this work, as an Instrument autho­rized, and the issue and success of it; and also to assure others who followed him. To this head I refer Thomas his proof and trial, Ioh. 20. 25. Except I see in his hand the print of the nailes, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. Here was weakness in Thomas, to suspend his Faith upon such a condition, but an Apostle was to be [...], an Eye-witness of those things which were done, especially of his Resurrection; and therefore Christ meekly condescended to his request, ver. 27. Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, [Page 93] and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless but believing. I put it among infirmities, he alloweth him his trial of sense, but with some rebuke. To this head may be refer­red that of Hezekiah, who when he was sick of a mortal disease, and the Lord had extraordinarily promised him on his mourn­ing, that he should be recovered again, he asks a sign for the confirmation of his Faith, and God grants it him, 2 Kings 20. 8, 9. And the instance of Ahaz, who when the Prophet bid him ask a sign, he said, Isa. 7. 12. I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. He believed nothing of what the Prophet had spoke, and was resolved to go on in his way, but he pretended a reverend and religi­ous respect to God. This kind of tempting God is tolerable, being an act of condescen­sion in God to the weakness of his People.

3. There is a sinful Tempting of God, and this is done two ways.

1. Generally, every Transgression in a general sense is a tempting of God, Num. 14. 22. They have tempted me now these ten 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 [Page 94] 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 [Page 95] 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 [Page 96] 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. [Page 97] 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. [Page 98] 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. [Page 99] 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 that be­lieveth will not make hast; but he that be­lieveth not is precipitant, must have Gods Mercy, Power and Goodness manifested to them in their own way and time.

(3.) Some will not be satisfied as to their spiritual Estate without some sensible proof, or such kind of Assurance, as God usually vouchsafeth not to his people. As suppose they must be fed with spiritual dain­ties, and overflow with sensible consolation in every holy duty, or else they are filled with disquieting thoughts about their acceptance with God. We must have matters of Faith put under the view and feeling of sense, or else we will not take comfort in them. But we mustnot limit God to give proofs of his Love, nor pre­scribe such signs, as are not promised by him, but study our case in the Word. For God will not alwayes treat us by sensible expe­rience. Thomas is allowed to touch Christ, but Mary is not allowed to touch him, Ioh. 20. 17. compared with verse 27.

2. In a way of Presumption; so we tempt God, when without any warrant we [Page 100] presume of Gods Power and Providence. As here the devil tempted Christ to cast himself down from the pinacle of the Temple, to try if he would take the charge of him in the Fall; whereupon Christ replyeth, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Now this is done several ways.

1 When we presume upon Gods help, forsaking the ordinary way and means. Christ would not throw himself down, when he could go down by the stairs or steps of the Temple. Down stairs and over the bat­tlements is not all one. Christ that could walk upon the Sea in the distress of his Disciples, in ordinary cases taketh a Ship. Whosoever will not use the ordinary means, that God hath appointed, but in ordinary cases expects extraordinary supplies tempteth God. God is able to bring water out of the Rock, when there is nothing but Rock and Stone; but when we may hope to find spring-water, we must dig for it. God can rain Manna out of heaven; but when the Soil will bear Corn, we must Till it. When Elisha was in a little Village, not able to de­fend him from the Syrians, he had Chariots and Horsemen of Fire to defend him, 2 King. 6. 17. but when he was in Samaria, a strong walled town, and the King of Israel sent to fetch his head, he said to those [Page 101] that were with him, shut the door, ver. 32. Christ in the Wilderness miraculously fed many; but near the City he sent his disciples to buy bread, Ioh. 4. 8. When the Church of God had need of able helps at first, Gifts were miraculously conferred; but af­terwards every man to his study, 1 Tim. 4. 15. Meditate upon these things, give thy self wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all. In short, Gods Omnipotency is for that time discharged, when we have ordi­nary means to help our selves. To disdain ordinary means, and expect extraordinary, is as if a man should put off his cloathes, and then expect God should keep him from cold.

2 When we expect the End without the Means. If Hezekiah had refused the bunch of Figs, or Paul's companions to tarry in the Ship, they had tempted God. When we desire any blessing, we must not refuse, or neglect any good means for attaining of it. In spiritual things this is very usual; men hope to have the End without the Means. In temporal things we will soon confess there must be means used, for if any would not work, neither should he eat, 2 Thes. 3. 10. In warfare no victory is to be hoped for without fighting; only in spiritual matters we think to do well e­nough, [Page 102] though we never put to our endea­vors, to cry for knowledge, and to dig for it; this is a tempting of God, Prov. 2. 3, 4, 5. If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her, as for hid treasures. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. We dream of Heaven, when there is no Mortification, no exercising our selves un­to Godliness. A great many say as Balaam did, Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his, Numb. 23. 10. but they care not for living the life of the Righteous. If they can but charm them­selves into a secure presumption of Salva­tion, they never give diligence to make their Calling and Election sure. This com­eth from hardness of Heart, not strength of Faith. Many defer their Conversion to the last, and then think that in the twinkling of an eye they shall in a trice be in Heaven, with Elias in a Whirle-wind. It was a Prayer of Sir Thomas More, Domine, Deus, fac me in iis consequendis operam collocare, pro quibus obtinendis te orare soleo. Lord! make me to bestow pains in getting those things, for the obtaining of which I use to pray to thee. Otherwise we tempt God.

[Page 103] 3 When without Call we rush into any danger, or throw our selves into it, with an expectation God will fetch us off again. As if Christ, when no body went about to thrust him down, should wilfully have cast himself down. Whether the danger be certain, or inevitable, or very probable, we must not throw our selves on it; but when God calls us, then we may expect his help according to his promise, as to go into places or houses infected. In spiritual cases it is often done, men that by often experience have found such and such things to be occa­sions to them of sinning, yet presume to do the same again. These tempt God, ride in­to the Devils quarters, go into dangerous Places and Companies, where they are like to be corrupted; as Peter went into the High Priests Hall, and those that go to live in Popish Families. We pray, that we be not led into temptations, but when we lead our selves, what shall become of us? as we do, when we cast our selves upon Temptations, and dangerous occasions of sin.

4 When we undertake things, for which we are not fitted and prepared either ha­bitually or actually: As to speak largely without Meditation; when an unlearned man undertakes the handling a weighty Controversie, and a good cause wanteth [Page 104] shoulders, we tempt God. When we un­dertake things above bodily strength, all will condemn us; so to undertake things, that we have no ability to perform, is un­lawful. The sons of Sceva would take up­on them to Exorcise the Devil, and the man in whom the evil spirit was, leapt on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fied out of that house naked and wounded, Act. 19. 16.

5 Another sort of tempting God is, when we come to him with an Idol in our hearts, that is, when people are resolved of a thing, they will go, and ask counsel of God. In all matters we resolve on, we are to take Gods leave, and counsel and blessing; but they first resolve, and then ask Gods Counsel. And therefore God saith, Ezek. 14. 4. Every man of the house of Israel, that setteth up his Idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the Prophet, I the Lord will answer him that cometh accord­ing to the multitude of his Idols. Balaam had a mind to the wages of unrighteousness, but yet he durst not go without God, and till God had permitted him, he would be ask­ing again and again, Numb. 22. 12. com­pared with the 20 and 22 Verses. God answered him in wrath according to the [Page 105] Idol of his Heart. Thus you see men tempt God, when either out of diffidence or pre­sumption they seek an experience of his Wisdom, Power, Justice, Truth, Good­ness against his Word and Command, and the order he hath established; as the Isra­elites, when means failed, murmured and prescribed Time, Means and Manner of de­liverance, as if they would subject God to their Lusts.

II. The Heinousness of the Sin.

1. Because it is a great Arrogancy, when we seek thus to subject the Lord to our Direction, Will, and Carnal Affections. Prescribing to God argueth too great an Ascribing to our selves. Certainly the Lord cannot endure that his People, who ought wholly to depend upon him, submit to him, and be ruled by him, should prescribe as they please, how and when he should help them; and that his Power and Goodness should lacquey upon, and be at the beck of our idle and wanton humors. The direction of the affairs of the world is one of the Flo­wers of Gods Crown. Now to dislike of his Holy Government is a presumptuous Arro­gancy in the creature; we will take upon us to model our mercies, and choose our means, and will not tarry the time that he hath ap­pointed [Page 106] for our relief, but will anticipate it, and shorten it according to our own Fan­cies. God is Soveraign, we are as clay in his hands, he is our Potter, and must pre­scribe the shape in which we must be form­ed, and the use we must be put to, Ier. 18. 6. O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as the potter, saith the Lord? Behold, as the clay is in the potters hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. He hath full right to dispose of the Creature, as he pleaseth, and according to the counsel of his own Will, to which we are to be subject with­out murmuring or repining. We cannot say to him, what makest thou? or why dost thou this? Isa. 45. 9. Wo unto him that striveth with his maker, let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth: shall the clay say to him, that fashioneth it, what makest thou? or thy work, he hath no hands. Temp­ting before the Event is the same almost with murmuring after the Event.

2. It is great Unbelief, or a calling into Question Gods Power, Mercy, and Good­ness to us. We should entirely depend upon God for Salvation, and whatsover is necessary to salvation, and that he will sup­ply our wants, and bring us out of every streight, in a way most conducing to our own welfare, and his Honour. But now [Page 107] we are not satisfied with the assurance God hath given us in those Lawes of Commerce, which are established between him and us; we must have extraordinary proofs, or else we question all. Tempting God seemeth rather to be opposed to the Fear and Reve­rence, that we should have of him; yet primarily, and in it self it is rather opposite to our Trust. And though we take it for a sin which argueth too much Trust, or an unwarrantable boldness in expecting un­usual wayes of help from God; yet gene­rally it belongeth to unbelief and diffidence, and ariseth from it. For therefore we put him to proof, tempt, or make trial of God, because we distrust his help, and are not satisfied with his Goodness and Power, till we have other Testimonies thereof, than are ordinarily dispensed. Therefore this Reason is given of their tempting God, be­cause they believed not God, and trusted not in his Salvation, Psal. 78. 22. They must have their own Salvation, their own way of supply or deliverance, or else they can­not trust God, if he doth not help them at their time, and by their means.

3. It looseneth the bonds of all Obedi­ence, because we set up new Laws of Com­merce between God and us. For when we suspect Gods Fidelity to us, unless he do [Page 108] such things as we fancy, we suspect our Fi­delity to him. Therefore disobedience is made the fruit of tempting God, Psal. 78. 56. Yea, they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies. They that tempt God, cast away Gods Rule, and Gods terms of Obedience, and make others to themselves. The Question is, whether God shall direct us, or we him? We say, unless God will do thus and thus, we will no longer believe his power and serve him.

4. It is great ingratitude, or a lessening Gods benefits and works already done for us, Psal. 78. 20. Behold he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? As if what he had done formerly were nothing. Now God cannot endure to have his benefits lessened, or his former works forgotten and despised.

5. It is wantonness rather than want puts us upon Tempting of God. There is a Humour in men; we are very desirous to try Conclusions, condemning things com­mon, and are fond about strange Novelties. It was told the Israelites as plain as could be, that they should not reserve Manna till the morning, and they need not to have re­served it, they had fresh every day; yet [Page 109] they would needs keep it for experiments sake, to try whether it would stink or no, Exod. 16. 20. And though they were for­bidden to gather it on the Sabbath day, having on the evening before enough for two dayes, and it was told them they should find none on the Sabbath day, yet they must try. Where need is, there a man may commit himself to the Providence of God, and rely upon him; and where means fail us, God can help us by Prerogative, that we may say with Abraham, when we have no help present, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen, Gen. 22. 14. and with Moses, when the Red Sea was before them, and the Enemy was behind them, Fear ye not, stand still, and ye shall see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day, Exod. 14. 13. when Elias was in distress, the An­gel brought him meat, 1 King. 19. 5, 6. when Hagar and Ishmael was in the Wil­derness, and the bottle spent, then God comforted her from Heaven, Gen. 21. 17. when the three Children were in the fiery furnace, then God sent an Angel to be their Deliverer, Dan. 3. 28. But now in Wan­tonness to desire extraordinary proofs of Gods care over us, when he hath in ordi­nary wayes provided for us, is to tempt the Lord, Psal. 106. 14. They lusted exceed­ingly [Page 110] in the desert, and tempted God in the wilderness, when they had so many convi­ctions of Gods Power and Providence o­ver them, which should in reason have charmed them into a full and chearful resig­nation and dependance upon him, they remembring the Flesh-pots in Egypt, must have their luxuriant Appetites gratified; and because they had not that Festival plen­ty, which could not be expected in the Wilderness, they reproached Moses for having brought them out of Egypt, to dye in the Wilderness; and now God must show them a Miracle, not for the supply of their wants, but to pamper and feed their lusts, Psal. 78. 18, 19. And they tempted God in their heart, by asking meat for their lust. Yea they spake against God, they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? A Table must be prepared, he must give them Festival diet in the Wilderness.

6. It argues Impatiency, Psal. 106. 13, 14. They soon forgat his works, they waited not for his counsel. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. The word signifies, they made haste, took it ill, they were not presently brought into that plenty, that was promised; Numb. 20. 5. Wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil [Page 111] place: it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates, neither is there any water to drink, which was the plenty that was promised in the land of Canaan. Thus they made hast, were impatient of staying Gods time of giving them this inheritance, and because they had it not presently, they wished themselves back again in Egypt. Tempting is because we cannot attend the performance of Gods promise in his own time. They went out passionately in the pursuit of their plenty, which they looked for, and assoon as they discovered any dif­ficulty, conclude they were betrayed, not waiting with patience Gods time, when he should accomplish his promises made to them.

7. The greatness of the sin is seen by the punishments of it. One is mentioned, 1 Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. They were bitten of Serpents, because they tempted God, and murmured because of the length of the way, that they could not get presently into Canaan. And the Apostle tells us, that all the things, which hap­pened to Israel of old, happened to them [...], as patterns of Providence. A peo­ple might easily read their own doom, and destiny, if they would blow off the dust [Page 112] from the Ancient Providences of God, and observe what proofs and characters of his Justice, Wisdom and Truth are engraven there. The desert of sin is still the same, and the exactness of Divine Justice is still the same; and therefore what hath been is a pledge and document of what may be, if we fall into like Crimes. God is imparti­ally and immutably just, he is but one, Gal. 3. 20. God is one alwayes Consonant unto himself, and doth like unto himself; his Power is the same, so is his Justice. Even the historical part of the Word is a kind of Prophesie, not only a Register and Chroni­cle of what is past, but a kind of Calendar and Prognostication of what is to come. As other Histories in Scripture are left upon record for our Learning, so especially the History of Israel's passage through the Wil­derness unto Canaan.

USE.

Let us not tempt God in any of the kinds mentioned.

1. Not by requiring new grounds of Faith, when God hath given sufficient al­ready; not by cherishing Scepticisme and Irresolution in point of Religion, till new Nuncios come from Heaven, with a power [Page 113] to work Miracles, and to be endowed with extraordinary Gifts, as the seekers do. Ma­ny waver in Religion, would fain see an Apparition, and have some extraordinary satisfaction, which God would not give them upon every trifling occasion. The Pharisees must have a fign from Heaven: The Papists would have the Protestant Teachers shew their Commission by Mira­cles: The Iews would believe if Christ came down from the Cross. To suspend our Faith, till God give us our own terms, is to tempt God; and to disposses you of this conceit, consider

1. Signs and Wonders done in one Age and Time for the confirmation of the true Religion, should suffice all Ages and Times afterward; and it is a tempting God to ask more signs and wonders, for the confirma­tion of that Truth, which is sufficiently con­firmed already, if there be a good and safe Tradition of these things to us. The giv­ing of the Law was attended with thunder­ings and lightnings, and the sound of a ter­rible Trumpet, Exod. 19. by which means the Law was Authorized, and owned as proceeding from God: Now it was not needful this should be repeated in every Age, as long as a certain Report and Re­cords of it might convey it to their Ears. [Page 114] In the setting up a new Law, signs and wonders are necessary, to declare it to be of God; but when the Church is in the possession of it, these cease. So in the Christian Church, when the Gospel was first set on foot, it was then confirmed with signs and wonders, but now they are un­necessary. See the Law and Gospel com­pared, Heb. 2. 2, 3, 4. For if the word spo­ken by Angels was stedfast, and every trans­gression and disobedience received a just recom­pence of reward. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first be­gan to be spoken by the Lord, and was confir­med unto us by them that heard him, God also bearing them witness, both with signs and won­ders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghost, according to his own will.

2. If you had lived in the Age of signs and wonders, there were hard hearts then, unbelievers then, and blasphemers then, and tempters of God then, Psal. 78. 22, 23, 24. Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation: Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven: And had rained manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven, &c. to Ver. 32. For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. Extraordinary works will [Page 115] not work upon them, upon whom ordina­ry works will not prevail.

Object. But for them that have to do with the conversion of Indians, and remote parts of the World, is it a tempting of God to ask the gift of Miracles?

Answ. I cannot say so. God may be humbly sought unto about direction in the Gifts of Tongues, and Healing, being so necessary for the Instruments imployed, as well as the conviction of the Nations. I dare not determine any thing in the case, but I am satisfied with Acostus his Reasons, why Miracles are not afforded by God now, as well as in the primitive times. Then simple and unlearned men were sent to preach Christianity among the Nations, where many were armed and instructed a­gainst it with all kind of Learning and Phi­losophy: But now learned men are sent to the ignorant, and are superior to them in Reason, and in Civility and Authority; and besides present them a Religion far more credible than their own, that they cannot easily withstand the light of it.

2. Do not run into any wilful and known sin, as if you would try, how far the Pa­tience [Page 116] of God will go; nor abuse his fatherly goodness, by going on still in your Tres­passes. When a man will try the patience of God without any regard of his Threat­nings, or the instances of his Wrath, which are before his eyes, he puts it to the proof, whether God will punish him, yea or no. Remember you are no match for him, Isa. 45. 9. Wo unto him, that striveth with his maker; let the potsherds strive with the pot­sherds of the earth; As Abner said to Asahel, 2 Sam. 2. 21, 22. Turn thee aside to thy right hand, or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his Armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from follow­ing of him. And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me, wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? So if you will needs be tempting and trying Conclu­sions, and making Experiments, let men meddle with their Match, those who are equal to themselves, not challenging one infinitely above them; let frail man cope with man, but let him take heed of med­ling with God, Ezek. 22. 14. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee? Many foolish people say, as those in the Prophet, It is an evil, and I must bear it; endure it as well as I can. What, endure the loss of [Page 117] Heaven! endure the Wrath of the Al­mighty God! If Rachel could not endure the loss of her Children, nor Iacob the sup­posed loss of Ioseph, but sayes he, I will go down into the grave unto my son, mourning, Gen. 37. 35. If Achitophel could not en­dure the rejectment of his counsel, and Haman could not endure to be slighted by Mordecai, and many cannot endure the loss of a beloved Child; how wilt thou endure the loss of eternal Happiness! The Disciples wept bitterly when Paul said, ye shall see my face no more, Acts 20. 38. What will ye do then, when God shall say, ye shall see my face no more? Ah Wretch! how canst thou endure the Wrath of God! Thou canst not endure to be scorched a few dayes with feavorish Flames, thou canst not endure the acute pains of Stone and Gout, when God armeth the humours of thine own body against thee, thou canst not endure the scorching of a little Gun­powder casually blown up, thou canst not endure the pains of a broken Arm or Leg; and can you endure the Wrath of God, when God himself shall sall upon you with all his might?

3. When we are destitute and sorely di­stressed, let us wait upon God with pati­ence according to the tenour of his Pro­mises, [Page 118] and tarry his leisure, without pre­scribing Time and Means. God knoweth the fittest season, and delighteth oftentimes to shew our impatience, and try our Faith. Matth. 15. 28. O woman, great is thy faith. And that his help may not be ascribed to chance, or our industry; and that we may the more prize blessings, consider you cannot be more distressed than Christ was, who seem­ed abandoned to Satans power, distressed with sore hunger through his long fasting. The Devil was permitted to have power o­ver his body, to carry him to one of the Pina­cles of the Temple; and yet he discovered an invincible confidence and trust in God, that he would not step the least step out of Gods way for his preservation in so eminent a danger.

Now that you may not tempt God.

1. Let your heart be deeply possessed with apprehensions of the Goodness, Wis­dom and Power of God. The Scripture telleth us for his Goodness, Psal. 119. 68. Thou art good, and doest good: and again, Psal. 145. 9. The Lord is good to all. For his Wisdom, Isa. 28. 29. He is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working. His purposes are often hidden from us, but he [Page 119] doth all things well; God can do more for us than seemeth probable at the present. And therefore let us not tempt him by con­fining him to our Time, Means and Man­ner. He may love us, and yet delay our help, Ioh. 11. 5, 6. Iesus loved Lazarus, and yet ver. 6. When he heard that he was sick, he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was. Then for his Power and Sovereign Dominion, there is not a better argument for confidence, than the Preface and Con­clusion of the Lords Prayer. Whatsoever state you are reduced to, God is still to be trusted, who is Our Father, which is in Heaven, and whose is the kingdom, power and glory, 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed, and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, against that day. Whatsoever our straits be, he is a God still to be trusted.

2. Be firmly perswaded of Gods Care and Providence over his people, and so careth for you in particular. This is assur­ed to us by Promises, and by Experiences. By Promises, 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you. Phil. 4. 6, 7. Be careful for nothing; but in eve­ry thing by prayer and supplication with thanks­giving, let your requests be made known unto [Page 120] God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Iesus Christ. By Experiences, Matth. 16. 8, 9. O ye of little faith, why reason ye among your selves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Christ was angry with his Disciples, that they should be troubled about bread, since they had lately such experience of his po­wer, to provide bread at pleasure. Use the means God puts into your hands, and refer the success to him. You need not be anxious about any thing in this World.

3. Let all this produce in you an holy obstinacy of Trust and obedience, or an in­vincible confidence in God, and close adhe­rence to him, whatever your dangers, straits and extremities be; and this will guard your heart against all Tempting of God:

1. A resolute Trust and Dependance, Iob 13. 15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. This is the Soul that is pre­pared to be true to God, and contentedly to bear whatever he sendeth.

2. A constant adherence to our duty. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, Psal. 37. 34. Do not go one step out of God's way for all the good in the World. The [Page 121] greatest extremities are to be born rather than the least sin yielded to, Dan. 3. 17, 18. Our God whom we serve, is able to deli­ver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we 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.

USES.

The Use is to teach us how to counter­work Satan.

1. Since he worketh upon the fleshly mind, we are to be mortified and grow dead to the world. We profess Faith in a Crucified Lord, we must be like him, Cru­cified as he was Crucified; then shall we glory in the Cross of Christ, when we feel the vertue of it, and are planted into the [Page 149] likeness of it, Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Iesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Grow more dead to the Riches, Honour, Pomp, Plea­sure, the Favour, Fear, Love, Wrath, Praise and Dispraise of Men, that we may readily deny these things, so far as oppo­site to the Kingdom of Christ, or our duty to God, or as they lessen our Affections to him. We die as our esteem of those things doth decay; till the mans temper be alter­ed there is no hope to prevail by Argument: onely they that are made partakers of a di­vine Nature do escape the corruption that is in the world through Lust.

2. Since he worketh by Representation and Promise, you must be prepared against both.

1. As he worketh by Representation, or the fair shew and splendid Appearance of worldly things, you must check it.

(1.) By considering the little subsistance and reality that is in this fair appearance, 1 Cor. 7. 31. The fashion of this world passeth away, [...] It is but a draft, an empty Pa­geantry; so it is called, Psal. 39. 6. Avain shew; an Image, shadow, or dream, that vanisheth in a trice. So Prov. 23. 5. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? It [Page 150] was not a-while ago, and within a little while it will not be again, at least to us it will not be, we must shortly bid good night to all the World, 1 Pet. 1. 24. All flesh is grass, and the glory thereof as the flower of the grass. David saith Psal. 119. 86. I have seen an end of all perfection. It is good often to intermingle these serious thoughts of the frailty of all sublunary injoyments, to keep us modest in what we have, or desire to have, that we may not be blinded with the delusions of the Flesh, and inchanted with an admiration of worldly Felicity.

(2.) As the devil seeketh to open the eye of sense, so must we open the eye of Faith, 2 Cor. 4. 18. We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Things unseen must be every day greatened in our Eyes, that all our pursuit after things seen may be subordinated to our desires of, and labour after things unseen. There we must see the greatest Reality, or else we have not the true Christian Faith, Heb. 11. 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. It is such an evidence of the worth and reality of the unseen Glory, as draweth off the heart from things seen, which are so pleasing to the [Page 151] flesh; Faith sets it before the eye of the soul in the Promises of the Gospel, Heb. 6. 18. Who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. Heb. 12. 2. Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, &c.

2. As he dealeth with us by Promise. Every thing we hope to get by sin is a kind of promise or offer of the devil to us: As suppose by unconscionable dealing in our Calling. Here consider two things,

• 1. The falsity of the Devils Promises.
• 2. The truth and stability of Gods Pro­mises.

1. The falsity of Satans Promises. Ei­ther he giveth not what he promised, as he promised our first Parents to be as Gods, Gen. 3. 5. Ye shall be as Gods. And what ensued, Psal. 49. 12. Man that is in honour and understandeth not is like the beasts that perish, degraded to the Beasts, as the brutish and bestial nature prevailed in him when he fell from God. Or else, if we have them, we were better be without them; we have them with a Curse, with the loss of better things, Ier. 17. 13. Oh Lord! all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in [Page 152] the earth. They are condemned to this felicity, we have them with stings of Con­science, Matth. 27. 4, 5. I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood, and he cast down the pieces of silver in the Temple, and went and hanged himself; which are most quick and sensible when we come to dye, Ier. 17. 11. He that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his dayes, and at his end shall be a fool. Now rise up in Indignation against the Temptation, shall I fell my birthright? Lose my fatness to rule over the trees? As the olive Tree in Iotham's Parable, Iudges 9. 9.

2. The Sufficiency and Stability of Gods Promises.

(1.) Sufficiency: Gen. 17. 1. I am the almighty God, walk before me and be thou per­fect. 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come: of hea­ven and of Earth, Mat. 6. 33. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added to you. It may be you have less than those that indulge themselves in all manner of shifts and wiles, but you shall have enough, not to be left wholly destitute, Heb. 13. 5. He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor for­sake [Page 153] thee. And you shall have it with con­tentment, Prov. 15. 6. In the house of the righteous is much treasure, but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. And better is a little with righteousness then great revennes with sin, Prov. 16. 8. And you have it so as not to lose other things.

(2.) Stability, 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the pro­mises of God in him are yea, and in him A­men. And Heb. 6. 18. That by two immu­table things, in which it was impossible for God to lye, we might have strong consolation, &c. Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever; they are the rejoycing of my heart.

4. Observe [Fall down] The Pride of the Devil: he sinneth from the beginning, 1 Ioh. 3. 8. The sin of Pride was fatal to him at first, and the cause of those Chains of darkness in which now he is held: yet still he sinneth the same sin, he requireth Ado­ration, and would be admitted into a Part­nership of Divine Worship. He obtained it from Pagans and Idolaters, not from Christ. The Angel deprecates and detests it, Rev. 19. 10. And I fell at his feet, to worship him, and he said unto me, see thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren, that have the testimony of Iesus; worship thou [Page 154] God. So Rev. 22. 9. I fell down to worship before the face of the angel, that shewed me these things, and he said to me, see thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them that keep the sayings of this book; worship God. Paul when the Priests at Lycaonia were about to sacrifice to him, Acts 14. 14, 15. When the Apostles heard of it, they rent their clothes, and run in among the people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why do you these things? we also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you, that ye should turn from these vani­ties unto the living God. But the evil Angels they are apt to invade the right of God.

Doctrine, That Religious service, and Religious Worship is due to God on­ly; and not to be given to Saint, or Angel or any Creature.

Thus Christ defeateth the devils tempta­tion, and thus should we be under the awe of Gods Authority, that we may not yield to the like temptation, when the greatest ad­vantages imaginable are offered to us. Here I shall shew

• [Page 164]I. What is Worship and the Kinds of it.
• II. I shall prove that Worship is due to God.
• III. Not only Worship but service.
• IV. That both are due to God alone.

1. What is Worship? In the general, it implyeth these three things, an act of the Judgment, apprehending an excellency in the object worshipped; an Act of the Will, or a readiness to yield it, sutably to the de­gree of excellency which we apprehend in it; and an external Act of the body, where­by it is expressed. This is the general na­ture of worship, common to all the sorts of it.

2. The Kinds of it. Now Worship is of two kinds; Civil and Religious. Religi­ous worship is a special duty due to God, and commanded in the first Table. Civil Honour and Worship is commanded in the second Table. They are expressed by God­liness and Righteousness, 1 Tim. 6. 11. and Godliness and Honesty, 1 Tim. 2. 2.

1. For Religious worship. There is a twofold Religious worship; one when we are right for the object, and do only wor­ship the true God; this is required in the [Page 165] first Commandment. The other when we are right for the means, when we worship the true God by such means as he hath ap­pointed, not by an Image, Idol or outward representation. Opposite to this there is an evil Idolatrous sinful worship, when that which is due to the Creator is given to any Creature: which is primary or secondary. Primary when the Image or Idol is accoun­ted God, or worshipped as such; as the sottish Heathens do. Or secondary, when the Images themselves are not worshipped, as having any Godhead properly in them­selves, but as they relate to represent, or are made use of in the Worship of him who is accounted God; we shall find this done by the wiser Heathens, worshipping their Images, not as Gods themselves, but as in­tending to worship their gods in these and by these: so also among some who would be called Christians. Thus the represent­ing the true God by Images is condemned, Deut. 4. 15, 16, 17. Take ye good heed unto your selves, for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Ho­reb, out of the midst of the fire, lest ye corrupt your selves, and make you a graven Image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female. Again sinful Worship is twofold, more gross of Idols, representing false gods, [Page 166] called worshipping of devils; or more sub­til, when worship is given to Saints or Ho­ly men, Acts 10. 25, 26. As Peter was com­ming in Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, stand up, I my self also am a man, Acts 14. 14, 15. Paul and Barnabas when they heard this, rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out and say­ing, Sirs! why do you these things we also are men of like Passions with you, &c. Or to An­gels Rev. 22. 8. When Iohn fell at the An­gels feet to worship him, he said, see thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the Prophets.

2. Civil Worship is when we give men and Angels due Reverence, and

1. With respect to their stations and re­lations, whatever their qualifications be, as to Magistrates, Ministers, Parents, great Men; We are to Reverence and Honour them according to their degree and quali­ty; according to the fifth Commandment, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, 1 Thess. 5. 13. and to esteem them very highly in Love for their works sake. Or,

2. A reverential worshipping or esteem­ing them for their qualifications of Wisdom and Holiness, Acts 2. 47. Good men had [Page 167] favour with all the people. Such respect liv­ing Saints get, such Angels may have, when they appear, Gen. 18. 2. Abraham bowed himself towards the ground, and Gen. 19. 1. Lot rose up to meet them, and bowed himself with his face towards the ground.

Now whether the worship be Civil or Religious, may be gathered by the circum­stances thereof; as if the Act, End or other circumstances be Religious, the action or worship it self must be so also. It is one thing to bow the knee in salutation, ano­ther thing to bow in Prayer before an Image.

II. That worship is due to God. These two notions live and dye together; that God is, and that he ought to be worshipped. It appeareth by our Saviours reasoning, Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit and they that wor­ship him must worship him in spirit, and in Truth. He giveth directions about the man­ner of worship, but supposeth it, that he will be worshipped. When God had pro­claimed his name and manifested himself to Moses, Exod. 34. 8. Moses made hast, and bowed himself and worshipped. It is the crime charged upon the Gentiles, that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, Rom. 1. 21. They knew a divine power, [Page 168] but did not give him a worship at lest com­petent to his nature. God pleadeth his right, Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is mine honour? If I be a master where is my fear? And God who is the common Parent, and absolute Master of all must have both a Worship and Honour, in which Reverence and Fear is mixed with Love and Joy. So that if God be worship is certainly due to him. They that have no worship, are as if they had no God. The Psalmist proveth Atheism by that, Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God, and ver. 4. They call not upon God. The acknowledge­ment of a King doth imply subjection to his Laws; so doth the acknowledgment of his God imply a necessity of worshipping him.

III. That both Worship and Service is due to God, him shalt thou worship, and him shalt thou serve. The worship of God is both Internal and External: The Internal consist­eth in that Love and Reverence, which we owe to him; the External in those offices and duties, by which our honour and re­spect to God is signified and expressed. Both are necessary, both believing with the heart, and confession with the Mouth; Rom. 10. 9, 10. If thou shalt confess with thy [Page 169] mouth the Lord Iesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man belie­veth unto Righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. The soul and life of our Worship and Godliness ly­eth in our Faith, Love, Reverence, and Delight in God above all other things: the visible expression of it is in Invocation, Thanksgiving, Prayers and Sacraments, and other Acts of outward Worship. Now it is not enough, that we own God with the Heart, but we must own him with the Body also: In the Heart, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling, Psal. 2. 11. Such as will become the Greatness and Goodness of God; with outward and bo­dily worship you must now own him, in all those prescribed duties in which these Af­fections are acted. The spirit must be in it, and the body also. There are two extreams, some confine all their respect to God to bo­dily worship, and external Forms, Mat. 16. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their hearts are far from me. They use the external Rites of worship; but their Affecti­ons are no way suited to the God whom they Worship. It is the Heart must be the principal and chief Agent in the business, [Page 170] without which it is but the carcass of a duty without the life and the soul. The other Extream is, that we are not called to an ex­ternal bodily worship under the Gospel; why did he then appoint the Ordinances of Preaching, Prayer, Singing of Psalmes, Baptisme, and the Lords Supper? God that made the whole man, body and soul, must be worshipped of the whole man. There­fore besides the inward Affections, there must be external Actions, whereby we ex­press our Respect and Reverence to God.

IV. That both these, Religious Worship and Service are due to God alone. I prove it by these Arguments.

1. Those things which are due to God as God, are due to him alone, and no Crea­ture without Sacriledge can claim any part and fellowship in that Worship and Ado­ration, neither can it be given to any Crea­ture without Idolatry: but now Religious worship and service is due to God as God, he is thy Lord, and worship thou him, Psal. 45. 11. Our worship and service is due to him, not onely for his supereminent Excel­lency; but because of our Creation, Pre­servation and Redemption. Therefore we must worship and serve him, and him one­ly; Isa. 42. 8. I am the Lord, that is my [Page 171] name, and my glory will I not give to another, nor my praise to graven Images. God chal­lengeth it as Jehovah, the great self-being, from whom we have received Life and Breath, and all things. This Glory God will not suffer to be given to another. And therefore the Apostle sheweth the wretched estate of the Galatians, Chap. 4. 8. When ye knew not God, ye did service to them, that by nature are no Gods; that is, they worship­ped for Gods those things, which really were no Gods. There is no kind of Religi­ous worship or service, under any name whatsoever, to be given to any Creature, but to God only; for what is due to the Creator as Creator, cannot be given to the Creature.

2. The nature of Religious worship is such, that it cannot be terminated on any Object, but God; for it is a profession of our Dependance and Subjection. Now whatever invisible Power this worship is tendered unto, must be Omniscient, Omni­present, Omnipotent. Omniscient who knowes the Thoughts, Cogitations, secret purposes of our heart, which God alone doth, 1 King. 8. 39. Give unto every one according to his ways, whose heart thou know­est; for thou, even thou onely knowest the [Page 172] hearts of all the children of Men. It is Gods Prerogative to know the inward motions and thoughts of the heart, whether they be sincere or no in their professions of depen­dance and subjection. So Omnipresent, that he may be ready at hand to help us and relieve us, Ier. 23. 23, 24. Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar of? can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? saith the Lord, do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. The Palace of Heaven doth not so confine him and inclose him, but that he is present every where by his essential pre­sence, and powerful and efficacious Provi­dence. Besides Omnipotent, Psal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God most high, unto God who performeth all things for me. Alass! what a cold formality were prayer, if we should speak to those that know us not, and who are not near to help us, or have no suffici­ency of power to help us? Therefore these professions of dependance and subjection must be made to God alone.

3. To give Religious Worship to the Creatures, it is without command, with­out promise, and without Examples, and therefore without any Faith in the Wor­shipper, or acceptance of God. Where is there any command or direction, or ap­proved [Page 173] example of this in Scripture? God will accept onely what he commanded; and without a promise it will be unprofita­ble to us; and it is a superstitious Innovati­on of our own, to devise any Religious Worship, for which there is no example at all, whereby it may be recommended to us. Certainly no Action can be commend­ed to us as Godly, which is not prescribed of God, by whose Word and Institution every Action is sanctified, which otherwise would be common; and no Action can be profitable to us, which God hath not pro­mised to accept, or hath accepted from his people. But giving Religious worship to a Creature is of this Nature.

4. It is against the express command of God, the Threatning of Scripture, and the Examples recorded in the Word. Against express command of God, both the first, and second Commandments, the one re­specting the Object, the other the Means. That we must not serve other Gods, nor go after them, nor bow down unto them. It is against the Threatnings of the Word in all those places, where God is said to be a Iealous God. God is said to put on jealou­sie as a cloke, Isa. 59. 17. That is the upper and outmost Garment. He will be known, [Page 174] and plainly profess himself to be so. So Exod. 34. 14. The Lord, whose name is jea­lous, is a jealous God. Things are distin­guished from the same kind by their Names, as from different kinds by their Natures. Now from the [...], God will be di­stinguished by his Jealousie, that he will not endure any partners in his Worship. It is against Examples, Rev. 19. 10. and 22. 8. When I had heard, and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the Angel, which shewed me these things. And he said unto me, see thou do it not, &c. the Argument is, I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the say­ings of this book worship God.

USE.

1. To condemn those, who do not make conscience of the Worship of God. There are an irreligious sort of Men, that never call upon him, in publick, or in private; in the Family, or in the Closet; but wholly forget the God that made them, at whose expence they are maintained and kept. Wherefore had you reasonable Souls, but to praise, honour and glorifie your Creator? Surely if God be your God, that is, your [Page 175] Creator and Preserver, the duty will pre­sently fall upon you, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God. If you believe there is a God, why do not you call upon him? the neglect of his worship argueth doubting thoughts of his Being. For if there be such a supream Lord, to whom one day you must give an account, how dare you live without him in the World? all the Crea­tures glorifie him passively, but you have a heart and a tongue to glorifie him actually. Man is the mouth of the Creation, to return to God the praise of all that Wisdom, Good­ness and Power, which is seen in the things that are made. Now you should make one among the worshippers of God. An Hea­then could say, si essem luscinia, &c. Are you a Christian, and have such advantages to know more of God? And will you be dumb and tongue-tyed in his praises?

2, To condemn the Idolatry of the Pa­pists, Synesius said, that the Devil is, [...], that he rejoyceth in Idols. Here we see, what was the upshot of his Temptations, even to bring men to worship and bow down before something that is not God. Herein he was gratified by the Heathen Nations, and no less by the Papists; wit­ness [Page 176] their worshipping of Images, their In­vocation of the Virgin Mary, and other Saints, the adoring before the Bread in the Eucharist, &c. I know they have many E­vasions, but yet the stain of Idolatry sticketh so close to them, that all the water in the Sea will not wash them clean from it. This Text clearly stareth them in the face, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him one­ly shalt thou serve. Not Saints, not Angels, not Images, &c. They say Moses onely said, and Christ repeateth it from him, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, but not onely, so that the last clause is restrictive, not the first; but some worship may be given to the creature. Civil we grant but not Reli­gious, and Worship is the most important word. They distinguish of [...] and [...]; the devil demanded of Christ onely [...], fall down and worship me, not as the su­pream Author of all Gods Gifts, but as subordinate; all these things are delivered unto me; but then Christs words were not apposite to refute the Tempters Impudency. Besides, for the distinction of [...] & [...], the words are promiscuously used; so their distinction of Absolute and Relative Wor­ship, besides that they are groundless, they are unknown to the Vulgar, who promis­cuously [Page 177] give Worship to God, Saints, I­mages, Relicts. Some of the Learned of them have confessed this abuse and bewail­ed it; ‘Espencaeus a Sorbonist, Are they well and godly brought up, who being chil­dren of an hundred year old, that is, an­cient Christians, do no less attribute to the Saints, and trust in them, than to God himself, and that God himself is harder to be pleased and intreated than they?’ So George Cassander; ‘This false pernitious Opinion is too well known to have pre­vailed among the Vulgar, while wicked men, persevering in their naughtiness, are perswaded, that only by the Intercession of the Saints, whom they have chosen to be their Patrons, and worship with cold and prophane Ceremonies, they have pardon and Grace prepared them with God; which pernicious Opinion, as much as was possible, hath been confirmed by them by lying Miracles: and other men, not so evil, have chosen certain Saints to be their Patrons and Helpers, have put more confidence in their Merits and Inter­cession, than in the Merits of Christ, and have substituted into his place the Saints & Virgin Mother. Ludovicus Vives; There are many Christians, which worship Saints both Men and Women, no otherwise than [Page 178] they worship God; and I cannot see any difference between the opinion they had of their Saints and that the Gentiles had of their Gods.’ Thus far he, and yet Rome will not be purged.

3. Use is to exhort us to worship and serve the Lord our God, and him onely.

1. Let us worship him. Worship hath its rise and foundation in the heart of the worshipper, and especially Religious wor­ship, which is given to the All-knowing God. Therefore there must we begin, we must have high thoughts, and an high e­steem of God. Worship in the Heart is most seen in two things, Love and Trust. Love, Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. We worship God, when we give him such a Love as is superlative and transcendental, far above the love that we give to any other thing; that so our respect to other things may give way to our respect to God. The other Af­fection whereby we express our esteem of God is Trust; This is another Foundation of worship, Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times, pour out your hearts before him. Well then, inward Worship lyeth in these two things, delightful Adhaesion to God, and an intire dependance upon him. With­out [Page 179] this Worship of God we cannot keep up our service to him. Not without de­light, witness these Scriptures, Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himself in the almighty? will he alwayes call upon God? Isa. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me, O Iacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel! They that love God and delight in him, cannot be long out of his Company, they will seek all occasions to meet with God; as Iona­than and David, whose souls were knit to each other. So for dependance and Trust, it keepeth up service, for they that will not trust God, cannot be long true to him; Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. They that distrust Gods Promises, will not long hold out in Gods way; for dependance begets observance: when we look for all from him, we will often come to him, and take all out of his hands, and be careful how we offend him and displease him. What maketh the Chri­stian to be so sedulous and diligent in du­ties of worship? so awful and observant of God? his All cometh from God, both in life natural, and spiritual. In life natural, Psal. 145. 15, 16, 17, 18. The eyes of all things wait on thee, and thou givest them their food in due season. Thou openest thy hand, [Page 180] and satisfiest the desire of every living thing, &c. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he will hear their cry, and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that love him. Implying, That because their eyes are to him the Au­thor of all their blessings, therefore they call upon him and cry to him.

2. Serve him. That implyeth exter­nal Reverence and Worship. Now we are said to serve him, either with respect unto the duties which are more directly to be performed unto God, or with respect to our whole Conversation.

(1.) With respect unto the duties which are more directly to be performed unto God; such as the Word, Prayer, Praise, Thanksgiving, Sacraments. Surely these must be attended upon, because they are Acts of love to God, and Trust in God; and these holy Duties are the ways of God, wherein he hath promised to meet with his people, and hath appointed us to expect his Grace, and therefore they must not be neglected by us. Therefore serve him in these things, for Mar. 4. 24. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you. It is a rule of commerce between us and God.

[Page 181] (2.) In your whole Conversation, Luk. 1. 74, 75. That we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of our life. A Christians conver­sation is a continual Act of Worship; he ever behaveth himself as before God, doing all things, whether they be directed to God or Men, out of love to God, and fear of God, and so turneth second Table duties into first Table duties. Pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world, Iam. 1. 27. Eph. 5. 21. 22. Submitting your selves one to another in the fear of God. And next verse, Wives submit your selves, unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. So Alms are a Sacrifice, Heb. 13. 16. But to do good, and to communicate forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

3. Worship and serve God so, as it may look like Worship and service performed to God, and due to God onely, because of his Nature and Attributes. His Nature, Iohn 4. 24. God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth. When Hearts wander, and Affections do not answer Expressions, is this like worship and service done to an All seeing Spirit. His Attributes; Greatness, Goodness, Holiness.

[Page 182] (1.) His Greatness and glorious Ma­jesty, Heb. 12. 28. Let us serve him accepta­bly, with Reverence and godly Fear. Then is there a stamp of Gods Majesty on the duty.

(2.) His Goodness and Fatherly Love, Psal. 100. 2. Serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with singing.

(3.) His Holiness, 2 Tim. 1. 3. I thank God whom I serve from my forefathers, with pure conscience. 2 Tim. 2. 22. With them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Doct. I. That the dayes of Gods peoples Conflicts and Trials will not alwayes last.

There are alternative changes and vici­ssitudes in their condition upon Earth; sometimes they are vexed with the coming of the Tempter, and then incouraged and cheared by the presence of Angels: after stormes come dayes of Joy and Gladness; the devil departeth, and the angels came and ministred to him. So Psal. 34. 19. Many are the afflictions of the Righteous, but the [Page 191] Lord delivereth him out of them all. Here is their present conflict, and their final con­quest. Look on a Christian on his dark side, and there are Afflictions, and Afflicti­ons many for number and kind; look on his luminous part, and there is the Lord to take care of him, to deliver him, and the deliverance is compleat, the Lord delivereth him out of them all. God will put an end to their conflict sooner or later, sometimes visibly in this Life, or if he doth not deli­ver them till death, or from death, he will deliver them by death; then he delivereth them from all sin and misery at once, for death is theirs. The Reasons are these,

1. God considereth what will become Himself, his Pity, and Fidelity.

1. His own Pity and Mercy, Iames 5. 11. Ye have heard of the patience of Iob, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. God will give an happy end to our Conflicts and Trials, as he did to Iob, that he may be known to be a God pitiful and merciful: Iob is set up as a publick visible Instance, and Monument of Gods tender Mercy. We must not measure our Afflictions by the smart, but the end of them; what the mer­ciful God will do at length: the beginning [Page 192] is from Satan, but the end from the Lord. If we look to the beginning, we draw an ill picture of God in our Minds, as if he were harsh, severe, and cruel to his Crea­tures, yea, to his best servants; but in the end we find him very tender of his people, and that sense hath made lies of God. At the very time when we think God hath forgot­ten us, he is ready to hear and to remove the trouble, Psal. 31. 22. I said in my hast, I am cut off, nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications. The Son of God was hungry, transported and carried to and fro by the Devil, from the pinacle of the Temple to an high Mountain, tempted by a blasphemous suggestion to fall down and worship the impure spirit; but at length the devil leaveth him, and the angels came and ministred to him.

2. His Fidelity, which will not permit him to suffer you to be tempted above mea­sure. We do not stand to the devils cour­tesie, to tempt us as long as he list, but are in the hands of the Faithful God, 1 Cor. 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but what is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it, what a heap of consolations are there [Page 193] in that one place, as (1.) That temptations are but ordinary and to be looked for: there is no [...], but it is [...], incident to humane nature; it hath nothing extraor­dinary in it. If the Son of God in humane Nature was not exempted, why should we expect a priviledge apart to our selves, not common to others? (2.) That God's con­duct is gentle, he inflicteth nothing, and permitteth nothing to be inflicted upon you beyond measure, and above strength; but as Iacob drove as the little ones were able to bear, so God proportioneth Tryals to our strength. Before you have final deli­verance, you shall have present support. (3.) That he will together with the temp­tation give [...], a passage out, a way to escape. And all this is assured to us by his faithfulness; the conflict shall be tolerable, when it is at the highest, and the end com­fortable. God doth bridle the malice and hatred of Satan, and his instruments; he hath taken an obligation upon himself to do so, that he may omit no part of his care to­wards us. A good man will not overbur­then his Beast.

2. The Lord considereth also our frailty, both with respect to natural and spiritual strength.

[Page 194] 1. Natural strength. The Psalmist tel­leth us, that he will not alwayes chide and keep his anger for ever, Psalm 103. 9. Why? One Reason is, that he knoweth our frame, and remembreth we are dust, verse 14. He may express his just displeasure, and cor­rect us for our sins for a while; but he ta­keth off his punishing hand again, because he knoweth we are soon apt to faint and fail, being but a little enlivened dust, of a weak constitution, not able to endure long troubles and vexations. Iob pleadeth chap. 6. 12. Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? We have not strength to subsist under perpetual troubles, but are soon broken and subdued by them.

2. With respect to spiritual strength, the best are subject to great infirmities, which oft betray us to sin, if our vexations be great and long, Psal. 125. 3. The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands to ini­quity. The oppressions of wicked men shall not be so lasting and durable, as that the temptations should be of too great force; this might shake the constancy of the best. He knoweth nothing in Divini­ty, that knoweth not that God worketh [Page 195] congruously, and attempereth his Provi­dence to our strength, and so will not only give an increase of internal Grace, but lessen and abate the outward temptation; that his external Government conduceth to the preservation of the Saints, as well as his internal, by supporting their spirits with more liberal aides of Grace. Therefore God will cause the temptation to cease, when it is overprossing. But all must be left to his Wisdom and holy methods.

3. With respect to the Devil and his in­struments, to whose malice he sets bounds, who otherwise would know no mea­sure.

(1.) For the devil see Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer, be­hold! the devil shall cast some of you into pri­son, that you may be tryed, and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes. Mark how they are comforted against the persecution coming upon them; partly because the cause was clearly Gods, for all this trouble was by the instigation of the devil, making use of his instruments, Eph. 2. 2. he is called the Prince of the power of the Air, the spirit that worketh in the Children, of disobedience; partly because the persecution raised would [Page 196] not be universal, some of you, not all; and those not persecuted unto the death, but onely cast into prison; partly from the end, that they should be tryed, it was not penal or castigatory but probatory. The devil would destroy you, but God would suffer you only to be tryed, so that they should come forth like the three Children out of the furnace, without singing of their garments; or like Daniel out of the Lyons Den, without a scratch or maim; or as Christ here, the devil got not one jot of ground upon him; partly from the durati­on, ten dayes, that is in Prophetical ac­count ten years, reckoning each day for a year, Numb. 14. 34. It was not long the sad­dest afflictions will have an end. All which sheweth how God bridleth and moderat­eth the rage of Satan, and his evil influ­ence.

(2.) For his instruments God saith Zech. 1. 15. I am very sorely displeased with the Heathen that were at ease; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. The instruments of Gods cha­stisements lay on without mercy, and being of cruel minds, and destructive intenti­ons, which are heightned in them by Sa­tan, are severe executioners of Gods wrath; [Page 197] and if God did not restrain them by the in­visible chains of his Providence, we should never see good day more. Well then you see the reasons why the Children of God, though they have many troubles and con­flicts, yet they are not everlasting trou­bles.

Use of Instruction to the People of God. It teacheth them three Lessons, Comfort, Patience, Obedience.

1. Comfort and encouragement to them that are under a gloomy day, this will not alwayes last; he may try you for a while and you may be under great conflicts, and wants, and difficulties, as he tryed the Wo­man of Canaan with discouraging answers, but at last, Woman! great is thy Faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt, Matth. 15. 28. He tryed his Disciples, when he meant to feed the multitude, Iohn 6. 5, 6. Whence shall we buy bread, that all these may eat? This he said to prove them, for he himself knew what he would do. A poor Believer is tryed Children increase, Trading grows dead in hard times, how shall so many mouths be filled? He promiseth Abraham a numerous posterity, but for a great while he goeth [Page 198] childless. He promiseth David a Kingdom yet for a while he is fain to shift for his Life, and skulk up and down in the Wil­derness. He intended to turn water in­to Wine, but first all the store must be spent. He meaneth to revive the hearts of his contrite ones, but for a while they lye under great doubts and fears, Moses his hand must be made leprous before it wrought miracles. Jesus loved Lazarus and meant to recover him, but he must be dead first. But I must not run too far! There will be tedious conflicts and tryals, but yet there is hope of deliverance; God is willing and God is able. He is willing, because he is sufficiently inclined to it by the grace and favour that he beareth his people, Psal. 149. 4. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people, he will beautifie the meek with salvation. The Lord loveth their persons, and he loveth their Prosperity and Happiness, Psal. 35. 27. He hath pleasure in the prosperity of his Servants. He is able either as to wisdom or power. Wisdom, 2 Pet. 2. 7. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation. Many times we know not which way, but God knoweth, he is never at a loss. Then for his Power, power hath a twofold notion, of Authority, and Might. [Page 199] He hath Authority enough, the soveraign Dominion of God is a great prop to our Faith, all things in the World are at his disposal to use them for his own Glory, Psal. 44. 4. Command deliverances for Ia­cob; Angels, Devils, Men, the Hearts of the greatest men are all at his command. He hath might and strength, Dan. 3. 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, and what then can let?

2. Patience, we must be contented with the Son of God to tarry his leisure, and un­dergo our course of tryal; as Christ pati­ently continued till enough was done to in­struct the Church, Isaiah 28. 16. He that believeth will not make hast. The people of God miscarry in their hast, Psal. 31. 22. I said in my hast, I am cut off, but thou heard­est the voice of my supplication, Psalm 116. 11. I said in my hast all men are lyers, even Sa­muel and all the Prophets who had assured him of the Kingdom. It will come in the best time when it cometh in God's time; neither too soon, nor too late; it will come sooner then your Enemies would have it, sooner than second causes seem to promise, sooner than you deserve, soon enough to discover the Glory of God to you, Psal. 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord, and [Page 200] he enclined unto me, and heard my cry. God will not fail a waiting soul, his delay is no denyal, nor a sign of want of love to you, Iohn 11. 5. Iesus loved Lazarus, and yet verse 6. When he had heard that he was sick, he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was. It may come sooner than you ex­pect, Psal. 94. 18. When I said my foot slip­peth thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. David was apt to think all was gone, help would never come more to him, and in that very season God delivered him.

3. Obedience, the Son of God submitted to the Holy Spirit, while the impure Spi­rit tempted him. If you would look for a ceasing of the conflict, do as he did, carry it humbly, fruitfully, faithfully to God.

1. Humble carriage will become you under your conflicts, 1 Pet. 5. 6. Hum­ble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. The stubborness of the Child maketh his correction double to what it otherwise would be. The more submissive you are, the more the cross hath its effect, whether you will or no, you must passively submit to God.

[Page 201] 2. Carry it fruitfully, otherwise you ob­struct the kindness of the Lord. He prov­eth us, that we may be fruitful, Iohn 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. The Rod hath done its work, when it maketh us more holy; then the comfor­table dayes come, Heb. 12. 11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheless afterward it yield­eth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them, which are exercised thereby. Righte­ousness brings peace along with it, inward and outward. This maketh amends for the trouble. Then God beginneth to take it off.

3. Carry it faithfully to God, still oppo­sing sin and satan; for the more you give way to satan, the more you are troubled with him, and your misery is increased not lessened. But if you repel his temptations, he is discouraged, Eph. 4. 27. Neither give place to the Devil. The devil watcheth for a door to enter, and takes possession of your hearts, that he may exercise his former Ty­ranny. If he gaineth any ground he makes fearful havock in the soul, and weakneth [Page 202] not only our comfort but our Grace. There­fore imitate Christs resolution and resistance here. But this will deserve a point by it self. Therefore

II. Doctrine, When the Devil is tho­roughly and resolutely resisted he de­parteth.

As here, when the adversary was put to the foil he went his way. Therefore this is often pressed upon us in Scripture, Iames 4. 7. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. If you resist his suggestions to malice, envy, and strife, he is discouraged. So 1 Pet. 5. 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith. We must not fly nor yeild to him in the least, but stoutly and peremptorily resist him in all his temptations. If you stand your ground satan falleth. In this spiritual con­flict satan hath only weapons offensive, cun­ning wiles, and fiery darts, none defensive; a believer hath weapons both offensive and defensive, sword and shield, &c. therefore our safety lyeth in resisting.

About which is to be considered,

• 1. What kind of Resistance this must be.
• 2. Arguments to perswade and enforce it.
• [Page 203] 3. What Graces enable us in this Re­sistance.

1. For the kind of Resistance.

1. It must not be faint and cold. Some kind of Resistance may be made by general and common Graces; the light of nature will rise up in defyance of many sins, espe­cially at first before men have sinned away natural light, or else the Resistance at least is in some cold way. But it must be earnest and vehement as against the enemy of God, and our Souls. Pauls Resistance in his con­flicts was with serious dislikes, and deep groans, Rom. 7. 19. The good that I would I do not, but the evil which I would not, that I do, and verse 24. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! In apparent cases a detestation, and vehement indignation is enough, get thee be­hind me Satan! In other cases there need strong Arguments and Considerations, that the temptation may not stick, when the tempter is gone; as the smutch remaineth of a candle stuck against a stone wall. When Eve speaketh faintly and coldly, the devil reneweth the assault with the more violence, Gen. 3. 3. Ye shall not eat of it, [Page 204] neither shall ye touch it, lest ye dye. As to the restraint she speaketh warmly, and with some impatiency of resentment, not eat, nor touch: in the Commination too coldly, lest ye dye, when God had said, ye shall sure­ly dye. A faint denial is a kind of grant: therefore slight Satans assaults with indig­nation. Though the dog barketh the Traveller passeth on. Satan cannot en­dure contempt. At other times argue for God stoutly; thy Soul and eternal con­cernments are in danger. No worldly concernment ought to go so near to us as that which concerneth our eternal good, and the Salvation of our souls. What would the devil have from thee but thy soul, and its pretious enjoyments, Peace of Conscience, Hope of Everlasting Life? What doth he bid? worldly vanities. As the Merchant putteth up his wares with in­dignation, when the chapman biddeth an unworthy price.

2. It must be a through resistance of all sin, take the little Foxes, dash Babylons brats against the stones. Lesser sticks set the great ones on fire. The devil cannot hope to prevail for great things presently: at first it is, hath God said? and then, ye [Page 205] shall not surely dye. The approaches of Sa­tan to the Soul are gradual, he asketh a little, it is no great matter. Consider the evil of a temptation is better kept out than gotten out. Many think to stop after they have yielded a little; but when the stone at the top of an Hill begins to role down­ward, it is hard to stay it, and you cannot say, how far you shall go. I'le yeild but once saith a deceived heart; i'le yield but a little, and never yield again. The devil will carry thee further and further, till he hath not left any tenderness in thy Consci­ence. Some that thought to venture but a shilling, by the witchery of Gaming have played away all: so some have sinned away all principles of Conscience.

3. It must not be for a while but con­tinued; not only to stand out against the first assault, but a long siege. What Satan cannot gain by Argument, he seeketh to gain by importunity; but resist him stedfast in the Faith: as his instrument spake to Io­seph, day by day, Gen. 39. 10. Our thoughts by time are more reconciled to evil. Now we must keep up our zeal to the last. To yield at last is to lose the Glory of the con­flict. [Page 206] Therefore rate away the importu­nate futor, as Christ doth.

II. Arguments to perswade it.

1. Because he cannot overcome you without your own consent. The wicked are taken captive by him at his will and plea­sure, 2 Tim. 2. 26. because they yeild themselves to his temptations, like the young man, Prov. 7. 22. He goeth after her straightway, as an Ox goeth to the slaugh­ter, and as a fool to the correction of the stocks. There is a Consent or at least there is not a powerful Dissent. Satan's power lyeth not in a constraining efficacy, but perswasive allurement.

2. The sweetness of victory will recom­pence the trouble of Resistance, it is much more pleasing to deny a temptation, than to yield to it; the pleasure of sin is short­lived, but the pleasure of self-denyal is Eternal.

3. Grace the more it is tryed and exer­cised, the more it is evidenced to be right and sincere, Rom. 5. 3, 4, 5. Knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience [Page 207] experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, which is given to us. It is a comfortable thing to know that we are of the Truth, and to be able to assure our hearts before God.

4. Grace is strengthned when it hath stood out against a Tryal. As a Tree sha­ken with fierce Winds is more fruitful, its Roots being loosned. Satan is a loser and you a gainer by temptations, wherein you have approved your fidelity to God: as a man holdeth a stick the faster when another seeketh to wrest it out of his hands.

5. The more we resist Satan the greater will our reward be 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness. The danger of the battle will encrease the joy of the victory; as the dangers of the way make home the sweeter. There will a time come, when he that is now a Souldier will be a Conqueror, Rom. 16. 20. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

[Page 208] 6. Where Satan gets possession, after he seemeth to be cast out, he returneth with the more violence and tyrannizeth the more, Matth. 12. 45. Then goeth he and taketh with himself, seven other spirits more wicked then himself, and they enter in, and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

7. The Lords Grace is promised to him that resisteth. God keepeth us from the evil one, but it is by our watchfulness and resistance; his power maketh it effectual. We are to strive against sin and keep our selves, and God keepeth us by making our keeping effectual.

III. What are the Graces, that enable us in this Resistance? I Answer, the three fundamental Graces, Faith, Hope, and Love, so the spiritual Armour is represent­ed, 1 Thess. 5. 8. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breast-plate of Faith and Love, and for an helmet the hope of Salvation.

1. A strong Faith, 1 Pet. 5. 9. Whom resist, stedfast in the Faith. This is in the general a sound belief of Eternity, or a deep [Page 209] sense of the World to come. When we believe the Gospel with an assent so strong, as constantly to adhere to the duties pre­scribed, and to venture all upon the hopes offered therein.

2. A fervent love arising out of the sense of our obligations to God, that we do with all readiness of mind set our selves to do his will, levelling and directing our actions to his glory. Love is strong as death, and ma­ny waters cannot quench love, neither can the flouds drown it, Cant. 8. 6, 7. This love will neither be bribed, nor frightned from Christ.

3. A lively Hope, that doth so long and wait for glory to come, that present things do not greatly move us; either delights, 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love, in whom though now ye see him not, yet be­lieving ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory; or the terrors of sense, Rom. 8. 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this life are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall be revealed in us.

III. Doctrine, That those that come out of eminent conflicts are usually delivered by God in a glorious manner.

Christ was a pattern of this, The devil leaveth him, and behold! Angels came and ministred unto him. When God delivered his people after a long captivity, he deli­vered them with glory, and some kind of triumph, when he turned the Egyptian Cap­tivity, they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment. And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required; and they spoiled the Egyptians, Exod, 12. 35, 36. So in the Babylonian Captivity, Cyrus chargeth his subjects in the place where the Jews re­main, to furnish them with all things ne­cessary for their journey, Ezek. 1. 4. And whosoever remaineth in any place, where he so­journeth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the free-will-offering for the house of God, that is in Ierusalem. So in a private instance, Iob 42. 10, 11. And the Lord turned the captivity of Iob, when he prayed for his Friends: also the [Page 211] Lord gave Iob twice as much as he had be­fore. Then came there unto him all his bre­thren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house, and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; every man also gave him a piece of mony, and every one an ear-ring of gold. It is said the Lord turned the captivity of Iob, because he had been delivered to Satans power, till the Lord set him at Liberty again, and then all his Friends had compassion on him, even those that had despised him before releived him. So Isaiah 61. 7. For your shame you shall have double, and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion; therefore in their Land they shall possess the double, Ever­lasting joy shall be unto them. They should have large and eminent Honour, double honour for their shame, such a reparation would God make them for all the troubles and dammages they had sustained. So in an ordinary Providence God raiseth up comforters to his servants, after all the inju­ries done them by satan's instruments. And so also in spirituals the grief and trouble that cometh by Temptation is recompensed with more abundant consolation after the [Page 212] conquest and victory; and God delight­eth to put special marks of favour upon his people, that have been faithful in an hour of Tryal. Now God doth this,

1. To shew the World the advantage of Godliness, and close adhering to him in an hour of temptation, Psalm 119. 56. This I had because I kept thy precepts. And Psalm 58. 11. So that a man shall say, verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily he is a God that judgeth in the Earth.

2. To check our diffidence and murmur­ings under trouble. Within a while and Gods Children will see, they have no cause to quarrel with God, or repent that they were in trouble. For sometimes God giveth not only a comfortable but a glorious issue. There is nothing lost by waiting on Provi­dence, though we abide the blows of Sa­tan for a while, yet abide them; God is it may be preparing the greater mercy for you, Isaiah 25. 9. And it shall be said in that day, lo! this is our God, we have wait­ed for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation. Afflicti­ons are sharp in their season, but the end is glorious.

IV. Doctrine, That God maketh use of the Ministery of Angels in supporting and comforting his afflicted servants.

He did so to Christ, he doth so to the people of Christ. Partly for the defence and comfort of the Godly, Ps. 34. 7. The An­gel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them, Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring spirits, sent forth to minister to them, who shall be the heirs of Salvation. Their Ministry is now invisible but yet certain. And partly also for the terror of their Enemies. When David had said, The Lord hath chosen the hill of Sion to dwell in, Psalm 68. 16. he adds verse 17. The Chariots of God are twen­ty thousand, even thousands of Angels, im­plying, that no Kingdom in the World hath such defence, and such potent and nume­rous Armies as the Church hath, and the Kingdom of Christ; God hath fixed his residence there, and the Angels serve him, and attend upon him, and he will be no less terrible to his foes in Sion, that op­pose the Gospel, than he shewed himself in Sinai, when he gave the Law. Where the King is there his attendants are; so [Page 215] where Christ is the Courtiers of Heaven take up their station. Now Christ is with his Church to the end of the World; there­fore these thousands of Angels are there ready to be employed by him. Now we may be sure of this Ministry.

1. They delight in the Preaching of the Gospel, and the explication of the myste­ries of Godliness, 1 Pet. 1. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into, Eph. 3. 10. To the end that now unto the principali­ties and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God.

2. They delight in the Holy Conversa­tion of the Godly; as they are offended with all impurity, filthyness, and ungodli­ness. If good men be offended at the sins of the wicked, as Lots righteous soul was vexed from day to day with their ungodly deeds, 2 Pet. 2. 8. much more are these holy spirits, especially when all things are irregularly carryed in the worship of God, 1 Cor. 11. 10. For this cause ought the wo­man to have power on her head, because of the Angels, 1 Tim. 5. 21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ, and the [Page 216] Elect Angels, that thou observe these things, without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.

3. They fight against the devil and de­fend the godly in their extream dangers. When the devil cometh into the Church of God, like a Wolf into the flock, they op­pose and resist him. Therefore there is said to be War in Heaven, that is in the Church between Michael and his Angels, and the devil and his Angels, Rev. 12. 7. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his An­gels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his Angels. In the highest hea­ven there is no War. In short the Angels and Believers, make one Church, under one Head, Christ; and at length shall both live together in the same place.

Why doth God make use of the Ministry of Angels? and how far?

1. To manifest unto them the greatness, and glory of his work in the recovering Mankind, that their delight in the Love and Wisdom of God may be increased. All holy Creatures delight in any manifestation of God, the Angels more especially, 1 Pet. [Page 217] 1. 12. Which things the angels desire to look into. And Eph. 3. 11. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in hea­venly places may be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Though they themselves be not the parties interested, the spectators not the guests; yet they are de­lighted in the glory of God, and are kindly affectionated to the salvation of lost men; and that they may have a nearer view of this mistery God gratifieth them by send­ing them often to attend upon the dispen­sation of the Gospel, and to assist in it so far, as is meet for Creatures. They are present in our Assemblies; see 1 Cor. 11. 10. 1 Tim. 5. 21. they see who is negligent in his office, who hindreth the preaching of the Gospel; they observe what is the suc­cess of it, and when it obtaineth its effect; Luk. 15. 7. There shall be joy in heaven over one sinner that repeteth. They are hereby more excited to praise and glorifie God, and are careful to vouchsafe their attendance about the meanest that believe in him, Psal. 91. 11, 12. He shall give his angels charge o­ver thee, to keep thee in all thy wayes. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

[Page 218] 2. To maintain a society and communi­on between all the parts of the family of God. When God gathered together the things in Heaven and in Earth, he brought all into subjection and dependance upon one common head, Jesus Christ; Eph. 1. 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him. Men by Adopti­on, Angels by Transition are taken into the family of Christ. Now there is some inter­course between the several parts thereof; our goodness extendeth not to them, but is confined to the Saints on earth, in whom should be our delight, yet their help may be useful to us, they being such excellent and glorious Creatures; But we are forbid­den to invoke them, or trust in them. God doth imploy them in the Affairs of his peo­ple. Their help is not the fruit of our trust in them, but their obedience to God; and it is seen in frustrating the endeavors of Satan and his Instruments, and other ser­vices wherein Christ employeth them. God shewed this to Iacob in the Vision of the Ladder, which stood upon Earth, and the top reached to heaven, a figure of the Pro­vidence of God, especially in and about the [Page 219] Gospel, Ioh. 1. 51. Hereafter you shall see the heaven open, and the angels of God ascend­ing and descending upon the son of man. To carry on the work of the Gospel, and to promote the glory and interest of Christs Kingdom in the World. Thus far in the general we may be confident of.

3. To preserve his people from many dangers and casualties, which fall not with­in the foresight of man, God imployeth the watchers, as they are called in the book of Daniel, chap. 4. 13, 17. for he is tender of his people, and doth all things by proper means. Now the Angels having a larger foresight than we, they are appointed to be Guardians. This they do according to Gods pleasure, preventing many dangers, which we could by no means foresee. They observe the devil in all his walkes, and God useth them to prevent his sudden surprizals of his people, as Instances are many.

4. Because they are witnesses of the O­bedience and Fidelity of Christs disciples, and so far as God permitteth, they cannot but assist them in their conflicts. Thus Paul, 1 Cor. 4. 9. We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels and to men. [Page 220] Now the Angels, that are witnesses to their combates and sufferings, cannot but make report to God, Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my father, which is in hea­ven. The Angels which are appointed by God to be their Guardians have their con­tinual recourses and returns to Gods glori­ous presence. Now being so high in Gods favour, and having continual access to make their requests and complaints known to him, they will not be silent in the behalf of their fellow-servants, that either the tri­al may be lessened, or grace sufficient may be given to them.

5. They do not only keep off hurt, but there are many blessings and benefits, that we are partakers of by their ministry. As the Angel of the Lord delivered Peter out of Prison, Acts 12. 7. And behold the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison; and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly; and his chains fell off from his hands, &c. but he doth not give thanks to the Angel, but to God, ver. 11. Now I know of a sure­ty that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath [Page 221] delivered me, &c. He directeth it to God, not to the creature. The Angels do us many favours, all the thanks we do them is, that we do not offend them by our sins a­gainst God, other gratitude, they expect not.

6. Their last office is at Death and Judg­ment. In death to convey our souls to Christ, Luk. 16. 22. And it came to pass, that the beggar dyed, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom, that so we may enjoy our rest in heaven. In the last day they will gather the bodies of Christs Re­deemed ones from all parts of the World, after they have been resolved into dust, and mingled with the dust of other men, that every Saint may have his own body again, wherein he hath obeyed and glorified God. Matth. 24. 31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. That is, from all parts and quarters of the World, that their Souls may return to their old be­loved habitations, and then both in body and in soul they may be for ever with the Lord.

Doct. V. If God taketh away ordinary helpes from us, he can supply us by means Extraordinary.

As he did Christ's hunger by the Ministry of Angels. Therefore till Gods power be wasted, there is no room for despair. We must not limit the Holy One of Israel to our ways and means, as they did, Psal. 78. 41. They turned back, and tempted God, and li­mited the Holy One of Israel.

Application.

Use, To Reprove our feeble remiss and benummed Requests. There is no Life in our Prayers, no working up of the Heart to God and Heaven, no flames of Love, no Transports of Soul by the Vision and sight of Faith, no holy and ardent desires after God or spiritual Solace and Delight in him.

Reasons.

1. We pray Cursorily, and go about Prayer as a Customary Task for Fashions sake; we come with a few cold Devotions Morning and Evening, and so God is near in our Mouthes, and far from our Reins, Ier. 12. 2. Oh take heed of this; nothing breeds slightness and hardness of Heart so much as Perfunctory Praying. The Rule [Page 42] is continue instant in Prayer, Rom. 12. 12. and it is said of the Saints that they served God instantly day and night, [...], Acts 26. 7. that they might come to the Blessed Hope, with the united Service of all their Powers and Faculties.

2. Our Prayers are Doctrinal and Instru­ctive, rather than Affectionate and Warm­ing. We get Light by other Duties, but we should get Life by Prayer, this Duty is not to inform the Judgment, but to raise the Affections, that they may be all Flame; other duties are feeding duties, but this is a spending duty; an egression of the Soul after God, Psal. 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee. A Man may better spend two hours in Hearing, than half an hour in Pray­ing, if the Heart be employed in it as it ought to be, in the fight of God, and an earnest desire after him: The Prayers in scripture are all supplications or doxologies, there is no excursion into Doctrines and In­structions.

3. Else we are lamenting sin, and spend the time in confessing sin, which also hath its use in the seasons thereof, but are seldom in Praises or Adorations of the Excellencies of God, and the wonderful Mysteries of his Love in our Redemption by Jesus Christ, yet it is said Psal. 22. 3. Oh Lord that inha­bitest [Page 43] the praises of Israel. These are the things that do most ravish the heart, and raise it in the Contemplation of that glorious God to whom we speak; and fill us with the Extasies of Love, that we may be more like him, Holy, Wise, and Good, as he is Holy, Wise and Good.

4. We think a dry Narrative to be e­nough, that is, the fruit of a humane spirit or a meer product of Memory and Inven­tion, is a sufficient Prayer, without acting Faith, Hope or Love in it, or those spiritu­al and heavenly desires, which are the Life of Prayer, Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble, thou wilt pre­pare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear. The Ardency of Humble Addresses, is Gods own Gift, and he will never reject and despise those requests that by his own spirit and appointment, are direct and brought to him.

But what if I have not those strong and earnest desires? I answer, yet keep not off from Prayer; for

1. Good desires must be asked of God, for it is said he prepareth the Heart.

2. Such desires as we have must be ex­pressed, and that is the way to encrease them, and to quicken us more. A sincere Heart that would serve God with his best, [Page 44] findeth more in a duty, than he could expect: and by Praying gets more of the fervency and Ardours of praying, as a Bell may be long a raising, but when it is up it jangleth not as it did at first.

3. Those cold Affections which we have are killed by disuse and turning away from God, therefore go to him to get thy heart warmed.

II. Of the second Consideration. If he prayed for this Transfiguration, Observe,

That God often answereth his People in the very time while they are praying, Isa. 58. 9. When they call I will answer, and when they cry he shall say, Hear I am. This hath been the course of Gods dealing with the Prayer makers all along; Abel, Gen. 4. 4. God had respect to; it is [...], set his offer­ing on fire. Daniel prayeth, and saith he, Dan. 9. 21. While I was speaking in Prayer the Angel Gabriel was sent unto me. And he said, at the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth. While many of the Disciples were gathered together pray­ing, God sent Peter to them, Acts 12. 12, 13. While Cornelius, was in the Act of Pray­er, at the ninth hour of the day, which was the Hour of Prayer, he saw in a Vision the [Page 45] Angel of God, Acts 10. 3. to 9th. ver. while Peter went up to the house top to pray, then he had the Heavenly Vision; so when Paul was in Prayer Ananias was sent to him, Acts 9. 11. Behold he Prayeth, and then God taketh care of him, so Acts 4. 31. When they had prayed, the house was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. Thus God delighteth to Honour his own Ordi­nance, and to reward the waiting soul, that is frequent and constant in this way of wait­ing upon God, which should encourage us to be more frequent and serious in this work. You shall see how in the very Act of Prayer God hath, (1.) Averted Iudg­ments, (2.) Bestowed Mercies and Fa­vours.

1. He hath put a stop to Judgments; Psal. 99. 6, 7, 8. Moses and Aaron among the priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his Name. They called upon the Lord, and he answered them; he spake unto them in the cloudy pillar, they kept his testimonies and the ordinance that he gave them. Thou answer­est them, Oh Lord our God, thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest Venge­ance of their Inventions. The drift of the Psalmist in this place, is to shew by eminent Instances of Holy Men that were most no­table [Page 46] for Prayer, how they have stopped Judgments when they begun to be execut­ed. Moses, at his Prayer God was propi­tiated, after the provocation of the Golden Calf; for it is said, Exod. 32. 11. Moses besought the Lord his God. Verse 14. The Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do. The second, Aarons making an Atone­ment for the People whereby the Plague was staid; Numb. 16. 46. Take a Censer quickly, for wrath is begun. And Verse 48. presently the Plague was staid; upon Samuels prayer the Philistines were discom­fited when they were over-running Israel, 1 Sam. 7. 5. with 9, 10. ver. With every one of these God was pleased to talk and commune as a Friend; such Honour was God pleased to put on these his Faith­ful Servants, and when the people had pro­voked God, and Gods wrath was already gone out against them for their crying sins, their prayers were so effectual as to divert the plagues and obtain Remission.

2. So powerful also are they for obtain­ing Blessings, Elijah, Iam. 5. 17, 18. though a man of like passions with us, yet he could lock Heaven, and open it at his pleasure, 1 King 18. 42, 45. The Rain came as soon as Elijah put himself into a zealous posture to obtain it. Often success hath overtaken [Page 47] the prayer; and the Blessing has been got­ten before the supplication hath been end­ed; Isaac went out to meet with God to meditate or pray, and he espied Rebecca a­far off, Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answer, and whilst they are yet speaking, I will hear. Oh therefore let us not entertain hard thoughts of God, as if he did not re­gard our suites and requests, and prayer were a lost Labour.

II. I come now to the Transfiguration it self, as it is here propounded and ex­plained.

Doct. That one necessary and solemn Act of Christs Mediation and Manifestation to the World, was his Transfiguration before competent Witnesses.

This was one solemn Act, and part of Christs Manifestation to the World, for we have the Record of it here; and it was ne­cessary, for Christ doth nothing in vain; and here are competent Witnesses, three persons of eminent Holiness, before whom all this was done, and they were Eye-wit­nesses of his Majesty, and Ear-witnesses of the Oracle, which they heard from Heaven, or the Voice from the excellent Glory.

[Page 48] I shall open,

First, The Nature of this Transfiguration.

Secondly, The Ends of it.

First, The Nature of this Transfiguration. It was a Glorious Alteration in the Appear­ance and Qualities of his Body; not a sub­stantial Alteration in the Substance of it: It was not a change wrought in the Essen­tial form and substance of Christ's Body, but onely the outward form was changed, being more full of Glory and Majesty, then it used to be or appeared to be.

Two things are to be handled;

• 1. How it differed from his Body at ano­ther time, whilst he Conversed here on Earth.
• 2. How this change differed from the State of his Body as it is now in Glory.

1. How his Body now Transfigured, dif­fered from his Body at other times during his Conversing with Men. Though the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him always, yet the state of his Body was disposed so, as might best serve for the decency of Hu­mane Conversation; as the Sun in a Rainy Cloudy day is not seen, but now as it might [Page 49] cover his Divine Nature, it would break out in Vigor and Strength.

(1.) It was not a Change or Alteration of the substance of the Body, as if it were turned into a Spiritual Substance; no, it remained still a true Humane Mortal Body with the same Nature and Properties it had before, onely it became bright and glo­rious.

2. As the substance of the Body was not changed, so the Natural Shape and Features were not changed, otherwise how could it be known to be Christ, the shape and Fea­tures were the same, onely a new and won­derful splendor put upon them.

(3.) This new and wonderful splendor was not in Imagination and Appearance onely, but real and sensible. If it had been in Imagination, shew and Appearance, it would make Christ like those Deceivers who would dazle the Eyes of Beholders with a false Appearance; as Magical Impo­stors, or those Apish Imitators of Divine Glory; as Herod, Agrippa, of whom we read Acts 12. 21, 22, 23. how he appeared in Royal State and made an Oration, and they said, the voice of a God, and not of a Man. Iosephus telleth us the manner how he sat in the Sun, with glistering Garments of Cloath of Silver, and when the Sun­beames [Page 50] did beat upon it the People cried him up as [...] as something higher and more excellent then a Mortal Creature. No, this was not a phantastical Representation, but a real Impression of Divine Glory on the Body of Christ.

4. Although this appeared in the face chiefly, as the most conspicuous part of the Body; the Text saith, his face did shine as the Sun, yet more or less the other parts of his Body were cloathed with Majesty and Glory; and thence was the splendor deriv­ed to his Garments.

2. How his Body Transfigured, differed from his glorified Body, this must be stated also, for Christ by his Transfiguration, was not admitted into the fulness of the state of Glory, but onely giveth some glimpse and resemblance of it. These two Estates agree in the general Nature, but some Clarity, Glory and Majesty is put upon Christs glo­rified Body that was not now. But the difference is

1. Partly in the degree and measure, the Clarity and Majesty of Christs glorified Bo­dy is greater and more perfect. Here is a Representation, some Delineation, but not a full exhibition of his Heavenly Glory.

2. Partly in continuance and permanency this change was not perpetual, but to endure [Page 51] for a short time onely, for it ceased before they came down from the Mount.

3. The subject or seat of this Glory dif­fered, the Body of Christ being then Cor­ruptible and Mortal, but now Incorrupti­ble and Immortal. If Christs Body had been Immortal and Impassible, then Christ could not die.

4. Here are Garments, and a glorified Body shall have no other Garments than the Robes of Immortality and Glory in Hea­ven. Christ shall be clothed with Light as with a Garment.

Secondly, The Ends of it. By this Trans­figuration God would shew

• 1. What Christ was.
• 2. What he should be. And
• 3. Also what we shall be.

1. What Christ was. The Dignity of his Person and Office; that he was the E­ternal Son of God, and the Mediator of the New Covenant; the great Prophet whom God would raise up to his People.

(1.) The Dignity of his Person was seen, for the Transfiguration was a Ray of the Divine Glory. It was not the Addition of any Glory to Christ which he had not be­fore, [Page 52] but a Manifestation of the Glory which he had, though obscured under the Vail of our Flesh, for the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily; Col. 2. 9. And we beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begot­ten Son of God, Ioh. 1. 14. But it is said, 2 Pet. 1. 17. that he received from God the same Honour and Glory. This is spo­ken of him as Mediator, the glory of the Son of God Incarnate was so obscured for our sakes, that he needed this Solemn Act to represent him to the World.

(2.) His Office. The great Prophet of the Church, Hear ye him. A greater Pro­phet then Moses. Moses saw the Face of God, but he was in the Bosom of God: Moses his face shone, but not as Christs, for it could be hidden by a Vail; Christ darts his glory through his Garments: Mo­ses his shining was Terrible, Christs was Comfortable, the Apostles were loth to lose the sight of it.

2. To show what Christ should be; for this was a pledge with what glory he should come in his Kingdom; Matth. 16. 27. it prefigured the glory of his second coming. Thus for the Confirmation of their Faith Christ would give his Disciples a glimpse of his Glory; he knew they would be sorely assaulted and shaken, by the Ignominy of [Page 53] his Cross. But what is all this to us? we see not his Glory.

(1.) What was once done and suffici­ently Attested, needs not to be repeated, but it is a great satisfaction to us that we have a glorious head, and chief; when we suffer for him we need not be ashamed of our Sufferings, the Apostles urge this con­cerning us as well as them.

(2.) The immediate Manifestations of him who dwelleth in light inaccessible would undoe us, while we are in our mor­tal Bodies. Blessed be God that he hath chosen fit means to reveal himself to us, that we may behold the glory of the Lord in a Glass, 2 Cor. 3. 18. by the Ministry of the Word and other Ordinances. The Is­raelites were sensible how little they could endure him who is as it were all Sun, and all Light, and all Fire, Exod. 20. 18, 19. Let not God speak to us least we dye. Elijah wrapt his Face in a Mantle, when God ap­peared unto him, 2 Kings 19. 13. when Christ appeared to Paul from Heaven, he trembled and was astonished, and was three dayes without sight, as you may see Acts 9. 9. there was a special Reason, why an Apostle should see him in Person.

(3.) We shall see this Glory when fit for it, Ioh. 17. 24. Father, I will that they [Page 54] whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me. The Queen of Sheba took a long Journey to behold the glory of Solomon, that was but a Temporal, Fading and Earthly Glory. Now much more Transcendent is the Glory of Christs Body in Heaven; this we shall see to all Eter­nity.

3. To shew what we shall be; for Christ is the Pattern, primum in unoquoque genere, &c.

(1.) It sheweth the possibility of our ha­ving a glorified Body. When the Lord is pleased to let forth and communicate his Glory, he is able to adorn and beautifie our Earthly and obscure bodies, the body of man in its composition hath a great mix­ture of Earth which is dark and obscure. Now God can make this clod of Earth to shine as the Star or Sun for brightness, Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself. We are apt to say, How can it be? if we consider the infi­nite and absolute power of God, and this Instance of Christ, it will make it more re­concilable [Page 55] to your thoughts, and this hard point will be of easier digestion to your Faith.

(2.) The certainty of it as well as the possibility, for Christ assumed our body not for Passion only, but for Glorification; that therein he might be an instance and pattern to us. For if the head be glorious, so will the members also, how base soever the people of God seem to be in this World, yet in the Life to come they shall be wonderfully glorious, Mark. 13. 43. The Righteous shall shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father. So Colossians 3. 3, 4. Now our Life is hidden with Christ, but when he who is our Life shall appear, we shall appear with him in Glory, 1 Iohn 3. 2. When he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 2 Thessalonians 1. 10. Christ shall be glorified in his Saints, and admired in all them that believe, all these places shew we shall be partakers of this Glory.

3. The manner; Glorification taketh not away the substance and natural proper­ties of the body; for there is a glorious Transfiguration, but no abolition of the [Page 56] substance of Christs body, it was the same body of Christ before, and after Transfigu­ration. Glory freeth us from natural infir­mities, but it doth not strip us of natural properties, Christ hath shewed in his own body, what he can or will perform in ours, these same bodies but otherwise adorned, [...], and with these eyes shall I see God, Iob 19. 26, 27. [...], This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality, 1 Cor. 15. 53.

USES.

1. Be Transformed, that you may be Transfigured, be ye transformed by the re­newing of your minds, Rom. 12. 2. the change must begin in the Soul, 2 Cor. 3. 18. and thence it is conveyed to the Body; the lustre of Grace maketh way for the splen­dor of Glory, Prov. 4. 18. The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day. The way of the wicked is an encreasing darkness, Ig­norance, Sin, outer Darkness.

2. Be contented to be like Christ in re­proaches, disgraces, and neglect in the [Page 57] World, that you may be like him in Glory, bear the reproach of Christ, Heb. 13. 13. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the Camp bearing his reproach, Heb. 11. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches then the Treasures of Egypt; prefer it before all earthly honour, Acts 5. 41. And they departed from the Councel rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name, and 2 Sam. 6. 22. I will yet be more vile and base in my own sight. Your Lord is a glorious Lord, and he can put Glory up­on you.

3. To wean our hearts from all humane and earthly glory; what is a glorious House to the Palace of Heaven; glorious Gar­ments to the Robes of Immortality? The glory of Christ should put out the glory of these petty stars, that shine in the World, as the Sun puts out the fire. We have higher things to mind; it is not for Eagles to catch Flyes, or Princes to embrace the dunghill.

4. Since this glory is for the Body, do not debase the Body, to make it an instru­ment of sin, 1 Thess. 4. 4. Possess your ves­sels in Sanctification and Honour, do not of­fend [Page 58] God to gratifie the Body, as they do, Rom. 14. 13. who make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. Do not spare the body to do God service, Acts 26. 7. Unto which promise our twelve Tribes instant­ly serving God day and night hope for to come, for which hopes sake, King Agrippa I am ac­cused of the Iews, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these promises (dearly beloved) let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

USES.

1. For Confutation of the Iews, and to shew their obstinacy in not receiving Christ as the Messiah, God had told Moses, Deut. 18. 18. I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, and will put my words into his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him, and whosoever will not hearken unto him, I will require it of him. Which cannot be under­stood of any other Prophet, but Christ the Messiah, for it is said, Deut. 34. 10, 11. There arose not a Prophet in Israel like unto Moses who knew the Lord face to face in all the miracles and wonders which the Lord sent him to do. But the Messias doth match and o­vermatch him, he was a Man as Moses was; for the Promise was made on that occasion, let me hear the Voice of the Lord God no more, nor see this great Fire, that we dye not; saith God, they have well spoken, I will raise up a Prophet like unto thee from among their Brethren; he must be a Law­giver as Moses, but of a more perfect Law; he must be such an One as should see God face to face; he is of a Divine Nature, ap­proved to the World by Miracles, Signs and Wonders. As Moses was, so Christ; Moses [Page 80] divided the Sea as dry Land, Christ walked upon it; Moses healed the bitter Waters that were sick, Christ raised the dead: All the prejudice is, that he changed the Law of Moses into the Rites and Institutes of the Christian Religion. Answ. That was ne­cessary the substance being once come, that the Shadowes and Ceremonies should be a­bolished; and besides, these were proper and peculiar to one Nation in the World, namely Iudaea; the Exercise permitted but in one only place of that Country, namely Ierusalem; whither they were all to repair three times each year; but the Messias Law was to be common to all men, serves for all Countries, Times, Places, Persons, for he was to be the Light of the Gentiles as well as the Glory of his people Israel, how should Nations so far distant from Ierusalem repair thrice every year; or a Woman dwelling in England or America repair thither for pu­rification after every Child-birth, Lev. 12. When Moses delivered the Law to them, Deut. 18. 15. The Lord thy God will raise thee up a Prophet like unto me, unto him shalt thou hearken. And the Prophets when they pro­phesie of his Law, Isa. 2. 3. The Law shall go forth out of Sion, and the word of God from Ierusalem. Moses's Law was published from Sinai, not from Sion; but the preaching of [Page 81] the Gospel begun at Ierusalem, and from thence was spread over all the World. A­gain it is said, Isa. 42. 4. The Isles shall wait for his Law; that is the Maritime Countries. I pursue it no farther now.

2. To us Christians. Our Religion is true, Oh let us be true in the profession of it; otherwise it will little help us in the day of our Accounts, 2 Thes. 1. 8. Taking ven­geance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. You stand upon the Vantage-ground, but are not Taller in Stature than Heathens and Iews. Disciples in Name, not in Deed; Ioh. 8. 31. If ye continue in my words, then are ye my disciples indeed: Christians of Letter, not of the Spirit. Oh Reverence Christ, if Moses and Elias did him Homage. When we have found Truth let us look af­ter Life; and having owned the true Reli­gion express the Power of it.

II. The next thing we learn is the Necessi­ty and Value of Christs Death. For Moses and Elias insist upon his Decease at Ierusa­lem; which quite contradicteth the Iewish deceit and establisheth the Christian Hope. The Death of Christ for our Redemption is the great Article of the Christian Faith, [Page 82] the thing foretold and prefigured by Law and Prophets, Luk. 24. 44. and the ground of our Comfort and Peace, Isa. 53. 4, 5. Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smit­ten of God and afflicted. But he was wound­ed for our Transgressions, he was bruised for our Iniquities, the chastisement of our Peace was upon him, and with his stripes are we healed.

Let us Consider, 1. The Notions by which Christs Death is set forth.

2. The Necessity of it.

First, The Notions by which Christs death is set forth. Two solemn ones: A Ransom; And, A Mediatorial Sacrifice.

1. A Ransom; [...] Mat. 20. 28. [...], 1 Tim. 2. 6. Who gave himself a Ransom for all. A Ransome is a Price given to a Judge, or one that hath power of life and death, for to save the life of one capitally Guilty, or by Law bound to suffer death, or some other evil and pu­nishment. This was our Case, God was the supream Judge, before whose Tribunal Man standeth guilty, and liable to death; but Christ interposed that we might be spa­red, Iob 33. 24. deliver him from going down to the Pit, for I have found a Ran­som. [Page 83] There is a Price or Recompence gi­ven in our stead.

2. A Mediatorial Sacrifice, Isa. 53. 3: When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin: Eph. 5. 2. Christ hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. He hath undertook the Expiation of our sins, and the propitiating of God; Gods provoked Justice would not acquit the Controversie it had against us, till it were appeased by a proper Sacrifice; 1 Ioh. 2. 2. He is the pro­pitiation for our sins.

Secondly, The Necessity of it.

1. The sins and guilty Fears of Mankind, needeth such a Remedy; we are natural­ly sensible that the punishment of death is deserved and due to us by the Law of God, Rom. 1. 32. They which commit such things are worthy of death. Now these Fears are not easily appeased, Micah 6. 6, 7. Where­with shall I come before the Lord, and bow my self before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of Oyle? Shall I give my first-horn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my seul? Christ came [Page 84] and died to free us from them, that we might serve God chearfully, Heb. 2. 14, 15. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God.

2. The Glory of God requires it.

1. To declare his Justice, Rom. 3. 25, 26. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to delare his Righte­ousness, for the Remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. To declare I say at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Iesus. If God will pardon sin, there must be a fit means to keep up the Honour of his Justice, and the Authority of his Law; for sin is not a wrong done to a pri­vate party offended, but a disobedience to Authority, and disturbeth the order of Go­vernment.

2. To declare his Holiness, that he is a Pure and Holy God hating sin. This was demonstrated in the Sufferings of Christ, and the dear rate at which it was expiated: for if [Page 85] this was done in the green Tree, what shall be done in the dry.

USES.

1: Oh then be affected with this great Mistery, the death which the Son of God accomplished at Ierusalem; look upon it under a double Notion, with respect to his Fathers Command, it was an Act of Obedi­ence, carried on with such Humility, Pa­tience, Self-denial, Resignation of himself to God, Charity, Pity, as the like cannot be done by Man or Angel, Rom. 5. 19. by the obedience of one many were made Righte­ous. Phil. 2. 7. He humbled himself, and became obedient to the death, even the death of the Cross; this commendeth Obedience to us. it was an Act of Love, Gal. 2. 20. Who loved me and gave himself for me. Rev. 1. 5. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood. He thought no price too dear for our Salvation, let us love him a­gain who loved us first; 1 Ioh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us. And be contented to suffer with him and for him, that we may enter into his Glory; Rom. 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together, if he call us there­unto.

[Page 86] 2. Feel the Vertue of it in Heart and Conscience. In Heart, by our dying to sin, then we are planted into the likeness of his death; Rom. 6. 5. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof. Gal. 5. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree, that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness. Then Glory in it, Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ, by whom the world is cru­cified to me, and I unto the world. In Con­science, 1 Ioh. 5. 10: He that believeth in the son of God hath the witness in himself, &c. Heb. 12. 24. And to Iesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than the blood of A­bel; doth it appease our guilty fears, and purge our Consciences from the stain and guilt of sin.

III. The State of Future Glory and Fe­licity.

1. The dead in the Lord are not perish­ed, but live for ever with God in Heaven; for here they appear long after their depar­ture hence, Luk. 20. 38. He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live unto him. They all live to God though they are [Page 87] gone out of the sphere of our commerce, they have another Life with God. Now fix this in your hearts, for many carry it so as if there were no Immortality or Life to come; we do not vanish into the Air when we die; Moses is somewhere, and Elias somewhere, in the Hand of God, and can appear when God will have them.

2. The Saints appeared in a true, and in their own Bodies, to establish the Faith of the Resurrection; their bodies were reserv­ed for this use; one of them was already in Glory in soul and body, the other now raised out of the dust after many years Buri­al; and why cannot God gather up our dust again and enliven it, that we may ac­company Christ at his coming.

3. This Instance sheweth also the Degrees of Glory. All the Saints have their Porti­on in Bliss, but not a just equality. Mo­ses and Elias appeared in Glory, not Enoch; nor were any of the rest admitted to this solemnity. Here were three choice disci­ples, when the rest stood at a remote di­stance; so two glorified Saints, but the rest not admitted to this Honour, but stood waiting for his glorious Ascension. There is difference on Earth in the Worldly State, some have greater Riches, Honours and Dignity than others; difference in the [Page 88] Church, both in Gifts and Graces; yea a difference in Hell, some have a hotter, o­thers a cooler punishment; so in Heaven, according to eminency in Holiness and Faithfulness with God; otherwise there would not be a suitableness in Gods dispen­sations.

4. The perfect subjection of the glorified spirits to the will of God, either to remain in the Vision of God, or to be imployed in the service of their Redeemer; we should think that a self-denial, which they count an Happiness, to come from Heaven to Mount Tabor; they take up, or lay down a body, as God pleaseth. Heaven is a state not onely of perfect Happiness, but of ex­act conformity to God.

5. We shall have the Company of the Blessed Saints in Heaven. The disciples here did not onely enjoy the company and sight of Christ, but the company and sight of Moses and Elias, being glorified Saints; so in the Heavenly Life; Mat. 8. 11. It is made a part of our blessedness in the King­dome of God, to sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Iacob; And Heb. 12. 23. Ye are come to the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. Here we are ioyned [Page 89] to them by Faith and Hope; there by sight and Fellowship. The company of wicked Men is now grievous and tedious to us, Ezek. 2. 6. but we shall have better com­pany hereafter, here we often part with our choicest Friends and Acquaintance, but there we shall meet and never part more; It is not to be imagined but that we shall have the comfort of our glorified Fellow­creatures. The Body hath its Objects and Felicity fit for a Body.

6. The Saints shall know one another, as the disciples knew Moses and Elias, though not by Countenance, having never seen them before, but by Revelation; Christ told them who they were, and we who have known before our old Acquaintance shall know them again. Memory is not a­bolished, but perfected; we shall make one body, one society; now we shall not con­verse as strangers, Abraham knew Lazarus, Luk. 16. 25. Ministers, 1 Thes. 2. 19. What is our hope or joy or crown of Rejoycing, are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his coming. Christs Argument, Luk. 16. 9. Make to your selves friends of the mam­on of unrighteousness, that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations. An­gels know not onely themselves, but all the Elect now; how else do they Minister [Page 90] about them, they know the least believer, Math. 18. 10. Take heed that ye offend not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. And they are at length to gather them from the four Winds, Matth. 13. 41. The son of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that do offend.

7. The Conference of the Blessed Saints; we shall be with them, speak to them, hear them speak to us, though not after an earth­ly manner. We have now Bodies, and so Tongues and Lips, which are the Instru­ment of Speech; Ears, which are the In­struments of Hearing; now these would seem vain, and to no purpose, if there were no use of Speech and Hearing. It was a blessed thing for Peter, Iames and Iohn, to stand by and hear the conference be­tween Christ, Moses and Elias, 1 King 10. 8. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy ser­vants which stand continually before thee, and hear thy Wisdom. Much more may it be said here.

USE. Well then, Christian Religion is True, Christs Death Necessary, Eternal Life Certain, Oh let our Time, and Hearts and Care be taken up about these great and [Page 91] glorious things, Meditate on them, seek af­ter them, first begin with the sureness of Christian Doctrine, that you may lay a good Foundation that Christ is the Teacher of the Church, who hath brought life and im­mortality to light through the Gospel, 2 Tim. 1. 10. then penitently sue out your Pardon, in the name of Christ, depending on the Merit of his Death, and make this Eternal Life and Happiness your choice, and the scope of your Life and Conversation, 2 Cor. 4. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are Eternal.

I. Doctrine, That the state and condition of the glorified Saints, is a most delight­ful state and condition.

For when Peter had but a glimpse of it in the transfiguration of Christ, it seemed so ravishing and transporting, that here would he abide and stay by it; so was he affected with joy in the company and pre­sence of Christ, and Moses, and Elias, ap­pearing with him, that all his natural com­forts and relations were forgotten. This would compensate all, if once we be got­ten into this blessed estate, we shall never desire to come out of it and part with it, this which the Disciples had, was but a lit­tle glimpse, and tast of the Life to come, this must needs be so; it is called joy, Mat. 25. 21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord, and fulness of joy, Psal. 16. 11. In thy pre­sence there is fulness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore, no better estate can be expected. The Soul is at rest [Page 105] as having obtained its end. And it is also proved by the priviledges and benefits the Saints shall enjoy in the world to come.

• 1. A Freedom from all Evil, which here are matter of Grief to us. And
• 2. The Fruition of all Good, which may any way bring Ioy, and Delight and Con­tentment.

1. There is a Freedom from all Evil. There is a twofold evil, either of Sin or Punish­ment. In Heaven there is neither Sin nor Misery.

1. To begin with sin, that is the worst evil, because it maketh us hateful to God, and grieveth the Saints most, Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this Death. If any man had cause to complain of Afflictions, Paul much more being often imprisoned, whip­ped, stoned, but his lusts troubled him more then scourges; and his captivity to the Law of sin more then Prisons. Gods children are most weary of the World, because they are sinning here, whilst others are glorifying of God, and enjoying God and the company of his blessed Ones. Now in Heaven there is no sin, Eph. 5. 27. there is neither spot [Page 106] nor blemish nor wrinkle on the face of the glorified Saints, their faces were once as black as yours. But now they are washed in the Lambs blood and fully cleansed, now with much ado we mortifie sin, but then it is nullified; but if we subdue the power of sin we do not get rid of the being of it, but then we are rid of all at once, of all sin, and temptation to sin. There was a Serpent, a tempter in Paradise, but there is none in Heaven; the devil is shut out, and the old man is left in the Grave never to rise more.

2. There is not the least evil of Afflicti­on, Rev. 21. 4. All tears shall be wiped away from their eyes, whatsoever is painful and burdensome to nature, is a fruit of sin, a brand and mark of our Rebellion against God. Therefore when sin is done away, Affliction which is the fruit of it, is done away also. In Hell there is Evil, and one­ly Evil; in Heaven Happiness, and onely Happiness; here our wounds are healed, but the scars remain, something to put us in mind that we have sin yet dwelling in us, but there all the effects of it cease, there is neither death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain.

2. They shall enjoy all Good things, which [Page 107] shall bring Joy and Comfort to them, in blessedness there is a confluence of all Good, our joyes are full and eternal.

1. There is the immediate sight and pre­sence of God, and Jesus Christ, who shall be all in all to them, 1 Cor. 13. 12. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face, now I know in part, then shall I know as also I am known. And John 17. 24. Fa­ther I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may be­hold my glory which thou hast given me; for thou lovest me before the foundation of the World. We are brought into the presence of him who is blessedness it self.

2. The society of all the blessed Angels and Saints glorified, Mat. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac, and Iacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.

3. The perfection of all Heavenly gifts both in soul and body.

(1.) In Soul, that is the Heaven of Hea­ven, 1 Iohn 3. 2. Now are we the sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but this we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is, Psalm 17. 15. When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy Image and likeness, by knowing we come to Love, and by loving [Page 108] God we know him, there is Vision, Assimi­lation, Satisfaction, the object is efficacious, the intimation vigorous and clear, the sub­ject prepared for the impression.

(2.) In Body, Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile Body, that it may be fashion­ed like unto his glorious body, the body shall be endued with all glorious qualities as brightness, strength, agility, it is a body wholly impassible and incorruptible, fit for the operations of a glorified soul, and with it shall for ever remain a glorious Temple of the Holy Ghost, therefore it is good to be here.

II. Doctrine. That one of the diseases of mankind is, that we catch at felicity without considering the way that leadeth to it.

Peter seeing and apprehending this estate to be an estate of Happiness, and Glory, doth not consider what he must first do, and first suffer, before he could come to con­verse with Christ, and the glorified Saints. Our Saviour had lately told him that he must deny himself, and take up his Cross and follow him, but Peter overlooketh all this; and saith it is good to be here: he would be glorified before he was abased, and had suffered all the afflictions foretold, and would have his wages before he had done his work. Every one would enjoy Christs Glory and Happiness, but we do not like his yoke, are loath to submit to his Cross. If we would enjoy happiness with Christ, and the glorified Saints, we must be humbled with them, and suffer with them first. But we would triumph before we had fought any battle, and receive the Crown before we have run our Race, and reap in joy, before we have sowed in [Page 113] tears, or performed that necessary work that God requires at our hands.

Now the Reasons of it are these.

1. Because by nature we love our own ease and contentment, Gen. 49. 15. He saw that rest vvas good. We are loath to undergo the Cross, and desirous to enjoy Happiness and Glory before and without Afflictions; but this is an untimely and pre­posterous desire, proceeding from self-love. God hath appointed another order, that the Cross, should go before the Crown, Rom. 8. 17. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be glorified together.

2. From the Libertinism and yokeless­ness of our natures, and that Spirit of un­subjection, which is so natural to us, Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be, Psalm 2. 3. Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. Duties are more displeasing to the flesh, then Happiness, and we like par­don and Life, more then we like strictness, purity, and that watching and striving, and waiting, and exercising our selves unto Godliness, which the Scripture calleth for.

Doct. III. Much evil would ensue, if we had our Desires in all those thing that we think good for us.

Peter said, It is good for us to be here, but alas how ill would it have been for the World if Christ had abode still in the Mount. Peters instance sheweth us two things.

1. That we are apt to consult with our own Profit, rather than Publick Good. The World needed him, he had great business to do in the Valley, but he would be in the Mount. It is our Nature, if it be well with our selves, to forget others. Peter little minded his Fellow Apostles, the Redemp­tion of the World, the Conversion of Na­tions, &c.

2. How much we are out when we judge by present sense, and the Judgment of Flesh. We consult with the ease of the Flesh, and so desire Rest more than Pains and labour; what pleaseth rather than what profiteth. Peter saith, It is good to be here, but he must labour first, suffer first, before he entreth into Glory.

Well then, Let us learn by what measure to determine Good or Evil.

[Page 119] 1. Good is not to be determined by our Fancies and Conceits, but by the Wisdom of God: for he knoweth what is better for us, then we do for our selves; and the Di­vine Choices are to be preferred before our foolish Fancies; and what he sendeth and permitteth to fall out, is better for us than any thing else. Could we be perswaded of this, how would we be prepared for a chearful Entertainment of all that is or can, or shall come upon us. God is wiser than we, and loves us better than we do our selves. The Child is not to be governed by his own Fancy, but his Fathers Discreti­on, nor the sick Man by his own Appetite, but the skil of the Phisitian. It is Expedient God should displease his People, for their Advantage; Ioh. 16. 6, 7. Because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient to you that I go away. We are too much addicted to our own Conceits; Christs dealing is expedient and useful, when yet it is very unsatisfactory to us. He is to be Judge of what is good for us, his going or tarrying, and not we our selves: We are short-sighted Creatures, distemper­ed with Passions; our Requests many times are but Ravings, we ask of God we know not what, as the two Brethren, Matth. 20. [Page 120] 22. we pray our selves into a mischief and a snare, and it were the greatest Misery if God would carve out our Condition according to our own Fancies and Desires.

2. That Good is to be determined with respect to the chief Good, and true Happi­ness. Now what is our chief happiness, but the Enjoyment of God. Our happiness doth not consist in outward Comforts, Riches, Health, Honour, Civil Liberty; or com­fortable Relations, as Husband, Wife, Children; but our Relation to and Accep­tance with God. Other things are but ad­ditional Appendages to our Happiness: Matth. 6. 33. [...], they shall be ad­ded to you. Therefore Poverty is good, Afflictions are good; they take nothing from our essential, solid happiness, rather help us in the enjoyment of it, as it encrea­seth Grace, and Holiness, and so we enjoy God more. Surely, that is good that sets us nearer to God, and that Evil that sepa­rateth us from him. Therefore sin is evil because it makes an estrangement between us and God, Isai. 59. 2. Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you. But Af­fliction is good, because many times it makes us the more earnestly to seek after him. Hos. 5. 16. In their affliction they will seek me early.

[Page 121] Therefore every Condition is good or evil, as it sets us further off or draweth us near­er to God; that is good that tendeth to make us better, more like unto God, capa­ble of Communion with him; and conduc­eth to our everlasting happiness. So it is good that man bear the yoke from his youth, that he be trained up under the Cross, in a constant Obedience to God, and Subjection to him, and so be fitted to entertain Com­munion with him. If Afflictions conduce to this end they are good, for then they help us to enjoy the chief good.

3. That Good is not alwayes the Good of the Flesh, or the Good of outward Pro­sperity; and therefore certainly the Good of our Condition is not to be determined by the Interest of the Flesh, but the welfare of our Souls. If God should bestow upon us so much of the Good of the outward and animal Life as we desire, we could not be said to be in a good Condition: if he should deny us Good Spiritual, we should lose the one half of the Blessings of the Covenant by doting upon, and falling in love with the rest. The Flesh is importunate to be pleased, but God will not serve our carnal Appetites. We are more concerned as a Soul than as a Body; Heb. 12. 10. He verily cha­stened us for our profit, that we might be par­takers [Page 122] of his Holiness. Certain it is, God will chasten us for our profit: What do we call Profit? the good things of this World, the great Mammon which so many Worship? If we call it so, God will not; he meaneth to impart some Spiritual and Divine Benefit, which is a Participation of his own Holi­ness. And truly the People of God, if they be in their right Temper, value themselves, not by their outward enjoyments, but by their inward Improvement of Graces; 2 Cor. 4. 16. For this cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is re­newed day by day. A discerning Christian puts more value upon Holiness wrought by Affliction, then upon all his Comforts; so that though Affliction be evil in it self, it is good as sanctified.

4. A particular Good must give way to a General Good, and our Personal Benefit to the Advancement of Christs Kingdom, and the Glory of God. The Advancement of Christs Kingdom, or the good of the Church, must be preferred before our Personal Benefit or Contentment. Paul could want the Glory of Heaven for a while, if his continuance in the Flesh were needful for the Saints; Phil. 1. 24. To abide in the flesh is more needful for you. We must [Page 123] not so desire good to our selves, as to hin­der the good of others. All Elements will act contrary to their particular nature, for the conservation of the Universe, so for the Glory of God. That may be good for the Glory of God, which is not good for our Personal Contentment and Ease. Now the Glory of God is our greatest Interest; if it be for the Glory of God that I should be in pain, bereft of my Comfort, my sanctified subjection to the Will of God must say it is good: Ioh. 12. 27, 28. Here you must have the innocent Inclination of Christs Humane Nature; Father save me from this hour; and the over-ruling sense of his Duty, or the obligation of his office, but for this cause came I to this hour. We are often tossed be­tween Inclination of Nature, and Consci­ence of Duty; but in a gracious heart, the sense of our Duty, and the desire of glorify­ing God, should prevail above the desire of our own Comforts, Ease, Safety and Wel­fare. Nature would be rid of Trouble, but Grace submits all our Interests to Gods Hon­our, which should be dearer to us than any thing else.

5. This Good is not to be determined by the Judgment of sense, but by the Judg­ment of Faith, not by present feeling, but future profit. That which is not good may [Page 124] be a means to good. Affliction for the pre­sent, is not pleasant to natural sense; nor for the present, is the fruit evident to spiri­tual sense; but it is good, because in the issue it turneth to good, Rom. 8. 28. All things work together for good to them that love God, &c. While God is striking, we feel the Grief, and the Cross is tedious; but when we see the end, we acknowledge it is good to be afflicted, Heb. 12. 11. No affli­ction for the present seems joyous but grievous nevertheless afterwards it yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised therein. A Good, present, is the cause of Joy; and an Evil, present, is the cause of Sorrow: But there are two termini diminu­entes, terms of abatement, [...], and [...], present sense, and the conceits of the sufferer. When we are but newly under the affliction, we feel the smart, but do not presently find the benefit; but within a while, especially in the review, it is good for me. It is matter of Faith under the Af­fliction, it is matter of Sense afterwards. Gods Physick must have time to work. That which is not good, may be good; though it be not good in its Nature, it may be good in its Use; and though for the present we see it not, we shall see it. Therefore good is not to be determined by Feeling, but by [Page 125] Faith. The Rod is a sore thing for the pre­sent, but the bitter Root will yield sweet Fruit. If we come to a Person under the Cross, and ask him, What is it good to feel the lashes of Gods correcting hand? to be kept poor, sickly, exercised with losses and reproaches, to part with Friends and Rela­tions, to lose a beloved Child? he would be apt to Answer No. But this poor Creature after he hath been exercised, and mortified, and gotten some renewed Evidences of Gods Favour; ask him then, Is it good to be afflicted? Oh yes, I had been Vain, Neglectful of God, wanted such an Experience of the Lords Grace. Faith should determine the case when we feel it not.

Well then, Let us learn to distinguish between what is really best for us, and what we judge to be best. Other Diet is more wholesome for our Souls than that which our sickly Appetite craveth. It is best many times when we are weakest, worst when strongest, all things are good as they help on a blessed Eternity, so sharp afflictions are good. That part of the World, that is governed by sense will never yield to this. You cannot convince a Co­vetous Man that the loss of an Estate is good, or a worldly rich man that Poverty [Page 126] is good; or an Ambitious man, that it is good to be despised and contemned; or a sensual Voluptuous Man, that it is good to be in Pains; that the Body be afflicted for the good of the Soul, they will never be­lieve you: But those that measure all things by Eternity, they know that Poverty makes way for the true Riches; and Ignominy for the true Glory; Want, for fulness of Plea­sures; and Misery mortifies Sin.

Doctrine, That it is the main and principal point of the Gospel, and of great necessity to be known and believed to Salvation, that Iesus Christ is the Beloved Son of God, in whom he is well pleased.

• 1. I shall open this Testimony given to Christ.
• 2. Speak of the importance and weight of it.

I. Of the Testimony given to Christ.

1. Let me open the term that expresseth his Filiation, that he is Gods Son. Christ is the son of God properly so called, a Son on­ly begotten, Iohn 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son. Eternally begotten Prov. 8. 22, 23. I was set up from everlasting, the Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old. A Son coequal with his Father, Iohn 5. 18. The Jews sought to kill him because he said, God was his Father, making him­self [Page 132] equal with God, [...], his own proper Father. So co-essential, of the same substance with his Father, Iohn 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Now thus is he the Son of God.

Why is it mentioned there.

1. To shew the special dignity of Christ a­bove all others: he is the Son of God, Christi­ans are the Sons of God, but in a different manner, he by nature, we by Adoption. Tho God have many sonsby Creation and Adop­tion, yet Christ is his Son in a peculiar & pro­per way; by eternal Generation, and com­munication of the same Essence, [...] that Son, that beloved Son, so a Son as none else is the son of God, properly so called.

2. To distinguish him from Moses and the Prophets, from Moses Heb. 3. 5, 6. Mo­ses verily was faithful in all his house as a ser­vant, but Christ as a son over his own house, whose house we are, &c. so from the rest of the Prophets, Heb. 1. 1, 2. God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets, but hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the World. This is the great Do­ctor of the Church, now as to meekness a­bove [Page 133] Moses, as to zeal above Elias, as to familiarity and communion, he was with God, and was God.

3. To shew the old Prophesies were fulfilled, which foretold the union of the two Natures in his Person, the predictions concerning one whose name should be Immanuel, God with us, and who should save and redeem the Church, Isa. 7. 14. And of a child that should be the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Isa. 9. 6. This the Prophets foretold that he should be God, and the Son of God, Micah 5. 2. His going forth is from Everlasting, though born at Bethlehem; so the bud of the Lord, and the fruit of the Earth, Isa. 4. 2. The man Gods fellow, Zech. 13. 7. and in many other places the union of the two Natures is as­serted.

2. He is the beloved Son.

1. That God loved Christ, Christ is the object of his Fathers Love, both as the se­cond Person and as Mediator. As the se­cond Person of the Trinity, two things are wont to attract love, nearness, and likeness; they are both here, nearness, he was in the bosome of the Father, Iohn 1. 18. The on­ly begotten Son, which is in the bosome of the Father, he hath declared him. Likeness is [Page 134] another loadstone of Affliction, Heb. 1. 3. He is the brightness of his Glory, and the ex­press Image of his Person, such as the Father is so is Christ.

2. As Mediator, so God loveth him on the account of his obedience, Iohn 10. 17. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life for the Sheep, Iohn 3. 35. The Father hath loved him and put all things into his hand, the Father approved Christs undertaking for sinners, delighted in it as an excellent way of glorifying his name, and recovering poor creatures out of their lost condition: and rested satisfied, and was pleased with his death, as a sufficient ran­som for poor souls. Well then God loved him so as to trust the souls of all mankind in his hands, and to appoint him to be the great Mediator, to end all differences be­tween him and us, and the more he doth in pursuance of his Office, the more beloved he is and acceptable to God.

2. The testimony of his love to him as Mediator; for his unspeakable rejoycing in him, as second person in the Trinity, we are not competent judges of. It is descri­bed Prov. 8. 30. I was dayly his delight re­joycing alwayes before him. The mutual com­placency which the divine persons take in one another is there set forth; God de­lighted [Page 135] in Christ, and Christ in God. But in the second love as Mediator, God ex­pressed his love to him in two things; the gift of the Spirit, and the Glory of his hu­mane nature.

1. The gift of the Spirit, Iohn 6. 34. God giveth not the Spirit in measure to him, for the Father loveth the Son, and hath put all things into his hands. This was the great expression of his love to Christ as Mediator, not to make him a visible Monarch of the World, but by the gift of his Spirit to be head of the Church.

2. The other expression of his love to him as Mediator, was the gift of Everlasting Glory, Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me, should be where I am, and behold my glory, for thou hast loved me before the foundation of the World. Gods love to Christ as Mediator, was manifested in exalting him to glory, and this Everlast­ing. These are the great expresses of Gods love to Christ, as God incarnate or appea­ring in our nature.

3. Why is it put here.

1. To shew the end for which Christ came to represent the amiableness of God, that he is Love, 1 Iohn 4. 8. and hath love for his children. Christ is the pattern of [Page 136] all, for he is first beloved, and the great in­stance and demonstration of Gods love to the World.

2. To intimate the redundancy of this Love, it over-floweth to us, for Christ be­ing beloved we are beloved also, Eph. 1. 6. he hath made us accepted in the beloved, to the praise of his glorious Grace. It is an overflowing Love, he is loved and all that have an interest in him are loved. There is a twofold love in God, the love of Bene­volence and complacency; The Elect from all Eternity are loved by God with a love of Benevolence, whereby he willed good un­to them, and decrees to bestow good upon them: but the love of complacency and de­light, is that love whereby God accepteth us, delighteth in us, when he hath made us lovely as his own children, reconciled them by the death of Christ, renewed them by the Spirit of Christ, and furnished them with all the Graces which make us accepta­ble to him, and precious in his sight.

3. To shew the kind and manner of the expressing of his love, to his redeemed ones. Christ prayed Iohn 17. 23. That the World may know that thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me, and ver. 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, that is by the gift of the Spirit and Everlast­ing [Page 137] Glory. Though Christ was the belov­ed Son, yet his state was but mean, and de­spicable in the world; he was afflicted, a man of sorrows, pursued to the Death, even a shameful, painful, accursed Death; yet all this while he was full of the Holy Ghost, of his Graces, Comforts, and afterwards re­ceived to Glory, and so will he love us. At this rate and Tenour, his love bindeth him not to give us worldly greatness, but if we have the Spirit, and may be welcom­ed to Heaven at the last, we have that which is the true discovery of Gods Love. So he manifested his Love to the onely be­gotten Son, and therefore the adopted children should be contented with this Love, if by the Spirit they may be inabled to continue with Patience in well-doing, till they receive Eternal Glory and Happi­ness.

3. The next thing is [...], in whom I am well pleased. This is to be interpreted of Christ as Mediator, or God Incarnate; for this was twice spoken at Christs Bap­tisme, Mar. 3. 17. and now at his Trans­figuration, both imply his Mediatorship. For his Baptisme had the notion of a Dedicati­on, he did then present himself to God as a Mediator for us, to be the Servant of his Decree, as we in Baptisme dedicate our [Page 138] selves, to fulfil the Precepts which belong to us, and as we are concerned to promote his Glory in the World, Christ presented himself as a Mediator, that is as a Prophet to acquaint us with the way of Salvation, as a Priest to pay a perfect Ransom for us, as a King to give us all things, and defend and maintain all those who submit to his Go­vernment, till their Glory be perfected, and they attain unto their final Estate of Bliss and Happiness. Now then God from Hea­ven declared himself well pleased; and now again, when Christ had made some Pro­gress in the Work, confirmeth it for the as­surance of the World.

This then must be Interpreted,

• 1. As to Christ.
• 2. As to those who have benefit by him, and interest in him.

1. As to Christ. He was well-pleased: Partly, as to the Design; the Reparation of Lost Mankind: Partly, as to the Terms by which it should be brought about: Partly, as to the Execution and Manage­ment of it by Christ.

1. As to the Design. God was well­pleased, that lapsed Mankind should be re­stored, at the first God was pleased with his [Page 139] Creation, Exod. 31. 17. on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed, that is recre­ated in the View of his Works, as the effects of his Wisdom, Power and Goodness. And Psal. 104. 31. The Lord shall rejoyce in his works. The Lord saw all to be good, in the beginning and working not to be re­pented of: This was Gods Rest and Sab­bath, to take delight in his Works. When he looked on it altogether, behold it was exceeding good; but afterwards Man, the ungrateful part of the Creation, though the Masterpiece of it, in this visible and lower world, fell from God his Creator, and pre­ferred the Creature before him, to his Loss and Ruine; then God was so far displeased, that he had Reason to wish the destruction of Mankind; it is said Gen. 6. 6. That it repented God that he had made man. That is, he was displeased with us, estranged from us; no more contented with us, than a man is in what he repenteth of: For pro­perly God cannot repent, but this is an Ex­pression to show how odious we were grown to him, Psal. 14. 2, 3. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did under­stand and did seek after God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good no not one. Alas [Page 140] there is a lamentable appearance of Man­kind to Gods sight, now nothing good to be found in them; an universal Defection, both in Piety and Humanity. But then Christ undertook the Reparation of Man­kind, and the Design was pleasing to God, that he might not lose the glory of his Cre­ation, and all flesh be utterly destroyed, Col. 1. 19, 20. It pleased the father that in him should all fulness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself. The restoring of fallen Man to Friendship with God, and all things tending to it, were highly pleasing to God, namely, that Jesus Christ, the se­cond Person in the Trinity should become a Mediator, for that end he had a great Af­fection and liking to this thing. [...], it is the same word used here, the thing is highly pleasing to God, that the Breach should be made up; that man who had lost the Image, Favour and Fellowship with God should be again restored, by renew­ing his Heart, reconciling his Person, and admitting him again into Communion with God, who was was so justly provoked by him. God stood in no need of our Friend­ship, nor could any loss come to him by our Hatred and Enmity; onely it pleased the Father to take this way, Isa. 53. 10. For [Page 141] it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief, when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his dayes, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands.

2. He is pleased with the Terms. God who is the Supream Governour of the world, and the offended Party, stood up­on these Terms, that the Honour of his go­verning Justice should be secured, and the Repentance and Reformation of man carri­ed on. Strictly these must be done, or else man must lye under his Eternal Displeasure; if one be done and not the other, no Re­conciliation can ensue. Now that God is highly pleased with the satisfaction and com­pensation made to his governing Justice, Heb. 10. 6, 7. In burnt-offerings and sacri­fices for sin thou hast no pleasure. Then said I, lo I come to do thy will O God. Ver. 10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Christ once for all. God rejected all other sacrifices, but was fully sa­tisfied with this, as enough to expiate the sin of Man. Christ delighted to give it, and God delighted to accept of it. He paid a perfect ransom for us, besides or above which he craved no more, but rested fully content in it; for the other, the Renovation of Mans Nature, to put him into a capacity [Page 142] to serve and please God, for God would not admit us to Priviledges without change of heart, and disposition, Acts 5. 31. God exalted him to be a prince and saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins. In short God is so satisfied with these Terms, that (1.) He seeketh no farther amends for all their wrongs, Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to 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 [Page 143] 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.

[Page 144] 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 [Page 145] 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 [Page 146] 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.

[Page 147] 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 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, [Page 148] 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 [Page 149] 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, [Page 150] 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 Ear­witnesses, 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 [Page 151] 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 [Page 152] 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, because that God sent his onely be­gotten Son into the world, that we might live by him. That God should bestow his Son upon us to procure our salvation. God tried [Page 153] Abraham's love in sacrificing his son, but manifested his Love to us, in sending his own Son; he spared him not, but delivered him up for us all. Now that such a Remedy and Ransome, is found out for us it should leave an Impression of Gods love on our Hearts, that we may love him again, who first lo­ved us, 1 Ioh. 4. 19. Think nothing too dear for God, who thought no rate too dear to purchase our Life and Peace. As our salvation was precious to him, let his Glory be dear to us; onely let me tell you, this Love must not be confined to a bare act of our Reason, but you must pray to God to shed abroad this love in your hearts by the Holy Spirit, Rom. 5. 5. that so you may study to love and please God, prize Christ and his precious Benefits above all things in the World, and live to him who died for you, that you may feel the con­straining Efficacy and Force of Love.

Doct. That Christ is appointed by God the Father to be the great Prophet and Tea­cher, whose voice alone must be heard in the Church.

I. That Christ is the great Prophet and Teacher of the Church appeareth.

1. By the Titles given to him, he is com­pared with Moses, the great Law-giver a­mong the Iews, The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of you like unto me, unto him shall ye hearken, Deut. 18. 15. He was to be like a Moses, but [Page 159] greater than Moses; a Lawgiver as he, a man as he, one that saw God Face to Face as he, a Mediator as he, but far other in all respects; a better Law, a more glorious Person, a more blessed Mediator, working greater miracles than ever did Moses, so he is called our Rabbi or Master; Mar. 23. 8. One is your master even Christ, and ye are brethren. The supream Authority, the ori­ginal hight is in Christ: We are not Lea­ders and Teachers, but Fellow Disciples; so Heb. 3. 1. Consider the Apostle and high priest of our profession, Iesus Christ. Again, he is called the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant, Mal. 3. 1. Christ with a great condescension took upon him the office of his Fathers Ambassador to the Church, to promote the Covenant of Reconciliation, between God and Man, and make offers of it in preaching the Gospel, and he it is that doth by this Spirit perswade the Elect, and doth make his Covenant sure to them. Once more; he is called Amen, the faithful and true witness, Rev. 3. 14. there can be no prejudice against his Testimony; he can ne­ver deceive, nor be deceived; it is so, it will be so, as he hath said, Amen is his Name.

2. By the Properties of his Office; he hath 3 things to qualifie him for this high Office.

[Page 160] 1. Absolute supream Authority; and therefore we must hear him and hearken to him. This is usually made the ground and reason of the Gospel invitation, to invite sinners to submit themselves to seek after God in this way. As Matth. 11. 27, 28. All things are delivered unto me of my father, and no man knoweth the son but the father, neither knoweth any man the father save the son, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, &c. There is no true know­ing of God but by Christ, and the Gospel Revelation which he hath established; there­fore here must we seek rest for our souls. So Ioh. 3. 35, 36. The father loveth the son, and hath put all things into his hands. He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the son hath not seen life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. First his Mediatorial Authority is acknow­ledged, and then Faith and Obedience to the Gospel is called for; for to the sentence of the Son of God we must stand or fall. So when Christ instituted and sent abroad his Messengers, to invite the World to the O­bedience of the Gospel, Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20. All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Fa­ther, [Page 161] and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. He hath absolute and supream Authority to gather his Church, to appoint Ministers and Ordinances, to be­stow the Spirit, to open and close Heaven and Hell as he pleaseth, to dispose of all affairs in the World for the furtherance of the Gospel, and to enjoyn the whole World obedience to his Commands, and to em­brace this Doctrine,

2. All manner of sufficiency and power of God to execute this Office; Ioh. 3. 34. For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God, for God giveth not the spirit by measure to him. The former Prophets had the Spirit in a limited measure, bestowed on them by God, for such particular purposes as best pleased him. Therefore all their prophesies begin, Thus saith the Lord, as having for every particular Message and Errand new Revelation; but on Christ the Spirit de­scended once for all, and commanded the belief of all and obedience to all that he should say. Therefore it is said, Col. 2. 3. In him are all the treasures of wisdom and know­ledge. He is Ignorant of none of those things which are to be known and practised in order to our eternal salvation; they are deposited with him to be dispensed to us.

[Page 162] 3. There is in him a powerful efficacy. As he hath absolute Authority to teach in his own name, and fulness of sufficiency to make known the Mind of God to us; so he hath power to make his Doctrine Effectual. As when he dealt with his Disciples, after he had opened the Scriptures, he opened their Understandings, Luk. 24. 25. so he opened the heart of Lydia, Acts 16. 14. He can teach so as to draw, Ioh. 6. 44, 45. He can excite the drowsie Mind, change and turn the Rebellious Will, cure the di­stempered Affections, make us to be what he perswadeth us to be. There is no such Teacher as Christ, who doth not only give us our Lesson, but an heart to Learn; therefore to him we must submit, hear no­thing against him, but all from him.

II. About Hearing him; that must be ex­plained also.

First, What it is to Hear. It being our great duty, and the respect bespoken for him In the hearing of words there are 3 things considerable; the sound that cometh to the Ear, the understanding of the Sense and Meaning, and the assent or consent of the Mind. Of the first, the Beasts are ca­pable, for they have Ears to hear the sound [Page 163] of words uttered. The second is common to all Men, for they can sense such intelligi­ble words as they hear. The third belong­eth to Disciples, who are swayed by their Masters Authority. So that, Hear him, is not to hear as Beasts, nor barely to hear as Men, but to hear as Disciples; to believe him, to obey him; to believe his Doctrines and Promises, and to obey his Precepts. For his Authority is absolute, and what he doth say, doth warrant our Faith, and command our practice and obedience. I gather this partly from the word Hear, which not only signifies Attention and Belief, but Obedience, as 1 Sam. 15. 22. To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken then the fat of rams. Where to obey and hearken, are put as words of the same import and sig­nification. Partly from the Matter of Christs Revelation; he hath revealed not onely Doctrines to inform the Mind, but Pre­cepts to reform the Heart and Practice. If we assent to the doctrine, but do not obey the precepts, we do not hear him. There­fore to hear him is to yield obedience to what he shall teach you; and when Christ cometh to take an account of the entertainment of the Gospel, he shall come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of [Page 164] our Lord Iesus Christ. Partly too from the intimate connexion there is between his Prophetical and Regal Office. Christ is so a Prophet, that he is also a Soveraign; and doth not onely give us Counsel and Dire­ction, but a Law, which we are to observe under the highest penalties. If the Gospel were an arbitrary direction, which we might observe or not observe, without any great danger to our selves, surely it were folly to despise good Counsel; but it hath the force of a new Law from the great King and Law-giver of the World, there­fore it must not onely be believed but obey­ed; Heb. 5. 8. He that is the chief prophet of the church, is also the king of saints. Partly also from the near connexion that is be­tween Faith and Obedience. The Matter which we believe is of a practical concern­ment, and doth not require onely a simple Faith, or bare belief, which were enough in points merely speculative; but a ready Obedience. It is said Rom. 16. 26. The mysteries of the gospel are made manifest to all nations for the obedience of faith. They are not matters of speculation and talk, but practice; and Blessedness is pronounced on such as hear them and keep them; Luk. 11. 28. Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it. Many hear and talk, [Page 165] hear and stuff their Minds with Notions, but they do not frame themselves to the practice of what they hear. Many questi­on not Christs Authority, but yet they do not regard his Doctrine. Now Faith doth not onely silence our doubts, but quicken our Affections, and enliven our Practice.

Secondly, How can we now hear Christ, since he is removed into the Heaven of Heavens, and doth not speak to us in Person.

Answ. Surely it doth not onely concern the Believers of that Age, who conversed with Christ in the dayes of his Flesh; but it is the general duty of all Christians to hear Christ; for during the whole Gospel dispensation, God speaketh to us by his Son. Heb. 1. 2. The Revelation is settled, and not delivered by parcels, as it was to the ordinary prophets. Now we hear Christ in the Scriptures, Heb. 2. 3, 4. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Which was first spoken by the Lord and afterwards confirmed to us by them that heard him. He began to speak and to declare the Gospel both before and after his Resurrection; and they that heard him were especially the Apostles, who being indued by the Holy [Page 166] Ghost declared it first to the Iewes, and then to the Gentiles to whom it was contin­ued by divers signs and wonders, as to the Apostles, and to extraordinary Messengers. Christ saith, Luk. 10. 16. He that heareth you, heareth me, and he that despiseth you, de­spiseth me, and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. The despising of the Mes­senger, is the despising him that sendeth the Message. A mans Apostle is himself, is a Iewish Proverb. As to ordinary Ministers he saith, lo, I am with you to the end of the world, Mar. 28. 20. they are taken into part of the Apostolical Commission and Blessings; they preach in Christs Name, and we as in his stead pray you to be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5. 20. so that it is his Voice and his Message, he affordeth his Presence and Assistance unto the Worlds end. If you receive it with Faith and Obedience, you are in a Course and way which will bring you to Everlasting Blessedness: but if you stand out obstinate­ly against his Message, you are in the way to Everlasting Misery, for refusing Gods methods for your Redemption.

Thirdly, The Properties of this Hearing or Submission to our Great Prophet.

1. There must be a resolute Consent or Resignation of our selves to his Teaching [Page 167] and Instruction. All particular duties are included in the general. First, we own Christ in his Offices, before we perform the duties, which each of those offices calleth for at our hands and from us; before we de­pend on him as a Priest, or obey him as a King. As we receive him with thankfulness and love, as our dearest Saviour, and with Reverence, and a consent of subjection, as a soveraign Lord; so also with a consent of Resolution to follow his directions, as our Prophet and Teacher, being convinced that he is sent from God to shew us the way of Life and Happiness; Ioh. 6. 63. Lord to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of Eter­nal Life. His Doctrine sheweth that there is such a thing, how it was purchased, which way it may be had, by Gods offer and the terms prescribed. Before we take any par­ticular direction from Christ about this or that duty, we must first consent in the ge­neral, that he shall be our Teacher and Prophet. A particular consent to Christ in this Relation is as necessary as to any of the rest.

2. This Resignation of our Souls to Christ as a Teacher, as it must be resolute, so it must be unbounded and without re­serves. We must submit absolutely to all that he propoundeth, though some Myste­ries [Page 168] be above our Reason, some Precepts against the Interest and Inclination of the Flesh, some Promises seem to be against Hope, or contrary to natural probabilities. There are some Misteries in the Christian Religion, though not against Reason, yet above Na­tural Reason. Now we must believe them upon Christs word, Captivantes omnem intel­lectum in obsequium Christi, 2 Cor. 10. 5. Bringing into Captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ. All our disputings and reasonings against the Christian Doctrine, must be captivated by a submission to the Authority of our Teacher and Prophet. A Disciple is to be a Learner, not a Caviller; and some Principles are not to be chewed, but swallowed as Pills on the credit of the Physitian, when it appeareth on other Grounds that Christ is the great Teacher sent from God. And as there are Myste­ries above our Reason, so there be duties against the Interest and Inclination of the Flesh. Many of Christs Precepts are dis­pleasing to Corrupt Nature; to deny our selves, to take up the Cross, to mortifie our Appetites and Passions, to cut off right hands, and to pluck out right Eyes, that none shall be saved that are not Regenerate and Holy; that non-condemnation is the priviledge of those that walk not after the [Page 169] Flesh, but after the Spirit; that if we live after the Flesh, we shall dye; that we must not seek great things for our selves; that we must hate Father and Mother, and our own life, if we will be Christs Disciples: Flesh and Blood can hardly down with these things: that there shall be such an exact day of account, such eternal torments in the other World: yet if this be revealed by our great Prophet, as reason must not be heard against Christ, so the flesh must not be heard against Christ, nor the World heard against Christ; so if some of our Hopes exceed the probability of natural causes, Rom. 4. 18. he against hope believed in hope, as the Resurrection of the Body, we must believe and obey him in what he offereth and commandeth, notwithstanding the contradiction of our carnal minds, and hearts, in what is hard to be believed, and practised as well as in what is easie.

3. It must be speedy, as to the great so­lemn acts of submission, do not delay to hear him, Heb. 3. 7. To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts. Christ must not be put off with dilatory shifts, if we re­fuse to hear to day, Christ may refuse to speak to morrow. The Father hath his time of waiting, the Son of his Gospel-of­fers, the Spirit of his earnest motions: it is [Page 170] dangerous to slip our day, therefore if you will hear him, hear him now? hear him betimes, the season falleth under the pre­cept as well as the duty, now while it is cal­led to day.

4. Your consent to hear him must be real, practical, and obediential, verifyed in the whole tenour and course of your lives and actions: for Christ will not be flattered with empty Titles, why call ye me Lord, and Ma­ster, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6. 46. if you pretend to hear his word, you must do it also, for you do not hear to please your minds with knowing, but that you may make it your serious care and bu­siness to serve, love and please God. Many study Christianity to form their opinions, rather then reform their Hearts and Practice. The great use of Knowledge, and Faith, is to behold the love of God in the face of Je­sus Christ; that our own love may be quick­ned and encreased to him again. If it serve onely to regulate opinions, it is but dead speculation, not a living Faith. A naked belief is but the sight of a Feast, it is the gracious soul doth eat and digest it; when our Faith is turned into Love, and Obedi­ence that is the true Faith.

III. The reasons why this Prophet must be heard.

[Page 171] 1. Consider whose voice it is who speak­eth, the only beloved Son of God, or God himself, and surely when he speaketh he must be heard, Heb. 12. 25. See that ye re­fuse not him that speaketh from Heaven, for if they escaped not who refuse him that spake from Earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from Hea­ven. It is Christ doth speak, and God by him, commanding us to repent and believe the Gospel, now to refuse him is a high con­tempt. God when he gave the Law he spake on Earth, but when he spake by Christ, he spake from Heaven; for Christ came from Heaven to acquaint us with the mind of God, and having done it is return­ed to Heaven again; from whence he sent down his Spirit on the Apostles, who re­vealed his Gospel to the World. This was a Mystery hidden in the bosom of God, and brought to us thence, by his only begotten Son, surely with all humble submission we should attend unto and obey his Word, Psal. 103. 20. Bless the Lord ye his An­gels, that excel in strength, that do his Com­mandements, hearkning to the voice of his Word.

2. The matter which he speaketh, and we hear the Doctrine of the Gospel, it is the most sweet excellent and comfortable [Page 172] Doctrine that can be heard, or understood by the heart of man, Prov. 8. 6. Hear saith Wisdom for I will speak of excellent things, and the opening of my lips shall be of right things. This is the brightest light that ever shone from Heaven. The profoundest Wisdom, the greatest Love, and Mercy that ever was or can be shown to sinful wretches, of the highest concernment to man, because his Everlasting state lyeth up­on it, a state of Everlasting wo or weal.

Three things I shall take notice of.

1. The way of Reconciliation with God, manifested and discovered out of his inti­mate Love to us. Man had fallen from the Love of God to the creature, and was con­scious to himself of having displeased his Maker, and so lay under the fears of his vindictive Justice. Now God by Christ declareth his Love to the offender, in the fullest and most astonishing way, Reconci­ling himself to him, and sheweth his readi­ness to forgive, and save him, 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptati­on, that Iesus Christ came into the World to save sinners, of whom I am chief, and 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself. Oh what should be more welcom to the creature than this news, of [Page 173] this pardoning Covenant founded in the Blood of Christ.

2. Our duty exactly stated with conveni­ent motives to enforce it. Not only the com­fort of man is provided for, but also our subjection to God, and that upon the fre­est and most comfortable terms, that we should serve him in love, and glorifie, and please him, that we may be happy in his love to us: for the sum of Religion is to love him, and keep his Commandements, Iohn 14. 21, 23, He that keepeth my Commande­ments he it is that loveth me, and if any man love me he will keep my Words, to love him is our work, and to be beloved of him is our Happiness, and verse 24. He that loveth me not keepeth not my saying, and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Fathers which sent me. The Gospel is the very Word of God, both the Fathers and the Sons, it is an act of loving, serving, and pleasing God, for this is the Word Christ preached, that we love God, and Christ loveth us again.

3. A prospect of eternal Happiness, 2 Tim. 1. 10. He hath brought Life and Immortali­ty to light through the Gospel, this is news, but darkly revealed before, and without this [Page 174] man, knew not how to satisfie all his capa­cities and desires, but was like Leviathan in a little Pool. Nay we have not only a pro­spect of it, but the offer of it as a reward appointed, if we will be sincere in our Faith, Love, and Obedience, 1 Iohn 2. 25. This is the promise that he hath promised us even eternal Life. Everlasting Joy and Blessedness is propounded to us, Oh then hear him, if this be that he speaketh of.

3. The Danger of not hearing this Pro­phet.

1. For the present to continue to slight and contemn the Gosple, is the mark that you are in a carnal perishing condition, 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gosple is hid it is hid to them that are lost, Iohn 10. 3. My Sheep hear my voice, and verse 16. Other Sheep are there which are not of this fold, and they shall hear my voice. Christs Sheep whether Jew or Gentile, they have all the same cha­racter, they all hear his voice, and verse 27. My Sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me. They distinguish his voice, own his voice, obey his voice; so Iohn 8. 47. Whosoever is of God heareth Gods Words, ye therefore hear them not, be­cause ye are not of God, so that you lose all [Page 175] this comfort, if ye do not hear the voice of Christ, and his faithful Servants.

2. For the Future, Deut. 18. 19. Who­soever will not hearken to the words which that Prophet shall speak in my name, I will require it of him, that is, he must look to answer it another day. Peter rendreth it Acts 3. 23. Whosoever will not hearken to that Prophet shall be destroyed among the people. It is not a bodily punishment but eternal torment, Iohn 3. 36. The wrath of God abideth on him. Mark 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned. Thus you see how dan­gerous it is to refuse this Prophet.

USES.

1. Of Conviction, to the carnal Christian for not submitting to Christs Authority. All Christians do it in pretence, but 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 [Page 176] 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 [Page 177] 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. [Page 178] 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. [Page 179] 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 [Page 181] 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.

Doctrine, That God is of such glorious Excellency and Majesty, that we are not able to bear any emissions, or extraordi­nary Representations thereof in this state of frailty.

• 1. I will prove that God is a great God, and of glorious Majesty.
• [Page 186] 2. Give you the Reasons why we are not able to bear the extraordinary manifestations thereof in this state of frailty.

1. That God is a God of great Majesty, and ought to be reverenced by all that have to do with him. The point being a matter of sense, and evident by natural light, needeth not to be proved so much as improved.

1. Scripture representeth him as such Dan. 9. 4. He is called the great and dreadful God, so Deut. 7. 21. A Mighty God and terrible, and Nahum 1. 5. A great and terrible God is he, and again Job 37. 22. With God is terrible Majesty.

2. This eminently shineth forth both in his Works of Creation and Providence. 1. Cre­ation, in the stupendious Fabrick of the Heavens, Ier. 32. 17, 18, 19. Ah Lord God, behold thou hast made the Heaven, and the Earth by thy great power and outstretched arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee, &c. In that mighty Collection of Waters in the Sea, we cannot look upon that vast expansion of the Firmament, that huge body of Waters in the Sea without some religious horrour, what is the God that made all this, Ier. 5. 22. Fear ye not me, saith the Lord? will ye not tremble at my presence? which have placed the Sand for a bound to the Sea, by a perpetual [Page 187] decree that it cannot pass it, and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it. 2. Providence, whether in his way of Mercy or Judgment. Mercy; what a Majestick description of God is there, Ps. 50. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. yet there his presence in his Church is described. The drift of the Psalm is, to set forth Gods Power and Ma­jesty when he comes to call the Gentiles, and to set up the Evangelical way of his Worship, when the light of the Gospel shall shine forth from Sion, Psalm 5. 5. by terrible things in Righteousness wilt thou an­swer us, Oh God, thou God of our Salvation. Though God is a God of Salvation, yet the way of his delivering them carryeth Maje­sty and Terror with it. So his Works of Judgment, Psal. 119. 120. My flesh trem­bleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy Iudgments, when the wicked of the Earth are put away like dross. A Lyon trembleth to see a Dog beaten before him, and it is im­puted as a fault to the wicked, that they do not take notice of it, Isa. 26. 10. They will not behold the Majesty of God.

3. His Greatness and Majesty is such, that we cannot comprehend it, Iob 36. 26. Behold God is great and we know him not, nor can the number of his years be searched out. [Page 188] The Greatness of God cannot be known, but only by way of Negation, that he hath none of those infirmities, which may lessen his being in our thoughts, or by way of comparison, that he is above all, God is greater then man, Ier. 36. 12.

4. So great that he is fain to put a cove­ring on, to enterpose the Clouds between us and him, for we are not able to bear his glorious and majestick presence, Ioh 26. 9. He holdeth back the face of his Throne, and spreadeth his Cloud upon it. What would be­come of us, if he should discover all his Glory: this is his condescension to the lower World, to appear under a vail, and cover his Throne with Clouds.

But though we do not know his full Ma­jesty, yet there is enough discovered both to Faith, Reason and Sense, that God is great and glorious, both in himself and in all his Works. Scripture declareth it to Faith, and Reason will soon subscribe to so evi­dent a Truth, that he that made and su­staineth all things, must needs be a great God. What other conceptions can we form of him, when we look to the Heaven, and this Earth which he sustaineth by his great Power, and he declareth himself to Sense by his dayly Providence to be a God of great Majesty.

[Page 189] The proof of it needeth not so much to be spoke to as the improvement of it, which we are called upon for every where.

1. It is a Mercy that being so great, he taketh notice of us, Psal. 8. 3, 4. When I consider thy Heavens, the work of thy Fin­gers, the Moon and Stars which thou hast or­dained, what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of Man that thou visitest him. When we consider how the Majesty of God shineth forth in the heavenly Bo­dies, and those many glorious Creatures God hath made besides us: we may won­der that God should esteem of man, and take care of man; and be so solicitous a­bout mans welfare, who was formed at first out of so vile materials, as the dust of the Earth, and is still of so very frail, in­firm and mortal condition, and hath carry­ed himself so unthankfully to God, that he should take care of him above his whole Creation, Psalm 113. 6, 7. The Lord our God dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things in Heaven and Earth. That the great God of such glorious Majesty should take notice of Worms, and behold us not only by visiting, over-seeing, and go­verning the affairs of this lower World, but should condescend to this low estate of ours, in taking our flesh; whose Excellency [Page 190] and Majesty is so great, that he might de­spise the Angels, of whom he hath no need: but to stoop so low towards men is matter of wonder, praise, and adoration.

2. We should be humble in our con­versing with him, considering what he is, and we are, Iob 42. 5, 6. I have heard of thee with the hearing of the ear, now mine eye seeth thee, therefore I abhor my self in dust and ashes. This should keep his children in a holy awe. Oh how low should we lye be­fore this great God, Gen. 18. 27. Who am I that am but dust and ashes, that I should speak unto God.

3. That we must not please our selves with the performance of ordinary service to him, but we should raise it to an eminent degree of Worship and Adoration, Psal. 48. 1. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the City of our God, and Psalm 145. 3. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. Alass the best we do is much beneath God. what low thoughts had Solomon of his state­ly Temple, 2 Chr. 2. 6. Who is able to build thee an house, seeing the Heaven of Hea­vens is not able to contain him, who am I that I should build him an house? Thus should we see, that our best resolutions and per­formances come much short of the excellen­cy and greatness of God. All formality and [Page 191] lifeless service proceedeth from hence, that we have not due and raised thoughts of his Ma­jesty and Being, Mal. 1. 14. I am a great King, saith the Lord of Hosts. The greatness of God calleth for other service then usually we give to him: he gets nothing from us that is perfect. But surely we should not put him off with our refuse, but spend the best of our strength, time, parts, and af­fections, in his service. Superficial dealing in it argueth mean thoughts of God, it is a lessening of his Majesty.

4. We serve a great Master, and so may expect great things from him. He discover­eth himself unto his people according to the greatness and Majesty of his Being, Ps. 126. 2, 3. The Lord hath done great things for them, yea the Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad. Kings or Princes do not give pence or brass Farthings, but bestow Gifts becomming their Magnificence. The Heathens were forced to acknowledg it, and the people of God do willing acknow­ledg it, so Ioel 2. 21. Fear not, O Land, be glad and rejoyce, for the Lord will do great things. Be the Mercies never so rare, the way never so difficult, God is able to accomplish them.

5. This should banish the fear of man, as to any danger can come from them to us, or to any attempts against God, Matth. [Page 192] 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the Soul, but rather fear him who is able to destroy both body and Soul in Hell fire; they may threaten great things to us, but God threatneth greater. See Exod. 18. 11. Now I know that God is greater then all Gods, for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly God was above them. There is a greater being we have to depend upon.

6. Because God is of such Majesty and Greatness, we should quarrel at none of his dealings, for he is too high to be questi­oned by the Creature, and his Counsels are carryed on in such a way as we cannot judg of them, no more then a Worm can judge of the affairs of a man; he is great in Coun­sel, and wonderful in working.

7. This should keep his children in an holy awe, Heb. 12. 28, 29. Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with Reverence and Godly Fear, for our God is a consuming fire. When we come in the Holy Assemblies, Gen. 28. 17. How dread­ful is this place. In our general course we must not slight his frowns, nor despise his favours, all comes from a great God, nor behave our selves irreverently in his pre­sence, but still walk as those that have to do with a great and glorious God.

[Page 193] II. That in this present state we are not able to bear any extraordinary manifestati­on of his Greatness and Majesty.

1. Because of his Glory, which would consume and swallow us up. This was a Voice from the excellent Glory, 2 Pet. 1. 17. Now if this excellent Glory by the Vail of the Firmament were not obscured, man were not able to bear it, Iob 37. 20. If man speak, he shall be swallowed up. 1 Tim. 6. 16. He dwelleth in light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see, till we are received to Heaven. Thus it is, his Glory would kill us, his Voice confound us. There is a mighty disproportion be­tween Mortal Creatures, and the infinite Majesty of God; the brightness of his Glo­ry soon burdeneth, and over-burdeneth the infirmity of the best Creatures.

2. Because of our Weakness.

1. Natural: We faint when we meet with any thing extraordinary, and there­fore no wonder if we are astonished with the near approach of the Excellent Majesty of God, and made unfit for any action of Body or Mind. If we cannot look on the Sun, how can we see God? our Felicity in Heaven would be our Misery on Earth: This Wine is too strong for old Bottles.

[Page 194] 2. Sinful Infirmity, consciousness of guilt is in it also, and our disconformity to God through sin, Isa. 6. 5, 6. Wo is me, I am for un­done, I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, and mine eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts. So Peter, Luk. 5. 8. Depart from me, for I am a sinful man; this raiseth a fear in us up­on every eminent approach or discovery of Gods Glory. Before the Fall, God and Adam were Friends; he would have en­dured God to speak to him; yet after the fall the appearance of God became terrible. When he heareth his voice, he is afraid and hideth himself, and something of this fear sticketh to the best of his People, and when God is eminently near it is discovered. For persons that have sin in them, to be near to so Holy and Glorious a Majesty, that is a part of the reason of this Fear and Trouble. Well then, both these causes go together, the Representation of the Majesty of God, and the sense of our own frailty and weak­ness.

USE.

Is to press us to two things;

• I. To press us to an holy Awe and Reve­rence, when we come near to God.
• II. To take heed that our fear of God do not degenerate into a slavish fear.

First, To press us to an holy Awe and Re­verence of God, when we draw nigh unto him. Surely we should in all our Worship have such thoughts of God, as may leave a stamp of Humility, and some Impressions of the Majesty and Excellency of God upon us; and we should fall upon our faces, though not in a way of Consternation, yet in a way of Adoration. And because usually we be­wray much slightness and Irreverence in our converses with God and Approaches to him, I shall press it a little.

1. I will shew how the Scriptures in the general do call for this Holy Awe of the Majesty of God in all our Worship. Psal. 111. 9. Holy and reverend is his name, and therefore never to be used by us, but in an awful and serious manner; Psal. 96. 4. The Lord is great and greatly to be praised, he is to be feared above all Gods▪ Whether [Page 196] we pray, or whether we praise God, still the heart must be deeply possessed with a sense of his Excellency, and we must ad­mire him, above all created or imaginable greatness whatsoever, and so mingle reve­rence, with our most delightful Addresses to him. Again, Psal. 89. 17. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are round about him. Holy Angels, and sanctified Men, who of all Creatures have nearest Access to God, should most adore and reverence him, because they are best acquainted with him, and have the clearest sight of him that mor­tal creatures are capable of. The Angels are an assembly of holy Ones, that alwayes behold his Face; therefore alwayes Laud­ing and Glorifying God: So God is said to be terrible in his holy places, Psal. 68. 35. whether Heaven, or the Church; indeed the awful carriage of his people in his Worship should be one means to convince of the Excellency and Majesty of God, 1 Cor. 14. 25. The Apostle sheweth there, that an Unbeliever coming into the Christi­an Assemblies when they are managed with Gravity and Awe is convinced and judged, and will fall down on his face and worship God, and say, God is in you of a truth. That is, seeing their Humility, brokenness [Page 197] of Heart, hearing their praises and admirati­ons of God, and seeing their orderliness and composedness of Spirit; whereas rudeness, slightness and irreverence, doth pollute and stain the glory of God in their Minds.

2. Other Addresses will not become Faith and Love.

1. Faith, for whosoever cometh to God must fix this principle in his Mind, that God is, Heb. 1. 6. We do not worship God aright if we do not Worship him as Believers, and if we worship him as Believers, we will worship him with reverence, and godly fear. Faith giveth us not only a thought of God, but some kind of sight of God, and sight will leave an impression upon the heart of reverence and seriousness; surely a sight or believing thought of God should be able to do any thing upon the soul. It is the great work of Faith, to see him that is invisible, Heb. 11. 27. We should in our whole conversation live as in his sight, and live as those that remember God standeth by, and seeth all that we are about: but especially in our worship, we then set our selves as before the Lord. Pray as to our Father, that seeth what we do, Mat. 6. 6. Pray to thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret, will reward thee openly. Hear as before the Lord, Acts 10. [Page 198] 33. We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Then the Soul should turn the back upon all other things, that the mind may be ta­ken up with nothing but God.

2. No other worship will become Love. Worship is an act of love and delight. Now love is seen in admiring the Excellencies of that glorious Being whom we love, and ascribing all to him, as being deeply affected with his Goodness, Rev. 4. 10. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. They fell down not out of astonishment but reverence, and cast their Crowns before the Throne. Whatever Honour they have, they had it from God, and are content to lay it at his feet, from whom they have life, and being, and all things. They have such an high esteem of God, that before him they cannot be too vile. They are unworthy to wear any Crown in Gods presence, and are content that their Honour be a footstool to advance and extol his Glory. Certainly those that are heartily affected to God will go about [Page 199] his Worship, as with Chearfulness, so with Humility and Reverence.

Secondly, To take heed that our Humility and Reverence, do not degenerate into servile Fear and Discouragement. It is apt to do so even in the best of Gods People. We can hardly keep the middle between the extreams, our Faith is apt to degenerate into presumption, and our Humility into despondency of Spirit, and our Fear into discouragement and distrust. So hard a matter is it to serve the Lord with fear, and to rejoyce with trembling, Psal. 2. 11. or to walk in the fear of God, and in the com­forts of the Holy Ghost.

Therefore to avoid this Consternation, do two things.

1. Consider how amiable God hath re­presented himself in Jesus Christ, and how near he is come to us: and within the reach of our Commerce there is a new and liv­ing way, through the Vail of his flesh, Heb. 10. 20. So that though our God be a con­suming fire, yet there is a screen between us and this Fire; though if he should draw away the Vail, a glimpse of his glory would kill us, yet this Glory being vailed, we may have access with confidence, Eph. 3. 12. There are naturally in our hearts fears, estranged­ness [Page 200] and backwardness from God; but now God is incarnate, and hath been manifested in our flesh, we may have more familiar thoughts of him, and they are made more sweet and acceptable to us.

2. Get your own peace with God made and confirmed to you more and more, Rom. 5. 1, 2. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through Iesus Christ our Lord. So Eph. 2. 18. He preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that are nigh, for through him we both have an access by one spirit to the father. See the breach made up, between you and God, and be very tender of putting it to hazards any more. God that is a consuming fire to guilty souls is a Sun of Righteousness to the upright; when we are accepted in the beloved, those thoughts of God which guilt will make amazing and terrible, will be through peace comfortable and refreshing.

Secondly, Their comfortable and graci­ous Recovery by Christ, Ver. 7. And Iesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, be not afraid. He relieveth and helpeth them by three things.

• 1. His Approach.
• 2. His Touch.
• 3. His Word.

[Page 201] 1. His Approach; he came to them, you must understand having laid aside his glory, which he had in the Transfiguration, that he might more familiarly converse with them, and without prejudice. Because of their weakness and infirmity he layeth aside his Majesty, and reassumeth the habit of his Humiliation; as Moses did put a Vail upon his face, that the people might endure his sight and presence. Gods appearing at first may be terrible, but the issue is sweet and comfortable, a still calm Voice followed the Earthquake, Wind and Fire, 1 Kings 19. and God doth good to his People, after he hath humbled them and proved them, Deut. 8. 16. Here when the Apostles lay like dead men, Christ came and put new life, and strength into them. He came of love and pity to them, that nothing more grie­vous might happen to them; either loss of life or senses. He would not let them perish in these amazements.

2. His Touch. He touched them. Christs Touch is powerful, and a means of Appli­cation. Usually thus Christ conveyed and applyed his Power, Mat. 8. 3. He touched the leper and cleansed him. Mat. 8. 15. He touched Peters wives mother, and cured her of a fever. So Matth. 9. 19. He touched the two blind men, and they received their sight; [Page 202] and in many other places, so this touching of the Apostles, was to apply his Power, and to recover them out of their Trance.

3. His Speech. And said, arise and be not afraid; The glorious voice of the Fa­ther affrights them, and the gracious voice of the Son reviveth and refresheth them. He comforts those whom the terrors of the Al­mighty had cast down, he doth not chide them for their fear or little Faith, as he doth at other times, he considered the great­ness of the Cause, their natural Infirmity: the governing of which was not in their power, and the terribleness and suddenness left no time for deliberation; therefore he doth not chide them, but encourageth them. The like was done in other cases, as to Eze­kiel in his Trance, Ezek. 2. 1. Son of man arise, stand on thy feet, and I will speak to thee. So to the Apostle Iohn, Rev. 17. 18. When I saw him, I lay at his feet as dead; and he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last. So here, be not afraid. We must reverence Christ, but not be scared at him. Such a fear as may stand with our duty is requir­ed, but not that which disableth us for it, or discourageth us in it, that is no more pleasing to God than security.

[Page 203] 1. Observe Christs tender care over his Disciples, in their faintings and discourage­ments.

1. That he comforteth and reviveth his Disciples. Christ alone can help us, and confirm us against our fears: the disciples did not stir, but lay prostrate upon their faces, till he came and touched them, and said, arise, be not afraid. In all the trou­bles and perplexities of his People, he will be owned as the causer and curer of them, Hos. 6. 1. Come let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us, he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. So Iob 5. 18. He maketh sore and bindeth up, he wound­eth and his hands make whole. As all our troubles and perplexities are from his hands, so must the healing be. If he make the wound, all the World cannot find a plaister to heal it; and no wound given by him­self is above his own Cure; and he wound­eth not as an Enemy, but as a Chirurgion; not with a Sword, but a Lancet. All other means are blasted till we come to him.

2. That he is exceeding ready, and hath great Pity and Tenderness towards them. As appeareth by laying aside his Glo­ry and coming to the Disciples, when they came not to him; and speedily, that he might not leave them long in the Trance, [Page 204] least worse effects should follow; and is he not like affected to all his people, in their perplexities and troubles? Yes verily. See Isa. 57. 16. I will not contend for ever, nor will I be alwayes wroth, for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. He speaketh as if he were afraid, lest mans spirit should fail, being long overwhelm­ed with terror and trouble. So the Apo­stle, 2 Cor. 2. 7. Comfort him least he be swal­lowed up with over-much sorrow. The Lord Christ is full of bowels and compassions, pitieth his people in their Infirmities, Fears and Troubles.

2. The manner and way which he tak­eth is considerable also, by touch and speech. The touch noteth the application of his Po­wer; and in his speech he saith, Arise, be not afraid. Christ doth not love to confound, but comfort his Servants, and therefore tak­eth this double course, by secret power en­livening and strengthening their hearts, Psal. 138. 3. I cried unto the Lord and thou answerest me, and strengthenest me with strength in my soul. That is, God did secretly sup­port him and strengthen him, under the trouble. He doth it also by a word; there­fore we read of Gods speaking peace to his People, Psal. 85. 8. I will hear what God will say, sor he will speak peace to his people [Page 205] and his saints. Besides an inward strength­ning, there is a necessity of a word from Christs own mouth, ere we can cast off our Discouragements. Besides his touching or his laying his right hand upon us, there is need of his word to us.

USE.

It teacheth us what to do when we have serious thoughts of appearing before God: For the case in hand is about those that were affrighted and disquieted with Divine Visi­ons, which was occasioned by natural frail­ty, and partly by a sense of sin. Now all of us must shortly come into Gods presence, but who can dwell with devouring burn­ings? If your thoughts be serious, you will find that it is no slight thing, to appear be­fore God, who is our Creator and our Judge, and who is an holy and glorious God, to whom we have carried it very un­thankfully, and undutifully. Now who can relieve you in these perplexed thoughts, but the Lord Jesus Christ: get a word from him that your Iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged; Isa. 6. 7. and wait on him, till he settleth your souls in the peace and hope of the Gospel, Isa. 57. 14. and then you are relieved in your Agonies of [Page 206] Conscience; stand up, be not afraid, the Gospel is a Soveraign Plaister, but his hand must make it stick.

Thirdly, The Event and Issue of all, ver. 8. And when they had lift up their eyes, they saw no man save Iesus onely. This inti­mateth two things.

1. That this Testimony from Heaven did onely concern Jesus Christ, for Moses and Elias vanish out of sight, and Jesus is left alone, as the Person in whom God is well pleased, and all the Church must hear him. When they are withdrawn, Christ remain­eth as Lord and Head of the Church, and so it sheweth the ceasing of Moses his Law and the continuance, and Authority of the Law of Christ. The Apostle telleth us, when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. They onely prophe­sied, prefigured Christ to come, but now upon the Exhibition, the Legal Ordinances vanished.

2. That God manifesteth himself for time, measure and degree, as he himself seeth fit for our good: for the Vision is removed, when the intent of it is obtained: Here the spiritual Banquet doth not always last, Hea­ven is a perpetual Feast, but we must not look upon Earth to be feasted always with [Page 207] spiritual suavities. There is no permanency, but perpetual Vicissitudes in our enjoyments within time, we have clear and cloudy dayes in the World, a feast, a desertion, Cant. 5. 1. &c. I am come into my garden, my sister my spouse, I have gathered my myrrhe with my spices, I have eaten my honey-comb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk; eat O friends, drink, yea drink abun­dantly, O beloved. I sleep but my heart wak­eth, it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled, for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night, &c. And Ver. 6. I opened to my beloved, and my beloved hath withdrawn himself and was gone. After the greatest manifestations of Christs love, there may be a withdrawing; we can­not bear perpetual comforts, and God re­serveth them for a better time; when we are more prepared for them. There must be Day and Night in this World, and Winter and summer; but in Heaven it is all Day, there is a perpetual sun-shine never clouded nor overcast.